Mission accomplished. Welcome to my blog v2.00

I was sat in a lecture on postmodernism of all things. Foucalt was the subject and his ideas about Madness and how in the modern world we confine the mad to institutions. He referred back to a time when the insane were part of society and were respected and sometimes seen as gates of knowledge. Now we lock them away in 'more humane' conditions where they can't bother us.

I started to wonder what Jesus' approach to these people would be...I realised that some of the behaviour described in the scriptures (e.g. a man cutting himself with stones) is exactly the kind of thing we lock people up for. But Jesus didn't lock them up, he cast out their demons, he set them free.

In the modern world where we don't see madmen (apart from news forecasts about leaders of various seperatist groups (e.g. America! hee hee)) there's less of a call for those following Jesus to set people free - "the state handles that problem" is a phrase you might hear. So from there I began wondering if we should make time to visit those considered insane in those institutions to which our society confines them with the hope dishing out some Jesus-love? Who knows, we may even learn to cast out demons!

It's funny how things happen. Tonight we had Elizabeth from the homeless project around to talk to our housechurch. We had a lovely time, she shared her story and then a bit about her vision and I really felt God saying how proud he is of her simple obedience. Anyhow she was saying "you have a lovely group here" and I suppose it really reminded me of the fact that God has changed us from being a random assortment of individuals to being a community that has actually started loving one another. Even though we go through stuff we know we're together...and now I'm rambling - it's late, I should sleep.

Goodnight.

Links...

Blogs
Andreas Andersson
Angela Anstey
Barbara Harrison
Ben Cook
Beth Keck
Biz Stone
Bristol Vineyard
Carla Morgan
Chris Evans
Claire Lewis-Norman
Daniel Fritzon
Dave Henson
Elinor Dixon
Emelie Reimers
Eric Keck
Freelance Theology
Ian Wootten
Jason Evans
Keith Warrington
Kevin Rains
Lewis and Maria Parfitt
Lisa Whiteman
Mark Churchill
Mark Evans
Mark Garbers
Matt Turrigiano
Neil Morgan
Nic Hope
Reuben Whitehouse
Roger Harrison
Sarah Hine
Sharon Phipps
Sofia Carlbert
Tom Hope
Viv Nicholls

Photo Blogs
Daily Dose of Imagery
Emma Nordeborn
Mark Churchill
Mark Evans
Sofia Carlbert
Stina Carlbert
Stina Nordeborn

Artists
Beastie Boys
Ben Folds
Ben Harper
Coldplay
Counting Crows
Dashboard Confessional
Dave Matthews Band
Ani Difranco
Foo Fighters
Fugazi
The Getup Kids
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Incubus
Jack Johnson
The Mars Volta
Pedro The Lion
The Postal Service
Queens of the Stoneage
Rage Against The Machine
Reggie and the full effect
Thrice
Tool
The Weakerthans

Sites I designed
Human Technology
Business Intelegant
Skapa
Sofia Carlbert
Via
Malmö Vineyard
Keith Warrington

Misc.
Dallas Willard
Heart of Worship
Make Trade Fair
Soul Survivor
Relevant Magazine

I've had a few days out from blogging. Have been chilling with some friends, watching movies, figuring out some new webdesign packages - wondering if we should make our own, softcore version of Jackass. You know the kind of stuff - going down the stairs on your butt - a kind of ironic take on the whole idea: where jackass involves danger ours won't and yet we'll get just as excited about it.

I think PJ will one day realise his desire to dangle Oscar, our Yorkshire Terrier with "little guy" syndrome, from his fingers. Just you wait...

I've had to face a few things - firstly I went against my feelings and shared with the guys that I was feeling lonely at the moment. I knew this was right because if I can't share how I really feel, why should I expect anyone else in the group that I'm leading to bare their souls? Anyhow I did it and while I felt stupid, it's made me realise how important it is to be yourself as a leader.

