Direction Magazine September 2012 by New Life Publishing Co

THE UNSUNG HEROES WE CAN’T DO WITHOUT Volunteers are the backbone of the Church PLUS THE MINISTRY WITH 8,000 VOLUNTEERS We talk to Matthew Barnett of the LA Dream Centre

WHAT’S A NON-VOLUNTEER SUNDAY? How Coventry Elim learned to value its volunteers Exciting initiative to benefit all Elim members

SHORT TERM MISSIONS WORK Don’t just stay at home, argues Chris Jones

WHY CARE ABOUT THE LAW? Stand up for truth, says Lyndon Bowring

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CAPPUCCINO COMMUNICATION

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CONTENTS 5

EDITORIAL John Glass thanks Elim’s volunteers

EVERY CHRISTIAN IS A PRIEST... What would happen if church volunteers didn’t turn up, wonders Duncan Clark

10 NEWS from Elim and the wider church 12 OUT AND ABOUT WITH THE GS John Glass opens his diary 14 CAPPUCCINO COMMUNICATION An exciting new initiative from the GS designed to benefit every Elim member 16 TAKING CHURCH OUT OF THE BOX How volunteers from across the Movement are showing God’s love in a variety of ways 22 WE NEED GOD’S GANG OF FRIENDS Serving in church is often done by ‘the few’ but there’s a better way, says Mark Ryan 25 STAYING STRONG FOR THE LORD Physiotherapist Michelle Lacy writes for Aspire about the need to stay healthy 26 WANTING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Matthew Barnett explains what it’s like to lead a church with 8,000 volunteers

30 YOUR MISSION... IF YOU ACCEPT IT Missions Director Chris Jones points to the benefits Elim teams see around the world 32 TOP TIPS FOR WORSHIP LEADERS Elim Sound musicians explain how worship leaders can best fulfil their critical role 35 WE ‘CARE’ ABOUT TRUTH IN LAWS Christian lobby group CARE’s Nola Leach and Lyndon Bowring follow Jesus’ example 38 MY FAITH IS ELEMENTARY says champion golfer Bubba Watson 40 IT ALL ADDS UP FOR THE TREASURER It’s not a difficult role, says Robert Millar 42 YOUTH WORK NEEDS VOLUNTEERS Olly Goldenberg and Keeth Bandara are seeking people who want to leave a legacy 44 PEOPLE WITH A SERVANT’S HEART Gordon Neale explains what elders and deacons do and why they are essential 45 BOOK REVIEWS with Richard Dodge 49 ANSWERS with Rajinder Buxton 50 AND FINALLY with John Lancaster

Church Direction Representatives: please advise any alterations to your order before the 10th of each month

Direction Magazine is the official publication of the Elim Pentecostal Church @elimpentecostal www.elim.org.uk 0845 302 6750

Elim Pentecostal Church

Editor-in-Chief: John Glass, General Superintendent Publishers: Elim Pentecostal Church Elim International Centre, De Walden Road, West Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 4DF Charity no. 251549 (England)

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in articles and news reports do not necessarily reflect the view of the Editor or the official position of the Elim Pentecostal Church. The acceptance and publication of advertising does not indicate editorial endorsement. All submitted articles are subject to editing due to space restrictions. By submitting articles, writers accept their articles may be edited.

Publishing agents: New Life Publishing Co, PO Box 777, Nottingham, NG11 6ZZ, England Tel: 0115 824 0777 Website: www.newlifepublishing.co.uk Email: editor@newlife.co.uk or orders@newlife.co.uk Printers: Buxton Press Limited, Palace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6AE Back copies: previous issues are available while stocks last, at cover price plus £1.00 handling charge, incl. p&p, per order.

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03/07/2012 14:29

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F I R S T WO R D S

Thank you for the work you do Our theme this month is ‘volunteering’, which reminds me of a true story. In the USA there is a drama series about the emergency services called 911 – the number dialled in the States equivalent to our 999. It was the favourite programme of a six-year-old boy who watched it avidly every week, not really taking in that the series was simply fiction. After watching one of the episodes he went to the phone and dialled the number. When the operator asked what he wanted they a heard small child excitedly say, “I am staying at granny’s house, could you come quickly?” after which the receiver was replaced. Within minutes, an ambulance, a fire engine and two police cars screeched to a halt outside the house. Wondering what had happened, frantic parents and a grandmother rushed to the door to find out why they were there. Responding to an urgent, “What’s the matter and who is hurt?” they were speechless until a little face appeared and said, “It’s me who called. I watch what you do every week and just wanted to ask you round to say thank you for the wonderful job you are doing!” Less dramatically, that is exactly what we want to say to all our readers who commit at so many levels to work with our local Elim churches and without whom we could not operate. Elders, deacons, musicians, caterers, stewards, those who operate the sound or care for the crèche, cleaners, youth and children’s workers – the list is endless. We are calling round today – just to say thank you!

We are told there are over 100 titles of Christ portrayed throughout the Scriptures. Most of our readers could name many of them but few would include ‘volunteer’ in the long list. Yet the most important verse in the Bible, John 3:16, says that God so loved the world that he gave – volunteered – his only Son. Jesus is the ultimate and universal volunteer in that he gave his life so that we could enjoy forgiveness of sins, a purpose in life and a destiny in heaven. A person may never be an apostle, pastor, leader, musician, embrace a spotlight or enjoy celebrity status – but we can all follow the ultimate example of Jesus by being a volunteer. Some use the word ‘volunteer’ in the same way that they use the word ‘amateur’ – using it disparagingly as if it was synonymous with that which was second best. Of that we must say two things. The first is that the word ‘amateur’ comes from the 17th Century French ‘amatore’ and the Latin ‘amator’ – both words denoting love that comes from the heart. The second observation is that, as we all know, amateurs built the Ark and it was professionals who built the Titanic! Volunteers, on behalf of myself and the National Leadership Team, thank you so very much! John Glass General Superintendent Elim Pentecostal Church

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What would happen if your church’s army of volunteers didn’t turn up for work one Sunday? Elim minister Duncan Clark found out…

Remember every Christian is a priest! At the start of 2010, Coventry, along with much of the UK, experienced a deep freeze. Record levels of heavy snow accompanied arctic weather conditions. Coventry ground to a halt. Schools closed. Shops shut early. Buses remained at their depot and cars stayed in their garages. While our kids rejoiced at the sight of snow and rediscovered their sledging skills, something aggravated the adults. Bin collections were cancelled. It was front page news for a fortnight. Refuse lorries were unable to cope with the icy residential roads and therefore Coventry became a city of overflowing wheelie bins. Piles of black bags lined the streets. Ripped bin liners poured rubbish onto the roads and residents started talking about increasing rat populations and infectious diseases. Coventrians were up in arms! It got me thinking. What would happen if people who provide a service suddenly stopped what they were doing? We discovered what would happen if refuse collectors couldn’t do their job, but what if doctors just quit for a week, or firefighters stopped for a fortnight, or midwives stopped delivering babies, or carers stopped caring, or teachers stopped teaching. What would happen if those who have the responsibility to provide a service just threw in the towel and quit? How about something a little closer

‘It only took a few hours on a Sunday morning for us to discover that the growth and health of a local church does not just rest in the hands of those who get a salary.’

Above Pastor Duncan Clark Main image Just a few of the many volunteers who make things happen at Coventry Elim

to home for a pastor… what if every volunteer in our churches stopped serving? A colleague of mine posed this question, “What if everyone in our church who doesn’t get paid a salary just quit? What would that look like for us?” For a moment we imagined what it would be like. We tried to visualise a church without volunteers. And then it happened. In a moment of madness, ‘Non-Volunteer Sunday’ was born. Not a catchy title I know, but rather than simply painting an imaginary picture of what church would look like without the services of unpaid volunteers, we decided to experience the reality of it. It was an ugly mess. No welcome team. No stewards. No musicians. No PA. No song words. No car park attendants. No post-service coffee (maybe a blessing?). No one to serve communion. No one to count the offering. No one to record the sermon (another blessing?). Only those on the church payroll served the church that Sunday morning – and the gaps were obvious. It only took a few hours on a Sunday morning for us to discover that the growth and health of a local church does not just rest in the hands of those who get a salary. It takes the willingness of women and men from all walks of life to give their time voluntarily in order to see a church grow.

We learned a valuable lesson that day. We’re all priests In fact, we rediscovered something of the original plan that God has for his Church. We remembered that every Christian is a priest. No flowing gowns. No special theological training. No vicarage or prayer book. But yes, a priest. Peter, the ex-f isherman turned Early Church apostle, wrote to ordinary Christians located in ordinary churches scattered around the Roman Empire, and he told them that they were priests. Radical teaching! Peter challenged the centuries-old concept of the priesthood. A priest was a man. He was born into the right family and had a specific ancestry. A priest – and only a priest – was allowed to do ‘ministry’ in God’s house. He was God’s representative on earth who communicated with God. He was a member of the religious elite. The priesthood was a closed shop, only accessible for the chosen few. Enter Jesus. He tells ordinary people that they can speak to God directly and call him ‘Father’. He looks common people in the eye and tells them that they are the ‘light of the world’. He gathers a gang of guys who have everyday jobs and tells them, “You will be my witnesses.” Change has started. Enter the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. A

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group of non-priestly followers of Jesus huddle together in an upper room. Then comes the violent wind and tongues of fire. The Holy Spirit enters the room and ‘rests on each of them’, not some of them. Not those born into the right family. Not just the men, all of them! Peter, the former foulmouthed fisherman, stands up before the inquisitive crowd and recites the beautiful words of Scripture, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Not a few people; not the chosen elite, but all people. A paradigm shift has begun. Peter s tar ts writing to churches telling the Christ-followers that they are all priests. All of them are ministers. All of them are empowered by the Spirit. All of them are given gifts to help them serve. All of them! New day dawns Paul, a former member of the Jewish elite, plays catch-up. He starts to compare church members with body parts. Strange comparison, I know, but genius. Each body part plays a specific and important role. Each depends on the other. Each church member plays a specific and important role. Each depends on the other. Not just a chosen few. All of them! A new day dawns. A new model for ministry is born. From few of them, to each of them. From few people, to all people. From the elite, to the ordinary. Everyone becomes a priest. You will probably have heard of the ‘Pareto Principle’. You might know it as the ‘8020 rule’. It basically states that 80 per cent of the effects come from 20 per cent of the causes. So, generally speaking, 80 per cent of the work is done by 20 per cent of the people; 80 per cent of the land is owned by 20 per cent of the landowners; 80 per cent of crimes are committed by 20 per cent of the crimi-

‘Maybe the fault lies with congregations who believe that ministry is something they observe, rather than something they participate in’

