First Thoughts

What do you say to intoduce yourself to a church you hope to lead with all the love, energy and vision you feel God has given you? I am not too sure. I decided to just lift their eyes to the vision of God for His church and the glorious role it plays in the ‘redemption story’ that is reality.

Here is a brief summary of the exhortation I gave to the church in Watford:

The dynamic church leader Bill Hybels has made this stunning statement, “The local church is the hope of the world…” I believe this wholeheartedly. Every moment of my life is driven by a consciousness of this glorious truth. Hybels did not just pluck this from the air, he did not just come up with it, this is the overarching truth of God’s redemption plan.

The whole story of the bible is a story of redemption, a story of a gloriously just and loving God orchestrating a marvelous plan to redeem lost, broken, self-destructive people back to Himself. The story is now in its final chapters and these are the best ones—these chapters are about THE CHURCH.

Just let these verses strike you:
Is. 2: 2-3; Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:33-36; jn. 17: 21-23; Eph. 3:10

All these verses are about this time, they are about you and me. They are about the startling story that God is now using you and me to redeem the world to Himself. He is using you and me to advance the Kingdom of God…

“[and] we who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”- II Cor. 3:18

This verse is all about transformation, it is all about God the Spirit transforming us into bright reflections of Christ that display His glory to the people surrounding us. Do you get that, how powerfully does that strike you? I am riveted to this verse. This verse grasps the ‘life’ of the church perfectly. It speaks of MISSION because it is written to a community of people so it means that WE, the church, should reflect the glory of Christ to a lost, broken, and dying world.

The community of God’s people is the agent of change for this world. This vision, the vision of this church transforming lives, changing communities and impacting nations is the overarching, driving hope that has united these men of God, your brilliant elders with me as God has worked in bringing us together ‘for such a time as this.’

We know what God has called us to. We see a future and it is captivating, exhilirating but will be extremely demanding.

We will not be an army of people with a family mindset that is stunted by self-love we will be a family with an army mentality, strategically advancing the Kingdom of God in Watford and watching the ripple effects influence the ends of the world.

Simon

Leaning In

Just finished writing in my journal how much I long to hear from God in this season. Funny, some people would read that comment and dismiss all I am for claiming that I believe you can hear from God, I am not going to engage in that conversation.

We, my wife, Malachi and I, are in one of those seasons where you are made acutely aware of how you need the guidance of God in making right decisions and following the most fruitful path that is divinely ordained. It is one of those seasons when, if you get it wrong, it could take a real long time to repair the damage and a lot of other people could get hurt.

When in college in Dallas, my philosophy professor (legend that he was and is) made us read the book of Proverbs quite intensely as part of a Philosophy of Language class. It was at that time that I read a verse in Proverbs chapter one that seems almost to expose the longing of God to speak intimately to us, but the tragedy is that often we do not ‘heed His rebuke’ (pay attention, stop to listen, receive the outcome of His disciplining) for long enough to be still and listen.

Right now I am trying to take Him at His promise and wanting to hear Him so much. I can imagine the fruit of a life that is lived responding to the intimate whispers of the Divine Conductor of all would be quite stunning to behold.

Simon

Leaving Church

We’re leaving our church. Had enough really, looking for something that is more ‘us.’
NO NO, I am joking big time! Strangely, there are scores of people I know, and tens of thousands that I don’t, who see church attendance with this consumerism mentality. It is a bit of a tragedy really and I am sure it does not reflect the heart of Christ when He sets out the importance of loving a local family of believers and giving all of oneself to become a ‘member’ of that family.

I am sure Christ really did not compensate for the, “Well I am not too sure I can do church without a smoke machine Nigel;” or the, “Cyril those drums are just too loud and I know that God would not have it that way in heaven” approach to church. Oh I know He knows it exists and always knew it would, but I do not think that reflects His fascination with the local church.

I am certainly of the opinion that it is essential to find a place where you fit and where you know you can participate. I just think it is important we set out biblical precedents as to the governing paradigm determining where we live out our Christian faith. The effects of consumerism are so widespread that I am certain very few people really come to grips with them. We must search our hearts and embody Christ’s powerful lesson that ‘to give is better than to receive.’

Ps. We are leaving our church but I can’t quite say why or where yet… watch this blogspace!

Simon

Peace Squared

Ancient philosophers like Plato and Socrates spoke of ‘the happy life’, a place of absolute serenity, tranquillity and harmony of soul. They said happiness was something or someone that was to be pursued because it was completely fulfilling and satisfying in and of itself—it needed nothing added to it. St. Augustine (the early and great Christian philosopher) made it plain where he knew happiness to lie—in a deeply intimate relationship with Christ. He stated in his Confessions, “Our hearts were made for you and we are restless until we find our place in you.”

I preached yesterday and said that two quintessential elements of ‘the happy life’ are peace and joy; they are inextricably linked you cannot have one without the other! The book of Philippians in the bible is a letter all about joy and then at the end, in the last chapter there is the promise of a divine peace ‘that transcends all understanding.’ Wow that is the peace we all long for.

What is unique about this peace? Well it is peace squared. The ultimate peace that is necessary is not peace between the warring military giants squaring up over Georgia but the peace between man and God. Man chooses rebellion to God and this uprising will be dealt with. Faith in the peace-making work of Christ on the cross is the only way to restore fellowship with God and I assure you this peace is all-important.

What makes this peace ‘peace squared?’ Well in the last chapter of Philippians Paul promises not only the peace of God but the God of peace!
Christians can not only know a peace that calms us in difficult times, peace that wars against the cancerous work of anxiety and all its fruits but we can know closeness with the God of peace.
I can live knowing there is no longer war between God and me. I can live strengthened and blessed that I can lift all my needs and cares to God in prayer. Finally, I can live in wonderful relationship with this God who gives peace.

Bring on ‘the happy life.’

Simon

What We’re Looking For (III) RELEVANCY

This is a very important component of the faith and churches that people of this generation are looking for. Sadly, some churches have gone to such extremes ensuring that they are ‘relevant’ they actually place that as the essential element of who they are thus losing sharpness in the process.
Relevancy to me is something that needs to be taught into people and combined with teaching OUT of people some things. People have come to honour the forms by which church used to do things in past generations to a point where those forms can never be changed and are therefore so outdated and shockingly irrelevant that it turns people away from the truth that the church offers. This must be taught OUT of people.
Forms must change with the times and forms must connect with and impact the people that we need to reach or we are not fulfilling the mandate we were given by Christ.

What must be taught into people to enable relevancy is that all of life can be lived and enjoyed when done so to the glory of God. Good music is good music and must be celebrated; good wine is a fantastic gift to mankind and must be enjoyed biblically; rest and play originate in the heart of God so we as Christians should be doing it the best way. (Those are just examples to try make a point.)

Here are some words written by the ever prophetic Francis Schaeffer that speak to this entry

Not being able, as times change, to change under the Holy Spirit is ugly. The same applies to church polity and practice. In a rapidly changing age like ours, an age of total upheaval like ours, to make nonabsolutes absolutes guarantees both isolation and the death of the institutional, organized church.

We have an increasingly secularised culture to reach and to save people from that culture we must look at the form/packaging of everything that we do! Let’s pursue relevancy but remember that we do not have to give up any of our core values in the process.

Simon