David Oliver

I first came into contact with David Oliver at a Care for the Family event in Shrewsbury that our Church hosted about 7-8 years ago.

He later came to a Mission Shrewsbury united service and again was very well received.

Fast forward 5 years and we are planning a Men's Day and both my colleague Martin and myself both thought of David.

My brother knew him well from his time working at Care for the Family so I was able to get his email address and send out a speculative invitation.

I was surprised that David remembered me. He even remembered when i took him and his colleague for a curry after the event 7 years ago. He seemed up for it and so the idea was birthed.

With him coming for the men's day it seemed an absolute home banker to ask him to stay for the Sunday too. Daniel chapter 1 brought to life and brought into real life in a way I have not heard before. Not like that.

I think one of the reasons David stands out is whatever I or my fellow elders say about the workplace. However highly we value it. However long we worked in it before become a full time elder. In the back of their mind, or on their lips is the simple thought "Yeah, but it is easy for you, you work in a Church".

What hits you about David Oliver is that he is a really successful businessman. He is not some prosperity gospel type, but rather humble, funny and raw. And he is doing it, living it, seeing it. His stories are from real people he meets, real success he sees and real mistakes he makes.

And he is 100% evangelical, charismatic, local Church. Prayer in the workplace. The prophetic in the workplace. the kingdom of God in the workplace. Suddenly people are seeing a bridge between their Church world and their work world that they had never seen so clearly before.

So in other words, he is a high flyer in the business world but he is one of us.

Having preached on Sunday morning many people responded for prayer, and as I left someone who I deeply deeply respect, the kind of bedrock church member who you really trust what they say said to me "I think that is one of the best outside speakers we have ever had"

If you are looking for a speaker to encourage your Church in the area of seeing the impact of your faith in your workplace: I am yet to find someone better than David Oliver.

Unlikely Heroes

He have been doing a preaching series on "Unlikely Heroes"

It has been very, very well received.

Firstly Mary Magdelene.

Then my turn: Boaz. What a great guy and such a good subject.

But this week?

Naaman's wife's servant!

Now that is unlikely! Probably even unknown!

And yet maybe 40-50 responded for prayer having been enlightened as to her compassion, her courage and her faith.

There is still time for Priscilla and Aquila, followed by Agabus.

Right the way through scripture there are these characters and these stories of every day people becoming part of God's overall story through following Him.

A bit like us really.

Why does God allow Suffering?

Within a 4 week series on the "big questions" I spoke on this subject for the first time.

These are wma files that run in windows media player.

If you have a spare 40 minutes I would be pleased to have some feedback.

Initial feedback has been favourable, as it has been to all the talks in this series, which can be found here, on the Barnabas Community Church website.

Great minds...

Martin, our lead elder could not make the Mike Pilavachi meeting as he was speaking at a national conference for debt advice centres on Friday.

That meant he missed the talk by Mike Pilavachi.

But Martin did speak, on Sunday, at our church in Shrewsbury on "Jesus the outsider".

It was an excellent talk, well worth half an hour of your time.

Talking about the cleansing of the temple, talking about the "zeal" of the Lord, and what zeal accomplishes.

Zeal brings us to worship.

Zeal causes us to focus on those outside of Christ

Zeal demands justice.

Hmm: Worship, Mission, Justice. Where have I heard that before?!!!

Update

The talk on spiritual gifts went well and certainly raised the issue!

We have had several excellent contributions since then, including spiritual songs, and new people contributing. Both are really exciting, as are reports of tongues and interpretations in cell groups.

It is amazing how "charismatic" so quickly becomes "contemporary" and the gifts of the spirit take a backseat.

It is all food for thought, and part of the journey our Church is on.

Following something through

On Sunday our service will be a little different.

I am preaching on "Spiritual gifts in worship"

We will have a couple of songs to start, then the kids go out and we do notices.

Then I preach.

Then we will worship, with a real call, and an encouragement to bring spiritual gifts in worship.

I guess this is part of my journey, to make the teaching I have heard a reality in both my life and the life of the Church.

So much so, we are changing the entire structure and flow of our meeting to seek God and to step out in a fresh way in this area.

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.

The Financial Crisis

On Sunday Morning our series on Abraham was interrupted for a one off "state of the nation" style address by Martin about the financial crisis.

It isn't very often this happens - perhaps the Tsunami was the last time.

But there does come a time when people do feel a sense of nervousness and it is important to teach into it. Cells will be discussing the implications this week and there will be an opportunity for individuals to support and encourage each other.

