Momentum Mini Mag: Summer 2011

The TransiTions ediTion!They grow up so quickly.... Ever got fed up of hearing that as a kid? Well, you’re all grown up now and things have moved fast, so how do you cope with the all those changes that life throws at you? Open up for some advice!

PERCEPTIONChallenge your worldview and look with God’s lenses

YOU DO WHAT?Snapshots of how to live for Jesus in the world of work

SUMMER UPDATEThe latest speaker and venue info on Momentum 2011

THE FREE BI ANNUAL MAG FOR TWENTY & THIRTY SOMETHINGS FROM SOUL SURVIVOR

FeaTUrinG

PLUs: OUR TOP

READS!

You’ll find in here thoughts on going from studying to work, changing careers and moving on in relationships. Plus we’ve got an interesting article on how our perspective can change our reality and a few good resources to recommend to you too. Let us know if we’ve hit the spot and what other topics you’d like us to focus on in future editions by emailing [email protected]

We also wanted to give you a heads up about some of the things we’ve got planned for this summer, so check out page 11 to find out who’s coming and what we’ve got going on! In the meantime we’ve launched a new Momentum website with resources and articles just for you guys, plus set up separate Momentum Facebook and Twitter pages. So check them out and come and join us on online (they are both linked from www.soulsurvivor.com/momentum)! As you (hopefully) know, we’re pretty passionate about doing what we can to equip you guys, so keep in touch and tell us what you’d like to see more of and what else we can be doing for you (either on Facebook or drop us an email at [email protected].

See you in the summer – have a great few months ‘til then!

Love Mike PS -We loved hanging out with so many of you at the first ever Momentum retreat weekend. It was a brilliant time of meeting with God and getting geared up for the year ahead and we enjoyed it so much that we’re planning on doing it all again next year! Come and join us from 2nd- 4th March at Sherwood Forest Center Parcs, we’d love to hang out with you!

Mike heads up all things Soul Survivor and Momentum. He’s a man who likes growing grape vines, following Manchester United, travelling all over the world, watching West Wing and trying to beat his friends at anything he can.

MOMENTUM MINI MAG: SPRING/SUMMER 2011

Hope things are good with you. We’ve been thinking a lot about all the changes that life throws our way and how tricky it can be making the transition from one stage of life to another. So we thought we’d use this mini-mag to focus on some of those changes in the hope of giving you some encouragement, practical advice, interesting articles and food for thought.

1

WORDS: MIKE PILAVACHI

EDITIORAL AND CONTENTS: BY MIKE PILAVACHI 2

HI HO, IT’S OFF TO WORK WE GO! Becks McVeigh talks us through the uni to work transition.

THE SECRET OF BENG CONTENT Chris Lane examines the joys and pitfalls of shifting relationships.

7

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET Jon Dean bends our minds with some thoughts on how our perceptions impact our reality.

13

YOU DO WHAT? We played ‘How did you end up doing that for a living?’ with some friends and here’s what they told us...

TRUSTING IN THE TRANSITION Mike Pilavachi gives us some thoughts on trusting God when life doesn’t go the way we planned!

21

17

EQUAL Find out more about our

one-day conference for women in leadership this June!

WHAT’S GOING ON? A look at the things we’ve

got planned for the coming year!

IT’S ALmOST SUmmER! Well we like to think so

anyway, so here’s a sneaky peak at what’s going on at Momentum 2011!

RECOmmENDED READS Looking for a good book?

See what’s been inspiring our team !

23

20

MoMentuM MINI MAGSPRING/SUMMER 2011 The Momentum Mini Mag is produced by Soul Survivor UK. It’s a bit of a in-house job and so all the content and design is put together by Liza, Naomi, Sarah and Dan (the Soul Survivor Communications team) and editorial oversight is given by Mike, Andy and Ali. The Mini Mag is free to anyone who would like to receive it and we send out around two a year.

3

FEEDBACK? Got any feedback or comments on this edition of the Momentum Mini Mag? If so drop us a line at [email protected] to help us improve future editions!

The TransiTions ediTion!They grow up so quickly.... Ever got fed up of hearing that as a kid? Well, you’re all grown up now and things have moved fast, so how do you cope with the all those changes that life throws at us? Open up for a range of ideas!

PERCEPTIONChallenge your worldview and look with God’s lenses

YOU DO WHAT?Snapshots of how to live for Jesus in the world of work

SUMMER UPDATEThe latest speaker and venue info on Momentum 2011

THE FREE BI ANNUAL MAG FOR STUDENTS & TWENTY SOMETHINGS FROM SOUL SURVIVOR

FeaTUrinG

PLUs: OUR TOP

READS!

PLuS: THESE OTHER ITEMS ON TODAY’S AGENDA!

