“He reached down and took hold of me…he drew me out of deep waters.” Psalm 18:16

God has a word for us.When Jesus began his public ministry he used Isaiah 61 as a declaration of intent. The Old Testament furnishes many texts about the meaning of Messiah which he might have used: Messiah as King, Judge, Hero, Rescuer…Instead Jesus used a text which perfectly expressed the urgency of his compassion: “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…to comfort all who mourn…. A garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”We meet in the anointing of Jesus. We are his body and we are directed into his ministry. And the calling that was upon him is upon us.And as we open our eyes to one another and to the community around us we see a whole world of pain: those with a feeling of inner emptiness or pain, the emotionally hurt or crushed, the broken hearted, those needing inner healing, emotional healing or the healing of memories. Also those struggling with the problem of anger, those needing to forgive others, those needing freedom from the negative affects that anger causes. Also those with mental problems, mental disorders, eating disorders and addictions such as: depression, anorexia, bulimia, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, bipolar disorder, nervous breakdown, obsessive thoughts. Also those troubled in mind, suffering from demonisation, the demonised or demon possessed and those who are afflicted or influenced in mind by evil spirits or evil thoughts. When you consider the scale of this pain, we dare not rely upon our own resources, or intellect…. There’s just too much! And so we seek the Holy Spirit and we turn to the Bible.The Bible says, “Guard your heart with all wisdom, for it is the wellspring of life” (Proverbs). The Word of God is full of deep and wonderful truth. Many Christian advise us to “guard our hearts” in friendships. It is indeed wise to guard both our emotions and our expectations. We must be wise, and not needlessly expose ourselves to hurt or disappointment.

Even those of us who have had wonderful families, perhaps Christian families, will know that no parent is perfect. We are always going to get let down or hurt at some point. Those of us who have come from more troubled backgrounds will probably have learnt that really you cannot live with your security based on people. Parents and other friends should be an encouragement to us; loving us and being a positive input into our lives. But when this is not the case, we can be devastated. How ever fortunate or not we are with the people we have around is, our security must be in God. He is the one who made us and who loves us like no one else could. Although it is very normal to look for encouragement and approval from those around us, we must not allow disappointment to devastate us if our hopes are not realised.

In this life, we need human companions as well as God for a companion (Genesis 2:18). If there is no one around you at the moment who is providing this friendship, at least in some way, then actively try to find it. Search for people, If necessary, move church or even where you live, researching where you might go. Life can become a constant test of survival, where you have no real choice apart from just to accept suffering and to stick it out.

God – The Rock, is secure

It can take time to know healing from our hurts and disappointments, and with this to trust God and truly place him as our security. Disappointment is a nasty enemy. We may hope for just simple, basic things in life. Maybe good friends, or a partner to share our live with. But our track record registers disappointment. However, we need not loose hope when we know God. We may not get all we want or hope for, and this is hard to accept when other people seem happy and are enjoying themselves.

With God, all good things are possible. If it is confidence you need, he can bring it, and if it is a miracle you need, he can answer your prayer. Don’t give up or loose hope, and do gain encouragement and help form where ever you can. If there is some sort of a spiritual curse over your life, which stifles you living in freedom and enjoying good things, then he can break it by his power (Colossians 2:13-15)

Grasping to hope

You may be in the depths of pain and disappointment. It may be of some hope to think that Jesus has always been through worse than us. Perhaps it is as if you are finding it hard to breath, such is the fear and depression that chokes you. Jesus must have experienced this and more as he suffered for us on the cross. We at least get to catch our breath, though we suffer.

When we feel very low or isolated, even very basic recognition from other Christians can lift us and bring us hope. It allows us a wonderful glimpse of God and of how life can be for us on earth. Sometimes we feel that we are hanging on for dear life. A friend once used an image to encourage himself. It was of seeing himself in deep waters, drowning. That’s how he felt at the time. He saw a helicopter – which represented Jesus, hovering over the water, and someone reached down to rescue him from the seas. This brings to mind Psalm 18:16:

“He reached down from on high and took hold of me, he drew me out of deep waters”.

