ANNOUNCEMENT - Moggerhanger Meeting - 7th February 2010

Printable version (Scribd)

Don't miss the
Moggerhanger Meeting!

Sunday 7th February, 2010. Open to everyone with an interest in organic expressions of church.

(This is the second notice and contains new additional information.)

• What? - People are gathering from Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire for a snowdrop walk, a shared meal, to hear some visiting speakers, and for an afternoon of meeting together with Jesus.
  
  
• Where? - Moggerhanger Park near Bedford (full directions) MK44 3RW.
  
  
• When? - Sunday 7th February 2010 at 13:30.
  
  
• Cost? - No charge, but there will be an opportunity to donate to Moggerhanger Park.
  

Numbers - If you are planning to come and have not yet told us the numbers in your party, please make sure you get those details to us as soon as possible (at the latest by the end of Friday 5th February). This is necessary so we can provide the right amount of food.

Dietary needs - If people in your group are vegetarian, have food allergies or intolerances, or have other special requirements do let us know that too. Thanks.

Children's room - We plan to have space and some activities for children and may be able to help supervise, but if you are bringing children please be prepared to help if necessary by spending some time in the children's room yourself. You are welcome to keep children with you in the main meeting if you prefer. Older teenagers can help with the younger ones or join the main meeting.

Music - We have not made arrangements for music, but if you're a musician we encourage you to bring and use an instrument.

Programme - We expect this to be a flexible framework, it's important to be responsive to the Lord as we meet and we'll make changes if necessary as we go along.

1. Arrive at Moggerhanger Park by 13:30, the gates will be open before that. Once inside the grounds turn first left towards the house and park at the front. If you're early feel free to explore the grounds.
   
   
2. The snowdrop walk will begin from the front of the house at 13:30 (weather permitting). It's an easy stroll on reasonably firm woodland paths. You might need boots if it's been raining (wellingtons, walking boots, or a spare pair of old shoes that won't be spoiled by a little mud).
   
   
3. We'll aim to eat at 14:00. Make your way through the front door of the house.
   
   
4. From 14:45 - After lunch we plan to have three short presentations - no more than 15 minutes each. If you have an unfinished drink, bring it to the meeting room with you.
1. Peter Farmer - Church Networks and Church Planting
2. Chris Jefferies - Church of Two (CO2)
3. Pete Stamford - X-treme Youth Camps
4. Q and A session
   
   
5. From 15:45 - A time for open prayer, praise, and body ministry
   
   
6. 17:30 - Cup of tea or coffee and a slice of cake
   
   
7. Optional - There is no official end to the meeting. If anyone would like to stay on for more discussion, prayer etc after the tea/coffee that will certainly be possible. Some may need to get away quickly (if you have young children or a long journey, for example).
   
   For anyone interested in the house, the park, and the work that goes on there, it may be possible to organise an impromptu house tour. Please ask. The Moggerhanger Park website contains a lot of valuable information.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the day,

Grace, peace and joy,

Chris Jefferies

chris@scilla.org.uk

124 St Neots Road

Eaton Ford

St Neots

Cambs

PE19 7AL

John 14 - The Holy Spirit

< John 13 | Index | John 15 >

It seems that the events of John 14, like those of John 13, tool place in the upper room. Yahshua is speaking spiritual truth, but the disciples are still hearing with earthly ears. As far as they are concerned he is talking in riddles.

He assures them that he, himself, is the way to the Father's house. And he reiterates that if they really knew him, they would know the Father too. He tells them that the Father is living in him. (verse 10) And he says that they can ask anything in his name and he will do it.

They have seen his love for them and for the crowds, they have seen the miracles (including the Messianic miracles) so they should already understand and know what he is telling them - but they lack something. He knows what they lack - or rather who they lack. It's the Holy Spirit.

So in verses 15-21 Yahshua explains this to them. It is one of the most important bits of information they will need after he has gone back to the Father. He has been with them for a few years, but this 'other counsellor' who will be given will be with them for all generations to come. Notice that the world can't accept this counsellor because it doesn't see him and it doesn't know him. Isn't this true in your own experience? Those you know who are not believers don't accept that there is a person called the Holy Spirit. But, says the Lord, 'You know him for he lives with you and will be in you'. How awesome is that!

This is not just a matter of a sort of influencing force as some suggest (the Jehovah's Witnesses, for example). This is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, actually making his home within his people. He is not a spirit of fear but the Spirit of a sound mind. 'Christ in you, the hope of glory' is this same Holy Spirit! He is in you.

