Is it wrong to feel melancholic?

Did you know that every individual person is actually three people? First, there's the person you think you are. Second, there's the person you want others to think you are. Third, there's the REAL you. This blog address number 3 - the real you.

In that spirit of realness, lets think about something that 90% of us have to one level or another. It's called 'melancholy'. Is it a weakness or a strength? Some say it's a weakness - a hinderance that stunts effectiveness and slows progress. The latter view can be right….if we don't know how to handle it. The danger of feeling melancholic is that it can lead to a downward spiral of insularity and intraspectivness which can ultimately knock a persons confidence (and those around them).This is especially the case when you derive your value merely from your performance. The problem with this is that you can't perform all the time - something which many try to do! But thats physically, emotionally and mentally impossible. And even when performing at full speed, there will inevitably be bad days. So when those days come, what are you going to do? Where do you find solace? What is going to lift your confidence and make you feel valuable again? For a leader, that search can sometimes lead to dangerous places. It's never wise to build your whole foundation merely on how well you feel you're performing.

But can there be strengths to having touches of melancholy? Well, I find there can be. And the secret is in knowing how to handle them. I've found that my greatest creativity has emerged from moments of melancholy. There is incredible power in taking time to be still. Perhaps melancholy (for me) is the tension between inaction and action - the coming to terms with where I've been and the getting to grips with where I'm going. When you're full of idea's and vision, it is incredibly challenging to be still. Those melancholic moments can be painful. But when you learn how to make the most of them, what can actually emerge is a touch of genius. For me, it's a time to reflect, pray and allow my creative juices to be replenished. No, that doesn't mean they're pleasant. But then, life is not always pleasant! It's like revising for an exam - hardly the most wonderful experience - but absolutely vital.

Instead of allowing melancholy to work against me, I've learnt to make it work for me. Either those moments can drive us to a place to negativity and despair - or we can use them to help us become better, more rooted people. It is worth pointing out however that the latter will never happen if we cut ourselves off from other people. If anything, that's the time you need to be around the right people more than ever.

I'm always inspired by the life and music of George F Handel, a composer who was broken, bankrupt and deeply melancholic. But in his moments of melancholy, he allowed his music to develop, exploring new avenues and sounds. Then his opportunity came - and his creativity poured like a waterfall. He composed his famous 'Messiah' score in a mere 21 days! But the REAL truth is that his ingenious music was birthed in his moments of melancholy. He made them work for him.

So is it wrong to feel melancholic? Not necessarily. Melancholy only becomes a problem when you pander to it and let it overcome you. But learn to use those melancholic moments to your advantage, and you'll discover creativity and beauty like you've never known before. Hold your nerve and dare to be still for a while.

Errrrr....WHY?

Archie Norman, chairman of ASDA UK, conducted all his board meetings without seats. He claimed standing up for the entire duration of each meeting caused members to think and speak more succinctly. I reckon he had a point.

I hate committee meetings. I was once part of one – and to this day, I have no idea why I was there. Even the mice in the room were throwing themselves into the traps! It was pointless because nobody knew the answer to the most important question....’WHY?’

Here are 3 questions every team ought to ask: 1. WHY are you here? 2. WHERE are you going? 3. HOW are you going to get there?

Long committee meetings and endless debates are the sign of one fundamental problem: NO VISION. Vision should ALWAYS be obvious. The WHY is what determines the WHERE and the HOW.

Vision needs to excite people. It needs to be cheeky. It needs to warm the cockles of a person’s heart and send a goosebump or two down the spine. Vision explains WHY you do WHAT you do. When it’s clear, it keeps people focussed. But when there’s no vision....frustration grows and grows and grows. And when you don’t know ‘WHY?’, that, ladies and gentlemen, is fatal.

Church Planting Lessons 1 year on...

J24 church is just over 1 year old. It was planted from scratch. There was literally nothing there before. Now, there’s a church. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s a work in progress. But I think it’s brilliant! So a year on into the church planting journey, what have I learned? Here’s some lessons:

Hold your nerve
One of the best bits of advice I ever heard is ‘You’re never as good as you are on your best day. But you’re never as bad as you are on your worst’. Know where God wants you to go. It’s gonna take while. But you are going to get there. So hold your nerve.

Enjoy it!
Lots of church leaders take themselves far too seriously! But in church planting, if you’re too intense about it, you end up getting burnt out. Enjoy the ride – bumps and all.

Do the best you can.
Excellence isn’t about having all the resources in the world. It’s about doing the very best you can with what you’ve got. And it’s AMAZING how much you can do with a little.

Focus on who IS there!
It’s not wise to invest time focusing on who doesn’t show up. What’s the point? We’ve got a bunch of awesome people who love being there week after week! So I invest all my energies in them. They are brilliant – and they inspire me more than they know.

Ban the 80/20 rule
You know THAT 80/20 rule? It’s the conventional wisdom that says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Well, that’s just banned at J24. It’s all hands on deck for us.

Do a few things – and do them well
Don’t think that needs much explanation.

Lead
Lots of people think leadership is easy. It’s isn’t. Especially in church. But no-matter how much you try to explain that – it’s unfair to expect people to understand if they haven’t been there. That’s just leadership for you. But whatever you feel, whatever you’re going through, whatever is happening....LEAD!

Receive great input
We’ve had input at J24 from people like J John, Stuart Bell, Duane White, James Galloway, Jon Cook, Paul Benger, John Andrews and others. I love and respect these guys – and bringing them in has made a HUGE difference to the life of our church. Why? Because they’re further on than us – and they want us to succeed. I like that.

Learn
Ok...confession time: “I, Roy Todd, am a work in progress.” I’ve learned loads in the past year. I’ve learnt about people. I’ve learnt about church. I’ve learnt about myself! Honestly....by the time I get to 150 years old, I’ll have cracked this church planting business. Learnt lots.....lots to learn. And I’m loving it!