CONTACT DETAILS [email protected] // 0303 333 1 333 Soul Survivor Unit 2 Paramount Inustrial Estate, Sandown Road, Watford, Herts, UK, WD24 7XF // Charity No. 1080720 // Company No. 03991111

IntRoDuCInG EMMA WILTON GUEST ILLUSTRATOR

We’re very chuffed to include some lovely illustrations in this edition from Emma Wilton, a third year illustration student at Derby University. She says that her illustrations have been described as having an innate sense of goodness about them. We agree. See more at emmaillustration.carbonmade.com/

11

16

sPrinG/ sUMMer

2011


University or college may have taught you many things, quantum physics, medieval history, or how to survive on tuna, pineapple and ketchup. (No? Just me then). But has it made you ready for the world of work? If you have trained to be an airplane pilot or a heart surgeon, I hope your answer to that question is a resounding “yes”.

However for the rest of us, leaving university and setting off to be AN ACTUAL GROWN UP can take some adjustment.

So you’ve left university. You’ve thrown a hat in the air, worn a ridiculous gown and been given a bit of paper certifying that you did not destroy all your brain cells at the Student Union. Congratulations you’re a graduate! You have student debt and too many hoodies. It’s time to wake up, sucka…AND GET A JOB. (Unless of course you’re a right old smarty pants, and are off to do a PhD).

I had an absolute ball at university. I studied French and Drama at Trinity College Dublin; many adventures were had, much dancing was done, and even a degree was obtained along the way.

It was a great time of challenge and discovery, academically and also in terms of testing what and why I believed. Undoubtedly the best things about university were the brilliant friends that I made. It’s a really precious time of living in close community with people from different backgrounds and outlooks to yours.

WORDS: BECKS MCVEIGH ILLUSTRATIONS: EMMA WILTON

And then, from this happy bubble of fun, friendship and pot noodles you are propelled into a world where you are expected to contribute to society, pay taxes and get on the career ladder. Britain is experiencing its highest rates of graduate unemployment for years, finding a job can be difficult and demoralising.

If you are at this stage, here is a verse that I always find helpful in times of uncertainty, challenge and doubt:

“TRUST GOD from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own.

LiSTen for GOD'S vOice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.”

PrOvErBS 3:5 (THE MESSAGE)

HI HO! IT’S OFF TO WORK WE GO! BY BECKS MCVEIGH 4

...WHAT THEN?

After university i moved from ireland to London and landed a dream job working on Blue Peter. Here are some things i learned from those early days at work (besides how to dress Gethin Jones up as a mermaid!)

1. DO YOUR BEST

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might” eccLeSiASTeS 9:10

The Hebrew word for Worship ‘avodah’ also means ‘work’. Ever thought about the connection? Worship isn’t just singing, it’s how we conduct ourselves in our jobs and its how we choose to live our lives.

Perhaps you don’t feel as talented as the people in the job around you; think about these words from hugely successful author Stephen King:

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

In my job I have met all sorts of people who have achieved great things in all sorts of areas of life, from Will Smith to Sharon Osbourne, Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber to Keanu Reeves. Heck, I’ve even met the Prime Minister (now that’s some serious, flagrant name dropping right there).

The ones who most impressed me are those who believed in what they were doing despite the critics and rejections. They made the most of the opportunities afforded to them. Make the most of yours.

2. GET A MENTOR

Finding someone more senior in your industry or workplace who believes in you is a great bonus. Listen to them and learn from their experience.

Don’t be an idiot and presume that your fabulous first class degree in cheese rolling means that you know everything. Learning is a life long art.


Starting your working life is an exciting stage in life. Dream big, trust much and “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” PSALm 37:4

6

Becks hails from the mighty Northern Ireland. She loves her job in TV, where she has worked on programmes like Blue Peter, Strictly Come Dancing and The One Show. She is part of the church family at Soul Survivor Watford and likes to bring the rock when playing the violin.

3. BALANCE

Like lots of professions, working in TV can be demanding. Twelve hour days and 6 day weeks are common and it can take its toll. The creation story shows us that God designed us for work but also for play so take time to relax and be refreshed. Staying up until all hours as you did at college is no longer a great idea if you are going to do a good job the next day.

4. MAKE FRIENDS

Like me you may have moved to a different town or even country for work. Making friends is no longer as easy as bumping into people in halls of residence. Find yourself a church where you feel at home and get stuck in. Make friends in your workplace too; this is a brilliant chance to share your faith, have some fun and to support each other when things gets stressful.

5. INTEGRITY

“God cares about honesty in the work place. Your business is his business.” PROveRBS 16:11

Be a trustworthy employee. If you go on to manage a team, be a good boss who leads by example, motivating but never exploiting.

