Finally for 2012

And Finally in 2012

So we come to another year end. There was no predicted world’s end and there was no rapture. So what was there is 2012?

Well here in the UK we had a splendid year from the medias’ point of view. “We” won the Tour de France cycle race. “We” won lots in the Olympic Games. Talking of the Olympics, they were very successfully held in London, where millions of tourists came to visit our little island and stayed to look elsewhere as well. “We” won lots at cricket – a weird and wonderful game, usually closely related to the rain dance here in the UK because of the fact that rain stops it dead in its tracks – and we have lots of rain here.

Yes “we”, the Brits, won lots in a wonderful year of sport. In politics there was a lot too. Mostly hot air and back stabbing – but hey, that’s worldly politics for you. The church selected a new Archbishop of Canterbury, Head of the world-wide Anglican Communion. A good man, we are told, so we shall see soon enough. Official counts say that church attendance is declining in many places but here is an interesting fact of political manipulation for you. Here in the UK, church attendance is based on figures given only by the old established churches – those in existence before the rebirth of the Pentecostal and charismatic movements around the early 1900’s. Isn’t that amazing. Here we have a huge Pentecostal movement in the UK but, as far as government statistics go, it doesn’t even exist because it isn’t counted in their statistics. In fact, church attendance is growing exponentially over here.

So, I can really only comment upon the growth we see here in Sleaford, in the middle of Lincolnshire, in the East Midlands region of England, in the UK. We are a ‘small’ church of around 200 or so happy and committed souls. We started the year with an average weekly attendance of some 180 and ended somewhere over 210. Praise God \o/. We raised over £23,000 through our charity shop arm, Second Chance, and we selected a new manager for that arm – me! (What have you started Lord? J) As a church, we also raised a further £20,000 for our Missions work – thats a cool £43,000 in total! Again, Glory to God \o/. We operate one of the country’s best Community Larder Scheme’s and we have a weekly meal outreach to the vulnerable and less fortunate. We have some dozen or more House Groups where upwards of 120 folk can come for fellowship, teaching, prayer and a good chat. We do all sorts of other things in the community especially among the elderly. We are a Kingdom focussed church and we look out rather than looking in. We also run a great teaching series for the whole church, three times a year.

I say all of this not to boast but rather to bring Glory to our God and King, Jesus Christ – without whom we would be nowhere at all. Without Jesus, our church would be whistling in the wind. Without Holy Spirit, all our efforts would be in vain and our missions would be for nought. Without God we are nothing. As Paul said, “ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.” 1 Corinthians 15:19-20 Our faith, our church, our work for God’s Kingdom has not all been in vain but to His great glory.

Hallelujah \o/ That’s 2012 – now for 2013 !! Hold on to your hat, it’s gonna be a great ride !!!

Mind the Helm

Mind the Helm

Haggai 1:5-6  “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

I have taken this text a little bit out of context but the Lord has impressed me with this Rhema Word for the churches today. At this time, He has specifically speaking, I believe, to the church in the UK.

“Give careful thought to your ways.” I wondered why the Lord would say this but the text has it all down in black and white.

“You have planted much, but harvested little. “ Programs, programs and more programs. This is one of Satan’s better weapons. If he can distract us into programs then he will distract us from the real work God is calling us to be doing for His Kingdom. Let me ask two questions of every program.

Firstly, what is the purpose of each program? If the program is little more than an exercise in salving our own consciences that we really are fulfilling the Great Commission, then it is of little value to God. If we have had to work twice as hard on money raising for the program than on the program itself, then, again, it cannot be too much of God for He provides for everything He asks us to do. Why do you think the programs started by the little churches, the poor churches, are usually outrageously successful when your well planned, well executed, and expensive programs actually and sadly achieve little or nothing.

Secondly, is it God’s program or man’s? I think maybe your answers to the first question will answer the second one quite well.

“You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. “ Where is the sacrificial giving, the sacrificial effort, the sacrificial time in your programs? If the answer is usually that there is no real sacrifice involved, then maybe – just maybe – we should question whether it is indeed a God-inspired program. You see, once again, the Lord will always provide for His programs and just sometimes this is one or two people putting a great deal of time into His program because He calls them to it and they gladly respond. You try, very hard, and sometimes too hard but you never seem to get the breakthrough you are praying so hard for. Ever wondered why? I think it is most likely that you are following man’s plans and schemes rather than God’s.

“You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” Many churches today are pouring money into programs that yield virtually nothing. It’s like catching rainwater in a colander. As much as is poured in, no matter how quickly, simply pours out again to little or no effect and certainly to no visible advantage to the project or program being financed.

So we return to the first statement, “Give careful thought to your ways.” I believe the Lord is saying to His church to consider carefully which programs you choose to support this coming year and to select only those with His obvious fingerprints on them. God is in the habit of closing and opening doors of opportunity not just for individuals but also for churches, denominations, and countries.

So I believe the Lord is saying to the church today – certainly in the UK and probably to the church in America too, “Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.  You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.”

Time to mind the helm of all your plans. Time to re-examine them to see whose they really are – yours or God’s. 2013 is the year to do things God’s way for God’s Kingdom.