Model Culture
Culture doesn’t come naturally. It’s the behaviour we learn. One of our cultural values at J24 is honour. But as a leader....it’s a bit pompous to stand up and say ‘Right you lot....you must now honour me. That’s an order!’ The best way to define the culture you want is to model it. Honour people. Love people. Respect people. Journey with people. People follow the behaviour of the leader. They’ll do what you do! So take responsibility.


One year on...we’re still a church plant. But looking back over the past year, we’ve made great progress. The church is growing and we’re seeing people released to serve God. Still a long way to go. But hey...the best is yet to come! Promise.

Don’t get fooled by easy victories!

I know boxing isn’t to everyone’s liking – but I must say, I like a good boxing match. Must be in my blood!

Well, I’ve been on vacation in Spain for the past two weeks (suffering for our Lord). On one particularly hot day, I decided to have a look through the boxing video collection in the apartment where we’re staying (as you do). Now I mean...these are VIDEOS...remember them...videos? In case you’ve forgotton, they were huge big blocks that made a louder noise than a Boeing 747 each time you inserted it into the VCR machine.

Anyway, I came across a video I just HAD to watch. ‘The Rumble in the Jungle 1974 – Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman’. Now THAT was a match.

George Foreman had been the world heavyweight champion for 2 years. During that time, no match he’d fought had gone longer than two rounds. He destroyed every opponent he faced – and dominated the sport. But along came the former champion, Muhammad Ali. Now at the grand old age of 32, he was by this stage past his prime, a little slower and not as agile as what he’d once been. But still, a serious challenge – far more serious than anyone Foreman had faced so far in his reign as champion.

Foreman’s tactic was to go hard and knock out Ali within the first few rounds. After all, that’s how he’d dealt with every other opponent over the past two years. And he knew Ali wasn’t quite the ‘float like a butterfly’ boxer he’d once been. But Foreman badly underestimated his opponent. Ali’s tactic was simple...get in there, take the biggest beating of his life, defend himself, hang on for dear life...and then when the opportunity arose, STRIKE. And that is exactly what happened.

As Foreman went in for the quick win in those early rounds, he over-exhausted himself. As the match went on, he became weaker and weaker. Meanwhile, Ali cleverly exploited this, taunting Foreman with words like ‘Is that the best you’ve got?’ Then in round 8, as Foreman was tiring and faint, Ali did what he still could do...and stung like a bee! And boy oh boy did he sting...with pin-point accuracy! That right hook had once again won him another famous KO. The old champ was back! Hip hip...

As I watched, I was struck again (no pun intended!) by a huge lesson to be learned from George Foreman’s tactics in this match...which is the danger of quick fix victories. It was because Foreman didn’t pace himself that he lost. He’d exerted all his energies into winning in the first few rounds. But he’d not planned for the match going on for longer. By round 8, he had nothing left to give and succumbed to defeat.

Lots of people invest all their energies into getting the quick result. There’s an impatience and ambition that, in many ways, is admirable. But little thought is given to the long haul. Truth is...the crowd will always find Charisma far more attractive than character. Quick results and easy victories are pleasant to the eye. Charisma has a certain pizzazz about it that actually attracts the crowd...until of course, it loses a battle. Then the crowd turns. And the truth is...not every battle will yield an easy victory. Foreman found this to his cost.

In the long term, character is what people will respect. While charisma goes for the quick win, character goes for longevity. Charisma tires quickly. Character is like a fine wine...it just keeps getting better and better. And here’s a truth that may come as a shock to many charismagics! Ready? There are NO quick fixes with God. What he does is ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’. Until we learn this, we will never reach anything like our full potential. Lots of people want success NOW! But it’s not the way God works. God is a builder. He is BUILDING His church. If we’re going here, there and everywhere in search of a quick fix...and NOT involved in God’s building process, then we are well and truly out of sync with the Almighty!

The Rumble in the Jungle must have felt more like ‘humbled in the jungle’ for George Foreman. The 24 year old had got it all wrong. Yet in the midst of it all, he learnt a powerful lesson about pacing himself for the long haul. And that’s the thing about George Foreman that earns him so much respect today...he learnt the lesson. How do we know? Because 20 years later...at the grand old age of 44 when boxers should be retired and in the care home (or wherever they go), old George Foreman went on to become the world heavyweight champion once again...one of the greatest comebacks in the history of boxing.

We would do well to learn the lessons too. Don’t be fooled by easy victories. It’s what happens in the long term that REALLY counts. As Paul the apostle neared the end of his life, he looked back and said ‘I have fought the good fight’ (you see, he must have liked boxing too!). And that’s what we all ought to aim for.

Hold your nerve!

If Jesus’ success were to be measured by how many disciples stood with him at the very moment he really needed their support, then he’d be deemed to have failed. One of his disciples (Judas) was treacherous and disloyal. Another (Peter) denied even knowing him. In fact, every single one of his disciples deserted him. Interestingly, the only people who really stayed loyal to the very end were...women. Mary (his mother) and the sisters Mary and Martha simply refused to leave...and showed far more courage than all the men put together.

In leadership, people come and go. It’s disappointing when they do go. But it happens. You can love them, care for them, believe in them, help them, cry with them, laugh with them, encourage them, champion them, water them, burp them, pray with them, journey with them...but the harsh truth is, all that can be so easily forgotten in a moment. When someone has a gripe, you can go from being hero to villain in a day! That’s leadership for you!

Think about it....Jesus healed thousands of people. He performed numerous miracles. He even raised the dead. But all that was soon forgotten. Within the space of one week, the crowd went from declaring him ‘BLESSED!’ to shouting ‘CRUCIFY!!’ Fickle? You’d better believe it! That’s people for you!

