The Anointing
Praise and fruitfulness are the two which have the longest descriptions of Jacob’s prophecy. This is because these `are the two most noticeable distinctive aspects of the anointing of God in the world of men, and is also the most manifest part of the essential relationship with God which is the anointing of God. It is praise which is the way we enter the courts of the Lord (Ps100) and is the way the presence of God is seen (walls of praise Isa ) The anointing is the presence and power of God through the Spirit of God.
Let us look at what Jacob has to say about Praise. In this we are looking at anointing in our speech. Worship, preaching, evangelism, blessing, spiritual warfare proclamation, teaching, testimony are all within the orbit of this anointing. For simplicity I have summarised all this by the word Judah (which in English means praise)
(1) “Praise” and authority go together (8b, 10). It shows in the church (v8) as the church recognises `the importance of praise and other ministries and gifts will give place to “praise” as there will be the recognition that God is in it. This is no more clear than in the area of worship, because this is relating to the Lord who is indeed the source of everything. The Presence of God is never far from the Authority of God . Praise defeats the enemy v8b(see 2 Chronicles 20:22);
(2) Praise operates out of the finished work of Jesus. “you return from the prey” v9. Praise operates out of something settled , achieved , done, accomplished. \This is supremely the cross and resurrection of Jesus, but also out of something we have known, something we have experienced or something we have recognised. What has happened has a real place for “Praise””.
(3) Praise is towards the Lord but is also blessing to the nations. The Judah anointing ushers in the kingdom through proclamation (cf Mark 1:15-16 Jesus came proclaiming the kingdom). The obedience of the nations is when the kingdom of God brings God’s will on the nations thus fulfilling the general promise given to Abraham that his offspring would be a blessing to the nations. The Kingdom opposes and undoes the work of the enemy and has authority to do so. The righteousness that the obedience to God’s will of the nation brings then exalts that nation.
(4) “Praise” operates within and beyond a church context .It is tethered (v11) to the corporate context (the vine is often used as a phrase for the people of God Isa 5; John 15). Praise in church and proclamation from a church. There will always be some church corporate context for this. Praise is so closely linked with the church that God’s plan is to make the church the praise of all the earth (Isa 62:7). On his own at the cross Jesus was the lamb; but in the church, He is the Lion of Judah bringing about the rule of God in the world.
(5) The anointing is attracted to the “choicest branch”. Praise dwells in what is good, it manifests at the best of times, in the richest of fare. Blessing is the context of this anointing flow
(6) “his eyes will be darker than wine; his teeth whiter than milk” The blessing of God that is brought (e.g. wine or milk), the “praise” anointing makes the blessing more distinct and clearer to others
Showing posts with label Vicar's Letter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vicar's Letter. Show all posts
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Friday, 5 March 2010
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
God’s purpose for us is that we enjoy our salvation. The enemy’s plan is we do not receive salvation and if we do then he tries to stop us enjoying it. Joy is the means by which we draw up the blessings salvation offers (Isa 12) and is also the way our salvation becomes contagious to those we meet. Satan sometimes uses hardship outwardly, but this is not his main weapon . What he uses most is accusation about our past or our present, and when he brings difficulties, he will be accusing us by saying it is our fault, and there is nothing we can do about it. That is not true. Jesus is always bigger than any problem. He has a plan. Our past is irrelevant to the Christian being able to receive and move in the salvation Jesus brings to us through his death and resurrection. The only issue is our faith and how much we are willing to receive of His Spirit.
We enjoy our salvation because Jesus has forgiven us. When we asked Jesus to forgive us and rule our life, He has done just that. We do not need to be better; just people who walk with Jesus in life.
Romans 7:1-6 reminds us that before we found Jesus as our saviour, our reference point was not Jesus but the law. This law dominated us whether we were trying to obey it by being good, trying our best; or whether we were being rebels doing the opposite of what we knew others would expect. Both ways wound us and make us empty inside.
What is worse, the law may give us good instructions but no help, so we feel even further alienated from any hope of being different. Paul in Romans 7 likens it to being married to a husband who is no help but always correct and from whom we cannot be divorced and as the law `never dies, we cannot even look forward to being free through his death. The answer to this is that we die instead…. we become a Christian and enter a new life. Paul states we died to the law through belonging to Christ.
Our life has now a new reference point, not the law of the past with its priorities and snobberies; its guilt and regrets; its obligations and responsibilities; its rules and divisions. Our reference frame is our relationship with Jesus. We must not commit spiritual adultery by going back to our first husband the law. Just as we received Jesus we are to live in him (Colossians 3:6). No more “ I must be a good Christian”; instead thankfulness at the cross. No more doing without receiving; instead receiving God’s favour and moving in His will. No more doing anything to please men, but only to please God;
People around us may view us initially as if there is no change, but as we move in our new life in Christ, they will gradually notice a difference. This may not, in the beginning, always be welcome or seen for what it is, but God will be at work in those we meet and in most cases brings a blessing. Eventually as we continue in the new life we have found in Jesus, others begin to get the good news too! Don’t let anyone rob you of the joy that is yours in Jesus!! (John 15:11, 16:22,24, 17:13)
Jonathan Couper
PS Don’t forget the passion play!!
God’s purpose for us is that we enjoy our salvation. The enemy’s plan is we do not receive salvation and if we do then he tries to stop us enjoying it. Joy is the means by which we draw up the blessings salvation offers (Isa 12) and is also the way our salvation becomes contagious to those we meet. Satan sometimes uses hardship outwardly, but this is not his main weapon . What he uses most is accusation about our past or our present, and when he brings difficulties, he will be accusing us by saying it is our fault, and there is nothing we can do about it. That is not true. Jesus is always bigger than any problem. He has a plan. Our past is irrelevant to the Christian being able to receive and move in the salvation Jesus brings to us through his death and resurrection. The only issue is our faith and how much we are willing to receive of His Spirit.
We enjoy our salvation because Jesus has forgiven us. When we asked Jesus to forgive us and rule our life, He has done just that. We do not need to be better; just people who walk with Jesus in life.
Romans 7:1-6 reminds us that before we found Jesus as our saviour, our reference point was not Jesus but the law. This law dominated us whether we were trying to obey it by being good, trying our best; or whether we were being rebels doing the opposite of what we knew others would expect. Both ways wound us and make us empty inside.
What is worse, the law may give us good instructions but no help, so we feel even further alienated from any hope of being different. Paul in Romans 7 likens it to being married to a husband who is no help but always correct and from whom we cannot be divorced and as the law `never dies, we cannot even look forward to being free through his death. The answer to this is that we die instead…. we become a Christian and enter a new life. Paul states we died to the law through belonging to Christ.
