From sickness to salvation...

Call me biased but I am convinced I serve on the most amazing team in church. Currently I have the privilege of helping look after any new people who come to our church, of which there just seems to be more and more of, and I also have the honour of praying and supporting those who respond the the salvation call, which is included in every service that we do.

On Sunday gone I shared a few reflections with our team that I had been thinking through following my extended hospital stay in recent weeks. Is might be helpful for you too.

In Mark 2:17 Jesus himself draws parallels between the work he came to do and the medical profession. He said: "healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do. I have come not to call those who think they are righteous but those who know they are sinners."

I know for us we don't 'do church' exclusively for those already made whole, but we seek to create a place where those who need Jesus can find him. My pastor, Jon Cook, recently encouraged us to come to church with fresh eyes, to think through what it would be like for someone who is brand new to NCLC, or even brand new to church at all.

So here are my hospital / church musings.

1) what's going to happen?

Having just moved to a new area I had never been to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead before. I have been a guest of other hospitals but this was a brand new experience for me. I wasn't familiar with the building, the admissions process, the protocol, and I had no idea how long I would be there for. A lot of people, who I presumed worked there because they were wearing uniforms, dashed back and forth, busy with their jobs, but there was nobody to reassure me that a doctor would come, or pain relief is on it's way, or even where the toilets were.

It struck me that in the busyness of church life, particularly on Sundays, maybe our guests and visitors could potentially have a similar experience.

Are we helping people navigate a building or venue so they feel 'at home'? Are we taking the time out of our tasks to introduce ourselves to people unfamiliar with what our coloured t-shirts mean? Are we attentive enough to pick up when someone needs reassurance or a friendly smile as they embark on a whole new season in their life? Are we communicating to all people, new or long-standing members that they are important enough to have our full attention and that help for their circumstance is on the way?

2) what does that mean?

So there I am, in pain, feeling really unwell and the results of a scan come back revealing that I need emergency surgery. Words that end in 'ectomy' are banded around, sentences that include High Dependency are said and truthfully I was none the wiser until my lovely surgeon saw the look of panic on my face, sat down and talked me through what was happening, in plain English.   ( no comment about me being Scottish or my accent please )

Now I know that the language we use, certainly in our church, is something we work really hard to be intentional about. We try to avoid the Christianese that becomes second nature really quickly. But have you ever thought through the words you use or the explanations you offer?

I remember once having a conversation with a lady who responded, by putting her hand in the air, during the altar call (altar call - what does that even mean?). I said to her afterwards when we met to pray and for me to give her a bible, "so you made a decision?"

I was referring of course to her response but she looked at me blankly before saying, "I've made lots of decisions!"

And of course she is right. She decided to come to church, she decided whether to have tea or coffee, where to sit, to stand in the worship time, and to put her hand up at the end. What she really needed was for me to ask, "what made you respond in that way?" Or "that's so great you decided to respond to what pastor Jon said, do you have any questions I could help you with?" Not to use the language of 'our kingdom' with someone who is visiting there for the first time.

You don't need me to tell you that there are dozens of words that we use to explain our faith (redemption, salvation, sanctification, the rapture???, Pentecostal, charismatic, tithes, fellowship (genuinely thought that was a boat for men when I was in Sunday School) and commitment that people outside of the house won't know. I guess my challenge and encouragement is to go back through your own understanding of the gospel and frame it in such a way that you could explain it to a child. Not that all adults need to be patronised, but if you can't say it simply it's maybe that you don't understand it yourself.

3) who are these people?

If you've never been to a hospital let me introduce you to the multi-coloured, multi-titled wonder that is the medical workforce. Contrary to the respect code taught at primary school or by your grandparents, some doctors in hospital don't like the title and instead opt simply for Mr. There are some who you can simply call 'doctor' and some whose name you will never be told. There are doctors in various sets of surgical pyjamas (some blue, some red), doctors in white coats and some in whatever they like. There are teams of nurses; pink ones, blue ones, ones in dark blue and a workforce in black uniforms and some in white dresses and trousers. Oh, did I forget those in green bringing patients in from ambulances. Confusing isn't it?

At my lowest, and most ill, it was a concern to me to find out who was who. I wanted to know who was responsible for my care, and who it was appropriate to call on for help. I had a few awkward moments when I thought the scruffy man was a ward clerk when he turned out to be a senior consultant.

