Women lose the vote

I’m sat on my sofa, trying to know where to start. Today, after 12 years of consultation, legal wrangling and campaigning, the draft legislation, which would have allowed women to become Bishops, was today rejected. 42 out of 44 of the church’s dioceses have given their backing to women bishops over the last decade and two out of the three houses in the Synod passed the legislation. In the end it came down to six votes in the House of Laity.

It’s a bitter blow for women looking for the Church of England to acknowledge and accredit their God given gifts. I think it’s a bitter blow full stop for the Church of England. Twitter exploded as the result was announced with many claiming that they were ‘ashamed to be part of the Church of England’. The Telegraph describes the decision as ‘plunging the Church of England into its biggest crisis for decades’ with Damian Thompson suggesting that Archbishop of Canterbury elect, Justin Welby faces the prospect of an Anglican Civil War.

It’s not the kind of talk I like to hear about the church. Jesus said that we would be known as his disciples by the love we have for each other. Days like today make me despair – when the church is, instead, known for its infighting, its hypocrisy and its inequality. Today was an opportunity for a part of the church to show that it loved and recognised women the way that Jesus did. But it didn’t.

My prayer is, that in the aftermath of this vote, the church – all of it, really does respond with the love and the grace that should mark us out as Jesus followers. That as those of us who campaigned and prayed for change pick up the pieces to start again, we do so gently if determinedly and that we treat our brothers and sisters as brothers and sisters and not as enemies. The way the next few days, weeks and months are handled will define the church as much, if not more than, today’s vote.

Today a sad decision was made; a decision that seems to restrict women’s liberty. But today’s decision does not define God’s church and it does not define women. Today’s vote does not define me. Or you. It does not stop me from becoming all that I was created to be. It does not stop you. Devastating as it was, today’s vote will, in time, be voted on again and I believe that there will be change. But in the meanwhile, I will carry on leading in the sphere that I am given, I will carry on being a light to the world I live in and I will love those who say I shouldn’t.

I hope that you will too.

Sing like you mean it

The Dunamis Gospel Choir came to my church last Sunday night.

As I walked into the building – slightly on the late side – my ears were embraced by the sound of young, tender voices.

That didn’t last long, because the chorus suddenly kicked in and the volume skyrocketed. The stage was filled with young, smiling faces; faces that were singing their hearts out.

Song after song graced the place, with completely different vocal arrangements for each. There were solos and a cappella harmonies galore. These kids could sing and they weren’t afraid to show it. There were African drum beats, scintillating saxophone notes and delicate flute twiddles (sorry, I don’t know the technical term).

Then all of a sudden, the choir members filed off the stage and sat down! I was gutted…

But it wasn’t over – they were just clearing the stage for a dance performance. Now I already knew these kids could sing, but I had no idea they were about to wow us with their moves too. Suffice to say they pulled it off.

Another musical selection followed, with a powerful sketch and some great poems thrown in for good measure.

But it was the final section that really blew my mind. Several of the songs literally gave me shivers up my spine; not only were they talented, these kids’ voices (and instruments) were powerfully anointed.

I should add that throughout the performance, members of the choir took it in turns to share a bit about their past and the difference the choir, its founder Daniel (‘Pastor D’) and getting to know Jesus had made in their lives.

Among them were ex-gang members, kids who had been badly treated by parents, and young people who had had substance abuse problems – some of them were as young as 12.

At the beginning I assumed they were all from Christian homes, or had at least become Christians before they joined the choir. But as the evening wore on (or glided by, more accurately), it became clear that this was an ongoing work.

These kids didn’t give polished ‘testimonies’; their stories were raw and from the heart. They were genuine, and they made me cry. In fact, they made most of the audience cry… and they even made each other cry. It was beautiful to see how much they rejoiced in each other’s victories and turnarounds.

Pastor D had clearly selected a group of kids who had basic musical talent and who needed to be part of something that was bigger than their own lives; to give them something to work towards and develop into; a family where older guys lovingly embraced younger guys and girls stood hand in hand rather than backbiting and tearing each other down.