Above Duncan Clark during a service in Coventry

nals; 80 per cent of sales will come from 20 per cent of your customers. You get the point! You will have heard this principle applied to church life. It’s claimed that 80 per cent of the ministry is done by 20 per cent of the people. Correct? If so, we have drifted from the Early Church model, and returned to the old. Maybe the fault lies with the clergy. A clerical monopoly. Paid professionals who do all of the ministry, control freaks who have forgotten that their responsibility is to prepare God’s people for works of service. “It’s my job,” they say. Maybe the fault lies with congregations who believe that ministry is something they observe, rather than something they participate in. “Isn’t that the reason we pay the pastor a salary?” they say. Maybe the fault lies with our consumer mindset. Spectators

not servants. “Feed me. Serve me. Care for me. Fix my kids. I am here to receive,” we say. Here’s the truth. A local church will never reach its potential if its leaders refuse to equip people to serve. The body of Christ will never be healthy if its members down tools while they watch others work. You are not consumers – you are not spectators. You are not observers or bystanders – you are ministers and servants of God. The vitality and impact of your church is dependent on you seeing yourself with new eyes. You are priests. You may not look like one or feel like one, but you are one, each of you. One Sunday we discovered what church would look like if ‘all of them’ became ‘a few of them’, if priests laid down their priestly calling and ministers gave up their ministry. Never again!

re ad in g

DIRECTION Magazine is the official publication of Elim Pentecostal Church

SEPTEMBER 2012 Issue 132 ÂŁ1.70

Volunteers are the backbone of the Church PLUS THE MINISTRY WITH 8,000 VOLUNTEERS We talk to Matthew Barnett of the LA Dream Centre

WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A NON-VOLUNTEER SUNDAY? How Coventry Elim learned to value its volunteers

CAPPUCCINO COMMUNICATION Exciting initiative to benefit all Elim members

SHORT TERM MISSIONS WORK Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just stay at home, argues Chris Jones

WHY CARE ABOUT THE LAW? Stand up for truth, says Lyndon Bowring

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Wife of top It’s a right royal celebration evangelist as couple reach milestone! goes home Gwen Wilkerson, wife of the late Rev David Wilkerson, died in July aged 81. The family said in a statement that Mrs Wilkerson (pictured below) ‘went to be with Christ with great peace and even anticipation’. Gwen had an amazing resolve and unshakeable faith, exemplified through numerous battles with cancer. Her miraculous stor y was told in her faith-building book, Abiding In His Strength. Renowned preacher David Wilkerson died in a car crash in Texas last year.

RE lessons are given backing More than half of adults in England and Wales believe Religious Education should remain a compulsory subject, new research has found. The subject is understood to be at risk of being squeezed out of the curriculum by the government. But a recent YouGov survey shows that 53 per cent of adults in England and Wales are in favour of keeping it.

Don’t miss out on Bible Week Elim Bible Week 2013 will take place at the Telford International Centre. The event will be held from April 1-5 during the Easter holidays. More information is available at www.elim.org.uk

An Elim couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Cyril and Margaret Richards from Beddau Community Church in Wales were special guests at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee garden party which was attended by hundreds. The Richards, whose son Noel is a well-known worship leader, were surprised to be invited. Margaret, 81, who still plays the keyboard in church, said, “To receive the invite was really special. We had a lovely day. To be at the palace with all those people was amazing!” The great grandparents have served under eight different pastors – including John Glass – at Beddau, which was formerly Llantrisant Elim, since they joined

Cyril and Margaret Richards with their invitation (left) and at the garden party in Buckingham Palace

in the 1940s. Cyril, 85, said, “We think our strong Christian values are the key to a lengthy marriage. I’m still an elder in the church and also play the mandolin.” Their current pastor Andrew Williams added, “I’ve been Margaret and Cyril’s pastor for five years now but I’ve known them for more than 20 years because

I was an elder for a while. They are the rock of our church. “For all of my Christian life they have been an inspiration to us all. They’ve been faithful through thick and thin and are incredible people. Cyril has been on the leadership in the church since I’ve been here and they are very godly people.”

Some of the men who attended Scotland’s first ever men’s conference

200 descend on Scotland’s first men’s meeting More than 200 delegates descended on Glasgow Elim for the Scottish Region’s first ever men’s conference. Guest speakers at the ‘Wanted’ conference were Dave Campbell, regional leader of the Metropolitan regions, Kieran Dunne, from Alpha Scotland, and Nick Cox, a former England under 21 rugby international who is now a church minister. Scotland’s Regional Leader Kevin Peat said,

“What a fantastic day! It was fast moving, brilliantly organised by the team, very relevant and absolutely cringe free. Hopefully it’s just the start for the men of Scotland. Good things are to come!” One of Wanted’s organisers, Gordon Allan, added, “It was a day organised by men, for men to fulfil God’s plans for men for their life, families, work, church and nation.” Other activities on offer during the day included a rodeo bull, games and a barbecue.

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Doreen has Bible secret to a long life

Volunteer Margaret Wright has been a longstanding member at Silverdale Elim Church. Pic: The Sentinel

Centre nominated for award for its work in its community A centre run by volunteers from an Elim church has been nominated for an award for their work in the community. The former Silverdale Infants School site was taken over by Silverdale Elim Church in 2009 and underwent extensive refurbishment last year following a £59,000 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. The Cornerstone Community Centre was then launched, which offers a transport service, a furniture recycling scheme and a cafe as well as a weekly lunch club. It relies on a dedicated group of volunteers from the church to help keep it running on a daily basis. The centre has been nominated

in the Community Group of the Year category of local paper The Sentinel’s ‘Our Heroes’ awards. Pastor Edwin Cotter said, “It’s great to be recognised for our volunteers because they’re the people that give up hours and hours every week because they love the people and they’re doing it for the Lord.” Margaret Wright, 76, has been helping out at the church since she was 21. She said, “When the church took over the community centre I tried to help out as much as I could. I help out with the weekly luncheon club every Tuesday. I have a lot of friends at the church who are all willing to help each other.”

A woman who recently celebrated her 100th birthday says the secret to a long life is reading the Bible every day. Devou t believer Dor a Wilson, of Bobbers Mill near Nottingham, celebrated the milestone in June. She was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a hamper at her church, Elim’s Oasis Christian Centre, in nearby Sawley. The church then threw her a birthday bash after its evening service. Dora, who has three sons, five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren, said, “I don’t feel any different. I can’t believe I’m 100.” She said that reading God’s Word and taking plenty of exercise have helped her reach her century.

Dora Wilson celebrates 100 years

Big names join for Letchworth conference Ex-dealer’s top accolade A host of big names joined held in May. Lara Martin together for Letchworth Garden City Church’s annual conference. Acclaimed author Tommy Tenney, who penned the famous God Chasers book, joined Global Day of Prayer leader Jonathan Oloyode and Elim’s Dave Campbell for the Igniter Conference, which was

led worship. Senior leader Dominic De Souza said, “This was a conference that left people hungry, discontented and dissatisfied with anything less than God himself.” The teaching is available at www.mylgcc.com. Next year’s conference will be held from May 3-5.

Author Tommy Tenney at the conference

A 24-year-old former drug dealer from Manchester has won the 2012 Urban Hero of the Year award. Paul Dixie’s dramatic turnaround story was celebrated at a glitzy red carpet awards event at Lancashire County Cricket Ground hosted by Manchester youth charity The Message Trust in July.

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GS DIARY

Direction goes out and about with John Glass

Newquay Christian Centre

Ministers Fellowship Europe Ministers Fellowship International was founded many years ago by Dick Iverson, and 13 years ago MF (Europe) was commenced under the leadership of Colin Cooper (pictured above) – senior minister of the 800-strong Huddersfield Christian Fellowship who has brought dynamic leadership to the group. Every year this group, dedicated to the encouragement and support of pastors and leaders, holds a Conference in a different location throughout Europe. The 2012 venue was in a top hotel in Athens, Greece. I considered it an honour to be invited to speak on four occasions during the four days. The Conference took time to especially honour its founder Dick Iverson who is now 82 years of age but has lost nothing of his fatherly heart for leaders.

The first time I preached at Newquay many years ago there were just 35 people present. On the last occasion there were two morning services to accommodate the burgeoning congregation. On this occasion there was one service but it was in the newly acquired premises – the third complex in the centre of the town and only a short walk from the seafront. NCC is a great success story that is the product of excellent leadership from Mike Robins (pictured here with his wife, Shelagh), his team and a dedicated congregation. Whether

you speak to the Newquay surfer set that are part of the church, or the most senior people in age, the comments are the same – pleasure of be-

Elim Summit, Ireland

Leytonstone Men’s Retreat For the past few years around 60 men from the Leytonstone Elim Church conduct a retreat for men at the Elim International Centre in Malven. For the past two years I have been invited to speak at the event. There is always something great about guys getting together in this kind of context and the 2012 event was no exception.

ing a part of a church relevant to every age group. Following the service the congregation gathered on the beach as six young people were baptised.

South Chard There are times when I get to visit excellent churches situated in very small communities. My visit to South Chard, Somerset, was one such occasion. It is led by Neil Reid (pictured above with his wife, Jenny).

It was a delight to be with them. There was a great sense of ‘family’ in this warm and relational congregation, and after the morning service I was able to meet the wider leadership and their spouses over a curry.

Northern Ireland was the venue for the last of six leadership summits that, over the past few months, have been held in Scotland, the North West, the Midlands, the South West and London. It has been a pleasure to have travelled with such a great team that included Gary Gibbs, Darren Johnson, Chris Jones, Mark Pugh and Nigel Tween. Over 200 ministers and lay leaders gathered in Hillsborough for the day subsequent to the invitation of Irish Superintendent, Edwin Michael. The venue, the hospitality and the atmosphere made the final summit one of the best on the tour.