Selfless Trust in God

Healing really can take time. However, we find moments of relief and hope, and quickly learn to take every bit of encouragement that we can get. There is so much hope and encouragement in the Word of God. Don’t ever loose hope when you know God, as he can restore and heal, and he will never leave you. If you do miss out in life, and do not get all that you hope for on earth, he will make things up to you in Heaven. Provision and healing will be made complete. God is perfect, and he will richly reward us if we are faithful, he will not deprive us of good things.

We are all on our way home to Heaven, and on the journey we can know the healing and power of Jesus in our lives. We can know comfort, peace and provision, as well as the privilege of serving others and sharing God with those who do not know him. Hold on, and hold fast to God’s hand. He will never let go. In a field of wounded soldiers, try to get up off your feet and help those who are in need around you. Follow the example of Jesus, and in so doing, know him more.

 

 

Thinking Allowed

Yes, but what do you think?

I remember meeting a colleague at one of those Vicar-conference- type things whilst some charismatic rumpus was doing the rounds (like a hawk in a dovecote), and he said to me without a trace of irony:  ”What do we believe about it?”

It’s so easy to toe party-lines… to put your brain into deep-freeze… or even simply to let your thinking follow the line of least resistance. It requires a conscious effort to “love God, with all your… mind”. But the truth is that thinking is allowed. It’s good for you.

OK. So having stated the thesis, let’s test it. Apparently, (Telegraph 16/2) senior Church of England bishops are concerned that last week’s Synod vote to allow the church rather than the Prime Minister to have the final say in choosing diocesan bishops may lead to disestablishment. Church Commissioner Peter Bruinvels said the Church was ‘weakening [its] constitutional place at the heart of decision making’, but Philip Giddings, chairman of the Church’s mission and public affairs council, claimed the Government was still ‘committed to establishment’.

In contrast, a UN report claiming that more than 60% of British people have no religious affiliation has called for the Church of England to be separated from the state as its current privileged position does not reflect ‘the religious demography of the country’.

Bit like the BBC hanging on to the privilege of licence fees?

Next week,  (according to Guardian 21/2) a delegation of Islamic academics and theologians are meeting at the Vatican to discuss the open letter A Common Word Between Us and You sent to the Pope in October 2007 which highlighted the similarities between the two faiths. That should solve everything shouldn’t it?

By contrast, it was great to hear  (Church Times 22/2) that churches in Bridgend County Borough are responding to the numbers of apparent suicides among 17- to 25-year-olds in the area. The ecumenical ‘street pastor’ initiative works in Bridgend town, where according to the Area Dean of Bridgend, Revd Michael Komor, they are ‘well placed to engage with the young people’. Churches in the deanery will open for a day in the next few weeks, offering a safe space to ‘ask the questions’ and the multi-agency suicide prevention group for the area will include a church representative. However Mr Komor questioned recent press coverage, saying it gave the impression that ‘you’d only got to live in the area’ to feel suicidal.  

So where does it start, this thinking business? Apparently, an incredible improvement in behavior and academic progress followes the introduction of a ‘Philosophy for Children’ course in 2004 (BBC Online). A Year 4 teacher from the school in Warsall, Beckton said that the course helped children in her class ‘listen and respond appropriately’, express ‘original thoughts’ and ‘demonstrate judgments based on reason’. The school has now produced a DVD Thinking Allowed to illustrate the success of the course.

If only thinking was allowed for people over the age of 9.

Yes, but what do we believe about it?

ANTICIPATING GOD’S FUTURE

A message by Robert L. Cobb“What we anticipate seldom occurs; what we least expect generally happens.”  So said 19th century politician Benjamin Disraeli.  At every new year the experts try to determine what will happen in the forthcoming months: politically, economically, and socially.  The tabloids take it a step further.  They consult astrologers and psychics who predict the future for the new year.  Christians know that the future is not seen in the stars, or in the subconscious minds of so-called psychics.  Even the brightest and best minds can not predict what 2008 holds for us.  Humanly speaking, we would do well to remember Disraeli’s quote. But spiritually speaking, we should be wise to our immediate future.  In Matthew Chapter Sixteen, Jesus chides the Pharisees and Sadducees for not discerning the times in which they lived.  They were better at weather prediction than Bible study.  Likewise, many Christians today live in ignorance of God’s mighty workings because of Bible neglect.  What are some things we can anticipate God doing in 2008?  Are there any clear-cut answers in the Scripture?  Where will we be this time next year?

