It has been unusually warm here in Oxford… in the 90′s (degrees F). There is no air conditioning, so the lectures are difficult to stay awake through for an American who is not used to sitting and listening to serious lectures in the heat. I have however, managed to stay awake, even with the remaining effects of jet lag! I have the notes to prove it!
Monday’s sessions were good. I have been especially impressed with Professor Alister McGrath. What a mind he has been gifted with, and yet what a man after God. I imagine that C. S. Lewis was like this.
Today, I also learned of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics (OCCA), a joint training and equipping ministry of The Zacharias Trust with Wycliffe House, in Oxford. You can get more info here.
OCCA offers 2 programs for additional apologetics training: an 8-week course, and a full-year course. I am interested in both and plan to find out more on them.
I also heard a bit from a man named Tom Tarrants, who apparently was on the FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted List! I plan to attend a session to hear his story on July 4th! (See my post for Day 3)
Alister McGrath Notes – just my typical visual way of taking notes!
A CHANCE CONVERSATION?
At dinner today I met a young man who is here from an east coast American city. who I will call “John”. As we talked, I shared about where I was from and some of the reasons that I came to Oxford, and what I was hoping and praying this trip would be for me in my life. He did the same.
In that process, I talked about Oak Park, and our church’s current discussion and desire to reach out to our community in new ways. I talked about our long history in the community and our negative image with the local “gay” community. FYI – Oak Park is the second largest “Gay” community in Illinois, second only to Chicago. It has been named one of the most “Gay Friendly” cities in the USA.
It turns out that John is an “ex-gay” man himself. Through the work of the Lord in his life, and the help of his church (a Vineyard Christian Fellowship) and a healing and counseling ministry to the relationally and sexually broken, called Desert Stream, he has abandoned the “gay” lifestyle and identity. He seemed truly happy and even though it is very hard work, he shared that his desires have changed and he is experiencing life as he had hoped he could when he was “gay.”
We talked about the causes and sources of homosexuality in his life, and how the counseling he received and the support and prayers of a Christian community like Vineyard, had made a huge difference for him.
John is a creative writer and poet, and is in Oxford seeking how he might combine his gifts and abilities, passions and talents with Christian apologetics.
It was such a good conversation for me to have. It reminded me that there is real healing possible through the love, hope and hard work of a committed group of regular Christian people, and with the help of trained Christian counselors. John cautioned against a focus just on “gays & lesbians” in our outreach, but instead to focus on the community as a whole and reaching out to all, and allowing that to include some “gays,” lesbians and transsexuals, as God allows and directs. The conversation reinforced the idea that building relationships in our community (Oak Park) is the way that will allow God to work in and through us. Thank you, “John” for sharing your heart and for agreeing to pray for us believers in Oak Park!