Jude Smith

Most of my running these days is in the inner city. A combination of lack of time, expensive fuel and working across two inner city parishes makes getting out of the area to run is tricky. This afternoon was one such inner city run: in my shiny new shoes (see above) It got me thinking about the pros and cons. There are a lot of cons.. THE DOWNSIDE The air is pretty rough. I live 200 yards from the ring road, 400 from the M621, under a flight path. The air is pretty dingy and there are moments where the lungs struggle. The pavements can be a tad hazardous: pizza, sick, cans, dog poo.. People don't get out of the way as you run- just doesn't occur to them. Fat people who deliberately obstruct your path. I know that probably sounds mean: but I speak as a former obese person.. and I can say that there have been several times where large people have walked into my path. Just rude! Shouted insults- I think I was invited to slap someone's manhood today but I had headphones i...

The Coalition. That is all..

Its Saturday: I am in bed. My lovely housemate, in deference to my need for introvert time, brought me some food.. And so fueled up I can tell you about what I'm thinking. I am pondering how I lead. I am pondering how I keep hold of the eternal truth that God loves me, when the people of God don't appear to. I am pondering what it might look like to get some break through in people understanding boundaries. I have been reading about Paul and his relationship with the errant church in Corinth. None of this is hugely related to each other; but I am struck by my need to keep hold of what God has said and is saying in the midst of it all. If you are a praying type then all appreciated in that. I'm thinking about how we fix the pensions and benefits crisis. No solutions yet but I'm only on my first cup of coffee so its just a matter of time. I'm thinking about how I can get to see some Rory tonight. I'm wondering if its inappropriate that I am fascinated by t...

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. So says Paul: writer of several letters to the indignant church of Corinth. In his reflection he has been beaten and shipwrecked to give background to his comments here. I should say now that I have been neither beaten nor shipwrecked. I have had a tricky month though. I can't quite explain what happened, for reasons of not wanting to tittle-tattle, but also not really knowing what happened. All I can really sa...

Its Friday morning: my day off. Its also a day off after quite a strange week. I have spent quite a bit of time in reflective study: looking at what I have done over the last 22 months. And so coming to this morning doesn't quite have that sense of downtime that it often does. However, being more rested and finally coming up from under the ear infection means I have lots swimming round my head. Heres just a sample: Leadership styles- my continuing wrestling with the pressure to be nice to people, when actually I want them to encounter Jesus. Boundaries- linked to styles but a real ongoing thought challenge. Tools of discipleship... Possible Masters dissertation subjects Whether Amazon debit Prime trial from your account just in case or whether I have Olympic tickets on their way. What time it is acceptable to call one's parents.. When I will be well enough to exercise.. What the other book I ordered from Amazon was.. Whether the arrival of the package woke my housemate up.....

Again a disclaimer: not sure I am thinking straight. The media has really taken hold of the predictions of one that today is judgement day. There are little articles all over and twitter has three trending topics related. Most of my Christian cyber (and real) friends are cynical. But perhaps in mentioning it we are giving away our sort of 'just in case' theories. There is a whole heap of ridicule heading towards the guy who is prime mover in all this. A sort of sense of 'he's not one of us'. But he is. He is our brother in Christ. And he is perhaps just an extreme example of what we all do from time to time. Can any of us say that we haven't wanted to control or predict God. That we haven't theorised about when the end might come? That we haven't given to organisations who promise to take the gospel to all nations so Jesus might then return? It seems to me that in days of struggle; when life makes less and less sense, when things are not getting...

‎"Guys who went to Bible college/seminary & graduate to a sheltered nerd lifestyle where they read books & argue with other nerds about what Christian leaders are doing but not reaching people or doing much other than babysitting consumer Christians in some declining cul de sac church are not merely a joke, but also sinful." Mark Driscoll So I have done something I never thought I would do. I have given blog space to MD: someone with whom I agree very little. I don't know the context of what he said, but its a challenging thought. I have had a difficult week. I have labyrinthitis; an inner ear viral infection that leaves you with vertigo and an IQ drop of what feels like 50 points. I am mid backlash from making some tough leadership choices. The young people in the estate (no lets be honest, maybe four young people) have waged war on the building in which my church resides. I am struggling to encourage my church to be mission minded when actually thats the s...