Grapevine Magazine by FIONA ECC

rapevine G Ealing Christian Centre

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magazine

Issue 101

Dec 2019/Jan 2020

Proclaiming the Good News in Japan

www.ecc.org.uk

An Elim Church

ECC is one family of many nations proclaiming one Gospel through many disciples and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

A WORD FROM THE SENIOR MINISTER

spiritual Reproduction reproduction Spiritual

hen God first made the earth and all that is in it, He created all living or growing things to reproduce themselves. Without this, life on earth would be impossible. So from all life forms on the earth, the sea and sky, to all forms of plant, vegetation, woods and forests, everything was designed to grow and reproduce itself. Life produces life. This is a natural law with which we are all familiar. What is also true, is that there are spiritual counterparts to these natural laws. So for example, where in the natural we reap according to how we sow, so too in the spiritual. The Bible tells us that if we sow righteousness we will reap a sure reward (Proverbs 11:18), or wickedness and we will reap trouble (Proverbs 22:8). Sowing sin reaps destruction (Galatians 6:8) and those sowing financially in the Lord, reap according to their generosity (2 Corinthians 9:6). Sowing in ministry will produce growth in due course, as God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Each person is designed to be fruitful and, above all, the primary thing for the follower of Jesus is that we are spiritually fruitful – producing things that will last and have a consequence for all eternity. Jesus exhorted us: “Remain in Me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in Me.” He showed us that all life and new life ultimately come from God, the Lifegiver. But He continued: “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me and I in them will produce much fruit” (John 15:4-5). So we need to produce fruit in ourselves, and then reproduce it in others.

No matter how young or old we may be, we all are to grow into spiritual fathers and mothers 2

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

First, we need to be reproducing ourselves spiritually on a personal level. Since we can only reproduce what we are ourselves, the primary action is to ensure we have a sufficient level of spirituality that we can impart into others. As Jude puts it, ‘Build yourselves up in your most holy faith.’ This we can do, he continues, if we ‘…pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love…’ (Jude 20-21). No matter how young or old we may be, we all are to grow into spiritual fathers and mothers, bringing others to the place of new birth in Christ. ‘The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise’ as Proverbs 11:30 puts it. As we grow spiritually in our walk with the Lord, so we can then take the next step, which is to reproduce our spiritual life into the lives of others, by discipling them, teaching them the things we have learned, through our example and encouragement. As Paul puts it to Timothy: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men, who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). We are to reproduce ourselves in the lives of others, so that they, in turn, can also be ones who mature to lead people to the new birth in Christ and disciple them. Our Discipleship Groups are a good place to put these principles into practice, where each one can learn to have the confidence to lead others. Second, as a church we need to reproduce ourselves in other places. The Thessalonian church was a great role model. Paul was only in the town for three weeks before having to be sent away because of the riot following his preaching, but the church became very solidly founded. Paul was later able to write to them saying: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spirit of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-8). They had taken the message of Christ out of their church into the whole region in which their town was situated. That was in fulfilment of Paul’s apostolic strategy of carefully choosing strategic towns and cities in which to plant a strong church, which would then subsequently evangelise the towns in their surrounding area. As a church, ECC has always sought similarly to plant new churches, as the Holy Spirit leads us to areas further away - not only in London, but also to other countries, again, as the Holy Spirit has led us. We then seek to input the spiritual DNA of ECC into those church plants. This includes the church plants and the coming new Training Centre for church planters in the Philippines that was reported in our June/July issue of Grapevine.

CONTENTS As a church, ECC has always sought similarly to plant new churches... We then seek to input the spiritual DNA of ECC into those church plants. Now in this issue, we can see new church plants are taking place out of our ECC Japanese church, into the capital of Japan, Tokyo. This is a truly important development, as Japan is one of the countries with the fewest Christians. Although there are a handful of larger churches, in Japan a church of 50 people is generally considered large. With the wonders of modern technology and being able to access online services, the house churches being planted there will be able to have regular input from our ECCJ here in Ealing, so that although they are on the other side of the world, the family connection remains immediate and alive. It was just over 11 years ago that pastors Aogu and Chisato first came to ECC to plant a Japanese church. How exciting that it has always been their agenda to plant out from Ealing new Japanese churches wherever they could – practising the whole principle of spiritual reproduction. So the questions we can ask ourselves are: Is my relationship with Jesus continually fruitful? Am I growing spiritually? Am I producing fruit in myself and in others? Like a tree that just keeps getting bigger and producing more fruit each year, as we go through life, this is God’s desire for each one of us.

PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS IN JAPAN BAPTISMAL SPECIAL compiled by Pastor Rajinder

PRACTICAL TRUTHS by Roy McEwen PRAYER CENTRE TESTIMONIES

compiled by Pastor Tom PRAYER DIARY

WEEKLY MEETINGS WHAT WE BELIEVE FELLOWSHIP & CONGRATS compiled by Sharon Grant TOUCHING OUR COMMUNITIES

Richard Buxton

Senior Minister

COUNT THE COST by Pastor Alex FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN WORKERS by Sylvester Olabode

Editor-in-Chief: Senior Pastor Richard Buxton Editor: Jackie Raymond of Berean Services UK, bereanservicesuk@gmail.com Cover image supplied by Pastor Aogu Tateyama Photos supplied by Roy McEwen and various contributors from ECC Stock Images: lightstock.com, freepik.com, publicdomainpictures.net, Google images, unsplash.com, pixabay.com Printed by: HAK Services Ltd, London HA0 1SU, Tel: 07477 844599 Ealing Christian Centre, 268 Northfield Avenue, Ealing, London W5 4UB Tel: 020 8840 7508 Fax: 020 8840 1461 Email: info@ecc.org.uk Website: www.ecc.org.uk Grapevine is published by Ealing Christian Centre. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Grapevine and the ECC logo are trademarks of Ealing Christian Centre in the United Kingdom where Grapevine circulates. Copyright © Ealing Christian Centre 2019. All rights reserved.

ASIAN EVENING IN PICTURES

ECCJ Special by Pastors

BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

FROM BUDDHISM TO CHRIST

PRAYING FOR PARLIAMENT

8pp PRAYER DIARY

EVANGELISM

SUNDAY SERVICES

WINTER NIGHT SHELTER

Hammersmith &

WOMEN’S ENCOUNTER

THANKING GOD FOR

Aogu & Chisato Tateyama

compiled by Pastor Rajinder

by Umendra Perera

by Suzanne Fernandes

PULL-OUT

& PRAYER CALENDAR

WHAT’S ON

by Sharon Grant

Twickenham

by Stephanie Antoine

THE JOURNEY by Sherine de Mel

If you would like an item to be considered for the next edition of the Grapevine magazine, please email your article to info@ecc.org.uk, marked 'For Grapevine'. Articles for half a page should be no more than 250 words, and for a full page should be no more than 600 words. The Editor reserves the right to edit articles where necessary. The deadline for the February/March edition is no later than FRIDAY 3rd January.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Proclaiming the Good News in Japan Part 1: The birth of ECCJ Tokyo!

(and not being replaced), and their churches tend to just keep doing what they have always been doing.

s the global Church, the message we have delivered has never changed throughout history, but the way we deliver the message is always evolving. The vision of our Japanese church, ECCJ, to proclaim the Gospel to Japanese people, has never changed, but the area for which we are envisioning it has expanded. Our message is being delivered to a wider audience in additional waysl we now have a house church called ECCJ Tokyo, proclaiming the Good News to the people in Japan.

In other words, Japanese Christians, who have been deeply changed while they were away from Japan, do not find it easy to readjust to an unchanged church culture when they are back in Japan.

However, it’s a common phenomenon for returnee Christians to suffer a kind of ‘reverse culture shock’ when they are back in Japan. This often happens because they have grown in their faith during their time abroad, but then find that the church in Japan has remained static. Returnee Christians sometimes feel that church culture in Japan can never catch up with what they have experienced abroad. One way to help us in the UK understand this, is to consider that in Japan nearly 80% of pastors are in their 50s, 60s and 70s (Source: cbijapan.org) - the average age being between 60 and 70 (Source: om.org). Although these pastors are faithful Christians, many are nearing retirement

This is not always a problem for all returnees of course, but Christians who are passionate for Jesus may return to Japan and experience reverse culture shock in a way that extinguishes their desire to proclaim the Good News in Japan. Their motivation can be absorbed by the busyness of life and the spiritless atmosphere of a country which hasn’t changed significantly for 70 years. As we continue to send returnees back to Japan, therefore, we are seeking new ways to empower them for ministry. Usually the returnees from our fellowship go back to Japan because their term of work or study in the UK has come to an end, and although in one sense they are excited about going ‘home’, this is a time of upheaval, leaving behind their Christian family in London. Some returnees go back to parts of Japan where there are not many Christian churches at all, and we will continue to try to connect these returnees with supportive churches. At the same time, however, we have been praying about a new branch of our ministry

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

In January 2019, we found out that one key couple and another of our members were all being transferred back to Tokyo in April, and at this time we asked those members to pioneer a house church which could be an extension of the ECC family. This was preferable to suggesting they join existing churches in Tokyo. I spoke with another returnee, who had already returned to Japan, and in June we teamed these four returnees up to lead this new fellowship in Tokyo. This is a very exciting development, because we are praying that the new house church will be a conduit for reintegrating more returnees to Tokyo in the future, as PICTURES: House church

Since ECCJ was started here in London, we have been sending returnees back to Japan, and during the 11 years of our fellowship’s existence, we have prepared and sent back to Japan around 200 returnees from ECCJ. Our vision has been to encourage these returnees to go to local churches in Japan, and to be a catalyst for outreach and spiritual growth wherever they go.

During these 11 years, therefore, we have been continually thinking and praying about how best to support returnees, and the different ways we can support them better. It’s hard for us when we hear that some of our returnees are struggling to connect with local churches, or when we don’t hear any more from some people after they return to Japan.

in Tokyo. Since this is the capital city of Japan, it is where most of our returnees go.

ECCJ MISSIONS UPDATE

PICTURES: Joint worship service with His Call and ECCJ Tokyo

and Thailand. Part of the vision for ECCJ Tokyo is to remember what it was like for us as Japanese living abroad in London and the UK, and to welcome these immigrants and be good neighbours to them.

well as being a means of direct outreach for us in Japan. It would be wonderful to have prayer support from the whole ECC family for this church plant, and for the group of about 10 people who are currently core members of the work.

As I have mentioned, many churches in Japan remain very traditional, and it isn’t easy for them to adapt to change. It would be a big step for many churches in Japan to suddenly welcome non-Japanese into their churches and houses, and yet for ECCJ Tokyo – whose members have expe-rience of living abroad – it is easier to imagine how we can give a warm welcome to non-Japanese people.

I am pleased to announce the birth of ECCJ Tokyo. We have already started weekly cell groups and regular Sunday meetings. Please pray for us, and for those in this church plant, as they seek God’s will in sharing life with each other, and exploring how they can work together with Elim Japan in building up a foundation for this new work.

Please pray for the believers in ECCJ Tokyo, as they try to learn more about the different cultures of these different ethnic groups. Please pray that we will all be able to truly love our neighbours in a way which enables the love of God and His Gospel to spread not only throughout Japan but also to reach people from more nations of the world as well.