Our life has now a new reference point, not the law of the past with its priorities and snobberies; its guilt and regrets; its obligations and responsibilities; its rules and divisions. Our reference frame is our relationship with Jesus. We must not commit spiritual adultery by going back to our first husband the law. Just as we received Jesus we are to live in him (Colossians 3:6). No more “ I must be a good Christian”; instead thankfulness at the cross. No more doing without receiving; instead receiving God’s favour and moving in His will. No more doing anything to please men, but only to please God;
People around us may view us initially as if there is no change, but as we move in our new life in Christ, they will gradually notice a difference. This may not, in the beginning, always be welcome or seen for what it is, but God will be at work in those we meet and in most cases brings a blessing. Eventually as we continue in the new life we have found in Jesus, others begin to get the good news too! Don’t let anyone rob you of the joy that is yours in Jesus!! (John 15:11, 16:22,24, 17:13)
Jonathan Couper
PS Don’t forget the passion play!!
Thursday, 4 March 2010
The Anointing
The Anointing
Introduction to the Anointing of Jesus—A Recap
Christ is a word which means Anointed. Jesus demonstrated this anointing as He taught, prophesied and healed people, raised others from the dead, fed thousands with just a few loaves and fish, changed water into wine and rebuked the wind and waves. This same anointing is available for all those who are in Christ ( after all we are Christians who have the opportunity to move in the presence of the anointing. The gospels and the book of Acts show us the results of being in that anointing. The Holy Spirit is the source of this anointing made available to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The anointing blesses us, but this is not the primary focus. The anointing brings about God’s purpose in us and through us. We as creatures align to the Creator through the anointing. We also bear the family likeness as the anointing changes us from glory to glory. We are all in process and there is always more to discover, but over the next few pages, I hope to write section by section about the ingredients of this anointing.
In Genesis 49 we see that the anointing of God has a 12 -fold nature which relates to the Hebrew meaning of the twelve sons of Jacob (Jacob was God’s choice to found the community of Israel and in this chapter He is giving a fatherly blessing over this community and in so doing bringing prophetic revelation about the anointing which is given to the people of God by the Holy Spirit)
Name (Hebrew Meaning)
Reuben (Seeing)
Simeon (Hearing)
Levi (Intimacy)
Judah (Praise)
Zebulan (Dwelling)
Issachar (Reward)
Dan (Assessment)
Gad (Gathering)
Asher (Joy)
Naphetali (Struggle)
Joseph (Fruitfulness)
Benjamin (Sonship)
1. Seeing (Reuben)
The first ingredient is Seeing. The anointing breaks through veil satan has placed over our minds
(2 Cor 6); the veil of death which tries to keep us from seeing the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus.
Without the anointing we have no light and thus no sight. The anointing brings revelation to our hearts. Scripture becomes astoundingly clear and relevant. Life also looks different. We also find what we see has a relational dimension with God and when that happens it becomes precious to us. Jesus by contrast described those moving in scriptural truth without anointing, as being blind guides who lead themselves and others into a ditch. Without God’s revelation, everything is supposition. Seeing is the first thing we need to move in.
Jesus could only do what he saw the Father doing (John 5:19). We as Christians should expect to see what others cannot see, and this comes not from our rational intelligence but from our relationship with God in which the anointing flows to us and through us. In this context we will also see with words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy as well as seeing some of the supernatural dimensions around us. In the fathers house we all have a room with a view
This month we look at Hearing and Intimacy
2. Hearing (Simeon) & 3. Intimacy (Levi)
Genesis 49:5-7
Hearing and Seeing are designed to go together. Simeon and Levi are brethren..
In general, we hear in the intimate place with God, and we are intimate with God when we are hearing from him. Abide in me and if my word abides in you....
But this is not all Jacob says about this, they are brethren because they have the same result ...zeal.. Our self life can easily skew this anointing from the Lord (see verse 6).. The following verses are often only explained in the behaviour or Levi and Simeon in Genesis 34, but I think this misses the point about the lessons from this aspect of the anointing.
The human spirit receives zeal through hearing and through intimacy, and it is zeal through which the government of the Lord is seen (Isa 9:6). But this can easily become anger or wrath. Instead of building God’s Kingdom we do the opposite. It is because of the dangers zeal can bring that Jacob continues with some helpful reminders when we are in the place of intimacy and hearing from God.
(a) Intimacy and hearing can bring about zeal which destroys rather than builds up. instruments of cruelty are in their habitations . We can be attackers of those who have not heard what we have heard or who do not belong to us. Our soul, whilst it will abide in private communion with God and hear from him, must have a focus beyond just hearing and intimacy (for example mission, or serving or relationships) my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly.
(b) God’s glory is not carried on our hearing or intimacy. It is on our obedience and character
O, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their self-will
they digged down a wall. Many church divisions or wars over religion started with genuine
hearing from God and intimacy with God, but the response was in our self will ..e.g. the wars resulting from the reformation or the putting down of one church or Christian by those who are spiritual and moving with God.
(c) Being angry or wrath does not bring a blessing. Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: For example someone can go to a conference and hear from God or be close to Him and come back in fierceness or wrath at the shortfalls in the worship or teaching and achieve little.
I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.
In the church of God both in the times when church is weak (Jacob) and when it is moving in authority (Israel), this aspect of the anointing (hearing or intimacy) are not concentrated, but present in every resultant manifestation of the anointing ( i.e. part of church life and mission). In the anointing there are times when God speaks and times when God overwhelms us by His presence. These rarely are together. We can be close to God in our Bible Study and then hear God while we are about our daily chores, or we can hear God without being overwhelmed by Him. This is deliberate so that we can continue to move in the anointing.
When Ezekiel is overwhelmed by God’s presence, so he falls over (Ezekiel 1: 28—2:1), God refuses to speak to Him until he stands up, thus moving out of that place of intimacy. By contrast in Ezekiel 3, when he is intimate with God and God speaks to him, he describes his emotional state as “ I went in bitterness in the heat of my Spirit, but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me (Ezekiel 3: 14). We cannot forget that when Jesus had an intimate encounter with the Spirit and heard God speak together at his baptism, it is no surprise that He was driven by the Spirit into the wilderness. This is why in most cases intimacy and hearing are separate in our experience as we move in the powerful anointing of God
Jonathan Couper
Monday, 22 February 2010
A Bible study on John 10
The shepherd operates through invitation followed by process (v3), but so does thieves and robbers. . They can appear like shepherds. They look spiritual, get into the church in some way, say things that are nice to hear, and invite you to meetings but their fruit is the sheep no longer belong to the flock, and eventually the spiritual life of the sheep is affected to the point that eventually it is destroyed.
Jesus said you cannot tell the difference by what they say or by how they act. You can only tell by the direction from which they come “ The shepherd enters by the gate (v2), the man who does not enter by the gate, but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber” (v1).
So what does that look like for us
beware of someone with an agenda to prosper his own “calling”
beware of someone who invites you to a group meeting which is away from the shepherd’s oversight, even if the teaching sounds great or the worship is stunning.
beware of someone who says he is the shepherd’s representative, but does things which oppose the direction the shepherd is leading the rest of the flock
beware of someone who invites you to a meeting which means you cannot belong to the flock either because of timing or ethos.
Beware of someone who in their attitude try to separate you from the shepherd. They might say things of concern about the church or the leaders, or might have so called spiritual dreams which cause them to sow seeds of doubt about your belonging to the church.
When you see this, you recognise the voice of a stranger rather than a shepherd and the power of the deception is broken (v5).