This Coming Year

For the Coming Year

Zechariah 1:1-6 “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:

 “The Lord was very angry with your ancestors.  Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.  Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord.  Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever?  But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors?“Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’”

So how many times have we heard and or read words similar to this? “Return to Me . . .”. “If My people, who are called by My name . . . .”. “Turn again from your wickedness, and I . . . . .”. How many times do we need to hear it?

Well, quite a lot apparently. Similar words are heard throughout the Bible and throughout history. Gods people turn to God, then gradually slip away again. Then they turn to God again, and gradually slip away again. It’s a recurring theme of scripture. It must be important to God or He would not have put it in more than once.

It demonstrates two things very clearly. First is man’s fickleness in wandering away from God so many times. Second, we see God’s faithfulness to His Word to forgive us and bless us as we return to and stay in His will. This passage is a stark reminder of that and of the consequences of failing to turn back to Him as He treats us the way our activities deserve.

So, as we come to the beginning of another year, I feel the Lord calling His Church back to Him once again. I feel He is calling us all to repentance for sins of both commission and omission.

It is about what we have failed to do just as much as what we have done that is not in the Father’s will. It is as much about our misguided obedience as it is about our rebellion and disobedience. For I feel a certainty in my spirit that says that if we, who are called by His name will turn once more to Him, then He will honour His own word and promises and He will heal our land and bless us once again. It’s not as though He has not blessed us or has stopped blessing us, so much as the blessings we have missed by treading our own path rather than His path.

Way of the World

The Way of the World

A few random thoughts as the year closes.

Reading the newspaper today two things stood out. Not stories themselves as they were all the usual doom and gloom, sensationalist rubbish. No, what stood out was the way in which anything ‘Christian’ is now being ruthlessly persecuted, and the way in which political correctness has perverted public opinion and thinking. However, for whatever reason, the readers letters and comments contained two very telling remarks.

One reader made the observation that “multi-faith outlook” in the United Kingdom usually means “no Christians.”

“Political correctness is the most offensive and socially destructive concept ever devised,” wrote another reader. (Both remarks also reported on Fox News.)

Hmmm powerful comments that give me great hope for our future in that not only are there others who think like me but there are also those still unafraid to help us air our views. Truth be known, I think the vast majority will simply go with whatever flow happens to be in vogue today. There is a huge feeling of apathy right now, full across the Western world. It is a blight that is giving so much of our hard earned freedoms away and one day, people will wake up to the fact that they are no longer free. Unless, of course, we wake up earlier and put a stop to it through the ballot boxes.

Enough politics. A thought for 2013 “If the Holy Spirit withdrew from your Church, would He be missed ?and if yes, how long would it take to notice?” (Bishop David Carr). I know that in our church it might take half an hour but then, we are a Spirit filled and led church and this would be very unusual. At the other end of the spectrum, there are churches that would never notice as they have never experienced His presence anyway. Isn’t that sad?

So I see 2013 as a time for the church to BE the church and not whatever it has become. OF the world but not IN the world. A church that, like Paul, does not seek to preach with fine words but with a demonstration of the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Like St Francis, we need to preach the gospel but only when necessary using words.

It’s a challenge for the whole church. Are you up to it? Is your church up to it? Meet the Lord half way and He will meet you with such power and blessing that you will for ever wonder why you didn’t do it before.

The Giving Season

Giving

The subject of giving has always been a ‘hot’ topic as far as the church is concerned. There are countless arguments about basic giving, such as tithing, is it scriptural or even relevant today? For many Christians, tithing is everything. To others it is nothing – not even worth considering as they begrudgingly put their pound coin into the offering every week. Those who tithe swear by it whilst those who don’t often swear about it. And that is before the subject of ‘offerings’ is even raised.

There are churches where giving is a weekly haranguing affair from the pulpit. There is even training available to pastors and ministers on how to get the most out of their congregations. Many churches have bitten off far more than they can handle and crashed owing the banks millions. Others seem to attract money like a financial magnet.

All in the name of giving.

Where does all this money go? Not all, apparently goes where the givers assume or even think it is going. Why not? After all, the need is there, isn’t it? At this time of year, when we all claim it is the season of good will to all men, why is there still so much need on our own doorstep. I am not talking about the missions that do wonderful jobs in foreign fields. I am talking about right outside our own front doors. My local council claims there is ‘zero’ homelessness in our town. I suspect they haven’t been out to look lately. We know of a few who are sleeping rough – 24/7 supermarkets car parks are favourites because they offer facilities not readily available if you are sleeping rough.

So where are the churches efforts for the homeless, the lonely, the poor and disadvantaged? Apparently, one of our local churches offered Christmas lunches at £12.00/$18.00 per head this year. Very commendable I’m sure, but for those who cannot afford very much, such a cost is a luxury very few of them can afford. Many old fashioned ‘Soup Kitchens’ still exist in many larger towns and cities, but out here in the sticks, in the smaller towns and villages where there are still quite a few homeless or disadvantaged folk, such a thing is nothing more than a dream. Yet it wouldn’t cost that much because most supermarkets would be happy to donate food towards it.

Giving doesn’t have to be all about money. Many folk give of their time and of themselves to help those less fortunate. This is an option often overlooked in the rush to get hold of our money. I have spoken to many who have gladly given of their Christmas time to help and feed those in need here in our own towns. They say the joy and peace it brings them is immense – not to mention the pleasure it brings to those they seek to serve.

It’s never too late to do something. So - Just do it – and don’t wait for next Christmas either.