Our project as a church family the next seven weeks is to Imagine what Christ might do through us. We are spending the time 1. Giving thanks, 2. Setting forward a proto-vision for this ministry and 3. Asking for support.
It's linked to the fact that we are opening a new building on October 11, 2009 and so entering into a new phase of ministry. We are also changing the way we operate from a pastor model church to a team model church. And we are going to need everyone involved if we are to realise the vision that we think God has given us.
It's the start of the conversation rather than the last word. The elders are going to be taking note of what is said and digesting it and then reporting back at our AGM next march with a more concrete vision.
In the meantime we are also asking all involved with church for their take on how we as a church, their community group specifically and they individually are going at: * Remembering what Christ has done * Following Christ * Loving each other * Loving the lost * Blessing beyond
We are also attempting to put the ministry on a sounder financial footing by asking for 12 month commitments of support to both our operational costs and building debt, as well as a one off gift towards the building ahead of June 30.
They are exciting times. But it marks a change from 'stake in the ground and run,' to planning to be a more settled long term sustainable steadily growing ministry.
Con Campbell kicked off the Imagine a church series for us last Sunday. It was an excellent address on Ephesians 3:20, setting out how God can do more than we can imagine.
At our church over the next seven weeks in personal bible reading, community group studies and in our Sunday meetings we will be using our imagination. We are asking ourselves to :
26 April 2009 - Imagine Christ 3 May 2009 - Remember what Christ has done 10 May 2009 - Imagine a church that follows Christ 17 May 2009 - Imagine a church that loves each other 22 May 2009 – Thanksgiving Dinner 24 May 2009 - Imagine a church that loves the lost 31 May 2009 - Imagine a church that blesses others (Gift and Pledge Sunday) 7 June 2009 - Imagine a church that parties
Most importantly we will be imagining the difference that a church like this could make for Christ in today’s world.
This is a series about the church, the body of people who together form the church. It is specifically a series about our church Annandale Community Church/Christians in the Media.
It highlights some of the great themes of the Bible that we are particularly excited about as a church.
This series will be conducted in conjunction with an appeal to give generously to our church operational costs and building appeal.
The series will stir our imaginations to be a church that truly impacts the world for Christ.
I hope that you enjoy and are challenged by this series.
I got back last night from a brilliant couple of days with Sophie Gyles and a team of media students from UTS.
We also took Abraham and Barack (our fox terrier).
The series we studied was called 'What would Jesus say to Beyonce.'
We looked at the first talk at the sweep of the Bible's teaching on marriage and sexuality. And in the second one at a Biblical take on the Homosexuality debate.
Gender roles and Homosexuality are probably the most controversial areas for students studying media at a place like UTS.
It was a great time. Please pray particularly for one student who is not yet Christian.
I got to the Colinda and Brent's wedding an hour early today. I always do when I am speaking or officiating. I joked with the couple 'If you muck it up on a Sunday people remember for a week. If you muck it up at someone’s wedding they remember for the rest of their life.’ (I think Al Stewart taught me that).
There has been so much angst and planning gone into the flowers and the colors and the dresses etc. And relatively much less thought goes into the really important issue of what is actually said.
Although I wasn’t speaking today I spent a little time reflecting on how I put together a wedding talk. - Understand that most of the guests are probably on a ‘first date’ with God and so therefore my aim is to ‘make a little ground,’ commending the experience of coming to church, engaging with God and his word. - I want people to hear that it is possible to come into a relationship with Jesus as Saviour and Lord and that this will involve trusting and obeying. - Keep it short. Remember they are here for a wedding not a lecture or crusade. No one really wants you go to over ten minutes. - As you are the first speaker of the day you can cherry pick and showcase the most important information relevant information about the couples relationship with Christ and each other. I think it's really important to show that the couple are real and serious about their relationship with God and what that looks like in their life and how that will impact their marriage. - Pick a passage that doesn’t take too much work to give context and background. I often will speak evangelistically from narratives, but rarely at weddings. I am much more likely at a wedding to pick a propositional text that can be illustrated from either the couple’s life or marriage etc. - I generally ask people to pick a wedding passage that I haven’t spoken on before so that I am not just in my mind changing the names of the bride and groom from last time. - See it as an occasional address rather than a regular exegetical presentation. Therefore this is not really the time for a detailed exegetical argument. - I have chosen not to use the wedding to address the controversy over gender roles (I’ve not tackled Genesis 2 or Ephesians 5 at weddings). If people are to go home remembering something I would rather then remember the cross, rather than feminist controversy. That leads me to put emphasis primarily on the husband’s obligation in laying down his life for his wife as Christ did. (Note this doesn’t mean that I back away from complementarian wedding vows. I am very keen that people model their relationships on Christ and the church in a complementarian rather than egalitarian way. But I think that the time for teaching this is in the study beforehand rather than in what is a guest meeting.) - Every talk needs an action point. What am I going to do. For the husband it’s love like Christ, for the non Christian guest it’s talk to the couple about what that means, for Christian guests it’s pray for them. - I make sure that the couple are clear about what is going to be said and then encourage them to ensure that at the reception things said in church are backed up an reinforced. As everyone expects the minister in church to say Christian things, but it’s when the individuals say later on, off church property, that they believe the things that were said that people may really take notice.