Part 2: Our vision for ECCJ Tokyo and the next steps Please pray for us also, with the ministry opportunities we have in Japan, and for wisdom in finding God’s will for our next steps. There is already one Elim Global church in Japan, called His Call Church, and over the years we have developed a great relationship with them and sent teams on short-term missions to serve with them. The church is based in the city of Nagoya - about two-three hours from Tokyo – but recently they started a new church, His Call Tokyo, which has about 10 people. On 10th November 2019, we held a joint service with His Call Tokyo, anticipating that about 20 people would attend. However, we were surprised to find that many others also heard about the service, and altogether more than 50 people attended. It has been said that in Japan there are huge walls between the churches, but we were encouraged to find that people didn’t see any boundaries between His Call and ECCJ. We want to be a

May God bless you as you join us in this ministry through your prayers.

part of God’s work in Tokyo, and so we are praying about how we should follow His will there.

Aogu & Chisato Tateyama Pastors, ECCJ

In addition to this, we have a heart for reaching out to non-Japanese residents in Tokyo. As Ja-pan’s birth rate and population are shrinking, the government has allowed more immigrants from Asia into Japan; statistics show 1 million non-Japanese moved to Japan in 2018 – mostly from countries such as Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

his was the third water baptismal service for this year. What an exciting time the candidates had, with family and friends coming out to support them! An atmosphere of joy and celebration, with exuberant praise, worship, powerful short testimonies, and the Word was shared. At the Gospel appeal, some of the invited guests gave their lives to Jesus, as the Holy Spirit had made such an impact on their lives. God was the midst of this awesome meeting as, one after another, the baptismal candidates shared their testimonies and were baptised in water. The candidates received so much encouragement from our Ealing Christian Centre family of churches represented that evening, with shouts of joy as they came out of the water. It so was overwhelming. Jesus Christ is the only One who can love us like no other, forgiving us all our sins. His precious blood shed on His Cross for each one of us, washing us clean of our sins. He gives us joy and peace that the world cannot give. He is our living Hope and when everything else fails, we can hold onto Him. God places His value upon our lives by identifying with us through His Son, Jesus Christ. In 1 John 3:1, we read that we become children of God when we invite Him into our lives as Saviour and Lord. If we ask His forgiveness for our sins, and turn away from our old way of life, He will fill us with His Holy Spirit to guide us. Today if you have no relationship with the living God, come to Jesus; He reconciles us to His heavenly Father. He gives us a fresh start in life with His plans and purposes to fulfil on earth (2 Corinthians 5:17). Below are testimonies from those who baptised. The ECC candidates were baptised by Elder Michael Smith

Pastor Rajinder Buxton

Kiera ROBERTS

Crystal GATHINJI

Lee ROBERTS

“I was a lost soul doing things that I shouldn’t have done. Jesus saved me from all my sins. My sister took me to church, and Jesus opened my eyes. My life has got so muc h better.”

Joshua JENAMI

Sarah JENAMI

Samuel SODUNKE

Emmanuel SCOTT-BENNIN

Renee ADUPOKU “When I was 8 years old I gave my life to Jesus. Jesus has done good things for my life. When I was born, doctors said I would not be able to walk or talk. But today I can walk and talk. Also when my brother passed away in 2017, Jesus made me feel better.”

Samuel ODU “I had reached a point in my journey as a Christian where I felt called to take this leap of faith and ostensibly show my commitment to God. This crucial decision has changed my life, and I am sure I will never look back again.”

Mabel SPILLANE

“I always believed in Jesus Christ as the Lord and Saviour of my life. I am so much better and happier with my life now. Jesus gave Himself for me, and He is the only way to be saved from our sins.”

Esther WAMAE

CANDIDATES FROM FELTHAM CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Joseph WAMAE

BAPTISMAL SPECIAL

Alyssa BAIDEN

Joanna BANGA

Perry OSEI TUTU

Shekinah Shaneen OWUSU-AGYARE

“It is really tough living in a “Jesus died for me on His world of darkness. My mum and cross, and washed all my dad spoke to me about Jesus sins away. I have a new start and what He had done on the in life with Jesus. He has cross for me. I gave my life to provided me with a good job, Jesus, and He has given me and provided for all my peace and forgiven all my sins.” needs.”

“I am a new creature in Christ, and I have the Spirit of God in me. He gave me eternal life through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.”

Coleen TURKSON “I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour, and I know I needed to be baptised in water. I have a new spiritual life through Jesus Christ, as I was so empty on the inside. He has filled me with His joy, peace and His love.”

Michelle WANJIKU

“God forgave me all my sins, and I am ready to stand and be proud of my relationship with God. I thank Him for all He has done for me.”

Amiah WHITTAKER

“My life didn’t feel complete. I was quite lost. I heard testimonies from people about Jesus at church, and realised Jesus Christ died for my sins. He has taken away all the bad things I have done, and given me a chance to follow Him freely and willingly.”

If you would like to find out more about water baptism, please fill out a form for Baptismal Classes (found at the Information Centre).

Audrey-Charlotte BOYE-DOE

“Words cannot describe what Jesus Christ did for me on His cross, dying for my sins. I am a more confident person now. I was brought up in a Christian household.”

Nadia Regina PRATA da GOIA

Patrick NALIMA

“Thank You, Jesus, for saving me from my sins and giving me eternal life.”

Maddison REID

“Jesus Christ has died on the cross for my sins, so I am able to live my life fully for Him.”

“My life was boring and naughty. I want to be part of God’s family, because Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins.”

Alpha KOLAJO

Dorota GRZYWINSK

WILLESDEN ELIM CHURCH

ELIM SPRINGS POLISH CHURCH

Monika KWIATKOWSKA

Rafal KWIATKOWSKA

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

REVIVAL & HEALING TESTIMONIES

I From Buddhism to finding Jesus as Saviour and Healer by Umendra Perera

was born and raised in a Buddhist family, but now I believe in the risen Jesus as Lord and Saviour of my life, and I’m enjoying freedom in Him. As a Buddhist, I didn’t believe in a personal God. I also believed that nothing was fixed or permanent in this life; that life is both endless and subject to impermanence, suffering and uncertainty. I used to go to the Buddhist temple and didn’t see any changes in my life.

The consultant asked me to have another blood test “just to make sure”, and results showed the levels of enzymes were all normal. Our God is amazing. He healed me and now I am eating healthily.

One day, one of my work colleagues asked me to go shopping with her, but first we had to go to church, as she attended ECC. When I got into the church building, I felt it was something very different from what I had experienced at the Buddhist temple. The worship was amazing, and the atmosphere was so joyful and happy. Since that day I started attending Ealing Christian Centre, and I gave my life to the Lord Jesus. I felt so free, and the Lord opened my eyes and gave me peace.

“Harper was admitted to hospital at six weeks old with excess fluid on her brain, and needed to get a ‘shunt’ put into her brain ventricles to release the pressure caused by the excess fluid. A shunt is a thin tube that goes inside from her brain to her belly, to help the fluid pass through, because she had a blockage.

My relationship with my family was really strained, but Jesus changed me to be patient. I was able to forgive, instead of being revengeful and angry at others. Jesus taught me how to be kind. Having said that, I am not saying I don’t have problems any more, but whatever hardships I am going through in life, He is always in my heart, and He is always there for me. He said in His Word: “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’” (Hebrews 13:5). Coming out of Buddhism has showed me that Jesus Christ is the only truth, and He has been guiding my life. Jesus gave me a new heart, new mind and new spirit. ‘This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun’ (2 Corinthians 5:17). Two of my sisters and one niece also gave their lives to Jesus as a result of my salvation. I wish everyone could meet Jesus and find out just how wonderful He is, and how much He really loves us. Three years ago, I had to go for a blood test. The results showed that my liver enzymes were higher than normal. My consultant was monitoring me every two to three months, but my liver enzymes remained high. After a year of tests, my results were still the same, and my consultant said I needed to have a liver biopsy. I was so scared at the time, because I’d never had surgery before, and was also afraid of what the results of the biopsy would show. I was praying and trusting God that He is my healer, and that He would cause my liver enzymes to become normal. My sisters and one of our ECC sisters prayed with me too. After a week the results came back, showing all was clear. My consultant and I were so surprised, but really, I knew God had answered my prayers.

God also healed Harper, my little niece, of excess fluid on the brain. Together with family, friends and ECC, we prayed for her healing. The following testimony is from my sister, Harper’s mother.

The surgeons explained shunts are not a cure and can fail or get infected. But I had faith in God that no matter what, Harper’s shunt was coming out of her body, and her brain would pass the fluid as a normal healthy human body does. After her first surgery, Harper’s shunt failed twice, meaning two more brain surgeries. Her doctors said she wouldn’t grow well and would have developmental problems, such as delayed crawling, walking, talking, etc. By the age of fifteen months, Harper had had more than fifteen brain surgeries. She also had a special type of brain surgery that had only a 60% success rate for babies. Sadly, after 10 days the surgery failed, and she fell sick and ended up with a shunt again. That night she had a seizure, and was admitted to the ICU and that day I lost all my faith in God. But I had all my family helping me to regain that faith, believing in God for Harper’s healing. Inside me I still knew her surgeries were going to come to an end, and her body will function normally without needing a shunt. Whatever life brought, we all kept praying and having faith in God that she’s healed, and for Harper’s miracle to happen. Recent scans showed that her shunt must have failed again, but her neurosurgeons didn’t operate on her because she hadn’t shown any symptoms of shuntfailure. (Usually when her shunt failed, her brain would stop functioning, she’d get lethargic and vomit, and if not operated upon quickly, could fall into a coma.) The neurosurgeons didn’t know what was going on, but I’m sure God did. So they scanned her once a month, and then the doctors saw the special surgery that had failed after 10 days, had now started working after a year and a half. What a miracle! She proved the doctors wrong. God has healed our Harper, and she is developing so well. She’s bigger than her twin sister, well proportioned. She crawled and walked right with her twin sister, and here she is, not even two years of age and was counting to 10, and singing songs and dancing away! God is the greatest! Harper sits down with me every night before bed to pray to Jesus, and to thank Him for giving her a surgery-free, happy, healthy life.”

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

PRACTICAL TRUTHS

How good and bad behaviour are both sinful so

CHOOSE SPIRIT AND TRUTH

any believe the opposite of sin is holiness. That it’s automatic: if you’re not in sin then you must be holy. This is reinforced when you compare yourself to those ‘in the world’; your behaviour is not as theirs. You don’t get drunk; you’re not promiscuous; you guard your tongue; you don’t offend people… This is holiness, right? Wrong! Because we don’t engage in the excesses of the world, doesn’t mean our restraint automatically equals holiness. ‘Behaving’ properly in the hope of salvation fails because God isn’t interested in good behaviour but in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Be encouraged. As a teenager I attended a home church. On reflection, that was all about good behaviour. ‘Restraint’ was the default, and outwardly it was assumed you were ‘holy’. Good behaviour is also very convincing to those who look at the outward appearance of things. How can you challenge good behaviour? It’s very difficult, unless you understand that good behaviour and bad behaviour are both sinful behaviour. Yep! Many people’s behaviour around the world can be classed as ‘good’: they

don’t get drunk; they speak words of love; they are generous; they worship a higher power; some even quote Scripture. But… they lack one thing; they don’t speak or act from ‘spirit and truth’.

The opposite of sin is spirit. Yes. Sin is defined as ‘missing the mark’ - that’s a human judgement measure. Sin is actually the ‘absence of God’, hence Jesus commanded us to live in spirit [with God] and truth.

