New Wine Magazine - Issue 49 - Summer 2010 by New Wine

connecting. equipping. growing. Summer

Should the Vicar Twitter?

Come and enjoy inspiring teaching, spirit-filled worship, excellent children’s groups, relaxation, fun and friendship. Whether on your own, with your church, with family or friends, come and be inspired to change lives, communities and the nation!

Social networking: a new opportunity or another distraction?

LONDON AND SOUTH EAST

p.40

24 – 30 July 2010 Royal Bath and West Showground Somerset NORTH AND EAST

31 July – 6 August 2010 Newark and Nottinghamshire County Showground Newark CENTRAL AND SOUTH WEST

1 – 7 August 2010 Royal Bath and West Showground Somerset

www.new-wine.org/summer10

Teaching

Stories

Culture

Naked and Unashamed How do we overcome our squeamishness when it comes to sex? p.27

Why are you a Christian? Mary Pytches shares her story of finding a reason for living. p.37

Love is a Verb How do we tackle the poverty and injustice we find on our doorsteps? p.42

NEW WINE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2010

...to see the nation changed 17-19 May 2010

New Wine partners with kids’ leaders and workers to see them empowered and inspired to lead renewed kids’ ministry that encourages a Spirit-filled encounter with Jesus.

With Jay Pathak and Flint McGlaughlin. Hosted by John Coles and the New Wine Leadership Team. For anyone involved in leadership in their local church.

Kids Workers Training Days • 8 May 2010 Trinity Cheltenham • 15 May 2010 Holy Trinity Ripon

Jay Pathak

The senior pastor of the Arvada Vineyard, Denver, Colorado. Jay also serves as the Regional Church Planting Coordinator for the Rocky Mountain region of the Vineyard.

Seminars include:

• Mobilising a volunteer workforce • How to set strategic priorities • God of the city - mission to the marginalised • Developing effective women’s ministry • Building leadership teams that work • Getting your church praying passionately • Theological training to face 21st century challenges • Discipling, preparing, sending and receiving students • Why men love coming to church - & how to make that happen! • Second chair leadership • Welcoming the Spirit Sunday by Sunday • Dealing with difficult conversations

Over 40% discount for younger leaders. Book online today. www.new-wine.org/leadership

• 5 June 2010 St Barnabas Finchley

Flint McGlaughlin

A business leader, theologian and Vineyard pastor. He has many years’ experience of mission and ministry in the USA and India and is now co-pastor of the Beaches Vineyard in Florida, USA.

Come and be inspired and empowered to reach out to the 0 to 14s in your community, help them encounter Jesus and disciple them to pursue all God has for them through the Holy Spirit.

• Clusters, small groups and all that • Making children’s ministry an integral part of the growing church • Making administration your friend not your enemy • Enabling worship when resources are limited • Being managed and managing your staff • Making our week by week preaching effective

Kids Leaders Conference • 4-6 October 2010 Hayes Conference Centre Swanwick Derbyshire

PLUS specialist sessions for:

With Mike and Marilyn Seth

• Urban priority church leaders • Rural church leaders • Leaders in training • Youth leaders • Children’s leaders

As kids’ leaders we have the awesome honour and responsibility of growing and releasing kids into all God has for them: identity, relationship and empowered purpose. This three-day conference is a place for you to be refreshed and renewed, challenged and inspired.

www.new-wine.org/kids Free teaching, stories, testimonies and resources to equip you in your children’s ministry.

Want FREE copies of the New Wine Magazine for your church? Email us at: info@new-wine.org Would you like to advertise? 0208 799 3777 advertising@new-wine.org Editor Mark Melluish Magazine Manager Lucy Williams Commissioning Editor Lucy Avery Advertising & Classifieds Jeremy Geake Jonathan Tearne Creative Phil Revell Print Halcyon Find us: 4a Ridley Avenue Ealing London W13 9XW Phone us: 0845 437 8656 Fax us: 0208 799 3770 Email us: mag@new-wine.org Visit our website: www.new-wine.org

News Teaching Stories Culture

Summer 10 Issue 49

What’s happening.

Learn together.

Our God at work.

Looking at our world.

What can this prophet teach us about grasping each moment?

Blessing local families by offering church with a difference.

The potential and the pitfalls of social media.

A note from John Coles

Discover how and why New Wine is embracing change.

Micaiah

Should the Vicar Twitter?

Being sure of where our hope lies and sharing this with others.

Gary Grant shares some of the pressures and pleasures of selling toys for a living.

Resources to help you engage with needs in your community.

Some exciting reports from around the country.

How to cultivate good, committed friendships.

Find out how New Wine is growing in Sweden.

Making an impact in our places of work.

Cut and Paste You can copy text from the New Wine Magazine into local newsletters, church magazines and similar non-commercial communications provided you put a credit line: ‘This material copyright New Wine Magazine and used with permission’. (This excludes any material marked ©).

New Wine Magazine is published three times a year by the New Wine Trust as part of their mission. Your feedback is welcomed; letters may be edited and published in future issues.

Hear from some of the 2,700 women that attended this year’s events.

Only 1% of UK students go to church. What can we do?

Editor’s Letter

Mark Melluish reminds us of the importance of making the most of now.

In the News

Women’s Days 2010

12 We want to look after our environment so we’ve used a recyclable paper. Please recycle.

Messy Church

NWTP Update

Find out how the New Wine Training Partnership is developing and growing.

Be Ready to Give an Answer

Friendship

Mind the Gap

Naked and Unashamed

How do we overcome embarrassment and open up about sex?

Faith at Work

New Wine Sweden

Why are you a Christian?

Mary Pytches shares her story of finding meaning and purpose.

Staying Sharp

How New Wine Core Groups can help keep leaders on track.

Love is a Verb

Transformation

Just People

The power of churches uniting to serve those around them.

Recommended Reads

Find out which books are inspiring our church leaders.

NEWS

A note from John Coles Dear Friends As New Wine is now into its third decade - the first summer conference was in 1989 - the question could rightly be asked, ‘How can New Wine avoid becoming Old Wine?’ I think the answer is: by accurately hearing what the Spirit is saying and being bold enough to obey. Over the last few months the New Wine Leadership Team has been actively seeking discernment for what God is calling us to be and do. For many, New Wine means a great summer conference; for others it is a place or means of equipping to live or lead more effectively. But increasingly people who are not involved in New Wine are commenting on its growth and potential influence in shaping the life of the national church, and of the nation itself. I was recently given the book Movements that Change the World by Steve Addison. Though I’m not claiming that New Wine is about to do that, I am praying that God will change the world, and that he will use New Wine, among others, to do it. One identifiable factor in such movements is the commitment to a common, significant and clear cause. I believe that our vision to see the nation changed is such a cause. Only God has the power to change the human heart. But the only people who can make him known are those who know him already – people like you and me in local churches all around the country. To keep us focused on this vision, we have recently developed a new strap line. ‘Local churches changing nations’ is both a statement and an invitation to be part of the great movement of God to change the nations. Using ‘nations’ in place of ‘nation’ also reflects the growing New Wine International networks in 12 countries around the globe. Our vision and values have also been updated, and are printed on the right. Our hope is that they would be values lived out in your personal lives, in your local churches, communities and beyond. We want to ensure that we are effectively engaging not only people within the New Wine family, but also those who aren’t yet part of it. We have therefore begun a process of updating and improving all our communications. The re-styling of this magazine was the start of this, and we are grateful for all the positive feedback we’ve received. Though it can be risky, development only happens through change. We don’t want to stagnate, and we do want to keep in step with the Spirit as he leads us forward. We hope that you embrace and enjoy the change as it happens. Someone once said that unless a vision is too big to be achievable by human means, it is not a vision from God. It is only from the heart of God if it requires his supernatural power to achieve it. I believe our vision is just that, and as God continues to speak to us, empower us and act through us, New Wine will remain New Wine! With very best wishes,

John Coles Director of New Wine 4

NEWS

OUR VISION To see the nation changed through Christians experiencing the joy of worshipping God, the freedom of following Jesus, and the power of being filled with the Spirit. To see churches renewed, strengthened and planted, living out the word of God in every aspect of life, serving God by reaching the lost, broken and poor, and demonstrating the good news of the Kingdom of God to all.

OUR VALUES Cross & Resurrection – we want to honour all that Jesus has done for us on the cross, and to embrace the way of the cross for ourselves, while also knowing the power of his resurrection to set us free. Continuity & Change – we want to be faithful guardians of an unchanging message about the person and work of Jesus, and the need for personal salvation and sanctification, while also adapting ways of worship, teaching, being church and doing mission according to culture and context. Gracious & Truthful – we want to be kind and generous in the way we think and speak about others whether they agree or disagree with us, while also clearly communicating what we believe and why we believe it. Presence & Transcendence – we want to live lives that celebrate God’s awesome power, transcendent majesty and sovereign work, while at the same time experiencing his intimate presence as we encounter him in heartfelt worship. Leadership & Every-member ministry – we want to train and deploy anointed, courageous and missional church leaders, while also equipping every Christian to serve like Jesus in their home, church, work and life-place. Mission & Community – we want to see the church become a missionary movement to love and reach the lost, to care for the poor and to bring justice to our homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces and nations, while also being a grace-filled community in which people can find relationship, healing, faith, hope and love. Natural & Supernatural – we want to see every Christian using all the natural reason, wisdom and skill that they can, while also learning to operate in the supernatural gifts of the Spirit to minister to others in love and power as Jesus did. Now & Not yet of the Kingdom – we want to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God and to see that confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders, while also ministering grace to all, knowing that suffering will be part of life until Jesus returns and makes all things new. Unity & Diversity – we want to work with everyone who holds these values in open, mutually accountable friendship, while also acknowledging and honouring differences in leadership style, church characteristics and denominational emphasis. Word & Spirit – we want to derive all we believe, teach and do from the Bible as the written word of God, while also learning to hear and obey the voice of the Spirit speaking to us individually and collectively.

Coming soon… www.new-wine.org A new online experience with more to see, more to do and more to take away. Share stories, get free media, connect with others.

