SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

EQUIPPING THE NEXT GENERATION.

Being home for a couple of months has given me the opportunity to do some lecturing on the Leadership Academy here in Cardiff and on the Serious 4 Youth Ministry course at Elim's new international centre and college in Malvern, Worcestershire.

The Leadership Academy started quite a few years ago now as an initiative of Ignite, and we've relaunched it over the last year with help from our friends at Going Public. I was able to teach the first two sessions to the 13 students back in October time, and recently shared the last session with them and attended the graduation ceremony. It's aimed at 18-25 year olds, and equips them to be inspirational leaders both inside and outside of the church.

I've been lecturing a module called 'Communication in a Youth Setting' on the Serious 4 Youth MInistry course since its inception 5 years ago. The course takes students who hope to be youth pastors in the coming years and gives them an intense 1 year or 3 year training programme. I'm glad to be able to input younger leaders in this way and especially glad to contribute to developing leaders for the Elim movement.

FAMILY WEDDING.

Family highlights over the last few months have been seeing Bethan flourish as she settles into her first year at Swansea University, a lovely few days with James and his girlfriend Tiffany in Texas, but the biggest highlight by far was the wedding of Rachel to Chris. A quiet family wedding, with the ceremony in City Hall, Cardiff, a meal at the Park Plaza Hotel and then an evening gathering back at our house. Gill and I are thrilled for Rachel and Chris, and were able to experience a day that ,those who know our family well will understand, we once feared we would never see.  I've posted a few pictures in a gallery.

 

WORLD TRAVELLER.

I'm used to fairly frequent international travel but I'm a novice compared to my friend Benny Prasad Kandukuri. He's a missionary and also India's most travelled musician-as acknowledged by the India govt. Benny just send me an email summary of his recent trip to Antarctica where he was able to share his faith in Jesus through testimony and music to the scientists based there.

This year Benny has been on the road for 244 days, in 51 countries and on 7 different continents. He signed his email off by saying 'All glory to Jesus' -Amen to that. I'm hoping to arrange some concerts for Benny in Wales in the summer of 2010.