So there you have it. There is nothing new under the sun. Poo happens. Leadership is tough...even for Jesus. Anyone who thinks leadership is easy has clearly NEVER led anything in their life! Oh yes...it’s easy to carp and snipe from the sidelines. And yes...it’s easy to have an opinion when you don’t have to do anything about it! But leadership isn't merely about having opinions...it's about about making decisions, often tough decisions. Good leadership takes them thoughtfully and decisively, whether they’re popular or not.

Yet, in the midst of pressure and disappointment, Jesus remains by far our GREATEST example of great leadership. What did he do when it seemed everyone else had given up? How did he respond when he was betrayed and denied? Well...He refused to quit. He kept going. He stayed the course. He held his nerve, saw the big picture and paid the ultimate price for what he passionately believed in...PEOPLE!

In leadership, never underestimate the power of holding your nerve. When disappointment strikes, don’t permit cynicism to creep in. Sure...learn the lessons. But remain on course and pursue your convictions. Short term pain is nothing in comparison to the dream of seeing future generations impacted. Remember, as a leader, if YOU don’t see it before THEY see it, then neither YOU nor THEY will ever see it!! Heb12:2 explains what kept Jesus going despite suffering and pain‘...for the joy set before him’.

So leader...hold your nerve! Chances are, you're doing better than you think.

Christmas! WHAT?!?!?

OK...it's only June...I know...its ridiculous!! But those 180 or so days left to Christmas will go pretty quickly. And I'm sure you're aware that here in Britain, Christmas is, by far, the most fruitful time of connecting with those who are unchurched.

So I'm asking you to prayerfully consider hosting my new Christmas event this year which I'm touring with from 5-17 December. It's called 'Christmas: Hope & Wonder'.



It's a relaxed evening of music and inspiration that really captures the spirit of the season. I'll be performing some Christmas piano instrumental music - and sharing some inspirational Christmas stories - maybe a bit of humour too! (You can find out more about my music at www.roytoddmusic.co.uk ). I'm really looking forward to this and I'm confident people who come will really enjoy the evening. As well as myself performing, I'm delighted that Monique will be joining me. She's a brilliant R&B singer whose music is becoming increasingly popular in the UK and beyond. I know people will love her music. You can read about Monique at www.moniquemusic.com

All in all, it'll be a great night for people to invite their family and friends along and hear the message of Christmas in a really relaxed atmosphere. One thing to note...this event will not be suitable for kids under 12. So, it's a good excuse for parents to have a night out on their own! Then again, maybe you can provide a creche?

So whats the cost? Well...I'm not charging. Thats up to you...though your generousity would be appreciated. It will be best to ticket the event so we know how many are coming. I'd love to see your venue packed to the doors.

And what about advertising? Well...we'll design and provide that for you. This is really high quality at very low cost (e.g. 1000 flyers for £100.) and this would be sent to you well in advance.

If you're interested in hosting, email me at info@roytodd.org back and I'll let you know what dates are available.

Culture that brings out the BEST in people

When I studied at the school of music in Belfast, I had two piano teachers over a 7 year period. The first was a man called Tom Davidson. He was a fantastic performer who used to mesmerise me with his brilliance. But as a teacher, he wasn’t the greatest. He’d come into the lesson smoking a cigarette - and would continue smoking throughout the entire lesson! And as for his temper....well, that was extremely short. I was on the receiving end of many a telling off (although in fairness, I wasn’t the best of students!). Tom didn’t do compliments either. If his response to a performance was ‘Errrm....not bad’, that meant it must have been excellent! As time went on, I actually grew to like the old man – but the truth is, his lack of encouragement didn’t do a lot for my confidence.

Tom unfortunately died. So I was sent to a new piano teacher called Rita Goldsmith. She wasn’t the best pianist in the world, certainly not nearly as good as Tom - but an outstanding teacher. She was encouraging – and her ethos was very different from Tom’s. Whereas Tom was a perfectionist who would go ballistic over every note that wasn’t played correctly – Rita took the encouraging approach. She used to say ‘If you play a wrong note, make it THE most wonderful wrong note that has ever been played!’ She allowed for failure – and gave her students the confidence to make mistakes. She’d say ‘If you make a mistake...don’t EVER stop. Keep playing. Do it with a bit of pizzazz and no-one will ever notice!’ It wasn’t that she was encouraging mistakes – she was encouraging confidence! And the result was that her students tended to make far fewer mistakes because they stopped being self conscious of always getting it wrong! That was an atmosphere in which I thrived – and loved!

If we REALLY want people to succeed, then we do well to remember that this will not happen in a culture that’s critical and mean spirited. That kind of environment just draws out the insecurities people already have and accentuates the negative. Real leadership is about having the courage to define a culture that brings out the best in people. It allows for mistakes – whilst journeying with them to see them get better.

Out of both my piano teachers, it's interesting that it was the less gifted of the two who helped me most. She wasn’t the best musician in the world. But that wasn’t the point. Her job was not to impress me week after week with her performances – but to help me get better. And that’s what true greatness is...or as Mark Twain put it ‘Great people are those who make others feel that they too can become great’

Radio Interview on Derren Brown

Last week, I was interviewed by UCB radio and asked my thoughts on Derren Brown's latest television programme. Here's the interview...

News

On Saturday 14th May 2011, I’ll be hosting a one day conference called ‘Release’.

It’s all about creating a culture of faith and expectancy in local churches – so that we can see lots more of the miraculous. Truth is...EVERY Christian can see God work miraculously in and through our lives. It’s got nothing to do with being flaky or weird – and everything to do with faith and expectancy.