But in church life I think this is really important. I've been part of our church for years and years and I am still meeting new people and learning about families who have been there are long as I have. Now imagine you are new to church or new to your church. You know about 'church' from the telly, so you expect to see a vicar or some sort of priest wandering around. How will they know in our church, or your church, who that is?

Introductions and explanations are so important. Even if your pastor is busy - which they undoubtably will be - point them out and talk them up. Then think about the wider team. Is this new family aware that we have youth pastors or kids workers. Have we explained what the smiley people in blue t-shirts do? Have you introduced them to a connect group host?

I always feel more safe and secure in any environment, whether work, social or in church, when I feel like I know someone else in the room and know who I should speak to about whatever I need. I don't think I'm alone in that.

4) when's my next appointment

"See you at your appointment mrs Bruce," were the final words from my doctor on leaving hospital. Great, except, when is that?

Simply, we don't want to bombard people with information when we first meet but we do want to let them know not only that they are welcome back, but also that they have opportunities galore to continue meeting with God.

I remember when I got saved (more Christianese, sorry folks) - I thought you prayed the prayer and that was it. I didn't know you needed to come back. I mean, I knew people who did go every week, but I assumed it was because they had jobs to do or they worked there. The concept of worship and devoting myself to God, was unknown. It was my friend who talked me through getting to know God through his word, and that because I was new to this perhaps I would learn more by coming regularly, and that by coming regularly I would become part of community and I too could serve.

Are we assuming people know what's on, or what church is? Or we explaining and inviting and bringing?

To bring this to a close the truth is simply this, if I was to go back to that hospital, the place where I was helped back to physical wholeness, if would be more at home and more comfortable just by getting a handle on all of the above.

If we are to be co-workers with Christ, is seeing those without Christ become spiritually whole with Him, then we need to be people focused in everything we do too.

It's certainly a challenge for me.

Before the need for flowers

I'VE had a string of thoughts and feelings going through my head recently that I've found difficult to articulate. Which, for me (rent-a-gob) is an interesting place to be.

With Nathan and I 'moving room' within our church, seeing us moving from Teesside to Newcastle, a change of job and news of my grandmother's serious illness, there's a lot of emotions fighting for prominence in my head and heart. But a couple of things have happened - culminating in something I saw today, that sparked this little Marks and Spencer cafe musing.

Forgive the length of this. Brevity is not my friend. Here goes...

The first was at Christmas.  Out of the blue we received a card from a girl who was part of our youth group when we were Youth Pastors in Dartford.  Not only was there a Nando's gift card (she knows us well) but beautiful words thanking us for the part we played in building her faith while she was a teenager. In all honesty, it was a small part that we played, but none the less we were overwhelmed and humbled by her words and the fact that while she is now thriving in a great church, under fantastic leaders, she took the time to acknowledge two people who had for a relatively short time, been part of her Christian walk.

The next, was on getting the news that my Gran may only have weeks left with us. A prompt and disorganised trip to Scotland finished with me coughing out words that I hope she already knew, but that I simply HAD  to say before we left. She is a huge and still significant part of who I am today and I couldn't let the opportunity pass, however snotty and teary it became, to tell her how grateful I am.

But this morning, en route to a meeting, just after the school run I noticed something that brought  all these thoughts and experiences to a blog culmination. There, walking down the road, was a young guy, carrying a massive arrangement of flowers, heading to the graveyard. Excuse my absolute judgement at face value here but he didn't look the type to be a regular flower buyer (what was I expecting - Alan Titchmarsh???) but there he was, probably £50 poorer for his purchase of these beautiful flowers. This simple thought crossed my mind, 'I wonder if he bought them flowers while they were still alive?'

Now don't get me wrong, I love to see beautifully tended graves with families lovingly honoring the memory and life of their loved ones, I do. But imagine how sad it would be if the only flowers a person receives is after they have the ability to enjoy them.

Even worse, imagine if the only thanks a person is given, if the only acknowledgement awarded, is after it has the ability to impact the person being spoken about. Often these days we are able to showcase our blessings via Instagram or Facebook, right alongside our grievances and frustrations - but how often in the sea of mixed emotions do we take the time to stand back, take a look at the people we have become, and pay tribute the small army of those who will be responsible for getting you to where you are today?