The genius of his vision is that by including them regardless of their beliefs, this choir is transforming people’s hearts from the inside out. Indeed two of the choir members had come to Christ in the two or three days leading up to the event and another that very night. (I actually heard since writing this from Pastor D that this figure is closer to seven!)

I’ve never, and I mean never, seen kids who were happier and more fulfilled than these rough-around-the-edges teens from East London.

I’m not going to say every note was perfect, that each changeover was absolutely seamless or that the words spoken were breathtakingly eloquent. I will say, though, that I was moved beyond all expectation by the work that was being done in their lives, and by the way it was spilling over into the lives of others.

As they spoke out what God had done in their lives, they reaffirmed to themselves what they believed. They encouraged their friends and fellow choir members. And they blessed everyone in the building’s socks off. I just wish all Christians were as beautifully honest and open to the Holy Spirit as they were.

Mark my words, these kids will be at the helm of a new generation of great preachers, singers and performers. The legacy Pastor D is creating will be far-reaching and impossible to quench.

Acts 1:8: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Read more from Joy in the next issue of Liberti magazine.

Who knew prayer could be a crime?

It seems as though every time I read the news these days there’s a story about how Christianity is being sidelined in the UK.

There was the story about BBC director-general Mark Thompson, who said Christianity is treated less sensitively on TV than other religions because it is more “broad-shouldered”.

A Catholic himself, Thompson believes broadcasters are far more cautious when representing other belief systems because the threat level in the complaints received is significantly greater. He claims the BBC would never have broadcast Jerry Springer: The Opera – which depicted Jesus in a nappy – if had featured alluded to Mohammed.

Then there was the piece about Christians wearing crosses to work. ‘Equalities’ Minister Lynne Featherstone told government lawyers to oppose the assumed ‘rights’ of Christians to wear crosses at work when they try upcoming cases at the European Court of Human Rights. The Strasbourg court is set to address Nadia Eweida and Shirley Chaplin’s cases.

British Airways employee Ms Eweida was suspended from work in 2006 after refusing to remove the cross she wore to work, while Ms Chaplin was banned from working as a nurse at an Exeter hospital when she refused to conceal or remove the cross she wore.

The British government’s submission to the court is that: “In neither case is there any suggestion that the wearing of a visible cross or crucifix was a generally recognised form of practising the Christian faith, still less one that is regarded (including by the applicants themselves) as a requirement of the faith.”

However, the Equality Commission, headed by former Labour politician Trevor Phillips, is backing the two women, and David Cameron and Boris Johnson have also spoken out in support of the two women.

In my opinion, the worst of a bad batch was the story about prayer being banned before council meetings. Atheist Clive Bone, who left his post at Bideford Council because of its "refusal to adjust" its prayer policy, tool legal action in 2010. He contacted the National Secular Society and their lawyers argued that non-Christian council members were being "indirectly discriminated against”.

The judge said that: “The council has on two occasions by a majority voted to retain public prayers at its full meetings. But that does not give it power to do what it has no power to do.”

He acknowledged that the pre-meeting prayers were optional, but ruled that this turned meetings at Bideford Council into: “a partial gathering of those councillors who share a particular religious outlook, or are indifferent to it or – as in the case of Mr Bone – too embarrassed to leave in public”.

Now I’m not saying Christians should be given special treatment, but I do think we should be respected the way people of other faiths, or no faith, are. I don’t wear a cross myself, but I see no reason why a person can’t do so in the workplace; they’re not forcing other people to believe what they believe, or to wear a cross themselves. And optional prayer before meetings – the key here is the word “optional”.

As Rt Revd Michael Langrish, Bishop of Exeter, points out: "Every time there is a survey of religious beliefs in this country, around 70% of the population profess a faith and to saying private prayers.” He added that the House of Lords open with prayer and thinks this practice is unlikely to end.

And Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "While welcoming and respecting fellow British citizens who belong to other faiths, we are a Christian country, with an established Church in England, governed by the Queen.

"Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation. Public authorities – be it parliament or a parish council – should have the right to say prayers before meetings if they wish. The right to worship is a fundamental and hard-fought British liberty.”