HI HO! IT’S OFF TO WORK WE GO! BY BECKS MCVEIGH

Starting your working life is an exciting stage in life. Dream big, trust much and “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” PSALm 37:4


WORDS: CHRIS LANE ILLUSTRATIONS: EMMA WILTON

I have a confession to make. It’s a story I don’t often tell, so please go easy on me. When I was at University, my Fresher’s year was amazing – meeting loads of new people, having new experiences, and especially getting to know lots of new girls.

THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT: BY CHRIS LANE

Then I was asked to be a part of a CU committee that planned events for the new Freshers. In each planning meeting we had, my friend and I would earnestly pray that among this new group of students, the Lord would be kind enough to send us our future wives. To this end, instead of a Freshers’ week, we organised a Freshers’ month.

At each event, one of us would attend and report back on whether there were any potential FWs (future wives) present. The answer was always negative until the very last event, when my friend returned to inform me that there was a nice girl called Esther. Two weeks later, Esther and I started going out – result. Esther would eventually become my wife (she still is now).

But here’s the confession. After three weeks, I panicked. I loved the single life I used to live, and wondered if I could cope with the commitment.

I said to Esther ‘I want to make it quite clear that my mates are much more important to me than you are’. Smooth operator I hear you say. Fortunately, Esther is a fine woman and coped with my youthful crisis without chucking me.

Looking back at my life now, I’ve been married 11 years and have 3 children, and at each stage of transition (going out, engagement, marriage, first child, etc), I have

experienced two things. One is a deep longing to move to the next stage – to get a girlfriend, to be married, to have a child – and the other is a state of mild panic and longing to go back to what I knew before.

Even now, I know what an amazing gift from God my three kids are, but as the baby wakes up for the 5th time in the night, I find myself remembering those glorious

days when I could lie in past 7am, when I didn’t have to tidy hundreds of toys every night, days when I could do what I wanted when I wanted.

And yet when I could do all that as a young student, I would lie awake imagining what it would be like to take my son to his first football match, or be jealous of friends who had girlfriends, and admire those who had strong marriages.

When I look around the church I belong to now, I see people in all these life situations – some are single and long to be married, some are married and remember the freedom of being single. Some are finding it difficult to get used to life with a young child – others would love to have that difficulty, but so far have been unable to have a baby.

With each transition, we can look at others and envy them – whether the fact they have kids, or that they’re married, or that they don’t have kids or are not married.

8

“At each stage of transition i have

experienced two things. One is a deep longing

to move to the next stage and the other is a state of mild panic and longing to go back to what i knew before.”

As individuals, it is vital that we learn to appreciate the situation in which we find ourselves and try not to always long for ‘the next step’, or spend too long wishing we had someone else’s life. The Apostle Paul, who was quite likely a widower, was able to say this:

’i have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. i can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ PHIlIPPIANS 4:12-13

We can learn this contentment as well, though it is easier said than done. Paul knew that this could only come from God himself, as each day he died to his own desires and allowed God to give him the desires of his heart.

The Bible also says:

‘Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep’ rOMANS 12:15 ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.’ PHIlIPPIANS 2:3-4

As a church community, these words are a real challenge. How can we prefer one another? For someone who has been single for many years, it can be difficult to rejoice with their close friend who is getting married. The same applies for those who find themselves unable to have children, or who find themselves in an unhappy marriage and envy their single friends.

I once was preparing to lead a baby dedication when we realised that Esther was having a miscarriage. After praying, we decided this was a time to ‘rejoice with those who rejoice’, and


10

Chris Lane is the leader of Langworthy Community Church in Salford, Manchester. Find out more about the church and their gap year ‘Urban Shift’ at www.langworthycommunitychurch.com. Chris is a regular speaker at Soul Survivor and Momentum events and is one our trustees.

that later on our friends could mourn with those who mourn. This is when church community is at its best: when we support one another through the times of transition, rejoicing and mourning,

laughing and crying, but always valuing others above ourselves, and putting our trust in the one in whose strength we can do ‘all things’.

THE SECRET OF BEING CONTENT: BY CHRIS LANE


It’s all just too exciting. We can’t keep it in any longer. We’re rubbish at keeping secrets, so here goes, the cat is leaving the bag...

We HAve LOTS Of neW AnD exciTinG cHAnGeS TO mOmenTUm THiS YeAR!There’s a brand new, chilled-out café called Grounds which will be the perfect venue to relax, have a little read or catch up with friends over a cuppa. Or if you want to take it up a notch try our extended Live Lounge experience – it’s bigger and better than ever! Looking to switch off for a bit? Our vintage movie nights will serve up your old favourite films – perfect for taking a relaxing stroll down Memory Lane.

