All good

The op wasn't quite so bad I waited 5 hours to go in and then was out of the hospital in 4 hours. I am now recuperating in Essex which is lovely and will fly home on Sunday afternoon.

No bad side affects just can't lift anything for a few weeks, and can't go to the gym for 6 weeks!!!

Trying to do some reading this week, I am really useless at sitting about doing nothing.

the op!!!

I am in England at the moment, off for a double inguinal hernia operation in the morning. If you are the praying kind I would value your prayers that it all goes smoothly. I am not too stressed, it's keyhole surgery under a general anesthetic but I should be in and out on the same day.

The worst thing is not being able to eat anything from midnight tonight! Not that I normally eat after midnight its more the morning. I am grumpy without food but will work hard at being pleasant to the nurses tomorrow.

Its around my groin area, the consultant said I shouldn't feel to bad his exact word were: "just like you have been stabbed twice in the stomach"!! The staff nurse told me my testicles could turn black and blue!!!! Don't worry I won't take any photographs...

I might not blog for a few days.

Accountable leaders!

"They [dogs] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in the conversation." Jerome K Jerome

I talk to my dog, is that weird? He doesn't understand a word of it. Why do we do that? It's not like I'm lonely or mad but I do on occasions find myself talking to him. Basically it's wittering on, I don't go deep with him. We don't have a mutually accountable relationship.

"Accountability" now there's a word.... Often used, seldom practiced. Leaders use it a lot when someone starts up a new initiative that they don't understand. You may as well interpret "Who are they accountable to" as "I need to control this situation"

Older leaders use it about younger leaders "I think he lacks accountability" can I just say older leaders and senior leaders are some of the most un-accountable people I know. Hiding behind a cloak of spirituality and fatherly wisdom they could literally get away with murder!!!! The other problem is they forget what they were like when they were young. Some of the best leaders I know started out as young arrogant loose cannons, actually I was one... we just forget and look back at ourselves through saintly rose tinted spectacles.

If someone ever tells you in christian speak that they have an "Accountability partner" and that partner does not live nearby or see them functioning as a leader or in a community on a daily basis they are not accountable. No matter how honest someone tries to be they will leave stuff out, stuff that can only be seen in shared life. Accountability does not function properly over long distances, its a myth to think otherwise.

Accountability can only ever be mutual! Is that true? How can a young single guy really hold an older married guy accountable?

Ken Macreavy said this once "When loyalty replaces honesty teams will stagnate and die" accountability, openess and honesty is a must for leadership and community to thrive. How often do we see this? A senior leader who has picked up loads of little habits and ways of being, that his team just put up with because they are loyal. No one is ever honest with him and he never grows. He becomes the subject of private jokes and corridor conversations and is never challenged. The team is either to busy and wants the quiet life or the leader demands false loyalty, where by honesty is seen as criticism!! The team acts like the dogs that Jerome quotes!!!

I love my Dog, he's accountable to me.... but is there true accountability within the community of Christ?

I am 24-7 Prayer

After all is said and done we are 24-7 Prayer. 24-7 Prayer in Ibiza. Prayer is what drives us, what changes us, what keeps us motivated and what makes the difference to all we do.

Years ago I occasionally talked about 24-7 prayer as "they" I haven't done that for years it's always "we".

You find that if you are not happy with something, someone or some organisation you start to refer to it differently. I was never unhappy with 24-7 prayer just frustrated and even to this day I still get frustrated with "it". Although I find the frustration easier to deal with if I remember it's a "we" not an "it". The moment you stop using any belonging words is the moment you cross over into unhealthy criticism and negative thinking. Possessive pro-nouns are the best way to speak about the community or movement you belong to.

"They" is used a lot as people retreat from organisations and communities "they don't understand me" "They haven't thought this through" "they always do this" "they don't offer me the support I need" this is the language of dis-engagement.

When we refer to our church, our organisation, our cell group, even our family if we use the language of belonging we will view it differently, accept more responsibility for what is happening and treat the community we are part of with love.

Anyway "I am Spartacus"

Webs

I love this photo, I took it this morning whilst walking the dog. I reminds of the inter connectedness between people, we are all linked in some way shape or form. My actions have an affect on someone else's life!

As we start to get quiet my mind is turning towards a number of things, one is writing a book about our stumbling journey out here in Ibiza, the other is to develop how we work with prostitutes. I know they are not related, but these are what we feel called to right now.

We pray for leading and direction, that God would pull our strings and guide us through these next few months.

Rage on

Here is a quote from Danish Playwright and Pastor Kaj Munk. It sums up how I felt after leaving our conference on Saturdat night, positive yet challenged.

