SIMON PHIPPS

Since the age of science began mankind has had an obsession with the way the planet works: the carbon cycle, the planets cycle, cause and effect; to the extent that to all intents and purposes we live in a ‘mechanistic universe’. The universe works like a mechanism, a huge machine. As humans we are often not as good at compartmentalization as we think we are, we transfer our models into other spheres of our life. We see humans as mechanisms, people for a purpose. The problem is that when a mechanism breaks, it no longer has any value, a broken watch is no longer useful. As human’s we put our value in so many things, when these are stripped away we lose any sense of self-value, because we no longer have a purpose. We are not mechanisms; we are creations. Gen 1.27 ‘So God created humans in his image. In the image of God he created them. He created them male and female.’ Artwork is priceless. It is the artist who gives the painting it’s value. Vincent Van Gogh’s pa

Conversation forms or destroys relationship. Context and circumstance effects our view of the world. Angle: the way that we view the world effects not only the content of the conversation but the way that we approach conversation and relationship.   Debate - people from opposing view points attempting to use reasoned arguments to convince the other person to refute their particular view Dialogue - people in relationship attempting to understand and learn from the other person's viewpoint The difference = relationship Debate - a brick wall between two people = no relationship The Incarnation 'Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!