SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

MEMORABLE PLACES.

        One of our day trips on holiday in Austria, was across the border in Germany to Berchtesgaden - a beautiful mountain town, which will forever be linked with the Eagle's Nest- the mountain top retreat of Hitler, given to him by the Nazi party as a 50th birthday gift. An incredible view from the place which is now a tourist attraction and a restaurant, but it evokes so much thought about Hitler, the terror of Nazism, and quite a few war films which feature it too.

Being at the Eagle's Nest got me thinking about some of the other significant and historical places that I have visited:

       One that immediately came to mind, seeing as I was watching a DVD drama series about his life, was the grave of Cecil Rhodes in the Matopos National Park of Zimbabwe. A bitter sweet story of a classic Victorian era pioneer and colonialist.

      Another one in Southern Africa would be Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held captive. I visited it with a Christians in Sport cricket team and went around with England cricketer Devon Malcolm, himself a black man and famous in South Africa for taking 9 wickets against their team in one innings. It was a sobering time for Devon on Robben Island- he'd met Mandela, and reflected that if he had been living in South Africa at the time of Mandela's imprisonment he would have either been in prison too or living in a slum.

       Across to America, one of my lasting memories is visiting Ground Zero , the site of the World Trade Centre Twin Towers attack in New York. I went to the site only two months after 9/11- the flowers, cards, messages, pictures of lost loved ones were all still on subway walls and fencing around the site. Also in the States is Dealey Plaza in Dallas where John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. People of a certain age always remember where they were and what they were doing when they heard about the death of JFK. I have similar memories about the death of John Lennon and Princess Diana.

Another place in the USA, would have to be the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, original home of the Grand Ole Opry. I've actually never seen a country music show there but have seen plenty of Christian concerts at the Ryman.

    Indelibly stamped on my memory is a visit to the Al Faw Palace In Baghdad. Originally commissioned by Saddam Hussein to celebrate victory in the Iran-Iraq war it's now home to Camp Victory and Camp Liberty- two massive US military bases.

I can't leave India out, and so I cast my mind back to a day spent wandering around the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra just a few miles away from the Taj Mahal. Being on my first trip to India and visiting these legendary monuments was truly awe inspiring. I will always remember the guide telling us that the Taj Mahal was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

    Indulgent of me I know, but I have to also mention 3 cricket grounds in Australia- the Adelaide Oval, the Melbourne Cricket Ground- the MCG, and the Brisbane Woollongabba Ground-the Gabba. Many a long night under the covers of my bed as a young boy was spent listening to the radio commentary of Test matches from these grounds when England were touring, and so to finally see cricket at each of them (even though it wasn't Test cricket) was thrilling.

    And finally a venue very close to home, and even closer to our holiday caravan- Moriah Chapel in Loughor, just outside Llanelli. It's a small, seemingly insignificant old church, but it was the birthplace of the 1904 Welsh Revival.

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

Sitting in my study after three weeks of holiday time with Gill, it seems a good time to reflect over some summer highlights:

*Watching the first 2 days of the Ashes Test match between England and Australia at Cardiff.

*Being the sole pastor at City Temple for a few days! Big responsibility!

*Taking my Dad to the Edgbaston Test match, and then onto the Museum at RAF Cosford and a tour of the Wolves' Molineux football ground -we've been lifelong supporters.

*10 days at our caravan-where Gill and I walked a bit, played a bit of golf, and caught up with family and friends-especially Dave and Sue Francis and their girls, and Andy and Trish Booth and their children.

*Bethan's A' Level results- 3 B's- outstanding! She's off to Swansea University soon to study Politics and American studies.

*A week in Mayrhofen, Austria-where we did loads of mountain and valley walking, ate lots of good food, and did a couple of day trips to Innsbruck and to Berchtesgaden.

*Watching the BBC drama series RHODES- about the life of Cecil Rhodes the founder of Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. An old series that I only recently bought on DVD.

Now it's back to finishing off my Master's Degree paper on the Lord's Supper.

KILLED FOR THEIR FAITH.

Returning from  a few days holiday in our caravan, I received some disturbing news from Liberia. Emmanuel Jonah let me know that 4 young people involved in Ignite had been killed. 3 boys -Augustine, Nathaniel, Jeremiah, and Augustine's sister Kabeh, were all part of the Ignite centre at the Free Pentecostal Church in Lofa county. Emmanuel let us know that the young people were killed by members of their own families who are actively involved in witchcraft and who wanted to kill the young people because they had put their faith in Jesus. 

Very few of us will ever face martyrdom as Augustine, Nathaniel, Jeremiah and Kabeh have done. My prayers go out for their families, for their church and for their pastor J. Nehemiah Johnson who broke the news to Emmanuel in the first place. I can't imagine being in J. Nehemiah's position. Gary and I met him at the Ignite Liberia conference and he mentioned to us then some of the challenging circumstances he was ministering in. Little did we expect to hear such tragic news, but we take heart from scripture and the final victory of  Christ:

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8.38-39

CHOICE NO. 7-Keeping My Word.

After a gap of a couple of months, I'm back to the list of the good choices I believe that have helped me over the years. As far as possible, and obviously I've probably failed to do this occasionally, I've tried to keep my word and follow the guidance of  Jesus in Matthew 5:

 Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. 