"What is, therefore, our task today? Shall I answer: "Faith, hope, and love"?
That sounds beautiful. But I would say--courage.
No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness.
For what we Christians lack is not psychology or literature....
we lack a holy rage--
the recklessness which comes form the knowledge of God and humanity.
The ability to rage when justice lies prostrate on the streets, and when the lie rages across the face of the earth...a holy anger about the things that are wrong in the world.
To rage against the ravaging of God's earth , and the destruction of God's world.
To rage when little children must die of hunger, when the tables of the rich are sagging with food. To rage at the senseless killing of so many, and against the madness of militaries.
To rage at the lie that calls the threat of death and the strategy of destruction peace.
To rage against complacency.
To restlessly seek that recklessness that will challenge and seek to change human history until it conforms to the norms of the Kingdom of God.
And remember the signs of the Christian Church have been the Lion, the Lamb, the Dove, and the Fish...
but never the chameleon."
COME ON

I have never blogged from an iPhone before! I am here in Edinburgh for the 24-7prayer international gathering. I struggled last night because I was tired. Looking forward to today a guy called George Verwer is speaking this morning. Thank you Christine for lending me your iPhone

Edinburgh

I am going to the 24-7 prayer gathering called Magnify in Edinburgh.

It should be fun. I get back Sunday night.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Encouragement

So far this summer we have taken over 200 people home in our vomit van, if you include the friends who accompany the distressed and semi conscious it's over 400. This doesn't include all the walk homes we do.

Anyway here is some feedback that people have left this year on our 24-7ibiza site:

"Just want to say thank you to 24-7 who brought my daughter back to our hotel on 19 August. She went out with a friend, and was found by 24-7 outside a club not being able stand, we think her drink may have been spiked as they both had the same to drink and her friend was fine. I am really grateful for your help that night, as the thought of what could have happened to her is really frightening. Thank you so much. x"

"hi after a bit of research i think you were there guys that helped me in ibiza last friday night the 20th of august me and my friend both found ourself in abit of a bad state possible spiked and i remember two very nice girls getting us in a bus and taking us to our hotel thankyou very much,,, ps where do you get your money to fund this organisation,, hope i can help. all the best and thanks again"

"Hi, 24-7 helped me on the 5th of August when I was spiked. 24-7 were called & if it wasn’t for yous I don’t know what would have happened to me as I was only with one of my friends & couldnt stand by myself & was being constantly sick. 24-7 brought me back to my hotel & made sure everything was alright. Thankyou so much for all your help & i appreciate everything yous did for me."


"During my first night away with friends I collasped suddenly. The situation was extremely upsetting for my friends as I came in and out of consciousness. 24-7 were called and helped my friends and I back to our hotel and didn’t leave until they felt I was ok. For this I am truely thankful for helping me in a not so nice situation. If it wasn’t for the 2 helpers at 24-7 (Bruce and Jude I believe) things could of been alot worse. Thank you again 24-7"

"Hi 24-7
While on holiday there in June 10 I met one of your helpers Anna. She was very nice and tol me about your organisation. A few days later I was sittingin the Irish bar and a few girls started fighting. I broke the fight up but one of the girls was very badly drunk and battered. I remembered Anna from a few night ago and got my wife to bring her to your center just around the corner. She went with the guy in the center to bring her to her hotel as she was unable to go anywhere in her condition. I would like to thank you for the service you gave."

We don't do it for the thanks but we do really appreciate it when people get in touch and encourage us.

Where prayer takes you

It's 4.30 just got in from 5 great hours out on the street. Well I say out on the street but you have to remember that we spend as much time in the prayer room as we do on the street. Thats what makes the street work so affective.

A little run down: We go out after 30 minutes of prayer and instantly sit and talk to 3 Irish guys one has taken 10 pills, whilst chatting we get a call from a bar where a couple have just got in a fight, we go to the bar, calm the situation down and take the girl back to her hotel whilst her boyfriend walks home to calm down, Clare prays with her in the back of the van.

On our way back we stop to pick up a girl and her boyfriend who two of our team members have been sitting with, the girls is totally drunk but her boyfriend isn't, we drive them back to their hotel. Whilst driving them back we notice another girl vomiting outside a bar so we fun two more of our team to go and see her, we then turn a corner and notice a guy asleep in the centre reservation of a road we phone two more team members to go and make him safe.

Drop vomit girl number one and boyfriend off, go back for vomiting girl number two who is with her sister we drop them back at her hotel, she vomits outside all over one of our team members shoes, our team member gags but bravely gets on with it.

The guys we sent to look after the guy in the centre reservation get him to safety and sit with him for 2 hours whilst he remembers his hotel.

