July 2008

I can’t remember any time in my life when I have been conscious of dreaming I don’t mean I never had dreams but I have no memory of having them consistently ……..that is until very recently . Now I don’t mean genuflecting asteroids , wine cellars or donut shops with aviaries attached ( ok think about it)* Mine have been your average garden variety weird …..but it has got me thinking. When the leadership took a half day to focus on God we heard a message from the One Prayer series entitled Make us ...

There are some words that just should not exist don’t you think? One of those that keeps appearing before me is the word “unlearning” The first time I was conscious of noticing it was when I read The Unlearning Church for a class at seminary. More recently it appeared in Mark Batterson’s book “ In a pit with a lion on a snowy day” and then to cap it all Oswald Chambers devotional this morning…… It is not true to say that God wants to teach us something in our trials. Through every cloud He ...

As I was preparing for last Sunday's sermon looking at Joseph's encounter with Potiphar's wife I came across this striking observation from one of the most creative blog writers I have yet to discover. I was unable to use it in the sermon but I did not want you to miss it. He compares the explanation that Joseph gives for his refusal to accompany his boss' wife to bed with the encounter between Adam and Eve and the serpent in the garden. Here is an excerpt of what Joseph said to Potiphar's wife when she came on to him. He essentially ...

Well as I said on Sunday morning as we prepared to make our offering for the One Prayer Church planting project, our children had led us . They set themselves an audacious goal and hit it by giving their very best to God. They lived dangerously and what an example they set us……….. and PRAISE GOD !!!!!! WE FOLLOWED. the offering we received on Sunday for the planting of churches was $2450!!!!!!! When we put that with the tithe of the funds coming from GBF and VDM that means we will be able to plant one and a half close to ...

Making people feel welcome and creating a sense of family…the answer has traditionally been found in the small group and whereas I am sure that small groups make a significant contribution I think there may be another very important element. In his book “Creating a Prodigal Friendly Church” Jeff Lucas calls it “ the creation of a culture of welcome……….Its about becoming people who decide that risky welcome is not someone else’s responsibility ….its mine!” What is the key to ...