I’ll be teaching on ‘How to see more healing.' This will be practical and applicable – helping us get to grips with the kind of faith and wisdom that will help us see a greater manifestation of God's healing.

Then, Ps Dave Carr will be teaching on ‘How to be naturally supernatural’. Dave leads the 2000 strong ‘Renewal Christian Centre’ in Solihull – and we’re really honoured to have him with us on the day. Dave has seen many incredible breakthroughs in his life and ministry – and he’ll be sharing invaluable nuggets of wisdom on the day that will truly inspire you to see more.

The day starts at 10:30am and finishes at 4:30pm. Venue is: The Well, Retford (just off the A1 in Notts)

The cost for the day is just £10 per person – and this includes lunch and all drinks. If you’d like to come, you need to book ASAP as we will be finalising numbers in the next few days.
To book online, visit http://www.roytodd.org/conference.html .

A response to Derren Brown

If the pre-programme publicity were to be believed, Derren Brown’s ‘Miracles for Sale’ (aired on Channel 4 – 25/04/11) was set to be some of his best television work yet. And was it? Well...it was pretty disappointing actually. It certainly wasn't objective - rather, Derren’s attempt to show that ‘faith healers’ (as he calls them) are all frauds. He claimed that there has NEVER been any medical evidence of someone being supernaturally healed. But to make such a sweeping statement without doing some research and at least presenting some evidence so the audience can make up their own mind as to whether or not this is true - that’s just cynical. If he had in fact done some research, he could have been objective and balanced, pointing out that there are indeed cases of medical evidence which could indicate instances of healing that are out of the ordinary. Instead, Derren focusses on a small minority of 'healers' whose practises are undoubtedly questionable - and paints that as the picture of every person who prays for people to be healed! Its like urging people not to eat eggs just because there are a few bad ones around!

The entire premise of Derren’s show was his attempt to expose what he believes to be fakery. But fighting deceit with deceit is just not credible. Its as logical as trying to extinguish fire with fire! And deceive is exactly what the show did. The member of the public who Derren trained as a ‘faith healer’ was clearly extremely uncomfortable at times at the sheer extent of the deceit in which he was involved. To advertise a healing meeting, knowing that this meeting was going to be complete fakery based on a fake ‘ministry’ of a fake ‘healer’ – well, that’s as bad as some of the charlatans who he’s trying to expose in that it knowingly gave entirely false hope to those members of the public who actually turned up! The manner in which the fake healer left the auditorium at the end (after giving a speech in which he wished a special place in hell for faith healers) was deeply unfair on members of the public, who clearly looked confused by the whole thing. And as for Derren’s quest to expose greed and selfishness – I wonder how much money he was paid for making this show? A lot...I suspect. He will not be unhappy with the publicity he’ll be getting from it either.

But despite the deeply flawed premise of the show, it does bring up some valid issues that those of us who passionately believe in God’s healing would do well to take note of. For example, it emphasises the importance of a heart of compassion that truly loves people and wants to serve them by seeing them healed and whole through the message of Jesus. If our heart is sincere to see this happen – then money will NEVER be an issue or a demand. On a personal note, I never make financial charges for events that I lead where I pray for people to be healed. Often, I’ve actually been out of pocket! The important thing is to keep a servant heart. There’s no point in talking about faith if we’re not prepared to practise it.

Then there’s the necessity for wisdom that avoids hype and hysterics. Why would Almighty God, the creater of Heaven and Earth, ever need us to hype Him for a healing meeting? God is REALLY good at what He does!! So there is no need for gimmickry when it comes to praying for people to be healed. Blowing, shouting, screaming, whipping the crowd up into a frenzy and the like – it actually takes away from the power of what God wants to do. Those who pray for the sick MUST be keen to let God be seen – not just in our words, but in action.

We would also do well to learn how to handle testimonies of healing. So often, this is handled with such insensitivity and lack of wisdom. Before giving a story of healing wide publicity, it is wise to allow the recipient opportunity to live in the experience for some time instead of being opportunistic and airing it on TV or publishing it in magazines straight away. The latter will undoubtedly gain a lot of attention for a ministry in the short term – but the former will undoubtedly give credit to God in the long term. Although it is rare for a doctor to write the world ‘MIRACLE’ on a medical report (something which they’re unlikely to do even if they truly believe a miracle has happened), the medical reports can emphasise the ‘out of the ordinary’ nature of someone’s recovery. So to have this actually gives extra credibility to the testimony.

Overall, I was disappointed with Derren’s show. I’m sad that he has taken such a cynical approach and focussed on some of the bad examples (most of the people he mentioned I’ve never even heard of!). Derren is a really likable guy – and it’s not surprising to me why he’s got such a following. I do wonder though if, behind that cynical veneer, there is a heart that is searching for the real thing? Hmmm.

As someone who strongly believes that God heals today – my faith has not changed one iota. I’m convinced the best way to combat bad practice is to model good practice. I will not stop believing...and I actually believe the BEST is yet to come.

Why Clarke Kent is MORE cool than Superman

Its official. Uncool is the NEW cool! So there is hope for me after all. And this new trend gives me an opportunity to expound a theological position that I have held to for quite some time now which I have never before revealed. Here goes....Yes...I have always believed that Clarke Kent was more cool than superman. Yes I have.

For a start, Superman wore tights and a cape. Now... I must admit, this has often troubled me. The idea of a man trying to project a macho image dressed in tights and a cape is....not believable shall we say. Clarke Kent, on the other hand, had an air of quirkiness and vulnerability about him. He was an eccentric...trying to find his identity and journeying his way through life. 