And that’s the problem with good behaviour; it’s basically selfrighteousness. It just makes us look better than the excesses of the world. At best, good behaviour just demonstrates sinful restraint. And there’s nothing wrong with restraint.

Therefore, replacing the instructions of the Holy Spirit with good behaviour and cultural beliefs, such as “We can’t be perfect” is a recipe for disaster...

However, as good as restraint is, salvation is not achieved by restraint, but by living in spirit and in truth, by faith in Jesus the Christ.

The enemy established the approach of good behaviour because most of us walk by sight! And we even contradict the very Bible we believe, by saying “We can’t be perfect”, meaning we never truly walk in the fullness promised.

Every Sunday across the world we are taught about ‘standards’, which is a behaviour-based measure. A standard is a judgement on someone’s conduct. A judgement...ahem!

Good behaviour alone is dangerously judgemental. We justify that, because [in our minds] if we haven’t sinned with bad behaviour, then we have been good. But we forget God hasn’t asked us to behave as ‘good’.

Jesus didn’t die so we can achieve standards of good behaviour. He really didn’t. We need to stop focusing on good behaviour - that’s not what Jesus asked us to do.

Good behaviour alone is just as sinful as bad behaviour. The opposite of sin and death is spirit and truth. Reject both good and bad behaviour. Choose to live in spirit and truth instead.

Good behaviour alone is just as sinful as bad behaviour.

Be encouraged.

Think about it: good and bad behaviour are opposite ends of sinful behaviour. High standards and low standards are both sinful behaviours.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Roy McEwen Praying.Works

SPECIAL FEATURE

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:2)

Engaging with and praying for Parliament by Suzanne Fernandes

y name is Suzanne Fernandes. I have been a member of Ealing Christian Centre for many years, which has tremendously blessed my family and me over the years. I was a born a Catholic; all my family are Catholic, and faith plays a very important part in our lives. I attended schools in the Borough of Ealing: St Gregory’s and St Augustine’s Priory. My childhood memories involved watching my father play cricket at Ealing Cricket Club and now, when I pass by, the club brings back fond memories of my dad, who sadly passed away this year. I have two decades’ experience working in the Criminal Justice System - my last role being at HMP Young Offender Institute in Feltham, working with young offenders, (completed this July); three years on Ealing Safer Neighbourhood Board (MOPAC) panel, and keen to engage with local issues affecting homelessness, hunger, crime and youth justice. I was assigned a project some years back with Ealing Council, to run a project at Southall Town Hall in partnership with Southall Community Alliance, but have been diverted with some anti-Semitism/Holocaust denial campaigns that have occupied my time. I will be relaunching the West London Justice Practitioners project soon. The Internet can be a force for good, but also bring misery from those who are intent on damaging lives. I enjoy volunteering at ECC’s 24-hour Prayer Centre, with many testimonies over the years. This year, I have been involved with a three-times-a-day intercessory prayer for children from ECC, with prayer points emailed daily. We have a project starting soon, with families praying for the youth in other parts of the world. I run ‘Ealing Let’s Get Cooking’, and am the owner/ moderator of Ealing Freegle (https://www.ilovefreegle.org/

explore/Ealing-Freegle), which matches unwanted items with new owners, free of charge, which has over 10,000 subscribers. I enjoy travel, and run projects overseas. Next year, I am planning another trip to Israel with ECC. Many may be dissatisfied with the politics of our nation, and with the impact this has on the streets. Whether it is local or national politics, decisions in government can impact our convictions. Prayer is crucial, but so also is practically making a stand and not compromising. Holding onto your beliefs can oftentimes leave you isolated. Christians can make a difference as a witness if they stand as a candidate in politics. I would encourage others to join a local party that is similar to your own faith and beliefs. If you are interested in prayer for Parliament, why not join ‘Praying in Parliament’ that has been going for at least 30 years? It is led by different groups, ad right now, the key person to host meetings is Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Chief Whip of the DUP. Meetings are routinely supported by Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative – not the newsreader/presenter!) and Jim Shannon MP (DUP). Committee rooms inside Parliament can only be booked by an MP, who is meant to be present during the meetings, which are normally held once a month. The Christian People’s Alliance (website https://www.cpaparty.net.) is one group that attends, and often contributes to prayer and discussion. Everyone is welcome - if approved in advance. Occasionally, meetings are also held in the Emmanuel Centre outside Parliament, where there are fewer restrictions. To apply to attend, please email Bill Nelson, the lay chair at bill@ndcitl.com and tell him your interest.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Testimonies from the #

PRAYER centre

A woman called for prayer because the medication she had been taking for many years had disfigured her mouth, but, to the glory of God, her mouth was healed – correctly repositioned where it should have been.

A friend had called the Prayer Centre on behalf of a friend diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She rang to thank God for answering her prayers, because recent test results showed there has been an unexpected improvement.

A woman called the Prayer Centre because her friend’s child was due to have major reconstructive surgery. She later called back to praise God for the successful operations and for the child’s speedy recovery.

A woman needed assistance to complete some forms and documents for her driving licence application, and rang to thank God for the person who helped her.

A man was having great difficulty wallking; his legs couldn’t move. After receiving prayers, he was able to go to the hospital to get everything checked out. Praise God the test results came back clear., and the movement in his legs returned.

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A suspected medical condition meant that this woman had to go for a scan. She called the Prayer Centre to thank God, because the scan results came back all clear.

For over a year, a woman had been calling the Prayer Centre for prayers for her and her fiancé. The Home Office had repeatedly refused permission for the marriage to go ahead, but to the glory of God, she was finally granted permission to marry him after she’d appealed the judge’s decision. The Home Office unusually even sent her passport to the registration office by recorded delivery so the marriage could go ahead.

Another ‘document testimony’ - this time, a family member had lost their documents at the airport. After a concerned relative phoned the Prayer Centre for prayers, the documets were all found fully intact.

Here are just a selection of the testimonies received at the Prayer Centre. Please contact Pastor Tom Ibrahim or Rudy Brann on 020 8799 2199, if you would like to be involved in this important ministry.

January 2020

A Move of God Amidst Persecution Acts - Chapters 16 and 17

uring this, his second missionary journey to establish new churches, Paul had a new partner with him in Silas. He had parted company with Barnabas, his fellow apostle on his first church-planting journey, over a difference of opinion regarding John Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. Mark had accompanied them on their first journey, but had turned round and returned home when things started to get too hot. Paul was not willing to take him again, as he was very aware of the potential troubles ahead for the apostle. So the ever-encouraging Barnabas took Mark to the relatively safe mission field of Cyprus, while Paul and Silas pressed onwards into new territory to evangelise.

Probably both of the apostles were right in their own way. Barnabas mentored and raised up the Young Mark to the point where Mark would later become much bolder and be the assistant to the apostle Peter, and write down all of Peter’s preaching in the Gospel that now bears Mark’s name. Paul, on the other hand, was able to go to tough places, where he would face severe trials and persecution, together with Silas, who was equally strong enough to endure and overcome.

And so, guided by a vision from the Lord, Paul crosses the Aegean Sea, from Asia into Europe, ending up in the important Roman colony of Philippi in Greece. This was a significant development for the spread of the Gospel and the Church. God was about to do significant things and our spiritual enemy knew it. Here is a clear example of the spiritual battle that those who are earnest about serving God may find themselves in. God opened up the heart of the wealthy businesswoman Lydia, so that she and her company were saved. When a demonised fortune-telling slave girl was set free (delivered), literally all the power of hell was let loose on Paul and Silas, resulting in them being beaten up severely and imprisoned.

And, in the midst of the trials, God worked in power as the earthquake broke open the prison doors, resulting in a fearful jailor and all his household getting saved and baptised. Satan had overstepped himself on this occasion, and Paul and Silas were able to turn the tables. By beating up Paul and Silas, who both carried dual citizenship – Jewish and importantly in this case Roman - they had broken Roman law, and would be subject to severe penalties if Paul pressed charges against them. This caused their fearful persecutors to apologise for their harsh treatment and ask them politely to leave.

When we understand we are in a real spiritual battle, when God is moving powerfully in our lives, we must expect opposition and trials. Satan does not have to worry about Christians who are no threat to him and his kingdom of darkness, but rather those who are serious about their walk with God. But we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

1st – Acts 16:1-2 Spoken well of 1. Lord, cause us to so live as ambassadors for Christ that we will be respected for our faith in Christ, even by those who are not Christians. 2. Help us to remember, Lord, that You know our every thought, word and deed; may each one be acceptable to You. 3. Lord, may our actions and attitudes always speak louder than our words and may they reflect Christlikeness. 4. May we not just be ‘Sunday’ Christians, O Lord, but ones who live for You each hour of every day. 5. Cause us to remember that wherever we are and whatever we do, people are watching us, so that may we not let You down, O God. 2nd – Acts 16:3-4 Praying for church leaders (1) 1. Lord, raise up those in our churches and in our nation who have a clear

and powerful apostolic call and anointing to break new ground for Christ in this land. 2. We pray that You would raise up from amongst us and the churches of this land more prophets who will boldly speak the words of God in season and without fear. 3. Lord, raise up more true pastors who will encourage and equip the saints for works of service. 4. Release more evangelists through our churches and into this nation, O Lord. 5.Endow with wisdom, faith, courage and perseverance, all elders and others in church leadership, O God. 3rd – Acts 16:3-4 Praying for church leaders (2) 1. Lord, make fruitful and bless all our Discipleship leaders, men, women and youth, as they invest into the lives of Your people. 2. Give wisdom to all those who lead and teach our Children’s ministries,

and help them impart values that will remain for life, O Lord. 3. Always give a timely word in season to all those who lead and teach in our Youth ministries, we ask. 4. Give wisdom and great satisfaction in all they do to all those in the church who lead or head up different ministries, and renew their zeal, O Lord. 5. Lord, for all the potential leaders in our church, who have not yet stepped into their positions, confirm Your call on their lives and give them courage to take up their mantle.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

PRAYER DIARY

4th – Acts 16:5 Church growth 1. Cause the church to grow daily in numbers. 2. Deepen our faith level, O Lord, that causes us to see Your spiritual gifts operating daily through all the church members. 3. We pray that we would see all the

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Discipleship groups growing through personal evangelism. 4. We pray for all the evangelism that takes place on the streets to see more and more people saved, healed and added to the church as a result. 5. As we pray for all our Sunday and midweek church services; send revival, church growth, and a multiplication of signs and wonders in our midst. 5th – Acts 16:6-9 The plight of the unsaved 1. Lead us to those people, Holy Spirit, whose hearts are ready to receive the Gospel, but who need someone to share the Good News with them. 2. Show us, Holy Spirit, who You would have us speak to today about Christ. 3. We bring all our intercessors before You, O Lord, and ask that You would give them divine strategies as to how to pray for the unsaved. 4. Raise up from our midst more missionaries to go to those places You are calling them to preach the Gospel. 5. We pray for all those countries our missionaries are working in, and pray You would give them divine strategies to win the lost to Christ. 6th – Acts 16:10 Dreams and visions 1. Speak to us strategically in dreams and visions, O Lord. 2. When You speak to us in dreams and visions, O God, give us the wisdom and revelation to interpret them correctly. 3. Pour out upon Your people a new anointing for revelations and visions from God that will bring significant consequences for the plans of the Kingdom of God. 4. Reveal to us the plans of the enemy also, O Lord, so that we can always be aware of what the powers of darkness intend to do, and so thwart them. 5. Stir up within each one of us any prophetic word that You may have given us some time ago, and which we have neglected, so we can pray it into being. 7th – Acts 16:11-13 The place of prayer 1. Holy Spirit, prompt us continually to ensure we are never too busy that we neglect our daily time of meditation and prayer. 2. As we deal with the events of life each day, Holy Spirit, train us to be continually consulting You in all we do, so we may make the right decisions. 3. Teach us to listen as well as to speak, so that our times of prayer are a