WELCOME

Welcome to the latest edition of New Wine magazine. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who got in touch following the launch of the new-look magazine in January. It was so encouraging to receive such positive feedback! It is nearly a year ago that my son was lying in a hospital bed after falling 20 feet from a balcony onto his head. We were unsure whether he would live or die. The refrain that went through my mind as I stood over his limp little body was: ‘Why didn’t I play football with him when he asked for a kick around this morning?’ I had responded with: ‘Not now son I’m really busy.’ Everything within me wished that I had kicked a ball around with him for 15 minutes. We’re so thankful that he’s now almost fully recovered. There is always an opportunity to make the most of the moment. Did you get snowed in this winter? Did you try to dig yourself out or did you just enjoy it and throw snowballs or go tobogganing? The same is true in the Christian life. We are invited into the adventure of a life with God, which involves embracing the opportunity that each day provides. I was challenged by a sentence I read in a book many years ago: ‘The stranger in the street is the friend you have yet to meet.’ Stopping and talking with somebody might just give us the opportunity of bringing something of Jesus into their lives. In the pages that follow you will find accounts of people, churches and communities who are trying to make the most of now. With the resources they have they are trying to reach out and extend God’s kingdom as best they can. I pray that your hearts will be warmed by the stories of faith in action and you will be inspired to make the most of today. God bless you in all you do, Mark

Mark Melluish Editor mag@new-wine.org

EVENTS! MAY - OCTOBER

Full details available at www.new-wine.org

Leadership Conference 17-19 May Harrogate Kids Workers Training Days 8 May Cheltenham 15 May Ripon 5 June London Kids Leaders Conference 4-6 October Derbyshire Youth Workers Training Days 16 October London & Stockport

Prophetic Gifting Training Days 8 May Merseyside 22 May Peterborough 3 July Greater Manchester 18 September Leicester 9 October Surrey Healing Ministry Training Days 19 June Leeds & Coventry 3 July Newcastle & Sunningdale 10 July Hull 18 September Liverpool 25 September Ross-on-Wye

Summer Conferences LONDON & SOUTH EAST

24-30 July Shepton Mallet NORTH & EAST

31 July – 6 August Newark CENTRAL & SOUTH WEST

1-7 August Shepton Mallet

Summer ad?

NORTH AND EAST

3-6 August 2010 Newark and Nottinghamshire County Showground Newark

Book online today. www.new-wine.org/summer2010

A weekend to equip the 18-30s for radical Kingdom living Fri 7th â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sun 9th Jan 2011 Center Parcs, Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire Hosted by Pete & Bee Hughes

nts u o . c Dis ilablend ava early oawn in u r Get ok yolla! bo v i

More details available soon at: www.new-wine.org 7

NEWS GROUNDBREAKING FILM REVEALS THE TRUTH ABOUT 21ST CENTURY SLAVERY On 22 May Christian charity CARE will host the first UK showing of CALL+RESPONSE, a feature documentary film that reveals that there are more people in slavery today than ever before in human history. The film goes deep undercover where slavery is thriving, from the child brothels of Cambodia to the slave brick kilns of rural India, to reveal that in 2007 slave traders made more money than Google, Nike and Starbucks combined.

THOUSANDS TO GATHER TO PRAY AT FOOTBALL STADIUM

UK BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO BAN THIRD WORLD DEBT PROFITEERING

Organisers of this year’s Global Day of Prayer (GDOP) event on Sunday 13 June at Upton Park Football Stadium are calling for Christians from all backgrounds, denominations and ages to unite together to pray for change in the capital and nation.

A landmark bill to protect the poorest countries in the world from profiteering by so-called vulture funds became law earlier this month. Vulture funds are private investment companies that buy up Third World debt at dramatically reduced prices and sue poor countries for their full value plus costs.

‘The country is at a crucial juncture and she needs our prayers to make the right turn’, explains GDOP London Convener Jonathan Oloyede. ‘If we do not pray NOW, we could

The Debt Relief (Developing Countries) Bill is the world’s first law to restrict the ability of vulture funds to sue some of the world’s poorest countries for full repayment of debts that they

END THE VULTURE CULTURE

CALL+RESPONSE, which has been profiled by Rolling Stone magazine and MTV, features first-hand accounts of the 21st century slave trade from many prominent political, musical and cultural figures. Performances from Grammy-winning and critically acclaimed artists including Moby, Natasha Bedingfield, Imogen Heap, Talib Kweli, Matisyahu, Switchfoot and many others move this chilling information into inspiration for stopping it. The first UK showing will take place at the Coronet Theatre in Notting Hill, London as part of this year’s Pentecost Festival. Director of CALL+RESPONSE Justin Dillon will be there, discussing how, together, we can make a difference both internationally and in the UK. Visit www.callandresponse.com for more information and to watch a trailer. 8

The doors at Upton Park will open at 2pm for worship before the programme begins at 3pm. Artists so far confirmed include Graham Kendrick, Noel Robinson, Mark Beswick, Lara Martin, Godfrey Birtill, Dave and Pat Bilbrough, The All Souls Orchestra, and X Factor finalist Bev Trotman. GDOP London is encouraging churches in every borough of London and across the nation to organise prayer events on Pentecost Sunday, 23 May, to mobilise people towards the stadium event two weeks later. Phil Stokes, Chair of Southwark for Jesus says: ‘Many churches in our borough are gathering at Peckham Square on Pentecost Sunday to worship, pray and celebrate together for the borough. We will be galvanising everyone to come to West Ham. We are all very excited about how the Holy Spirit is moving through GDOP.’ Visit www.gdoplondon.com or phone 020 8853 9529 or 08456 528 600 for general enquiries or tickets to the event.

Jubilee Debt Campaign Registered Charity no. 1055675, Company no. 3201959

miss God’s first choice for Great Britain. Our unity as Christians is crucial in the revival and redemption of the nation. It is a powerfully corporate thing when people come together to unite whether they are Anglican, Baptist, Black majority church, Evangelical, Hispanic or Chinese.’

Vulture funds are scavenging huge proﬁts from the debts of the world’s poorest countries. It’s outrageous, but it’s perfectly legal. Join our call to end the vulture culture.

www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk JUBILEE DEBT CAMPAIGN, THE GRAYSTON CENTRE, 28 CHARLES SQUARE, LONDON N1 6HT TEL: 020 7324 4722 INFO@JUBILEEDEBTCAMPAIGN.ORG.UK

A4 poster 3.indd 1

08/06/2009 19:09:06

have bought up cheaply. Last November two Vulture Funds were awarded $20 million in the High Court from Liberia – the second poorest country in the world – for a debt dating back to the 1970s. This law is expected to make that verdict unenforceable. ‘This is a landmark law,’ said Nick Dearden, Director of UK coalition Jubilee Debt Campaign. ‘With this act, the UK has become the first country in the world to stop vulture funds using its courts to profiteer from poverty. It will mean the poorest countries in the world can no longer be attacked by these reprehensible investment funds that grow fat from the misery of others. We now call on other governments, particularly the US administration, to take similar steps to outlaw vulture practices. We hope this is the first step towards creating a more just financial system, which operates for the great majority of people, not a tiny minority of unethical investors.’ For more info see www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk

New Wine Women’s Day NEWS

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Women’s Days 2010

Over 2,700 women gathered for the New Wine Women’s Days in February and March this year. We were joined by guest speakers Debra Green and Mike Pilavachi in London; and Jenny Harding and Julie Connolly in Harrogate. We asked the women what they thought of the day… LONDON

Harrogate 2010

‘Fabulous and blessed women’s day; what a tremendous God we worship. There was so much to feast and meditate on. I am continuing to seek God and wait upon him as he teaches me further about what I experienced and learnt. It gave wisdom and guidance to establish a firm foundation in my walk and ministry. Such an encouragement to know that Christ is at work in the community in other parts of the country and it only needs one person to start something before others capture the vision.’ Radhika Hillier, Dartford, Kent ‘A coach load of us came up from Salisbury and had the most wonderful time. It was the best women’s day I have been to. All the speakers were truly inspiring. It was relevant to what is happening in the world, outward looking and fully encouraging us to go out confidently to make a difference. Probably a lifechanging experience for most who came.’ Janie Green, Tisbury, Wiltshire ‘I felt the Lord’s presence from the word go. Every time I go to one of these conferences I feel the same. Knowing that he is at the centre of all these events is reassuring, and that his love holds no bounds is truly amazing. To be part of a New Wine gathering is absolutely wonderful.’ Gill Rowe, St Georges, New Thundersley

‘A fantastic opportunity to spend time with God in worship and purposefully take time out of my busy life to be with him. He spoke clearly to me, challenging me about my commitment to him. It has helped me so much in focussing on what is important in my life and what is not.’ Alison Tuddenham, Hazlemere Parish Church

HARROGATE ‘I didn’t know what to expect but soon felt very comfortable among a large and friendly group of Christian women all wanting to praise our God and receive from him. The speakers were inspirational, speaking in a really down-to-earth way, encouraging us with what God is doing in our northern cities and inspiring us to hope and pray for what God might be wanting to do through each one of us where we are. I was touched by the openness and attitude to worship and moved by the personal testimonies of young women whose lives had been turned around by Jesus through the work of Mercy Ministries. I was so encouraged and would definitely go again.’ Tina, St Barnabas Church, Linthorpe & Ayresome ‘WOW! What a great day. Jenny Harding and Julie Connolly from Frontline church in Liverpool had the whole auditorium laughing, crying and in absolute awe of the amazing work God is doing in both their personal and church families. Our only regret was that we forgot the tissues! A really special time of ministry followed where you could feel the Spirit moving among the women. It was beautiful and extremely moving. We were encouraged to pray in small groups and many people were healed and gave testimony to this from the stage. What a day!’ Nina, St Barnabas Church, Linthorpe & Ayresome ‘A safe and loving atmosphere was created and it meant I was able to truly relax and receive God’s love. I left with a desire to spend time with God, something that has escaped me over the last few years. I’m walking a long and hard journey at the moment; this connection with God is so very precious to me. I also received some healing for a painful hip and back. It’s not completely gone but it has noticeably improved.’ Anonymous, Leicester Vineyard ‘Refreshing...encouraging...challenging...inspiring - just fab!’ Julia Watts, St Mark’s Harrogate ‘I came with another leader from our church and we cried from the moment we walked in the door to the moment we left - always the sign of a good conference for us! As leaders we are constantly doing the ministering and rarely get a chance to be ministered to. The worship was superb, the speakers were fabulous and, more importantly, their word was timely. We have ordered the CDs for others in the church who are going through a dark time.’ Emma Kizlauskas, Sports Village Church 9

Have you reserved your spot? Book now at www.new-wine.org/summer

NEWS

UPDATE Interested in studying Kingdom Theology? Could your church help to make training available in your region? Learn more about the New Wine Training Partnership

Since September 2009, the New Wine Training Partnership (NWTP) has been delivering accredited undergraduate and graduate courses, leading to a BA and MA, respectively. The courses comprise classic theological education – biblical studies, church history and spirituality, doctrine and missiology – but with a strong practical focus. All course content is embedded in prayer and worship, with the expectation of engagement with God.