I've always been amazed, and sometimes hurt, when Christians make promises and commitments and either never mean to follow them through or end up changing their mind. Once something is in my diary, I hate canceling and letting people down, and even in ordinary conversation try not to say that I will do something If I'm not prepared to do it-even down to a telephone call or an email. In an effort to appear friendly and relational, too many Christians offer intentions and promises that they don't really mean and don't carry out. 

SEVEN REASONS WHY IGNITE WILL SUCCEED IN LIBERIA.

Liberia is one of the poorest nations in Africa- when we were there Gary and I didn't meet anyone with a paying job apart from taxi-drivers, waiters, and a shopkeepers ( I use the term 'shop' in its loosest sense.)

 Liberia is recovering from the lingering effects of a decades-long civil war, and the infrastructure of the country is still ramshackle- no mains water or electricity, no public transport ( but with a depot full of buses sitting idle), poor health and healthcare- we didn't see anyone over the age of 50 and heard terrible stories about the infant mortality rate. Women are still very much second-class citizens and the country relies massively on support from the United Nations.

Nevertheless, we saw many signs of hope and so after reflecting for a week or so, here are my seven reasons why I believe that God will use Ignite powerfully in LIberia.

1. Amongst the faithful and faith-filled leadership of Ignite Liberia, especially in Rev. Emmanuel Jonah and Rev. Stephen Wonbenyakeh there is a real belief that Ignite is going to be part of rebuilding a nation by starting to breath life, hope and purpose into the young generation. Men like Emmanuel and Steve could easily be leaving LIberia for a more affluent lifestyle overseas, but have chosen to remain in their native country and serve God where they are so desperately needed. Both of them have the gift of connecting with people, and encouraging people to come alongside the vision they have for Ignite Liberia.

Both men are the founders of Liberia Christian Ministries International, which is the parent body for Ignite Liberia.

2. Although there are many churches in LIberia, it seems that most of them haven't really engaged with youth ministry since the civil war stopped, so there is a gap for effective, structured youth ministry to take place. It's likely that in Liberia Ignite will be seen as much more of a national youth ministry involved in local churches than it is in the UK.

3. Most of the Ignite county co-ordinators and centre managers are not in full-time employment, and even those who are pastors have time to give, so there is ready-made manpower willing to work hard and share the vision of Ignite. Already, Ignite has spread to 7 of LIberia's 15 counties with plans to reach all 15.

4. There is a depth of understanding about the Ignite declaration and the reasons to challenge young believers to sign it. Our conference merely confirmed that understanding and gave renewed enthusiasm to focus on the Ignite Declaration as the centre-piece of Ignite ministry.

5. Given that so many young people grow up without hope, drift into crime or drugs or prostitution, and have no real career prospects, the message of Ignite that God has a special purpose for you and your generation is a powerful and timely one for the youth of LIberia.

6. Already, Ignite LIberia is successfully breaking down geographical and denominational barriers in the country. Pastors, churches, and young people from many denominations are committed to being part of the Ignite family in LIberia.

7. There is clear evidence of the hand of God on Ignite Liberia. A couple of days before we arrived, Emmanuel and Steve had been given the opportunity to meet the Vice-President of the country and share the vision of Ignite. A musician friend of mine called Benny Prasad was in the country for a few days, did a concert for Ignite and arranged the meeting with the Vice-President. For Ignite Liberia to continue to flourish, there will need to continue be a miraculous provision by the Lord.

BACK FROM LIBERIA.

A video summary from myself, Gary and Emmanuel after our conference in Liberia.

Ignite Liberia conference a success.

Sitting in the cafe of the Royal Hotel Monrovia with Gary Smith from Ignite in Cardiff and Emmanuel Jonah the national director of Ignite Liberia. We are reflecting on a job well done as the first ever Ignite conference came to completion over the last three days. Nearly one hundred people attended-pastors, youth leaders, young people, as well as county co- ordinators and centre managers from seven counties across Liberia. I use the word 'historic' advisedly but I do believe this has been a very significant conference. I'll explain why in a longer blog when I get home.

IGNITE LIBERIA.

I'm in Monrovia, the capital city of  LIberia, with Gary Smith, for the first ever Ignite Liberia conference. We are speaking to delegates from 7 of Liberia's 15 counties, and to representatives from Ignite Sierra Leone too.

Emmanuel Jonah, our man in Liberia, has developed a remarkably deep understanding of the Ignite vision in just a couple of years, and it has been very humbling to see how Ignite is helping to bring life, hope and purpose to young people and churches across Liberia as this country seeks to rebuild after many years of civil war. I look forward to posting a gallery and a fuller report when I return to the UK next week.

FULFILLMENT.

I've had a real struggle in the last two weeks to get visas to visit LIberia and Nigeria for the Ignite conference that Gary and I are soon to lead. Yesterday I heard that the Nigerian High Commission wouldn't place their transit visa in my passport because I hadn't got a clear page. I'll end up with a Liberia visa in an old passport and a Nigerian transit visa in a new passport. All very frustrating, but I'm sure the conference will be worth it.

However, yesterday was actually very fulfilling-not just because after a 15 year wait I eventually saw OASIS in concert at the Millennium Stadium, but more because I got news from Pastor Prasad that the Gateway School had welcomed its first pupils! After a journey of nearly 4 years a dream has been fulfilled- Prasad,  his wife Sunee, and my wife Gill are all thrilled!  Here's head teacher Sunee, registering some of the first pupils:

I've put some more photos of the first day in a photo album on this site.

Third Day at Fuel Festival, Ballymena N.I.

A cold night in a marquee but with great production and an enthusiastic crowd.