 I.   Anticipating God’s Grace  -He Will Save!

We know that God works through human witness to win the lost.  Some may say they believe in God’s saving power, but their actions speak differently, but the following verses are still in the Bible: 1Timothy 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.We have not passed unknowingly into a new dispensation in which God has ceased saving by grace through faith.  He is still convicting!  He is still drawing! He is still saving!  I remind you of the story of David and Mephibosheth in which David said, “Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God unto him?”  In the parable of the great supper, the servant reported back to his lord, “Lord, it is done as you have commanded, and yet there is room.”    God would have us anticipate His grace in 2008.  There is yet room in the House of God!  There is yet room in the Family of God!  There is yet room at the feet of Jesus! 

 II.  Anticipating God’s Goodness  -He Will Bless! 

In John 11, Lazarus was seriously sick.  Mary and Martha, in verse three, send for Jesus.  They knew the nature of Christ.  They knew that He loved Lazarus and wanted the best for him.  We focus on Martha’s unbelief as Christ confronts her after Lazarus’ death.  But what of her great statement: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died.”  She anticipated the goodness of God.  She anticipated a blessing.  Certainly, the passage teaches us that God is in control even when we may not understand His purposes.  But we should anticipate the spiritual blessings that God promised us in this Age of Grace. Ephesians 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ

:III. Anticipating God’s Guidance  -He Will Lead! 

So many people today don’t know what to do or where to turn.  Christians, too, seem to have trouble finding their way.  This should not be true.  The believer has One who leads him.  “He makes me to lie down in green pastures: he leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul: he leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”  Psalm 48:14  For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.John 16:13 says, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.”  He led Moses to the back side of the desert and then to confront the Pharoah.  He led Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, David, & Daniel.  He will lead us as well.  

IV.  Anticipating God’s Genius   -He Will Speak! 

Young Samuel heard the voice of God in the house of Eli the priest, but was not anticipating it.  He misread the voice and thought it came from Eli.  Eli made him aware that God was speaking to him and afterward he said, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”  God will speak to us in 2008.  Hen speaks through the preaching of His Word, if we have ears to hear.  He speaks through personal Bible study, if we enter into it seeking His voice. 1 Corinthians 2:16  For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ. James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that gives to all men liberally, and upbraids not; and it shall be given him. 

V.   Anticipating God’s Governing   -He Will Rule! 

Is God at work in the affairs of humanity today?  Doubters and scoffers say “no.”  They ask, “How could God be active in the world today with such pain, suffering, and sorrow?”  Those questions are answered when we consider the sin question and man’s continual disobedience to God.  But there is no doubt to the child of God that He is providentially working today.  Psalm 59:13 says “… that they may not be: and let them know that God rules in Jacob unto the ends of the earth.”   And Psalm 66:7 says “He rules by his power for ever; his eyes behold the nations..”  God rules over nations and people. Psalm 89:9 says “You rule the raging of the sea: when the waves rise, you still them.”  So we see that God rules over the weather and natural things.   Psalm 103:19 tells us  “The LORD has prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom rules over all.”  There is no aspect of the earth that God does not totally control. Ephesians 1:8-10  He has abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he has purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:God rules in our lives as well.  He has a master plan that He is working out in our lives.  He is conforming us into His image.  He is making us like Him.  Submit to his moulding.  May 2008 be a year that God works tremendously in your life!  