But it’s not all new! We’ve got some of your old favourites too! This year we have the return of a much-loved member of the family; Tim Hughes will be joining the team to help out in leading us during some of our times of worship. Wahey!

CHALLENGING TEACHING

As always one of the focuses of Momentum will be getting stuck in to some challenging, encouraging and equipping teaching, all focused on following Jesus in our twenties, thirties and beyond.

As usual we’ll try and do some in-depth Bible teaching in our main sessions (hosted by Mike P and the team) but throughout our massive seminar programme we’ll also be covering some of the following stuff:

Faith in the workplace, the Holy Spirit, poverty and justice; relationships, heaven and hell; money, career, studentdom, sex and loads more too !

THE LATEST GOSS ABOUT MOMENTUM 2011!

All thesummertime

info!

THE LATEST GOSS ABOUT MOMENTUM 2011! 12

GET BOOKED IN & SAVE SOME CASH!

Give your mates a kick up the backside, get them to book their time off work and get yourselves booked on!

If you book and pay for your place before 29th April you’ll save £8 per person.

Please note that booking via the post, email or fax after the 29th April will cost you £104, whereas booking online will be just £99. See, it pays to be internet savvy!

GOT A HEART TO SERVE?

We’re looking for brilliant people like you to help make Momentum happen!

We have loads of teams doing all sorts of different things around site and we’re pretty sure whichever team you’re on, you’ll have a brilliant time! Or how about serving at Soul Survivor? It would be amazing if we could have you wise old birds serving our teenagers! Check out all the info at: SouLSurvIvor.CoM/uk/TeaM

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

So far we’ve confirmed we’ll be joined by:

FROG & AMY ORR-EWING TIM & RACHEL HUGHES CHRIS LANE JO SAxTON DANIELLE STRICKLAND LAURENCE SINGLEHURST JEANNIE MORGAN ROGER & MAGGIE ELLIS DAVID WESTLAKE ANNIE KIRKE RICH & NESS WILSON MARK GREENE ELAINE STORKEY

FIND OUT ALL THE LATEST MOMENTUM NEWS AND BOOK ON AT WWW.SOULSURVIVOR.COM/UK/MOMENTUM

1. CAMPING 2. CONFIRMED: TIM HUGHES 3. INSIDE THE BIG TOP 4. CAFE UNO TEAM 5. THERE ARE LOADS OF VENUES


Brian is terrified of dogs. He has been all his life, at least for as long as he can remember. They do not like him. And today is another one of those days he’d rather not have to go through – a picnic out at the local park for his mate’s birthday. He knows what parks are full of. Sure enough the inevitable happens. Cuddles the dog comes bounding towards the group.

Before Brian can do anything, Cuddles has singled him out, barking and growling at him, his threats obvious. Thankfully the owner whistles him back before any damage can be done. “It’s always me,” Brian mutters to himself. “Always me.” And if we were friends with Brian we’d probably give him a sympathetic pat-on-the-back and collude with his generalisation that dogs are pretty dangerous.

But there are a few details that we have missed. We have missed the way that Brian’s whole body freezes as soon as he hears the sound of a canine in the distance, and the way that his eyes become focussed on the animal in question the minute he is in sight. We have missed how Cuddles, as with the rest of his species, interprets this

WORDS: JON DEAN ILLUSTRATIONS: EMMA WILTON

tensing up of the body not as fear, but as aggression. We have therefore, along with Brian, completely missed the part that Brian played in his altercation with Cuddles.

Every one of us has a perception of this world that is unique to us. “We know in part,” says 1 Corinthians 13v9. Each of us will interpret the same event, the same person, the same conversation, in our own individual way.

And it’s no wonder really – from day zero of our lives we try to make sense of the world around us. Piece by piece we use every experience and interaction to build a framework with which to understand what we see, hear and feel. A grid that helps us to make judgements. For example; I see fire, my experience tells me that fire is hot, I do not touch fire.

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET: BY JON DEAN 14

This grid, however, is not perfect. It is a deleted, distorted and generalised version of what is actually going on.

Brian deleted the fact that some dogs just want to say hello, he distorted the way that Cuddles was looking at him, and he generalised Cuddles to be the same as every other dog that he had encountered up until that point.

Most importantly, this deleted, distorted, generalised perspective is not without consequences. It has an impact on every situation that we encounter. Would Cuddles have reacted in the same way had Brian seen things differently?

MOMENTUM MINI MAG: SPRING/SUMMER 2011 WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET: BY JON DEAN

Because I think Jesus did too. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7v3) he said. I think it’s time to become a bit more aware of those planks. As you seek to love and serve God in your community, church and place of work or study, what are you deleting, distorting and generalising? And how is your perception affecting those situations?