As reports take some time to get from ‘meeting to magazine’ you can keep up to date in ‘real time’ by visiting elimgs.blogspot.com, or follow me on

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In April, 2012, Emmaus House became part of the Pilgrims’ Friend Society, the Christian charity with over 200 years experience of care. Now, after many years’ service, our manager is moving to a different role within the Society, and we are looking for the person God has in mind to replace him. Could this be your time for a new direction? The role calls for a committed Christian, able to lead devotional times. Also someone who is a good communicator, happy to interact with residents and their relatives, as well as local authority and regulatory bodies. If it sounds like you, you will also have management or supervisory experience in a residential setting, and be able to lead the care and service teams in the home. www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk Human Resources, Pilgrims’ Friend Society, 175 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2AL Tel: 0300 303 1400 Fax: 0300 303 1415 Email: hr@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

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John Glass introduces Cappuccino Communication – an exciting new project that will benefit everyone who attends an Elim church

Initiative allows me to chat to as many of you as possible

Above Elim GS John Glass Main image The new Cappuccino Communication will be like having a chat in the time it takes to enjoy a coffee

Free to sign up Simply e-mail sharon.millar@ elimhq.net and include your name and church name

If I could be granted one wish, it would be to personally sit down with everyone who attends an Elim church in the UK, even if our chat lasted for no more than a few minutes – the time it takes to enjoy a cup of coffee. Given that on any particular Sunday the number is in the region of 67,000 people, that clearly may be a wish too far. Well, that was true until the launch of what we have called Cappuccino Communication. Let me explain how it first came about. My office sends e-mails to all our credentialed ministers – around a thousand in the UK – every month. A few weeks ago I decided to add a voice attachment to the message that could be heard at the click of a mouse button. It was a single action that did not require the complicated

route of signing up, signing in and typing in a password. Within a few minutes I began to receive e-mails saying how much better – and more natural – it was to hear communications personally rather than having to read them in cold print. I had done podcasts in the past but again that required visiting a website and signing in. This solution now seemed simple and straightforward. Nothing could be easier and more natural, except a face to face meeting itself. I then began to realise that if this kind of interaction could work for leaders, it could just as easily work for every person who attends our Elim churches. The challenge is that with emails, Skype and social networking, we are all in danger of suffering from information

overload. We don’t have the time to take on board all the demands that come via our computers. However, C appuccino Communication only takes place once a month and for the length of time it takes to enjoy a coffee – each interaction would take no longer than seven minutes – and of course it’s absolutely free. The programme starts this month and all you need to do is to send an e-mail to my office in Malvern that includes your name and the church that you attend and you will be enrolled. It really is as easy as that! If you are in church leadership in any form you can also receive a separate leadership podcast, which again is no more than seven minutes long. It is absolutely free of charge and

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will also be supplemented by videocasts from time to time. It covers teaching on a leadership theme that will enable you to hone and develop the gifts that you already possess. Once we have your details, everyone attending our churches will receive an e-mail each month with a voice attachment that will include teaching, encouragement or a challenging message. Of course, this is all far short of the privilege of meeting you face to face, but at least it provides a means of communication that was not there before. If you are a regular reader of Direction Magazine then you will be aware of the page entitled GS Diary that gives details of my travels week by week. Although I cover many churches in the space of a year, it is still

‘My ideal wish remains to sit down with you personally over a cup of coffee – but Cappuccino Communication is at least a step in the right direction’

only a fraction of the 600+ in the Movement. In this – the final three-and -a-half years of my role – I want to use every means possible to share the vision and values of our Movement, and those themes that I consider the most important in building the faith of the great people who are part of Elim. One of the ways I have accomplished that in the past is through writing. Now, four of my books have been made available as part of Cappuccino Communication for anyone who has access to a Kindle device – or an iPad with the free Kindle app. We have managed to reduce the price from the published cost of £7.99 to just £2.66 – the price of a good cappuccino! So, here are the steps… church

members should e-mail my PA, Sharon Millar, at sharon.millar@ elimhq.net and include their name and the name of their church. Many churches have already nominated someone to collect this information and send it in as a batch. If your church has not done so then you can contact us directly. Leaders should identify in their e-mail that they would also like the leadership podcast and videocast. To receive the selected books, simply request the download from Kindle. Every e-mail will also include the printed script of the podcast in the form of notes for future reference. My ideal wish remains to sit down with you personally over a cup of coffee – but Cappuccino Communication is at least a step in the right direction.

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Throughout the nation Elim volunteers are helping to reach thousands of people with Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s love in a variety of ways. Over the following five pages Becky Barlow features just a few of the Movementâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s many exciting projects s an

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Ipswich homeless support Elim’s Ipswich International Church (IIC) has been working with neighbouring Ipswich Community Church since 2008 at a soup kitchen, which is run every evening in the centre of the town. Deacon and volunteer Colin Howe has been involved right from the start. “We started to work together every other Friday,” he says. “Volunteers from other groups helped us with all we needed to get it right at first.” The outreach is set up outside using portable tables on the street opposite the town’s Citizens’ Advice Bureau. For an hour – from 8pm until 9pm – food, soup, coffee and teas

are supplied to the homeless and needy. “We make soup and sandwiches and warm up sausage rolls in the church kitchen from 6.30pm,” Colin explains. “Some of the volunteers bring biscuits and fruit. After prayer, we go out to give these to the 25-40 people that come. “The numbers have risen in recent months. At any one time there are about 15 volunteers that take turns, six to eight each time. “God provides opportunities to know and help those who are in need. Over the years many of the clients have told me they appreciate having people to talk to as much as the food. “I always look forward to my

monthly turn to be part of the team. I often get into entertaining and interesting conversations. I was surprised to discover the sense of community among those that use the kitchen.” Following the initial success, a winter night shelter was run from December 2011 to February 2012. Over 300 volunteers from churches across Ipswich supported the project. “Around 25 members of IIC volunteered at this,” Colin says. “While the soup kitchen is an emergency sticking plaster, the night shelter moved closer to fully addressing homelessness. “It was a great witness to many people as Christians were able to bring together all the relevant organisations to support those in need. As a volunteer,

I have been able to work with teams to fulfil the purposes to which God calls me. Working with other churches truly inspires me to feel part of God’s overcoming army. “My experience is that by giving your time as an example of God’s love you receive his love back to fill the reservoir of love inside you. Volunteering only requires small time commitments but the Holy Spirit will lead you to grow closer to Christ. “Whatever you chose to do, people will ask you why you are doing it. They then listen to your testimony of the impact of God’s love. “They have already seen it in practice, so are more likely to listen.” 

Taking church out of the box

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Debt counselling service sees surge in demand Cheltenham debt counselling At the Elim Church in Cheltenham, a Christians Against Poverty centre is struggling to cope with the demand for its services. A recent study showed that the average amount of debt owed is £13,000 per person, compared to £10,000 in 2011. The increase in financial mayhem means that people needing help have to wait longer for advice and counselling. Ruth Bird,

manager of Christians Against Poverty based in Cheltenham’s Elim Christian Centre, says the need for services providing a helping hand was increasing. She says, “We have been inundated with those needing help and there’s always a waiting list. It can be frustrating when people have to wait before we’re able to see them. We’re getting more referrals from outside agencies and when you consider that agencies such as the Citizens Advice

Bureau are having their funding slashed, there will be even more need for people to find debt advice from somewhere. I see ourselves as working alongside them. At our current levels there’s more need than we can meet.” Ruth is keen to stress that volunteering can take the form of many roles. “To be a befriender or a support worker you don’t need to have anything to do with the finance side of things,” she says. “To be a volunteer you just

need to be compassionate and loving.” One client, who asked not to be named, said the CAP centre had been a ‘God-send’. They add, “I’d never heard of CAP until last summer when a friend told me about them, but now, thanks to them I’m debt free. “It’s changed my life in that I’m not burdened any more. I don’t wake up worrying about debt and have money to do things I couldn’t do because of what I owed.”

Bill said the project had given out nearly 11 tonnes of food in the last 12 months to struggling families and individuals. “The figures are surprising,” he says. “The thing we found most amazing is the number of children being supported. Some

people come in and they are very embarrassed, but the team is good at making them feel at ease.” Food bank co-ordinator Claire Childs added, “I didn’t know the severity of the problem. More than 1,700 people have been fed through our food bank.”

More than 1,700 use food bank Llanelli food bank Myrtle House food bank marked its first birthday as it was revealed that more than 1,700 people had used its services to receive an emergency food parcel since it was set up in April 2010. Members of the Elim Pentecostal Church, based at Myrtle Terrace, in Llanelli, held an event in May inviting people who had either used or supported the service to come along for tea and cake. Pastor Bill Chapman, who runs the food bank with his wife, Ellen, says that while the popularity of the food bank showed there was a lot of need in the area, it also brought out the best in the community, through the use of volunteers. “The food bank isn’t an institution looking after peo-

Claire Childs from the Myrtle House food bank

ple,” he says. “It’s people caring about people in their community. I love the idea of community helping community – that’s sustainable. “We’re not dependent on funding, only the hearts of people. And people have good hearts.”

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Church out of the box

Two of the Street Pastors in Chesterton. Pic: Staffordshire Sentinel News & Media

Reaching revellers when they’re in need Chesterton Street Pastors Volunteers from the Elim Church in Chesterton, Newcastle-under-Lyme, have been praised by police and local councillors after announcing plans to extend their Street Pastors scheme to the town centre. The group already operates in Hanley and Leek where it offers support to police and other emergency services during weekends when alcohol and partying can sometimes get out of control. Offering everything from flip-flops for women who can’t walk in their high heels, to a

shoulder to cry on for people who are emotionally distressed, the Street Pastors are funded entirely by charitable donations. The scheme is hoping to be launched in Newcastle-underLyme this month following its success in other parts of the region. Pastor Ann Banks says, “Volunteers are the life blood of the Christian faith. We don’t charge for our time. When it comes to Street Pastors, sometimes people just need a little bit of support. They might need to call somebody and they may have lost their phone. They may have got into fights, or

need help to get home safely. But it’s not just about breaking up the gangs. When they drink, a lot of people find themselves depressed. All their problems start tumbling out. “You can have people with problems stemming from bereavement or relationship difficulties. These people may well have gone out in the hope of cheering themselves up but then it goes wrong. We deal with all sorts of situations and will help in any way we can.” Newcastle town centre police officer PC Roger Craig praised the scheme and said he believes the Street Pastors will

provide much-needed support. “People see the police and the uniform and sometimes it all escalates,” he says. “We sometimes need a different kind of intervention and I think that’s where the Street Pastors will come in. It’s all about keeping Newcastle safe and they will certainly be helping to do that.” Councillor Tony Kearon adds, “It’s a brilliant scheme and I know from its success in other areas that it will bring a lot to Newcastle. “It can be as simple as just helping people get home safely and I’m confident we will see the same results here.”



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Church out of the box

Giving real hope to the unemployed Cannock unemployment support project Living Springs Community Church in Cannock, Staffordshire, launched its HOPE Project in January 2009. Staffed wholly by volunteers, the initiative provides support for a range of people, from the unemployed to those having money problems, through providing sessions in life skills, mentoring and other practical services. Pastor Neil Henley came up with the idea following the rise in unemployment due to the recession. “I felt God say that I should do something about it,” he remembers. “But I wanted it to be more than just a job centre. So we don’t just deal with the physical and financial needs but also the emotional and the spiritual. We teach people that true meaning can only be found in God.” Project manager Russ Taylor, 51, says, “The project has

grown from a small handful of individual members to attendances of 25 plus a week, many of whom have complex personal and support needs. “We are currently training our volunteer staff to undertake some of the regular tasks of interviewing and building relationships with new members. These relationships form the foundation of our ability to bring about change in people’s lives by providing them with the emotional and physical support they need to come to terms with their particular life issues. “As members grow and mature, they are expected to start to offer their own time in volunteering to help others in the community, which develops maturity, responsibility and leadership skills along with other practical management skills, relevant to the type of volunteer work undertaken. “O ne member, having worked hard to be drug-free, is now seeking access to his child

‘We don’t just deal with the physical and financial needs but also the emotional and the spiritual. We teach people that true meaning can only be found in God’

Above Two of the projects carried out by Living Springs Community Church

and leading small teams in voluntary DIY work. We also have members who suffer severe physical limitations, yet whose active minds enable them to develop spin-off projects, that if successful will remove their dependency on the benefits system and create jobs, training and useful services within the local community. “Without the input of volunteers, none of this work would be possible. However, we recognise that it is possible to move projects only so far with volunteers and are working now towards funding that will enable us to build upon this initial foundation and grow the work on a much larger scale.”