VI.  Anticipating God’s Glory   -He Will Come!

 I do not say with any authority at all that Christ will definitely return in 2008.  But I  do say that He will come  –at some point in time –of His own choosing.  Charles Spurgeon, when asked if he thought Christ might return soon, said, “I think not!”  After repeating this answer numerous times, someone finally got up enough nerve to ask him, “Doesn’t the Bible command that we anticipate Christ’s coming?  Why then do you say, ‘I think not!’?”  Spurgeon answered, “Because the Bible says, ‘in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh’. Believers have looked for Christ’s return for over 2000 years.  It seems silly in the eyes of the skeptics for us to anticipate Christ’s coming even still.  John 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 2 Peter 3:3-4  Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.John closes the book of Revelation with these words,  “He who testifies to these things says, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”  Like generations before us, we anticipate the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!  It could be in 2008!  So?   We don’t need to read behind the experts in the fields of economics, culture, or politics to know what 2008 holds.  We don’t need to consult the psychics and astrologers either.  The child of God needs only to consult his Bible and be available to the call of God on His life.  May we be that kind of servant in 2008!

A sad joke about Christianity

by Brad Beaman.

Two men were on a cruise ship together and began to talk. Finally one of them asked,

“Do you believe in God?” He said, “Yes.”

I asked, “Are you a Christian or a Jew?” He said, “A Christian.” I said, “Me, too!

Protestant or Catholic?” He said, “Protestant.” I said, “Me, too!

What denomination?” He said, “Baptist.” I said, “Me, too!

Northern Baptist or Southern Baptist?” He said, “Northern Baptist.” I said, “Me, too!

Northern Conservative Baptist or Northern Moderate Baptist?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist.” I said, “Me, too!

Are you of the Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region, or Northern Conservative Baptist Eastern Region?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region.” I said, “Me, too!”

Are you of the Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1879, or Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912?”

He said, “Northern Conservative Baptist Great Lakes Region Council of 1912.”

I said, “Die, you heretic!”

Stepping up to be counted: A weekly take on the news

Each few weeks the pastor chats over a few news items from the UK daily papers.

This week’s take on the news is all about choosing. The Bible says “Choose today whom you will serve” (Joshua 24) and that’s about the shape of it every day of our lives, isn’t it? We choose. We make our choices –like our beds- and then live according to their consequences.

Here’s an interesting list of people who have chosen to step up and be counted.Interesting to read –for example- about Tony Blair’s imminent choice of the Roman Catholic Church. For some reason it reminded me of the Emperor Constantine only being baptised in the face of his –ahem- imminent departure from office. Catherine Pepinster, the editor of The Tablet predicts that says the service will take place during a private mass held by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor in the Cardinal’s official residence “some time this month”. Although Mr Blair’s wife and children are Roman Catholic, it is thought that he delayed converting from Anglicanism because of sensitivities in some quarters over having a Catholic Prime Minister. Some ridiculous prejudice that survived the 1829 Emancipation Act. Comment? I think any kind of Christian faith stance among political leaders (that is not designed to garner votes) is laudable and important. www.guardian.co.uk/guardianpolitics/story/0,,2208128,00.html

The choice of  Pope Benedict to receive King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia gives ‘hopes for warmer Christian–Muslim relations.’ That editorial line is probably a bit hyper –newscopy-speak. But the fact remains that any dialogue is good. How can it be otherwise? And it gives the Pople the opportunity to speak for the million-plus Christians who work in Saudi. Remember that non-Christian worship is technically against the law there. Discussions also focused on the need for inter-religious collaboration in the cause of peace and on finding a ‘just solution’ in Israel-Palestine. www.thetablet.co.uk/issues/1000073  The choice the Pople made was either to attempt to  talk things over or stew in the juices of perceived outrage . Good call.

And some fascinating choices from the public. I wonder who was ultimately responsible for the selection of angels for the Christmas stamps out this week? It was a safe choice, no doubt, but a bit Christian for these supposedly post-Christendom days?