And so by means of encouragement - in a bid to spark a mini movement of gratitude  and flower buying - I want to say thank you to some people today.

It all starts of course with my parents who tried their best to dissuade me from this Christianity thing, but who inadvertently shaped me into a strong woman - and bearer of the world's best grandchildren. Your strong minds and opinions cultivated in me a drive to fight injustice and speak up for those who struggle. Thank you. I love you both.

Then there's the people in our home churches.

This is important. Because for me to be where I am today, at some point I had to LEAVE where I was. I say this because as the years have rolled on I have been on the opposite side of this. Where people have left my church, or my life. It hurts, let's be honest. But it's not the leaving per se. All of us have left somewhere to get to where we are now. Excuse my blatant honestly, but it's the lack of acknowledgement on leaving that I think is the hardest. 

Often for people to even come to the conclusion that they want to leave one place for another means they have gone on an incredible spirit-filled, faith-led journey and are now pursuing more of God than ever before. I've seen people's lives flourish and then they go. I thank God for my time with them, and for his transformation in them but being human and all, I wonder if they've forgotten how far they've come. My pastor made a joke the other day, that he knows all the things he does wrong, because people tell him when they leave. Sad, isn't it?

But honestly, I would be found guilty of this too. It's easy to comment on the wrong, or to not comment at all, it takes much more humility and honour to acknowledge the right. This is my attempt at righting some of my own wrongs. There have been times, when I've been arrogant and outspoken and have 'left' without grace and love.

Sometimes I've done it well though :)

I remember phoning a pastor in Middlesbrough to tell her we had one of their young people coming to us now. I told her she had done a great job because we were so thankful this person was now part of 'us'. Apparently acknowledgement of previous investment was rare.

Nathan is from Dartford and I'm from Harthill. If it wasn't for the Galloways and the Curles and their extended families I doubt I would be here now. And I know for Nathan the ongoing love and support of Roy and Keely Morley was without doubt the biggest influence on his life and set him, and now us, up for ministry life. We are forever in your collective debt.

Our first jobs out of bible college were in Dartford too and our senior pastors there, Ray and Janet Bindra, allowed us the freedom to cut our teeth and learn our craft. When we left we did it as well as we could, but thanks there needs to be given because on that occasion they probably felt, as I have done as a pastor, hurt. Before God we are truly grateful to you for giving us a chance, believing in us and giving us the freedom to teach - and paint walls hideous shades of blue and silver - (and dress your elders as widow Twankie for a panto) in your church. We love you both.

On moving up here Pastor Cliff Henderson took a chance on this young couple with a baby and said, 'go and plant a church' - he even sorted out some finance! He's still one of our biggest cheerleaders. Cliff and Olwyn, we love you.

And then there's Jon and Dee.

This is where it's crucially important.

Because we are with these people now, and have no intention of ever leaving. 

So I don't have to say this. I want to.

Nathan and I have never known a couple who have invested so much - without ever considering a return for that investment. When we were yet to be part of NCLC they fed us (in every way - we still owe you at least one meal out!), nurtured us and pastored us, and now, as part of their community, they continue to believe in us and allow us the tremendous privilege of serving on their team. Jon Cook is probably one of the most gracious people I have ever known. That verse, about love covering a multitude of sins... God wrote that with Jon in mind. If you haven't seen that side of Jon you don't know him. Dee is just beautiful. In every flippin' way. But you can't be jealous because she's beautiful inside too. Thank you both. We consider your family ours. 

To our friends. The real ones who rescue us, and love on us, and continue to want to be part of our lives, who understand our margins, or lack of them, and come to us, to the ones who we speak to once a year and are cool with that, to the ones who challenge us even when it hurts, to the ones who will be part of our lives - even from a distance - for ever. Thank you. To those who love my children, you are special to us - thank you so much for speaking life over my kids. 

Most of the time we are rubbish friends, we never remember birthdays, we rarely send Christmas cards but I promise you I'll be there at 2am if you need us, and vow to be forever bringers of Irn Bru and Friends one-liners. You are loved and appreciated every minute.