Email enquiries@acuk.net for availability and a brochure or visit www.acuk.net and choose your preferred location - Northampton, Staffordshire or Shropshire, your choice. Groups of 24 to 300 all in en-suite accommodation with a choice of sport and adventure activities all on-site.

(applicable to accommodation only for children 16yrs and under accompanied by their parents in a group with at least 24 paying adults staying 2 nights or more on available dates only. Instructed activities charged extra).

ISSUES OF OLD AGE – ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

A conference organised by the Pilgrims’ Friend Society, a Christian charity with over 200 years experience of meeting the needs of older Christians.

King’s House Conference Centre, King’s Church, Sidney Street, Manchester M1 7HB 7th November, 2012, 10.00 am – 4.00 pm Workshop Speakers: Roger Hitchings, Maureen Sim, Janet Jacob, Louise Morse, Maria Williams, Dr J Ling. Topics:

• The Crisis in Care • Responding to early dementia and what caregivers need • Developing Usefulness in Old Age • Legal Issues for Older People • End of Life Issues.

Early bird discount applies to 30th September, 2012. Organisations = £60, or early bird £50 Non-PFS member = £50, or early bird £40 Book via the website, pilgrimsfriend.org.uk or email conference@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk telephone 0300 303 1400 (ask for Suzie Leveson, conference organiser). Pilgrims’ Friend Society 175 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2AL

www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

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Too often ‘the few’ who serve in church are just plain tired, argues Mark Ryan. But he believes he knows how to create the right environment

God’s gang of friends serving together is the best solution

Above Mark Ryan says church leaders shouldn’t take a leading role in too many areas Main image A spirit of real friendship and love in the Church is unstoppable

I once saw a film depicting the disciples of Jesus travelling with him, and instead of all looking solemn as they walked in silence behind their Master, they were giving piggy back rides, playfighting, laughing and poking fun at each other as they went to their next destination. It was a picture of the Church that I have fallen in love with – God’s gang of friends serving together is the type of environment that we all long for. Most leaders will testify that if there is a spirit of real friendship and love in the Church where people willingly serve together, this is an absolutely unstoppable force to change the locality and make the business of Church a pleasure. Because the work of the Church never stops, and there is always another person who needs help coming over the horizon, sadly we often see a jaded few trying to hold on to an ideal that serving Jesus is sup-

posed to be an adventure when, in reality, ‘the few’ are just tired. We need a change of culture – God’s gang of friends serving together needs to re-emerge as the main model of church life. How can we create this culture where people willingly serve with their friends to make the important work of the local church happen? Volunteers – no matter how good hearted and faithful they are – always need to know the purpose in what they are doing, and that purpose always needs to be kept sharp so that in the ‘doing’ there is a sense that things are progressing. People hate feeling like they are on a treadmill of activity just to keep things going for the sake of it. One vital ingredient is to ensure that the little details of a specific volunteer task tie in with the larger picture of the overall mission of the church. For example, we need the lounge tidy because that’s where peo-

ple who have never been on the inside of a church get their first opportunity to talk faith through. Tidiness is really serving the issue of people talking through faith. Small tasks should always be genuinely connected to the big picture. Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘It goes without saying’? If we want a strong affirmation culture amongst volunteers then as far as telling them ‘thanks’ for their efforts, it should never ‘go without saying’. ‘Thanks’ need to be often and deliberate. Expressing gratitude has to be routine but never done in a religious way. The truth is, that in order to make church a great community to be in, sometimes someone is going to have to be taken for granted. But we need to thank people often so that in those times they have enough affirmation fuel to run on. Volunteers don’t always need to have the supporting

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role, people actually feel affirmed if we give them genuine responsibility. Volunteers have constraints on their available time. However, time is infused with life when it is filled with the weight of responsibility. Too many church leaders take a leading role in too many areas. The mixture of responsibility and the release of gifts will create a culture where volunteers feel they are not working for the leaders but that everyone is serving Jesus together. Who leads a church is vital, whether that is a staff team or a single pastor, but who is celebrated is equally vital. We should honour our leaders appropriately, but the simple fact is that 99 per cent of everyone who works for the church is a volunteer and therefore celebration of what they do should take a good share of the time given to honour. Time has to be given to tell the stories of those who serve. Celebrate them with gusto! Paid leaders need to buy into the principle that it is volunteers that are the engine room of the church and from this understanding healthy teams can be built. An affirmation culture is built up as we encourage people to invite their friends to join them in serving. Appeals from the front for more volunteers often have much less effect than creating a friendship culture that gives power to friends inviting friends to serve alongside them. Then the culture goes viral through the bonds of friendship. God’s gang of friends serving together – that’s the picture, and it’s unstoppable, it’s enjoyable and it’s enriching. We can only live up to God’s brilliant description of us being his holy and special nation if we give real attention to creating and celebrating a new culture for those who volunteer – a culture of affirmation.

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Aspire A passionate ministry for women in Elim

Looking after our bodies physically isn’t an option if we are to be all that God intended us to be, writes physiotherapist Michelle Lacy

God can use us when we’re strong Do you enjoy exercise? Do you take exercise because you have to? Or do you avoid it at all costs? When looking into the area of our physical wellbeing, it seems we can’t afford not to take care of our bodies and our lives. We have heard the Bible verse many times, “Don’t you know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies,” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). But are we taking active steps to honour God by looking after ourselves physically? Regular exercise can reduce the risk of major illnesses such as heart disease, suffering a stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50 per cent and lower the risk of early death by up to 30 per cent. It is medically proven that people who undertake regular physical activity have up to a 50 per cent lower risk of colon cancer, a 20 per cent lower risk of breast cancer, an 83 per cent lower risk of osteoarthritis and a 30 per cent lower risk of depression. Given the overwhelming evidence, it seems obvious that we should all be physically active. In fact, it’s essential if you want to live a healthy and fulfill-

‘I believe that God can use us more in our lives when we are “ready” and “strong”’

Above Michelle Lacy

ing life into old age. The woman of Proverbs 31 strikes me as someone who was extremely active and hardworking. Verse 17 says, “She girds her loins with strength and strengthens her arms.” This woman was healthy and fit for her work. She was not lazy or lacking in motivation but was strong and ready for what needed to be done. By girding her loins, she was tying up any loose clothing so it wouldn’t get in the way. She was preparing herself for action. The Proverbs 31 woman was no doubt kept fit through all her household jobs, but unfortunately these days, shopping and housework do not count towards the 150 minutes of exercise we are recommended to take weekly! Although it may often seem so, the effort needed to do all your washing, ironing, cleaning and shopping isn’t enough to increase your heart rate sufficiently to gain much physical benefit. The recommended 150 minutes should be of moderate intensity. One way to tell if you’re working at the right rate is if you can still talk but can’t sing the words to a song. Suitable activities include fast walking, bike riding on mostly level ground, swimming or mowing the lawn. If you are undertaking vigorous exercise such as running, tennis, aerobics, martial

arts or more strenuous cycling, then 75 minutes per week is the minimum advised. You should also include some muscle strengthening activities two days each week. This can be 20 sit ups, for example, or press ups or heavy gardening. Finding the right activity is essential, as is taking it step by step to build up to the advised amounts of exercise. There’s no use joining a gym, only to stop going three weeks later, when really you would be better to increase the speed you walk the dog, or even find a home exercise DVD. I believe that God can use us more in our lives when we are ‘ready’ and ‘strong’, not only spiritually, but physically. In my work as a physiotherapist, I regularly notice that the wellbeing and health of the older people I see is directly related to their physical activity and how they have looked after their body over many years. And for any age group, those who are physically strong and healthy will recover much more easily when injuries or problems occur. Would you like to live a long life that is healthy, active and has great quality? Do you want to be used by God to the best of your ability in ministry and in carrying out his plans for your life, not in weakness, but in the best strength you can? Maybe it’s time to gird your loins and strengthen your arms!

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The Dream Centre in Los Angeles is one of the world’s leading Christian outreach organisations served by 8,000 volunteers. Pastor Matthew Barnett spoke to Direction Magazine about laying down your dreams, working with the poor… and Justin Bieber!

Church people desperately want to make a difference

Above Matthew Barnett Opposite page A social action project run by the Dream Centre

By the age of 23 you were managing the Dream Centre, which helps more than 35,000 people every week. How did that happen? I was the son of a megachurch pastor of 10,000 members. My father, Tommy Barnett, was looking for a pastor to come to Los Angeles to help him build a church next to a liquor store in gang territory, so I took it on. We started with 20 people and I managed to run it all the way down to two – so we were having revival in reverse! The Dream Centre was born through failure, because I arrived in LA ready to build a church through preaching revival, and when I got here very quickly I saw drunks on the street, I saw gang members who had no father figures, I saw hurting people, and God said, “I need everything to fall apart in order to rebuild a dream

that I want to do through you.” So I arrived with no desire for recovery or rehab or to take in homeless people or to do the feeding of people that we are doing now. I just wanted to preach so that the people would come, but sometimes when your dream hits rock bottom – that’s the best place that you could ever go because God doesn’t give up on people who hit rock bottom – he re-creates them! The Lord recreated a whole concept that wasn’t in my mind simply by taking my congregation from 20 to 2 and using that as a way of showing me something different to what I first perceived when I came to this city. So, at the age of 23, my greatest friend was allowing my dream to die so that God’s dream could come alive. With so many ministries

being birthed from the Dream Centre, how do you keep a handle on everything? Do you have a huge number of staff? Because of the nature of the cause of this work, we attract a lot of people that money can’t buy. For example, we have retired professionals that come and just want to give their life to one area. They want to live in a rehab centre for the rest of their lives – people that have formerly built big businesses! When I first started I was more of a ‘hands on’ leader, but after 17 years of pastoring the church, my role has changed to becoming more of a visionary leader. As time goes by and the seasons change, people are raised up around you who are more specialised in an area than you, and you try to find other specialists too, but the way it’s re-

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ally operated is through people giving the rest of their lives and committing to the challenges in our community. So would you say then, that you are the kind of leader who allows people to come forward with an idea and a vision and lets them run with it? I am a total permission-giving pastor! If someone comes up to me and says they want to do something and we’re not already meeting that need then we will always err on the side of giving them a go. We run it through our ministry committee who will set them up for success so they don’t have to run on their own and fail, so the purpose of the committee is not to say ‘no’ to things but to say ‘yes’ and allow them to go to the next level. Our general answer is usually, “Let’s do it!” We have ‘pimp ministries’, ‘prostitute ministries’, ‘trans-gender ministries’, we even had a guy who had a passion to help vampires so we now have a Twilight ministry! What we find is that people

