27 million in 99 words

I’m not normally a fan of Christian assaults on the charts or charity singles but this week I’ve bought ’27 million’ by Matt Redman and LZ7. The song has been released to highlight the scandal of modern day slavery. Musically it isn’t anyone’s finest hour but the cause it serves is an important one. In 2007 we marked 200 years since slavery’s “abolition”. Sadly the reality is there are more people in slavery now than ever before and that’s what this song raises awareness of.

Proceeds from sales are going to the A21 Campaign. The song is available from iTunes or Amazon.

Reading: Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller

I got this book for Christmas. I guess that’s not surprising after my previous enjoyment of Generous Justice. Whilst a wouldn’t want to sound like a total fanboy and just blog about books by one person, I blog about what I read so here it is. I shall aim to read something by a different author next.

Counterfeit Gods is a short book that manages to cover a vast range of issues in its 210 pages. The sub-title, “When the empty powers of Love, Money and Power let you down”, gives a good idea of where the book starts but little indication of where it will end up. The theme of this book is idolatry and how it is as much a modern day phenomenon as it was a big part of ancient cultures. The introduction to the book opens with tales of a disturbing series of suicides in the wake of the recent financial crash and sets the scene brilliantly for the first chapter, “All you’ve ever wanted”.

What makes this book great is the way it is written around well known bible accounts of events that don’t specifically mention idols. Keller is able to bring to the surface the tests and trials of Abraham, Jacob, Jonah, Zacchaeus, Peter and others. These stories bring up the choices about believing in a god we’ve constructed against the one true God.

The first and last chapters top and tail the book very well as the first deals in general terms with modern cases of idolatry and the final chapter (before the epilogue) gives a general solution. Between these bookends, four chapters describe the idols of love, money, success, power and glory. Before coming to the finale Keller writes arguably the most important chapter; “The hidden idols in our lives”. This chapter unpacks the way our own idols are deeply rooted within our society, culture and religion. This uses a character study of Jonah linking all his failings to his self-righteousness, nationalism and ultimately distorted view of God.

I enjoyed this book a lot for its writing style but was challenged by its subject matter. The author is keen to point out that he’s dealing with things that people don’t ever want to recognise as a problem. Reading this book has encouraged me to do two things: firstly, check, examine and try to understand my own motives. Secondly, try and understand the one true God better by reading his word understanding his motives and values.

January’s Jotter

The blogosphere is a weird place. Sometimes reading it leaves me amazed at humanity’s ability to convey opinion. Other times I just feel depressed by the ridiculously weak tribal arguments that go on. There’s were many ongoings last month which I’ll briefly highlight here.

This video has gone crazy. Firstly being posted by the vast majority of people I know on Facebook, then being destroyed by bloggers from all ends of the spectrum.

There was a very thorough critique posted on the gospel coalition. Never quick to agree with TGC on much Red Letter Christians also put out a post branding the message a “false dichotomy”. I have to say I feel sorry for the guy. He’s put together a great piece of artwork and made some good points. The problem is that his key point is poorly worded as people have been quick to point out.

Talking of false dichotomies involving religion, science vs. religion appears to have reared its ugly head again. There’s a piece in Relevant Magazine setting out a number of questions for Christians to think about with not much indication about how we might come to answers. There’s also an attack on the new atheists claim to science in the New Statesman. The guardian had a great comment piece which turned the question straight into an opportunity to explain the gospel. In a national newspaper! All the above links are of course footed by obligatory low-level internet slanging matches, further reason for this technology to be created!

In personal news, we’ve joined a church small group this month. That’s been really lacking since we moved down to Guildford. We love being part of a group of people who meet, pray and read the bible together. I did like this article on how not to read the bible even if just for the statement “I try to operate with the base assumption that there are people who know way more than I do”. People are great to listen to and learn from!

Finally, I love this reflection on Genesis from CV Men. Beautiful Nothing uses the opening chapter of the Bible to remind us how much God can do with nothing.

2011: The Soundtrack

2011 was a year filled with many great memories. To me life experiences are inseparably linked to the music I was listening around the time. Last year’s soundtrack was no exception.

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Reflections: 2011

I know you’re supposed to post these reviews of the year at the end of December but I was a little too late for that. I’m going to review the amazing year that’s just gone by and later this week post lists of music, books and other things I’ll remember (before it really is too late!)

The year 2011 was undoubtedly the most significant in my life so far. I graduated from York, married my wife and then started my PhD in Surrey. Condensing it all into one short sentence makes it sound a whole lot easier than it actually was! It doesn’t do the whole year justice. It forgets the time spent praying and planning for life after the wedding. The days spent on trains going to and from interviews, followed by days going up and down the M1 from Yorkshire to Surrey getting everything sorted for that first-day-of-the-rest-of-your-life moment when we returned from honeymoon.

That’s another thing which I’ll remember forever, our honeymoon. Two weeks spent in the Medoc region of France recovering from the wedding while enjoying empty beaches and good wine.

At the start of last year I posted the plan for 2011. Most of the major events are detailed there, I won’t repeat myself here, just say what a massive blessing it’s all been and how convinced I am of God’s provision at every step.

There’s plenty in that plan that I didn’t forsee last January. I never thought I’d end up doing a PhD, but I’m getting paid to work with audio and in my opinion there’s not much better. I couldn’t predict that we’d become godparents but in November we had that honour. I never thought I’d end up living in a place as nice as Guildford but we did and I’m incredibly grateful (although you may occassionally overhear me moan about the cost of living).

2011 has shaped my future irreversibly. I can’t imagine for one moment that 2012 can be anywhere near as eventful, with the joys of last year still with me, I’m not sure I want it to!

A Christmas Hymn

The problem with a lot of Christmas carols is they have terrible words. Each year I wince at singing about “snow on snow on snow” and “little lord Jesus, no crying he makes” both are simply untrue unnecessary misrepresentations of the Nativity story. This year throughout advent I’ve been looking the words of one of Wesley’s old christmas songs (not Hark! The herald angel sings). I think the words are great and go along way in communicating Christmas.

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Photographic Evidence

Rhiannon and I have just received our wedding photos which is very exciting!

Our wedding photographer Ian Martindale did a great job. If you’re organising a wedding we thoroughly recommend his work.