I need to sneak in Terry and Anne Young here, the pastors of Middlesbrough Community Church. You love without gain, you serve without ceasing and you championed us and encouraged us at every opportunity. Youngies we love ya!

And finally to all those who will become part of our lives. Maybe for a season, maybe for the rest of our lives. You are important to us. Sorry for all the times I will forget to tell you that. But you will make an imprint on me and my children. And maybe we will on you too. Thanks.

I think I'm done for now. There are of course many more people I could mention. 

But for now , I am no need of flowers, unless I just see them and think my friend will like them.

Actually, I'm enjoying a vase of tulips that my new boss sent me to say thanks. 

Wherever you are, there was a journey to get there. Make sure you acknowledge the people who helped you on your way, before the need for flowers.

They think they are God's gift...

I BEGIN this long overdue blog post by explaining my unique position for those from all over, who don’t know me personally. Apparently there are people in America and Australia reading this blog now, as well as the Malaysian faithful. Thanks, by the way, it’s awesome that you take the time.

When it comes to roles in church I have held the title and responsibility of being a senior leader in the church my husband and I planted.

Through a God-ordained set of circumstances we gave away that role and position to come under the authority of two people who we consider to be world-class leaders and pastors. This brought with it a new privilege of being a ‘campus pastor’. We still lead, but under the authority of our senior pastors.

I also ‘do the work of an evangelist’ for a Christian charity, and both my husband and I though two years apart in age and reared hundreds of miles away from each other, both received a public and indisputable call to ministry age 13.

Ministry, and all that goes with it, is in my blood.

But just like other things that at times infiltrate your bloodstream, ministry, unless you’ve been there, and walked the path, and carried the weight, and experienced the joy, and celebrated the highs, and cried in the lows, is something many people don’t ‘get’. And why would you?

While we aren’t all called to walk in the same shoes, or tread the same path as those who God has appointed to be our leaders, I believe whole-heartedly that we have a responsibility to take the time to understand what that ‘looks like’ for them.

After all, how can I pray for my leaders (Heb 13:18) if I haven’t taken the time to gain the slightest bit of insight into who they are and what their lives look like?

So if it’s okay with you I want to share some insights I’ve picked up over the years.

Why?

Because Jesus himself gave you your leaders (Eph 4:11) as a gift to the church.

That’s right, they don’t just think they’re God’s gift, they ARE God’s gift, and as such I don’t believe we have any right to question that, but instead to value the gift, to treasure it, to make sure it’s a well-looked after gift.

It will also be highly unlikely that your senior leader can ‘raise you up for works of service’ (also Eph 4:11) if you have heart issues with your leader. I’m not saying you do have issues… but just in case you know someone who does…

Here we go. It’s not bullet-pointed and it doesn’t have quirky headings. I just felt God prompt me to write this.

Being a pastor is the greatest of joys and the heaviest of burdens.

It says in 1 Peter 5:2 (The Message (MSG)

5 ^1-3 I have a special concern for you church leaders. I know what it’s like to be a leader, in on Christ’s sufferings as well as the coming glory. Here’s my concern: that you care for God’s flock with all the diligence of a shepherd. Not because you have to, but because you want to please God. Not calculating what you can get out of it, but acting spontaneously. Not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way.”

There are some days when you simply have no other reflex but to thank God for Him choosing you to be a ‘looker after-er of His people’.

Babies are delivered to couples who you’ve prayed for years to have that blessing, marriages are restored, prodigals return, the most unlikely of people surrender to Jesus and on top of all that God grants your family a financial miracle.

There are the days when every seat is full, hands, hands and more hands are raised heavenward in worship and in response the Gospel, and it would seem that every prayer prayed is fact a prayer answered.

Among the great privileges, though, are some very dark days indeed. Burying a young man, crying with a family as they lose a child, seeing God meet his promise of healing by taking a person home to eternity to name but a few. It’s always an honour to minister in those times. But I can tell you first hand it’s an honour that breaks your heart.

There are ample opportunities to get bitter too. People you invest it walk away.

Actually let me unpack that a bit more.

I once said to someone – ‘it’s so hard when you give your all and that person walks away.’ Their reply I will never forget. ‘But, isn’t that your job?.’