January 2020 continual dialogue between You and us. 4. Stir up the passion within us, so that prayer at every level in the church is becoming ever more powerful and effective. 5. Draw more and more people to the prayer meetings, which are the heartbeat of the church, and as we seek You more in prayer, cause significant changes to take place. 8th – Acts 16:14 A heart opened by God 1. May our own hearts be fully open to You, O Lord, enabling You to speak clearly to us, and give us a willing heart to respond to all You desire from us. 2. Lord, in all the areas of our lives that we have held back from You, break our resistance, and cause us to be fully surrendered to You. 3. As we surrender our all to You, help us to let You be not only our Saviour, but to have complete lordship over every part of our lives. 4. As we speak to people who do not yet know Jesus as Saviour, open their hearts as we tell the Good News about Christ, and may we see them respond. 5. Lord, cause each of us now to surrender all. 9th – Acts 16:15 Baptism in water and an open house 1. Lord, for all believers in the church, who have not yet been baptised in water, prompt them to be obedient to Your command. 2. Cause the number of people we see giving their lives to Christ to increase continually and, as a consequence, see more and more baptismal services. 3. For all those who share their testimonies at our baptismal services, help them to relate their new experience with Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. 4. At each baptismal service, cause many unsaved relatives and friends to attend, hear the Gospel and give their lives to Christ. 5. Lord, may our homes be places where Your presence is so evident that we will see people giving their lives to You there. 10th – Acts 16:16 The occult 1. Help all Christians, especially new believers, to understand the dangers of the occult, and to steer clear of every aspect of it. 2. Give Your people a clear understanding

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of the devices and strategies of the powers of darkness, so that we can be continually defeating them. 3. We pray for the gift of discerning of spirits to be common in the church, so that we are never outwitted or deceived by the enemies of our souls. 4. Give us insight to know when Satan appears as an angel of light, so that we are not deceived. 5. For those in the church who do not understand the extent and significance of the work of the powers of darkness, give them revelation and understanding, so they are not overcome. 11th – Acts 16:17-18 Deliverance 1. We pray for all those in the church who are being troubled by spirits; bring them to the place where they can find complete freedom in Christ. 2. Expose and reveal every evil spirit that is at work against the church, O Lord, so we can destroy their works. 3. We take authority over and bind every spirit of unbelief and every religious spirit that hinders people from knowing the truth of salvation in Christ. 4. We take authority over and bind every unclean spirit of sexual immorality in all its forms seeking to operate in the church, and we break their powers. 5. We take authority over and bind every spirit of witchcraft that seeks to oppose our work for Christ, and we break their powers in Jesus’ Name. 12th – Acts 16:19-21 Persecution 1. Lord, as we pray for each one in the church who is suffering persecution for following Christ, whether at home or at work, strengthen and help them. 2. When we are persecuted for Christ’s sake, cause the joy of the Lord to well up within us. 3. In all our dealings with those who would oppose or persecute us for being Christians, may we always experience You working all things together for good. 4. We pray You would give our Parliament wisdom not to pass laws that limit the freedom to preach the Gospel or to limit us openly declaring our faith in Christ. 5. Lord, help us understand that You may allow persecution to shake apathy in the Church, and drive us closer to You and help us to learn. 13th – Acts 16:22-24 Suffering for Christ 1. Cause all believers around the world, who face the prospect of death simply for following Christ, to know Your very real

December 2019

PRAYER DIARY

hilst all the prophetic books of the Bible give hundreds of astonishing prophetic words that have come to pass, often hundreds of years later, the book of Isaiah - by virtue of its length, scope of subject matter and number prophecies - is often regarded as the greatest of the written prophets, containing the most amazing insights of things to come and in breathtakingly accurate detail. Its inspiration by a God who knows the future is self-evident.

Some see Isaiah as a miniature version of the Bible; it has 66 chapters, like the 66 books of the Bible. The first 39 chapters reflect the 39 books of the Old Testament. Its first chapter deals with the sin that separates from God, but with the promise of redemption: ‘Though Your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’ (Isaiah 1:18). A Messiah, ‘Emmanuel’ or ‘God with us’ would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), who would also be a descendant of David and yet would be ‘Mighty God’ (Isaiah 9:6), who will rule over all the earth in peace, bringing death and killing to an end, which would also effect the animal kingdom, changing them from being carnivorous to vegetarians and herbivores. The last 27 chapters (40-66) reflect the 27 books of the New Testament, with chapter 40 opening with the voice of John the Baptist crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord” - just like the gospels begin. And in these chapters, Isaiah foretells how the ‘Servant of the Lord’ would come, anointed by the Spirit of the Lord. He would be the suffering servant, a ‘guilt offering’ who would be crucified as He was ‘pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities’ as the sins of the world would be laid upon this blameless, innocent Man. He would then be buried in a rich man’s tomb. And chapter 66 concludes with a vision of the new heavens and new earth, and the judgment of hell, just like the end of the Book of Revelation. With the benefit of hindsight, we are able to see how the hundreds of prophecies concerning the first coming of Jesus as God’s obedient and suffering Servant were fulfilled, confirming the divine inspiration of the Bible. But equally, there are many other Scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments that speak of His second coming in glory. As we look at the world around us and read what the Bible foretells, we can see that Day is not far off. As we pray this month through some of these divinely inspired Scriptures about Christ, we are asking God to help make us more like Jesus, into whose image the Holy Spirit wants to mould us. We are also asking God to prepare us and use us for His purposes in these last days. Just as the first coming of Jesus was foretold and happened just like the Holy Spirit-inspired prophets told us, so too will the second coming of Jesus. And Jesus told His Church not to be caught off guard, asleep or unprepared, but rather watching, praying and doing the will of God, so that we will not be ashamed on that Day.

1st Isaiah 9:6-7 The Kingdom of God 1. Almighty God, cause us to draw so close to You that we know Your awesome presence amongst us in ever-increasing measure. 2. Give us divine strategies for evangelism, so that we may be led by the Holy Spirit and be fruitful. 3. Bless every area of our evangelism, Lord, and may we see many people coming to know Christ. 4. Lord, build Your Kingdom in our midst, and enable us to overcome every attack and strategy from the gates of hell that would come against us. 5. Build Your Kingdom in our nation, O God, and stop the plans of the enemy from making this nation secular and godless. 2nd Isaiah 11:1-2 Enlightened by the Spirit 1. Lord Jesus, just as the Spirit gave You wisdom and understanding, we pray You would give us the same. 2. Give us wisdom in every area of ministry that we each find ourselves in.

3. Give us wisdom in all our dealings with the unsaved, we pray. 4. Give us the Spirit of counsel and power, we pray. 5. Give us the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, we ask. 3rd Isaiah 11:3-5 The fear of the Lord 1. Lord, may we have a holy fear of You that causes us to be afraid to sin, knowing that this would grieve You. 2. Teach us what it means to be holy, O God, especially as we live in a fallen world. 3. Each day, Holy Spirit, prompt us to always be led by You and not by our carnal natures. 4. May a righteous fear of the Lord cause us to always be faithful, in all our actions, thoughts and deed, we pray. 5. In our dealings with people, whether Christians or non-Christians, may we always be led to make righteous decisions and choices, O Lord.

4th Isaiah 11:6-9 Peace and harmony 1. Lord, since Your Kingdom is one of total peace and harmony, mould our characters, so that we may be worthy citizens of the Kingdom of heaven even now. 2. We pray that You would enable us to be in control of our tempers, and not be the cause of strife. 3. As the body of Christ, help us make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4. Lord, cause us to always have the selfcontrol to think first before we speak, so that we do not become the cause of disharmony. 5. Lord, use us as servants who will help to fulfil Your Word, so that one day ‘the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea’.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

Prophetic Scriptures of Jesus in the Book of Isaiah

5th Isaiah 11:10-16 Under the Lord’s banner 1. Lord, may we never be ashamed to declare in any and every situation that we belong to You.

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December 2019

2. We pray You would cause the Church of Jesus Christ in our nation up and down the land to rise up unashamedly and openly, upholding the principles and values of the Bible. 3. Anoint our every outreach to the nations of the world, O Lord, and may we see many saved and discipled. 4. As we pray for all our missionaries as they take the Gospel to the nations, give them the joy of seeing many turn to Christ. 5. We pray that You would anoint our online services, and all the other Christian broadcasting programmes on radio and satellite TV drawing people in all nations to Christ.

Christ that they may be set free. 2. As we pray for those we know, who are sick in body, cause the power of Jesus to heal them now. 3. For all for those we know, who are troubled in their thought life, we pray that You would help them break every bondage and release them, O Lord. 4. We pray for all those who are struggling against the powers of darkness and generational curses over their lives, and we break that power in Jesus’ Name. 5. As we pray for our nation that is bound in the grip of sin and unbelief, send Your Spirit across our land to shake the people and turn them back to You, O God.

6th Isaiah 42:1-4 The Servant of the Lord 1. As Jesus was anointed while on this earth with the fullness of the Holy Spirit, anoint us as Your servants, O God, with the fullness of Your Spirit. 2. Give us, O Lord, the same servantheartedness that is demonstrated in Jesus, so that You may use us in power, unhindered by any selfish ambition. 3. Give us the grace to rejoice when others are doing better than we are, and to bless them, O God. 4. As servants of Christ, keep our eyes fixed on the importance of our purpose in life, so that we will not be discouraged, we pray. 5. As servants of the Lord, may Your will and not our personal ambitions - be our priority, O God.

9th Isaiah 50:1-3 A nation in rebellion 1. Have mercy on our nation for its numerous sins, O Lord, and look favourably upon us once more, we pray. 2. Forgive our nation for promoting the worship of gods that our forefathers never knew, O God. 3. Forgive our national leaders for seeking to push You out of schools, hospitals and other public places, and reverse the harmful consequences of these ungodly actions, we pray. 4. Have mercy on our nation for the way that the sanctity of life is being undermined, and raise up men and women to protect the weak and vulnerable, O Lord. 5. Cause the clear Gospel of salvation to start ringing out around the nation once again, we pray, with no power of darkness able to prevent it.