The true shepherd is Jesus (yes indeed!!!) but He is also the gate. No self styled shepherd gets through the gate; only those who are responding to the call of God and this shows outwardly on the earth in ordination/ appointment. The shepherd then has a responsibility to enter into the inheritance brought about by that recognition/ordination and so God’s purposes then become manifest and the sheep are blessed.
Jonathan
Jesus said you cannot tell the difference by what they say or by how they act. You can only tell by the direction from which they come “ The shepherd enters by the gate (v2), the man who does not enter by the gate, but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber” (v1).
So what does that look like for us
beware of someone with an agenda to prosper his own “calling”
beware of someone who invites you to a group meeting which is away from the shepherd’s oversight, even if the teaching sounds great or the worship is stunning.
beware of someone who says he is the shepherd’s representative, but does things which oppose the direction the shepherd is leading the rest of the flock
beware of someone who invites you to a meeting which means you cannot belong to the flock either because of timing or ethos.
Beware of someone who in their attitude try to separate you from the shepherd. They might say things of concern about the church or the leaders, or might have so called spiritual dreams which cause them to sow seeds of doubt about your belonging to the church.
When you see this, you recognise the voice of a stranger rather than a shepherd and the power of the deception is broken (v5).
The true shepherd is Jesus (yes indeed!!!) but He is also the gate. No self styled shepherd gets through the gate; only those who are responding to the call of God and this shows outwardly on the earth in ordination/ appointment. The shepherd then has a responsibility to enter into the inheritance brought about by that recognition/ordination and so God’s purposes then become manifest and the sheep are blessed.
Jonathan
Friday, 5 February 2010
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
Your inner world matters. We all have one. It is the place where our self esteem lives; where our inner thoughts dwell, and the place from which our hopes and dreams come.. There are times when our inner world is disturbed. This happens in disappointments, in betrayals and in personal crises.....that is anytime when life becomes personal. It is not just present events that can do this. The past has the capacity to disturb our present inner world and fears of the future can also do the same. Sometimes present events link us to difficult times in our past when our inner world was disturbed and it happens all over again. At such times the outer world becomes more essential for us.
All of us need a reference point and when our inner world cannot give this, we need some external point we can trust. At such times, solid Friends, Family, Church or routine might be a help. Prayer is always valuable as a steadying influence on our inner world, but we may need external help too. Pastoral support can walk with you as your inner world reaches a place of balance. Belonging to a church congregation, developing a spiritual discipline of prayer and bible study and joining a small group in the good times can all be essential if life turns sour for us. It will mean we have a better chance of getting through the trial unscathed.
Sometimes we do not recognise our inner world is being disturbed so we do not address it early enough. Let me give you some possible warning signs
(a) a need to be in control
(b) a distrust of the motives of previously faithful friends
(c) obsessive patterns of behaviour ( which are a way of trying to cope with anxiety within)
(d) inability to relate to God in worship
(e) a proneness to being a recluse
(f) cannot cope with any change however good it may be
(g) difficulty in decision making
(h) difficulty in talking
(i) inability to honour others
(j) tendency to be negative or critical and thanksgiving seems hollow
(k) find it difficult to receive help
(l) you feel a distance between what you are as a Christian outwardly and what you are inwardly
We are still responsible for the choices we make. Here is some advice.
(a) Don’t stretch out into the new until you are settled on the inside. Important things can always wait. And it is seldom that urgent and important match.
(b) Hold to the old routines that you know are safe and good even when you do not want to.
(c) Avoid withdrawal, This can be like a drug that feels good but returns to sting you. Withdrawal also opens the way for addictions and other unhelpful choices to bring “comfort”
(d) recognise that you might not see things as they really are, so do not act on what you think until you have reached a place of rest inside.
When life in our outer world is tough we retreat to our inner world. Jesus designs us that way. We must however develop our inner world to match our outer world. Many adults fail to do this. They leave any focus on their inner world behind and continue though to develop their outer world. This is one of the reasons why so many find life crashing around them
Some Christian leaders have been stretched in their outer world into revival, or further Christian ministry, but their inner world was not developed to match this new outer world and into the gap between their inner and outer world, comfort addictions grew to their eventual downfall.
God is calling us to develop our inner world. He is calling us to pray together; to study the bible, to trust one another as friends, to gather as a network, and to be bold in all we do.. We have prayed for God to change our town, for people to come to find Him as Lord and Saviour, for churches to grow and lives to change. Let us indeed have an inner world to match when God answers our prayer so we are equipped from the inside to help foster the work of God in those we meet and the situations we face.
Jonathan Couper
Friday, 29 January 2010
The Anointing
Christ is a word which means Anointed. Jesus demonstrated this anointing as He taught, prophesied and healed people, raised others from the dead, fed thousands with just a few loaves and fish, changed water into wine and rebuked the wind and waves. This same anointing is available for all those who are in Christ ( after all we are Christians who have the opportunity to move in the presence of the anointing. The gospels and the book of Acts show us the results of bing in that anointing. The Holy Spirit is the source of this anointing made available to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The anointing blesses us, but this is not the primary focus. The anointing brings about God’s purpose in us and through us. We as creatures align to the Creator through the anointing. We also bear the family likeness as the anointing changes us from glory to glory. We are all in process and there is always more to discover, but over the next few network news, I hope to write section by section about the ingredients of this anointing. There will be 12 sections to this.
The first ingredient is Seeing. The anointing breaks through veil satan has placed over our minds (2 Cor 6); the veil of death which tries to keep us from seeing the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Without the anointing we have no light and thus no sight. The anointing brings revelation to our hearts. Scripture becomes astoundingly clear and relevant. Life also looks different. We also find what we see has a relational dimension with God and when that happens it becomes precious to us. Jesus by contrast described those moving in scriptural truth without anointing as being blind guides who lead themselves and others into a ditch. Without God’s revelation, everything is supposition. Seeing is the first thing we need to move in. Jesus could only do what he saw the Father doing (john 5:19). We as Christians should expect to see what others cannot see, and this comes not from our rational intelligence but from our relationship with God in which the anointing flows to us and through us. In this context w2e will also see with words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy as well as seeing some of the supernatural dimensions around us. In the fathers house we all have a room with a view .
Jonathan
The first ingredient is Seeing. The anointing breaks through veil satan has placed over our minds (2 Cor 6); the veil of death which tries to keep us from seeing the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Without the anointing we have no light and thus no sight. The anointing brings revelation to our hearts. Scripture becomes astoundingly clear and relevant. Life also looks different. We also find what we see has a relational dimension with God and when that happens it becomes precious to us. Jesus by contrast described those moving in scriptural truth without anointing as being blind guides who lead themselves and others into a ditch. Without God’s revelation, everything is supposition. Seeing is the first thing we need to move in. Jesus could only do what he saw the Father doing (john 5:19). We as Christians should expect to see what others cannot see, and this comes not from our rational intelligence but from our relationship with God in which the anointing flows to us and through us. In this context w2e will also see with words of knowledge, words of wisdom, prophecy as well as seeing some of the supernatural dimensions around us. In the fathers house we all have a room with a view .
Jonathan
Friday, 20 November 2009
The Vicar writes...
