"God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." (1 Corinthians 1:9). Such a simple statement, isn't it? God is faithful. He called us into fellowship with His Son, and He is faithful - He will keep His word. This is the unshakeable foundation of our faith.
I was reminded of this last night as I listened to the presentation of Shekinah Mission. They started as a work of faith, in response to a need, and the Lord has been faithful. They are now touching countless lives, and the Lord is transforming them and calling them to Himself. A small group of people, who had no funds or buildings or organisation behind them - people who had a dream and were ready to run with it - placed themselves in the hands of our Lord, and He used them to build what Shekinah Mission is today.
I am being reminded of this every time the Lord answers a prayer, or a need, or when He draws a new soul into the fellowship of His church. Yesterday's passage was all about grace (John 8: 1 -12). Jesus, the light of the world, showing His light in grace towards a woman who was just a pawn in the game the Pharisees were playing. Jesus, showing grace even to the pharisees who were there to trick him into breaking the law. Jesus, showing that He is not about power and coercion, but about love and forgiveness and freedom. About opening up a new door of hope. I live because of His grace. Ford Church is here because of His grace. God is faithful, and because He is, we have a hope and a future.
Monday, 23 March 2009
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
thinking about the future
I feel a bit like Mary, who used to keep in her heart extraordinary things happening in the early years of the life of Jesus - and wondering what kind of man He will grow up to be. Events continue to sweep over me, and I'm trying to make sense of what the Lord is doing in this church.
Last week I had lunch with Baroness Cox, with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and his wife, and a few other dignitaries. Both the baroness and the mayor gave me their cards and asked that I contact them, and I had interesting discussions with them. The mayor wants to come and visit our Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade - to show their support for the work we do with the children. Baroness Cox wants to put me in contact with a few people she knows, regarding ministry in Eastern Europe and to Eastern Europeans here in the UK. I have no idea why I ended up meeting with a member of the House of Lords and the mayor and his wife - I'm not interested in politics - but somehow the Lord arranged things so I got there.
People continue to just come and contact us, there Lord is drawing people in before we even get a chance to do anything about it. Last Sunday I was away preaching at a different church, but at Ford there were about 60 people. We got to the point where we need to start meeting again in the main hall, we don't fit any more in the middle hall we've been using over the winter. I've been praying that the Lord will give us at least 100 people regularly during the Sunday worship, before the end of the year. We seem to be getting there ahead of my schedule - a great problem to have! I look around and there is so much need for love, for grace, for a vision and for encouragement. We had the Baptist Association's meeting last Saturday, and I could sense the discouragement and feelings of helplessness in many of the people present. Churches have been shrinking, a few have closed down and there are a few more that face closure unless something is done about it. One church building burned down recently. And yet, all around us there are hundreds of thousands of people who need the Lord, and many of them are somewhat open to the Spirit - they just need the right community, and need people who would lead them to the Lord. I hope we get to be that kind of church. I feel like the farmer standing before a great harvest - one I did not sow or worked for. It's only His grace.
Last week I had lunch with Baroness Cox, with the Lord Mayor of Plymouth and his wife, and a few other dignitaries. Both the baroness and the mayor gave me their cards and asked that I contact them, and I had interesting discussions with them. The mayor wants to come and visit our Boys' Brigade and Girls' Brigade - to show their support for the work we do with the children. Baroness Cox wants to put me in contact with a few people she knows, regarding ministry in Eastern Europe and to Eastern Europeans here in the UK. I have no idea why I ended up meeting with a member of the House of Lords and the mayor and his wife - I'm not interested in politics - but somehow the Lord arranged things so I got there.
People continue to just come and contact us, there Lord is drawing people in before we even get a chance to do anything about it. Last Sunday I was away preaching at a different church, but at Ford there were about 60 people. We got to the point where we need to start meeting again in the main hall, we don't fit any more in the middle hall we've been using over the winter. I've been praying that the Lord will give us at least 100 people regularly during the Sunday worship, before the end of the year. We seem to be getting there ahead of my schedule - a great problem to have! I look around and there is so much need for love, for grace, for a vision and for encouragement. We had the Baptist Association's meeting last Saturday, and I could sense the discouragement and feelings of helplessness in many of the people present. Churches have been shrinking, a few have closed down and there are a few more that face closure unless something is done about it. One church building burned down recently. And yet, all around us there are hundreds of thousands of people who need the Lord, and many of them are somewhat open to the Spirit - they just need the right community, and need people who would lead them to the Lord. I hope we get to be that kind of church. I feel like the farmer standing before a great harvest - one I did not sow or worked for. It's only His grace.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Monday!