Well, it is, of course. But just like a fireman being hurt in a fire, that’s not the purpose of the job. And when you sit down as a family and decide that God and the building of His church (that’s people… always people) comes before everything else, it hurts, no, it wounds and can often kill, many a pastor, when people step out of your life as easily as they walked in.

Consider this. There isn’t another organisation in the world where you can receive direct investment...

(people speaking into your life, praying with you, crying over your situation, petitioning God on your behalf, pleading with God for a word from Heaven to bring to church on a Sunday, giving up own finance to help you when it’s needed, rarely having a holiday that extends over two Sundays, dedicating your kids, baptising your children, teaching you to budget, sowing to have a CAP centre in the church, building a church so great the world’s very best preachers and teachers WANT to speak into your life, creating an environment where you can forget about the pressures of the world for a few hours and come in and grow, believing your future is better than your past, forgetting your past so you can believe for your future, opening up their home to bring counsel and wisdom, sacrificing their own kids’ bedtime so they can grow themselves as leaders, challenge when it’s necessary, encouragement when you need it even if they need it too…)

...then just walk away, with the full benefit of that investment and no requirement to pay it back. Even Lord Sugar asks for his investment back if the Apprentice decides they are no longer in need of him.

And I say all that simply referring to those who up sticks and ‘move house’ to another church. As much as that stings, the best pastors will find some comfort in the fact those who have gone are still walking with the Lord.

When Instagram starts boasting of their new growth and happiness somewhere else there’s always a moment when even the most beautifully humble of leaders need a check in their spirit, but none of that comes close to when people not only walk away from church, but also from Jesus.

Pastors know that salvation belongs to God. But they also know they stand account for YOUR LIFE. Imagine if you had to give a life account for your child. And not just your child but all the children in your street? Daunting isn’t it.

I can honestly say, before God, that I never more fulfilled than when I serve Him by serving his people. I love to preach and see people come to an understanding of the Good News, and I am thrilled when the broken start to find a home to be restored. But there have been times when it seems like a pointless and fruitless journey.

Forgive my honesty, but I have counselled people into the wee small hours of the morning, cried out to God, fasted and begged for a miracle on their behalf and haven’t even had a Christmas card in return.

I didn’t go into ministry for that reason, and neither did your leader. But encouragement is something we are all called to do.

Listen to this: Hebrews 13:17 (The Message (MSG)

¹⁷ Be responsive to your pastoral leaders. Listen to their counsel. They are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God. Contribute to the joy of their leadership, not its drudgery. Why would you want to make things harder for them?

‘Contribute to the joy of their leadership’… wow. That’s an ‘ouch’ for me. I know I am guilty of adding to the weight on the shoulders of my pastors, not increasing their joy.

Incidentally, and I would hazard a guess this applies to most pastors, the greatest contribution you can make to their leadership is not your tithe. It’s not even building an awesome team, it’s not the ‘that’s greats’ whenever they preach, thankful though we are for that, it’s simply found in being there.

That’s right. The best way I can contribute and add to my leaders’ joy is to turn up. And keep turning up.

I remember once taking about 16 hours over a two week period to cultivate teaching for a leaders’ night. I missed my sons’ bedtimes, I didn’t  go to a friend’s hen party, I sacrificed a date night and the house was a tip. Three people turned up.

I appreciated the three, don’t get me wrong. From memory I think I may have spiritualised the number three to make them, and me, feel better. But in all honesty, I was gutted.

And just to clarify, not because of what I had given up, but because I had prepared with the people in mind. I had set aside time honestly believing that this teaching would not only help build our church but would help them build their lives and families too.

Our church has a slogan: everyone cares, everyone contributes, everyone’s a soul winner.

Just as a wee challenge – it’s easy to do that for the broken and the visibly in need of God – maybe this week can I encourage you to extend that caring and contribution to your leaders?

Going back to the verse from Hebrews, it’s probably the reason I got thinking about this blog actually.

I’ve heard it used and used it myself over the years, as from different versions it can imply that in ‘increasing the joy’ of our leaders we can make our own lives easier.

Read it again, this time from the New International Version - UK (NIVUK):

¹⁷ Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

This is clearer and more understandable. We cannot thrive under someone who is weighted down and finding ministry a drudge. But is there more to this verse?

