Should differing cultures, communities and groupings find a way to recognise the individual nuances of their own identity AND those of others rather than trying to change all cultures, communities or groups to be the same?

This has been the real trouble in our troubles: each side wants to win; each side wants the power; each side wants the majority. If anything the past 10 years have shown that each 'side' can have their cultural identity cake and eat it too, without all the bloodshed. Here is where recognition works better than reconciliation. (Reconciliation in these terms is where two opposing sides lay down their differences and morph into something acceptable to both)

Whilst each side has had to give up certain demands, both sides have been able to retain their culture, community and identity by recognising the validity of the other.

How well does church and it's outreach initiatives fair?

Typically, the church's mission has been to make as many people become like them as possible - 'you too can live my life, if you follow my God' or worse: 'if you believe what I believe, then you too can look/act/be me!  It may not be a conscious thought, but churchy people are more comfortable with new Christians who conform to their own protocol of Christian observance and type of holiness.

What if churchy people could recognise the culture, community and groupings of new believers without feeling the need to reconcile each young Christian into their preconceived pattern of Godly living; that is accepting anothers faith as genuine on the grounds of their own standards or experience?

What if churchy people could allow God to do the sanctification thing in His own time, recognise that differences will arise, cultural reference points are going to be very different and that a new generation of 21st century believers have something to give?

God is the God of reconciliation: His type of reconciliation makes it easier for humans to become who they were destined to be; our type of reconciliation, I wonder, might make human destiny that little bit harder as we try to make everybody be us, instead of allowing God allowing His creation to become itself.

The next time I'm tempted to try and encourage a new believer to be like me instead of being more like Jesus, I hope to recognise their differences and celebrate them.

The kids will be four on Tuesday.

We are now a family of two birthday parties - one for the adoring aunties and grandparents, the other for their friends.

The former took place yesterday and they each received a scooter as presents.

Peter takes his out and within minutes has a collision with an older boy mid flight on his bike! Blood, knees, forehead, scratched nose; you can picture the scene.

I'm making their breakfast this morning and as the sun is shining - so far - I suggest that when they come home from nursery school, they should go outside and play on their scooters.

Peter disagreed. He says he won't ride his scooter because he fell off yesterday and he doesn't want to hurt himself again.

You don't have to be four years old for this thinking  to apply to you. Can you think of a few occasions in your life where you have 'fallen off your scooter' and have been afraid to climb back on?

For some it will be the fear of being left alone again, for others it's the fear of trying to pick up the pieces of a broken career dream, perhaps a trust has been broken or a promise remains unfulfilled.

Whatever it is for you, why not try again today. Your life is too precious to be limited by the failings of circumstance, others and perhaps the mistakes you have made yourself.

John Maxwell talks about failing forward. It's a great concept. If at first you fail, then fail forward. In other words, think about what can you learn - apply it and begin to move forward. I read this week that half of all great leaders are great losers!

Today, get up off the ground, dust yourself off and get back on your scooter. You'll be stronger, wiser, fitter and you'll know the value of experience.

So here's the final part of our 'call recognition system' via Nehemiah.

Firstly, the hurt (the cause) touches your heart; then the hurt touches your head; finally your hurt touches your hands.

You remain unsatisfied to the point of action; simply to stand by and do nothing seems like an insane idea. Where a year ago doing anything about your hurt seemed unlikely and unrealistic NOW seems to be the most natural course of action.

The move from brain activity to hand activity takes a long time. Yet when you step up and step out, your life fills with 'fresh air.'

The king was onto Nehemiah. He knew his cupbearer well and noticed a change in Nehemiahs mood. He enquired as to why and bravely Nehemiah told him.

The interesting thing is that Nehemiah had a plan in his mind, even though the opportunity to go to Jerusalem seemed a long way off. So, when the opportunity came to openly share his feelings, he could immediately put into action a well thought through plan.

Often you know what you have to do and how to do it but you need to wait for the right time. It's here were most are tempted to make the wrong move and go early.

The Bible says a mans gift makes room for him; so does his calling. Allow God to touch your heart, your head but be patient for God to engage your hands. When he creates the space, you will 'pick up' the pace!

This one's for leaders, vision casting and those of you who are responsible for setting the pace, atmosphere and spiritual temperature in your world.

Get a Bible a read Deuteronomy 4 v 12.

Here it is as well: 'The the Lord spoke to you from out of the fire. There was no form, only a voice.'

Moses is reminding the nation about the day God turned up and delivered the Ten Commandments - imagine that day! The greatest Vision Statement ever cast, save perhaps that within John 3:16.

With regard to vision, vision creating and vision casting, this verse can help us.

1. Vision starts with a voice, not a picture: God speaks the vision with his voice. So often as leaders we spend more time on wondering what the vision might look like, instead of listening to what the vision sounds like.

2. Watch the fire, not the future: Notice the order of things: Voice - Vision - View (future); the church can communicate the vision in terms of the culture, rather than looking to the culture to dictate the vision of the church.

3. Worship the Voice, not the vision: let God define your distinctives - what makes your church unique - rather than demoninational conformity, the church next door or the ministry that's been going for years and has lost it's edge.

4. Obey the Voice, not the vision: closely related to the above, if we listen to the Voice we are unfettered by our vision. In other words, if God says to go another direction, we are free to follow without having to pay 'generational homage' to a department, ministry team or even staff member that may or may not be working anymore.

5. Serve the Voice to fulfill the vision: Keep listening, keep stoking the fire and taking time to hear the Voice. With passion, power and purpose, God will fulfill the vision for your church through you and your team.

This verse has freed me from the temptation to look to culture to determine vision. The post modern world is constantly changing. It's impossible to define it, much less harness it's relevance. It's evolving pace almost renders it irrelevant. But we cannot ignore it.

My goal is to look into the fire with my eyes closed, hear his Voice, receive the vision and then discern the most culturally relevant method to deliver it for maximum impact.