Probably not perfect yet, but I like it….

Some observations….

There are all types of people at funerals. Business people, goths, mums, kids, sporty types, gymn junkies…seriously…funerals dont discriminate, on those who are observing, and those in the casket, everyone ends up at one, either a family member, friend, aquaitance…or their own…eventually.

Two of the saddest types of funerals, and I have been at both, are those for kids, or for someone who is a parent and has taken their own life. (There are many other sad types, but I have experienced both recently)

Both leave you with the sense that potential, hope…has been taken away from a family.

Really felt convicted to just pray for some wisdom in leadership, God help me to be the leader You want me to be, to make godly decisions, decisions that will help our community discover joy in Jesus.
Lot of decisions and things happening this week.

Need wisdom.

Another good friend quit the ministry yesterday, perhaps only for a season. Stress gets to pastors, it seriously does.
As you watch conflict and stress come upon spiritual leaders, most often from those within the church, you wonder if those who consider themselves Bible studiers, if they could possibly have a look at this verse from Hebrews.

Hebrews 13:7 ‘Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit’

This video highlights the importance of social media to the church.

(H/t Kem Meyer)

70% of Inglewood Church’s growth has come directly through our website.
www.inglewoodchurch.org.au

Probably half of those new folk have found intergration through Facebook.
Probably half of my church are on Facebook.

And I still cant convince some of my friends that the church website needs updating…or that they need to have one….

One of my mates from my sons school asked me how I was going…work wise.
Christmas is buuuusy for Pastors, but this year is a lot less stressful for us, for a couple of reasons.

We dropped our Carols by Candlelight. I am not saying it is not effective, or worthwhile doing, and if you are doing it…great! But for us, we have done it for a number of years with some years being fantastic, others being dissapointed. You are at the mercy of the weather, other events, local residents…so many factors which can cause stress. There is also a lot of expense and trouble to pull it off.
We decided that even though our carols have been good for us as a church, we wanted a change this year.

With Christmas Day falling on a Friday we made the decision to have a Christmas Eve Childrens service, and a caroling style Christmas Day Service, and then a low key film day on the Sunday.

We are holding this in the community centre, and I reckon its going to be great. Doing something different to what we normally do means our people are refreshed at the thought, and enthusaistic.
New, change…excites. Doing the same thing again and again does not.

Been praying through a few thoughts on this lately.
I have received clear prophetic words 3 times in my life.
I don’t necesariy want to share the details of what was said here…in this public forum, but I will say this.

Three different ministers, conservative types all of them, shared with me points about myself that they believe God was sharing with them.
Their was no arrogance on their part, or dogmatism…just a sincere humble belief that God still speaks.

Coming as I have from a very conservative biblical education, emphasising a cessationalist form of ministry, this has been a huge area of growth and change for me.

One line that keeps convicting me….so often we speak from our lack of experience, and impose that upon the biblical text…rather than seeking the biblical experience that is plainly written in front of us. In other words…seeking that which is written in the Bible, rather than trying to ratiolalise it away.