This time from the Greek:

17   Πείθεσθε  τοῖς  ἡγουμένοις  ὑμῶν  καὶ  ὑπείκετε,  αὐτοὶ  γὰρ  ἀγρυπνοῦσιν  ὑπὲρ  τῶν  ψυχῶν  ὑμῶν  ὡς  λόγον  ἀποδώσοντες,  ἵνα  μετὰ  χαρᾶς  τοῦτο  ποιῶσιν  καὶ  μὴ  στενάζοντες·  ἀλυσιτελὲς  γὰρ  ὑμῖν  τοῦτο. 

Translated:

Obey the leaders of you, and be submissive; they indeed watch for the souls of you, as account about you to give; that with joy this they might do, and not groaning, unprofitable indeed for you (would be) this

I claim to be no Greek expert, but perhaps the point of this is simply that the way we maintain and conduct our relationship with our leaders has greater impact than we at first imagined.

This verse basically says:

‘Do what your leaders instruct you to do because they have responsibility to look after your souls – and they need to give an account on the state of your soul.'

It then adds, ‘baring that in mind, make sure that it’s with joy they can give an account (to God) and not groaning, because that would be unprofitable to you’.

If your leader was asked, right now, to give God an account of your life would it be with joy or with groaning? Interesting eh? And how would God respond to us causing our leaders to groan?

Now listen, I’m not suggesting for a minute that we can lose our salvation or anything similar because we have a bad attitude towards our pastors, but what I am saying is that we each have a responsibility to grow in our own journey with God so that our leader can give a joyful account to God about us. And the way we outwork our own journey so as to give our pastor joy is to… ‘listen and do what your leader says’.

If every pastor in the land received a pound today for all the ‘I told you sos’ they could say, but haven’t, the Forbes Rich List would be entirely made up of clergy.

Here’s a couple of verses that may help us all relate and understand the weight our leaders carry.

Acts 20:28-31 (The Message (MSG)

²⁸ “Now it’s up to you. Be on your toes—both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people—God’s people they are—to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for.

^29-31 “I know that as soon as I’m gone, vicious wolves are going to show up and rip into this flock, men from your very own ranks twisting words so as to seduce disciples into following them instead of Jesus. So stay awake and keep up your guard. Remember those three years I kept at it with you, never letting up, pouring my heart out with you, one after another."

Briefly: Pastors are to guard and protect you.

What does that look like?

- speak into your life when they see a pattern of behaviour that could be destructive.

- They won’t just let any loose-tongued Larry speak from the platform in church. What is spoken into you and over you is taken very seriously. As a ‘by the way’ that’s why, often, leaders don’t just let anyone ‘give a word’ or prophecy.

- They won’t just give you rank or position just because you want it. On the flip side they might remove that too.

That verse goes on to say that people who your leaders have helped nourish may also rise up, cause a split and encourage people to follow them.

Imagine if  that was in the job description:

Wanted: gifted communicator, excellent time management, counsellor, leader, management skills, runs own household well, adored by own family, responsible for raising up leaders, championing children, releasing others and protecting people.

Person must also be willing to be betrayed by those closest!

What? Exactly.

Another verse:

1 Thessalonians 5:14 (The Message (MSG)

This one details the way your leaders should conduct themselves. (No pressure pastors!)

^13-15 Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet.

Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.”

Ha ha.

Get along. Your leader is called to get along with you. Now that you know that, what can you do to make that an easy not impossible task?

They must warn freeloaders to get a move on! So the next time you see someone, or maybe it’s you, being encouraged to not just ‘fill a seat’ but to contribute or serve, understand there’s a Biblical mandate on them to move you from being a ‘taker’ to a ‘giver’.

Encourage stragglers. Easier said than done. But even when it’s thrown back in their face, when ‘I just need space’ is the standard reply, your leader has a God-call to bring encouragement. It’s a tough one, I can tell you. That’s before we get to pulling the exhausted back to their feet.

Just as an aside – this may not be your senior leader doing this himself. He or she, because they care for you, may well appoint a team to do this.

The last little bit leads on to the next.

“Look for the best in each other.”

If only we afforded our leaders the same grace they give us when it comes to this.

In James 3:1 (The Message (MSG)

It says: 3 ^1-2 Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.”

