Deeper shade of grey | 1

Tired of provoking the wrong people

I

’ve just opened my email box to a ‘blanket’ barrage of Booth and Railton proof quotes, underpinning a message of ‘encouragement’ to do more. Links to sites to encourage me to ‘really’ understand the Great Commission, to truly know what it is to evangelise, telling me how inept I have been, how misguided, how I have compromised the gospel and my calling. Although bereft of context, to try and gain what the author intended, I’ve given the opinion respect and read the email. I feel great having started the day dosed up with some good ol’ ‘black and white’ uncompromising judgement and opinion.

TheRubicon team has asked me to contribute to the Rubi-blog, ‘we want something pithy, provocative, and controversial’; ironically I’ve said yes. Ironic because I have grown tired of opinion, proof texts, proof quotes the life blood of many blogs. Ironic because I have grown tired of being provoked by narrowness of thought that lacks context beyond that of favoured, well-tested quotes and proof texts. I’m tired of people coming into my office, lounge, garden or whereever my wi-fi enables me and shouting opinion at me. My RSS feeder is clogged with words and opinion waiting to provoke me, while I watch a world largely unprovoked by a church busy making something of the Kingdom that is predictable and bland, wrapping the gospel up in small print and hidden agendas. I’m tired of people provoking the wrong people.

The biggest irony? I’m as guilty as anyone!

Saturday, November 29, 2003 I wrote my first post over at URBANarmy – I wrote “My mulling, musing and pondering probably - no certainly - will be of no consequence to anyone but it will be of every consequence to me!” I hold to that in my first rubi-blog post; welcome to my journey as I mull, ponder and muse! Join me, should you wish, on my journey to an uncompromising ‘deeper shade of grey’, where there are more questions than answers, as I try and make sense of the challenge of the Kingdom and faith development within the context of the woven beauty of holiness and mission.

If you are more comfortable with ‘black and white’ rhetoric, you might want to give me a miss!

Deeper shade of grey: Gordon Cotterill lives in London, England, is married to Kate and has two daughters Bethan and Eryn. He has been a Salvation Army officer for nine years and ‘cut his teeth’ in ministry with his wife as the corps officers at Poplar in the inner city of the East End of London. The lessons he learned there in his day-to-day ministry, amid the chaos of the inner city, continue to shape his understanding and passion for biblical and grace-centred mission. His latest appointment as Spiritual Programme Director at the William Booth College, London now offers him the opportunity for the fusion and exploration of ‘mission’ and ’spiritual formation’ while trying to inspire a new generation of Salvation Army officers as to their role in God’s plan for His creation. Gordon keeps a blog where he mulls over themes of mostly, mission and spiritual formation.

2 Comments to Deeper shade of grey | 1

1. Yeah I got the same email. Still, beats the daily offers of Viagra and Cialis, or learning some far-flung DHQ’s phone lines are down.

   You’re always well worth reading - count me in on your journey. You’re writing is much more colourful than your nom de plume implies
Matt Clifton on September 26th, 2007

2. Well, apart from feeling left out as I didn’t get that e-mail as I’m still waiting for my SA account, I can understand where you are coming from Gordon!

   However, I’m looking forward to your weekly offering over here on theRubicon as I normally find your words challenging and far from ‘black and white’!
Graeme Smith on September 26th, 2007

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