For superman, life was all apparently sorted out. He could save people. He could beat other men up (even while wearing blue tights). He could also blow stuff up with lasers coming out his eyes. Each time he saved someone, he gave them an arrogant look and a cocky wink before flying off into the sunset. Superman was tough and strong...but distant and aloof. And I'm telling you...behind that exterior was a man with issues. Oh yes. And for the record, I do perceive he was a bit of an idiot too. So I really don't care that much about his issues to be honest. Sorry. 

Now I know many people will profoundly disagree with me here and take the opposite theological position to me concerning this important issue.  Many will love the idea of superman much more than Clarke Kent. But I'm sticking with Clarky boy. To me, he was was the real deal you see. Clarke Kent never tried to be cool. And that's what made him cool. Superman's problem was that he tried too hard. Honestly, trying too hard just gets awkward and unbearable after a while. But Clarke was real and down to earth. He made loads of mistakes. He fumbled around and messed things up sometimes. He was imperfect in very obvious way. But in a strange sense, that's a likeable quality. Oh...and who was the funnier? Tell me? Huh? Yes...Clarke was! Superman wasn't funny at all. In fact, Superman took himself much too seriously. He was boring. Clarke on the other hand was interesting and unpredictable. He didn't have life all worked out...but he was making discoveries along the way.

Now, here is my conclusion to this deeply profound blog. Quit trying to be like Superman and fall down on your knees and thank God for the Clarke Kent within you!! (Somebody shout AMEN!!). You haven't got it all worked out. You don't have the answer to every question. You can't be everything to everybody. But what you do have going for you is that....God has made you YOU. And YOU are the only YOU you're ever going to get. So chill out. Enjoy your eccentricities (I don't have any of course). Be confident. You can't please everybody. But that's ok. That's not what you're called to do. Be who God has destined you to be. Now THAT'S cool. Yeah baby! (ok...that last bit wasn't).

Roy 'Mr Cool' Todd 

Why I decided not to buy Rob Bell’s book.

‘Wait a second! How can anyone comment on Rob Bell’s views without having first read his latest book?’ That’s the cry of many people. Hey...and who could possibly argue with that?

So I’ve decided not to make any comment on the purported contents of the book. In fact, I’ve decided not to buy it at all. Why? No...it’s not because I don’t believe in reading something I may or may not agree with. No no...it’s nothing like that. This is my little protest you see. Yes I know....I’m weird...eccentric...idiotic...not cool...or whatever. But it’s my right. And I’m exercising it.

Actually, maybe my decision isn’t as ignorant as it might first appear? Think about it. This whole chapter (excuse the pun) has been a lesson in not much other than ruthless marketing. And boy oh boy...has it worked! To have bought this book means to have bought into the marketing strategy behind it...which said ‘You MUST read this. This book is controversial. This book is important. If you don’t read this book, YOU’RE an idiot.’ The marketing people must have jumped for joy each time they heard people say ‘Wait a second! How can anyone comment on Rob Bell’s views without having first read his latest book?’

No doubt hundreds of thousands of copies have already been sold (perhaps millions). And a few publishing executives are now sitting in their cosy offices thinking....’Haha, those stupid Christians! Thank God for them (if there is a God?).’

They’ve achieved exactly what they wanted. They’ve done all the things they needed to do in order to stir controversy, create intrigue and make money. And many thousands have bought into it. Rob Bell’s done well. The publishing company have done well. In two or three years time...when the book is but a distant memory, they’ll still be living off its ‘blessings’. ‘We win’ might have been a more honest title.

Fair game to them. They’ve done a good job. But not on me. Oh no. I didn’t buy it. Thats my personal decision. I’m a bit cheeky you see. You know...I’ve never been cool. I tried it once. Didn’t work. Oh well.

Now then...where’s my copy of ‘Lord of the flies’? Toodaloo.

Sobering Thoughts

As someone who has given his whole life to communicating the message of Jesus and believing for people to experience miracles, I admit this is a tough blog. It’s not a rant – but it is tough because it gets to the heart of everything people like me are about.

I have observed a common misconception in Charismatic circles. It’s the mistaken assumption that manifestations like prophecy, deliverance and miracles are confirmation and justification of a person’s ministry. For example, I recently heard this kind of teaching promoted on the basis of Peter’s words to the crowd in Acts 2:22:

"Jesus of Nazerath was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs".

The suggestion was that if miracles validated Jesus’ ministry, then they can do the same for any person’s ministry too (i.e. validate the teaching and practices etc). But such thinking really is ludicrous – and dangerous. Acts 2:22 could not be clearer – miracles confirm Jesus ministry – not any person’s. And in Mark 16:17, Jesus himself clearly defines the purpose of miraculous ‘signs’ as being for the purpose of accompanying – or confirming HIS MESSAGE. He says:

“Go into all the world and preach the good news...And these signs accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

There is nothing about them validating a person’s ministry or character. The purpose of the miraculous is ALWAYS to point towards the Lordship of Jesus Christ – and they act as ‘signs’ of his Kingdom rule. If this purpose is not clear in our minds, then the danger is that we could be deluded into thinking that miracles act as validation (and even excuse) for all kinds of erroneous teaching and dubious character.

Take the events of Lakeland, Florida in 2008 for example. Were people healed there? Well...of course they were. Because when people come with faith and expectancy to ANY event, it is inevitable that miracles happen. But was the teaching dubious? Of course it was. And were there serious character issues that remained undealt with in the main personality involved? Absolutely - although, it’s interesting that the ‘prophets’ nearby didn’t spot this and bring protection. Yet the dubious teaching (remember the stuff about the angel ‘Emma’? etc) was glossed over by so many – and actually accepted by many on the basis that miracles were happening at the time – so it must be from God. But in the long term, the damage was catastrophic – and many of those who SHOULD have spoken out clearly against this (and even put a stop to the flawed teaching) remained silent - and to this day are convinced that it was all ok.