I believe that the Church has a huge amount to say about finances, justice, wealth and stewardship. I just wish it wasn't confused by prosperity rantings or church roof funds, which means the average man in the street just thinks the church is after your money.

Cell Groups

A few years ago "cell groups" seemed to be all the rage. Ralph Neighbour came to the UK and with quite a bit of fanfare the cell concept was born. I used to hear quite a lot about it within newfrontiers conferences but it feels like it has dropped off the agenda somewhat.

Some of the early claims and hopes have proved false, while some have been a bit quick to send the baby flying out with the bathwater. The UK cell movement has learned, revised and strengthened the concept for the UK culture, but some maintain it "doesn't work".

Yesterday Laurence Singlehurst, head of Cell UK and long term proponent of the cell model came to speak at our Church for the second time.

I like Laurence. He is sound. He loves people and he loves people enough to share Jesus with them. I like his heart, and I like the way he actually does what he preaches, and his talks are littered with personal examples.

I can see why people follow him. Because you can't help feel loved by him. He makes you want to love other people better. He makes you want to express Jesus to people in new ways. His book "Sowing, reaping, keeping" is an absolute classic and has shaped the missional perspective of our Church more than any other.

The first question of mission is "How big is your heart?" The rest puts the answer to that question into practice.

He also spoke about being "secret pastor" to our friends. Loving them unconditionally and seeking their spiritual renewal. Do we actually love people enough?

His visit made me think of our cell groups, and the ways cell groups have shaped the Church, and how what we now see compares with the early textbooks.

Here are a few thoughts:

1) In a larger Church, a cell group is often the primary friendship group. Many people don't know many other people, but they do know the people in their groups.

2) Of the people who disengage with Church, a high percentage are either not in a group, or drift away from a group early in the process.

3) Cell meetings are not good to invite non christians to. No-one I know would actually invite a non christian to a cell "meeting". Socials "yes" - meetings "no".

4) Cells are a primary social group for missional friendships and activities. They are a key driver for mission. Bob knows Sam. Bob and Sam become friends. Bob invites Sam to a curry night. Sam comes to further social events. Sam comes to the Church quiz night. Bob invites Sam on Alpha and Sam comes. Sam comes to faith on the Alpha course away day. Sam gets discipled. Sam joins a cell group. The reason cells are a driver in mission is:

Bob was encouraged to pray for Sam at Cell group.
Bob invited Sam to cell group socials, starting with the curry night, where Sam met other friends from Church.
Cell kept praying for Sam.
Sam went to Church quiz night on the cell group team.
Sam went to Alpha and every week the cell prayed for Him.
When Sam comes to faith and is baptised, the whole cell group gather around and pray for him. They are his friendship group, and he naturally joins that group having joined the Church.

He goes to a normal "cell" meeting for the first time as a Christian, but the cell has been instrumental in his journey of faith, and those are his friends in Church.

So cells have become a missional friendship group who send people into Alpha and bring people into fellowship at the other end.

5) The 4 W's is not perfect, but I am yet to find better. Every criticism of it I hear is often genuine, based on poor experiences. I consider the 4 Ws being a trellis around which a healthy, missional friendship group grows. The vitality, holy spirit led creativity that comes when Christians gather has a framework around which to grow and develop.

6) Cells only need a week for witness and mission to disappear off the agenda. Unless it is planned, it does not happen by accident.

7) Having a cell rota and asking people to lead sections is a key way to develop people's gifts within a Church environment. We only have 52 sunday morning teaching slots per year, but we have over 750 cell word sections for people to lead. We only have 52 sunday morning worship times but over 750 cell worship times, which can involve those without musical gifts. The "priesthood of all believer's" can actually be enacted in creative ways.

8) People who don't like cell groups often say it is because they want a "deeper" bible study, but actually it is often because they don't want to live outward looking lives of mission and don't like to be reminded of it. Cerebral, intellectual, "Bomb shelter" Christianity does not enjoy cell. "What does scripture mean" is a great question, but "and so in the light of scripture what should we do" should not be missed off the agenda.

9) Mechanisms are not the answer. The G12 model for example - "we did it here so it will work for you!" But it doesn't always work. And the pain in some Churches has been massive. Too much prescription, too modernist, too a+b+c = lots of converts doesn't work. The model has to be flexible enough to change and move to continue engaging with the situation and culture. Remember Laurence's suggestion - The first question of mission is "How big is your heart?" That is the question a cell group should pose. Not "How many Ws do you use", but "How big is your heart?"