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
What will be important to you on the day you die? What memories will you treasure and hold to your heart as important and significant? Who on that day will prove to be worthy of your trust? The first Christmas most in Bethlehem got it wrong. They passed the important by whilst they worked towards the unimportant. The innkeeper turns Mary away, the crowd of Bethlehem are unaware of the angelic hosts in the heavens as Jesus is born…God Himself had come to earth as a human baby born of Mary.
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
I am writing a second letter which is not looking at Christmas, but rather into next year. In this letter I have outlined the Aims you will find in summary form on the front page of Network News. I hope you will look at each aim, pause and pray over it, and give God permission to lead you in them.
The Aims explained...
To develop a culture of honour:
We feel God is calling us to a new emphasis in the way we relate to each other. The discipleship course is helping us and we expect to see more honouring of one another and sensitivity to the calling /anointing each one has as we learn to bear the glory of God amongst us.
This will involve holding a new marriage courses and parenting courses Next year we want to encourage families, helping parents to be secure in their parenting and in their marriages. We hope to introduce more parenting courses next year.
Satan shows his hand more (according to I Corinthians 7) when there is no proper marriage relationship. We have found in the last few years Satan has sought to wreck lives when those who are married are not in an active married relationship for whatever reason. Whilst we continue to value widows, divorcees, in our church (and we are looking for those who have been through these life events who could advise others, because we want to run a course for this too!) , we also want to help those who are married. Jim & Rosemary Gillespie will be running a new marriage course next year.
To develop our calling as a beacon to the region: To hold a major Christian conference in Bridlington October 7-9th
We have for many years felt called to be a resource church, and whilst we are a church that is known throughout the Uk, few actually know the blessing God is bringing here. We feel the time has come no longer to be a secret treasure and to remove the light from under “the bushel” (Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ) One of the ways we hope to be able to impart blessing to people outside Bridlington is as they visit for this conference. It is also a way we can start to play our part within the tourism of the town. Our hope is that 1000 delegates will come to Bridlington and this is the start of an annual conference. The theme is around God’s presence changing a nation.
To develop our own Guidance resource to run within our learning centre
As a guidance centre we can operate like the old careers service
To develop another CCS shop
We are actively looking at a Community shop which can continue to be an outlet for furniture store ( when Springfield Avenue is knocked down in the regeneration of Bridlington ) and can also have outlets for other projects. If any would like to invest to help bring this about, see Andy Jefferson.
To prepare to build a new entrance to the church in 2011
We want to provide a place of welcome and information at the entrance to our site. We as a church saw and approved plans last year which we have not implemented because we have no funds to do so. We plan to start a fund for a new entrance and hope to have enough by the summer to consider applying for faculty and planning , getting the costings from builders, and getting the work done. The plans will be on display in the forecourt in January
To develop further ways of welcoming those linked to us to engage with Jesus. To develop effective work with the young adults and teenagers on multi levels
We long for everyone who accesses our church site to also have an opportunity to find out about Jesus. We want to be able to form an evangelistic oversight/action team so that good strategies emerge and many are blessed
To foster the current network churches and to create space to deepen spiritual life in social networks through different types of small groups, prayer meetings, and conferences
We have already diverse groups ranging from bible study to social/pastoral groups. We have groups for the elderly and groups for the young around interest groups We will increase these, and are dependant on those who have benefited from small groups being willing to lead or host new ones. We would like to have groups around choirs, bible study groups led by under 20s, pub discussion groups, chill out groups where you share your story and pray together. Further details from Jonathan as groups cannot form unless there is declared interest and willingness to try it expressed
To meet all our financial obligations
We think we will achieve this. We are praying that everyone allows God to guide us in our giving as we contribute to the collection every week
To partner with other churches in national/ regional events which encourage a platform for revival: Yorkshire prayer conference
Many of us may not be aware that our involvement in the Yorkshire Prayer conference has now seeded similar works in Derby, Lincoln ,Lancashire and Cumbria and is as a result bringing into the north of England a new wave of prayer which is part of the move of God to bless this nation. We are continuing our connection, primarily through Jonathan who is the director for the East Riding and on the central committee for the prayer conference.
In addition Jonathan and Andy Hall are actively networking with leaders in the UK to foster initiatives for revival
To sell 100 Springboard 2010 shares to help foster revival through us to the nation
We issue Springboard shares to those who want to join with us in part of our mission. Each Springboard 2010 share costs £5 per month and you can buy as many shares as you want. These will go to help promote revival in the nation through us as a network.
To Develop Church Planting Strategies
We would like to explore ways in which we can grow the Kingdom beyond Bridlington and investigate Church planting strategies for future growth
Jonathan
I am writing a second letter which is not looking at Christmas, but rather into next year. In this letter I have outlined the Aims you will find in summary form on the front page of Network News. I hope you will look at each aim, pause and pray over it, and give God permission to lead you in them.
The Aims explained...
To develop a culture of honour:
We feel God is calling us to a new emphasis in the way we relate to each other. The discipleship course is helping us and we expect to see more honouring of one another and sensitivity to the calling /anointing each one has as we learn to bear the glory of God amongst us.
This will involve holding a new marriage courses and parenting courses Next year we want to encourage families, helping parents to be secure in their parenting and in their marriages. We hope to introduce more parenting courses next year.
Satan shows his hand more (according to I Corinthians 7) when there is no proper marriage relationship. We have found in the last few years Satan has sought to wreck lives when those who are married are not in an active married relationship for whatever reason. Whilst we continue to value widows, divorcees, in our church (and we are looking for those who have been through these life events who could advise others, because we want to run a course for this too!) , we also want to help those who are married. Jim & Rosemary Gillespie will be running a new marriage course next year.
To develop our calling as a beacon to the region: To hold a major Christian conference in Bridlington October 7-9th
We have for many years felt called to be a resource church, and whilst we are a church that is known throughout the Uk, few actually know the blessing God is bringing here. We feel the time has come no longer to be a secret treasure and to remove the light from under “the bushel” (Matthew 5:15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. ) One of the ways we hope to be able to impart blessing to people outside Bridlington is as they visit for this conference. It is also a way we can start to play our part within the tourism of the town. Our hope is that 1000 delegates will come to Bridlington and this is the start of an annual conference. The theme is around God’s presence changing a nation.
To develop our own Guidance resource to run within our learning centre
As a guidance centre we can operate like the old careers service
To develop another CCS shop
We are actively looking at a Community shop which can continue to be an outlet for furniture store ( when Springfield Avenue is knocked down in the regeneration of Bridlington ) and can also have outlets for other projects. If any would like to invest to help bring this about, see Andy Jefferson.