We had a smaller group yesterday in the morning service - but a bigger number than usual in the evening. Quite a few people were away, and we had only a few children.
But things are happening. One young man from the neighbourhood came for a visit in the morning, came back in the evening, and is already interested in joining the church. Last week I distributed a trial run of 50 leaflets on a street by the church - and he is the first result.
One man found our website and contacted me, first to ask about some local history, and then to tell me that he is moving in the area, wants to visit the church, and would like to eventually be married in our church.
Last night, just after the service, a young lady came to have a look around. She is moving in the area, is getting married, has never had a church home and is looking for one. Very soon we were talking about her desire to learn more about faith, to be baptised, to become part of our church. We will have to start baptism classes after Easter - she is the third person asking about baptism.
It feels like events are just taking over, pushed by an invisible hand. The only time I experienced something like this was when planting the church in Barlad. It is as if the Lord had people already open and looking for a church, and He was just waiting for the church to get a grip. Morice Baptist, our partner church, is experiencing the same thing - after years of decline, suddenly new people are coming in, all by themselves. This is what I was hoping for, but not really what I was expecting.
Of course it does not mean we can stop reaching out; it is our duty as a church to go into the community and reach people for the Lord any way we can. But what I think is happening is that the Lord already had people whose heart was open, but the church was not ready for them. We are not there yet, there is a long way to go, but the feel of the church is definitely changing. The Lord is at work - we just need to try and catch up. I need to catch up - I'm still in a bit of a daze and haven't quite got a grip on things.
Last night I had troubles with the sound system, and one of the songs (Beautiful Lord) was more or less murdered. The sound guy wasn't there and I could not find the wire to connect my laptop to the amp. We survived it, but I have to learn where everything is and how everything works - we can't have this happen in a Sunday morning service. The evening sermon was a bit undercooked; I haven't quite managed to catch up with my message schedule. I'm getting there. I'm a visiting preacher somewhere else this coming Sunday, and then a bunch of meetings around Easter are coming. And then we kick start our Living with Christ small group series. I've got to get all of that ready soonest. And to plan the baptism and membership class, and to make my preaching plan for after Easter. Things are getting really interesting and exciting! I've still got a few things dragging me down - particularly the whole financial thing - but then, I've got to put in practice what I was preaching last night: step out in faith! The Lord is faithful - it's just a question of me, and us as a church, being faithful.
But things are happening. One young man from the neighbourhood came for a visit in the morning, came back in the evening, and is already interested in joining the church. Last week I distributed a trial run of 50 leaflets on a street by the church - and he is the first result.
One man found our website and contacted me, first to ask about some local history, and then to tell me that he is moving in the area, wants to visit the church, and would like to eventually be married in our church.
Last night, just after the service, a young lady came to have a look around. She is moving in the area, is getting married, has never had a church home and is looking for one. Very soon we were talking about her desire to learn more about faith, to be baptised, to become part of our church. We will have to start baptism classes after Easter - she is the third person asking about baptism.
It feels like events are just taking over, pushed by an invisible hand. The only time I experienced something like this was when planting the church in Barlad. It is as if the Lord had people already open and looking for a church, and He was just waiting for the church to get a grip. Morice Baptist, our partner church, is experiencing the same thing - after years of decline, suddenly new people are coming in, all by themselves. This is what I was hoping for, but not really what I was expecting.
Of course it does not mean we can stop reaching out; it is our duty as a church to go into the community and reach people for the Lord any way we can. But what I think is happening is that the Lord already had people whose heart was open, but the church was not ready for them. We are not there yet, there is a long way to go, but the feel of the church is definitely changing. The Lord is at work - we just need to try and catch up. I need to catch up - I'm still in a bit of a daze and haven't quite got a grip on things.
Last night I had troubles with the sound system, and one of the songs (Beautiful Lord) was more or less murdered. The sound guy wasn't there and I could not find the wire to connect my laptop to the amp. We survived it, but I have to learn where everything is and how everything works - we can't have this happen in a Sunday morning service. The evening sermon was a bit undercooked; I haven't quite managed to catch up with my message schedule. I'm getting there. I'm a visiting preacher somewhere else this coming Sunday, and then a bunch of meetings around Easter are coming. And then we kick start our Living with Christ small group series. I've got to get all of that ready soonest. And to plan the baptism and membership class, and to make my preaching plan for after Easter. Things are getting really interesting and exciting! I've still got a few things dragging me down - particularly the whole financial thing - but then, I've got to put in practice what I was preaching last night: step out in faith! The Lord is faithful - it's just a question of me, and us as a church, being faithful.
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