Roseberry's Leaderboard

Fran and I are on a train from Durham back to London (WiFi!!).  Tomorrow morning we will board a flight to DFW and thus end our 8 day junket by planes, trains, and automobiles.  We are both very thankful to have come to the GAFCON leaders meeting and then, by God’s grace, to have taken a quick pastoral trip to Durham to visit with Christ Church’s own Jon and Amelia Parker and their children.

Jon and Amelia (with then, 2 kids) came to Christ Church about 7 years ago when he was with Intervarsity.  He was using some of our office space to operate his campus ministry and hanging around our staff and church.  Soon, the Lord called him into the ordained ministry and they went off to Trinitry School for Ministry in Ambridge, Pennsylvania.  Somewhere close to the end of his second year, Fran and I were up in Ambridge and took the two of them out to dinner.  I remember the conversation very, very well.

We ate at a somewhat nice Italian restaurant and spoke candidly about their future.  He had been planning to go into the parish ministry and then, at some future point,  get a PhD.  I told him that evening…and I felt it was from the Lord…that I thought if he went into the parish ministry he would never take the time to do the doctorate.  Do I now, I remember saying. I encouraged him to find a way to keep on in school and complete his degree.  He has the academic gifts to do this kind of work…and I told him strongly that we needed good, solid, scholars for the continuation of the Anglican church in North America.

He now attends one of the best theological colleges in the world.  He is a next-to-last year Old Testament PhD student and doing very well. He and his wife share a small apartment with (now) 4 boys…wonderful boys.   They have developed a great community of friends.  They attend a wonderful church (we went on Sunday).  They have a rich and full life as they live through the challenges of being students, raising kids, growing as disciples, building a strong marriage, and preparing for a life of scholarly and pastoral work in the church and academia, however the Lord leads.

Jon escorted Fran and me through the amazing cathedral at Durham yesterday.  The massive stone pillars hold up an incredible Norman church dating back over 1000 years.  It is humbling to walk among such a massive monument.  We stopped in a small chapel to pray for Jon and Amelia and their next steps when he finishes his dissertation next year.  I don’t know where God will lead them, but I know He will.  God is faithful…

In a sense, their life cannot be an easy life…their children are young and very active and they live in less that 1200 square feet.  But the moment I walked into their flat a thought occurred to me: they will never forget these days.  With four boys ages 9,7, 4, and less than 3, they will never forget the season in their life when they lived on top of one another…and grew close and strong as a family.

The Parker Family in Durham

I have truly enjoyed my part in the Leadership Seminar for the GAFCON meeting.  Bishop Felix Orji and I are leading a group of about 50 men and women from all over the globe.  We have presented some solid ideas and information about leadership.  We have had good/engaging discussions.

I was sorting through some images in preparation for my Keynote-style address, and I came across the one below.  I was amazed at this.   The vast continent of Africa literally could swallow the US, China, India, and a handful of other countries.  This was the first step in try to understand some of the cultural challenges that we have in the Anglican Communion.  Africa is HUGE. It is not one culture.  It is not one tribe.  It is not one nation.  Click on the image below.

There are huge cultural differences between us all.  But they all recede into the background when we talk about the Gospel of Christ and how to more effectively proclaim it to a needy world.  In one row of chairs I see men and women from Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada, Rwanda, and Chili.  Day by day I am growing closer to these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Here are some of the slides from yesterday and today.  (I am really putting them up for the class…)

There are a lot of acronyms floating around the Anglican Communion.  I am at a church in London for the GAFCON Leaders meeting sponsors by the FCA where members from 30 different countries including the US and the ACNA are attending.

The FCA is the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans.  You can learn about them here. They are the organizing body for a set of leaders and meetings called GAFCON.  The GAFCON group leaders from around the world who want to live an Anglican Christianity under a biblical gospel.  As many of you know, the liberalization of the church has gone worldwide.  This group aims to renew the gospel ministry within the church and defend it as well all around the world.  As we gathered, this press release was sent out.

The Chairman of the GAFCON leaders gave his opening address on Monday night.  It was compelling and powerful.  You can read his remarks here.

There are about 200 of us meeting together.  I am totally impressed and humbled by the men and women I have met here.  I had a time of prayer yesterday with a brother rector from Malasia.  He has over 600 in his church in 5 different language groups: Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Malasian, and a local dialect.  He had 5 services every Sunday to bring in these different groups.  He leads each of the services…in the five different languages. He speaks them all.

We heard from a bishop in Nigeria who spoke about real persecution.  A lawyer from London who is defending the rights of believers to wear a cross.  An American bishop spoke about the legal and financial persecution from TEC.  I have a much deeper understanding and concern about Anglicanism worldwide.

I am here to present a series of seminars on Leadership.  I am working with a Nigerian bishop who is serving a church in El Paso.  Together we are offering insights, examples, and encouragement to about 50 leaders out of the 200 here.

Quite a few of the people who attended have asked me for copies of a few relevant slides.  They are below.

I’ll write more later in the day…or tomorrow.  The time change is great for getting up early!

DHR

What a joy it will be to preach today at Christ Church.  We have selected 7 parables of Jesus that show us what the Kingdom if God is like.  Can’t wait…  Jesus, our leader, Lord, Savior, King, and Teacher…is also a magnificent story teller.

These parables give us all a Periscope look at another world: the Kingdom of God.

Today, Luke 14.  The Parable of the Banquet.

A few days ago I was in ‘my third office’ talking with a young leader.  He had opened up a bit and shared some of his personal doubts and concerns.  As we finished the hour together and got ready to go our separate ways, I told him that I would be praying for him.

“Can I pray for you right now?”, I asked him.

His eyes grew a bit wider and rounder…and he said, “Yeah…I guess.  You mean here?”

I knew exactly what he meant.  It is a bit strange to be praying at Starbuck’s…or anyplace in public, for that matter.  We are so used to praying in church and praying around a dinner table…or we should be.  But is praying in a public place that radical of a gesture?  Is it really ‘out there’?  Or, perhaps a simpler question, do you do it?

Last Sunday Fran and I went to brunch at a restaurant up at the mall.  I saw a family from our church.  Even though it was brunch time the place was jammed with people…this family saw Fran and me right away.  ”Fr. David!  Come here for a minute!”  I went over.  The man whispered to me across the table…showing off a wide grin.  He said, “I hope you and your wife have a great brunch this Sunday…but don’t think that I’m going to be paying for it!”  That was funny. (Listen to my Easter sermon for more of an explanation.)  We all laughed and then I sat down to be with Fran.

When that family was served I saw them join hands together and pray in thanksgiving for their food.  In a restaurant. It was beautiful.

Do you pray in public?  Is it a really radical thing to do?

A few minutes ago I left another St. Arbuck’s.  I met with an elderly woman  who is a member of our church, suffering from cancer, and an old friend of my family.  She shared with me about her life and trials, her kids and grandkids stories, and finally, the death of her husband whom I buried seven years ago.  Then she told me about the round of energy-zapping chemo that she was undergoing right now.

I said, “I’ll be praying for you.”

She said, “Thank you…I need it.  And I appreciate it.”

Then I moved my latte to one side and took her hand in mine…and I started to pray.  Right there in front of God and everybody.

I received this in my ‘inbox’ on Saturday night, after the Easter service at Christ Church.

Father David,

Tonight’s service was wonderful. Afterwards we went out for dinner and then came home to dye Easter eggs. Attached is a photo of an egg that our 8-year old made. He was very attentive during your sermon tonight. 

Blessings to your family this Easter,

N.S.