‘We have 225 people going through just one of our rehab programmes and some of the stories are just so amazing’

in the church are desperate to be released and make a difference. We have to release these people to grow the kingdom of God – and in turn it grows me on the inside. I’ve also found that whatever as a leader you try and hold onto will usually get away from you, but whatever you release always comes back. Have you had any ministries fail that you took a risk with? Definitely! I would say that 95 per cent of the time we succeed, but when we as a leadership don’t commit to the end – that’s when things start to go wrong. Out of 20 ministries there may be one that doesn’t make it but I’m more excited about the 19 that do than the one that fails. You have to be careful of certain people you put in certain places and understand what their capabilities are – you can’t just release someone, you have to think things through and be as certain as possible that people are in the right place. But you have to take risks too because you never know who is going to make it. We have a guy who goes under

a bridge in LA every day and serves all the homeless families. He started with five donated meals so we turned him loose and said, “Go for it!” Now they are serving thousands! We’ve been on CNN because of what we are doing simply because we said ‘yes’ to one guy. What gets you out of bed in the morning? The walk from my house to the Dream Centre gets me out of bed. We have 225 people going through just one of our rehab programmes and some of the stories are just so amazing and so I get out of bed just for the one! When I was 16 and attending my dad’s 6,500-strong church, I used to say to God, “I want to preach to thousands of people and then my life will be complete.” A few years months ago I was speaking to 16,000 people at Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church but when I went home I realised that was what I lived for at 16, but not now. Now I live for every Sunday morning standing at the back door of our church and talking to people

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whose lives have been touched, to the girl who comes up to me and says, “Look, my arm is starting to heal where I used to put the drug needle in.” The concept of megachurch is impressive to the church world but to the secular world they can see it as a Christian colony, so we just try and have a megachurch for the world – so they know what we are for and not what we’re against. We’ve had big Hollywood stars come to the church and they are not offended by the message of Jesus because it changes people’s lives. It’s amazing that the world is embracing a total Jesus charity and loves to be around it. God spoke a word into my life years ago and said to me, “If you reach the people in your city that nobody wants, one day I’ll give you the people that everybody wants.” We have 500 people from cardboard boxes on Sunday mornings and we have celebrities from all over the city who come and attend church. What are the biggest obstacles you have had to overcome to follow your dream? Obviously financial obstacles – we have more vision than provision – but also the challenge to gather up as many mentors as possible for the growing case management of our families. The day of plenty of volunteers is over. We don’t have enough helpers now. We have a crisis point in terms of need. There is always a space between what you can do and what you can’t do, which I call the ‘miracle space’. This space always allows us to know we need God to pull us through, and actually I am more nervous when there isn’t enough space and when we feel we can manage it ourselves! Miracle space can cause leadership to grow and be more creative and take more risks at releasing other

‘Ours is the only building in the community that has no graffiti. Everyone is so respectful of it and what we offer’

Above Volunteers are appreciated by people in the community. Inset left, The Dream Centre and a service at Angelus Temple/Dream Centre

people, and you never know who is going to step up and exceed your expectations! The Dream Centre is housing and providing for the most vulnerable in your community including drug addicts and gang members. Have you ever encountered life-threatening confrontations and, if so, how did you deal with it? Yes, where the gangs hang out in the alleys… I was there one time talking to them in the middle of the night and one of the gang members pulled out a gun and threatened to kill me if I didn’t leave in ten seconds... so I was smart and left in ten seconds! But the next day I was walking through the neighbourhood and one of the gang members pulled up and said, “I can’t believe one of our guys threatened you last night. You feed our mums and our neighbourhood every single day. You bury our

gang members and give us money when they die.” And he asked for my forgiveness for what had happened and said, “Pastor, this will never happen again.” Ours is the only building in the community that has no graffiti. Everyone is so respectful of it and what we offer. The gangs protect it as it’s their turf and we feel like family to them. And finally... tell us about your love of Justin Bieber! Well, his mother attends our church and so we love the fact that he loves the Lord and his mum tells a beautiful story of her own life and homelessness to our people. It’s tongue in cheek fun. I think it’s important for a church to be organised and structured but leave room to be spontaneous and have random moments when kids being bussed in can see Bieber on the big screen on stage singing. I’ve been accused of “Bieber fever!”

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Could this be the time to consider a career where your skills make a difference for vulnerable, elderly people?

Care Team Leader, Shottermill House, Haslemere We care for up to 31 elderly Christians, in a pleasant, modern care home. We are looking for a committed Christian to head our large team of care staff: someone who will be committed to our ethos and empathise with residents beliefs. If this chimes with you, you will have: • Practical, supervisory experience in residential care • Either a nursing qualification or relevant NVQ at level 3 or 4

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• Good, consultative management style • Be able to assist in leading devotions/spiritual care. To know more, contact us through our website: www.pilgrimsfriend.org.uk, or email hr@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk or telephone 0300 303 1400, or write to our London Office at 175 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2AL.

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Your mission... if you c Short-term missions might be getting some bad press but Missions Director Chris Jones points to the huge benefits Elim teams are seeing all around the world

Ever thought that missions wasn’t your thing? Elim Missions director Chris Jones looks at how God can use the unlikeliest of people – and it could be you… “Before I considered a gap year, I had a plan for my life. But God turned it upside down. Yet I’ve considered this… maybe he has turned my upside down plans the right way up – to be an exciting adventure. I encourage anyone who thinks they have a plan to pray. Let God turn your plans upside down… or the right way up!” I remember the young girl who wrote these words. She came to our short-term mis-

sions training and was quiet and unassuming. You would be forgiven for wondering if she had the confidence and courage to face the cross-cultural challenges and stark realities of the world during her three-month placement overseas. Yet she came with the same desire as so many of our volunteers, to step out not only in faith but with action, to offer herself to the great commission. She later wrote of her time, “I laughed to myself at the paradox of standing in a small outdoor mud hut singing ‘There’s Not A Friend Like Jesus’ with girls who are from Hindu and Muslim homes, in a village rife with poverty, witchcraft, broth-

short-term work Yet, among these advantages of our global village, there have been words of caution and hesitancy towards the benefits of short-term mission. In a quote I have seen recently, Robert Lupton says, “Contrary to popular belief, most mission trips and service projects do not engender healthy cross-cultural relationships, improve quality of life, relieve poverty [or] change the lives of participants.” Strong words indeed, but I am not sure that I fully agree. Do we need to be wise in our mission? Yes, of course. The world today brings new

els and a high crime rate.” This shy girl had drawn on the strength and love of the Lion and shone like a star in a crooked and depraved generation. We are grateful that God uses the foolish and the weak to shame the strong. We are grateful that he chooses to use and equip those who we would not consider qualified to complete his purposes. We see people of all ages, all backgrounds, all skill sets, all abilities, both confident and quiet, go through our application process and become part of our teams and placements. And we thank God that they volunteer with Elim Missions to bring transformation to lives across the world.

challenges. We need to be wary of those whose primary purpose is to draw money from the West, from allowing those we serve to become dependent on our service, from saturating a national Church with a Western agenda. We need to choose our projects with care. So do we stay at home? No, of course not! We are part of one body and ‘if one part suffers, every part suffers with it’. We have been part of a ‘global village’ for hundreds of years, a family that looks out for each other. Our volunteers bring relief, help and encouragement as they work with our brothers and sisters building God’s kingdom overseas. They also honour them and celebrate with them. Both mean a great deal.

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u choose to accept it! SHOWING JESUS’ LOVE We cannot ignore the challenge to demonstrate the love of Jesus to all of the world. Elim sends up to 100 teams a year to dozens of nations and the stories that return are ones of incredible transformation and encounters with the Lord, stories of the family of God drawing together to see his will done. Simple stories, significant testimonies, like those of four young men who travelled to Brazil last year. They wrote, “We knew there were people who needed God’s love and help – that’s the whole reason we went. But we didn’t realise that they are needy in the way they actually are. From the young child needing affection to an elderly lady needing a wheelchair after having her leg amputated, the needs of the people were on

so many levels – physical, emotional, spiritual. Something that really surprised us was how we wanted to help without it feeling like a ‘task’ to complete. “Even though there was a language barrier, this was overcome by the people’s welcome and warmth. We were surprised at the satisfaction we got out of digging in the blistering heat, knowing we were helping build a house for a young couple who were about to get married. “And we were impacted with how much we sincerely cared for the children and how happy they were in class and at their homes when we visited. The house visits really moved us as we got to see the reality of where the children lived outside of the school environment.”

THE GLOBAL VILLAGE

God does not discount any of us from his purpose, from being used by him. His love transcends all of our cultural barriers. So what are you waiting for? Contact us at Elim Missions to see how you too can be used by God to make a difference. Go to www.elimmissions. co.uk, e-mail missions@elimhq. net or call 01684 588940

There has been much made of the developing ‘global village’, and the shrinking of vast distances through air travel. The Internet has made it far easier to volunteer overseas for a week or two. Short-term missions have been opened to a whole variety of groups, young people, those with demanding work schedules and families. Even the more remote regions of the world can see a team of willing hearts arrive in a matter of hours, ready to build, teach, play, preach and serve. It means we are able to go

better prepared. There is now a wealth of information, news footage and communication opportunities with those on the other side of the world, and it is helping to increase our understanding of the cultures that we are going to, of their needs and how we can best serve them and present Jesus. Forgive the practicalities, but even the ability to send funds and to track how they have been sent, to purchase equipment and materials locally and benefit the local economy, has all enhanced the short-term volunteer’s impact.

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Elim Sound

Top tips for worsh 32

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The role of the worship leader is a critical one in most churches, but if you follow these top tips from Elim Sound musicians Ian Yates, Sam Blake and Joel Pridmore, you won’t go far wrong! 1. Be willing to be the first in and the last out. Usually, as part of the worship team you’ll need to arrive early to set up and for a sound check. Afterwards, you’ll need to pack up your gear, have a cup of tea and catch up with everyone!

2. Your role is to serve the church. Your job is to provide a time for God’s people to praise, worship and encounter him. Don’t forget this! 3. Practice makes perfect. Practice in your spare time, so that when you come to rehearsal or a service you are more prepared than anyone else. 4. Support the pastor. Your role is to serve your leadership team. The pastor already has enough on his plate on a Sunday morning and it makes life a lot easier if the worship team is in a good mood! 5. Always bring your very best. That way, if one or 1,000 people show up, you will be prepared.

6. Think ‘I get to’ rather than ‘I’ve got to’. It is a privilege to serve as part of the worship team. However, over time we can become familiar, tired and resentful of serving others. Having an attitude that balances the sacrifice with the privilege of ministry is the first step to keeping our motives right. 7. God is more interested in the obedience of your heart than he is in all the things you can do. Therefore, spend just as much time listening to him as you do perfecting your craft. 8. Keep growing. It doesn’t matter what role you play in the technical or musical team, you should always be learning and getting better at what you do. Listen to other genres of music and stretch your taste boundaries. Go to conferences and different churches to see what others are doing. Scour resources available on the Internet. Be inspired. 9. Be mentored and be teachable. Whether it is someone in your own team context or someone else that you look up to, be brave and ask them to mentor you and help you develop. Who is your Barnabas? 10. Leave your ego at the door. Worship is an inherently creative domain where toes are easily trodden upon, and people who are too precious about their talents WILL get offended. This is not your opportunity to be seen and heard. God opposes the proud and lifts up the humble.

