it was great to catch up with mark scandrette who was passing through london. we have collided several times over the years. i have accidentally become his photographer! i took a photo or two of him in 2009 and then in 2017. both times those ended up being used by him in various ways. he is very photogenic in my view! so i had to do a 2025 update. see flickr for a few more in black and white

i actually thought of mark a few weeks back at the ccx multiply day on church planting and pioneering. there was a presentation from gerald griffin on how practices can be transforming in the life of a church. he is from bridgetown church in portland. i think it’s a really helpful perspective and they have put a lot of their resourecs online for free.

mark published a book called practicing the way of jesus back in 2012 which i loved at the time. i couldn’t help wondering to what degree john mark comer’s practicing the way had drawn inspiration from mark. it did make me smile actually how evangelicals can be suspicious in one era of something and then in another it becomes the thing to do – some sort of pragmatism or something. but practices are extremely helpful in life, in discipleship and so on so i am very happy it’s happening. i am a big fan as you know of ignatian spirituality and in that tradition as in many others practices are a big part of their spirituality and have been for a long time. what is different or catching attention i think around the church in portland is that they are orienting their whole church life around practices.

anyway all that to say it was great to see mark!