And how on earth (or heaven) did Joel Edwards get appointed to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. (EHRC). Joel is the general director of Evangelical Alliance, of course,  but the new appointment gives him a voice in an entirely new arena. Revd Richard Kirker of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said he was ‘stunned’ because he questioned how Mr Edwards would be able to uphold gay equality ‘with a clear conscience’. And Terry Sanderson of the National Secular Society called for an ‘urgent rethink’. The new commission merges three UK equality watchdogs, the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Disability Rights Commission. The EA leader said, ‘one of my primary responsibilities will be to ensure that the values of faith communities – our concerns for important issues such as respect and tolerance – play an important role in this commission.’ www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2827402.ece. Fascinating! Watch this space.  Would you accept such a nomination?  Salt and light? Ring any bells?

The same element of choosing by courageous Christian believers resulted in the grant of the ‘Pursuer of Peace Award’ from the Woolf Institute of Abrahamic Faiths, Cambridge to Canon Andrew White, Anglican Vicar of St George’s Church in Baghdad and International Director of the Iraqi Institute of Peace. According to the report, he played a key role in negotiating a ‘fatwa against violence’, the first step on the pathway to reconciliation in Iraq between the rival Sunni and Shia factions. Canon White said that the fatwa would equate to statutory authority for all Shia and Sunni Muslims in Iraq and was to be signed by two of their respective, most senior leaders. The Woolf Institute announced that Canon White would receive the award for his ‘tireless work in bringing hope to broken people in a torn region.’ www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article2830563.ece

And check out the four English bishops who have voiced support for Rt Revd Robert Duncan, Bishop of Pittsburgh, after the US Presiding Bishop threatened legal action against his diocese. Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori sent the warning last week after Bishop Duncan’s diocese voted to change its constitution, allowing it to align itself with an Anglican province it considers in line with official Anglican teaching. Bishop of Rochester, Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, said the group ‘stands with’ Bishop Duncan and all ‘who respond positively’ to the Communion’s position on the current homosexuality debate. Dr Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester, said the four bishops were not endorsing decisions taken at the Pittsburgh diocese but ‘a pastoral, healing approach’ rather than litigation was needed to ‘find a way forward’. The Church of England Newspaper reports that over 40 members of the English General Synod have also backed Bishop Duncan. www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=47153

Interesting, finally, to hear that the BBC is showing a one-off comedy sitcom this Sunday featuring  David Tennant  (Dr Who), as a geeky Christian driving instructor (BBC1, 9 pm). The Baptist Times describes Learners as a ‘note-perfect comedy drama’. Characters include Tennant as nice but nerdy Chris, learner driver Bev, who fancies him and Chris’s brash female boss who is a Buddhist.  Baptist Times (9/11).  Has the “Christian” become  a sufficiently mainstream  stereotype for him to be pilloried thus? Do you hope so? Or do you hope not?!

Vision Day Restrospective

Thanx to all the particpants in today’s conference. Here’s the powerpoint for a-day-of-vision.ppt. An interesting supplementary question differentiated attractional/ missional meetings. Here’s an explanatory post from Matt Stone over at Journeys in Between :

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about missional ecclesiology over the last few months and one of the things which has emerged for me is a deep questioning about how much energy churches should expend in inviting non-Christians to services, to the point I wonder whether alternate worship services should be restricted to initiates.

How is NOT inviting people missional you ask?

Bear with me for a moment.

At the heart of this is a re-examination of where the church service fits within church life, which I have tried to illustrate here.

In attractional churches, the church services are the primary context for evangelism and the primary gateway through which people are connected into cell groups and other aspects of the community life. The services dominate and mediate the life of the community. There is consequently great pressure on services to be as accessible to non-Christians as possible if they are to grow. Is it any wonder they have become entertainment driven … audience driven? And cell groups have little incentive to engage with the world beyond, their only “misisonal” job is to invite their friends to hear the professional evangelist at the service. Is this really the way things are supposed to work?

In missional churches a different dynamic comes into play. Because the church is engaged as a community in the wider community of the culture, other times become the primary context for social action and welcoming non-Christians into experiences of Christian community. Less expectations need be loaded onto a single hour each Sunday. Resources may be freed up. There is space for the rites of the church to resume their original status, as the inner mysteries of the church.