Cells help people to enlarge their heart for mission. They aren't an off the shelf "strategy for effective church growth", they are a useful tool to help us live a life of fellowship and mission.

10) When I talk to most people about cell groups they assume they know what I am talking about, but often after a brief chat it is clear that they don't. Many of the criticisms of the cell model I have heard are because people have started with the 4 Ws and not with the heart for mission. I don't believe Cells are the answer to the future of the church. But I do believe they can have a massive impact in a society that is relational yet lonely, relativist yet truth seeking, disinterested in the church and yet interested in spirituality, and can help to shape a Church that is wanting to grow but struggling or inactive in mission.


Our cells are not perfect. Every group has its own quirks and challenges. Some are stronger than others. All of them depend on their members and those shaping the vision. But I cannot help being excited when I think week by week there are 19 meetings in the estates of the town and surrounding villages as Christians gather to worship, apply the word and reach out to people who don't yet know Jesus. It isn't a perfect model, but it is trying to reach people for Jesus, and in doing so is answering that question: how big is your heart?

5 sermons that changed my life NUMBER ONE

Phil Whittall, @ Church of Christ the King, Brighton, 2006. "Living simply"

Now this current winner of my list may seem a little bit odd. Most people of a certain persuasion would expect a gospel presentation which I responded to and that changed my life. And that did happen, several times in fact, as I grew up in a Christian family and in a Church environment, there have been some great times of coming closer to God and responding to him, but I cannot condense them into one "time", one "moment" or one "sermon".

This talk, on the other hand, is a single moment in time, from which nothing has been the same.

Context: Two mates going to the world cup. Phil and I go on a road trip to Germany to watch some football. This was not where I was expecting to encounter God. This was not some conference of biblical heavyweights with me preparing in gleeful anticipation for months in advance, this was an afterthought.

On the way back Phil had been invited to go and do a presentation at CCK about "living simply". Now I have known Phil for close to 20 years, and I have always thought he is a bit "simple", so it came as no surprise he was speaking on the subject (this is jest). He has always been a bit of a "leftie", never really had great control over his hair or his facial hair, and he spent time in Africa, worked for Tearfund, rides a motorbike, and moved onto a council estate in Shrewsbury to plant a Church in the least churched area of the town (all of this is true).

I was aware of a few of his projects, like his blog, and Breathe, but they all sat squarely in the "my hairy leftie friend" category so I had never shown them due diligence, beyond a polite smile and passing interest. "Good on you mate" sort of stuff, but no personal reflection.

I was not that way off the mark in my own thinking on this. I too have lived in Africa, visited works amongst the poor in India, have a family steeped in the fair trade movement through my Mum's work locally and so I was not coming into it blind. This is no "capitalist semi fascist loses arm wrestle to eco-warrior and goes to live in a Teepee" scenario.

But this is a UK evangelical charismatic christian coming to a real sharp awakening that these things really do matter. "Really do matter" as in not just signing the petition at Greenbelt and hoping for the best but seeking to reflect them in everything. This is no neatly wrapped social gospel. This is not taking on the "green" issue as a potential convert grabber. This is a child of God actually seeing deep down that not only is this our problem, as children of God it is also our responsibility, and I was not in step with scripture.

So up steps my friend, and starts to ask questions. You, me, Christians...

- what about the consumer dream?
- what about the environment?
- what about consumption?
- what about the way we label success?
- what about generosity?
- what about the desire for ownership?
- what about sharing?
- what about the goal of our lives being the accumulation of wealth?
- what about how we approach debt?
- what about trade justice?
- what are the desires of our hearts?
- what about community?
- what about our security?
- what about the future?

How does this fit with:
a) our view of God b) our rights as people c) our responsibilities as "followers" of God

I was ruined.

Suddenly I realised the ground upon which I was building was very very shaky indeed. Slightly hip lifestyle choices needed to become deep rooted convictions. The scriptural basis was secure, and my own conscience played out its tune - this is part of my freedom, and part of my calling.

I can genuinely say that I have pondered this process every day of my life since. I have not set up a shrine to Phil in my room or anything - and have not spoken much to him about it since. But this is an adventure Esther and I have been on since then. We are way off the finished article, but have been pondering ways of working through this and making radical choices.

Most of the outward things we have done sound really little and petty when listed. What I need to express is the burden for this has shaped everything, the big and the small decisions, the way we have shaped and built the practicalities of our married life together, and the economic pattern for our lives is through a window that opened up to scripture through that talk.

Every consumer decision bows to a greater clarity, and a more ruthless determination to live for Him not me. Our resources have become more and more His resources.