Learning locally

Course delivery takes place through a ‘blended learning environment’: residential intensives and weekly delivery to groups of students based in regional hub churches; pre-recorded screen casts; video-conferencing seminars; tutorials and teaching from local church specialists. Hubs are equipped with their own libraries, IT and administrative infrastructure, and are overseen by a Hub Director. Thirty-seven students are currently studying in three Hubs: Hampshire at Christ Church Winchester, Gloucestershire at Trinity Cheltenham, and Central London at St Mary’s Bryanston Square. The London Hub represents nine different churches within that region; Hampshire represents eight. Most are Anglicans, a few are Baptists, Vineyard or Independents, and students range in age from 18 to 64. From what the students are telling us and from Hub Director reports it is clear that God is very much at work bringing transformation and growth:

ENCOURAGING FEEDBACK

‘The worship and ministry times were extremely powerful. God has become so much more real to me this week; I feel like a new creation, with a weight lifted off me.’

‘Incredible teaching, inspiring teachers, it’s a privilege to be doing it!’ ‘The material is transformative.’ ‘The theological study is always applied to everyday life and ministry, this is hugely helpful and refreshing.’ ‘Over the years we have embarked on a variety of home grown and distance learning style leadership training that has brought results, but also left us dissatisfied. We had been looking for a higher level of theology that would be accredited, would emphasise Kingdom teaching, have application to personal growth, as well as being embedded in worship, leadership and ministry. So when the opportunity arose to start a Hub and achieve all of those things, we were enthusiastic. We are encouraged by the blessing and personal growth that has already come to those who are studying this year, and are looking forward to further growth and development with more students joining in September.’ -Mark Bailey, Lead Pastor, Trinity Cheltenham

NEWS

Plans for the future

Three, possibly four, new Hubs are starting up this September - Guernsey, East Anglia and Stockholm are confirmed. From a national poll conducted by New Wine in December, we know that there is wider interest.

‘The New Wine team in Guernsey, a collaboration of church leaders from various denominations, had been grappling with a problem: How can we provide relevant theolog y training to local people in an accessible way? An inspiring presentation at the New Wine Summer Conference clearly showed the way forward – by setting up a NWTP hub in Guernsey! We have spent the last few months establishing a location for the hub, investigating demand for accredited theolog y training, encouraging potential students and searching out supporters for prayer and finance. Already, vision is growing rapidly and we are excited about God’s plans for our island and beyond. Two visits from the NWTP team to meet church leaders on the ground here, assess the facilities and run taster sessions for potential students, have given us momentum, and we are looking forward to courses starting here in September 2010.’ Phil Eyre, Guernsey Hub Director

Tempted to study Theology? Want to learn in your local community? Academically challenging Spirit empowered Practically engaging

We are working to extend our existing training to all in the local church, in curriculum breadth and depth. At present we are offering two courses in Kingdom Theology – certificates for graduates and undergraduates – but are working towards offering specific training for interns and others who are not able to make a longerterm commitment to training. We are also keen to respond to the demand for a Westminster Theological Centre form of ordination training. The NWTP offers local churches and individuals the opportunity to invest time and energy in training that equips the whole body of Christ to see Jesus’ kingdom grow. We hope you will join us in this venture, whether as a student or as a Hub church.

For more information about courses and to download a prospectus please visit wtctheology. org.uk. If you are interested in setting up a Hub please contact Melody Ball (email pa@wtctheology. org.uk or phone 030 0040 6200).

The New Wine Training Partnership is running Undergraduate and Graduate Kingdom Theology courses in seven Hubs from September 2010: • Central London • East Anglia • Gloucestershire • Guernsey • Hampshire • Manchester* • Stockholm *Subject to final approval

To apply or find out more please visit us online.

w www.nwtp.org.uk e info@nwtp.org.uk 13

TEACHING

GRASPING THE MOMENT

’ve got the prophet Micaiah ben Imlah on my heart. It’s odd, really. He’s got something vital to teach us about that leadership task of living in the moment, but it’s difficult to pin down. I just can’t get him off my mind. Have a look in 1 Kings 22. King Jehoshaphat of Judah is in council with King Ahab of Israel and the pair of them want to attack the Arameans who have occupied one of their cities: Ramoth Gilead. Jehoshaphat wants to ask the Lord for council, so Ahab calls his tame prophets, 400 of them, who prophesy success. Jehoshaphat sees straight through them and asks for a real prophet. Ahab’s true colours become plain to all when he explains that he hates Micaiah because he always prophesies bad things about him. Jehoshaphat insists that Micaiah is brought to them.

Intimidation and lies

The scene is carefully set. The kings dress in their most impressive robes and sit on thrones in a deliberately intimidating setting. They surround themselves with supposed prophets 14

speaking and acting like the real thing and proclaiming ‘the party line’. The pressure is huge, the atmosphere electric and the message is clear. It is like Hollywood, Buckingham Palace and the Vatican rolled into one huge conspiracy to make Micaiah comply with Ahab’s wishes. Even the messenger sent to fetch him tells him to agree with the other prophets. But the true prophet stands firm: ‘I can tell him only what the Lord tells me’ he says. Micaiah shows that he has moral courage, the expectation that God will speak and a willingness to be persecuted for the word of God. He is an example to us all, except for the fact that when he gets there and Ahab asks what he should do, Micaiah tells him to attack and he will win. He lies! That’s not what God has told him. He’s caving into the two kings.

Asking for honesty

Of course, the kings, even the wicked Ahab, see straight through him and demand the truth. In this place of an honest desire to hear Micaiah speak God’s truth, he tells of how Israel is without a godly king. He speaks of what

he has seen in the heavenly court and how God has passed judgement on Ahab. We can, if we wish, get ourselves tied up in the question of how God can send lying spirits, but the point is that the Lord’s merciful desire is to call Ahab back from his rebellion, even at this late stage. That’s why he has sent Micaiah. That’s why the prophet sees and speaks as he does. Ahab, of course, ignores this counsel, despite having asked for it, and God’s judgement is carried out in the most ironic of ways.

Choosing our audience

Micaiah has much to teach us, especially as leaders, if we are serious about grabbing this moment for the Lord. If we are focused on allowing this to be a kairos moment, which is Greek for ‘right’ or ‘opportune’, we need to stop trying to keep everyone happy. There are always going to be people who gather around them those who will ‘tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear’ (2 Tim 4:3), who love to argue and seem to be immune to the truth. Sometimes we need to walk away. After all, there is plenty of ripe grain to be harvested (Mark 4: 26-29).

TEACHING

1 Kings 22

‘Micaiah shows that he has moral courage, the expectation that God will speak and a willingness to be persecuted for the word of God’ Powerful words

We must also be leaders who communicate with passion from the heart, not simply with logic from the head. Sometimes I pretend with my kids that I’m not sure if I love them. ‘Do I love you? I can’t remember’ I say with a smile on my face. Even as I write this I can hear them saying ‘No-o-o’ in a playful sing-song voice as they join in the game. ‘Oh?’ I ask,

‘How much do I love you, then?’ ‘Loads and loads and loads and loads’ they reply, and I scoop them up for a big hug and a tickle and tell them that I love them far more than that. Am I lying to my children? I wouldn’t say so. I am creating a space which celebrates, draws out, and affirms the security of our relationship. Sometimes we leaders need to be less dispassionate and more prophetic in our words.

Seeing the supernatural

There’s more here than passion though. Micaiah sees what God is doing and saying. From this vision comes a grasp of the moment he has before the kings. In this instance Ahab turns away, but he has a chance to repent that only comes because Micaiah is faithful to what he sees of God.

Micaiah’s chief concern is for the glory of God and the blessing of his people. This leads him to serve, despite the cost. More than that, he is comfortable not only to live in the supernatural power of God, but to be seen to be doing so. And, of course, this is evidenced by his powerful proclamation of the word of God.

Letting God in

Making the most of now is not about creating moments. It is about being faithful where you are and open to a fresh vision of heaven. It is being willing to be faithful whatever the cost. It is trusting God enough to step out in obedient power. It is proclaiming with all your heart that Jesus longs to break into this moment and change despair to hope, darkness to light, disobedience to glory and death to life.

Mark Tanner Mark leads Holy Trinity Church in Ripon, North Yorkshire with his wife Lindsay. He is the Regional Network Leader for New Wine in the North and East.

How DO you encourage spiritual gifts whilst developing character and maturity....? With John Paul Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Biblically-based Streams Training Courses on prophecy, dream interpretation and revelation.

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TEACHING

What’s your hope in? And what if that fails? Chris Pemberton explores what we can learn from the early Christians about where our hope comes from, and how to share this with others

here are many wonderful stories of people going through hard times who have found hope through organisations, their family and friends, or the help of strangers. Something about a person whose hope lasts through difficult circumstances grabs your attention. When you see someone who is not just surviving, but seems to thrive in what would be considered a devastating situation, you can’t help but ask, ‘How are they able to do that?’ The book of 1 Peter is written to ‘God’s elect, strangers in the world’ (1:1). These were the Jewish Christians scattered as a result of persecution in and around Jerusalem, as described in Acts 8:1-4. Here are people who are undergoing ‘painful trials’ (4:12). From many perspectives, it would seem impossible for them to have hope. Persecuted for their beliefs, they didn’t belong to the pagan Gentile communities or to the traditional Jewish communities. This is the kind of situation in which a hopeful person would stand out. And yet, Peter tells them to be ready to give an answer for the hope that they have (3:15).

A living hope

Firstly, he reminds these believers of what their hope is: ‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time’ (1:3-5). 17

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These believers’ hope is a living hope. It is made theirs through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because of God’s mercy. Death cannot dim this hope, as Christ has already demonstrated. And, because of Christ’s resurrection, there is a heavenly inheritance to hope in. For people whose earthly future was pretty uncertain, a secure, unshakeable inheritance, one that was in God’s hands, must have been a great source of joy.