Think about these dynamics. One significant consequence is that communication patterns are forced to change. Sunday service bulletins are not a good way of informing a missional church community about what is going on in the life of it, when only the hard core attend it. I am sure you can think of more consequences. Everything needs to be rethought in a missional church….

Now what stimulates this thinking? The question of whether a missional cell group can be grafted onto an attractional service. Some say blended approaches can work. Others aren’t so confident. I still don’t know that for sure. But I am sure seeing clear problems.

APEPT Leadership

I haven’t been much of a fan of the currently popular Pastor-at-the-top model of church leadership for a long time. In my experience it creates a self fulfilling cycle of sorts, where church members expect pastors to be spiritual Jack-of-all-trades, responsible for the “ministry” of the church while the “laity” (a word I loath) do their bit by rocking up to church on a Sunday. This can create situations where gifted members of the church are unable to be involved in the ministry of the local church, particularly if their gifting is in areas that clash with those traditionally belonging to the pastor. It also creates, either intentionally or otherwise, a perception of two classes of Christians – those who are “called” to ministry and those who are not.

Frost and Hirsch deal with this in part 4 of The Shaping of Things to Come and present what they have called the APEPT model of leadership. APEPT is an acronym based on the 5 leadership giftings of Ephesians 4:1-16; the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher.

Basically the APEPT model or mode of leadership recognises the 5 APEPT leadership giftings as crucial to growing and sustaining healthy missional ministries. The authors also see a broader application of these gifts across the general population of the church. While in a specific sense these gifts exist individually for leadership they are also broadly represented across the body.

“…here comes the revolutionary paradigm. What we have called the ministry matrix [the broad application of the APEPT gifts] suggests that the fivefold ministry belongs to, and describes in some way, the whole church”.

Frost and Hirsch describe the APEPT gifts in the following way (they make the point that these 5 gifts should not be seen as offices – they are functions based on obvious gifting and not roles or career positions):

• Apostolic function: usually conducted translocally, pioneers new missional works and oversees their development.

• Prophetic function: discerns the spiritual realities in a given situation and communicates them in a timely and appropriate way to further the mission of God’s people.

• Evangelistic function: communicates the gospel in such a way that people respond in faith and discipleship.

• Pastoral function: shepherds the people of God by leading, nurturing, protecting and caring for them.

• Teaching function: communicates the revealed wisdom of God so that the people of God learn how to obey all that Christ has commanded them.

While I did not see it explicitly spelled out in the book, I get the impression that Frost and Hirsch are recommending the APEPT leadership ministry belong to the Elders in the local church context and that Elders be recognised based on their APEPT gifting rather than elected in a democratic sense. This would signify a return to what I have always seen as the more biblical way of leading the local church – where the pastor is one of the Elders, not over and above the Elders. It would also signify a sharing of ministry responsibilities rather than simply expecting the Pastor to take on every role, from counsellor to accountant, regardless of gifting or personal strengths and abilities.

Frost and Hirsch promote the APEPT model as the only way for the local church to achieve spiritual maturity and effective mission. I see this as being an important point as Paul does seem to be linking the exercising of APEPT leadership and broader church giftings to Christian maturity in the Ephesians 4 passage.

Hirsch and Frost conclude,

if this is true, it is impossible to estimate what terrible damage the church has done through the loss, even active suppression, of this crucial dimension of New Testament ministry and leadership … Perhaps the fact that APEPT has not been intentionally nurtured and practiced might have something to do with the immaturity we find in the Western church … Verse 14 [of Ephesians 4] could well be a description of church history in the West – we have been tossed about, immature, infantile.

To me this chapter really just stated what should be the blindingly obvious, that leadership should be shared and based on obvious spiritual gifting. Yet because of traditions and in-built mechanisms within the human psyche that seek to abrogate our individual spiritual responsibilities, this ideal has been overlooked for centuries.

