David Turner Blog

Discipline, what images does it bring to your mind? Tellings off, detentions, long nights in your bedroom without dinner, hard work, or maybe some of you are harking back to the good old times when our culture had discipline in it; 'the good old days.' Discipline, generally has these negative connotations, but in reality it is a great word with strong meaning, which when used in a proper way can bring great results. From working out to study, in the world of football to our spiritual walk, discipline has a place in them all, none more so great than the latter. As I sit in the gym café, I think of the work out an hour before, the type of work out I regularly do, the 'work out of feeling.' No that is not some new age initiative, just simply sometimes I don't feel like working out, or I don't feel like doing anything too prolonged, the post-modernistic culture is well and truly grabbing at my ankles (or at least my gym shoes) - if it feels good, do it. And if...

Lately I have been asking the question, what does a fresh expression of church look like? I suppose a lot of it involves looking back and saying what was and is wrong with the church. Although this approach is ok, there has to be a more dynamic approach, which healthily evaluates, looks at the good and bad and then comes up with something that builds on what has gone before. So in answer to this question I thought I would write some blogs about it, the first of which is this one, Get on the Frontline: For me this is about moving from these pages that are being read, from the thoughts in our mind, to the reflections of leaders and preachers in sermons to practically doing it. In the houses of parliament, many things happen, including many important things, like legislation being written and issues dealt with. But there is also a great deal of pantomime. If you have ever watched prime ministers questions, or a budget being given by the chancellor, there is a lot of jeering, cheerin...