I first heard of LICC (the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity) at Greenbelt in 2005. I’d been doing a lot of thinking about whether I should be doing ’more Christian’ work. I was particularly struggling as I was finding my job job in Manchester deeply unfulfilling. I picked up a few pamphlets, then when I was at a friend’s I saw this book, and have since read the whole thing through., been to a few LICC events, including sessions for practical re-thinking of a career, and a week-long ‘Toolbox’ course, designed to ‘equip’ us in line with the LICC vision:
The UK will be transformed when the Church envisions and equips ‘ordinary’ men and women to make a difference where we are, where we spend most of our time, where we have most of our relationships, where others can see the difference Christ makes in our lives at work, university, with our neighbours, etc.
The LICC believes in the concept of ‘FTCW (Full-Time-Christian-Worker), and therefore focuses on keeping whole-life discipleship central to UK church life (where 24/7 offers a context for worship, mission, ministry, and active Christian engagement).
P132: God is our real boss: Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24
Greene has a great writing/speaking style – very self-deprecating – engaging, serious and humorous all at once. Many amusing stories – and when we think that this guy is essentially a famous evangelist now, it’s encouraging to hear of his issues (p53):
Clumsy for Christ
Five of us were on a two-day trip out of town. Surely, with all that time, God would give me the opportunity to share something with someone. No opportunity came, or at least none that I could see. The time came to fly home.
The client and I decided to work together on the place. So, briefcase in hand, I negotiated my way into the window seat. As I lifted my case over the seat-rest, the lid came open and out tumbled about 20 small orange booklets … ‘Oh no’, I thought.
Twenty copies of a tract called ‘The Four Spiritual Laws’ scattered all over the floor and on the seats in front of me and my client. I felt like a teenager caught with some improper publication. I bent to pick them up.
Then the worst thing that could have happened did happen.
The client said ‘What are those?’
‘Er… they’re booklets that explain the main points about Christianity’
I waited for a look of embarrassment. Or perhaps pity. Or discomfort.
‘Oh, that’s interesting’, she said, with a genuinely interested and open expression on her face. ‘I’ve been thinking a lot about that recently. Could I have a look?’
Prepared for use as an Oak Hall Leader.
At LICC, we believe that every part of our lives comes under the Lordship of Christ, and that all of life is a context for worship, mission, ministry and active Christian engagement twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Our strategy therefore focuses on making whole-life discipleship a central, operational component of UK Church culture. I spent a great week on LICC’s Toolbox course, and have since met up with Brian Draper, including an afternoon retreat – which was EXCELLENT!
Watch the introductory video: why is life a peach and not an orange?