Preach Magazine Issue 1 - Creativity and innovation in preaching | Page 9

FEATURE

What, I asked nosily, was he currently
practicing? Had he given everything up
when he submitted the manuscript? Happily,
not. ‘I am always doing something different.
One I have been working on recently is
the discipline of slowing – walking slowly,
talking slowly. That’s been a fun one for me.’
I suggest it might not be so much fun for
those trying to get past him as he meanders
along. He smirks.
‘Another one I’ve been working on this
week is praying for strangers. In the tube,
in London, it is rather boring sitting there.
And I’ve been praying for people around
me. There are a lot of sad people here. And
how do I, as a spiritual discipline, be present
to my 13-year-old daughter who is with me
on this trip as we do all the touristy things?
That’s a few I am playing with. And play is a
good word. Certainly we suffer and there are
things we have to push ourselves to do, but in
the end the disciplines are about joy.’
I’m reminded of the scene in ‘The Lion, the
Witch and the Wardrobe’ where Lucy and
Susan arrive at the stone table expecting to
find Aslan’s mutilated body, and instead he
pounces on them, full of life and ready for a
romp. We agree that although the Christian
life is often boring and painful and dry, there
are also times of hilarity. And ultimately, life
in relationship with God is about joy.
Nathan makes the observation that some
of the loneliest people in society are church
pastors, who he worries are not being
discipled themselves. Preach magazine
exists to support those who live their faith
publically – called to stand up front and
admonish, teach and preach. What would
he say would help ‘public Christians’ stay
full of God, and ensure they spoke out of
that fullness? He answers without hesitation
this time, leaning forward with emphasis:
‘Having spaces where you are free from
expectations to be a certain way, where you
can be honest about who you are, your life
and your spiritual life is very important.
You need to develop friendships with other
leaders. There’s a lot of pressure on our
leaders. When do they get to be served, to
be honest? Having those relationships is
absolutely critical.’

As a vicar’s wife, I tell him, I have noticed
that the schedule of a church leader isn’t
always conducive to nurturing an inner life.
It is busy and externally oriented. He agrees.
‘It’s sad isn’t it? And counter-intuitive. At