‘The goal is to present the truth, when asked, in a way that is honoring to God’ No backup plan

Then we see that not only is there an eternal inheritance to hope for, even their own lives are being guarded by God’s power. In no way does this hope depend on their strength, influence or ability. Peter commands the believers to set their hope fully on this grace (1:13). Not partially, mostly or occasionally, but fully on God’s grace. There is simply no need for anything else. Hope in God is unique in this way. If your hope is in money, you may have a backup plan if the financial market fails. If your hope is in friends and family, you may have a backup plan if you have to move away. If your hope is in Christ, there is no backup plan required. This is a long-term hope, an eternal hope, a hope that will outlive any trial, suffering or persecution. This hope is not what we mean when we say, ‘I hope it doesn’t rain today’, because it might rain. When the Bible says ‘Hope in God’, it doesn’t mean ‘Cross your fingers, he might win.’ It means preach to yourself that he’s going to win.

Presenting truth

Secondly, Peter continues by asking us to ‘give an answer’ for the hope that we have (3:15). Simply put, this is a call to make known the truths that cause hope. Whether this is in response to a confrontational questioner, or someone who is genuinely interested, isn’t completely clear, but in all cases it is to be done with ‘gentleness and respect’ (3:16). The goal is to present the truth, when asked, in a way that is honoring to God. The response may be one of hostility or it may be one of conviction and repentance, we see both responses talked about in 1 Peter. But regardless of the response, this is in the context of Peter’s exhortation to return blessing for evil, to seek peace while living a righteous life. Giving an answer for their hope was to be motivated by God’s glory and the good of the hearer.

Prepared and ready

Peter’s exhortation is to ‘always be prepared’ (3:15). How exactly does one ‘prepare’ to give an answer? This implies studying the Bible diligently so that we can have well thought-out, understandable and accurate replies for the things people want to know. Armed with a solid understanding of the truth, we should have no cause to be ashamed. Notice that Peter says we should be ready to explain the hope that is in us. He does not tell us to explain the way we sing in worship, our stand on pre-millennialism, or the handling of money in church. These things are important and we should be able to explain what we believe on these subjects, but they are not where our hope lies. We are to learn how to express our hope in Christ. It is why the New Wine movement is committed to the New Wine Training Partnership, in which we are providing resources through the Westminster Theological Centre for anyone to learn more about our hope in Christ, and how best to express it in words, works and wonders.

Chris Pemberton Chris is the Training Director for the New Wine Training Partnership and is a member of the New Wine Leadership Team.

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Friendship

How do we cultivate the kind of friendships that will change us for the better? Rachel Hughes shares three key ingredients for life-transforming friendships

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‘What is poverty? Lack of friendship’ concludes Brazilian pastor Claudio Oliver at the end of his thought-provoking video on YouTube. He points out that while we may think of poverty as lack of food or shelter, it is usually the people who lack friends who cannot find the food and shelter that we would not let a friend go without. His ideas echo the famous words of the writer of Ecclesiastes: ‘Two are better than one… If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no-one to help him up!’ (4:9-10). How many of us have longed for a community like the one described in Acts 4? The believers are united in heart and mind, sharing their possessions and ministering together. The result, in line with Claudio Oliver’s assertion, was that none of them were needy (Acts 4:32-35). So what makes a good committed friendship? Is such friendship even possible?

Investing time

Someone asked recently on the questions-and-answers website Yahoo! Answers how many true friends the average person has. One person responded that unless you have a loving partner or sibling: zero. I was challenged to think differently one evening when I found myself bemoaning my singleness to a friend. She asked me what exactly I lacked. Did I honestly believe that I could only find true friendship with romance? Could that trip to Europe be taken with a friend? Wasn’t this late night call to her instead of him? What about sharing my history? If I invested in my friendships with the same care and attention I had invested in my last relationship, wouldn’t I receive a ripe return? Indeed, it is possible, but it does require an investment of time. For some of us, the busyness comes from trying to be a friend to everyone. We need to understand that some friendships need to be pruned in order for others to grow and bear fruit. I am slowly learning that no matter how seductive a particular demand may be, neither time nor money, success nor romance, acclaim nor even loneranger spiritual slog, will sustain me to follow Jesus for long without true friends. The first step to true friendship is to pray for Jesus to show us who to invest in, and what to let go.

Accepting each other

A friend of mine recently wrote this on her blog: ‘When I was 18 I got into an accountability relationship with a dear friend, with whom I was brutally honest and confessed my sins to as I never had before. The freedom and healing and grace delivered through that friendship changed me.’

As Dutch priest and author Henri Nouwen wrote in his book The Inner Voice of Love, ‘Friendship becomes more and more possible when you accept yourself as deeply loved’. Friendship is best built on the foundation that we are known and loved by Jesus. This breeds freedom, because we can courageously show who we are, having already been accepted. We can also accept our friends freely, because we don’t need them to be a certain way in order to meet our own needs. Such an unconditional acceptance deepens friendship and opens the door to trust and transformation.

‘Friendship is best built on the foundation that we are known and loved by Jesus. This breeds freedom, because we can courageously show who we are, having already been accepted’ Sticking together

One of my friends is a girl I met in primary school. I moved to Indonesia, but she wrote to me every two months for seven years. When I moved back to England, she had spread the word that people would be missing out if they didn’t become my friend, and arranged a welcome home card for my new bedroom. She asked me if we could pray together weekly, and as I began to open up about the sin and pain inside me, she stuck with me, as she has through every drama and despair in the 17 years since we met. Again and again in Proverbs a true friend is defined as loyal: ‘a friend loves at all times’ (17:17); ‘do not forsake your friend’ (27:10); a real friend ‘sticks closer than a brother’ (18:24). We don’t need to be popular, funny, powerful or even very similar to someone to be a lifechanging friend; it is the friends who are loyal that matter. So, once you have identified God-given friends, don’t abandon them. Stick with them when they need you, when they are struggling, when others are criticising them, and when the friendship has just lost its spark. Stick with your friends, and you will find that true friendship is possible – and glorious. Committed friendships have quietly influenced every era of history, from David and Jonathan’s sworn covenantal friendship, to the friends that William Wilberforce relied on to inspire and sustain him in the gruelling fight for the abolishment of slavery. Nouwen writes: ‘Dare to love and to be a real friend. The love you give and receive is a reality that will lead you closer and closer to God as well as to those whom God has given you to love.’

Rachel Hughes Rachel is a Youth and Community Manager in Peckham, south east London. She is studying anthropology part-time. She has several friends whose investment, acceptance and loyalty have shown her how powerful friendship can be.

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ay Taylor packed his bags, said goodbye to his family and church in Southport and set off to study Maths at York University. He loved his first year. He got drunk regularly, worked hard and made lots of new friends. He didn’t find a church and abandoned his faith. In his second year, his youth leader from Southport visited him and connected him to G2, part of St Michael le Belfrey Church in York. His life turned around. He started to live for God again. The first part of this story is incredibly common; the second is all too rare. Only 1 per cent of the UK’s 2.3 million students are committed to a church. Students represent the largest clearly defined unreached people group in the UK.

Play your part

Local churches within five miles of a college or university need to respond to the challenge of reaching the students of today. Every single church in the UK will be affected by the corporate success or failure to engage this generation. Consequently, every single church has a part to play either through prayer, partnership or participation. This is a tipping point for our nation. The exodus of young people from the church during the transition from home to university must stop. But there is hope. Jesus loves students and he loves his church. This is a powerful partnership for the Kingdom.

Opportunity and openness

When I went to university in Loughborough I got stuck into everything. I joined loads of societies and loved the student life. It was a time of hope, possibilities and new opportunities. Everything was up for grabs: values, purpose, direction,

motivation, friends and humour. University is the formative time for adult life. Unless local churches disciple our students, the culture will do it for us. We must grab this opportunity with both hands! Students are so open to talking about ‘God and stuff’, especially at 2am with a garlic naan in hand. We need to make sure that Christian school leavers and students aren’t just ‘dropped’ in the culture but are equipped and available to engage with it as missionaries.

Making connections

What do you have to offer? Do not be put off by thinking that student work has to be large and flashy. Start with what you can offer: relationship, time, coffee and a bit of love. A home away from home. Connecting with a church is often low on the agenda for a firstyear student, so you need to work hard to connect with them. Be confident that you have something they need. You can make a huge difference by ensuring that school leavers connect to churches (visiting www.studentlinkup.org makes this easy) and by being proactive in engaging with first years.

Success stories

Dave Matthews joined Canterbury Vineyard in his first year at university. He says: ‘Jim, my church leader, was around to meet me, to buy me a coffee, to find out where I’m at, what my passions were, what I longed to see happen in my life on campus and the city. He was interested in me. I felt a part of the movement, included and valued. Straight away a team of us got together, ate pizza and started praying together, casting visions for the campus.’ A year on and Dave is leading the student work at the church and has seen a bunch of students become Christians.

MIND

TEACHING

More than half of church-attending school leavers won’t connect with a church while at university. Most will stop exercising their faith in the process. Luke Smith calls us to action

‘WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL LEAVERS AND STUDENTS AREN’T JUST ‘DROPPED’ IN THE CULTURE BUT ARE EQUIPPED AND AVAILABLE TO ENGAGE WITH IT AS MISSIONARIES’ A vital role

GETTING STARTED

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Sarah-Jane Patel joined My Father’s House in Lancaster a few years ago. She says: ‘I love my church because it was clear to me that it wanted me even before I started university. In the summer before university, I was put in email contact with a student worker at the church through Fusion’s Student Linkup. She invited me to a cheese and wine evening with some people from church and when I started coming she sat next to me in the services even though she was older and ‘cooler’ and already had other friends there.’

Connect

• Connect to Fusion. We resource churches to send, receive and disciple students and engage them in active mission. Visit www.studentlinkup.org 2

Invest

• Invest in relationships with students. This is what they crave when away from home. 3

Pray

• Pray for inviters. Your student work will grow through a few individuals who invite others. It is a gift that is worth naming and releasing in these individuals. 4

Resource

• Use Student Alpha. This is an incredibly effective tool for student mission and it is designed to be run by students for students.

Maybe you are part of a church that can reach students while they are at university. Or could send students off to study and represent Jesus in another city? Or perhaps you could commit to pray for and support Fusion as we help other churches engage with this massive challenge? Whatever background, denomination, theology, geography or demographic you come from, there is a role for you to play in ensuring that this generation has Jesus at its core. It is make or break for the church. This is a crucial generation. The students of today are the leaders and shapers of tomorrow. They will make the society that our kids grow up in. The question is: will they do this with Jesus? Luke Smith Luke is a leader of G2, part of St Michael le Belfrey in York. He is the Church Relationship Manager for Fusion and would love to speak to you about how your church engages with students (Tel 07912361450 or email luke@fusion.uk.com).

