Don't call him Grandad

I've been promising some people for a while now that i would post about this. I heard Andy Flannagan speak about 'God as our Grandad' a few years ago now and was reminded of it when reading his book 'Distinctive Worship'.

Andy speaks of a conversation that he had with his friend Jude Smith (both good Lutonians who i met in my year there) when she stumbled upon a possible explanation to why young people (and i would say some adults as well) find it hard to connect with God as their father. Here is a quote from the book:

"Basically, do we treat God more as a grandfather than a father? If we analyse the method, frequency and quality of our interaction with him does it add up to a relationship spanning one generation or two? Do we just call in to visit once or twice a week, when it's convenient for our schedule? Do we sit and chat, keeping one eye on the clock, ready to escape to our next important duty? Do we open up and tell the truth, or just give the edited highlights? Do we really do the hard work of living with someone, like you live with a parent? Intimacy is hard work."

I think that this is interesting and may some up some of the problems that some of face in youth ministry and wider ministry. The discussion continues further than what i have introduced in the book.