To prepare to build a new entrance to the church in 2011
We want to provide a place of welcome and information at the entrance to our site. We as a church saw and approved plans last year which we have not implemented because we have no funds to do so. We plan to start a fund for a new entrance and hope to have enough by the summer to consider applying for faculty and planning , getting the costings from builders, and getting the work done. The plans will be on display in the forecourt in January
To develop further ways of welcoming those linked to us to engage with Jesus. To develop effective work with the young adults and teenagers on multi levels
We long for everyone who accesses our church site to also have an opportunity to find out about Jesus. We want to be able to form an evangelistic oversight/action team so that good strategies emerge and many are blessed
To foster the current network churches and to create space to deepen spiritual life in social networks through different types of small groups, prayer meetings, and conferences
We have already diverse groups ranging from bible study to social/pastoral groups. We have groups for the elderly and groups for the young around interest groups We will increase these, and are dependant on those who have benefited from small groups being willing to lead or host new ones. We would like to have groups around choirs, bible study groups led by under 20s, pub discussion groups, chill out groups where you share your story and pray together. Further details from Jonathan as groups cannot form unless there is declared interest and willingness to try it expressed
To meet all our financial obligations
We think we will achieve this. We are praying that everyone allows God to guide us in our giving as we contribute to the collection every week
To partner with other churches in national/ regional events which encourage a platform for revival: Yorkshire prayer conference
Many of us may not be aware that our involvement in the Yorkshire Prayer conference has now seeded similar works in Derby, Lincoln ,Lancashire and Cumbria and is as a result bringing into the north of England a new wave of prayer which is part of the move of God to bless this nation. We are continuing our connection, primarily through Jonathan who is the director for the East Riding and on the central committee for the prayer conference.
In addition Jonathan and Andy Hall are actively networking with leaders in the UK to foster initiatives for revival
To sell 100 Springboard 2010 shares to help foster revival through us to the nation
We issue Springboard shares to those who want to join with us in part of our mission. Each Springboard 2010 share costs £5 per month and you can buy as many shares as you want. These will go to help promote revival in the nation through us as a network.
To Develop Church Planting Strategies
We would like to explore ways in which we can grow the Kingdom beyond Bridlington and investigate Church planting strategies for future growth
Jonathan
Monday, 26 October 2009
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
This last year has been a year when God is taking us onto a new level. The new events in the year include Awards for the Learning Departing and also the County Chairman’s Award for CCS for making a difference in society. Bishop David Pytches, and Peter Gladstone of the Church Army both on separate occasions in September described Christ Church in the same words “a secret treasure” . David Pytches said also that he wants what is happening here to be more widely known as he thinks it will bless the rest of the UK.
Over the year we have experienced a greater depth of presence in our worship, and have valued Rob parker’s willingness to go “the extra mile” in pursuing God personally, as well as teaming up with June Lee to form a mid week “filling station” for all who desire God’s presence . We have also this year further cemented with the Diocese our Network strategy to reach the people of Bridlington with the gospel and in so doing have welcomed Dave and Debra Chislett to West Hill. It has been great personally to be able to spend more time at West Hill during the “interregnum” and to see that congregation continue to grow, and there is a great team there whom God is expanding into the community at West Hill in many ways. A thank you to Dave for all he is starting to do there.
New developments this year include a successful pastoral training course which Polly Hart led for counsellors from the wider region. We have facilitated a ballet/dance performing school in the Key Centre, and transformed the garden to a place where it was part of the Bridlington in Bloom bid which achieved a silver award this year. We have also been given responsibility for St Andrews, Ulrome which has grown under Chaz and Margaret Walker from being closed to a regular congregation of around 20. The 11am service at Christ Church has planted out two new Network churches (Youth Church with Rob & Jo Parker which incorporates freestyle under Alistair Robertson and Play N Do Church with Andy & Moira Jefferson). The 11am church service itself has transformed into a new shape whilst Trax still operates successfully teaching the children of junior age within this service. The new services have been matched with remarkable growth as all three services have welcomed new members each week since it started in its new format. God is indeed “adding to our number those who are being saved”. It is Martongate’s fifth anniversary at the end of November and we are delighted that the commitment of this congregation has brought about a Christian presence in that part of Bridlington which is benefiting many. Applegarth continues to provide a place where the Bridgeway church meets. This is a church where people can belong in a secure pastoral context whilst at the same time welcome friends and neighbours to join us. In addition we have been part of supporting the Yorkshire Prayer Conference which is being repeated next year and is now being rolled out to Derby, Lincoln and possibly Lancashire next year. Thank you for all you have done which has helped to bring about so much of God’s blessing through us.
We are now at a point where we are cautiously seeking to develop conferences so we can welcome to this county International speakers who can bless this town and nation. We are seeking to combine a National Conference ministry with our local Network, so the DNA of our church life shows through in this bigger setting. This is a big task and in 2010 will be an experimental year towards that end. This is still at it’s early infancy, but please pray for this development.
During the year we saw Darron Lawer leaving as our Youth Worker, and we are grateful to those members of the congregation who at short notice have been willing to shoulder parts of the job Darron was doing . The plan is to reappoint a Youth Worker in 2011 to help bring the Kingdom of God amongst young people.. The Boys’ Brigade goes from strength to strength, and has grown in both size and quality. So many parents in Bridlington support this because they recognise the good it is bringing to their son. The Christ Church Youth Club meets on a Friday and is currently heaving in numbers. Andy Gradwell the leader of the Youth club writes “In running the Youth Club at Christchurch I want it to be a place where young people can meet in the knowledge that they are not going to be judged or condemned for being themselves. A place where those with low aspirations and self esteem can see an alternative future, have access to events that raise their self esteem and show them that they can achieve. A place where they can safely express themselves without ridicule, can seek advice on issues that they may feel unable to ask other adults. Or yes and have fun! All of this within a Christian environment.” A big thank you to Andy & Mandy and the Team.
It has also been great to see Ben Couper’s recitals and music taking a place of mission in the town. Thank you to Paul Lowe for his vision and implementation of the Christian music festival, and also to Anthony Clarke for all he has done in Christian musicals this year (and the passion play next year in the town)
We look forward to all that God is going to do this year. The task before us is great and we need prayer every step of the way if we are going to take our place within God’s plan for the region as well as God’s plan in the town. Pray for me and the others meeting at Bawtry next year, and also the new partnerships with leaders around the nation we are exploring in order to bring about different initiatives to facilitate the kingdom of God in this land.
Jonathan
Friday, 2 October 2009
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
We are all designed to be disciples of Jesus Christ, but becoming a disciple of Jesus is a process.
(a) Disciples are made. We are shaped. When we first become a Christian we are called a convert to Christianity. We then start to relate with God and seek to obey Him. This road of obedience is the way we are shaped to becoming disciples “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”Mark 1:17 “Go and make disciples..teaching them to obey all I have commanded you” Matt 28:20. The disciple seeks to obey Jesus, so this is why Jesus describes the disciple as someone who holds the truth (John 8:31) and seeks to obey it in life (disciple experience), and we will then inherit the blessing of being a disciple of Jesus. Neil Mackay in the small group teaching this session has much helpful material about this, and I hope you are being blessed as you use this in your small group.
