steve

on retreat ??

enjoying some time with some friends on a pioneer leadership retreat in deepest Devon, loving it but missing the tribe... 

Just realising that being permanently out on the road (or rail) isn't that good...(been away nearly 12 days out of 15)  tribe need me lots at the moment - they're missing their dad .

Having some fun today with an exploration into soul-friending and mentoring/coaching .... may God bless you today.

Design freek

I get such a buzz from design and automation - sorry I am a true geek - automation , if used properly, can probably do the work of full time one or two PA's. I've got automation : taking event and gathering bookings, following up with people, sharing excellent resources, collecting contact data, sending out emails, bookings for cathedral, and in future it'll supplement training in a big way..
Roll on the geek revolution !!!

Shane Claiborne book again

Spending much time Reading irresistable revolution - deeply disturbing book - deeply radical about the ways of Christ ... Hope some of the book sticks !!

This is a picture of my lads doing quasar yesterday - I'm not sure what Jesus thought as they lasered each other with guns etc.. It was though something to do with 'kids (and adults) wanting to be heroes' , to do something revolutionary and significant with their lives - following jesus was never meant to be boring- how can we be ordinary heroes?

Sitting, praying before nightchurch

Funny thing is with this way of being church tonight , there is not a lot I can do to influence the evening - feels kinda weird... A preacher would preach (we don't really do that in traditional sense), a worship leader would get band and songs together(we don't really do it that way), ... So tonight I have no control, it's all been given away ( to wonderful people I must add) ... So I'm gonna wander and collect stories on my new video flip thing ... Have lots of coffee and relax these shoulders a while . Peace

Last night at nightchurch

Interesting evening as lock for cathedral door broke and we couldn't get in - so did whole thing in cafe (chapter house) - discussions, live music from www.Kimwei.com, great chats with some new and old friends - met this chap who going to come along to play - www.myspace.com/andrewgmarshall - have a restful and peaceful and refreshing weekend. Steve

Great time with Childrens choir

Great time with nearly 1000 folks in cathedral at Nightchurch - choir were amazing ...

missionary thing stirring

The last few weeks have been really interesting as a new clarity has come to me - for those that know me it's been a real crossroads knowing what to focus on .. business ideas, wider extra-local ministry /speaking etc.. nightchurch excitements, new jobs, part-time ? full-time? wow !!!! It's been hard keeping it together to be honest.>>>>

So much of what is happening in the UK at the moment is about the church unlearning and putting on a missionary hat - seeing the UK through the eyes of a missionary and a missionary church. So I'm feeling a real peace to use that label for myself - "Steve Jones - having a go at doing the missionary thing..." focused around helping to grow churches, leaders and their movements ...

Also I have set up new ways in which people can support us through prayer ( news letters) and money ( standing orders and paypal one off donations - with giftaid coming soon) - click here

some thoughts about nightchurch

These are the notes from my chat to the nightchurch team on Tuesday evening, what do you think?

We are in experimental mode so if things we do don’t work t first we pick ourselves up and try something else

Your development as a pioneer leader is primary to the project

The “not vision” thing - climates are more important than goals - get a plant - organic metaphor

Some climates for us all to nurture

• Worship and prayer - mischas card to me( "God help you" - "I know how hard you work but just pray, pray, pray" , eclectic and fusion

• Mission/justice - doing jesus stuff, follow me, join the mission invitation to all who come, (turn/”repent”) consumer to pioneer

• Unity/diversity - Speaking well ,cathedral, bless everything that's good, stages of faith, learning styles, cultural fragmentation

• Pilgrimage - journey metaphor for others and us, finding what I was made to do

• Community - the welcome from God's heart, like each other, when people see.., slow our growth, importance of food and drink

• Creativity - little creators, made like him, - you find a freedom and safety to do what God wants you to do, finding our focus, our personal passion

Exponential dynamics - Jesus model, forming your own team and community around you and teach them to do likewise...of do-ers and followers of Christ

Pioneer disciple - the answer to your ideas is yes, as long as headed towards Christ, find your team, find your money and resources, work with cathedral authorities ...

Wider team - find your life passion and do it, build partnership and ‘overlaps of purpose’

Just incredible ride at the moment

I've been riding the best wave for a few days now, everywhere I turn are people I needed to meet, I don't have to seek them out they just arrive. "Commit thy networking to-eth the LORDeth and thee shall prosper-eth", thus sayeth the LORD.

testing video insertion - a fresh expressions video