It is not really a question of whether we can justify a new car or not (which we can't) or if we choose Cafe Direct above Nescafe (which we do).

The actual question asked was "Who do you say I am?", and I was horrified to find I could not say "Lord" in several of my attitudes to money, possessions or the environment. That cut me deep.

And so began a quest to live more simply, give more generously, share more freely, accommodate more selflessly, appreciate more readily, and be content.

There is much still to do, and much still to lay down, but my life changed that day, as the sword of the spirit, yielded by my friend Phil, hacked off a huge cancer that was weighing down my soul, choking my faith, and hampering my witness.

5 sermons that changed my life NUMBER 2

Mike Pilavachi - "Doing the Stuff" Conference - April 2000 - Vineyard UK

This conference was the best I have ever been to. The Album is the best live album I have ever heard, bar none. Their live version of "I lift my eyes up" should be my favourite ever worship song, but I can only say should be because despite it being unconventional nothing can touch Kevin Prosch's "Love is all you need" found on Tumbling Ground by the Black Peppercorns.

But anyway, back to the conference, the main speakers were first class, as can be seen in NUMBER 4 and NUMBER 2 in this series being from the same event.

I had been to the Soul Survivor summer camp 4 or 5 times as a teenager and was greatly blessed by watching Matt Redman and later people like Tim Hughes open up a whole new sphere of christian worship music. Songs like "Heart of worship" just captured a moment in the development of my relationship with God.

But by the time I heard Mike speak at this conference I was 20, doing a university placement year in Nottingham and was a little bit past the whole Soul Survivor thing so did not know what to expect.

He spoke on 1 Samuel 2:12-36 and it was all about what happens when people get their focus wrong in worship. When it becomes about "me" or "my needs" rather than our offering to God. When we hold back something of the offering to ourselves, rather than give Him everything of ourselves.

I believe he has since taken this whole theme and preached on it extensively and even written a book relating to it. But this was no book or journal, this was a man with a passionate jealousy for the name of his Saviour giving a defence of the glory of his Lord.

It is about Jesus. It starts with Jesus. It comes from Jesus. It goes to Jesus. We meet Jesus somewhere in it and all the glory goes to Jesus. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus and a bit more Jesus. You can only concentrate on Him too little, never too much.

"I didn't get a lot our of the worship today" is a shameful statement because it does not honour yourself, your worship, or your God. It is not for you, it is for Him. It is not about whether it is pleasing to you, it is about whether it is pleasing to Him. Who says "I did not get a lot of giving my Father a present today?" The worth is in the Father, the worth is in the gesture, the worth is in the gift, not in whether it made us feel good or not.

The statement identifies a wrong attitude that robs God of the glory and the worship and the honour He is due. It becomes a consumer goal to get a buzz, not a priviledge to declare the goodness of our King.

A quote from his talk can be found on the live CD in between two tracks. The pertinent statement is made: "He is the center of worship, and how dare we ever make us the center of worship"

That cemented a deep seated conviction I hold regarding worship - the desire to add my voice to the honour and glory given to Jesus. Every time I listen to that CD and hear Mike's words it is such an emotional moment - as God is calling His church back into selfless and pure worship of him, and I believe much of the evident blessing of God upon the whole Soul Survivor movement has been their radical, uncomplicated, biblically based, passionate worship of Jesus.

5 sermons that changed my life NUMBER 4

Jackie Pullinger To - "Doing the Stuff" Conference April 2000 - Vineyard UK

Jackie Pullinger To should need no introduction, but just in case she does you can find a three stage explanation here, here and here.

Before we get to the talk itself the woman herself was most of the power. She really has walked the walk. She has given up everything for the sake of her Lord and brought love and life to hundreds of people.

Look at this for a selection of quotes:
"I went up to a man and said 'Jesus loves you' …but I realised that it didn't mean anything unless I did it." "I banked my life on a miracle." "Jesus is everything. If it weren't for him, I'd have no goodness at all."

So up steps this woman, this white, middle class, well spoken, home counties, middle aged lady who then started to speak at a conference full of white, middle class, well spoken, home counties type people (and I was one of them). Everything about it could have been scones and spongecake Christianity - but it wasn't. This was life changing, career destroying, "take up your cross and follow me" radicalism that literally stopped me in my tracks.

There was biblical exhortation, there was encouragement, and it was wrapped in a life story of courage and endeavour that no other British Christian I can think of can equal. "Chasing the Dragon" is the "Cross and the Switchblade" for UK Christians of a certain era. She just oozed grace, passion, determination and asked questions too uncomfortable to ask within huge tranches of UK Christendom.