(b) We are not shaped to being a disciple without belonging to the church. Discipleship happens in the going, in the movement of our seeking to obey Jesus (Come follow me). This movement always has a church link, because God’s purpose is through His people corporate. The direction a church is taking is a crucial element to your discipleship. God’s people must be the primary place where discipleship happens
c) Discipleship happens as we move off our own agenda towards God’s agenda. Discipleship does involve saying no to self and yes to God. This will arise in church as well as elsewhere. Disciples feel the demands church or their conscience ( a call rarely looks like from God at the time) and the disciple make a choice to respond to them rather than ignore them or run away from them. This is often the crucible of discipleship.
d) Teaching does help us. When teaching has a practical application and is inspirational it will be foundational for the shaping of our discipleship . Discipleship is more than relating to God’s will in the circumstances that surround us, it is also in relating to God (Come follow me). Teaching which introduces us to God and nurtures our relationship with God is crucial in our becoming disciples of Jesus. Equipping for Life course which we start this month is part of this for us now.
E) There is no discipleship without choices and decisions. The true disciple makes those choices and decisions within his/her relationship with God. If we “go off “God , we are not able to do this. A disciple has to get back on track with God and deal in his/her heart with whatever `has caused the straying from the road of discipleship. For some the discipleship course this month will be God’s way of getting back on track with God.
f) There is no discipleship without God. Sometimes we can stay in the same “obedience “ of yesterday when God is calling us to move . The heart that is seeking God’s presence, rather than doing a job without reference to God, is likely to move forward in discipleship. The ones doing a job because deep down they think they can (i.e. without really listening to God about it) are likely to be stunted in their own personal growth with God. Just saying “I know” but not learning or seeing anything new. Revelation is the first thing a disciple needs, for how can we follow Jesus unless we see where He is and what He is doing (this comes by revelation rather than rational debate). Stunted Disciples will need to recapture what it is to be hungry after God and attending this conference may have that effect , after which Jesus may be allowed back into the part of His vineyard where the work is, and as a result discipleship is kick-started again.
g) Discipleship starts with an encounter with God and grows through our continued relationship with Him . There should be more encounters with God, (for there is no real relationship unless we and God meet from time to time), and there will also be instruction which aligns us more to the heart of God, for we cannot walk with God unless we are agreed and it is a learning process learning how to relate to God our maker and redeemer who speaks to us from a place beyond where the eye can see or the mind can fully comprehend. The Discipleship course will be for others a deepening in their walk with God and a source of increased confidence in serving Him.
h) Discipleship shaping and equipping is speeded up considerably once we have learnt to abide in the presence of God. This also happens to be the major truth God is leading us as a church with and we think He might have shown us a key to revival in the nation. If you missed my sermon on Ruth this month (6pm 20th September Christ Church) , see if you can get a copy from Steve F.
May God continue to lead us,
Jonathan
We are all designed to be disciples of Jesus Christ, but becoming a disciple of Jesus is a process.
(a) Disciples are made. We are shaped. When we first become a Christian we are called a convert to Christianity. We then start to relate with God and seek to obey Him. This road of obedience is the way we are shaped to becoming disciples “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”Mark 1:17 “Go and make disciples..teaching them to obey all I have commanded you” Matt 28:20. The disciple seeks to obey Jesus, so this is why Jesus describes the disciple as someone who holds the truth (John 8:31) and seeks to obey it in life (disciple experience), and we will then inherit the blessing of being a disciple of Jesus. Neil Mackay in the small group teaching this session has much helpful material about this, and I hope you are being blessed as you use this in your small group.
(b) We are not shaped to being a disciple without belonging to the church. Discipleship happens in the going, in the movement of our seeking to obey Jesus (Come follow me). This movement always has a church link, because God’s purpose is through His people corporate. The direction a church is taking is a crucial element to your discipleship. God’s people must be the primary place where discipleship happens
c) Discipleship happens as we move off our own agenda towards God’s agenda. Discipleship does involve saying no to self and yes to God. This will arise in church as well as elsewhere. Disciples feel the demands church or their conscience ( a call rarely looks like from God at the time) and the disciple make a choice to respond to them rather than ignore them or run away from them. This is often the crucible of discipleship.
d) Teaching does help us. When teaching has a practical application and is inspirational it will be foundational for the shaping of our discipleship . Discipleship is more than relating to God’s will in the circumstances that surround us, it is also in relating to God (Come follow me). Teaching which introduces us to God and nurtures our relationship with God is crucial in our becoming disciples of Jesus. Equipping for Life course which we start this month is part of this for us now.
E) There is no discipleship without choices and decisions. The true disciple makes those choices and decisions within his/her relationship with God. If we “go off “God , we are not able to do this. A disciple has to get back on track with God and deal in his/her heart with whatever `has caused the straying from the road of discipleship. For some the discipleship course this month will be God’s way of getting back on track with God.
f) There is no discipleship without God. Sometimes we can stay in the same “obedience “ of yesterday when God is calling us to move . The heart that is seeking God’s presence, rather than doing a job without reference to God, is likely to move forward in discipleship. The ones doing a job because deep down they think they can (i.e. without really listening to God about it) are likely to be stunted in their own personal growth with God. Just saying “I know” but not learning or seeing anything new. Revelation is the first thing a disciple needs, for how can we follow Jesus unless we see where He is and what He is doing (this comes by revelation rather than rational debate). Stunted Disciples will need to recapture what it is to be hungry after God and attending this conference may have that effect , after which Jesus may be allowed back into the part of His vineyard where the work is, and as a result discipleship is kick-started again.
g) Discipleship starts with an encounter with God and grows through our continued relationship with Him . There should be more encounters with God, (for there is no real relationship unless we and God meet from time to time), and there will also be instruction which aligns us more to the heart of God, for we cannot walk with God unless we are agreed and it is a learning process learning how to relate to God our maker and redeemer who speaks to us from a place beyond where the eye can see or the mind can fully comprehend. The Discipleship course will be for others a deepening in their walk with God and a source of increased confidence in serving Him.
h) Discipleship shaping and equipping is speeded up considerably once we have learnt to abide in the presence of God. This also happens to be the major truth God is leading us as a church with and we think He might have shown us a key to revival in the nation. If you missed my sermon on Ruth this month (6pm 20th September Christ Church) , see if you can get a copy from Steve F.
May God continue to lead us,
Jonathan
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
Andrew Moreland in his sermon at Christ church mentioned TD Jakes’s point about how to count to 100. He said all you have to know is how to count one to 9. And know how to get to the next level (10) and then all you do is do the same again (1-9) until you get to the next level (20) and so on. Andrew was not giving us a lesson in arithmetic but making an important point about levels in our Christian walk.
A new level is marked by change, new opportunities and challenges, and new choices which determine our character and our destiny (in the sense we can choose to run into or away from His will). The comfort is that we need to keep on doing what we have always been doing. The basics of our walk with God should not change. We should continue to pray, go to church, seek to be in agreement with the fellowship, read our bible and be genuine and humble, but we need to increase these things to match the new level, for satan will try to exploit whatever weakness he can, for any new level directly affects his schemes and strategies.
When I was on the committee for the Yorkshire Prayer conference , the chairman Frank Mwikwo, said to us all that we needed to pray more than we had done before because we were operating at a different level (not town but county) and without increasing our prayer to match our call, satan might be able to attack our spouses, children, families, or churches .. We have over the years, experienced moving from one level to another (evangelical to charismatic; charismatic to Wimber; Wimber to Toronto, community projects on site to town to key Centre, from parish church to network etc). In life there is no stay, and a living church will have this experience often. However many times it happens, there is a part of us that wants to stay at the old level, and there is the even more difficult part of us which felt the need for change, was discontent with the old level, but cannot see the new level as being the answer.