Just wrapping this epic post up, can I just say, that in the times when things have been most difficult for me, it’s when two things have happened. One – my words have been taken out of context, and two – when it’s as though a person doesn’t really know me.

It’s a very easy thing to read social media and assume you understand the heart and tone of a 140-character message. And just as easy to write a person off because of it.

I want to be honest and say, I’ve done the same thing. My pastors’ will verify that I am more than guilty of over thinking and being ‘hurt’ by statements never intended to do so. In actual fact had I taken the time to think, ‘but is my pastor really going to mean that?’ I wouldn’t have got so worked up.

Just going back to that ‘Look for the best in each other’ – can we extend that to our leaders?

Can we see their passionate hearts, not just the correction that can often bring?

Can we see their commitment and faithfulness, not just feel like they expect too much?

Can we see their generosity of resource and character, even when it brings a sting of challenge to us?

Can we see their dedication and diligence to the word of God, not just decide we don’t agree with their points?

Can we see how they humbly handle their hurts and burdens, not moan when they occasionally snap?

Can we see the weight they carry (still with a smile and still turning up), not expect the world to stop and revolve around us when we have an issue?

Can we see their vulnerability, not see weakness?

Can we see their God-anointing, not doubt their ability?

Finally, can we choose to serve the man and woman of God, chosen and gifted to us by the King of Kings, understanding that it’s the way God intended it?

We won’t always agree.

We won’t always feel like it.

We won’t always want to.

But neither will they. The difference is what we expect of them.

I hope you hear my heart in all of this. I’m not a senior leader any more, so this is really not about me. Nor am I addressing some problem in our church. Quite the opposite. Today I woke up with a great appreciate of my pastors, Jon and Dee Cook (www.mynclc.co.uk) and had prompt from God to not only tell them that but to encourage us all to remember the blessing, and burden, that ministry can be.

Hope it’s helpful.

Linz x

 

 

 

Signs and Blunders, erm, I mean Wonders.

ON more than one occasion, recently, I have described myself as an 'old school Penty'.
 
I became a Christian in a small-ish Pentecostal Church built on the faith of people saved in legendary revivals which had impacted the central belt of Scotland. The fact the building was a former pool hall should say it all.
I made the decision to give my life to Jesus when someone pointed me out of the crowd and said 'God wants to use you', and for years I was the first in line for EVERY backsliders' appeal. A weekly question asked, by an ageing, but broad Scots' evangelist, was 'are you gled yer saved?'. What I had been given by God was not easily forgotten. Watching 'A Thief in the Night' sealed the deal.

Having no Christian background really, getting 'saved' just as the Toronto Blessing hit our shores was an interesting time. I recall getting in a mini-bus to go to a larger church in another town to hear the mighty Don Fransico sing, before the worshippers fell to the floor like some invisible - but hilarious - battle had taken place and all the Christians in the place had been slain.

I say all this, although a little tongue-in-cheek, because I want you to understand my context.
My heritage as a Christian is as an Assemblies of God, Pentecostal, Spirit-filled believer. In case I get complacent about the impact the Holy Spirit can have on people's lives I constantly live in the book of Acts and read and re-read The Cross and the Switchblade every single year.

There have been times in my life when the words of Romans 8:26 ans 27

(In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. ²⁷ And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.)

have been so real and evident and obvious that I could not deny the comforting, necessary, role of the Holy Spirit in my life and relationship with God. You don't have five miscarriages without going in a huff with God. Isn't it an interesting dichotomy that in our hardest moments we want to reject and yet need more-than-ever the love of the Father?

Even within my own ministry I have a conviction that people need, not that they should opt in or out, but NEED a baptism in the Holy Spirit. Don't misunderstand me, this isn't so we can stick to a list of fundamentals pedantically certain of what the evidence of the Holy Spirit infilling is. No, I mean, I am convinced that we NEED our lives to be empowered by the Holy Spirit just to navigate this 21st Century world we live in, and that's before we even think through the tools needed to evangelise a post modern / pre-Christian / Faith-eist world. How can we even begin to live out His Kingdom rule without a measure of Him dominant in our lives?
So I still make room for people to experience the Holy Spirit, to seek His gifts and to exercise speaking in tongues among other things, to both build up themselves and others.

This is who I am.