Think about this a little, let it sink in deeply. Yahshua is in the Father and the Father is in him. He is also in you and you are in him. The Spirit of Christ, sent by the Father is in you and has, in fact, made his home in you. Yahshua has gone to the Father to prepare a place for you in his Father's house of many rooms. The Father and the Son and the Spirit and the believers are all one! All living in one house, in other words all one family. No wonder the disciples found it hard to understand what Yahshua was saying to them, it is such an astonishing truth that it sounds as if it must be false! At this time he was still with them and therefore the Spirit had not yet been sent. But nevertheless it's true - read verse 23 if you have any doubts.

What a truth! What a Lord! What a great salvation!

< John 13 | Index | John 15 >

Eaton Ford (day) - conversation and prayer

Only brief notes were made for this meeting. Roger, Paul, and I discussed some of the events and issues in our lives and in those of our friends. We worked through CO2 and then prayed for one another and for friends.

John 13 - Washing their feet

< John 12 | Index | John 14 >

There is so much in John 13. Again it's a significant chapter because Yahshua knows he is about to suffer a dreadful death and will now be with the disciples for only a very short time. So everything he says and does is focused on reiterating the most important things so they'll be fresh in their minds after he has gone.

And although there's much here about his betrayal and death, there is also a great deal about loving one another. It's a bit like a mother or father leaving home for a risky hospital procedure and knowing they may never see the children again. What is the last thing you would say in that position? Very likely it would be along the lines of, 'Be good children, always do what Dad (or Mum) tells you and look after one another. I want you all to take special care of your brothers and sisters.'

This is one of the things he has always taught his followers. 'Care for others more than you care for yourself, and especially - love one another'. Knowing they still barely get it, he demonstrates it for them, acting like a household servant and washing their feet.

Verse 1 tells us that 'having loved them, he now showed them the full extent of his love'. What does this mean? It refers to what he is about to do, making himself their servant, the King of the universe making himself nothing so that they could experience his love. And of course, in cleaning their feet so they were ritually pure for the Passover meal he was also showing how he would very soon cleanse them of sin so they would be pure for life in heaven. The foot washing was Love at work, cleaning the loved. The Messiah's death would be the same Love at work, cleaning the loved. And who is Love? Why, the Mighty One himself! If you have seen the Son you have seen the Father - and you have seen Love himself.

But the take home message is 'What I have done for you, you must do for one another'. (verses 12-17)

Will we be like Yahshua, pouring ourselves out for the sake of our friends and family? Will we love one another? There are some groups of believers who hold a foot washing ritual. But it's not about the act of washing feet! It's about a heart that will want to wash feet literally or metaphorically whenever there's a need. It's about becoming a bit lower in order to raise up a brother or sister.

< John 12 | Index | John 14 >

Eaton Ford - hearing the Lord?

Sean and I spent some time chatting before Jim arrived. We discussed reading Old and New Testaments and the value of some of the other material not included in the Bible, particularly the Apocrypha. We talked about visiting Israel, about having a relationship with the Lord, and about our experiences with CO2 and the listening component of that, VIRKLER. How can we tell when we are really hearing from the Lord? How do we distinguish between his thoughts and merely our own thoughts?

Sean shared that in reading through John recently he has been greatly blessed by so many gems of understanding coming out.

When Jim arrived, we were amused that he also raised many of the same thoughts and ideas. He mentioned that we truly need to hear from the Lord, and wondered how many people attend a church but don't really believe in a living way, and perhaps don't realise that there is more to it, that following Jesus changes the way we live every day.

We went through the CO2 exercise together, Jim in particular had had a really good week and mentioned many things under the 'happy' and 'excited' headings.

We prayed for one another, and we also prayed for the Moggerhanger meeting on 7th February.

John 12 - Responding to Yahshua

< John 11 | Index | John 13 >

People have always responded to the presence and activity of Yahshua in a variety of ways John 12 has examples of several of these.

• Martha served him as a member of the family.
• Lazarus relaxed in his presence.
• Mary spared no expense to honour him.
• Judas objected to his acceptance of honour.
• The crowd came to see what he had done.
• The chief priests wanted to get rid of him.
• Those celebrating the Passover greeted him as their King.
• His disciples were puzzled at what was happening to him.
• Those who had witnessed the miracle told everyone what he'd done.
• Many who heard went out to meet him.
• The Pharisees were exasperated by the effect he had on the crowds.
• The Greek Jews asked to see him.
• The Father spoke to him.
• Those who followed the Law questioned him.

