am currently in bristol on the second resource weekend (course for people planting churches in the emerging culture). it’s encouraging to hear stories of ways people are developing mission and church amongst clubbers, on estates, with young people or whatever and to meet others hoping to do new stuff in the future. the weekend is at the hq/training base of ngm which is a stunning centre kitted out with recording studios and state of the art equipment. my friend tim was wearing a t-shirt that said jesus loves the old skool which i kind of liked – not sure what old skool is or for that matter what the new skool is. but i took a pic of the t-shirt anyway….

had worship sun morning at the re:source weekend. and it involved a DJ playing music, a VJ playing images all the time, some songs with guitar and percussion, but most of the time was given over to walking round some stations that had been set up to pray. there was also a recorded meditation played over music to get that started. this was all led by doug e ross (i think that is his name anyway). it was both weird and encouraging to see a charismatic take on alt worship – it’s not many years back that it was unthinkable that meditation, stations, and all that would be happening in charismatic circles – maybe the hegemony of chorus singing and preaching is over?!!!!

i keep finding myself feeling hopeful and encouraged about what’s happening in church at the moment – long may it continue…