All of us will know some of this, and my hope every time it happens is that we all recognise (eventually) that this is the Lord who is doing this and will agree together to the extent that we are active and fully participating at that level which enables the full manifestation of God’s glory at that level to be seen.
May God continue to lead us on as we move in compassion for the lost, the young, the weak, the victim, the poor and the alone.
Jonathan
P.S.
We wish Andrew Moreland well as he leaves West Hill to train at St John’s Nottingham for
ordination. I would like to thank Andrew on behalf of the network pastors and West Hill for all he has done in the network. We will be praying for him and Liz in this time of transition
Friday, 31 July 2009
God said you cannot kill (Exodus 20:13), and he who is angry with someone is as guilty of murder as someone who commits that crime (Matthew 5:21,22; 1 John 3:15), and because of his anger is going to be impaired in his judgements and perceptions .
The bible does however say that nations have the right to kill humans when bringing justice to restrain evil and bring true justice (Romans 13); and we have the dispensation to kill animals for food (Genesis 9). The irony about our current legal position is that we outlawed capital punishments for crimes, and in the next decade introduced killing to the maternity wards of our nation by legalising abortion. Since that landmark ruling there has been pressure on so-called mercy killing of the infirm adult with increasing publicity in a compassionate sort of way on those who decide to take their own life in assisted suicide.
Within this debate there is an assumption that we have a right to take our own life when we choose to; just as mothers can decide when to end the lives of their unborn children. The Bible would say we have no such right, but in our godless society I quite expect there to come about some allowance of assisted suicide. The one thing that prevents it now is that if the law changed, there would be the real possibility of pressure being brought by professional or family on a helpless infirm person to be murdered legally.
I would like to know if we are currently complying with the view that we should not have assisted suicide because of the occasions when the person could be killed when they do not want to die, why does this same argument not apply to abortion also? No unborn child wants to die! Wouldn’t it be great if politicians revisited some of the foundations on which our nation stands now and returns to biblical foundations. It would help strengthen our society and stabilize our nation.
Jonathan
Jonathan
Our nation is at a crossroads without knowing the way to the cross. We have so ignored, and in some cases fought against the Christian faith, that now few realise how precious and good Christianity is, and how wonderful to discover Jesus is real! Yet despite all this the Christian faith still lives and grows.
Despite declining church attendance, prayer being purged from hospital staff routines or bible teaching from schools; hundreds are finding Jesus in our land today. We will not necessarily find a faith to return to God in the corridors of power in our land. But faith is rising amongst the poor and needy who cry out to Him; Amongst victims of life’s twists or man’s rules, faith can rise.
The Church needs to be ready, for the gospel reaches far beyond the church and God is calling many to follow Him who have never been to church. God is calling us to welcome and include all who wish to follow Jesus. We are in this together. God has a purpose for our country and we want to follow Jesus as He reclaims our country to serve the nations of the world.
Lord make us a blessing not a curse; make us wise not foolish; may we understand what the will of the Lord is. May your Kingdom come so that your will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
Jonathan
Jonathan
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Dear All
Jesus came to give life on the inside where it counts . This life comes by knowing God as Father (John 17:3), something which we all can do whether we had an earthly father we knew or not. On the inside we know how to pray without anyone telling us, and once we give Jesus permission to partner with us in that inside realm of our lives, we also begin to know what He is doing and thinks about stuff around us and within us. We start a journey which means we grow in trust and obedience of Him. This changes our life, brings to us on the inside resources we never knew we could have, and this inside life will show itself around us. When this happens to people in sufficient numbers it brings blessing to communities and changes nations for the better. “God so loved the world” reminds us that God is for everyone having this life and living life to be a possible blessing to everyone.
The adverts would try to say that life is found in money and possessions. Jesus explicitly said that you would not find life there (Luke 12:15), but only anxiety (Luke 12:22,8:14). The Bible also says that life is now found in knowledge and education (Ecclesiastes 12:12; 1:18). In addition breaking any of the 10 commandments do not bring life. Committing murder kills; but so does adultery! Relationships where there is immorality or betrayal do not bring life. Sex in the forbidden zone has an excitement which quickly turns sours as there is no true foundation to move on into building the relationship together further. Proverbs 9:17-18; 23:27; 5:15-23; 6:23. How many in our nation are being fooled into seeking to find life in this way....immorality is so prevalent that few even question sex outside marriage as a possible wrong thing to do, and the church is often silent on the issue! Where are the adults with a righteous lifestyle who can model the truth? There are many faithful marriages, but how many of those were engaged in sex before they got married?
Life is found in repentance. Turning from our pride and self assurance to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Repentance is marked by change. Our old choices will still raise their heads trying to get us to repeat first the patterns and then the sins of our past or the sins within the community where we live; repentance is a path where we stick to obedience in the relationship with Jesus. Jesus died on a cross so that we could be forgiven. We no longer need to operate according to the sins we once did, making up for the past or fearful of the future. We can live life with God each day, for Jesus is raised from the dead!! All we need to do is follow Jesus. Life is found here and nowhere else!!!
Jonathan
Jesus came to give life on the inside where it counts . This life comes by knowing God as Father (John 17:3), something which we all can do whether we had an earthly father we knew or not. On the inside we know how to pray without anyone telling us, and once we give Jesus permission to partner with us in that inside realm of our lives, we also begin to know what He is doing and thinks about stuff around us and within us. We start a journey which means we grow in trust and obedience of Him. This changes our life, brings to us on the inside resources we never knew we could have, and this inside life will show itself around us. When this happens to people in sufficient numbers it brings blessing to communities and changes nations for the better. “God so loved the world” reminds us that God is for everyone having this life and living life to be a possible blessing to everyone.
The adverts would try to say that life is found in money and possessions. Jesus explicitly said that you would not find life there (Luke 12:15), but only anxiety (Luke 12:22,8:14). The Bible also says that life is now found in knowledge and education (Ecclesiastes 12:12; 1:18). In addition breaking any of the 10 commandments do not bring life. Committing murder kills; but so does adultery! Relationships where there is immorality or betrayal do not bring life. Sex in the forbidden zone has an excitement which quickly turns sours as there is no true foundation to move on into building the relationship together further. Proverbs 9:17-18; 23:27; 5:15-23; 6:23. How many in our nation are being fooled into seeking to find life in this way....immorality is so prevalent that few even question sex outside marriage as a possible wrong thing to do, and the church is often silent on the issue! Where are the adults with a righteous lifestyle who can model the truth? There are many faithful marriages, but how many of those were engaged in sex before they got married?
Life is found in repentance. Turning from our pride and self assurance to Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Repentance is marked by change. Our old choices will still raise their heads trying to get us to repeat first the patterns and then the sins of our past or the sins within the community where we live; repentance is a path where we stick to obedience in the relationship with Jesus. Jesus died on a cross so that we could be forgiven. We no longer need to operate according to the sins we once did, making up for the past or fearful of the future. We can live life with God each day, for Jesus is raised from the dead!! All we need to do is follow Jesus. Life is found here and nowhere else!!!