What’s going to happen next – a ban on carrying Bibles in public? The abolition of songs that mention God? The complete segregation of Christians and non-Christians? Ok, I’ve gone too far there. But it worries me that people feel so threatened by Christianity. It’s as if people feel they will somehow be overpowered and forced to believe something they don’t want to.

If we’re expected to be tolerant of all-things non-Christian, why can’t non-believers simply return the favour?

Show me the money!

Some Christians have a problem discussing finance because they feel it is a “worldly” concept that will inevitably corrupt the soul. 

The word “prosperity” is often dismissed as an Americanism that doesn’t match up with biblical teachings.

I strongly disagree with this. Jesus mentioned money more times in the gospels than any other topic apart from the Kingdom of God. If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me. According to my calculations, the word “prosper” is used a whopping 49 times in the Bible, while “prosperity” is dropped in on 17 occasions.

We need to remember that it is the love of money that is “the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), not the money itself. We all need cash to put food on the table and to keep a roof over our heads, but that doesn’t give us carte blanche to become greedy and covetous. We are called to rule over our money rather than letting our financial circumstances rule us; to stop comparing ourselves with others and to value people over “stuff”.

The Bible tells us we should be “wise stewards” of our money (Luke 12:42). In other words, we should not spend beyond our means and we should use our cash to live honourable and generous lives. In actual fact, the more sensible we are with the money God has already blessed us with, the more he will entrust us with in the future. So if you need a few extra quid, maybe it’s time to readjust the way you view the money that’s already burning a hole in your pocket.

As Christians we believe that everything in the universe was created by, and belongs to, God. So whatever we earn, we should remember to give thanks for it and use it for His glory, not to keep buying endless pairs of shoes (is it just me that struggles with this particular temptation?).

The Bible makes it clear that we should tithe, which means giving the first 10% of our income to God. I’ll discuss this at length some time soon, as it’s a topic that needs a bit of careful consideration. It also tells us we should use it to help others, particularly orphans and widows; basically, anyone who is in real need.

This is really just an introduction, an overview of the topic, which by now I hope I’ve convinced you is one that is close to God’s own heart.

In future editions of Liberti magazine I’ll be covering all aspects of finance in the future: mortgages, debt, government benefits, credit cards, cashback sites, pensions, inheritance tax, shopping, budgeting, ISAs, online banking and anything else I can think of. If that doesn’t float your boat, I don’t know what will!

Hopefully, I’ll also be able to tailor this to the financial needs of you lovely Liberti ladies by covering issues such as the gender pay gap, childcare costs and upcoming changes to women’s car insurance legislation.

Most importantly, I’ll endeavour to present all of this from an interesting and biblical perspective. So let’s get ready to shake our money makers (what does that even mean?) and cash in on everything God has promised us.

After all, it was God who came up with the “live long and prosper” (Exodus 20:12) philosophy, long before Star Trek’s Dr Spock started using the infamous Vulcanian greeting. So let’s say a firm farewell to money worries and a hearty hello to healthy bank balances!

Read more from Joy in the upcoming edition of Liberti mag.

Lent? It’s a piece of cake

I don’t normally give anything up for Lent. I may be wrong, but I think a lot of people use it as an excuse to kill two birds with one stone: lose a bit of weight/save a few quid and be able to tell people you’re going without something.

I’m not saying self-sacrifice is a bad thing, but I don’t see any biblical basis for staying off the cake for a month (feel free to correct me below if you do).

So when I heard about the 40acts challenge I was somewhat refreshed. Instead of giving something up, Stewardship, the charity organising it, is encouraging people to spend the 40 days doing something positive; introducing an act of generosity for each day.

This might sound like a lot of hard work, but actually each task is very doable. The first, for example, was creating a “giving jar”. If you’re giving something up for Lent, the aim is to set the corresponding sum aside for a cause of your choice. For example, if you normally have a posh coffee on the way to work, try going without and sticking the coins in your jar instead.

I have to confess, I haven’t located my jar yet, but I’m definitely going to and will aim to set aside a few doubloons every day. It’ll probably take me 40 days to decide where the money’s going, but by then I should have a healthy stash to distribute.