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Naked & Unashamed Around two fifths of women and one third of men in all age groups experience some form of sexual problem or dysfunction. How do we overcome our squeamishness when it comes to the subject of sex in order to help one another towards healing and freedom? Maggie Ellis says a willingness to be truthful is vital

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‘This is the first time I have ever been to a Christian meeting and talked about sex…not only talked about but also laughed and heard something that was open, practical and nitty-gritty. It’s been such a relief. I thought other Christians didn’t have the same problems with sex as me.’ This was just one of the many stories I was told after a live version of the agony aunt column I write for Christianity magazine. After I’d given a short talk, I answered anonymous questions from the front. These were real, complex and involved physical problems as well as relational. Some people found intercourse painful, some couldn’t get or keep an erection, some couldn’t ejaculate, some were addicted to pornography, many single people were struggling with masturbation, and others were experiencing the tensions of same sex attraction. One of the most common issues was simply a profound disinterest in sex, causing all sorts of angst within a marriage. Facing up to reality My message is simple: we are all naked under our clothes and all live with sexuality to express, whether we are in a sexual relationship or not. The travesty is when as Christians we somehow feel this aspect of our humanity is not spiritual enough to interact with Father God on and as a result either get stuck in loops of shame and failure or shut down on our sexuality as if God can’t cope with us. This is perpetuated by churches that never mention from the pulpit the real sexual issues that their congregations are facing, other than a two-dimensional focus on sin and 28

repentance, which while important, misses the true complexities of what it is like to live with a sex drive (or lack of it), in complicated relationships. Created sexual beings I believe that God is ‘for’ sex within the healthy boundaries that he has set of faithfulness to one marriage partner. I also know that we all fall short of the glory of God and therefore our sexual journey through life is one of constant need of grace, redemption, healing and growth in our knowledge of how to express and receive love that is pure and wholesome. The source of all this is our wonderful Creator, and is therefore available to all people. Positive sexual identity In my experience, the starting point for healthy sex is a positive relationship with our sexuality. By this I mean our sexual identity: the part of us that can be confident in expressing our personality through our gender, without being influenced by stereotypes. When we are not in a sexual relationship this is our main outlet for the sexual part of ourselves. It’s important to celebrate and enjoy our masculinity or femininity. It is sad when people dress and live to hide their bodies rather than to express something positive. Genesis 1:27 tells us that God made both male and female in his image and was very pleased with both! As women, let’s learn to be successful in society without reforming ourselves in a masculine mode. As men, you should bring all you have to contribute in your own unique way with flair and confidence.

‘It is time that we Christians break out of shame, embarrassment and missionary positions when it comes to sex, pretending this is somehow more holy than honesty is’ Sex and singleness For single people, including those that are post marriage, it is often easier to handle our sex drive by putting it into ‘hibernation’ as much as is possible. The main book in the Bible about sexual expression, Song of Songs, talks about awakening love (2:7, 3:5, 8:4), depicting that we can also leave it sleeping. Some people can achieve this through building other strong outlets for the components of our sex drive: good relational intimacy with friends and family, other forms of skin touch such as massage or plenty of hugs and regular physical exercise to outwork that energy drive. For other people this is not adequate and they ask me: ‘Is masturbation okay for Christians?’ The Bible does not give us a direct answer and therefore we all have to find our own level of conscience and peace before God. Personally, I believe that it can be okay to use masturbation as an outlet for our sex drive if we are able to keep it within healthy parameters. Whether this is possible depends on

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our temperament. It mustn’t become an addiction. As 18th century English writer GK Chesterton said, ‘Sex becomes a tyrant when it ceases to be our servant.’ It also must stay focused on our own body (or on our partner’s if we’re married), so that it is neither mentally unfaithful nor non consensual. Marriage dynamics Many people naively assume that once married, all sexual problems melt away. Hopefully most married couples have happy times sexually where they experience the unity and bonding that our sexual intimacy is designed by God to give us. It is a means of expressing our love and passion for each other beyond words and is an opportunity to learn how to tune into the other in a deep way. However, the truth is that it is not straightforward because it is a complex interaction of physical, relational and psychological dynamics. Add to that the social dynamics of small children waiting to pounce the minute Mum might dare to think of herself as lover rather than mother, after-work tiredness and busy households and we have a rare cocktail that has huge explosive capacity! Asking for help When sex goes wrong the best thing to do is to get outside help as soon as possible. I remember 25 years ago coming back from honeymoon after finding sex very painful and thinking I was doomed for life. This was until I plucked up enough courage to talk to an older lady in my church. She gave me practical advice, education and encouragement which gradually got

me walking then flying in this new art. Without her, I probably would have ended up with major problems. How wonderful when churches can be a place where we can sensitively be available to people to talk about intimate issues without shock or judgement, but with an orientation towards God’s grace and healing. An African proverb says, ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. In our fragmented society where people see counsellors and personal trainers to be their paid friends, a community of believers must take on the role of being ‘village’ to young and old. Going to the professionals The church also needs to know when to reach outside its insularity and call in the experts. For instance, it is dangerous for a church to think it can handle internally a child protection issue where abuse has occurred. Likewise if someone experiences a sexual dysfunction they need to see a doctor and get a specialist referral. There may be medical reasons behind our sexual problems that the best counselling in the world won’t shift because it is not psychological. Sadly, all too often people leave seeking professional help until the problem is deeply entrenched, due to embarrassment and thinking they are the only one. The truth is that around

two fifths of women and around one third of men in all age groups experience some form of sexual problem or dysfunction. Psychosexual therapy can be requested on the NHS depending on your area, or accessed privately through the British Association for Sexual and Relationship Therapy (www.basrt. org.uk), The Institute of Psychosexual Medicine (www.ipm.org.uk) or through Relate (www.relate.org.uk). Changing our attitudes It is time that we Christians break out of shame, embarrassment and missionary positions when it comes to sex, pretending this is somehow more holy than honesty is. Song of Songs relays to us down the millennia such a celebration of passion and eroticism, inviting us into God’s world of pure sex, which is a gift to be handled with the deepest of care as well as celebration. Let’s help each other with grace and kindness to become all we were created to be as human beings: as naked as the next person under our clothes. Maggie recommends two books: Intimate Issues: 21 Questions Christian women ask about Sex by Linda Dillow and Lorraine Pintus Real Questions, Real Answers about Sex by Dr Louis and Melissa McBurney.

Maggie Ellis Maggie is a Psychosexual Therapist within the NHS and Director of Lifecentre, a charity with a Christian foundation providing specialist support to survivors of rape and sexual abuse (www.lifecentre.uk.com).

STORIES

Are there families in your community who might not feel comfortable at a normal Sunday morning service? Cathy Dawson shares her story of doing church with a difference

any churches have good links with the families in their community through toddler groups, but what happens when the children get older? Here at Stoneleigh Baptist Church near Epsom we had a lot of contact with toddlers and their families, built great relationships with the parents and carers and then they disappeared! We might see them again in playgrounds, at children’s mid-week activities or at parenting courses, but overall most links were lost. A vision for families A member of our church, Louise Porter, had these families on her heart and wondered how our relationships could develop further with them. She felt strongly that God wanted us as a church to get more involved with whole families so that relationships would grow and they could see that we were ordinary people they could trust. Conversations about Jesus would naturally follow simply because he was a normal part of our lives. This became her vision. Louise heard about the concept and format of Messy Church at a Spring Harvest seminar. Messy Church is a time of creativity, worship and eating together. It is the brainchild of Lucy Moore, a member of the Barnabas Ministry Team and a member of St Wilfred’s in a suburban area of Portsmouth. Louise was excited by what she heard and visited Portsmouth to see how Messy Church works. She realised that this was something we could do in our small residential estate. Louise shared this vision with the church leadership and then the wider church community, gaining their endorsement and encouragement. Time together ‘Why are you doing this?’ asked a mum on the first Tuesday afternoon we did Messy Church. With very little advertising 80 parents and children had turned up. ‘It’s because we recognise that it is sometimes difficult for families to come to church at weekends’, I told her. ‘So we’re doing church once a month on a Tuesday just for you.’ Messy Church is full of families, fun and mess. There are few rules. We encourage children and their parents or carers to ‘stay together, play together and eat together.’ It provides an environment where we can build relationships with the families of Stoneleigh. It is a nonthreatening way to share Jesus at a time appropriate for many families. Fun activities, a short celebration and a meal enable families to spend an enjoyable time together while hearing about Jesus.

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A hive of activity The parents and children join us straight from school and we welcome them with drinks and biscuits. There are games, a quiz, colouring sheets and crayons for them while everyone is gathering. At 4pm a Klaxon air horn sounds which signals that it is time for us all to pile into church to hear the Bible story for the day. It lasts just 10 minutes and then we disperse around the building to engage in 10 different activities mostly linked with the story.

‘Fun activities, a short celebration and a meal enable families to spend an enjoyable time together while hearing about Jesus’ Activities range from making candy floss to painting, junk modelling, cooking, sewing, stilt racing and collage making. It is a hive of activity with the children and adults moving around to try as many activities as they like. Each craft is led by someone who will share how their craft relates to the story our guests have just heard. Praying and sharing Then the mighty Klaxon is blown again which once more heralds us back to into the church where we share how God wants us to put into practice what we’ve heard. We sing songs and the children pray with the adults who have brought them, something they may never have done before. Meanwhile, our multi-activity hall is transformed into a dining room. After saying a quick grace our families hurtle back to enjoy a hot meal and a pudding. One parent commented: ‘It’s so lovely to sit and share a meal with my children and others.’ Faith and anticipation This new monthly venture has more than exceeded our expectations and, dare I say, faith! The support and commitment of the entire church has been inspiring. The fellowship demonstrated by those serving during Messy Church, from teenagers to pensioners, is an amazing witness. Messy Church is the topic of conversation in the school playground; both in anticipation of the event and afterwards. We are praising God and praying that families in Stoneleigh will come to know Jesus through it.