I am a local church girl, who believes the Holy Spirit moves and acts and empowers and equips and fills up and blesses and gifts and leads and comforts and drives me, and others, on today and until Christ returns.

I am no way anti-Holy Spirit.
I am however, a teensy bit Charis-sceptic.
No, I am not sceptical of the Holy Spirit. I am, and you can blame the journalism background if you like, left wondering why all of-a-sudden we back in the days of wanting to wallow in the Spirit?

Here's what got me thinking about it.
I was brushing my teeth and looking in the mirror. Over my shoulder I saw my small son putting on his shoes. "he's so clever,' I thought, 'doing that all on his own.' And for a brief moment I marvelled at how incredible God was both for my giving me this child and for designing him so marvellously in the first place.
I looked at him with awe (not always the case - and certainly not so at 5am this morning) and genuinely took a moment to thank God for him.

And then, who knows how my brain works, it jumped to a second train of thought that could be summed up like this:
"I wonder if God is sad that we feel at times we NEED a touch from Him, or a word from Him, or a freaky, hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck-standing-on-end meeting to continue to believe in Him?"

See, when we give our lives to Jesus, put simply, through the Holy Spirit, He lives in us.
He is there.
No, wherever you are, He is HERE.

The psalmist writes, "where can I go to escape your presence," and yet, because we are 21stC people, over stimulated in every way (we cannot even wait the four minutes for a pot noodle without getting bored and giving up), despite the fact we live in a world, so outrageously well designed, that we can enjoy via the miracle that is our senses and our bodies, also 'knitted together' so well, we can at times question and dare to ask, 'are you really there God, because I can't feel you?

Excuse my over active imagination, but I like to think God gets annoyed by such immature nonsense. "You can't feel me???" he might say, "no wonder... I gave you my Word and it says I inhabit your PRAISE. Stop moaning and worship!"

Or what about, "God, I need a word from you?".
No, you need a relationship with Him. Maybe if we devoted ourselves to Him and His word that we would be so full of truth (truth that He loves us, that he has plans for us, that He wants us to serve him, that we have a mandate to remain faithful, that we are empowered to reach out to a lost and dying world to bring them the truth and the Good News of Jesus) and hope and love and life that we wouldn't need to constantly HEAR from Him but we would instead KNOW Him. I don't need my now late grandad to be with me 24-7 for me to know what he wanted for my life. I knew him and he knew me. As a child he instilled it in me, all those values and expectations. As an adult it was there. In me.

So come on, baby Christians, we need to grow up.

I long for the day when the Church will be full of genuine miracles. People being healed and set free from addictions, minds renewed, bodies transformed... but not so that makes ME feel good. Dear God, let this never be about how it makes ME feel. As if the work of the Holy Spirit is ALL about me?

Oh wait, is that what we've been thinking?

That when Jesus

(who came to seek and save the lost, to buy us back from a life separated from God and who gave his life for OTHERS, and whose final commission to us was to go out and make disciples of all men in all places)

said he was sending 'another of the same' (paraclete John 14:16) - we have taken that to mean that he was sending another who is completely different?

That instead of having the outward focusing redemptive mission of Christ, the Spirit comes to be our cosmic comfort blanket assuring us, Michael Jackson style, that 'you are not alone, I am here with you.'

That when Jesus said to the disciples - wait here until you are clothed with power from on high - we have taken that to mean, in the Greek of course, that it's not so much about power as it is reassurance, not so much about mission as it is about blessing...

Please, please, please Spirit people... stop doubting your faith and start using it.
Stop wanting more of Him... for you... and instead use what you have of Him serving others and then let Him fill you back up.
Please begin to seek God's Spirit and presence and gifts, not to get you through a dry patch or a dark place but to equip you to 'run the race', to 'fight the good fight' and to see God move through you as you bring hope to others.

Determine that you CAN.
Set your heart for His cause.
Let's see lives miraculously shaped by the Holy Spirit - because we flippin' CAN.
Am I the only one daft enough to want a move of the Spirit, not to fuel a TV channel's content but to make God famous in our land?

I'll leave you with the words of a new Hillsong worship track from the Zion album. The song it titled 'Oceans' It sums up these thoughts of mine today - we have the privilege of a Spirit-filled life, let's use it for His Glory, not just for oursleves.

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Saviour