I am utterly convinced that God works with different people in different ways. We can put that down to personality type, degree of faith, circumstances.

And we can understand that sometimes God works with us in different ways for reasons unknown. However perhaps experience teaches us that as we journey with God we discover what His particular methodology is with us.

For me, it has become increasingly obvious that God looks to me to burn some bridges before He comes through with either provision or leading. I still don’t know what this means, but let me give you some illustrations.

Moving House

As Melinda and I planned and prayed about moving close to our Church community we looked for a house. We could not find one. It was not until one day Melinda said something like this. “Mark, God wants us there, we need to sell our house in faith” So sell our house we did. It took just over a week to sell. But that is not the amazing aspect. In the week after we sold it, we stumbled across the house Melinda loved, and it was not even for sale yet! The owner was someone we knew through a ministry of our church and through coincidence we found our she was going to sell. We bought it before it even went on the market. This was when the market was at its hotest and houses on the street were selling in hours. God made His point.

Moving Church

Not me moving from Church, but our Church moving to a new building. For years we as a church were looking at new facilities for our growing church community. Somewhere that our community could access and utilities and we could have programs suitable for our culture. It was not until we as a church had stated our intention to sell all our property, that a suitable building came up. When it did, we were ready to act.

Other Moves

There are other examples but they involve other people and situations which perhaps are best left private. But there are numerous other ways, some small, some significant, which match this pattern.

Why?

Do I know why God acts this way with me? No I don’t. And I am not really asking for insights particularly. But it is clear to me that He does not work this way with some other people. Some I am sure He does, but I have noticed with some people God shows the way, provides, before time. Maybe He likes to test me! I don’t know. Either way, journeying with God is never boring. Understanding how He has worked in my life has been significant for me.

You

Please do not take my thoughts here as application for you dear reader. Maybe you resonate with this, maybe you don’t. I have seen other mature Christians wait on God until it is clear He has led or provided. It amazes me how God places in some peoples paths the job, the leading, the provision. You need to find your own way, relationship and understanding of God’s work in your life.

A friend from South Geraltdon (not really) is writing about a vexed issue within contemporary Australian Churches, divorce.

You can read his wrestle here.

Its a worthy addition to the discussion.

Some people do not put much emphasis or priority on preaching in Church.

That is a discussion for another day.

What I do believe though is that preaching is not about the preacher. It is about the audience. Does it really matter how well exegeted the passage is, how well you have parsed the verbs? Does anyone really care how well you have researched the context? Don’t hear me dismissing any of that as unnecessary or irrelevant. It is just that it pales into insignificance compared to the main point.

The main point is transformation, change in the audience.

Information is only useful as it leads to transformation.

What this means is that you as a preacher are only important insofar as you bring the word, and the power of the word empowered by the Spirit.

As far as I will go publicly in critiquing other ministers, with no names, sometimes the more conservative elements of the Church are more concerned about feeding the fat flock. Presenting the gospel in interesting and theologically correct ways than they are with seeing those folk exhorted to get out there.

As much as the more conservative elements of Church like to criticize those who they see as ‘charismatic’ or ’emotional’ I want to say this. Jesus was emotional, prophetic and downright annoying. The crowds left because He called them to service. In fact I wonder if many in today’s Church would have left because ‘He was not feeding me enough”.

Effectiveness in ministry is no substitute for integrity.

Longevity is ministry is underrated

You can’t just continue to have failed relationship after failed relationship  and pretend everything is okay.

We need to think long and hard before we restore someone to leadership after a moral failure.

We all have feet of clay, we fail. God gives grace and forgiveness.

I listen to many sermons and preachers. In much the same way as a sportsman might watch videos of someone kicking a ball, I like to listen to others who speak publicly. I listen and watch anyone who speaks to others in group settings, on television, in churches.

I’ve come to the conclusion that sometimes it is about the speaker, rather than the spoken to. In other words the preacher has thought to themself, I’ve crafted a great message here. Well parsed, context nailed, appropriate use of humour.

The issue is though that sermons are not about the preacher. They are quite simply about transformation. Information is merely a tool so that transformation might take place. Style and medium are there to aid the receiving of the message, not be an end in themselves.

If people do not hear and then be compelled to change, and are actually  transformed through the power of God, then it is not a great sermon. It may be interesting, stimulating, funny. But the word I am looking for as I prayerfully prepare a sermon is….compelling.

One at a time

Yesterday I kicked off the new series at Inglewood Church called ‘Spirituality’

I spoke on hearing from God, here are some of my notes…

How can you hear Gods voice?
well there is no easy answer…there is no five step plan. There is no key to unlock it easily…there is no pill you can take. But if you want to be that tree drawing down deep….here is what you need to know and apply.

To whom much us given much is required (hearing God)
The parable of the talents makes it really clear. The man who hid what God had given to him, had even that taken from him
If God does speak, and you ignore, or ever worse disobey it, even that small talent you have been given will be taken from you.
Imagine if the God of heaven comes to you with a specific word…and you ignore it!

If you hear the word, the logos, you need to act on and obey that word
God not into hot or cold, God did not pain the flowers in grey. There are very few grey flowers. They are vibrant colours. Because God is vibrant. He wants us to hear His word, to hear His voice…and to respond.
The very biblical principle is that if God speaks to you, dont just listen. Demons hear the voice of God…dont just listen…do.
Otherwise the consequence is that He may not talk anymore.
Some Christians who have been Christians for years, have grown tired and old well before their time, because God has spoken, but its like His voice is not as important as theirs. Gods voice is actually a pretty big deal. on the list of priorities, its actually top. But sometimes if we are honest, we act like its one of three options.

It was interesting, and as often happens, God spoke to me as I was sharing. What I then shared with the people was this thought. God loves us like a Father loves children. When He thought of us years before, dreamt up when we would enter this world, did He then also decide He would ignore us? No. He wants to speak to you today. Just as a Father loves talking to His children.