If my son or daughter came to me and asked, dad, what has God said to you lately….what would I say.
To expand a little. What Jesus did 2000 years ago is immensely important, the most important event for the world. Ever.
What Jesus is saying to you today may be the most important event for your family, today.
I watched with dismay the trailer for the new show on Channel Ten hosted by Grant Denyer reviving ‘Family Feud’. Not because its a terrible show or a terrible host. But the question asked of Australians was, ‘where is the worst place to laugh out loud’. The number one answer was ‘Church’.
It is quite distressing to think the average Aussie thinks a church is a terrible place to laugh out loud.
At Inglewood Church one of our key five values as a church is to be ‘good humoured’.
“Humour is a key indicator of health. Our ability to laugh even when confronted with stressful and difficult situations indicates we know God is ultimately in control. Meetings should be enjoyable and conducted with good humour and mutual respect for one another”
I’ve been in churches where you could hear a pin drop, and not for good reason. Ive also been in church meetings where the mood was anything but good humoured. Thankfully those days are long ago.
I love a good laugh with my friends, and coming before God with joy. Our church is one of great humour, where we value it as something integral to our Christian journey and relationship with other.
Most Pastors love people. It is why they are attracted to the Pastoral Ministry.
Perhaps this is why when faced with a conflict situation the tendency can be to go into people pleasing mode. Rolling over. Particularly if that person has influence and is in a position of authority.
I have found through experience that there is a time to stand up, to push back.
Even if that person can cause you harm.
In fact the best place to be in, in ministry, is to not be concerned what people can do to you. To be able to act out of security, in Christ, rather than insecurity, in people.
This month I am speaking on seeing Jesus on the OT and this week I look at Jesus in the book of Daniel.
What a fascinating book.
Lions, Angels of the Lord, burning furnaces and the Son of Man.
There is a lot of prophecy in the book and it might be easy to get bogged down in history and history to come. Which is not to say we should not engage with prophecy. There is so much in the Bible to wrestle with. (Hamo)
However perhaps in Daniel we see that the One who will one day bring all things to peace, all things under control, is highlighted.
Daniel 12
12 “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise[a] will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”
We cannot get away from the exclusive and single saviour of the Bible. Jesus is Lord, He is the Son of Man, the Bright Morning Star. If nothing else prophecy drives us to be the ‘wise’ who will ‘shine like the brightness of heaven’.
The past month at church I have been speaking on money. It has been a spiritually taxing time. No question.
Leading into our giving day which occured last Sunday. Having never conducted a giving campaign, but needing to do so for our new building, it stressed and prodded me in areas I was not comfortable in. I am not the type of Pastor who is comfortable asking people to give. I can passionately share vision, but when it comes to the ‘hard sell’ it is not something I am comfortable with. Other church cultures seem to do it with ease.
However I am a determined ‘life long learner’. Not for one moment do I think I have arrived as a preacher, pastor leader or inspirer. So from that point of view I am glad.
I am also glad because the church I lead is a generous and passionate one. There is so much momentum and ‘oneness’ at the moment. God is good.
“Preachers, stop trying to craft a great sermon, and instead ask God what He wants to say to His people”
(Pastor Mark Edwards Inglewood Church)
We had a great conference this year at our annual ‘together’ Baptist Pastors Conference held in Mandurah. This year about 200 Pastors, chaplains and other pastoral staff came together for a great time of fellowship, food, fun and losing wedding rings on the beach.
During our annual massive volleyball game one of the pastors lost his wedding ring about 2 minutes into the game. He spent the best part of an hour looking for it. It is quite incredible how something shiny and hard, admittedly small, can be seriously lost so quickly. Fortunately he was able to hire a metal detector and find the little but significant piece of jewellery much to his and his young wife’s relief.
The sessions with Derek and Dianne Tidball from the UK were focused and packed full of content. The worship times were creative and there was a real sense of community as we met together.
Derek Tidball Expounding on Galatians
Something that was really great was the amount of young leaders there. I caught up with many of them at a game of ‘werewolf’ and there was around 30 of them enjoying each others company. I remarked to a older friend that this sense of community amongst our young leaders will sustain them through the pain and hard work ahead. Leading churches will not get any easier, although they are coming into much healthier Baptist Communities than many of us did.
Young Leaders Playing Some Weird Form of Handball
There is a real cultural and spiritual shift happening amongst Baptists in WA at the moment. A real sense that God is moving us to places of greater openness to the move and voice of His Spirit. Its a great place to be.
Mark Wilson Giving a Stirring Spirit Filled Challenge and Exhortation