7th Isaiah 42:5-6 Called as a light to the Gentiles 1. We pray for our work in the Philippines, O Lord, that You would continue to add many to the church, as they hear the Gospel and give their lives to Christ. 2. We pray for our work in Nigeria and Tanzania, O Lord, that You would continue to show Your grace to the people there, and save them. 3. We pray for our work in Nepal, O God, that You would continue to open the eyes of believers, save them, and enable more churches to be planted. 4. We pray for our work in Japan, Lord, that You would multiply the number of people getting saved and new churches planted. 5. We pray for our works in India and Guyana that You would continue to save unbelievers, and build up and encourage the churches there. 8th Isaiah 42:7-9 Setting the captives free 1. Lord, as we pray for all those we know, who are bound in sin and sinful habits, open their eyes to the saving power of

10th Isaiah 50:4-5 A faithful servant 1. Give us Your words to speak daily, O Lord, in any and every situation of our lives and places of work. 2. Help us guard our daily time with You and Your Word, O God, so that we can always bring to mind what the Bible teaches, for every situation we find ourselves in. 3. Give us listening ears and a perceptive mind to hear when You speak to us, Holy Spirit, we pray. 4. Keep us from ever knowingly being disobedient, O Lord, and forgive us when we have been so unintentionally. 5. Teach us Your ways, and give us willing hearts to faithfully carry them out, we pray. 11th Isaiah 50:6-8 Never flinching from following God’s ways 1. Lord, since You have said that in this world we will have troubles, help us in our times of trials, we pray. 2. For those believers who are close to us, and who are going through a season of

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trial, sustain, comfort and strengthen them, we pray. 3. We pray for all believers in those countries where they are persecuted simply for following Christ, asking that You would protect, sustain and comfort them. 4. Help us to grow spiritually during our times of trials, and thereby recognise the benefit that comes from them. 5. Make us strong, O Lord, so that we can withstand all the devil may throw against us. 12th Isaiah 50:9 God’s help 1. Help us today, O Lord, in all our daily tasks, so that we may do everything as unto You. 2. For all those amongst us who have problems within the family, we pray that You would help them and give them the grace and wisdom to resolve them. 3. We pray for Your help in our workplaces, schools and colleges, O Lord, so that we would always seek to excel in all we do. 4. Help us to be good ambassadors of Jesus Christ at all times, we pray. 5. Thank You, O Lord, that You have saved us in Christ Jesus from condemnation; may our grateful service to You be a pleasing sacrifice in Your sight. 13th Isaiah 50:10-11 Obeying the Word of God 1. Holy Spirit, we ask that You would constantly bring to our remembrance the Word of God, so that we always obey the ways of the Lord. 2. Cause us always to remember that to You, O God, our obedience is better than our sacrifice. 3. Give us a godly fear of the Lord that causes us to shudder at the thought of being wilfully disobedient, we pray. 4. Reveal to us in our daily times of devotion anything in our lives that is not conforming to Your will, O Lord, and give us strength to change. 5. May we learn to trust in You more and more, O Lord, and less and less in ourselves. 14th Isaiah 51:1-2 The example of Abraham 1. Give us a trusting heart in You, O Lord, like Abraham who was prepared to leave all behind on the strength of Your promises to him. 2. Help us believe every promise in Your Word, O God, and to always have the courage and faith to act on them. 3. As You multiplied the descendants of Abraham, whose belief in You was credited to him as righteousness, so too multiply in our church those who accept Christ. 4. We pray that You would multiply the number of children and youth in our

December 2019 15th Isaiah 51:3-4 God’s Word going forth 1. For everyone in the church, who is spreading the Gospel through witnessing to others, give them the joy of seeing people respond and accept Christ, O Lord. 2. We pray for an anointing with power for the application of Your Word in our Discipleship groups, O God. 3. We pray for all the teachers and classes in our Children’s ministries, that the Word of God will remain in their hearts and produce good fruit. 4. We pray for the preaching of God’s Word in our Sunday and midweek services, that it would always accomplish the work in power, that You, O Lord, desire of it. 5. As laws operate to suppress the Christian witness in our nation, cause the Gospel, O God, to be preached in power all throughout our nation, both in word and actions. 16th Isaiah 51:5-6 God’s salvation 1. Cause us to see people saved in the church this week and every week, O Lord. 2. We pray for the salvation of all members of our families who have not yet accepted Christ, that they may know You soon, Lord Jesus. 3. We pray for the salvation of many men and women in key places of authority and influence in our land, O Lord. 4. We pray for the salvation of many men and women who are Members of Parliament or local councillors, O God. 5. We pray for the salvation of many who are teachers, in the media, in sport, or other places who serve as role models. 17th Isaiah 51:7-8 Don’t fear the persecution of men 1. Give us boldness at all times, O Lord, to always stand up for the Gospel and for truth. 2. May we never compromise our speech or our actions out of fear of others, we pray. 3. Help us, O Lord, to be people who influence others, and not ones whom others influence. 4. For those we know, who have come to Christ out of other religions and are suffering as a consequence, help them to grow strong, we pray. 5. For those who find it difficult to witness in their places of work, because of the antiChristian work culture, give them wisdom and the unquenchable radiance of Christ.

18th Isaiah 51:9-14 The Almighty God brings joy and comfort 1. Fill us afresh with the joy of the Lord this day, we pray. 2. Turn any mourning we may be experiencing for whatever reason into dancing this day, O Lord. 3. For those feeling heavy burdened, touch them today, and help them cast all their burdens onto You, Lord Jesus, for You care for them. 4. For all those we know, who are grieving through the loss of a loved one, comfort them today, O Lord, in the way only You can. 5. For all those looking for jobs or promotion, or setting up their own businesses, bless them and provide their needs, we pray. 19th Isaiah 51:15-16 God’s words in our mouths 1. Lord, let no distraction keep us from spending regular quality time reading and understanding Your Word. 2. As we read Your Word, Holy Spirit, enlighten our minds and our understanding, leading us into all truth, we pray. 3. Help us to speak Your Word, O Lord, in season and out of season. 4. Enable us to do our best to correctly handle the Word of God, as a good workman for God. 5. Keep our tongues from speaking anything other than what is pleasing to You, O Lord. 20th Isaiah 51:17-20 Rise up, O Church (1) 1. Lord, encourage Your Church and fill each of Your people with the unshakeable belief in the triumph of Christ over all the powers of darkness. 2. Give each believer a vision of all that he or she is capable of doing in this world, through the power of Christ within them. 3. Cause Your Church to always be on the offensive and not on the defensive, O Lord, taking ground from the enemy and not conceding it 4. Let Your Church understand the power of God that is already within each believer, and may we each start using it to its full potential. 5. Help each one of us to fully understand who we are in Christ, so that we can always overcome the temptations and attacks of the evil one. 21st Isaiah 51:17-20 Rise up, O church (2) 1. Lord, cause all the men in the church to rise up in power, and be influential leaders in all areas of church life and ministry. 2. Lord, cause the women in the church to rise up in power, moving effectively in all the gifts and ministries of the Spirit.

3. Lord, cause the youth in the church to rise up and be influencers of their own generation. 4. Lord, cause all the children in the church to understand at a young age the need to know Christ, walk in His ways and build their lives on Him as a sure foundation. 5. Lord, breathe Your Spirit into every denomination in this land, causing each to rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit and preach the Gospel of truth. 22nd Isaiah 51:21-23 God’s enemies defeated 1. We take authority over the spirit of unbelief in our nation, and cast it down. 2. We take authority over the spirit of Mammon and all that causes selfishness in our nation, and cast it down. 3. We take authority over the spirit of lawlessness in our nation, and cast it down. 4. We take authority over any spirit behind the breakdown of the family in our nation, and cast it down. 5. We take authority over the spirit of antichrist in our nation, and cast it down. 23rd Luke 1:1-10 Zechariah and Elizabeth 1. As Zechariah and Elizabeth were found upright in Your sight, may that be our testimony also, O Lord, we pray. 2. As we pray for all husbands and wives, help them in the important task of raising children in all the ways of the Lord. 3. For all the married couples in our midst, who are praying for a child, answer their prayer, O God. 4. For those who having been praying for a long time for a particular issue, and have not yet seen the answer, give them a breakthrough now, O Lord. 5. We bring all the elderly folk in the church, and pray that You would bless, help and sustain them at all times, and bless them this Christmastime, O God.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

church who turn to Christ, O Lord. 5. Multiply the number of believers up and down our land, O Lord, and fill the churches to overflowing with those seeking and finding Christ as Saviour.

PRAYER DIARY

24th Luke 1:11-24 John the Baptist 1. Like John, O Lord, may we be people who will be a joy and a delight to those we live and work with, because we are living like Christ. 2. Like John, we pray we may we be people who turn other people to the Lord. 3. Like John, may we live in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. 4. Like John, may we be prepared to let Christ increase in our lives, and our own selves decrease. 5. Like John, we ask, O Lord, that we may we each discover and pursue the destiny for this life that You have planned for us.

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PRAYER DIARY

December 2019

25th Luke 1: 26-38 Faithful servants 1. Thank You for Your faithfulness, Lord Jesus, in fulfilling every detail of the plan for our salvation. 2. Give us, O Lord, a heart like that of Mary, where we can always say: “May it be to me as You have said.” 3. Give us a heart like Joseph, O Lord, where we will always want to do the right thing and not react in anger. 4. Bless each of our family members this day and our fellowship together. 5. As we pray for all those who may be on their own today, bless and help them, and bring them to our remembrance to be a blessing to them today. 26th Luke 1:39-45 The blessings of believers 1. Thank You, O Lord, for all the blessings that come from belonging to Jesus. 2. Thank You for the joy of the Lord, which comes not from our circumstances but from our relationship with You. 3. Thank You, Lord, for the joy of knowing our sins are forgiven in Christ, and we have eternal life. 4. Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of godly friends and families. 5. Thank You, Lord, for the blessing of fellowship with the people of God; draw us closer to You and to one another, we pray. 27th Luke 1:46-56 The joy of being used of God 1. May our lips and our lives glorify You, O Lord, both this day and every day. 2. Thank You, Lord, for every occasion when You have been able to use us for Your purposes. 3. Thank You, Lord, for every occasion when we have been able to share with another something of the Gospel and our relationship with You. 4. Lord, we bring our lives before You again this day, and ask that You would use us for Your glory. 5. Holy Spirit, show us the will of God for our lives, both on a daily basis and for the future, we ask. 28th Isaiah 52:1-6 God’s Name mocked 1. Lord, we pray that the way we live our lives will never give unbelievers the cause to mock our God, because of any hypocrisy in our testimony. 2. As we pray for those we know, who openly reject the existence of God, have mercy on them and open their eyes. 3. As we pray for the media, which allows our God to be mocked, shake them, Lord, and bring a shift in their attitudes and programmes. 4. Cause a fear of the Lord to return once

more to our nation, O Lord, and for people to see the folly of rejecting their Creator. 5. We pray for all those we know, whose faith is in a god other than the true and living God, and save them we pray. 29th Isaiah 52:7-10 Proclaiming the Good News 1. We pray once more, O Lord, for daily opportunities to share Jesus either in word or in deed. 2. As we pray for all Gospel programmes that are being sent out daily by online services and satellite TV; cause many who would otherwise not hear the Gospel to hear, understand and believe. 3. For all Gospel programmes being broadcast via radio, use them mightily to bring people in all countries to Christ, O Lord. 4. As we pray for all international evangelists, who are faithfully proclaiming the Gospel to millions, use them to sweep many into the Kingdom of God, we ask. 5. As we pray for all the local pastors and evangelists in every nation, who are faithfully proclaiming the Gospel; help each one to build the local churches, O God. 30th Isaiah 52:11-12 Separated from sin 1. As we live in this world but not of this world, keep us from sin, we pray. 2. Give us the wisdom to see in advance any situation that may bring us into compromise, so that we may avoid it. 3. Holy Spirit, may we allow You daily to speak to our hearts and minds, so that You can reveal to us anything that we should separate ourselves from. 4. Give us clean hands and a pure heart, O Lord, so that You can use us at any time. 5. We pray You would help to break the influence over the lives of all those in the church struggling with sin, which they are finding it hard to separate from. 31st Isaiah 52:13-15 Jesus raised up and exalted 1. Lord Jesus, as we give You all honour and glory in our lives and in our church, be high and lifted up in our midst. 2. Be exalted in Your church through us living our lives in a way that brings You glory, O Lord. 3. Be glorified in our homes, O Lord, as we make You Lord there. 4. Be glorified in our church meetings, O Lord, as we seek to give You the preeminence. 5. Be glorified in our midst, O Lord, as You save and heal people, and cause their lives to be completely changed around for God, we pray.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