I had these preconceptions of the leader as this lone wolf. As this guy who ensures his people get fed and yet has to look else where to grow himself. I've changed my mind on that one. If we're a family we're all responsible for one another and each can build up all. No more lone wolf for me!

About Me

Name: Jonathan Joel Morgan
Date of Birth: 19th December 1982
Height: 5’11½
Dietary requirements: Vegetarian
Myers Briggs type: ENFJ

Favourite things:
Taking photographs. A good book. Moral philosophy. Mountain biking. Fair trade. The Kingdom of God. Music. Friends. Candles. Good food. A nice, full-bodied acoustic guitar with a natural finish and Martin SP strings. Good coffee.

Up to…
Having completed my Law and Politics degree and an internship at Bristol Vineyard I'm living in Malmö, Sweden, designing websites and figuring out what it means to follow Jesus. In January I move to South Africa to learn some more about community development and serving the world poor. If you're interested in what becomes of me, keep an eye on this blog...

Films (in no particular order)
1. Fight Club
2. Lost in Translation
3. Kill Bill (I and II)
4. Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
5. Crash
6. Breakfast at Tiffany’s
7. Garden State
8. Good Will Hunting
9. American Beauty
10. North by Northwest

Albums (in no particular order)
1. Rage Against the Machine – Self Titled
2. Tool – Aenima
3. The Postal Service – Give Up
4. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
5. Ryan Adams – 29
6. Counting Crows – Recovering the Satellites
7. Fugazi – The Argument
8. Radiohead – Kid A
9. Queens of the Stoneage – Songs for the Deaf
10. Ben Folds Five – Whatever and Amen
11. The Getup Kids – Something to Write Home About
12. Foo Fighters – Self Titled
13. Ben Harper - Welcome to the Cruel World
14. The Dismemberment Plan - Change

Books (in no particular order)
1. Richard Foster – Celebration of Discipline
2. Dallas Willard – The Divine Conspiracy
3. Nick Hornby – About a Boy
4. Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird
5. Carol Wimber – The Way It Was
6. George Eldon Ladd – The Gospel of the Kingdom
7. Henri Nouwen – The Way of The Heart
8. NT Wright – The Challenge of Jesus
9. Michel Foucault – Discipline and Punish
10. Douglas Coupland - Hey Nostradamus

Wow, Zoe's finally gone. It seems that a lot of crying went on on the part of my parents. She'll be back - I know God'll look after her and will teach her loads.

{Lord I ask that you'll protect Zoe as she's in Thailand, that you give her good health and safe travel}

beginning of Luke (3ish)
I noticed something this morning that, while I've read it many times before, struck me in a way that it hasn't before...anyhow it was where John says "you can't just get baptised because it's the 'thing' to do" and they say "well, what should we do then?" and he says "if you've got two coats give one away, do the same with food, if you're a tax collector don't rip people off and if you're a soldier don't bully people - be content with what you get" (my paraphrase).

John was saying that there is a 'new world order' (reminds me of the lyrics of a rap song) which will change your life where you're at. Become a new person. Today I'm asking God what that means for me - how can I be me and at the same time let His new, fair, contented life take centre stage?

{Jesus change me as I take these steps that I become the person you intend me to be}

Today I've been reading some Hayek. Talk of Laissez Faire economies and the state taking a less interventionist approach. The question came into my mind: "would the church be more effective in an environment where the government weren't expected to provide everything?" I hear so many people say "the homeless are the state's responsibility..." etc. I can't find a reference for that anywhere in my Bibe'. Do we spend so much time thinking about politics that we fail to take an active role in real life?

I had a hard few days early last week - I was turning questions over and over in my mind and wasn't coming across people to whom I could ask such questions...so I posted this blog and made the resolution that if I start getting like that again I will pray first, remember to ask someone and then leave it with them. You know sometimes I feel daunted arriving on the site of a 'post modern' blog wondering if what I'm going to say will be something that they've discussed long in advance. I guess my initial introduction to the dreaded P word has been through being a 20 year old. Then I chat with 50 year olds who are grappling with it on a far more intellectual level and I worry that I can't help them because I haven't had all the years to read all the books...