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE THAT YOU DELETE BEFORE YOU SEE THEM, THAT DON’T EVEN HIT YOUR EYE LINE?

WHAT SITUATION ARE YOU DISTORTING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH IT ALL BEFORE?

AND WHAT GROUP OF PEOPLE HAVE YOU GENERALISED TO THE ExTENT THAT YOU CAN’T SEE THE INDIVIDUALS ANYMORE?

Thinking about the answers to these questions won’t be easy, because the lenses we are looking through are the very lenses that carry our deletions, distortions and generalisations. But once we have noticed these lenses, then comes the chance to change.

How do we start to break down these deletions, distortions and generalisations? We humble ourselves. We allow there to be the faintest possibility of us not being entirely right all the time. And we engage with people. We take time to see the world from someone else’s viewpoint. We start to notice what we have not noticed before.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book about the things we think in the blink of an eye (he called it ‘Blink’ for obvious reasons!)where he talks about the change in orchestral auditions over the last few decades. Instead of having the person auditioning playing in front of the deciding panel, a screen was placed so that the instrumentalist was heard and not seen. Since that change, and not without a few struggles along the way, the number of women in top US orchestras has increased fivefold. The judges thought that they were making their decision on music alone. In fact their perception was not quite as clear as they first believed.

I long to see the people around me the way that God sees them, and not let the planks that so often cloud my vision run the show. But the first step I must take is realising there are planks in my eyes and acknowledging them for what they really are.

Jon works at Cantle in Scotland, a resource centre that offers leadership training, executive coaching and team development using psychological theories.

You MuST Be WoNDerING WhY I aM GoING oN aBouT a GuY CaLLeD BrIaN aND a DoG CaLLeD CuDDLeS?

WASHED & WAITING WESLEY HILL

A theological memoir from a man who is gay and a passionate follower of Jesus. Gut-wrenchingly honest, he shares personal stories as well as providing brilliant theological insights and dealing with this controversial subject with compassion but without compromising his faith. A fascinating read that offers a challenge to us as the church to support our brothers and sisters who are same-sex orientated in their sexuality. recommended by Chris Lane, one of our Trustees

A NEW KIND OF CHRISTIANITY BRIAN MCLAREN

An incredibly thought-provoking and challenging read from this well known theologian. At times I think he goes too far and the book would be seen as controversial by many but it’s worth a read to make your own mind up. recommended by Si Nicholls, our operations Manager

UNTAMED ALAN & DEBRA HIRSCH

This is a fantastic book about radical discipleship providing challenging teaching on family life, culture, sexuality, church and loads more. Really practical and totally brilliant. recommended by Mike P

CURE FOR THE COMMON LIFE MAx LUCADO

Feel like you’re doing a job you ought to do as opposed to one you love? This book challenges you (in a lovely Max Lucado kind of way!) to explore your gifts and redefine your concept of work. recommended by Juliet Johnson, Supporter Comms

IRRESISTIBLE REVOLUTION SHANE CLAIRBORNE

An outline of a vision to be ordinary radicals ready to change the world with little acts of love. A fantastic and challenging read. recommended by Sarah Palmer-Felgate, our Soul action Project Manager

CRAzY LOVE FRANCIS CHAN

Like the author, this book is all about authentic radical Christianity. It’s not about legalism but about our response to God’s incredible love. Francis Chan has such amazing integrity – his life and his words are a challenge to us all. recommended by Mike P

LUKE FOR EVERYBODY TOM WRIGHT

I am just about to finish Tom Wright’s ‘Luke for Everyone’ which I have found excellent as part of my time with God each morning. recommended by Jessica Price, Pa to our mighty Director Liz

COMING SOON!

We had a sneak peak at Jo Saxton’s new book, INFLueNTIaL (which is out in May) and Ali said it’s stunningly written and utterly brilliant. Mike had a read too (as he wrote the foreword) and loved it. He said it’s passionate but practical and the Bible exposition is fresh, revelatory and life-giving. Sounds pretty good!

We’ve gathered some resource recommendations from the Soul Survivor crew to inspire and challenge you. See what takes your fancy!

BOOK IDEAS FROM THE SOUL SURVIVOR TEAM!

CHECK THIS OUT: RECOMMENDED READS 16

uP For SoMe FICTIoN? All these Christian recommendations are great, but why not try some of these titles to get you hooked on a good old story... there’s no better way to pass a Sunday afternoon!