Jonathan
Friday, 26 June 2009
The Vicar writes...
Dear All,
We welcome Dave and Deb Chislett to the Christ Church Network as our curate. We are excited that God has called them to be with us for this time and we hope you will get to know them as we walk together in the purpose of God.
The morning sermon themes in June have been on the theme of discipleship, and, so I thought this month I would put pen to paper about this theme.
Jesus said Go and make disciples of all nations. So our chief job is making disciples. The question soon follows how does this happen? As we have been seeing, Jesus made disciples by asking them to come and follow him. Discipleship happens in a context of movement to a purpose. It does not happen purely in the context of knowing other Christians (though this is an essential element), it really happens when that group of Christians are following God and you are joining in with them. Belonging to a group of believers who are moving in a clear direction under God is the essential environment for us all. Being clear about the church direction and moving in that direction stops us being people who help others take their eye off the ball and sometimes even in the name of pastoral care cause them to lose direction and find confusion and discouragement as a result.
Secondly Jesus asked them to be disciples so they could be with him.. Jesus said that we had to learn to abide in him before he could abide in us.(Abide in me and in you John 15:4).In John 14:23, he describes this process. If we love and obey him (abiding in God) he then makes his home with us (abides in us). When the disciples agreed to follow Jesus they were not yet equipped, they were just obeying but as a result God formed in them so they became fishers of men. Abiding in God is the place where formation occurs. Paul expected Christ to be formed in the Galatians (4:19). This comes about by loving and obeying Him. We are formed in the image of God (Col 3:10, 2Cor 3:18 see Gen 1:27b). Abiding in God allows God to make that transformation work in us.
There is a mindset change needed......Discipleship is about drawing people after the purpose of God, not teaching people how to be good Christians; Discipleship is introducing people to the presence of God so that their responses bring about something on the inside of each person so that what was once in the unseen becomes tangible within the life and experience of the disciple. Let me use a simple illustration. Say God’s purpose for someone is to read the bible out loud publically. The wrong approach is to do training events where they learn the different ways to read the bible, the different types of scripture or the different services in which the bible is read . Instead the way it works is that God uses someone to invite you to read a lesson in church (something you have never done before). You obey the call, and read the lesson as a result you are able to read the bible in public. This is the way Jesus would do it. Training might well be valuable after people have started on the road. It involves adjusting our methods and growing in understanding. But this happens as we do it and interact with others.
The more we welcome people to feel they can take part with us the more discipleship happens. Bring people with you to your small group just because you will be there rather than whether they will enjoy it or not (though we reckon they will really find it good for them!); same also for that church congregation. How else are you going to make disciples? If you are involved in a project, let people help you; invite people to join with you in worship. This is true for your discipleship of your children as well as your friends. Don’t make the mistake some Christians make of apologizing – e..g. to a young person... its not for young people or to an old person... you may find it noisy, or even worse don’t come where i go because you will not understand it and will not get much out of it.. Cannot God speak to anyone who asks? Sometimes in the decision to obey God and move into(say) a church congregation, God speaks, sometimes in the most unlikely ways. We must just let God do His work. Deal with the questions if they should arise when they ask them not before. The focus is always on what God is doing! if you are aware your friend and others needs something we are not offering at the moment talk to me in case God is showing us something for further growth in the kingdom opportunity there.
The morning sermon themes in June have been on the theme of discipleship, and, so I thought this month I would put pen to paper about this theme.
Jesus said Go and make disciples of all nations. So our chief job is making disciples. The question soon follows how does this happen? As we have been seeing, Jesus made disciples by asking them to come and follow him. Discipleship happens in a context of movement to a purpose. It does not happen purely in the context of knowing other Christians (though this is an essential element), it really happens when that group of Christians are following God and you are joining in with them. Belonging to a group of believers who are moving in a clear direction under God is the essential environment for us all. Being clear about the church direction and moving in that direction stops us being people who help others take their eye off the ball and sometimes even in the name of pastoral care cause them to lose direction and find confusion and discouragement as a result.
Secondly Jesus asked them to be disciples so they could be with him.. Jesus said that we had to learn to abide in him before he could abide in us.(Abide in me and in you John 15:4).In John 14:23, he describes this process. If we love and obey him (abiding in God) he then makes his home with us (abides in us). When the disciples agreed to follow Jesus they were not yet equipped, they were just obeying but as a result God formed in them so they became fishers of men. Abiding in God is the place where formation occurs. Paul expected Christ to be formed in the Galatians (4:19). This comes about by loving and obeying Him. We are formed in the image of God (Col 3:10, 2Cor 3:18 see Gen 1:27b). Abiding in God allows God to make that transformation work in us.
There is a mindset change needed......Discipleship is about drawing people after the purpose of God, not teaching people how to be good Christians; Discipleship is introducing people to the presence of God so that their responses bring about something on the inside of each person so that what was once in the unseen becomes tangible within the life and experience of the disciple. Let me use a simple illustration. Say God’s purpose for someone is to read the bible out loud publically. The wrong approach is to do training events where they learn the different ways to read the bible, the different types of scripture or the different services in which the bible is read . Instead the way it works is that God uses someone to invite you to read a lesson in church (something you have never done before). You obey the call, and read the lesson as a result you are able to read the bible in public. This is the way Jesus would do it. Training might well be valuable after people have started on the road. It involves adjusting our methods and growing in understanding. But this happens as we do it and interact with others.
The more we welcome people to feel they can take part with us the more discipleship happens. Bring people with you to your small group just because you will be there rather than whether they will enjoy it or not (though we reckon they will really find it good for them!); same also for that church congregation. How else are you going to make disciples? If you are involved in a project, let people help you; invite people to join with you in worship. This is true for your discipleship of your children as well as your friends. Don’t make the mistake some Christians make of apologizing – e..g. to a young person... its not for young people or to an old person... you may find it noisy, or even worse don’t come where i go because you will not understand it and will not get much out of it.. Cannot God speak to anyone who asks? Sometimes in the decision to obey God and move into(say) a church congregation, God speaks, sometimes in the most unlikely ways. We must just let God do His work. Deal with the questions if they should arise when they ask them not before. The focus is always on what God is doing! if you are aware your friend and others needs something we are not offering at the moment talk to me in case God is showing us something for further growth in the kingdom opportunity there.
In closing,..just to say..if we do not read the bible and pray each day, go to church each week, or attend a small group neither will those we disciple. They will become just like us.
“Lord may we love and obey you more that those who follow us may also know you more”.
God bless,
Jonathan
Jonathan
PS In the Autumn we are inviting Andy Hall to start a discipleship course for anyone whether Christian or non Christian where we hope all will be drawn into the purpose of God and as a result start to manifest the kingdom of God. If you are interested in this they will be held on Saturdays once a month (starting Saturday Nov 7th) after the releasing the Kingdom 2 conference in Friday 9th & Saturday 10th October
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