NOTES

January 2020

14th – Acts 16:25 The power of praise and worship 1. Help us to understand the power of praise and worship, so that we do so even if we do not feel like it. 2. Cause our circumstances to change as we praise You in faith, no matter what the circumstances, O Lord. 3. Teach us that joy, which is the fruit of the Spirit, is based in our unchanging relationship with God, not in our changing, outward circumstances. 4. We pray for all our musicians in the church, asking You would cause them to play with the anointing of the Holy Spirit at all times. 5. We pray that all our worship leaders and singers may always be led by the Spirit into prophetic worship. 15th – Acts 16:26 The manifest power of God 1. May we see Your power released amongst us to an ever increasing degree, O God. 2. We pray for all manner of miracles to be released amongst us, as we carefully and prayerfully follow all Your ways. 3. Cause many miracles to be seen in the lives of individuals of totally changed lives as they forsake their old ways and embrace the new life in Christ. 4. We thank You for the healings we see now; may they become a common occurrence as every member of the church becomes confident to pray for the sick. 5. As the doors of the prison flew open, may we see many who are imprisoned in sin and the ways of the world find a radical freedom in Christ. 16th – Acts 16:27-30 What must I do to be saved? 1. Lead us to those individuals who are genuinely seeking the truth, so that

we can give them the Gospel of Christ for their salvation. 2. Help all our Discipleship groups to bring salvation to their friends and neighbours. 3. For all those who go on the streets to share the Gospel, give them the joy on each occasion of leading people to Christ and seeing them added to the church. 4. Cause Your presence, Holy Spirit, to be so evident in each of our Sunday meetings that people will always be convicted of sin and be saved. 5. For all those attending church meetings, who are religious but have never given their lives to Christ, cause them, Holy Spirit, to see their need of salvation. 17th – Acts 16:31 Salvation in Jesus 1. Help us understand and so deeply value the salvation we have in Christ, and may such understanding motivate us to serve You with all our being. 2. Give us boldness as we speak out for Christ, and keep us from feeling intimidated, we pray. 3. Give us the words to speak in season at all times, O Lord. 4. Save all our immediate family members who do not know You, O God. 5. Save all our wider family members and give us divine opportunities to lead them to Christ. 18th – Acts 16:32-33 Speaking the Word of the Lord 1. Give each of us within the church a passion to study Your Word, O Lord. 2. We pray for wisdom to be able to use the Word of God in both our everyday experiences and also when we are sharing our faith. 3. Bring to our remembrance the things we have read and learned from Your Word, on each occasion we need them, as we talk to people and as we need to make daily decisions. 4. Change lives through the Word of God in all the teaching classes for new believers, mature believers, and all other courses and studies in the church. 5. Cause much fruit in the lives of all who hear the preaching and teaching in Sunday services and with youth and children. 19th – Acts 16:34 The joy of salvation 1. For any among us, who have lost the great joy of salvation in Christ, touch

them afresh today and renew that joy. 2. Holy Spirit, cause joy to well up within us, no matter what our outward circumstances may be. 3. May that joy of the Lord continually be our strength, even in times of testing and trial. 4. May Your unquenchable joy in our lives serve as a powerful testimony to those we meet daily, who are currently without Christ and therefore without hope. 5. Give us the joy of leading someone to Christ today, O Lord. 20th – Acts 16:35-40 Divine favour with authorities 1. Give us divine favour in our places of work with those over us, so that we may prosper in our employment. 2. Give promotions and appointments to places of influence in our workplaces, O Lord. 3. Prosper all in the church who have their own businesses, and give them favour with their clients and customers, prospering the work of their hands. 4. Give Your churches divine favour with all the different local authorities, so that the work of the Gospel will prosper. 5. Give the Church divine favour with our Parliament, so that Your Kingdom may extend and there may be peace in our land. 21st – Acts 17:1-3 Reasoning from the Scriptures 1. Give us minds that not only understand Your Word, O Lord, but also have an ability to explain it clearly to others. 2. When explaining Your Word, give us the wisdom to be able to reason with others in a way that is understandable for the background they are coming from. 3. Raise up teachers of Your Word, who can bring clarity of meaning to all who hear. 4. Give us wisdom to be able to reason with atheists and others who do not accept the Bible as the Word of God. 5. Give us wisdom to be able to reason from the Scriptures with those of other faiths.

Bible Readings and Prayer Points for Individual and Church Spiritual Growth

presence in each hour of need. 2. We pray You would strengthen all those in Muslim countries who suffer for following Christ, and cause their persecutors to come to know Christ. 3. Help all those Christians in Hindu countries, who are persecuted for following Christ; may their persecutors be changed by the love of Christ. 4. Give grace in their hour of need to all Christians who are persecuted in countries ruled by military dictatorships; bring freedom to their nations. 5. For all Christians living in communist countries, who are persecuted for their faith in Christ, help the underground churches to continue to flourish.

PRAYER DIARY

22nd - Acts 17:4 People in significant positions saved 1. Save many members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, we pray. 2. We pray that You would place many Christians in local councils, so that their influence would be felt in our

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

PRAYER DIARY

local areas. 3. Place Your people in our local police forces, and cause many to be saved there also, especially those in senior positions. 4. Cause current high-profile celebrities in the media to experience such a discontent with what the world can offer that many publicly turn to Christ. 5. So work amongst the Royal family, Holy Spirit, that many will give their lives to Christ. 23rd – Acts 17:5-9 People who can turn the world upside down! 1. Make us radical followers of Christ, O Lord. 2. May we wait on You continually so that in all we do, we do it full of the Holy Spirit and power. 3. Help Your church rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the length and breadth of this nation, and turn it around. 4. Help us to influence the world around us, not us be influenced by it. 5. Make the rising generation one that ushers in a radical revolutionary lifestyle of following Christ in all the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit. 24th – Acts 17:10-12 Examining the Scriptures 1. Give us an increasing love for Your Word, O God. 2. For any of us who have a Bible in the house but rarely read it, let today be a day of change, as we commit ourselves to daily reading Your Word. 3. As we read the Scriptures, Holy Spirit, give us understanding. 4. Help us not only to read Your Word, but to live it out as radical followers of Christ. 5. Help us to explain the Word of God to others in the Discipleship groups, in the Children’s and Youth ministries, and on every other occasion. 25th – Acts 17:13-15 Handling opposition 1. Give us the wisdom to know when You want us to speak, and when You want us to remain silent. 2. Give us wisdom to know the difference between when resistance to the Gospel is outright opposition, and so to be silent, or when it is a person in the process of being convicted, and so we need to continue. 3. Guard Your church from those who gain entry and seek to bring opposition from within. 4. Help and save all those who are

January 2020 religious but who do not know God and so oppose the genuine move of the Holy Spirit. 5. Defeat the agendas of all those in positions of power and authority in our land, who oppose the truth of God’s Word and who seek to impose their secular agenda on us. 26th – Acts 17:16-21 Overcoming idolatry 1. If there is anything in our lives that we treasure more than You, reveal it to us and convict us, so that we may not be hindered in our spiritual lives. 2. For all those in our nation, whose empty lives cause them to direct their worship towards famous celebrities, show them the better way of worshipping Jesus. 3. Deliver from deception all those who attend churches where the worship of idols is practised. 4. Reveal the one true Saviour to all the Hindus we live and work amongst. 5. For those we know, whose worship is directed towards wealth, have mercy on them and help them to find that which truly satisfies the yearnings of the soul. 27th – Acts 17:22-23 Those to whom God is unknown 1. Cause us to be bringers of Good News to the lives of all those we interact with each week who do not know Christ. 2. Give us the right words to bring understanding of the truth about Christ to all those we regularly meet who say they are atheists or agnostics. 3. Cause all those we regularly meet, who are looking for a spiritual experience but in the wrong places, and nevertheless are genuine seekers, to find You, O God. 4. Rescue before it is too late, all those in our neighbourhood who are engaged in any practice that is related to the occult. 5. Help all those to find faith in Christ this week, who attend church services but have no personal relationship with God. 28th – Acts 17:24-25 True temples of the living God 1. As temples of the Holy Spirit, guard us from abusing our bodies in any way, we pray. 2. As the collective temple of the Holy Spirit, may our church services be a place where You can freely move in power among us and be lifted up, Lord Jesus. 3. May Your power be demonstrated

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

more and more in our midst, Holy Spirit, as we seek to bring glory to Christ through our individual lives and through our collective worship and service. 4. Holy Spirit, may we be so faithful to the cause of glorifying Jesus that You can trust us with Your miraculous gifts that we now ask You to distribute amongst us. 5. Build Your Church through us we pray, Lord Jesus. 29th – Acts 17:26-27 All nations from one man 1. Holy Spirit, cause many to come to Christ in all the countries in the continent of Africa. 2. Bring a great revival to all the nations in the continent of Asia, from Japan to Turkey, we pray. 3. Bring back life to the spiritually dead continent of Europe, O Lord, and sweep through each land in revival power. 4. From Canada to Argentina, move across all the countries of the Americas and the Caribbean in a great move of God. 5. In Australia and the island countries, bring a visitation from the Holy Spirit that turns multitudes to a living faith in Christ. 30th – Acts 17:28-30 In Him we live and move and have our being 1. Cause us to desire to draw ever nearer to You, O God, and may we know a new intimacy as You draw near to us. 2. Help us not to neglect our personal times of devotions with You, O Lord, but rather to develop those times more deeply. 3. Teach us how to involve You in every part of our daily lives and decisions, O Lord, learning how to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in all the things we do. 4. Guard our thoughts and the intents of our hearts, O God. 5. Whatever circumstances we go through, may we become a little more like Jesus today. 31st – Acts 17:31-34 The day of Judgment 1. May we not forget, Lord Jesus, that as believers we will one day stand before You to give an account of our faithfulness on earth, and may we not be found wanting. 2. Time is short and the harvest is great, so help us to use our time on earth wisely and productively for You. 3. As we spend time with You in prayer, bring to our minds those people You want us to intercede for regarding their salvation because they are ready to be saved. 4. Have mercy on all those we interact with on a daily basis and who are unsaved, so that they do not stand before You in the judgment of their sins. 5. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

PRAYER & EVANGELISM XXX XXX

24-hour

PRAYER CENTRE

Call our confidential prayer line for ANY need 24 hours a day 7 days a week

020 8799 2199

DAILY

REVIVAL PRAYER MEETINGS Monday to Friday Morning meetings 10.00am to 12.00pm - Annexe Room 2* EVENing meetings 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Foyer (*accessible from Northfields Avenue)

WEEKLY

TUESDAY NIGHT PRAYER MEETING

7.30pm to 9.15pm - Foyer

MONTHLY

REVIVAL & HEALING MEETINGS Bring your family, friends & neighbours Second Sunday evening of every month at 6.30pm Sunday 8th December Sunday 12th January

DELIVERANCE MEETINGS

For ECC attenders: Before coming for deliverance for the first time, please make an appointment to speak to Pastor Rajinder NO MEETING IN DECEMBER Saturday 18th January For non-ECC attenders: Please contact ELLEL MINISTRIES on 01252 794060

ALL-NIGHT PRAYER MEETINGS Last Friday of every month 10.00pm to 5.00am Come when you can! NO MEETING IN DECEMBER Friday 31st January

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE

EVANGELISM Every month, the Evangelism teams go to various towns across the borough of Ealing (and surrounding boroughs). Please see below for the locations for December and January.