In the end I really appreciate what Frost and Hirsch have achieved in this book and particularly in this chapter. If the established church is to change in order to become more effective in its mission the first area that is going to have to experience this change is leadership. A move into the missional will not be possible while church ministry is driven from the top and while class distinctions exist within the body.

The ultimate spoiler/ Being abundant/ News from the front

(Apropos of nothing. Just thought it was funny)

On a similarly smiley vein: here’s a clip from Joel Osteen:

God desires that you be so blessed that you can turn around and be a blessing everywhere you go! He wants you to have so much peace, so much joy, so much victory that when other people get around you it spills over onto them! In the book of Psalms, David said, “My cup runs over.” He was overflowing with the anointing—the tangible, effective power of God. Too many people today have a barely-get-by-mentality. They settle for thoughts like, “I can barely pay my bills…I have an okay job… I have an okay marriage.” But Jesus came so we can live an abundant life! That means an abundance of joy, an abundance of peace, an abundance of health, an abundance of finances. You may not see it right now, and maybe you haven’t experienced it in the past, but don’t get complacent and just settle for where you are. Get a vision for your future! Get a vision for increase! Get a vision for Abundance! Psalm 35:27 says, “Let them say continually, ‘Let the Lord be magnified who has pleasure in the prosperity of His children.’” God delights to see you prosperous and successful. When you choose to think God’s thoughts and choose God’s way, you’ll see that increase and victory in every area of your life. Now is the time to move forward and live the abundant life God has planned for you! 

At last week’s Church Meeting we made some important decisions which I want to bring now before the wider church family. First, we are delighted to welcome HERMAN into the diaconate. Herman was nominated and received a unanimous vote last night. God bless him in his new area of responsibility

  The first VISION DAY, mentioned a couple of weeks ago, will occur on November 3^rd. You are invited to the TEARCRAFT COFFEE MORNING on that day and then to stay for soup and sandwiches, and afterwards for a time of worship and envisioning. Before that date, make sure that you fill in one of the “WHAT SHALL I DO?” forms and hand it into Ken or Val. We desire to seek the Lord for a spiritual strategy for the next year or so. 

A Day of Vision

“We really do need each other” An Invitation to a Day of Vision

 At the Church Members’ Meeting on the 24th we are going to arrange a Day of Vision for the church. That means that we are going to take a day out to worship, listen and envision. Apart from a time of close fellowship, on that day we will be discovering your ideas, dreams and vision for our church and your areas of gifting. Stretch your imagination! What is God saying to you? What areas of service is he leading you into? What is the purpose –in your mind- of our spiritual community? 

We know, of course, that many of us have gifts and callings outside the local church community. It will be great if we can bring those to the forum, too, so that we can learn to support one another in the wider calling of God on our lives.

 Val and I also want to take some time to open our heart to you about our role in facilitating your visions and sharing our own. We will also review the mission statement of the church, critique the things that happen in our building and ask how each one serves the over-all purpose of the church.  Finally, as a result of our day together, I believe that the Lord will open his heart and plans for us and we will be able to form a strategy for the next year of our journey together. As you can see, it will be an important day. I hope that we can find a time that suits as many as possible. 

Ken and Val

DESIRING GOD: Resources

Desiring God has made available the audio/video/text from their National Conference entitled “Stand: A Call for the Endurance of the Saints,” held September 28-29 in Minneapolis. If you haven’t found and benefited from these sessions yet, here they are:

1. Certainties That Drive Enduring Ministry, Part 1(John MacArthur)

2. A Conversation with John Piper and John MacArthur
(John Piper and John MacArthur, moderated by Justin Taylor)

3. Four Essentials to Finishing Well
(Jerry Bridges)

4. Getting Old for the Glory of God
(John Piper)

5. Certainties that Drive Enduring Ministry, Part 2
(John MacArthur)

6. Today’s Decisions Determine Who You’ll Be Tomorrow
(Randy Alcorn)

7. Speaker Panel Q&A
(Jerry Bridges, Helen Roseveare, Randy Alcorn, and John Piper, moderated by Justin Taylor)

8. A Call for the Perseverance of the Saints
(Helen Roseveare)