I should say that although I have spoken at weddings about every six weeks for the last ten years. Only about four of them have been for people outside our ministry. So for those weddings their may be a different approach.
A thought on wedding ceremonies. I am off to Colinda and Brent’s wedding in an hour or so.
I am really big on encouraging the bride and groom to learn their wedding vows off by heart and then having them printed in the program.
I love it when couples are able to say their promises to each other unprompted on the day because they have gone over the words again and again.
It helps teach them and it helps teach those gathered that these promises are real. When they say the words of the promise they are promises that the couple own. They have been over the promises again and again as they have met the two or three weeks beforehand.
And a side benefit is that it allows me as the officiator to have a detailed discussion about the meaning of the promises a long time in advance, so after that discussion they can start practicing.
ps the generous people at St Thomas' North Sydney have lent us their building for the wedding today. We are looking forward to opening our building in October. There are two couples keen to get married then.
City Bible Forum - Wednesdays and Thursdays in the CBD
I'm looking forward to being back at the City Bible Forum in a fortnights' time (Justin is speaking at the moment giving a three week series on suffering).
When I am back we're doing a series called 'Essential Jesus'
During the five weeks we will be encouraging people to give out copies of the Essential Jesus to their workmates throughout the CBD.
The series I am doing is all taken from the Essential Jesus.
1 Jesus weeps over the city Luke 19:28-48 (April 28, Pyrmont; April 29, Angel Place; April 30, Cathedral)
2 Jesus challenge to city leaders Luke 20:1-19 (May 5, Pyrmont; May 6, Angel Place; May 7, Cathedral)
3 Jesus, paying taxes and heaven Luke 20:20-39 (May 12, Pyrmont; May 13, Angel Place; May 14, Cathedral)
4 An essential meal Luke 22:7-38 (May 19, Pyrmont; May 20, Angel Place; May 21, Cathedral)
5 Blood sweat and tears Luke 22:39-46 (May 26, Pyrmont; May 27, Angel Place; May 28, Cathedral)
I plan to give the same series at our Tuesday lunchtime Bible talks at the Harlequin Hotel in Pyrmont. These talks have been really going well this year. We've been enjoying working together through the logic of Tim Keller's book Reason for God. We will pick that up after this series from Luke.
I am writing in order to ask if you would consider writing something for us to go in our 'Pastor's brief' section on the topic of learning to listen as a pastor? Tony and I had a chat about the importance of developing listening skills and helping pastors learn to listen healthily to criticism and just generally being willing to listen to their people. And we thought it would be good to hear from someone who has learned over the years to listen. It's kind of a back-handed compliment isn't it? It's not meant to be rude, but rather an acknowledgement that it is an area of your character that you have had to work on developing that some others might have naturally but lots don't. We reckon people are likely to learn more from someone who has wrestled with learning to listen.
I am not offended by Paul Grimmond's comment rather encouraged that at least on this point he must think I am making progress.
His email made me think about the Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy:
1Timothy4:11 Command and teach these things. 12Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. 13Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
I was encouraged that someone had seen some progress in at least one area. And also thought I should say yes because we are to set an example for others in speech, in life, in love, in faith etc.
So I have started a process of introspection.
I thought it might help me to evaluate how I have changed in this area particularly and what areas I still have to go in so I might become more like Jesus and more useful to others in.
Anyway if you can think of some examples of where I have changed in this area I am keen to hear them
If you think it is a too personal example maybe you might like to email me or call me (02 9660 2444) rather than comment below.
ps I am a little nervous about the whole exercise so be gentle.
We had a great morning at church this morning for Good Friday. And we are able to get the video online just a few hours later. Here's the edited version of my address today where we spend time carefully looking at what John Stott called that great and most glorious of subjects: The cross of Christ. This is the first time that I have spoken on the crucifixion from Matthew's Gospel. I've spoken before many times from Mark and Luke and at least once from John. But never before from Matthew. I found the work of translating this passage from scratch for the first time very stimulating. (I really like the way translating slows me down and helps me to concentrate on the meaning of every word). audio |video | outline
Again Christopher Ash is brilliant. He provides in his book 'Marriage Sex in the service of God' an excellent definition of Christian marriage that I work through in this talk. Next week we will check out the third of his big headings and explore the 'How of marriage and sex.'