Saturday 7th Dec

Saturday 11th Jan

All welcome 11am - 1pm

Acton Brentford Chiswick Greenford Hammersmith Hanwell Harrow Hayes Hounslow Isleworth Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Twickenham West Drayton West Ealing

Acton Brentford Chiswick Greenford Hammersmith Hanwell Hounslow Northfields Northolt Shepherd’s Bush South Ealing Southall Uxbridge West Ealing

GRAPEVINE magazine GRAPEVINE • Issuemagazine 101 • December • Issue 97 2019/January • April/May 2020 2019

BELIEFS & MEETINGS

Note from the Treasurer

HOW DOES GIFT AID WORK?

ift Aid allows UK charities to claim back the basic rate of tax already paid on donations by the donor. This means we, as a church, can claim back from the government on your behalf 25p for every £1 you donate, boosting the value of the donation by a quarter. When a UK taxpayer gives a gift of money to a charity, tax has already been paid on that money and, because you are exempt from that tax, we can claim this money back from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on your behalf. The huge benefit of Gift Aid to ECC is that for every £1 given via Gift Aid, it is worth £1.25 to the church, increasing the amount given by just over 25%. For example, if you give £100 as a tithe every month, this increases to £125.00 per month and, over a year, the £1,200 of giving increases by £300 to £1,500.00. This is a significant increase in giving, and greatly impacts the local church finances. Should you be interested in the Gift Aid scheme, please kindly collect a Gift Aid form from the Finance Desk at the back of the church auditorium, and drop the completed form into the offering bucket on Sunday. Have a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Sandra Dawodu Please note that you can give to ECC through the website at www.ecc.org.uk or via mobile apps: Acct No 18844979 Sort Code 60 05 16

WEEKLY MEETINGS

Sunday services Celebration service

9.00am to 10.45am

with classes for Children & Youth

Celebration service

11.15am to 1.00pm

with classes for Children & Youth

Japanese service

2.30pm to 4.30pm in Auditorium

Polish service

2.30pm to 4.30pm

Evening service

in Foyer

6.30pm to 8.00pm

See page 23 for details

Mondays

Prayer meetings

Tuesdays

10.00am & 6.00pm

Prayer meetings

Wednesdays

10.00am & 7.30pm

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Little Stars’ Parents & Tots Term-time only 10.00am to 12.00pm Wednesday Afternoon Fellowship 2.00pm to 3.30pm

Thursdays

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Life skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm

Fridays

Registration required

Prayer meetings 10.00am & 6.00pm Equippers: Ministry skills 7.00pm to 9.30pm Registration required

All-night Prayer 10.00pm to 5.00am

Saturdays

Last Friday of the month

Local Lighthouse Evangelism 11.00am to 1.00pm

FINANCE THANK YOU

FOR YOUR FAITHFUL GIVING TO GOD’S WORK S ept 2019 Oct 2019 Tithes & Offerings £45,808.51 £39,807.78 Building Fund £3,219.10 £1,253.00 Standing Orders £36,278.87 £22,839.21

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

WHAT WE BELIEVE 1. THE BIBLE: We believe the Bible, as originally

given, to be without error, the fully inspired and infallible Word of God and the supreme and final authority in all matters of faith and conduct. 2. THE TRINITY: We believe that the Godhead exists co-equally and co-eternally in three Persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and that these Three are one God, sovereign in creation, providence and redemption. 3. THE SAVIOUR: We believe in the true and proper deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His real and complete humanity, in His sinless life, in His authoritative teaching, in His substitutionary and atoning sacrifice through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, in His heavenly intercession and His second advent to receive His Church. 4. THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe in the deity of the Holy Spirit Who proceeds from the Father and the Son and the necessity of His work in conviction of sin, repentance, regeneration and sanctification, and that the believer is also promised an enduement of power as the gift of Christ through the baptism in the Holy Spirit with signs following. Through this enduement the believer is empowered for fuller participation in the ministry of the Church, its worship, evangelism and service. 5. MANKIND: We believe in the universal sinfulness of all mankind since the Fall, rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation. 6. SALVATION: We believe in the necessity for salvation of repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by which the sinner is pardoned and accepted as righteous in God's sight. This justification is imputed by the grace of God because of the atoning work of Christ, is received by faith alone and is evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit and a holy life. 7. THE CHURCH: We believe in the spiritual unity and the priesthood of all believers in Christ and that these comprise the universal Church, the Body of Christ. 8. THE MINISTRY: We believe in the ministries that Christ has set in His Church, namely, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and in the present operation of the manifold Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to the New Testament. 9. THE ORDINANCES: We believe in the baptism of believers in water in obedience to the command of Christ and the commemoration of Christ's death by the observance of the Lord's Supper until His return. 10. THE COMMISSION: We believe that the Gospel embraces the needs of the whole man and that the Church is therefore commissioned to preach the Gospel to the world and to fulfil a ministry of healing and deliverance to the spiritual and physical needs of mankind. 11. THE COMING KING: We believe in the personal, physical and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign in power and glory. 12. THE FUTURE STATE: We believe in the resurrection of the dead and in the final judgment of the world, the eternal conscious bliss of the righteous and the eternal conscious punishment of the wicked.

SUNDAY SERVICES IMPORTANT NOTICE:

January 2020

December 2019

ECC streams its morning and some evening services live on YouTube. If you do not wish to be shown, please ask the ushers to seat you away from the cameras. Thank you.

9.00am & 11.15am

6.30pm

PRAISE & COMMUNION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Mark King

CHRISTMAS FAMILY SERVICE

REVIVAL & HEALING SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

CHRISTMAS CAROL SERVICE

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

NO EVENING SERVICE

PRAISE & COMMUNION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

CELEBRATION & WORSHIP EVENING Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

12th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

REVIVAL & HEALING SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Rajinder Buxton

19th

CELEBRATION SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

WATOTO AFRICAN CHILDREN’S CHOIR IN CONCERT

26th

RECOMMISSIONING SERVICE Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton

HOLY SPIRIT EVENING Speaker: Pastor Mark King

1st 8th 15th 22nd 29th 5th

Speaker: Pastor Alex Morgan

Elim Springs POLISH FELLOWSHIP Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the FOYER

ECCJ JAPANESE FELLOWSHIP

Every Sunday @ 2:30pm In the MAIN AUDITORIUM For details, please contact AOGU & CHISATO TATEYAMA info@eccj.org.uk

Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

Spotlight on CHRISTMAS @ ECC

Join us for our most popular services of the year. See above for our special December programme, plus CHRISTMAS DAY COMMUNION SERVICE Wednesday 25th December Speaker: Pastor Sam Blake

new year’s eve big celebration

Tuesday 31st December Speaker: Pastor Richard Buxton GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

ECC FAMILY NEWS Please email your Wedding, New Baby and other good news to SHARON GRANT at sg@ecc.org.uk

HERE FOR

YOU

Ealing Christian Centre is hosting Winter Night Shelter for six weeks in January/February 2020. We are looking for people to get involved and assist with cooking, serving, setting up and clearing the venue, and interacting with our guests. You can also help by donating items (see list below), so that we are be able to bless and encourage the guests who attend, and demonstrate the love of Jesus in a practical way.

“I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me” (Matthew 25:35). To enable us to serve our guests, please consider donating items such as: • 20 single flat white sheets • Hats, scarves and gloves (warm, good quality) • Foil blankets • 20 hand towels • 20 facecloths • Warm good quality adult socks (men and women) • Toothbrushes and toothpaste • Personal use wet wipes • Deodorant for men and women • Pocket tissues • Ladies’ sanitary products • Single disposable razors (men and women) • Small unisex shower gels, soap and body cream • Energy bars • Single juice cartons, eg. apple, orange, etc • Games and board games in good condition • Winter coats in good condition

We will require all of these items to be donated by Sunday 22nd December 2019. We value your prayers and look forward to partnering with you in this Ministry. For further information, please contact Sharon Grant at ECC Church Office 020 8840 7508. GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Collections The next donations will be received on: 8th & 15th December 12th & 19th January. Thank you for your kind generosity. If you or someone you know requires the Foodbank services, please contact Sharon Grant to discuss. We are also looking for volunteers to help collect the food donations. If you are able to help, please contact Sharon. Thank you.

Congratulations!! Congratulations

Kenneth Agyei-Kyeremateng married Jade Owusu-Yianomah on Friday 20th September

Maurice Enofe married Bisi Adeleye on Saturday 21st September

Hello

Next event coming soon

Details to be confirmed during Sunday Notices, or contact Sharon in the ECC Office.

EDNESDAY Afternoon Fellowship

DECEMBER

Dhrupesh Bava married Noemi Laszlo on Friday 11th October

EVERGREENS CHRISTMAS LUNCH Monday 9th December Details to be confirmed

CINDERELLA AFTERNOON MATINEE Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith Thursday 19th December Limited spaces NEXT EVENT MONDAY 10th FEBRUARY

4th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 11th Christmas Carol Service 18th CHRISTMAS BREAK 25th CHRISTMAS BREAK

JANUARY

1st CHRISTMAS BREAK 8th CHRISTMAS BREAK 15th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob 22nd Pastor Bob with Colleen Barry-Austin 29th Lola Vassell with Pastor Bob

Aanu mugs and bookmarks are still available to buy from the ECC Office. ALL proceeds go to the Aanu Foundation. GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

Touching our

HAMMERSMITH

got involved with evangelism after listening to the preaching of Evangelist David Hathaway back in November 2018. What moved me was that, at over 80 years of age, he is still on fire for God. I asked myself what was I doing, just coming to church every Sunday and not going out there to share with unbelievers what God has done for me. People need to know the love of God and the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross. It is very fulfilling sharing your faith with unbelievers, and I encourage as many people to join us to spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The harvest is great, but the workers are few (Luke 10:2).

JOSEPH EJARIA Team Leader

t is a great blessing to be a part of the team. I want to fulfil the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. As a team, we pray for various and specific strongholds of the enemy to be broken over Hammersmith, so that people will be liberated to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ – the same Gospel that is like fire in our bones, and we cannot hold it in (Jeremiah 20:9).

EUNICE MENDES Team Leader

I watch other members of my team witness so boldly and have learned from them too. Teamwork is important, as we work as one, with a keen desire to see others brought to Jesus. Each team member has their own unique gifting in witnessing, and it enhances the whole group as we witness together. A simple smile at someone can make a great difference in that person’s life. On a number of occasions I had people say to me that it has made their day, as people generally don’t have time to talk or smile at others. God gives us divine opportunities to talk to people and to hand out tracts. They are not going hear of the Good News if we don’t go out to share with them (Romans 10:14).