She spoke of her passion to reach those in poverty with the gospel, and spoke of her total angst that there were so few Christians in the inner cities. She stopped, silent, and lent over the lectern. Then asked the gathered thousands in the state of the art auditorium in a voice hushed to barely a whisper but with a deep, 30 years in the mission field type of sincerity...

"You aren't all still living in the suburbs are you?"

You could have heard a pin drop. She was not actually technically suggesting no-one should live in the suburbs, or to reach people in those classes, but she was chastising a Christendom that has got so interested in being respectable that we have given up on being near millions of the lost.

The talk was a total affront to safe and secure British Christianity, and even though I have yet to fully work out how to live it all out, it left me in a place where if He says to "go" then I know I have to.

5 Sermons that changed my life NUMBER 5

J. John "They're everywhere!"

I cannot remember when I heard this, or where. I have heard J.John at Soul Survivor, and at the Newfrontiers Evangelist's Summit, and at the Newfrontiers Brighton Conference, so I don't even know if my memory is of a talk or an amalgamation of a series of talks heard by the same preacher - J.John.

He is undoubtedly one of the most gifted communicators of this generation. He is intensely funny, and very insightful. In short - he is a scream. He is the kind of guy you want at the Barbeque when you first invite a friend, you want him on the car park on the first Alpha night, you want him in the pulpit explaining, challenging, bringing the gospel to life, and you want him in the pub answering the tough questions after the talk.

But the brilliance of J.John is that he equips and exhorts every believer in their personal witness. This is no platform expert doing the stuff on your behalf, this is a prophetic voice, a heart changer, a life-shaper, taking a consumerist and introverted church into a missional calling. If anyone fulfills the role in Ephesians 4 of apostolic evangelist in my life it would be Him.

I remember two things so clearly. Him saying that some Christians say "I don't know how to meet non-Christians" and him jumping around the stage shouting "BUT THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!", "THEY ARE EVERYWHERE". More than 95% of people you could accidentally meet are them. They are in the shops, in the pubs, in the parks, on the bus, at the football, in the houses, at the school gate. If you speak to ANYONE there is a 95% chance you are speaking to someone who does not have a personal relationship with Jesus. So this means everything, everywhere is witness.

Then he encouraged us to go and find something we love, and do it, enjoy it, and meet people, build friendships, be salt and light, and be an ambassador for Christ with them. I was captivated. I made a decision, deep down, that I liked football, and so I was going to engage with it as best I could, and burn for Jesus in that environment. An example is given here.

I am an editor of the club fanzine, and moderator on the supporter's website, I have led press campaigns, served on the board of the Supporter's Trust, and met literally hundreds of local people, and made some great friendships. To many of my friends I am one of a handful of "religious" people they know, if not the only one. I get intense banter about my faith (and some abuse), and a lot of questions. And I greatly enjoy being out there, having fun, meeting people, and being active in a local subculture within our community where there are few known believers. These are not "projects" or "targets" for me, they are my friends, and I want to reflect something of Jesus to them.

So it changed my view of witness, and it changed how I spend my spare time. Every day is an opportunity to reflect something of Jesus to people, and amongst the people I have the most in common with there is the biggest opportunity.

Running on empty...

I am tired.

Yesterday I was up in Manchester with a squad for the National Christian Football Festival - where we finished 9th out of 20 teams at our level.

Rather than stay overnight and play the games today I had to head back because I was preaching this morning on "The Parable of the Sower" as we continue a series through Mark.

One thing I am really going to need to learn is structuring my time properly. This week I had a Cell Leader's meeting on monday evening, Church Together (where all cells meet for an evening of worship and prayer) on Tuesday evening, spoke at Alpha on wednesday evening, went to visit my Grandad in hospital on Thursday evening then off to Manchester on Saturday. I have some time off next week to chill out which is great, but this morning was pretty tough. I have a cell section workshop tonight too - but have had a good sleep this afternoon!

This morning my legs hurt from physical exersion, my face hurt from sunburn, and my head hurt from a general tiredness. I put the finishing touches to my talk this morning and just went for it. Most of my material had been prepared last week while away at Brighton and the parable speaks for itself.

It was a humbling experience - really having to "let go" of the reins of the presentation and just allow God to speak through His word. The response was positive indeed - lots of challenge and provocation to both sow the word of God with our lives and not allow our own fruitfulness to be choked. Many people commented positively. The file will be up here sometime soon. If anyone wants to listen to it and give me feedback I would really appreciate it.