Yesterday we took over 20 people through the Freedom in Christ Steps day.
Every time it amazes me.
It is just so straight forward.
It is between you and God.
Nothing is hyped up.
And yet people react in such different ways, as things come to the surface.
Again our team serving commented "I wish something like this was available when I became a Christian"
Well it is now, so we use it, and over half the guests were from our pre christmas Alpha Course.
Showing posts with label Freedom in Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freedom in Christ. Show all posts
Monday, 14 February 2011
Wednesday, 28 April 2010
Freedom in Christ
And so another course begins.
And possibly an organisational headache!
The sign ups this Sunday alone pushed us from 2 groups to 4 groups, with close to 40 coming.
I thank God that so many people are seeking to take the opportunity to consider once more what it means to live in the freedom Christ has won for us. It is such a priviledge to hear people's stories of how God has worked through this resource to bring freedom for people.
And possibly an organisational headache!
The sign ups this Sunday alone pushed us from 2 groups to 4 groups, with close to 40 coming.
I thank God that so many people are seeking to take the opportunity to consider once more what it means to live in the freedom Christ has won for us. It is such a priviledge to hear people's stories of how God has worked through this resource to bring freedom for people.
Friday, 5 December 2008
David Wilkerson
A discussion about the use of violent language on Dave Warnock's blog took an odd turn when Dave gave David Wilkerson as an example of someone not using violent language.
Being a reader of David Wilkerson's books and sermons, and having visited his Church in New York (in 2004) and seen videos of him on Youtube I knew that this was a strange assertion as he is a full blooded fire and brimstone old style evangelical.
Well anyway, while looking for a bit of evidence for my case I stumbled upon this quote here.
First of all, David cried out to the Lord. “Oh, Lord, make haste! Help me quickly. I’m about to fall. Please, hurry and deliver me. Cause me to escape. Your Word promises you’ll deliver me, so do it now” (see Psalm 70). I ask you, how often have you cried out a similar prayer? “Oh, Lord, how long will it take for you to deliver me from this?
Please, do something now. This is dragging out too long. Where is my way of escape that’s promised in your Word?” The truth is, we all want out of the war we’re in. We are tired of fighting, weary of the struggle. We think, “I’ve fought long enough. I’m so weary now I’m about to fall.” Even Jesus said on the cross, “Father, why have you forsaken me?” But God won’t take some out of their war.
Why? First of all, war is how the Lord strengthens and teaches us wisdom as soldiers in his army. Second, he needs us in this war. You see, you are at the very center of the conflict, and others close to you depend on your example. If God pulls you out, it’s possible many of your friends and family will suffer and fall away, because they
never saw you fight through your battle.
Do you get the picture? You are the one whom God uses to drive back the enemy. You are the one he wants to teach how to war. You are the warrior whom God works through. And he is using your example to strengthen weaker brethren.
David Wilkerson is genuinely an old warhorse of american evangelicalism, if you can forgive the violent metaphor. What a wonderful exhortation to see the work of the Lord within suffering not outside of it. To see the call of God in trial not outside of it. To choose the narrow path, not the wide one.
If there is one thing to come shining out from our Freedom in Christ course it is the testimonies, and the power that is expressed when people have faced trials and challenges and overcome them or worked through them.
Too often I know I pray "Lord, take it" or "Lord, fix it", not "Lord, help me stand and fight"
I think that is one aspect of being from a consumer culture that has left its mark and I need to stand against it.
Being a reader of David Wilkerson's books and sermons, and having visited his Church in New York (in 2004) and seen videos of him on Youtube I knew that this was a strange assertion as he is a full blooded fire and brimstone old style evangelical.
Well anyway, while looking for a bit of evidence for my case I stumbled upon this quote here.
First of all, David cried out to the Lord. “Oh, Lord, make haste! Help me quickly. I’m about to fall. Please, hurry and deliver me. Cause me to escape. Your Word promises you’ll deliver me, so do it now” (see Psalm 70). I ask you, how often have you cried out a similar prayer? “Oh, Lord, how long will it take for you to deliver me from this?
Please, do something now. This is dragging out too long. Where is my way of escape that’s promised in your Word?” The truth is, we all want out of the war we’re in. We are tired of fighting, weary of the struggle. We think, “I’ve fought long enough. I’m so weary now I’m about to fall.” Even Jesus said on the cross, “Father, why have you forsaken me?” But God won’t take some out of their war.
Why? First of all, war is how the Lord strengthens and teaches us wisdom as soldiers in his army. Second, he needs us in this war. You see, you are at the very center of the conflict, and others close to you depend on your example. If God pulls you out, it’s possible many of your friends and family will suffer and fall away, because they
never saw you fight through your battle.
Do you get the picture? You are the one whom God uses to drive back the enemy. You are the one he wants to teach how to war. You are the warrior whom God works through. And he is using your example to strengthen weaker brethren.
David Wilkerson is genuinely an old warhorse of american evangelicalism, if you can forgive the violent metaphor. What a wonderful exhortation to see the work of the Lord within suffering not outside of it. To see the call of God in trial not outside of it. To choose the narrow path, not the wide one.
If there is one thing to come shining out from our Freedom in Christ course it is the testimonies, and the power that is expressed when people have faced trials and challenges and overcome them or worked through them.