Some of the most sobering words of Jesus are in relation to those who operate in the realm of the miraculous. In Matthew 7:22-23, he says

“Many will say to me on that day (of judgment), ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

If categorical words were needed to emphasise that miracles are NEVER a justification for a person’s ministry, character or methods – then there they are in Matthew 7. And then compare this to the words Jesus later speaks to those who he finally welcomes into his Kingdom in Matthew 25:35-36,

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

Interestingly, Jesus makes no mention of charismatic phenomena on that final day. Why would he need to? After all, HE is the deliverer, healer and saviour. HE is the miracle worker. The purpose of the miraculous was always to confirm who HE is – not to validate a man’s ministry. What’s important to God is the state of our heart. Selah.

A few thoughts on the ministry of 'Evangelists'

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of the ministry gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. They aren't merely around today - but absolutely VITAL for the equipping and maturing of the Church (Eph 4:12). 

The gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 aren't merely manifestations (like spiritual gifts in 1 Cor 12), but they are people - individuals who God has set in the church as gifts which reflect the headship of Jesus. 

Put very simply, Apostles are 'sent ones' who are at the forefront of bringing leadership and influence. Prophets are those who carry the 'now' word of God. Evangelists are those who stir the church to action so it can see increase. Pastors are shepherds of the flock and teachers are those who expound the word and bring practical application. 

Working together, these gifts are incredibly powerful. However, when they function in isolation, they become dysfunctional and cease to fulfill the purpose for which they've been set in the church.

So what about evangelists? This ministry is often viewed with both wonder and dismay - the latter because of some bad examples. But how can this ministry function in such a way that it is as effective as possible? To give some kind of answer to this question, it seems to me that we need to approach it from two angles:

A) The responsibility of evangelists to the Church
B) The responsibility of the Church to evangelists.

So let's think about the responsibilities of the evangelist to the Church. Here are 3 observations to ponder:

1. Evangelists need to understand the needs of the local church and how their gifting can help see growth at local level. When this doesn't happen, then there is friction and misunderstanding between both.

2. Evangelists need to be a part of a local church - and be willing to be accountable.   Of course, every ministry gift needs this. Without involvement at local church level, you become aloof and out of touch.

3. Evangelists need to appreciate and respect the diversity of Eph4:11 gifts - and work hard at complimenting them. Different gifting fulfill different purposes. This must be understood and respected by evangelists.

And what about the Church's responsibility to Evangelists? Well, here are 3 observations

1. Churches would do well to embrace and celebrate the ministry of evangelists - after all, they are God-given gifts to the Church.

2. Wise Church leadership will want to include the perspective of an evangelist in terms of decision making and furthering vision. If reaching the lost is not a priority for a church, then something really is desperately wrong. 

3. As much as evangelists need to stay servanthearted and humble, churches need to be sure to honour the gift of the evangelist. Get this right, and evangelists can prove invaluable assets to churches where they serve.

Evangelists can at times be a bit eccentric. But any evangelist worth their salt gets results - both in terms of equipping the church AND seeing many people won to faith. Too often, the God-given gift has been the butt of many a joke because of bad and dysfunctional examples. But when all is said and done 'God gave some....evangelists'. It's time for the negative steriotype to be smashed. The best way to counter bad practice is to model good practice. 

Get it right, and the 'gift' of the evangelist can be an incredible help to churches - ultimately seeing greater growth.      

John Barry - The silent passing of an icon.

I find it a bit strange – the silence and lack of celebration for the life and music of one of Britain’s most successful composers, John Barry - who died last week age 77.

Barry is probably the most iconic composer of the 20th century – most famous for defining the style and feel of the James Bond movies, particularly in the 1960’s. His music is a classic example of how music defines a movie – becoming as important (if not more important) than the actors involved. It is arguable that had it not been for John Barry’s music scores, the Bond films would not have been nearly as successful as what they were (and still are).

I can always tell when John Barry music is playing – it’s distinctive, often with sweeping strings and punchy brass - all making for really interesting and memorable music. A number of his compositions included beautifully constructed melodies too – like his main themes for movies such as ‘Somewhere in Time’ and ‘Out of Africa’.

In years to come, it is inevitable that appreciation for John Barry music will grow. Its influence on a new generation of composers will be heard – of that, I have no doubt.

Maybe the immediate silence and lack of celebration at Barry’s life is a lamentable sign of how we fail to honour true greatness in Britain? After all, less talented people who have achieved far less than Barry have been lauded as saints and legends at their passing. But perhaps the sense of silence is, in a strange way, a fitting tribute to John Barry. He was, after all, an intensely private man who shunned the limelight and rarely courted publicity. He simply allowed his music to speak for itself. And when all is said and done, the music of Barry lives on.

An APPEAL to Pastors!

Picture the scene. You’ve prepared a brand new message. Then you stand up to preach it. Everything is going fantastically well. You’re feeling confident in your delivery. It's anointed. You really sense you’re hitting the mark. So far so good. BUT... as you finish your brilliant preach...suddenly......there’s a moment of crisis. Reality dawns...and the question comes to your mind 'what next?'. How are you going to facilitate a response? Have you thought about it? Then at that moment, it all becomes too much and you just want to cry out to God ‘I’M A PASTOR, GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!!!!!!’ (Ever been there?)

Truth is, the downfall of many a great message is an ill-prepared appeal. It’s like a pilot who has taken off beautifully, cruised along wonderfully and crashed landed horribly! For an appeal to be effective, it takes prayerful consideration and proper preparation. So often, this isn’t the case – and the result is an embarrassing disaster that totally undermines the effectiveness of everything that’s happened before.