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PUBLISHING

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Jesus calls us to follow him, the Servant King, says Lyndon Bowring and Nola Leach, of Christian political lobbying organisation CARE

We CARE about God’s truth in UK’s laws How would you describe the work of CARE? Lyndon: At the heart of CARE’s vision is the belief in human dignity – dignity which comes from the fact that we are made in God’s image. Indeed, as Psalm 8 so beautifully explains, we were created ‘a little lower’ than God himself. We are therefore called to protect and care for the vulnerable, whether it be the trafficked woman, the baby in the womb or those who suffer or are near the end of their lives. This is what has motivated us in CARE from the earliest days as we have sought to uphold

‘We are called to be the image of God where we live and work, influencing thinking and attitudes’ Above Nola Leach, Chief Executive, and Lyndon Bowring, founder and Executive Chairman of CARE

God’s truth in the laws of the land and demonstrate his love in action. Nola: CARE’s offices in Westminster are a stone’s throw from the Houses of Parliament and over the years we have built some significant working relationships with MPs and peers who are Christians and who share our concerns. Our aim is to serve these politicians, which we do through research, writing speeches, mobilising Christians to campaign and, most importantly, through prayer. Having an active Christian presence in Brussels is

also extremely important, and the Care For Europe office is right next to the EU Parliament building. How can individual Christians and local churches engage with government locally and nationally? Lyndon: CARE works at the heart of government to bring a Christian influence to bear on our laws. Our briefings and research carry so much more weight when we say that we represent the 60,000 plus Christians who support us. So, if you are not on our



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

mailing list please get in touch! We work hard to give accurate information and help you in your thinking about some of the most important matters affecting our nation at this time. You can keep up to date with news and prayer pointers on key issues – find out how to write to your MP, and take other action that we may suggest from time to time. As Christians we are well aware of the growing secularisation of our nation and Parliament. We may question how we can possibly change things. I believe that one very effective way is by actually joining a political party. This allows us to shape policy from the inside. It entitles us to vote on party issues and share in the selection of candidates for election at local and national level. Who knows, ultimately we too could be se-

‘For many of us, the idea of engaging with government can be somewhat daunting, but in reality there is much that we can do’

Above CARE’s team spend much time meeting MPs and peers in Parliament

lected to stand for election! Nola: As Christians, we are called to work for the good of society. We want a spiritually healthy country. The Christian voice needs to be heard. For many of us, the idea of engaging with government can be somewhat daunting, but in reality there is much that we can do. We can get to know our politicians, not least by caring for them, and finding out their needs. Why not consider inviting a local MP or councillor to your church, perhaps sharing in a meal? Developing a relationship like this keeps both sides informed and aware and helps politicians to understand how the church is meeting the needs of the local community. We can

ask how to pray for them and, as practical needs emerge, perhaps we can help. I was thrilled, for example, to hear at one election time of a couple who helped the local candidate, one of them canvassing on his behalf while the other looked after the prospective MP’s children. Obviously we can exercise our democratic right to vote, both at local and national elections, but we can also write to our MPs in between times, commending them for the good they do and, where appropriate, expressing concerns. We can always make an appointment to visit our local MP at his surgery, but, if this sounds daunting, a group could consider going together for the meeting. How can Christians make the most of the

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the church so much, but when the congregation gets behind them with prayer and practical support, they can be unstoppable!

government’s policy on the Big Society? Lyndon: We meet hundreds of church leaders every year and it is clear that more than ever as well as their primary responsibility to preach the gospel of salvation, the Church is getting stuck into community projects and being light and salt in their neighbourhoods. There are so many superb ministries – like Street and School Pastors, Christians Against Poverty, food banks, homelessness projects, pregnancy crisis centres – training Christian volunteers from churches and working together for the good of their area. Increasingly, Christians are standing as local councillors – and getting elected! This means a lot of hard work, so these people will not be able to work inside

‘We have a responsibility to live our lives so that we are salt and light in a dark world. We are called to be the image of God’

Nola: Now more than ever the local church is the ‘hope of the world’ and today there are great opportunities for us. After all, Christians have been doing the ‘Big Society’ from the very beginning! The comment of the Roman world was ‘see how these Christians love one another’ when they risked their own lives to care for victims of the plague. It is thrilling for us at CARE to see just how much is going on in the community with God’s people meeting needs as an outworking of their gospel mandate. This motivation means that often the quality of the services provided is extremely high, which in turn presents us with a tremendous opportunity to present a positive message about the importance of Christianity in national life. Because of the government’s commitment to the Big Society, there are community funding opportunities. CARE is involved in SERVE, a new alliance of organisations committed to supporting local churches serving their communities. This umbrella body encourages greater collaboration and seeks to resource and celebrate the work of the evangelical church within the UK in bringing transformation to local and national government. How many churches get involved in providing volunteers across communities? Nola: By far the greatest number of volunteers in Britain are churchgoers, working with children and young people as well as those who are older in a large variety of ways. Excellent work is done by volunteers – of all faiths and none – but my experi-

ence has been that the Church can often bring something very special. I remember a conversation with the lead inspector who was looking at CARE’s Remand Fostering Programme, which helped troubled young people to make a new start. His comment was that he saw so many schemes on paper which promised the earth and did not deliver, but the calibre of the CARE volunteers he had witnessed was amazing. Why? Because they were undergirded by the prayer and support of others, they believed that they were called to be faithful and so would not give up. That’s going to be the same in your church or Christian organisation too! Lyndon: CARE relies on volunteers. Some help us in practical ways in the CARE offices, many pray for us and about the issues we address. Others are caring for the vulnerable, providing support for women and families facing an unplanned pregnancy or post-abortion issues with our sister organisation, Care Confidential, conducting sex and relationship education lessons in schools, or providing counselling and support. This brings credibility to our lobbying because it is rooted in experience. Jesus calls us to follow him, the Servant King. We have a responsibility to live our lives so that we are salt and light in a dark world. We are called to be the image of God where we live and work, to be involved in every sector of our society, influencing thinking and attitudes. Indeed, Jesus commanded us to love our neighbours as ourselves. This was so dramatically illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan. All that Jesus did and said is an inspiring example to us, as his followers, to work for the good of our societies. It is humbling to know that as he uses us, lives are transformed.

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Golf champion Bubba Watson talks about the true Master in his life

Faith’s elementary for dear Watson! Golf star Bubba Watson has thanked God after winning the Masters. The 33-year-old, who picked up the Green Jacket on Easter Sunday, is a committed believer who uses Twitter to tell others about his faith. After lifting golf’s highest prize in Augusta, the American tweeted, “I thank my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” He then quoted Bible verses and responded to abusive messages by saying he would pray for his critics. Watson attends an hour-long Bible study with fellow golfers each week and is a church regular. He even attended the Bible study group during the Masters. He said, “For me it’s a way to get back connected with the Bible and with God and Jesus. Now you know other people you can talk to, ask questions of, tell them what you’re thinking and tell them what’s going on in your life. “It’s about getting more in the Word and realising that golf is just an avenue for Jesus to use me to reach as many people as I can.” Watson, who recently adopted a onemonth-old baby boy named Caleb with his wife Angie Ball, also described his first church experience when twin girls from his neighbourhood convinced him to attend. “The girls asked me to go to church,” Watson said. “And after a few times going I realised this is what I wanted to do. This is truth here. And I gave myself to the Lord.” After he began dating Ball, the couple both decided to become Christians. Watson was baptised with his wife in 2004 as a student at the University of Georgia. “We wanted to be Christ followers,” Watson said. “We wanted to do the right thing. We started turning to the Lord for our decisions.” The professional golfer, who said he has never taken a lesson, said he was grateful for the people around him and the opportunity to live his life for Christ. “I’ve really got a good team around me trying to help me succeed. Not just in golf, but off the golf course, to be a light for Jesus.”

Bubba Watson knows which Master counts

CHURCH WHILE AWAY FROM HOME

LONDON

LEYTONSTONE ELIM PENTECOSTAL CHURCH

Kensington Temple

Hainault Road, Leytonstone, London E11 Sunday Services: 11.00 a.m. & 6.30 p.m. Mid-week Prayer Meeting: Weds 8.00 p.m. Telephone 0208 539 2286 E-mail elimleytonstone@aol.com

Worship Centre: The Hazeley Academy (Gym, by the main reception), Emperor Drive, Hazeley, Milton Keynes, MK8 0PT Mobile: 07850348800 Email: gbotola@yahoo.com

Nr. Notting Hill Gate Underground

Tel: 020 7908 1700 Web: www.kt.org Email: info@kt.org

Hayling Island Elim Church

MIDLANDS

Open all Summer !!

Senior minister: Colin Dye

Find us at: 68 Elm Grove (opposite Blockbusters)

Sunday services 9am & 11am Celebration Service

Transformed Lives...Transforming Lives

2.30pm Teaching Service

9.00 am, 11.15am and 6.30pm 10:30am & 6:30pm

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Parade (off Summer Row) B1 3QQ

7pm Revival Service

Stevenage

Rooted & grounded in the Word of God

We invite you to join us for: â&#x20AC;˘ Sunday Worship: 10:30am-1pm â&#x20AC;˘ Saturday Bible Study: 6pm-8pm

EN93

NORTH EAST

Mobile: 07909 940594

HARTLEPOOL - Elim Living Waters Christian Fellowship, Whitby Street TS24 7AD. Sundays 10.30am and 6.30pm. Look forward to seeing you. For further information contact Pastor Colin Sawtell 07828 093728 or (GK35) email csawtell@talk21.com

CHILTERNS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

Elim Church On The High Road

NORTH WEST

We Welcome You to Our: Sunday Service: 11am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1pm Wednesday 7pm: Bible Studies Wednesday 8pm: Prayer Meeting

RIVERWAY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside, CH48 4EQ. Amidst sea, sand and stunning scenery. Come join us for spiritual refreshment. (EO02) www.riverway.org.uk

Tel: 020 8459 8991 Email: cothrwillesden@yahoo.co.uk

Visiting

332 Willesden High Road, London NW10 2EN Opposite the Willesden Bus Garage Nearest Tube: Dollis Hill

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AT THE HEART OF THE CHILTERNS

CLEVELEYS COMMUNITY CHURCH

Everyone Welcome Sunday Services: 10.30 am & 6.30 pm Hall Street, Chelmsford Essex, CM2 OHG www.lifechurchchelmsford.com

in Eastbourne

Kensington Road Off Beach Road Thornton-Cleveleys (nr. the bus station)

Sunday Service 10.30am All Welcome

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Homeâ&#x20AC;? www.elimbristol.org

For details of where we meet visit our web site or give us a call. Chilterns Christian Fellowship, Oasis Centre, 9 Bell Street, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 0DE 01844 275822 www.chilterns.org.uk Senior Pastor: Geoff Blease 01844 344556 EN91

Then why not Visit

Hartfield Road, BN21 2ET

Sundays 10:30am Visit our website www.elimeastbourne.org.uk or call 01323 731843

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Christ Harvest Centre

(EK94)

(CQ29)

Adults Worship Night

SOUTH WEST

St. Nicholas Community Centre, 59 Canterbury Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 4LJ

Fri 7pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Youth and Young Sat 7pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; All Nations Praise

contact usus at at Contact

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e@b sunday services: 9.00am & 11.00am

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Wed 7pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Prayer Revival Service

Sunday am: 10:30 Sunday pm: 5:00

Elim Pentecostal Church

0121 236 2997 www.birminghamcc.co.uk

Weekday services

SOUTH

(GJ05)

Kensington Park Road, London W11 3BY

SCOTLAND

Elim Pentecostal Church, Milton Keynes We invite you to join us for Sunday Worship Service: Sundays 1pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3pm

(EO14)

MINISTERS: DAVID LANGTON & SAMUEL GILL

BOOTLE ELIM, 443 Stanley Road, L20 5DN. Sunday 10.30am. Check Web for details www.elimbootle.com Tel 0151 944 2087. Liverpool a great (EN24) city to visit this Summer!