For inspiration, ideas and often fun check out Kevin Rains' blog.

Back to about a boy - I love the story of acceptance, of taking someone into your community not because they are nice, but because they need you. I mean how often in the real world would someone who had pretended he had a son to fit in with and pull single mums actually end up accepted into their community? It's interesting how he changed from being a user to being a giver in the context of healthy, loving relationships.

In fact when he became a giver, rather than just a taker, he was able to gain the very thing that he couldn't have before (in this context a relationship with 'Rachel').

I just watched About A Boy...It's an interesting challenge to the individualist ideal and a cool pro-community movie.

We had our open house last night which went really well. It's good to chill out (and jam!) with friends. As I was doing the dishes earlier I was inspired with the thought that although we've talked about planting up into the valleys God may be bringing us into relationship with people who will one day to that very thing.

Goodnight*

Last night was cool. I love the subject of "how does God speak to me" and especially so when there are people of all different experiences. We did the 'object game' (putting objects down in front of us and then asking God to speak to us for other people in the room). I have to admit that I found it hard because I err towards scepticism. I would rather God talk to me in my mind than I would through an object that someone else has chosen for me to be inspired by... At the same time I absolutely believe that God uses our imaginations to teach us things and therefore when he suggested we do the exercise I didn't argue. That last sentence is real ironic because I've often been blown away by God speaking to me through paintings.

Psalm 84
"when they walk through the valley of weeping, it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains!". I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 2:14 where it talks of us spreading the Good News like "sweet perfume". This has to have something to do with spiritual formation, with changing from the inside out. I want to carry God's perfume everywhere, to the extent that the atmosphere is different when I'm around. That by our presence the desert becomes fertile, the broken get healed.

I'd better go get ready for our alternative valentines party.

While praying earlier I was reminded of the word that shimmered in the psalm I was reading yesterday. It was "Satisfy." I came across it in Psalm 81 - it reads "But I would feed you with the best of foods. I would satisfy you with wild honey from the rock." I want to increasingly become the kind of person who looks to Jesus to satisfy all my longings.

{Lord I ask that we'll be a community who look to you to satisfy every need we have}

Having posted a few questions (on organic church), read some Todd Hunter, Willard and chatted over coffee with a few people on the issue of commitment I've finally come to some conclusions. I had been thrown off by a comment that was made by a much respected leader when I probed him on the issue of spiritual disciplines, that they are "not required to merely be in the family." I interpretted this to mean that the desire for deeper walk with God (and "training" for that Goal) is not required for you to be in the family. From this I started to ask more questions: how will we change our communities if we don't need to change inwardly? and eventually came to the question of whether there are different levels of commitment to Jesus within the category of "follower."

This discussion isn't so much to do with different stages on the same course, it's more about whether there is a stage at which you can comfortably stop growing and still be a follower of Jesus. My conclusion is that being a follower and growing are very closely linked.

For me the issue led to the question of what are essentials and what are non-essentials. In Ephesians Paul corrects the Gentile followers who have been confused by the Jews saying that "you must be circumcised" in order to be a true follower. In other words they were saying "Jesus + Circumcision = Salvation" and Paul was saying: "no you've got it wrong - it's only by Jesus that you have salvation (i.e. Jesus = Salvation). Now I could go into a discussion of 'what is salvation' but that would be a digression from the point I'm trying to make.

Basically there are things which fit in the same category as "circumcision" in the above equation (for example "not drinking" or "spiritual disciplines"). Then there are the essentials...I've decided that "spiritual formation" is one of those essentials which should be part of any definition of a follower of Jesus (AKA Christian). On the other hand the non-essentials have no 'value' in themselves, but may be in the form of tools that can be used to attain spiritual formation.

NB. I'm not suggesting that circumcision is a tool for spiritual formation!

I'm not convinced of the merits of the whole ad banner thing - i know it's free hosting, but it just doesn't feel right