As we park the van up from dropping of vomit girl number two we get a phone call from the girl who had a fight with her boyfriend saying he was getting angry again, we quickly phone the prayer room and get our guys to pray whilst we drive back round the bay to make sure the girl is ok. We arrive at the hotel and she phones to say they have both calmed down and everything is ok. God heard our prayers.

We drive back to town get a phone call from a bar, a guy has fallen asleep out the back we wake him up and walk him to our van and then drive him home, he's a nice guy, just drunk.

We then get back to the prayer room where the rest of the team have had opportunities to pray with people for healing, to read bibles with people, to listen to peoples stories. One of our girls prayed with a drug dealer.... We take someone else home and more prayers and conversations are had then we come home.

This is not an unusual night... this is where prayer takes you.

An Idea

I was thinking that it would be cool to start up an international bible distribution charity. Sort of Gideons for the 21st century.

Here's my idea:

We operate solely using the Message version at first, New testament with Psalms and Proverbs. Small and pocket sized.

No explanation notes or anything like that just the reader and the word no application stuff or cheesy christian stories to make it easier. We need to trust the text.

We are brand specific and work with our own designer. We use the bibles to target specific people groups areas, or organizations.

They have to be handed out the blurb on the back has to be specific to the situation, sounds simple.

Heres how it could work.

I have a friend who gives out tea coffee etc at the queues for the wimbeldon lawn tennis championships. We get bibles printed in the wimbledon tennis colours with a little blurb. Maybe something about standing in line, you don't have to queue to get to Jesus.
"Jesus loves wimbledon" or "God bless wimbledon"

Ok say you are working in a high school, you get one done in the high schools name or using school colours. Same thing blurb that is specific on the back.

Or you work in a town and you want your church to start distributing them out and about you get "God Bless Stafford" bibles done.

The possibilities are endless.

The reason I am excited is because I know it works, the bibles we give out here are so well recieved people love the Message Version.

So anyone know eugene petersons email address?

Should it be a company or a charity? I need a designer, a website and an accommodating publishing house!!! (Navpress)

Beautiful people

The bar workers of San Antonio hold a big party every year to raise money for charity. It's called "The Sh*t Party" This year for the first time they have made a donation towards our work and we are very grateful and touched. This is the first time the community we work in have financially contributed to what we do. It felt like a moment of acceptance. 24-7 prayer have been here for nearly 9 years this is the 5th year of having a centre in the middle of it all and now we are just getting there....

Here are some images I took from the event. Psalm 139 springs to mind as I look at these faces.

Leadership let downs

One of the areas in which a lot of leaders fall down is "Over promising and under delivering" I got this Guilianos book on leadership. He found that it was much better to "under promise and over deliver"

Here's how it works this kind of stuff comes all the time from visionary leaders also pastoral leaders. Guys who lead through ideas and inspiration or guys who lead through heart and care. They cast vision you buy into it think you will change the world together then it never gets raised again, or there heart is moved by what you are going through so they promise help and it never comes.

They will use phrases like "we must get together" then never call. The amount of times I have heard "We must get you over to preach sometimes" and then it doesn't happen!

Or "I'll call you" or "we will send you some people" or "I'll come visit" don't worry this isn't coming from a bitter place, I'm using personal examples without gaul. This is also something I am guilty of.

One of the first is when you are promised help with a new initiative then feel abandoned and on your own once you have started it up!

One of the problems is that some leader are always externally processing, thinking out loud! We the listener confuse this with grounded well thought through process and assume that what is being talked about is actually going to happen!!!

All our language is active, people are always listening therefore we should be more careful about what we say and promise.

In the end the over promisers and under deliverers get shown up and people start to lose respect for their leadership. People start to treat everything you say with a pinch of salt and behind your back a lack of trust develops. Which in the end will make it impossible for you to lead.

Leadership

What is a 90's leadership model? I'm not sure I know...

I do think a lot churches and organisations have developed the model of leadership teams, which is important. Although I am not always sure they are teams.

I remember a wise leader once telling me "You get two types of leadership team, one where the leader gets the vision and the team help him or her outwork it or the the other where the team get the vision and they work it out together"

A type 5 leader is someone who is confident and relaxed in their position and allows a lot of initiatives to develop and grow around them, a type 4 leader needs to have control and a lot of say over direction etc..

Most organisations build type 4 leadership structures. The most frustrating is when a type 4 leadership structure is developed for a type 5 leader!

The problem with a type 4 is when the man goes, the organisation suffers, even dies.

Abraham went to war and did business but first and foremost he was the head of a family. To many christian organisations and churches operate like an army or a business and forget that their primary function is to be a family.