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The church treasurer can sometimes be a hard position to fill, says Elim Finance Director Robert Millar, but the job is not difficult

It all adds up when you’re the treasurer! A few years ago, a treasurer in one of our Elim churches was forced to retire due to ill health. He had been in the post for a long time and had faithfully served the church. He was part of the leadership team during a time of rich growth in numbers. What had been an average church size of just over 100 people had grown to a stage where the Sunday congregation was now more than 1,000. The minister and his elders hoped that others would be inspired by the outgoing treasurer’s example, and did not expect any great difficulties when they announced that they were looking for a replacement. However, there was considerable consternation when, over a month later, there was no sign of anyone volunteering. They were even more disconcerted a few weeks later when, having approached a few individuals whom they thought would have the necessary abilities, they found they were unwilling to step into the position in light of all the perceived responsibilities under the Charities Act and the demands of the Charity Commission. The leadership then took the extraordinary step of advertising the post as an employed position paying a good salary, but still there were no takers! They ended up outsourcing the work to an external accountancy firm. In the ‘good old days’ the responsibility of the treasurer was always assigned to one of those who

‘Staff from the Finance Department can help you with any problems you may have’

Above Elim Finance Director Robert Millar Below Volunteering as church treasurer won’t be as tough as you might think

had been elected to the Church Session. It was standard practice at the first meeting following an election for the various ‘jobs’ in the church to be distributed around the members. There were very few willing offers to take up the position of treasurer, and certainly at that point nobody dared leave the room or they might find themselves appointed to the task in their absence! Why is it that so often it’s difficult to find someone to volunteer to help with the church financial responsibilities? I have already referred to the myth and misrepresentation of the requirements of the Charities Act. Obviously there are rules and procedures that have to be followed, but when it comes to dealing with the Charity Commission, within the Elim Church set up it is mainly dealt with by myself and the finance team at Elim International Centre. However, we do seriously depend on the contribution and involvement of those who work at the local church level. We regard all of those who serve in this capacity as part of the Elim Finance Team and work very hard to ensure that they have all the resources, guidance and access to help that may ever be needed. We have developed a section within the Elim website, ELIMNET, which contains guidance on all aspects of church finance administration, from counting the offering through to providing reports. So what does the job involve? First of all it’s mak-

ing sure the church offerings are not only collected, but counted properly. Obviously you would be looking for other volunteers to work with you on this, making sure that money is recorded properly and paid into the bank on a weekly basis. This is an important discipline, and makes the record keeping so much easier. The treasurer would hold the church cheque book, and would also have access to online banking facilities to help process payments of salaries, bills etc. For those who are hesitant about dealing with salaries, income tax etc, Elim operates a payroll service from the finance department and would gladly handle that responsibility for you. The record keeping is simply a matter of recording the income and expenditure transactions either into a manual ledger, or nowadays into a computer accounting programme. Elim has an online accounting facility which is available to all churches, including full training. The fact that it is online means that staff from the Finance Department can help you directly with any problems you may have. Churches need volunteers in lots of areas. Please remember that a volunteer is someone who offers himself for service. Many are missing out on involvement, because they are waiting for someone to ask them and it just doesn’t happen. As someone has said: “Church volunteering is very rewarding. The compensation plan is out of this world.”

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We care for up to 19 elderly residents in a family atmosphere in our home on Park Road in Peterborough. Now, after many yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; service, our home manager is moving on, and we are looking for the person God has in mind for her replacement. The role calls for a committed Christian, able to lead devotional times: also a good communicator, happy to interact with residents and their relatives, local authority and regulatory bodies. The applicant will also have management or supervisory experience in a residential setting, and be able to lead the care and service teams in the home. Contact: Human Resources, Pilgrimsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Friend Society, 175 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2AL Tel: 0300 303 1400 Email: hr@pilgrimsfriend.org.uk

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Volunteers are people who want to sow a seed and leave a legacy, according to Olly Goldenberg and Keeth Bandara

Youth ministry hinges on volunteers Olly Goldenberg was just 11 when he started to help out in kids’ holiday clubs at his local church. The 36-year-old has continued in children’s work and, along with his wife, Helen, has led the children’s ministry at Elim Bible Week for the last two years. After a five-year stint volunteering at Kensington Temple, Olly eventually joined the staff as head of the children’s ministry there, before being released as an itinerant minister two years ago. “I learnt three very important things from my time as a volunteer at KT,” he says. “Firstly, volunteers like to give – they want to sow into the kingdom – so let them. Secondly, we should involve them in the decision making process. If you can’t run things without them, they really should have a say in what happens. Thirdly, allow them to leave graciously. They give their time for free, so when that time comes to an end, we need to release them.” The father-of-five felt destined to work with children from a young age, and this calling was confirmed when he joined KT. “I was in church one morning and was asking God if he wanted me to carry on with children’s work, when up on the screen came a sign saying, ‘Children’s workers needed’. Before I knew it I was the kids’ pastor.” The husband and wife team are now responsible for training and equipping kids’ ministries all over the country. And Olly

‘Raise up a generation that never turns away from the Lord’

Above Keeth Bandara, who heads the team behind youth conferences Battlefield and Candy Shop Top Olly Goldenberg Main image A volunteer at Battlefield

believes that no one’s too young to get involved. “There is no age limit when it comes to serving God,” he explains. “Our children all belong in church and have a role to play. Volunteering can start in the crèche – by teaching children to tidy up and put their toys away. “Sometimes we can have this view of church where it’s only the ‘proper’ ministers – the ones on the platform – who are the leaders, and the rest of us are followers. But actually we’re all called to be leaders and disciples in God’s kingdom.” But Olly is keen to point out that the motive for volunteering must be pure. “When it comes to getting children to volunteer we must make sure they’re doing it out of a love for Jesus,” he says. “It can be easy to get children volunteering because we

want them to be part of the community but we need to be careful because this can teach them a salvation by works theology. Jesus taught that we should serve because we belong, not the other way around. “Some people see children as half a person but this is wrong – they actually have their whole lives ahead of them to serve God! “In them we have the opportunity to raise up a generation that never turns away from the Lord. If we train them in the way they should go, when they’re older they won’t depart from it. Then our legacy will be a holier and stronger church. Rather than seeing a broken generation that needs repairing, if we can get our kids growing with God and preparing for ministry, then we are preparing the bride of Christ.”

Going to battle in Watford Keeth Bandara heads up a team of volunteers in his role as youth pastor in Watford and regularly sees hundreds of young people attend the church’s youth conferences, ‘Battlefield’ and ‘Candy Shop’. The 28-year-old credits volunteers as one of the reasons his ministry is thriving. But he admits that getting people on board is not always easy and he has some tips to help churches that are struggling. “When it comes to volunteering the church has always led the way,” he says. “The involvement of volunteers in youth ministry is vital. The key factors I have found are, firstly, that your senior leadership must show an active support of the youth ministry. Secondly, the church must consistently be kept aware of what is happening so that they feel involved. Thirdly, the youth ministry must have a clear purpose.” So why is volunteering so important? “Volunteers tend to carry passion for what they do and that contagious persona attracts young people to attend and inspires them to get connected, which leads to growth,” he explains.

DIRECTION

Elders and deacons are mentioned throughout the New Testament, but what are they and what do they do? Gordon Neale explains

People with a servant’s heart

Above Gordon Neale Main image Deacons and elders follow Jesus’ model of having a servant’s heart

Today we seem to be obsessed with leadership. The title is applied in a very free manner and it won’t be long before the person in charge of a tea rota is part of the leadership team. By the way, I don’t take sugar! So many ministries in the church shouldn’t fall under the title of ‘leader’, but under the general banner of ‘servant’, which should be the basis for all ministry. Whether you are a General Superintendent or part of the welcome team, if you cannot put the prefix ‘servant’ in front of what you do, then, according to the New Testament,

your ministry does not have God’s approval. Our great role model is none other than Jesus Christ, who, the Bible tells us, came ‘not to be served, but to serve’. The Scripture sets out several groups of ministries, including the Ephesians 4 ministry gifts to the Church, but alongside those giftings, the role of elders and deacons are vital to our understanding of how the Church should function. In my experience, a local church needs not only a ‘called’ and ‘godly’ pastor, but also a ‘called’ and ‘godly’ eldership, supported by servant deacons,

who release pastors and elders to function in their care of the church. A church that is building well will have a balance of pastor(s), elders and deacons, each functioning in their role. In my experience as Regional Superintendent, I am aware that pastors, elders and deacons have the potential to build a church, or, in fact, to destroy it. I applaud such elders and deacons who release and support their pastor in an effective way so that the church can reach its potential. I have to readily acknowledge the ministry of elders and deacons, which I

DIRECTION

have seen function so well, particularly when a church is without a pastor. On several occasions, a local church has been without a pastor for many months, which is a crucial time, and I have observed elders and deacons, not only maintain the church, but prepare it in a spiritual way for the new pastor to come in. They have protected the congregation and set examples to the church that leave a good platform for the new minister when he arrives. The New Testament takes time to outline the qualifications for elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. It always surprises me that the qualifications are basically the requirements of any Christian. Elders have the responsibility to ‘care’ for the church, while deacons have the responsibility to ‘serve’ the church. These ministries are not in competition, but are part of God’s plan for the local church to function in an effective way. All in ministry have a responsibility to watch their lives so that nothing will become a stumbling block to others. No one should ever be appointed as an elder because of long service or natural talent. It is not a reward, but an acknowledgment that the hand of God is upon someone, and that by their spiritual maturity – and confidence in Scripture – that they can care for the church. Deacons also have a responsibility, certainly to live a godly life, but this is more of a supporting role rather than that of pastoral. This doesn’t mean to say that elders cannot be involved in practical ministries, no more than deacons cannot visit the sick, or give spiritual counsel. There is not a wall between these two ministries, but they are intertwined for the sole purpose of releasing the pastor to his Ephesians 4 ministry, and

supporting the church, both spiritually and practically, to be its most effective for God. In Acts 6, we have an example of deacons releasing others to spiritual work. I am not convinced that this group of men, who were called to serve tables, were deacons in the sense that we came to know them in the New Testament. But the story illustrates perfectly the ministry of deacons. There was a domestic dispute within the church with two groups of widows. The apostles felt they needed to delegate this on the basis of Acts 6:2, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the Word of God in order to wait on tables.” Verses three and four add, “We will turn this responsibility over to them, and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word.” We know that this proposal was successful, as verse seven ‘I applaud such elders and deacons who release and support their pastor in an effective way so that the church can reach its potential’ tells us, “The Word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly.” I believe the delegation of the practical to release the apostles to the spiritual resulted in an exciting burst of evangelism and additions to the church. Dear elders and deacons – never think that your ministry is not vital to the life of your church. It can – at times – be challenging, without applause and with a heavy burden to bear, but may I assure you that if God has given you to your church as an elder or deacon, you are essential to your church’s present and future ministry. Thank you so much!