GENERATION A: DOUGLAS COUPLAND ROOM: EMMA DONOGHUE THE HELP: KATHRYN STOCKETT

ONE DAY: DAVID NICHOLLS THE OUTCAST: SADIE JONES


WORDS: OUR MATES ANNA, PAUL, SARAH & JIM ILLUSTRATIONS: EMMA WILTON

Maybe we’re just nosey but we always find it fascinating to see how people end up in the jobs they do. We asked a few friends what they do and what kind of journey they took to get there.

YOU DO WHAT? 18

AnnA SMIth: TEACHER

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL?

To work in a sweet shop or be a farmer’s wife!

WHAT DO YOU DO NOW YOU’RE ALL GROWN UP?I’m a Reception class teacher

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR JOB? I made three attempts at 6th form, then tried a BTEC in a childhood studies course but got in with wrong crowd and was asked to leave the course (awkward!) I felt horrible about the situation and myself but God gave me the ability to restart my course and complete it. I then spent six months with YWAM, followed by a theology degree at London School of Theology, then worked as a Nursery Nurse in a school before doing a Graduate teacher programme.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I absolutely love the children and the staff I work with; every day is different and it is rarely boring!

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? I find it incredibly hard to switch off from work. I'm there at 7.30am and rarely leave before 5.30pm every day! I can't go shopping without thinking of my class and always come home with something to transform into something else e.g. a simple clothes airer becomes a fabulous den!

HOW DO YOU LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH AT WORK? There are so many opportunities to pray... for my children e.g. when they are troubled, for the parents who have all sorts of worries and concerns, for my colleagues when they are worried/stressed. Just being kind and listening speaks volumes.

ANY ADVICE FOR FUTURE TEACHERS?Keep handing everything to God; remember he is for you, not against you. Oh and having a night off a week is essential!

PAuL tAIt: GRAPHIC DESIGNER

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE A YOUNG NIPPER?

A professional footballer!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW?I’m a Graphic Designer for Watford Football Club

HOW DID YOU END UP DOING THAT?I studied Graphic Design at uni then started working freelance for a year or so, then got a full-time job in London working for an auctioneer company. One of my friends, who is a Watford FC fan, saw the job advertised on their website - so I went for it and got it.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR ROLE?I love being able to combine two of my passions, football and design!

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES? Some days I just don’t feel creative and those days can feel very slow and frustrating.

WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A CHRISTIAN IN YOUR WORKPLACE?

As with most office environments there is lots of office banter and gossip happening, so it’s knowing when to step back from things that you don't agree with. Knowing that you are pretty much the only Christian there can sometimes be quite isolating so it's trying to connect with people without compromising what you believe in.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO DO A ROLE SIMILAR TO YOURS?

I definitely think there is value in more Christians working within creative media and marketing roles, as it is such an important area in any business these days. It's often the first thing that people see and creates a lasting impression.


SARAh FRAnCIS: SUPPORT WORKER

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?I was as confused about my career as a five yeur old as I am now as a thirty something! I spent many an afternoon educating my toys in how to read and write and so probably my first career aspiration was to be a teacher… then doctor, perfume maker, singer, lawyer, children’s book writer… etc etc!

WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT ROLE?I’m a Support Worker for a homelessness charity.

HOW DID YOU GET THERE?My career path hasn’t been very direct! I studied nursing, then after a year working in that area I spent five years working for Tearfund. I loved that but wanted to be more directly connected to those who are marginalised, so managed a small charity for about a year whilst training to be a counsellor. I quickly realised that management kept me too distant from the people I wanted to connect with and that lead me to this job.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR ROLE? I love the challenge of building a trusted relationship with clients who have often been dealt a really tough hand. It’s a privilege to be allowed to walk with them awhile, trying to encourage them to believe in themselves and to empower them to make some difficult choices that can lead them towards a better and brighter way of living. Although change is often slow, when it comes it is worth much more than a pay cheque.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?The bureaucracy of the system, managing disappointment and night shifts!

HOW DO YOU LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH AT WORK? In social care it can seem like everything is acceptable except Christianity but being able to look after the marginalized is such a key part of following Jesus that it’s a privilege to do it for my day job. I try and communicate something of God’s love by trying to keep hope alive in and for the people I work with, in an environment where cynicism comes easily.

ANY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO’D LIKE TO DO SOMETHING SIMILAR?

If you are willing to share your time for free, there are loads of organisations out there desperate for good volunteers and it’s a good way for you try it out before committing to a job. I would also advise you to grow a thick skin but keep a soft heart.

WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE YOUNGER?

Being American, my first passion was to be a Baseball Player then a politician. I even went to Washington D.C. and did an internship in the Senate.

WHAT’S YOUR JOB NOW?I have an awesome job! I am the Team Leader for Canterbury Vineyard Church so I lead the church in vision, leadership development, strategy and preaching.

HOW DID YOU END UP DOING THAT?