Too often I know I pray "Lord, take it" or "Lord, fix it", not "Lord, help me stand and fight"
I think that is one aspect of being from a consumer culture that has left its mark and I need to stand against it.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Freedom in Christ
We are continuing our Freedom in Christ course and had the away day on Saturday which went very well.
I just wanted to pass on a bitter sweet story which made me smile and sad that I heard from another Church situation.
A lady was commenting on the section all about the forgiveness section and said
"I said to the Lord that I couldn't really think of any areas on unforgiveness and was wondering what to do. Then I looked up and saw the place where the elders used to sit and realised I had a lot to work through"
I pray my name does not regularly crop up in that section of the course!
I just wanted to pass on a bitter sweet story which made me smile and sad that I heard from another Church situation.
A lady was commenting on the section all about the forgiveness section and said
"I said to the Lord that I couldn't really think of any areas on unforgiveness and was wondering what to do. Then I looked up and saw the place where the elders used to sit and realised I had a lot to work through"
I pray my name does not regularly crop up in that section of the course!
Monday, 10 November 2008
Fighting for the truth...
Last night I spoke at our Freedom in Christ course, the second session.
It seemed to go quite well, and we are pleased that over 90 people have signed up to the course which is roughly a third of our membership.
The theme was truth - our view of truth, the world's view of truth, the biblical view of truth.
My message was fairly simple - Jesus is the truth.
He is truth.
Not only did he define truth, he lived truth.
It struck me, with a simply overwhelming sadness, how much of the Christian life are so utterly and pointlessly wasted on sifting through different theological contructions to try and find the "truth". You only have to read a few blogs to get weighed down by this quest for truth and different sides of the same equation drawing lines in the sand over whose truth is actually true.
The "word" becomes academic and cerebral, almost forgetting the the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us.
Yes I want to know truth. But I would rather know the Truth, and see Him dwell amongst us.
Yes I want to understand truth and understand the word of God. But I would rather be a follower of the Truth and a follower of the Word who is God.
Jesus is the truth, and I need to live and act and speak with much humility because there is an outside chance I could be wrong on virtually every other point, other than Him.
It seemed to go quite well, and we are pleased that over 90 people have signed up to the course which is roughly a third of our membership.
The theme was truth - our view of truth, the world's view of truth, the biblical view of truth.
My message was fairly simple - Jesus is the truth.
He is truth.
Not only did he define truth, he lived truth.
It struck me, with a simply overwhelming sadness, how much of the Christian life are so utterly and pointlessly wasted on sifting through different theological contructions to try and find the "truth". You only have to read a few blogs to get weighed down by this quest for truth and different sides of the same equation drawing lines in the sand over whose truth is actually true.
The "word" becomes academic and cerebral, almost forgetting the the Word was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us.
Yes I want to know truth. But I would rather know the Truth, and see Him dwell amongst us.
Yes I want to understand truth and understand the word of God. But I would rather be a follower of the Truth and a follower of the Word who is God.
Jesus is the truth, and I need to live and act and speak with much humility because there is an outside chance I could be wrong on virtually every other point, other than Him.
Friday, 31 October 2008
Freedom in Christ
I did the "Steps to Freedom in Christ" day on Saturday as a guest of another local Church, as we launch the course here on Sunday.
I have got to say, it was a very special day.
What I liked about it was the clarity of "taking hold of the truth" for yourself.
This was not going to see the particular "guru" counsellor or minister who could pray hard enough for you to be free.
This was about discipleship. About choosing to believe. About laying down falsehood or pain and picking up truth and holding on to it.
In short, it was far better than I thought it would be. I am always wary of pre-packaged models but this seemed very personal.
Amongst the lists of things to consider praying about each section started with a prayer. "Lord, show me what I should pray about. Bring to my mind what I need to deal with". I was simply amazed at the things that came to mind. Past experiences, hurts, concerns, relationships, even dreams and nightmares as a child.
No-one asked me anything. No-one hinted at anything. I just prayed, and then dealt with what came to mind.
I loved the emphasis on taking hold of the truth. Too often the Church at large has given the impression that you need specialists in every area of counselling or healing to have a chance at "getting" healing. What I liked about this day was that we each have a specialist, our Father in Heaven, and we do have access to Him, on a daily basis, or in my case, in a strange kind of way, especially on Saturday.
I have got to say, it was a very special day.
What I liked about it was the clarity of "taking hold of the truth" for yourself.
This was not going to see the particular "guru" counsellor or minister who could pray hard enough for you to be free.
This was about discipleship. About choosing to believe. About laying down falsehood or pain and picking up truth and holding on to it.
In short, it was far better than I thought it would be. I am always wary of pre-packaged models but this seemed very personal.
Amongst the lists of things to consider praying about each section started with a prayer. "Lord, show me what I should pray about. Bring to my mind what I need to deal with". I was simply amazed at the things that came to mind. Past experiences, hurts, concerns, relationships, even dreams and nightmares as a child.
No-one asked me anything. No-one hinted at anything. I just prayed, and then dealt with what came to mind.
I loved the emphasis on taking hold of the truth. Too often the Church at large has given the impression that you need specialists in every area of counselling or healing to have a chance at "getting" healing. What I liked about this day was that we each have a specialist, our Father in Heaven, and we do have access to Him, on a daily basis, or in my case, in a strange kind of way, especially on Saturday.
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