There are various kinds of appeals (healing, re-commitments, responding to specific challenges etc etc). But let’s think about your evangelistic appeal. Here are 5 thoughts for you to mull over:

1) Be intentional about it

Whatever you are preaching about, be intentional about making it evangelistically effective. Yes...on Sunday mornings too. Always assume there will be people who are not yet Christians listening to your message. Therefore, EVERY message you preach should include something that will help them find faith in Jesus. Recently, a pastor told me that 5 people became Christians after he’d preached a message on tithing! TITHING!! So be sure to make an appeal for salvation at every Sunday service. Yes....I said EVERY Sunday service. That in itself is a statement of evangelistic expectation to the people in your church. So pray about it and plan to do it. Take time to consider how it will be done most effectively.

2) Preach to a point

The whole point of an evangelistic message is the build-up to a moment of response. So as you’re preaching, put it in people’s minds that there will be an opportunity to respond at the end. That will be the time when everything you’ve preached about culminates in a challenge to the listener. So build it up well. Make it inspiring. Excite people about it. And do it with real conviction. This, after all, will be a life changing moment for some people...something that will last forever!

3) Avoid pathetic appeals

Here’s an example of a pathetic appeal: ‘If you’re here today (WHAT???? WELL OF COURSE THEY ARE!) and you feel you’d like to respond, there is no pressure but you might like to consider some kind of response’. NOOOO!!! Never put the word ‘IF’ in an evangelistic appeal. It implies ‘doubt’. It’s not a word that instils confidence. You must EXPECT a response. ‘Those of you who are going to respond’ is a far better way of introducing your appeal. Do it with confidence and authority. Make it compelling. Make it more difficult to say ‘no’ than ‘yes’!

4) LEAD the appeal

Don’t faff around. Make it direct and to the point. (By the way, you don’t NEED musicians in the background – silence IS actually great music too.) Let people know exactly what is going to happen in those moments. If you really know what you’re doing, then people will sense it and that will help them feel more confident to respond. The main thing is for people to put their trust in Jesus. But in another sense, they also need to feel comfortable enough to trust you to lead them in that moment too.

When people have the courage to respond to the message you have preached, then it is YOUR responsibility to lead them. So what are you going to do? Bring them to the front? Do they stay where they are? Do you have something to give them afterwards (e.g. a book). All these things must be carefully thought through beforehand. Respect people. Be sharp. Be decisive. Do what you’ve been called to do – LEAD!!!

5) Quit begging and pro-longing

A good evangelistic appeal avoids the appearance of desperation that almost begs for new converts. A REALLY good appeal actually does the very opposite and helps people see that God’s salvation is brilliant – and that it would be stupid to miss out! So an effective appeal only needs to happen in one moment – NOT over a prolonged period of time.

When I give an appeal for salvation, I always count from 1 to 3 – and when I get to 3, that’s the moment when people know to respond. After that, the appeal is finished. From there, I go straight to leading those who have responded in a prayer. The prayer itself is simple, short and profound – helping people to acknowledge their need of Jesus forgiveness, accepting him into their lives and asking Him to help them live in his forgiveness.


Conclusion
Above all, pray. Then expect a response. Just let the Gospel do its work. Ok...I’m off now.

5 Lessons of a Novice Church Planter

Well, I guess 15 years of travelling as an evangelist gives you some kind of perspective on Church. I’ve pretty much seen ‘em all. Big ones, small ones, good ones...and the other kind too. I’ve sat with hundreds of leaders and asked loads of questions – wanting to learn from their successes and failures. And that has proved invaluable to me. But there’s nothing like getting your hands dirty and getting stuck in! I’m doing just that. I’m a novice – but I’m enjoying it. REALLY enjoying it!

Ok...so after 4 months, what have I learned?

1) Its HARD work!

J24 was not planted out of a mother church – with the financial backing etc that brings. Nop...it was started from scratch. We don’t have a building. No-one is salaried. And most of the people who now come actually came to faith in Christ through it.

The thing is...when you want to model something that’s built on excellence, you can’t then just turn up at your venue each week and hope for the best it’s going to be a good service. You’ve got to do the very best you can with what you’ve got. So that’s exactly what we’ve tried to do. And there needs to be a mindset that says ‘WHATEVER it takes’.

Some mornings, I wake up feeling like I’ve gone 10 rounds in a boxing match. But the tiredness is worth it – and in a strange way, is a brilliant feeling when you put into perspective what you’re building towards.

2) Use whoever is journeying with you!

We are blessed at J24 church with lots of incredibly gifted people. And that’s so helpful in a pioneer situation. But the truth is, in a church plant, you’ve got to utilise EVERYBODY who is a part of what you’re establishing! Give them a job to do. Encourage them, help them, motivate them and CONSTANTLY remind them what they’re building towards is BIG.

But there needs to be MASSIVE flexibility so that people don’t get too comfortable in a particular role and then claim it as their territory. As new people come in, you find others better suited to doing certain things. So we’re learning to let people do a little bit of most things. ‘Whatever it takes’ is the constant reminder.

3) Enthusiasm

Negativism and cynicism need to be ruthlessly stamped out. It is simply not tolerated at J24 because its soooo not our culture. That’s not to suggest for a moment that poo doesn’t happen in life – it does (yes, I said ‘poo’). But faith is not about denying present realities – but believing and speaking blessing in the midst of WHATEVER we’re going through.

So we constantly encourage people to serve with enthusiasm. That’s our culture. That’s the way it is. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea. But it’s just the way we like it at J24. And I have a sneaky suspicion that many people are looking for a place that like that. Well, that’s what I think.

4) Shamelessly Evangelistic

I know this isn’t politically correct. But frankly, if a church doesn’t constantly reach out, it doesn’t deserve to exist. Think about it...the best salesmen are those who get out there and shamelessly plug their product. Yet somehow in church, it has become cool to be ‘seeker sensitive’. It’s RUBBISH! And...it doesn’t work. RESULTS are what it’s all about.