I was planning to apply for Law School while in D.C. doing my internship and it was there where God showed me how hollow my motivations were. God began to speak a simple phrase into my soul, a dream really "that the church may be all she was meant to be!" This switched my tracks and I joined a church staff University ministry team and went to Grad School for theology in order to be trained.

WHAT’S THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR ROLE?

I love hearing from God and speaking vision into our team. I get to cooperate with God in his mission and I also love preaching... a lot.

JIM DenISon : CHURCH LEADER

20YOU DO WHAT? EVENT NEWS: EQUAL

Hang around with us for five minutes and you’ll know we’re pretty passionate about raising up leaders of both sexes. The church needs men and women who are whole-hearted in their faith, devoted to serving God’s people and dedicated to reaching those outside the church. When we chatted about this at last summer’s Momentum event we found there were lots of people still struggling with the idea of women in leadership – either because they’re confused about the theology behind it, or because they’re in churches where others don’t support the same ideas.

Since then, we’ve been looking at how we can best equip this generation of women to take their place as leaders in the church. To kick things off we’re getting as many women as want to (aged 16+), together for a day in Watford. The day will be pretty informal (because that’s how we do things!) and this is what we’re thinking:

START THE DAY WITH A BIT OF BRUNCH AT 10.30AM, NOT JUST ‘COS WE LOVE FOOD BUT TO GIVE US A CHANCE TO SAY HI AND MEET YOU

DO SOME TEACHING ON THE THEOLOGY OF WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP AND ExPLORE SOME OF THE PRACTICALITIES

SPLIT INTO SMALL GROUPS SO YOU CAN FEED BACK TO US ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING WHERE YOU ARE AND HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

DO A Q&A PANEL OF MALE AND FEMALE LEADERS SO YOU CAN PUT YOUR QUESTIONS TO US. WE THINK WE’LL BE WRAPPED UP BY 5PM.

WHAT’S YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE THING?

My least favourite thing is the need for confrontation in discipleship. You cannot develop and encourage growth in people if you are not willing to be bluntly honest sometimes. People are VERY good at rationalizations.

HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE YOUR FAITH REMAINS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND NOT SOMETHING YOU DO FOR A LIVING?

1. I don't fill my diary with purely functional things. I carve out weekly time for vision, passion and worship. If all I do is run a church for God then I will dry up like a raisin in the sun. 2. I take risks. I try to put myself in situations regularly where I NEED God. That keeps the fires burning.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO BECOME A CHURCH LEADER?

The best training ground for church leadership is leading a small group; start there and learn everything there is to know about how to lead, grow and multiply that group. Also make sure any theological study you do is done while you are in ministry, working hard to integrate what you are reading in books and hearing in lectures into the ‘real world’. If you don’t, it will turn your soul dusty and your faith theoretical.

JIM DenISon : CHURCH LEADER

The day will be hosted by Ali Martin with Mike Pilavachi and Andy Croft. It will be free but please do book a place so we know how many people to expect and to cook for (and there will be a voluntary donation to cover the cost of food). We’re also really aware

that both sexes need to hear teaching about this topic so we’ll be putting some seminars in our summer programme to reflect that. You can also download Bishop Graham Cray’s talk from last summer on this issue for free on our website (look under the Equal details).

Save the date!

18th June


WORDS: MIKE PILAVACHI

Everything begins so well; he prepares the way for the Messiah, he makes a big stand against any sort of self-indulgence by wearing camel’s hair and eating insects, he speaks prophetically and he has no fear when it comes to calling the Pharisees out on their ungodly behaviour.

He’s a force to be reckoned with and to top it all he knows who Jesus is. He recognises that Jesus is so much more than his cousin, he knows he’s the Messiah.

A promising start. But then things take a turn for the worse and don’t work out the way John had planned.

Having lived in a desert and stayed away from drinking, ‘wild living’ and, to be honest, the normal comforts of decent food, he ends up in prison only to hear that Jesus is out partying and living it up with some pretty unsavoury characters. Jesus wasn’t acting the way he expected Jesus to act. So he sent Jesus a message....

If you’re looking for a young man who kicks off his ministry with a bang, John the Baptist is a pretty good place to start.

TRUSTING IN THE TRANSITION: BY MIKE PILAVACHI 22

“ARe YOU THe One WHO WAS TO cOme... OR SHOULD We exPecT SOmeOne eLSe?” mATTHeW 11v3

At this point you just want to hit him over the head! John! You were so sure Jesus was the Messiah, you were so sure of your calling and now you’re asking whether you got it all wrong. What happened?

John experienced something that may be familiar to many of us. When we’re starting out life seems pretty simple. We’re part of the youth group, going for it with God and we get fantastic prophecies about where we’re headed. We have the confidence to change the world. Then as we go through life in our twenties we find that often the world is changing us instead.