Maybe it's not even the man in charges fault, with king Saul "the people wanted a king so God gave them a king" Maybe the crowd are guilty of laziness or junior leaders are not willing to step up to the mark, so we make the leader the ceo or the commander in chief.

Maybe we allow the world of business to shape how we run christian organisations a little to much. After all we were called not to conform to the patterns of this world! I know we don't want to throw the baby out with the bath water. When it comes to business and war I think we can learn stuff but we must be careful it doesn't overly shape our organisational structure.

I could be accused of being a little over idealistic.

Busy

Was chatting with friend recently about life and how that some churches seem to be having difficulty raising up young leaders. I wonder why that is?

I feel partly it's because we in the west live in a cash rich yet time poor society. Years ago we thought that church wanted our money now they want our time and we don't have a lot of it to spare. Society has moved on, so has the way people outwork their faith. If you have family you need to spend time, with friends you want to hang out with, and everyday life you want to lead, church and the various meetings that happen around it can be a distraction. I am being a little extreme but just trying to make a point.

You have a small group on Wednesday, a worship practice on Tuesday, help at a childrens club or something similar on Friday, go to church on Sunday and you are stretched!!! Throw into the mix a 1990's leadership model and you'll end up having leadership team meetings, pastoral visits and endless emails and phone calls with regards to the finer details of church life! You'll get in from work at 5.30 (if you are lucky and work locally) and be expected to eat tea, talk to the children and be out again for a meeting at 7.30!!! Doesn't sound very life giving does it? By the time you have been doing this for 5 years you will realise that your children have got older and church has robbed them of their father or mother. Not a great advertisement for future leaders.

You then have the other type of leaders who work for christian organisations in various roles. Who over the years have been made to feel so insecure and have had their role questioned so much that they need to keep making constant references to how busy they are, how full their inboxes are, how long their to do lists are and how stretched they are. All born out of pressure put on them by ill informed people to justify their existence. The downside is they put people of wanting to be leaders because no one wants to be under that kind of pressure, they also come across as having a slight martyr complex, we think they are saints but we wouldn't want to do what they do!!

I know how they feel especially if you are on support from a variety of churches and individuals you can get consumed with a false desire to prove to them that their money is being well spent, so you constantly publicise your busy ness. The problem is you make others not want to do what you do....

The reality is you are no busier than anyone else, you need to be happy in your skin and your role. Realise you are loved and respected for who you are not what you do. If you need affirmation or feel under valued then talk to your leaders.

Just thoughts, part of my own journey, hope it's helpful?

Beautiful one

Last night we had a moment in our little service were i really felt heaven touched earth.

Weirdly it was around a song I really don't like called "Beautiful One"

We had our normal little worship slot our little congregation was about 30ish people, 13 of whom are working prostitutes. After the songs Clare and Poppy got up with our friend who is a working girl from Nigeria. Clare started to strum and our friend sang the opening lines of this song on her own. I need to give this context; this is a young lady who was deceived into to coming to Spain to work as a child minder who is now trapped in prostitution until she can pay of her debt and return home.

This is what she sang

Wonderful, so wonderful
Is your unfailing love
Your cross has spoken mercy over me
No eye has seen no ear has heard
No heart could fully know
How glorious, how beautiful you are.

This was not just a soppy moment, this is the reality of what we do, this is why we are here. My heart breaks and I yearn to see change wrought in this whole area sometimes I feel we don't do enough and we could do more, in fact we are going to do more, but last night we did all we could do. And we sat and listened as a prostitute sang of the kingdom and her saviour.

You've got the love

My laptop has been down for 5 days, but now it's back... hope you like my latest fire dancing shot?

Our present team went to Pacha on Saturday, they enjoyed it, but where very struck by the many layers it has to offer! It's all about moving to different levels, about aspiring to be in the right place and be seen with the right people, it epitomizes our culture. Celebrity

I love what Dizzee Rascal has to say about it all:

Let’s Go
Everybody wants to be famous,
Nobody wants to be nameless, aimless,
People act shameless
Tryna live like entertainers,
Want a fat crib with the acres,
So they spend money that they ain’t made yet,
Got a Benz on tik that they ain’t paid yet,
Spend their pay cheque
In the west end on the weekend
Got no money by the end of the weekend.
But they don’t care cause their life is a movie,
Starring Louis V, paid for by yours truly,
Truthfully, it’s a joke, like a bad episode of Hollyoaks,
Can’t keep up with the cover notes,
So they got bad credit livin’ on direct debit in debt
they still don’t get
Cause they too busy livin’ the high life, the night life
Huggin’ the high when livin’ it large
And they all say