Stewardship is also providing daily notes of encouragement for challenge taker-uppers. Yesterday’s came from the charity’s CEO, Mike O’Neill, who said: “Between now and Easter Sunday you, me and millions of other Christians around the world will walk an ancient path. Some of us will give up chocolate, coffee or cakes, while others will become pilgrims; literally walking in the footsteps of countless generations.

“Whatever we do, Lent will unite us: the persecuted Christian living in the Middle East, the farmer struggling against a changing climate in Peru, the mother in fear of war or pain of poverty. And those of us who are none of the above.”

Today’s challenge is to cross a social divide. I’m not entirely sure how I’ll do this, but I’m going on a long train journey today so I’ve no doubt I’ll have plenty of opportunity!

Ram Gidoomal, chairman of South Asian Concern (SAC), comments: “It is all too easy for us to live separate lives, keeping ourselves to ‘our own people’. Sometimes we feel uncertain about how to relate, or are afraid of making mistakes, so being British we don’t do anything…

“That ‘reserve’ can actually be a lack of love. A few years ago I was leading a training session to help church members build relationships with their South Asian neighbours. We encouraged them to talk to at least one Asian person in the coming week.

“At the next session we invited feedback. At first there was silence. Then a woman stood up and told us: ‘At the school gate the Asian mothers and the white mothers stand in separate groups. They don’t talk to each other. They don’t even make eye contact. Last Tuesday I went and stood next to the Asian mothers.’

“A small step, but it had a profound impact.”

Over the next month or so I’m determined to have my cake and eat it. But I’m also going to get into the habit of practising generosity each and every day. Hopefully this will become a lifelong habit.

[If giving generously for the next 40 days doesn’t excite you enough, the Bible Society has produced a free audio New Testament. It’s been broken up into 28-minute chunks so, by the time Easter Sunday arrives, listeners will have made it through the whole of the New Testament. You don’t even have to read it; you can listen while you walk the dog or make dinner. Visit www.biblesociety.org.uk to download your free copy.] 

Read more from Joy in the upcoming issue of Liberti.

At last some recognition for homeless-helping churches

I’ve become so used to seeing news stories about abuse and prejudice in churches, I was surprised to see an article in the Guardian about churches that are helping the homeless.

And there isn’t even a sniff of cynicism about it.

The story begins with a visit to a homeless centre in a Victorian London church.

“Tables are set at the top of the nave where 20 people are seated eating chilli con carne and mince pies,” writes Anna Tims.

“It's a strikingly peaceful dinner party – perhaps because the only beverages are orange juice and mineral water – but one of the guests, a youthful-looking man in a smart blue shirt, says it has saved his life.”

Holy Innocents, which has provided food, beds and rehousing support for 195 homeless people since the project started three years ago, isn’t the only church mentioned in the article.

Tims writes that it is one of a group of 14 churches in the London borough of Haringey providing food and beds for local rough sleepers. She claims that in 26 of London’s 33 boroughs, groups of churches are “quietly doing the same, improvising dormitories among the pews, adapting church halls into hostels and recruiting volunteers to cook meals, chat to the guests and take turns to sleep on mattresses under the same roof”.

According to the author, Holy Innocents and many other churches are providing clothes, toiletries, shower and laundry facilities and are “a vital plank in restoring dignity and self-respect in those who have lost all hope”.

It’s so refreshing to read a secular article that champions the work many Christians across the UK are doing, without making a fuss or asking for any glory.

There are countless verses in the Bible about helping those who are in need. Psalm 34: 18 says: “The Lord is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit” and Proverbs 19:17 says: “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed”.

It’s our duty to care and provide for the homeless, orphans, widows and anyone else we see struggling. If Jesus were walking the earth today I reckon he’d be hanging out with the homeless and ministering to them: both physically and spiritually. So that’s exactly what we should be doing.

Jesus said that people will know we are His disciples if we demonstrate our love for one another (John 13:34-35).

So let’s start making headlines for the right reasons; let’s make positive stories about Christians the norm rather than a rare luxury.

Practical demonstrations of love are the way forward if we want to reach a world that feels detached and disappointed by Christians today.

Read more from Joy in the upcoming issue of Liberti magazine.