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Cathy Dawson Cathy is the community course coordinator at Stoneleigh Baptist Church in Surrey, where her husband Graham is pastor. She is a member of the Messy Church team. For more information visit www.messychurch.org.uk or email louise.porter@btconnect.com

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STORIES

Faith at Work :Gary Grant How do you model faith in Christ in the midst of the insecurity and pressure of the retail industry? Lucy Avery spoke to Gary Grant, founder and owner of The Entertainer, the largest independent toy retailer in the UK

What do you do and what’s a typical working day? As Managing Director I am involved with most decisions, with a main focus on buying and property. I work from 8am to 7pm. It’s fast moving most of the day with a variety of business, charity and Christian work. What do you enjoy most? I guess I love doing a good deal! But on a day-to-day level I enjoy being busy. I get much more done when I’m busy and achieve more under pressure. Having said that, I’m learning to say no to things. I’m decluttering my life. I try to say no to two things whenever I say yes to one. What are some of the challenges? The biggest challenge is the uncertainty of the future, the bigger picture, the things beyond our control. In the last quarter of 2008 there was a complete lack of confidence and a heightened anxiety as the financial world markets went into meltdown. The financial situation might now be more stable but life has substantially changed. We are working with a new set of rules now. We can’t rely on the things that were the same for years. One of the things that has changed is the way we deal with banks. Banks now operate differently in terms of their demands, conditions and costings. The ups and downs or ‘swings’ in business mean it’s difficult to plan staffing and stock levels. We have good days and bad days. I wouldn’t want to start my business today! How do you cope with these challenges? During the last quarter of 2008 I prayed more about this business than I ever have. When life is less certain you need God more than when you think you’ve got everything under control. Something good that came about as a result of this tough time was a weekly staff prayer meeting or what we called a ‘Time of Reflection’, at our head office. These meetings are

‘During the last quarter of 2008 I prayed more about this business than I ever have. When life is less certain you need God more than when you think you’ve got everything under control’ How do you try to live out your faith at work? I try to put God at the centre of every decision I make. I hope my faith is evident through how I am as well as what I say. Christian values should be reflected in terms of the products

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now monthly rather than weekly. We pray for all different things including the government and the local employment situation. Between 15 and 25 members of staff often attend, most of whom probably aren’t Christians. It’s an accessible way of praying for friends, family and colleagues.

we choose to stock. For example The Entertainer does not sell Halloween merchandise. As a business we support the ‘Keep Sunday Special’ campaign and none of our stores open on Sundays. I do understand that I can be difficult and demanding, but I always try to be fair and honest. What impact does your faith have on the staff? We have 600 staff but no more are Christians than in any other business. Last April I gave my testimony to all 60 people in the head office. I’m hoping to facilitate an express Alpha Course this summer, which will be led by our local minister. Every one of us has an area of influence and we can all make a difference. We’ve got to be bold, but also sensitive. A lady who has worked in one of our stores for nine years recently started a course of chemotherapy. I phoned her and with her agreement prayed for her over the phone. I believe we have to be Christians seven days a week, wherever we are, not just on Sundays.

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FROM SEPTEMBER 2008 TO SEPTEMBER 2009, NEW WINE INTERNATIONAL CHOSE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INVEST IN NEW WINE SWEDEN, WITH THE AIM OF BUILDING UP THE SWEDISH NETWORK. TIM STARLING ASKED KJELL-AXEL JOHANSON ABOUT THE IMPACT OF ‘THE YEAR OF SWEDEN’

What was this year about for you? Sweden is a huge country, but the population is just over nine million. Travelling by car takes a lot more time than it does in Britain and that tends to make the building of networks a little tricky. This means that leaders’ retreats, summer conferences and leadership conferences are very important. The ‘year of Sweden’ meant that we were able to intensify the cooperation with New Wine International in order to have some fantastic speakers at these events: Bruce Collins and John and Anne Coles at our summer conferences; and Bill Johnson and Mark Aldridge at our leadership conferences. We have also been able to run regional conferences throughout the country and retreats in strategic places such as Malmö. What has been the highlight? Our two leadership conferences with Bill Johnson in Stockholm at which about 1,000 leaders gathered were definitely a highlight. They were unbelievably good and we believe they have made a great impact for the future! Have you seen individual lives transformed as a result of these conferences? We have received a lot of faith-building feedback. At a leadership conference a lady with lactose intolerance was prayed for. She had confidence that God had touched her and so during the coffee break she ate an ice-cream and experienced no symptoms. Back home she celebrated her healing by inviting her church to a cream cake party. At the summer conference a member of the worship team had problems with numbness in her fingers. This was especially disturbing for her when serving on the worship team playing the violin. We prayed for her and she went on playing. At the last evening meeting the worship team played for an extra two hours during the time of prayer ministry. Afterwards she came to us and reported that she hadn’t felt any numbness at all. At the last evening of a conference a Muslim lady felt attracted by the worship music she heard while passing by the conference hall. She entered and stayed for the meeting. She just understood some Swedish but God touched her deeply and towards the end of the meeting everyone was invited to be prophesied over. She queued up and received some very accurate prophetic words. That very evening she invited Jesus into her life. What has been the impact of this focused year? It has brought renewed energy and expectation to the work and a greater sense of being an integral part of New Wine. We have taken important steps in building up the network. We have more key leaders involved and a lot more people are aware of us today than before. We are seeing churches and leaders starting to move in the things of the Spirit and we are praying for faith and breakthrough! We have seen several churches becoming resource centres, now sending out teams to other churches to run New Wine weekends and training days. What’s next for you? We are looking forward to a great summer conference and two leaders’ conferences in 2011, one in Stockholm and one in Malmö. The ‘year of Sweden’ has challenged us to do the same for others and serve the Baltic nations and Eastern Europe, which we are about to begin doing. What is the one thing you would like us to pray for your work? We long to see much more of the power of the Holy Spirit in our ministry. For more information on the New Wine International Network visit www.new-wine.org/international or email tim.starling@new-wine.org

Kjell-Axel Johanson Kjell-Axel leads New Wine Sweden. Find out more at www.kairosnewwine.se

MINISTRY TRAINING DAYS . Healing . Pastoral Prayer . Prophecy These one-day training courses are intended for all those who want to learn how to minister healing, prayer and prophecy in the power of the Holy Spirit, or as a refresher for those who are already doing so. Visit us online for more information. www.new-wine.org

YOUTH WORKERS TRAINING DAYS

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his is a question I love to respond to, especially when the questioner is searching for answers. I recently heard a tragic story which reminded me of why I became a Christian. It was of a young man who rang a friend to say ‘goodbye’ before he killed himself. He told his friend that he could find no purpose to life. When I was 18 years old I worked in a tax office. I found it the most boring job ever! At that time my life had no meaning or purpose to it either. I would feel so depressed on a Monday morning that I could barely get myself out of bed. Desperation set me on a quest to find some answers.

‘I knew immediately that I had found the answer to the emptiness in my heart’ My search ended one night in a church in Oxford. I had been taken there by a friend. For the first time that I could remember, I heard that Jesus wanted to be a part of my life; that he stood outside the door of my heart and was patiently knocking, wanting to come in. I knew immediately that I had found the answer to the emptiness in my heart. That night I asked Jesus to come into my life and become my friend and saviour. The next morning I awoke to go to work. The job had not changed. It was still unbelievably boring. But I discovered that I had changed overnight. My life now had a purpose. God had a plan for me. Instead of beginning the week depressed, I began to feel excited

Mary Pytches shares her story of finding a reason for living

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WHY ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN?

by the prospect of fulfilling God’s destiny for me over the days and the weeks to come. I became a Christian because I needed a cause to live for. Though I have been a Christian for many years, that original sense of purpose has never completely left me. Sometimes it has grown a little dim, especially when my children were small. I wondered if I would ever be able to pray again without interruption, or do anything more meaningful than change nappies! What I gradually discovered, after that initial buzz had worn off, was that fulfilling God’s purpose came out of a relationship with him; a relationship that Jesus had made possible by his death on the cross. Only as I kept close to my Heavenly Father could I discover, day by day, what his will was for me. I also had to discover what talents God had given me, and then to develop and use them for his honour and glory. God’s purpose still excites me, and I am still pursuing his presence, but what is also exciting me more and more is Paul’s statement in his letter to the Colossians: ‘Christ in you, the hope of glory’ (Col 1:27). We don’t just have a present filled with meaning and purpose, but ahead is a glory which far outweighs everything we have experienced before. So the reason I am a Christian is because I wanted my life to have meaning, but also because I am looking forward to an incredible eternity. Mary Pytches Mary and her husband David started New Wine in 1989 while David was vicar of St Andrew’s, Chorleywood. She is a popular speaker and author on issues of personal development.

SUMMER DAY TICKETS Coming for the day is a great way to discover the delights of a New Wine Summer Conference. You can experience all that we have to offer: inspiring teaching, passionate worship, enjoyable evening entertainment, the Marketplace, the cafes, a variety of seminar venues and much, much more! Enjoy a full day on site - arrive from 8am and leave at midnight. For further info and to book day tickets visit: www.new-wine.org/daytickets 37

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o be effective in our God-given calling we all need others to help, encourage and challenge us. Core Groups are the means by which church leaders in the New Wine Network can enter into a mutual mentoring relationship with other like-minded leaders to do just this. Each Core Group consists of five or six church leaders who commit to meeting regularly and frequently, and being accountable to each other as they seek to implement Kingdom values in their lives and ministries. Just a year after these groups were introduced, there are now more than 60 Core Groups meeting around the country. Organised by peer group, most are formed from leaders who have overall responsibility for leading their church, while in some areas groups have also been established for kids’ leaders, worship leaders or leaders’ spouses.

STAYING SHARP

Stephen Beach, a Network member and vicar of St Budeaux Parish Church in Plymouth, writes of his Core Group experience:

When I first heard about Core Groups I was quite cautious. When I saw how they were supposed to work, I started to think they sounded good. When I experienced a trial group at a conference I prayed, ‘Lord thank you for the fruitfulness that will come from this.’ Convinced that this would be a good thing to be part of, I went through the list of Network members within striking distance of Plymouth and made some phone calls explaining the idea. We soon had a group of five ready to commit. Two I knew; one I bumped into at another meeting; one was a name on a page. This is probably one of the easiest things I have done in ministry, with a high ratio of enjoyment over hassle and fruitfulness over time spent. I find myself looking forward to the meetings, which happen roughly once a month for about two hours. In practice, they’re all the things they were intended to be in theory: helpful, supportive, encouraging, challenging and even productively scary. Which leaders do you know who do not need friendly encouragement and true fellowship in responding to the many biblical challenges and in pursuing the gifts of the Spirit without giving up? At one meeting we discussed prayer and time spent with God. Each of us realised that we always intend to have a ‘quiet day’ set apart for listening, but don’t get around to it. So there and then we each put a quiet day in our diaries and agreed we would check up on and pray for each other. We’re like-minded leaders calling each other back to develop in listening to God and then in sticking to our best intentions.

