I LOVE films, the way stories are weaved through them and – in the ones I watch – good, though it struggles, usually triumphs.

Often lines from a film pop into my head while I’m thinking of something and this week while I was thinking about this column and how it co-insides with the Feast of the Ascension (where Jesus leaves his disciples and is raised into heaven) Arnold Schwartzenegger’s “I’ll be back” from Terminator in 1984, (the bit where he leaves the police station but returns and causes havoc), sprang to mind.

Jesus says something similar as he ascends, leaving his disciples but returns in Spirit and, in many ways, causes havoc within the accepted order – without the violence of course. Since the days of the early church followers of Jesus’ Way have challenged how the world works, through the Holy Spirit which came at Pentecost, they continue to fulfil Simeon’s prophesy that Jesus “was destined for the falling and rising of many”.

From the early free schools to the abolition of slavery, from giving alms (before social security), helping to run foodbanks to reducing third world debt and celebrating and consoling people in their big life events, the followers of Jesus’ Way have been involved.

Sometimes we followers get laughed at or criticised for what people think we are about, or if they have had a bad experience of church or Christians, and I understand that, all I can ask is that you don’t shoot the messengers, we are all works in progress, but I often wonder how our world would be if it were more motivated by the person and teaching of Jesus, and that having been appointed to be our judge, he promised “I’ll be back”?

Reverend Colin Simpson,

Vicar, Wellington and West Buckland