So at J24, we have people out on the streets regularly – telling people about Jesus and shamelessly plugging J24. And the new Christians are the BEST evangelists. Once they ‘get it’, they want everyone else to get it too. So the vast majority of salvations that we’ve seen at J24 since our launch have been friends, family and colleagues of the NEW Christians. By the way, since our launch on September 26th, 57 people have made decisions at J24 services. Have they all stayed? Nop. But many of them have. And I want to see hundreds of decisions during 2011. We will.

5) Take responsibility

As a leader, I’ve learnt not to blame anyone for anything. I will challenge – but I will NOT blame. Some battles just aren’t worth fighting. In the end, the buck stops HERE. I am responsible for leading J24 church in the direction I believe it should go. That’s both the privilege and the responsibility.

If I see that someone can do something in a way that’s better, then I journey with them, mentor them, help them and empower them. It doesn’t always work. Some ‘get it’. Some don’t. But whatever happens, it is never helpful to become cynical about people. If someone needs to move onto another area of serving, then our flexibility allows that.

The leader sets the tone of the church. The church, in effect, becomes a reflection of the leader. So it is important to maintain a healthy spiritual life and to be the EXAMPLE of everything you’re seeking to establish. Don’t just preach a great message – BE a great message. And thats what leadership surely is....being the example of how you want things to be.

Conclusion
Alright...that’s your lot. Bye!

Why doesn't everyone get healed?

Here goes....ready? I DON'T KNOW!

Anyway, thanks for reading. Till next time then!
Bless ya, Roy Todd

p.s. I have decided that despite all the questions I DO have, I will keep believing - despite all the answers I DON'T have. That's my decision. What's yours?

Don't just preach a great message - BE a great message

So what’s the secret of remaining fresh? How can we be even more effective as time goes on? Is it about jumping on the latest bandwagon in the hope it’ll work? Or is it simply about trying harder? After all, who could dispute the importance of hard work. Is it about reinvention? Surely there are times when vision needs freshening up and re-presented. Or maybe a change of personnel can help keep things fresh – sometimes, new blood can help bring new vigour and passion? But as valid as these things are, the real answer is a lot closer to home.

I sat in the Grapevine celebration in August and listened to Ps Brian Houston from Hillsong Church preaching. I found myself thinking about Hillsongs – and how they’re still on the cutting edge after 20 years. 20 YEARS!! Why is that? How come they’re still at the forefront of things after such a long time. Then it struck me. As brilliant as Brian’s preaching was – his preaching isn’t actually the message. HE is the message. On stage (and off it), he exuded everything he talked about. He was generous, affirming, vulnerable and down to earth. So his public persona isn’t an effort – but flows from who he is. Some dislike the positivity of his message. But like it or not, that is who he is. And a truly confident person doesn’t need to put on an act. Surely that’s what authenticity is all about.

Lots of churches want to be like Hillsongs – but don’t really get the DNA or journey of the church. They think that if they just copy what Hillsong church do, then that will lead to growth. But it misses the point. It fails to capture the heart and spirit of WHO they are. And after a while, staleness sets in. Be inspired – YES. But be sure to live in the freshness of your own revelation of God. Otherwise, you just become a boring imitation of the real thing.

Truth is, the secret to keeping your personal cutting edge is – YOU. It’s not about searching for the latest fad. Nor is it about trying something different in the hope it might work. And it’s not about looking for techniques that may lead to growth and development either. It IS about making sure that ministry's not a mere public performance – but a reflection of personal heart & values and a growing revelation of God. If I stay fresh, then what I do stays fresh. It's not just about preaching a great message - but BEING a great message.

Planting a church Roy? No...surely not?

Yes, it’s official. Roy Todd IS planting a church (cue the Hitchcock music). The dastardly deed IS being done. It’s all true. Every single bit of it. And please don’t let too many people know...but I’m absolutely loving this!

Actually, what’s brilliant is that there’s a whole new generation of leaders rising up in the UK who are fed up with the old mind-set of backbiting, sniping and threat. And Church GB is all the better for them. Truth is, I’ve had so many messages of support and encouragement from friends in ministry around this nation...and beyond. It really is great to have people around you who believe in you enough to cheer you on. Nothing warms the heart more than a friend who is willing you to succeed. That’s the kind of culture I want to be a part of. And by the help of God, I really want to champion others too.

We made the decision earlier this year to launch Junction 24 church later in 2010. It was something Lydia and I took our time about. And yes...we prayed about it too. Prayed lots in fact.

It all started when we began to meet around a year ago on Thursday nights in a local hotel in Kegworth. A small crowd of 10 people turned up on the first week. The next week, there were 7. The next, there were 5. But with a few committed people, we met together, had some fun, enjoyed the presence of God, taught the bible and worshipped Jesus. The little crowd slowly grew to 20 – then 30 – then 40 – then 50. How many now? Oh...I don’t know really. Probably about 100. Maybe more. But we have a core group of committed people – about 50 strong. And I have to say, they are incredible.

So then, does this mean I will no longer be travelling as an evangelist? Are my days of itinerating over? Well....no. Next year’s diary is already virtually booked out. ‘But Roy...surely you can’t lead a church AND travel’. Well....yes I can. The planning for next year’s diary has been meticulous. I’m doing more than ever before – just working smarter. And besides, we are very blessed with an amazing team at Junction 24. I will also be at the church for our 4:30pm main event every Sunday and on Thursdays for Thursday night Live.

So...let the journey begin. Pray for us. Cheer us on. Help us build a house for God’s glory. Sunday 26th September @ 5pm is the launch of the new church. I really can’t wait to see what God will do.