‘AS IRON SHARPENS IRON, SO ONE PERSON SHARPENS ANOTHER’ (PROV 27:17).

FIND OUT HOW NEW WINE CORE GROUPS ALLOW CHURCH LEADERS TO MAINTAIN ACCOUNTABLE FRIENDSHIPS TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK

Would I recommend Core Groups to other leaders? Absolutely! Are you a leader, minister, vicar, pastor or curate who wants a long-term healthy relationship with Jesus leading to obedient ministry? Then committing yourself to a Core Group could be exceedingly helpful. If you lead a church and would like to find out more about joining a Core Group, please contact your local Network leader or speak to the New Wine Networks team on 0845 437 8656 or email networks@new-wine.org

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d l r u a o c i h S e V er? th itt w T twitter.com facebook.com youtube.com

Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all the fuss? Is social networking a new opportunity to connect with people or just another distraction?

Communication Where to focus your efforts must be determined by where the people you want to reach are connecting. Using established channels where users already browse is far easier than trying to herd people to church sites. Biggest is best, and Facebook has the most users. Setting up groups, events and sending out invitations is free, quick and easy. The downside is that with so much information your notice could get swamped. In addition, because it’s easy to become ‘friends’ with a large number of people, these connections can become devalued. Community With a bit more effort you can establish an interactive online community. Blogs can stimulate discussion and interaction. The content has to be good, the audience has to want it and it has to be updated regularly. You can use music, video, podcasts and images to keep content varied. Remember that browsing is different from reading; people jump from topic to topic. Work with people’s tendency to flit: provide links and be concise. Storytelling is key, but be prepared for stories to be passed around, it’s how the web works. It’s interactive too so prepare for debate. Good stories and good debate boost profile, but be aware that an increase in profile comes with an increase in scrutiny. Collaboration The web was designed for collaboration. It enables the sharing of ideas across disciplines. In this atmosphere ideas thrive. Scott Overpeck, Chief Strategist at Intersection Creative Strategies, loves the way you can meet new people, ‘Pastors can connect with non-profit leaders, government officials and businesspeople. We can learn public sentiment on nearly any subject and more importantly we can shape it.’ Encouraging collaboration empowers a community to create and not just consume. Website Mumsnet. com pools ‘knowledge, experience and support’ for parents. It has a million visitors a month and 20,000 discussion posts a day. Parents use the network to find and provide support during a time when many feel isolated. Horsesmouth.co.uk is a network for ‘informal mentoring’. Members offer their expertise or search for help with a problem. Need and solution are matched through the network. Iranian protestors used Twitter to broadcast updates and images through a governmentimposed media embargo revealing what was happening behind closed doors during the election. Social networks give people a voice. This empowerment resists authority and crosses geographical boundaries. Like any power tool, there’s a safety warning!

Back to the real world This movement from superficial to meaningful relationships and into real world action is exciting. KXC, a new church community meeting in the Kings Cross area of London, is passionate about discovering and meeting the needs of the local community. They hope to use social networks as one way of achieving this. Ben Pollard, a KXC member, sees the popularity of social networks as evidence of a hunger for real relationship: ‘The internet and social media are powerful tools for connecting people and building relationships but they obviously risk becoming a substitute for the hard work of real community. I think the greatest potential of social media is to connect an active church with a hurting world.’

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ocial media is a term for websites that provide a platform for users to meet and share information: videos on YouTube; thoughts and observations on a blog site; or a personal newswire of 140 characters on Twitter. Networking site Facebook has 400 million members and one in three people in the UK has an account. With statistics like these, the question should be whether churches can afford not to engage. But how do we decide which ones to use, and how do we get involved?

‘I think the greatest potential of social media is to connect an active church with a hurting world’ Laundry Love Projects A group of churches and businesspeople in Santa Ana, California, responded to needs they discovered in their community by paying to clean the clothes of those struggling financially. As the machines washed, people spoke about the difficulties they were facing. The Laundromat became a haven for the vulnerable. Scott Overpeck, partnering with Just4One.org and their Laundry Love initiative, was involved in the launch. ‘Once we decided to put together the Laundry Love Project, I went home and bought the domain and put the site together. I was able to share a brief blurb and the URL with several high-profile personalities very rapidly. They then shared it with their networks. It was traditional word of mouth, but faster.’ The site gets 1,000 hits a month and Scott believes this is down to the fact that ‘people want to be a part of something great. The internet makes it so easy.’ But seeing is one thing, action is another. Scott’s solution is engaging people with the story, ‘We post as many stories - video, photo, written word, even statistics - as possible.’ News of the project spread. There are now dozens of Laundry Love Projects across the US and beyond. Scott’s advice if you’re trying to engage with networks is, ‘Start slow. Listen a lot. Be creative. Be a part of the community.’ So should the vicar Twitter? You have to decide whether social networks are the right mechanism for reaching your audience. Undoubtedly they provide the church with new opportunities to engage people, but must be used in the right way to be effective. Also remember that not everyone is signed up, and often those who need to be included most, such as the elderly, are excluded. Social networking is a powerful addition to your communications toolbox, and shouldn’t be relied upon completely. Darren Guthrie Darren is a freelance writer and screenwriter. He is part of a community of writers, film-makers and creatives called the Free Range Project. He lives in Central London where he attends KXC church in Kings Cross.

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is a verb

How can your church tackle the problems caused by poverty and injustice in your local community? Steve Melluish shares his experience of trialling some exciting new training DVDs for churches that want to take action

ne of the great challenges facing any church leader is how to get the congregation to engage with the real needs in the local community. How do we reconcile our patterns of worship and discipleship with needs we see around us? How do we encourage church members to serve those around them in a way that uses their skills and time well? The media constantly reminds us of the many examples of poverty and injustice overseas, but the reality is that there are real demands in our own communities, right on our doorstep. Sometimes these are obvious: people homeless on the streets or issues with gangs, drugs and alcohol. Other times the poverty is less obvious: domestic violence, debt, prostitution and refugees. These are often the hidden challenges in our communities. They are present almost everywhere, in market towns and rural areas as well as in the inner city. So how we do respond?

The need and the response Our context at St Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is south west London, with the usual mix of high-rise estates and overpriced housing. Gang culture and city commuters live close together, in independent bubbles. The question was: how could we get these two communities to connect with each other? The answer for us was in developing mentoring teams that engage with the local youth. Many of us were already involved as mentors in some way at our places of work, as managers and team leaders, that it seemed that this skill set could naturally transfer to our local community. Our next questions were how do we provide the right training and find the connecting place? A new resource In recent years there has been a wealth of new resources for small groups but little if anything available on the subject of how to engage with tough issues in our communities, how to mentor young people at risk, provide hospitality for the

Bo on ygso-mentori kartin ng gr g trip oup marginalised, help people escape from homelessness or prostitution, or care for refugees and asylum seekers. Together with an organisation called Catalyst Trust - who provide coaching, mentoring and training to help people engage in urban mission St Michaelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s has helped develop a new resource for groups and individuals who want to know how to make a difference and engage as a church. Love is a Verb is a learning resource to inspire and equip Christians to put their faith into action in tough places.

Making Room – letting people experience the extravagant welcome of God Freeing Captives – helping people to find freedom from the things that hold them captive Seeking Justice – working to challenge and change the injustices that oppress people Trained by experts The Love is a Verb DVDs combine input from experienced practitioners, practical exercises and discussion, some issues for reflection and inspiring examples of people already engaged in their communities. The session ‘Concrete Faith: Incarnational Living’ is presented by Matt Wilson, who helped start up The Message Trust Eden Project in Manchester, where teams of people move into and live in tough inner city estates. The session ‘Making Room: Rediscovering Hospitality’ is presented by Fran Beckett, who headed up the Shaftesbury Society (providing services for disabled people, specialist education for children and young adults and support for those affected by deprivation), more recently the Church Urban Fund (supporting social action in deprived areas of England), and now runs an inner city church in south east London. Another session is ‘COACH Community Mentoring’ with Toby Baxter, Director of Community Development at Catalyst Trust. He has 16 years’ experience of community development and social work with high-risk youth, and has mobilised over 300 mentors and coaches.

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The material highlights three key priorities for God’s people in responding to people effected by poverty and injustice, and explores different ways of putting them into action:

‘The material enabled us to provide what was effectively professional training, inspire confidence and enable the mentors to have conversations with young people and families that help transform lives’ The connecting place For our mentoring teams at St Michael’s we used the COACH resources to great effect. The material enabled us to provide what was effectively professional training, inspire confidence and enable the mentors to have conversations with young people and families that help transform lives. Hand in hand with the training that this resource provided, we approached some of our local comprehensive schools. One school in particular was keen to partner with us. They take many vulnerable and challenging young people from some of the most difficult estates in south London, with a huge multicultural mix (there are over 100 different languages spoken). The school is well known for its excellent pastoral care. Together we have developed a mentoring scheme which enables us to meet one-on-one with some of the young pupils who are struggling to engage with school and life in general.

ls groiurlps e a h c i M St ntoring g me For an hour every fortnight we are able to take time out to connect with and help these teenagers start to explore their goals, and over time to help them work towards them. The commitment is easy. The school enables us to meet either early in the morning at the start of school in time for commuters to get off to work, or throughout the day. As for the young people, having an adult who wants to spend quality time with them can be life changing. ‘This is the only place where I can be myself’, was the feedback recently from one pupil. As a church we are now managing to connect with real need in our community in a useful way. The Love is a Verb resources have helped us respond to the biblical challenge: ‘Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow’ (Isa 1:17).

Steve Melluish Steve has been vicar of St Michael’s Southfields in south west London for the past eight years. Visit www.loveisaverb.org to find out more about the Love is a Verb resources and to view excerpts from the DVDs.

love God love young people live differently Find out more about our new projects in Bradford, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield at

www.eden-network.org 43

BR NEW Orde OC S r th HU um e RE me NO r

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You could be here! Enjoy a break at Lee Abbey!