Maybe life just got comfortable. We got a good job, started making money, bought a house, got married. Maybe we just got busy – there’s so much to do that fitting church in is hard and the last thing we want to do on a Friday night is help out with the youth group. Or maybe life got hard – the qualifications didn’t work out, that person you thought was ‘the one’ dumped you, you got made redundant, your life was touched by sickness or tragedy.

Often this is when we start doubting ourselves and we doubt Jesus. We wonder if we were just naïve to believe the things we did in our youth. This is what Jesus said to John the Baptist when he found himself confused about the way life was going:

“The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” mATTHeW 11v5-6

In essence Jesus is saying, don’t forget what this is all about. It’s not about wearing camel’s hair and having a diet of insects. It’s not about not partying, It’s not even about whether you’re in prison. It’s about the gospel being good news. It’s about the world getting changed.

Jesus never promised any of us it would be easy. When he was speaking to John he knew he was about to go to the cross so he wasn’t telling John to suck it up while he lived it up. He didn’t ask anything of John that he wasn’t prepared to go through himself.

One of the key phrases Jesus uses here is ‘Blessed is the person who doesn’t fall away on account of me’. The same is true for us.

BLESSED ARE WE IF WE DON’T GET OFFENDED BY THE COURSE JESUS TAKES OUR LIVES ON.

BLESSED ARE WE WHEN WE TRUST GOD AND SEEK HIM THROUGH ALL THE CHANGES OF OUR LIVES.

BLESSED ARE WE WHEN WE DON’T THINK FAITH IS ABOUT MAKING OUR LIVES EASY, BUT ABOUT THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED.

BLESSED ARE WE WHEN WE KNOW THAT JESUS IS WORTH FOLLOWING WHATEVER THE COST.

BLESSED ARE WE WHEN WE GRASP ALONG WITH JAMES (1V2-4) THAT IT IS PURE JOY TO SUFFER TRIALS BECAUSE TESTING DEVELOPS PERSEVERANCE AND WILL PERSEVERANCE LEAD US TO MATURITY AND COMPLETION

When we grasp these things we’ll be in a place where God will use us to change the world.

We’ve already written a bio about Mike P under his editorial, but in case you’d like to know more, here’s some secrets. 1) He loves the West Wing 2) His doppleganger is Greek singer Demis Roussos 3) He uses a lot of hair product (mainly mousse).

mOmENTUm WEEKEND: THE 2012 RETREAT

Join us at Sherwood Forest Centre Parcs for a weekend of worship, teaching, ministry and hanging out with other twenty & thirty-somethings! The 2011 weekend sold out, so make sure you book early!

WHERE: Sherwood Forest Centre Parcs

WHEN: 2nd – 4th March

COST: £120 paid in full before 30th November, £130 after that. Kids rates also apply!

There’s loads happening over the next few months – come and see us at one of these events:

SATURDAY CELEBRATIONS

Monthly nights of worship at the Soul Survivor Watford warehouse starting at 5pm and 8pm (the event is repeated so you only need to come to one!)

DATES: 30th April, 25th June, 23rd July, 17th September, 22nd October and 26th November COST: Free!

HOLY SPIRIT & HIS GIFTS

This is a day to hang out and explore the Holy Spirit and the gifts he gives us. The day is being held at the Soul Survivor Watford Warehouse.

DATE: Saturday 14th May COST: Free to those on team for our summer events and £3.50 for everyone else.

EqUAL: LEADERSHIP DAY

A day for women (16+) exploring the theology and practice of women in leadership (find out more on page 20). It’s taking place at our warehouse in Watford.

DATE: Saturday 18th June COST: Free but please book your place by emailing [email protected]

BrinG yoUr yoUTh GroUP or MayBe Think aBoUT servinG aT oUr soUL sUrvivor evenTs:

mOmENTUm 2011! SUMMER EVENT

Take some time out of lifes craziness to focus on God, be refreshed and equipped, hang out with your mates and soak up a great atmosphere! Get more details about what’s going on on pages 11 and 12.

WHERE: Bath and West showground, Somerset

WHEN: Friday 19th – Tu esday 23rd August

COST: £91 paid by 29th April, after that £99 online or £104 via fax, email or post!

WWW.SouLSurvIvor.CoM/uk/MoMeNTuM

WEEK C: 14th – 18th August Bath and West Showground,

WEEK A: 29th July – 2nd August Stafford showground

WEEK B: 9th – 13th August Bath and West Showground

COST: £91 paid by 29th April, after that £99 online (or £104 via the post, email or fax)


Documents

Momentum Mini Mag: Summer 2011