SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

THE TWILIGHT ZONE.

We're in that zone between Christmas and the New Year, and tonight we are entertaining friends- Gary and Lesley, Steve and Myra. As usual, Gill has been working hard cooking and getting ready... and I've been marking research papers for the Serious4Youth Ministry course. There have been a good bunch of essays, especially those on "Explain what you consider to be three key communication principles from the preaching and teaching of Jesus and offer reasons why. Explain how you would use them in youth ministry." Most students identified three that I had covered in the lectures, but one or two chose imaginative principles, backed up by scripture, that challenged and excited me as I read through their papers. When the students have their papers back perhaps I'll highlight some of the innovative thinking in a blog.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

After 3 weeks in the States on the Christmas tour, and before a hectic January schedule, I'm home for a family Christmas. It will include a session of marking papers for the Serious 4 Youth Ministry course, and some talk preparation for January, but basically I'll be chilling out for a couple of weeks. One important event is on New Year's Eve- Knocking on the Door of Heaven - a prayer vigil to launch Hope08 in Cardiff.

The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide.
Luke 2.10 Message

THREE DAYS IN ATLANTA.

Highlights of three days off in Atlanta-
*2 nights at Mac Powell's home.
*Joining Mac for a min-Mac Christmas concert for his 2 youngest children and 30 other kids in their infant school. I read them a Christmas story in my best British accent.
*The Powell's Christmas Party- very elegant with lovely decorations, a piano player, caterers, carols around the piano, and plenty of photos from the official photographer ( you've guessed it- me again.)
*Borrowing Mark Lee's VW Beetle (Bug for the US readers) and visiting Scotty Wilbanks studio The Rockporium..
*Speaking one sentence on a new track for the DecembeRadio forthcoming album!
*Lunch with Scotty, his wife and son, and Josh from the aforementioned DecembeRadio at the legendary Williamson Bros. Barbecue
*Dinner with Mark Lee and the missions pastor from his church- plenty of talk about being Glocal (thinking globally and acting locally) and lots of stories about India.
*Beowulf in 3D - it blew Mark and I away!

NEW AUDIO SERMON ADDED-COME OVER HERE AND HELP US.

I've just uploaded a talk that I gave last week in Heartland Community Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Called 'Come Over Here and Help Us' it tells all about the ministry in India that I'm involved with from the perspective of the Apostle Paul receiving a call from Macedonia in Acts 16. You can find it in the Some of My Sermons List. I've also added the Powerpoint slides which will give you the pictures of some of the people and places we are working with in India.

A BLUE CHRISTMAS.

Third Day and Jars of Clay notched things up a level today by doing a great version of Elvis's Blue Christmas in the encore. We are in Eden Prairie, near Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the temperature in Centigrade has been minus 14! I've been speaking about Jars of Clay's Blood:Water Mission each night, and 2 families tonight each gave the complete cost of a well- $3,000.

DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS.

After three days in Fort Wayne Indiana, with my friends Andy and Trisha Booth, I've rejoined Third Day for the next concert of the tour-in Hoffmann Estates just outside Chicago.
We are at LifeChangers International Church, and the four inches of snow that fell in Fort Wayne on Tuesday night is also in Chicago. Now this really feels like a Christmas tour! Whilst I was in Fort Wayne I got to speak for my friend Ben Gates at the IPFW campus ministry Leadership Academy (modelled on the Ignite Leadership Academy in Cardiff) and to Heartland Church youth group, as well catching up with Zach, Jenny, Jaimee, Matt and Jeff. Mostly though I spent plenty of quality time with Andy and Trish, their two sons Jake and Eli, and their newborn daughter Rhianna.

FOOD FOR THE BODY....AND FOOD FOR THE SOUL.

Of course I brought some bars of Cadbury's chocolate over for the Third Day guys! (See a comment about my last post). Although I'm documenting the Christmas Offerings Tour on my other blogsite, I will post on this site the Bible passages we have been studying together. They can be found in the God's Words list.