Events which include teaching for 2010: l Activity weeks for all the family in The Beacon Outdoor Activity Centre l art, performing arts, music and writing l retreats l women’s events l Band of brothers: men’s retreats l relational l walking

reat and l t e r , e c n e r Confe in beautifu e r t n e c y a holid n North Devo relax@leeabbey.org.uk

To see our full programme visit www.leeabbey.org.uk or call 0800 389 1189

Be refreshed, be equipped Introduction to Biblical Counselling courses in 2010 Taught by the CWR Counselling Training Team Understand people from a biblical perspective and help them get to the roots of their problems.

Mon–Fri: 21–25 June, 9–13 August or 22–26 November

Certificate of Christian Counselling (ACC Level 3) Taught by the CWR Counselling Training Team gain the skills and insight you need to help those who struggle with problems in their lives.

Courses start at London School of Theology in September and at Waverley Abbey House in November 2010

Infertility: Invisible Wounds and Unfulfilled Longings (Insight Day) Led by Irene Davies and Andy Peck Discover biblical perspectives on infertility, find personal support or learn how to care effectively for others who face it.

Sat 19 June 2010 For info/to book: visit www.cwr.org.uk/training or call 01252 784719 Waverley Training & evenTs

www.cwr.org.uk

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11/3/10 15:49:20

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Is it becoming more difficult to be open about faith in secular places of work? Would employers rather people kept quiet? Adrian Miles of Transform Work UK tells a different story

FAITH For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

Phil. 4 v13

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TRANSFORMATION In recent months there have been many references in the media to the difficulties some Christians experience when bringing their faith into the workplace. Airline employee Nadia Eweida was asked to stop wearing a cross. Nurse Caroline Petrie was disciplined for offering to pray for a patient. These instances should concern Christians everywhere, but they do not portray the full picture. Indeed, the experience of Transform Work UK (TWUK), a small, charitable, Christian organisation, is that there are many examples of Christian Workplace Groups (CWGs) growing and thriving in a wide range of work situations, with support and encouragement from their employers. TWUK’s mission statement is ‘Inspiring Christians to transform the workplace and the nation’. We believe that Christians can have a hugely beneficial impact upon colleagues, employers, customers and the organisation as a whole. One of the issues we sometimes encounter is a reluctance by some Christians to see the workplace as an integral part of God’s kingdom; some consider work and faith to be separate. TWUK takes the view that there should be no sacred/secular divide and that if God has called us to be in a particular workplace, then he also calls us to share our faith while we’re there. TWUK has around 130 CWGs associated with it, including the Financial Services Authority, Christians in Government UK, Christians in the Audit Commission and the London Councils Christian Network. Some groups are small with just a few people involved; others consist of large networks such as the British Telecom (BT) Christian Network, with around 1,100 members. In addition there is a wide range of professional groups such as the Association of Christian Teachers, the Christian Firefighters, the Veterinary Christian Fellowship and Christians in Sport. Our experience at TWUK, contrary to some views, is that Christian groups are alive and well and flourishing in many places of work.

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Making connections One of the issues that concerns both individuals and small groups is how to make contact with other Christians in the workplace. Experience suggests that wearing a symbol such as a cross or a fish helps, but there are other creative ways. One of our contacts, Karen, told us about her experience after moving into a new office: ‘For Christmas my sister-in-law gave me a mug with the word ‘Faith’ in big letters and the text underneath reads, ‘For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength, Philippians 4 v13’. Moving to the new office has shown me a new reason to use it. It’s a great way to tell others what I believe. Last week someone offered to make me a brew and I handed over my mug without even thinking. On his return he passed me my tea asking, “Do you believe it?” I said, “Yes, it’s true!” “Great to have met a sister in Christ” was his response!’ Another innovative approach to contacting other Christians in the workplace has been initiated by Alex, a second officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. He has started a group on the social networking website Facebook entitled ‘Seafaring Christians’. Alex says: ‘I felt it might be a way of helping Christians who are at sea to connect and meet up with other Christians, something that is always beneficial in the remote and lonely environment in which we work.’ Meeting together Once contact has been made with other Christians, our experience is that managers usually respond positively to requests for facilities, such as a room to meet in. It is important to ensure that managers are fully involved in the development of Christian groups in the workplace and are fully consulted and informed about what activities the groups are engaged in. Reaching wider Many CWGs quickly move from meeting together to holding events that attract a wider audience. David Neate of the The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) describes what his group did recently for the organisation’s national Learning at Work Day: ‘We wondered about doing an Alpha taster session, but in the end decided to do a Christian version of the TV discussion show Question Time. Among those attending was a colleague wanting to know about Christianity and another who had drifted away from God but was now looking for a local church. We were able to help that process.’ Christians in Government have held carol services and this year will be holding a Whitehall Easter service in Westminster Chapel. Christians in the Audit Commission (CiTAC) have distributed coasters and mugs in offices. Other groups have organised mince pie events at Christmas and hot cross buns at Easter to raise the profile of the Christian message. The BT Christian

Alex set up the ‘Seafaring Christians’ Facebook group.

Network has given away over 700 bibles to staff who have requested them through the company intranet. Official recognition Many CWGs are actively sharing their faith at work. Some, however, have gone a stage further and have obtained official recognition as a staff network under the umbrella of the organisation’s diversity strategy. This has been a positive experience for a number of groups and enables a much deeper involvement in the overall development and ethos of the organisation. Organisations such as BT and the Audit Commission view their Christian groups, along with other network groups, as assets to the organisation and involve them in consultation and development of diversity policies.

‘An increasing number of organisations recognise that encouraging staff network groups, including Christians, makes good business sense’ An increasing number of organisations recognise that encouraging staff network groups, including Christians, makes good business sense, because if employees are able to bring to work all their attributes and skills and feel free to express these in a positive way, then they make better employees and the whole organisation benefits. CWGs come in all shapes and sizes and are growing in numbers day by day as employers see the benefits that these groups can bring. The workplace represents a wonderful opportunity to bring Christian values into the life of the organisation. God is present in the workplace! The way in which opportunities for CWGs are developing is exciting. We should never be surprised at the doors God will open for us if we give them a little push and we can be assured that he is with us in our workplaces, which are an integral part of his Kingdom on earth! Adrian Miles Adrian joined Transform Work UK after his involvement in the Christian group at the Audit Commission. He works alongside professional and workplace groups to help them make a difference. Visit www.transformwork.uk.org for info and stories of people making a difference at work.

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JUST PEOPLE How connected is your church with the needs in your community? Have you tried joining with other churches to serve the people around you? Jonathan Spencer encourages us to take the time to come up with a united response

e are never far from the different levels of need in our hurting world. Our attention is pulled in all directions. TV news, podcasts, tweets and blogs all either distract us from, or point us to, a vivid world view or a local perspective. Whether it antagonises or activates us, what motivates us will rely on how connected we are to the needs around us. It can often be easy for churches to emphasise the Bible over social action, or vice versa, but the Bible is clear that faith and action go hand in hand. The challenge it presents to all of us is to integrate faith with our actions and draw together different aspects of our church activity, rather than drive them apart. Partnership and practice Just People is a six-week interactive course developed by Community Mission, a partnership between the two charities Tearfund and Livability. The aim is to help Christians grapple with issues of poverty and social injustice, and consider how to develop a local response. A core component of the course is a Day of Action, where participants engage in a local activity to put their learning into practice. Bringing together down-to-earth theology, reflection, inspiration and experience with practical exercises, Just People helps groups to think about the big issues of justice, mercy and humility as described in Micah 6:8: 48

‘He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God’ (TNIV). Discussion and direction Paul Dundas, vicar of Christ Church, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, attended a Just People workshop last year. Aware of the needs in his community, he took the course back home and ran it with 30 from his and other churches. Paul says that people hugely benefited from the direction and the fellowship that the course gave them. ‘The biblical input and vision that Just People provides is inspiring. It leads to lots of fruitful discussion, increased understanding and a fuller appreciation of God’s word. People learnt that they need to listen to God and his word and also to the needs of their community.’ For their day of action, the Christ Church team got alongside a local hostel for homeless people, The Simon Community. Although the church previously supported the hostel with gifts of food at Harvest and Christmas, they had never been actively involved. They provided food for the residents and cleared out a room for a staff member to use. The team are looking to make regular food donations and some have offered their time to volunteer at the hostel. The group also called various organisations in the city, making links with community influencers, including the local councillor, to

‘It’s not so much a question of whether the need is around the world or around the block, more a question of getting around to it.’ Awareness and activity For Wim Mauritz the just people came from the three churches in his neighbourhood. St Pauls Parish Church, Free Evangelical Church and United Reformed Church in Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells, pooled together around 25 people who participated in the course. ‘We found that the course helped us to have a

better awareness of our community’, says Wim. ‘It provided a deeper understanding of God’s mission for us and our role as churches. As a group we really engaged with the material. At one session we invited the local community police officer to share her thoughts on the community and what role she saw we could take as a church. By sharing and reflecting on the subjects and issues the course really brought people together.’ The churches agreed that one day was too short for running the community activities and so took a full week. ‘We started with a coffee morning and an afternoon tea club and moved on to the common and the streets where the team cleared rubbish’, says Wim. ‘The council were very supportive.’ Other activities included baking cakes for older people at a care home, giving out fruit and vegetables and inviting people in

the neighbourhood to a fair on the green with children’s activities and a fairtrade café. On the Sunday the team and the three churches invited the community to an open-air service on the green.

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discover the wider needs in their neighbourhood. ‘It was hugely encouraging to see people getting fed with the vision of a church that serves its community’, says Paul. ‘It is about taking small ongoing steps to ensure that we implement God’s word in the community.’

As you read this you may be thinking, ‘But I’m just one person!’, but mission is about motivating or mobilising others. It’s about local church meeting local need. At Tearfund we see this transforming the poorest communities in the many different countries in which we work. It’s not so much a question of whether the need is around the world or around the block, more a question of getting around to it. Paul and Wim point us to a few teams from a handful of churches. They’re just people with a vision for the church with its heart in the community. What about you?

Jonathan Spencer Jonathan is part of Tearfund’s Media Team. For more information on the Just People course visit www.tearfund.org/justpeople

PICTURE THE DIFFERENCE YOUR CHURCH COULD MAKE... Community Mission – set up by Tearfund and Livability – helps equip Christians to transform their communities. For example, it offers you Just People? An inspiring, six week interactive course using DVD clips, biblical teaching, discussion and action points to help you to respond to needs and effect change locally. To rethink how your church relates to its community visit:

www.communitymission.org.uk Be inspired, share stories, download practical resources and find relevant training.

TRANSFORM YOUR COMMUNITY

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