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

LOCAL LIGHTHOUSE EVANGELISM

communities L

ocal Lighthouse Evangelism is making an impact in touching lives in our community. In Hammersmith, we have a team of able and fired-up labourers of the most High God, who include Joseph, Eunice, Tannica, Olu, Sarah, Martin and Edgar. We give glory to God for everyone’s commitment, and continue to pray, as there is a need for more people to join us to witness for Jesus. Hammersmith is a very busy hub, with many shops in the High Street, making it a very good location to share the Gospel. Even though we know there are lots of people who are not interested, at the same time God has positioned us to make contact with the few who are willing to take the tracts, or wait for a quick chat and a prayer. Mario was lost the day we met him in Hammersmith and prayed for him. We continued to pray for him for two weeks, and put in his prayer request card at the Tuesday night prayer meeting. He came to ECC to visit a few weeks after, and discovered the same day that Jesus Christ had answered his prayers. He is back in Cape Verde now, as Jesus has reunited him with his family. Thank God for answering Mario’s prayers. We got a message from Mario which said: ‘Dear Sarah, you do not know the good you have done in my life. After the Sunday service, you said to me: “God will guide you.” ‘ God touched Mario’s life and straightened things out for him. Please share the Gospel and join any group near you, even if just to hand out tracts to the lost. Holy Spirit will water the seed.

SARAH MPOYI Team Member

TWICKENHAM

ur Twickenham Discipleship Group was at Twickenham High Street on Saturday morning to evangelise. Despite the rain, we were determined to share the Gospel in obedience to the Word of God (Matthew 28:18-20). We didn’t allow the weather to prevent us. We had umbrellas and hats on, and continued giving out tracts to passers by.

DOROTHY TAKON Team Leader

We have been on the High Street before, but on this day most of the people we gave the tracts to were more responsive, and accepted them with smiles on their faces. We were also able to speak to a couple of people. We had two ladies tell us to continue the good work we are doing, which was encouraging. We believe our experiences today are a real answer to prayer. The Lord prepared the atmosphere for us even before we’d arrived, and we pray that every individual who accepted our tracts will be impacted by the words in them in Jesus’ Name.

“

I was privileged to be part of the team today at Twickenham, evangelising to the lost. The Word of God is right; the harvest is plenty but the workers are few. I will be attending another evangelism in order to keep the work of God going. Even though it was raining, it was worth it. I pray for those we spoke to and those who accepted the tracts, that God would impact their lives in Jesus’ Name. JOY GREEN Team Member

“

It was such a fruitful time of evangelism in the rain at Twickenham. A ten-year-old boy was cycling on the pavement. He stopped and I gave him a tract, which he initially declined. As he stretched out his hand, I was led by Holy Spirit to mention how Jesus made a difference in my life when I accepted Him as Lord and Saviour as a teenager. He paused, holding onto the tract, and put it into his bag. He smiled and thanked me and sped off. I knew that was a divine enc ounter. Elder PROSPER DOE Team Member

The next Local Lighthouse Evangelism events take place on 7th December & 11th January. Please see page 23 for details of locations, and contact the team leaders if you would like to get involved. GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

MEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

PICTURE: Lars Nissen on Unsplash

COUNT THE COST

Luke 14:25-30 ‘One day, when large groups of people were walking along with Him, Jesus turned and told them: “Anyone who comes to Me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters — yes, even one’s own self! — can’t be My disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind Me can’t be My disciple. Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost, so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’”’

hen I bought my house two years ago, one of its attractions was the garden and the summer house that sat at the back of it. It was a space the previous owner had created to use as a gym. However, when I saw it, I began to dream of turning it into a spare room. There were a few other projects in the house that needed to be done first, so at the beginning of summer we started on turning our shed into a space we can use. In order to save money - and the planet - we decided to use reclaimed wood from old pallets. However, what wasn’t taken into account was the amount of work that would be needed in order for these pallets to become usable: breaking them down, sanding them, cutting them to the right size and finally varnishing them. Something I looked at and thought would take a couple of days, turned

into a couple of months. It has been so much more work than I expected it to be and, if I were to do it again… I wouldn’t. I would have just spent the money on plasterboard, and I would have been finished months ago. In Luke 14, Jesus is sitting with a large group of people, and He asks them to count the cost. As disciples of Christ, we have to pick up our own cross daily in order to follow Him. Following Jesus requires sacrifice. I often go to church services when whoever is leading the service during the offering will say: “Ask God how much you should give.’ I hate this, because every time I ask, He tells me to give everything that I have. I will give it, but sometimes I don’t count the cost of giving that much! I like to go away and think about the amount, because I like to know the sacrifice that is required. As I follow Christ, I understand that every time I say Yes to Him, I say No to something else. Before I give a Yes, I need to know what I’m saying No to.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

As men of God at ECC, He is calling us to count the cost of being His disciple - to understand that if you are going to break down pallets, it is going to cost you in time instead of money. Understand not to undertake a task you aren’t willing to complete. As we head into 2020, choose this day whom you will serve. Weigh up the cost of what He is calling you to. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

Pastor ALEX MORGAN

Men’s Ministry

WOMEN’S DISCIPLESHIP

2019

Women’s Encounter Weekend A

n Encounter is God’s special way of revealing to us His plans and purposes for our lives. It is also a way of us receiving a refreshing revival as well as revelation for our lives, which must not be underestimated, because every revelation from God gives us an opportunity to be propelled forward into His promises and blessings (Jeremiah 29:13). As every woman on the Encounter walked in obedience to God’s Word, and sought first His Kingdom and His righteousness, the almighty God revealed Himself to each one in His own special way. It was another weekend where, through the teaching of His Word and the ministry, the presence of God took over, and the breakthroughs that happened as a result can be seen from some of the testimonies.

Stephanie ANTOINE

Encounter Team Leader

“I have had a very busy year and I was recommended to rest. I certainly was able to rest in the Lord whilst on the Encounter. I also had a bothersome twitch in my right eye, and it has gone following the deliverance session.” SW “It was a wonderful time of encouragement, love and inner healing...” JM “On Saturday morning, I felt like a dry garden that needed watering. During the teaching and ministry time, I felt things shift and received revelation from the Lord...” HG “The Encounter has been a powerful time of prayer and worship, and a valuable time to reflect and spend time with God. It has been a wonderful experience...” DH “From the Encounter weekend, we were told to ‘Ask God for permission to come in...’ I did this and true, to His Word, He gave me an encounter with Him...” RQ “We serve an amazing and an awesome God. We had been praying for the delegates to receive their breakthroughs, and to see

and hear from God during the weekend. He did so, and it just blew me away.” Chris Adjah, Worship Leader

“Encounter Weekend 2019 was another very powerful one in that, during our preparation, we felt the need to pray for the financial situation of the delegates. During testimony time that seemed very apparent. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully in words of encouragement, as doors are opened for individuals to step in. There were various healings and also a oneness and unity between the ladies. I am so grateful to God for being part of this ministry, and I am looking forward for the next one.” Veronica Antoine, Encounter Coordinator “The Holy Spirit was able to come upon the ladies in a new and anointed way. They experienced the power of His teaching, as different topics were presented through the weekend. God has a plan for each lady and, as they opened their hearts to receive from God, He was able to direct and lead them. We must listen to God’s voice, and be obedient to Him.” Minette Thomas, Encounter Ministry Guide

Women’s Encounter Weekend

For details of the next please speak to your Discipleship Group Leader

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

SPECIAL FEATURE

The gifts and talents in our lives are to be used profitably for the expansion of the Kingdom of God.

Christian worker is a born-again child of God, a steward who has been entrusted with the careful use, control and management of Kingdom resources and possessions. The teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ on stewardship emphasised two things that are important: responsibility and accountability. Speaking on responsibility in Luke 12:48, Jesus said: “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

FAITHFUL CHRISTIAN WORKERS by Sylvester Olabode

According to Revelation 4:11, God created man and everything else for His pleasure. Individuals are therefore accountable for their God-given physical and spiritual endowments. Christians are also responsible for whatever is put into their care. The gifts and talents in our lives are to be used profitably for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. The Bible further states in Romans 14:12, ‘Every one of us shall give an account of himself/herself to God’, and also in Romans 2:6 ‘God will render to every man/woman according to his/her deeds’. Consequently, every Christian worker is accountable to God. The Bible also admonishes us not to neglect our gifts but to develop and polish them: ‘Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership’ (1 Timothy 4:14). So Christians are expected to serve with humility, total submission to authority, and in the fear of God. We are all without exception expected to serve with gratitude to God and for the benefit of others. Christian workers - in whatever ministry or department – shouldn’t view the work of God as an opportunity to make money. Our work should not be done with eye-service, but as unto the Lord, who will faithfully reward those who diligently serve Him. Finally, I want to exhort that ‘whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might’.(Ecclesiastes 9:10), and don’t be slothful in God’s business, but rather be fervent in your physical and spiritual service to God (Romans 12:11). Whether you are already engaged in a ministry, or are yet to be, my prayer is that, in 2020, we will all find our calling and continue to work fervently, that God will strengthen us by the power of His Holy Spirit, and that we will be rewarded accordingly in the Name of Jesus Christ.

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

Thanking GOD for the Journey

hen Fiona Abraham so kindly approached me to write a piece for the Children’s Ministry page, I felt very honoured and accepted immediately. As this is the Christmas & New Year issue, I had considered writing something festive, but when I sat down to put pen to paper (or rather fingers to keyboard) God dropped into my heart the words ‘Past’ and ‘Present’. Whilst pondering the meaning of these words and their relevance for this piece, I felt God say to me that this festive season is not only a time for sharing, caring, giving and receiving, but also a time for evaluating, reminiscing and looking ahead to all that is yet to come. Often at the end of the year, I look back on what has passed and I must admit, some years I simply feel grateful to have got through in one piece. Other years I feel disappointed I haven’t achieved more, and some years I look up and thank God for His abundant blessings. As I began my annual tradition of ‘looking back’ at the past year, I was actually moved to tears (joyful ones). Whilst this year has had its own set of challenges, it has been a year I will always remember with heartfelt gratitude to God. I have seen the Lord move in ways I never dreamed possible, teaching me that whatever I pursue in my own strength, His

PICTURE: Sunset Horizon from Freeimages

plan for my life will always be far better than anything I could imagine. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says: “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Looking back, I realised that every year of my life was a year God has held me in His arms, blessed me, laughed with me, cried with me, and carried me amidst the storm. Despite the challenges I can truly say that every year with Jesus is magnificent, and in all things He deserves the glory! Looking at the present season we are in, I am reminded of a famous quote by Mother Theresa: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Have you ever noticed that when you look out into the ocean, you can only see a limited portion of the sea? There almost appears to be a line underneath the sky, where the human eye cannot see beyond. Sometimes, when I think of the future, this image of the ocean is what comes to mind. As a human being, my eyes can only see so far but the eyes of our heavenly Father can see way beyond. When God sent Jesus into the world, He essentially ‘wiped the slate clean’ for mankind, giving us the ultimate gift of sacrificial love and the ability to begin our

lives afresh, with Him at the centre. What God did for us in that moment changed the course of our lives and altered the course of history forever. We cannot know how our Children’s ministry of today will influence the adults of tomorrow, but we are all here for such a time as this to nourish and empower our children for His Kingdom. I thank God for the journey He has taken Children’s Ministry on, and for the dedicated parents, teachers and staff who invest their time, love and prayers into the spiritual development of our children. Please be encouraged, what you sow right now will be reaped abundantly for generations to come! God has positioned us for this moment in time to partner as a family, continuing the mission of raising up our children to impact His Kingdom on earth. It is my heart’s desire to see our children reach their full potential in Christ here and now, and inspire these precious souls to grow into the passionate godly leaders of the future.

Sherine de Mel

GRAPEVINE magazine • Issue 101 • December 2019/January 2020

Asian Evening 2019