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Preacher’s ‘cross’ country challenge

riots rocked carry a widespread A PREACHER will in 70 the UK. dark cross for 700 miles imIt was during this the rk decided days to highlight in t i me that Ma do someportance of Christianity that he needed to gospel Britain. thing to promote the Scotsman Mark Ritchie throughout the country. on puts plans to stop at 30 venues Mark, who regularly his tour and hold evangelis- on stand-up comedy gospel he hopes will tic services where shows across the nation, 26, to reach 7,000 people. start the trek on August 27. finishing on October CHALLENGE stop I He said: “At each Notthe mesMark, who lives near the ven- will communicate tingham, will begin the cross – a message heading sage of takes away the ture in Brighton, then that Jesus gospel north to Edinburgh, sins of the world. The jumping west to Wrexham is a message of joy, hope couraIt also cannot before finishing the in Hull. and destiny. geous challenge after be ignored.” The trek comes a year

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DIreCTIOn

A n s w e r s eLIM e X PerTs K eeP YOU POs TeD

Rajinder Buxton, a member of the pastoral team at ealing Christian Centre, London, answers your questions on leadership in a special edition of Answers

should we consider an internship programme? I am thinking of approaching my pastor and suggesting we run an internship programme at our church. Can you let me know the pros and cons? An internship can be a very good way of equipping others to serve God, and there are a number of advantages, giving the person who enrols on-the-job practical training with people who are experienced. From a church leadership point of view, because internships are usually for a fairly short, fixed term, it can be helpful if things don’t work out too well, but on the other hand it gives an opportunity to see if the person is suitable to fulfil a more permanent role without having to make a commitment blindly at the beginning. Financially, often the intern would not receive a salary but recognise that gaining the experience is a major part of the rewards of the work. I can’t see any disadvantages. I’m an elder at my local church and I need some advice on an issue that is really bothering me. We have a member of the congregation who has served faithfully for many years. However, of late she hasn’t been as efficient or effective. How can we gracefully ask her to step down? This is never easy because if we have been doing a ministry that we love for a long time, we may be blind to our own dwindling effectiveness. Firstly, we would need to find out the reason. Can we help return her to

her position of efficiency? If not, we should carefully and prayerfully see if the person can effectively fulfil another role in which she could be fruitful, or, secondly, speak the truth to her in love in a tactful and graceful way. show genuine appreciation for her years of faithful service. We have a number of gifted people in our church who have recently been enquiring about setting up new ministries that they are passionate about. Is it a good idea to let them go ahead and run with it or should we try and keep everything in house and managed by existing leaders? Launching new ministries can be highly effective or divisive, all depending on how it is handled. we need to fulfil the biblical mandate to release people into ministry, however, a free-for-all, even in good things of ministry, can pull the church in different directions and render it seemingly rudderless. The key is for the church leadership to have a very clear mission and vision statement. People will join the church in that knowledge. If the ministries proposed fall in line with the vision of the leadership team, the people can be released under accountability to the senior pastor. This helps develop those people and to build the ongoing ministry of the church. However, if those ministries do not fall in line with the vision, then no matter how

commendable they seem, it would not be wise to move ahead. We are a pioneer church and as the senior pastor I have been the first person at church to set up on Sundays and the last one to leave. I would like to relinquish this role so I can concentrate on the preaching of the Word but I feel that if I don’t model commitment then others will stop serving too. What is the best thing to do? In a pioneering situation, you would expect to have to do many things yourself at first, not least because there will not be the people available with the necessary skills or commitment. A church leader should consider two things. First, it is important to model servant leadership but if we continue to do everything ourselves, not only may it detract from our time spent with God, it will prevent us from effectively carrying out our other role. This is, secondly, to equip and prepare God’s people for works of service, so that they can grow in spiritual maturity. The early Church faced this dilemma in Acts 6:1-7, where they decided to appoint deacons, whose role was to handle the practical things of church life, leaving the leaders to focus on developing the church through prayer and the ministry of the word. It doesn’t prevent the leader demonstrating servant leadership; he merely does it in other ways.

If you have a question, email it to: editor@newlife.co.uk Keep your questions coming so that thousands can benefit from the answers! Opinions expressed are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Elim Pentecostal Church

diRECTiOn

A n d f i n A L Ly . . . by John Lancaster

don’t have an audience-shaped hole The popular comedian Jimmy Carr, whose tax avoidances brought stern condemnation from the Prime Minister and triggered a national debate, has been quoted as saying that, for him, the thrill of performing on the stage ‘fills an audience-shaped hole in my heart’. if his finances are somewhat questionable, he is at least honest when he confesses that the hunger for being seen, heard and applauded is just as important – if not more so – than the money it brings him. it certainly throws light on the motives that drive him to be and do what he is and does. Having said that, perhaps we need to be equally honest about the motives that drive us in what we call our ‘ministry’. There are preachers who, like Jimmy Carr, have ‘an audience-shaped hole’ in their hearts. They, too, like being seen, heard and known as great preachers. Paul, in a truly horrifying statement, says that there are preachers who actually ‘preach Christ out of envy and rivalry’ and ‘selfish ambition’. He also points out that there are teachers and leaders who ‘want to make a good impression outwardly’ and who boast of the success they are having in their ministry. Likewise, in his third epistle (verse nine) John refers to demetrius who ‘loves to have the pre-eminence’. The love of status, the power of leadership, and the worship of the god of success are subtle threats to the integrity

‘When our work for God looms larger than our walk with God, we are at a spiritual danger point’ • John Lancaster’s latest book Reflections is based on many of his articles in Direction. Priced at £7.99 + £1.50 p&p, copies are available from the author at 75 Penny Lane Way, Leeds, LS10 1EA. Or telephone 0113 271 3846

of everyone who is involved in ministry of whatever kind. in a passage which has a special relevance to the modern emphasis on public worship, Jesus himself talked of public praying which was actually ‘putting on a show’ in which worship and prayer, which ostensibly was being offered to God, was actually born out of a desire to impress men. The Lord’s words are a challenge to all who lead or take part in corporate worship. We can become so taken up with the quality of our ministry, even though we say it’s because we want to offer our best for God, that we are in

danger of transferring our focus from God himself to ourselves, our success in what we are doing, and the impact we have on those who watch us. The motivation has become self-centred. When our work for God looms larger than our walk with God, we are at a spiritual danger point. When Jesus ‘interviewed’ Peter regarding his future ministry as a shepherd of God’s flock, the crucial question did not relate to his experience of sheep farming or how he proposed to develop his new role. it was, “do you love me more than everything else?” That must always be our supreme motive. We are not called primarily to fulfil a role, realise our personal potential, achieve success or climb denominational ladders, but we are called to love Christ passionately and seek to glorify him by making ourselves available to his calling, whether it is to ‘front-page stuff’ or we never make the headlines. Jesus is our supreme example. He said, “i came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” While earthly celebrities are hungry for the applause of the crowd, Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me.” Men seek to carve out careers, achieve goals and fulfil their personal ambitions, but out of love for his father – and a fallen world – Jesus took the lowly road along which the crowd jeered. But, in the end, he was the one the father crowned.

URC CH

DENY YOUR FAITH OR LOSE YOUR DAUGHTER! Agonising choice forced on Iranian mother PLUS ONCE A JUNKIE ALWAYS A JUNKIE? How a young Sikh addict found freedom in Christ

PLANS LAID FOR YEAR OF PRAYER

Centenary hopes must be lifted up, says Alistair Cole

WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY NC

Nigel Tween on the importance of leaving a legacy

I ST OR

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How Chelmsford Elim is lifting its game

John Cuthbert uncovers the shocking truth

EL SP Y GO A T W EA EA EA GR GIV ID PU

LIFE IN BRITAIN’S NEWEST CITY ARE MORMONS CHRISTIANS?

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ELIM HISTORY IN THE MAKING

John Glass voted in for historic fourth term as GS

CELEBRATING NEW ELIM ORDINANDS EBW 2012 ordination service for 27 new ministers

LOOKING FORWARD AFTER COLLAPSE Amazing grace as Ilford’s new building comes down

‘I WANTED TO PUNCH PASTOR’ How hard man Les Deane found faith

MAKING LIFE WORK BETTER

CHURCH & TOWN BOTH ON THE UP

How to get your church into the news

New format proves a recipe for success

B TIP E S LI TT FO FE ER R A

Heavenly Father got me through, says Christine Caine We visit Elim Christian Centre in Rotherham

SE H PO R D GL MO CAST O NS SU BA G CC L! O ESS

UNWANTED AND ADOPTED AS A BABY

AUGUST 2012 Issue 131 £1.70

TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY

Learning to influence others for Christ

PLUS THE DAY GOD CALLED ME BY NAME How a Muslim drug dealer found freedom in Christ

WHY THE CHURCH MUST BLESS ISRAEL We have to find balance in the Bible, says Mervyn Tilley

REACHING OUT ON A ROUNDABOUT Newport Elim is making the most of its location

PUT FOOD IN ITS PROPER PLACE How to help people with eating disorders

RUNNING LIFE ON EMPTY?

Tips to recharge your spiritual batteries

PE C

Chris Cartwright puts the spotlight on leading ministers

ALL CHANGE AT ELIM BIBLE WEEK 2012 PLUS

CELEBRATING SIX ELIM CHAMPIONS

TH T TO E B GA GA E BLO T TH W PA HE ER N A CE RS ING WAY !

PLUS POP STAR BOWS DOWN TO JESUS

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Life turns into lyrics for new album

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LIFE IS ON SONG FOR LARA MARTIN

Dax O’Callaghan leads worship at Kensington Temple

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THE UNSUNG HEROES WE CAN’T DO WITHOUT

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Volunteers are the backbone of the Church PLUS THE MINISTRY WITH 8,000 VOLUNTEERS We talk to Matthew Barnett of the LA Dream Centre

WHAT’S A NON-VOLUNTEER SUNDAY? How Coventry Elim learned to value its volunteers

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