Whether they realised it or not, all of them were responding also to the presence and activity of the Father (verses 44-50).

Are you like any of the people in that list? How are you responding to Yahshua, the Son of the Most High?

I suggest going through the list a second time and thinking prayerfully about each one. Let's take the first and the last as examples.

Martha served him as a member of the family - Do you treat him as he wants to be treated, a precious member of your family? Is he invited to every family event, every occasion? Is he welcome, not only for the happy times, but also in the times of weeping? Every family has such times. Is he like the best of brothers, always there to help you, encourage you, comfort you, suggest better ways to do the things you did badly, commend you on the things you do well?

Those who followed the Law questioned him - there's no harm in questions as long as we're looking for information. Are your questions for information? Or are they sometimes a subtle form of criticism. 'Why did you do this, Lord?' 'Why did you allow that?' Although those questions can be straightforward, they may also be asked in an accusing way.

Like all the people in John 12 we respond to the presence and activity of the Lord in our lives. Let's make sure that our responses raise him up and glorify him amongst our circle of friends and family.

< John 11 | Index | John 13 >

John 11 - Fully on earth, fully in heaven

< John 10 | Index | John 12 >

In John 11 we see both aspects of Yahshua's life coming together. this is not surprising as events are coming to a focal point, his death on the cross and resurrection three days later.

First there is the deep love he had for his close friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (verse 5) - so much so that he wept with the tenderness he felt for them in their grief. They lived in Bethany just outside Jerusalem and he often stayed with them when he was in the city. Here we see the human aspect of the Lord, his fondness for these friends and his concern for them in their trouble. The disciples must have been surprised when he received the news of Lazarus' illness but didn't go right away to help him. Perhaps they thought it was because Jerusalem was unsafe for him.

So they are surprised again when, two days later, he does decide to head for Judaea. (verse 7)

Then we see his powerful heavenly aspect as he calls Lazarus out from the tomb. (verse 43) Is there any significance in the fact that this miracle came just before his own death? It would have been fresh in his mind as he was hanging between the two thieves. Those who witnessed his tears were agreed that he loved Lazarus deeply. Some of them referred to the Messianic miracle of healing the blind man and expressed surprise that he hadn't prevented the death of such a deeply loved friend. But later, divided as ever, many of them believed because of the raising of Lazarus. (verse 45) Those that did not believe went to tell the Sanhedrin.

Yahshua is totally focused on obedience to the Father in fulfilling all he had been sent to do, and care for the people amongst whom he lived. These two aspects of his nature, love for the Father and love for his friends are an outworking of the new commandment, the one that fulfils the Law in every respect - love the Almighty with all that is in you, and love your neighbour as you love yourself.

The Lord taught this throughout his ministry, demonstrated it throughout his life, and now demonstrates it finally again as his earthly life approaches an end that will be as extraordinary and unexpected as its beginning had been thirty years earlier.

Truly he is fully here on earth yet fully there in heaven, he is human yet also the great I AM. HalleluYah!

< John 10 | Index | John 12 >

Great Doddington - a broken world

We began by chatting about work, and how staff cuts have made life harder - even for those who have retained a job.

Barbara read from Isaiah 40:31 about how those who hope in the Lord will be renewed like eagles, soaring on wings. It seemed all the more significant because she had read it and then heard it again as the basis of a sermon on TV. Humble yourself and I will raise you up and honour you.

Jody mentioned Nehemiah. Although circumstances can bring us low, she still searches out the Lord. We do need to be humble. She also mentioned Haiti and the recent earthquake and the subject of prophecy came up. Why would the Lord not warn us about a disaster like that? Why does he allow us to be brought low? Some people have said that the earthquake was because of the presence of occult practices in Haiti.

I suggested that we live in a broken world and we must expect disasters to happen sometimes. When the tower in Siloam fell and killed people, it wasn't because they were more guilty than others (Luke 13:4). We must be prepared to follow Yahshua regardless of disasters. Rachael thought that trouble, if we face it in the right way, helps us grow to know him and understand him. And Peter pointed out that Jesus suffered and died in fulfillment of a great promise. We need to learn to see things through - come what may.

Glenn reminded us about the manna in the desert which was provision but also brought an important lesson (man does not live by bread alone). He told us the story of an island that escaped damage in the Tsunami. Pentecostals living there had prayed for safety for the people, not knowing what was coming. Everyone was saved while neighbouring islands had big death tolls.

Jody spoke about William Wiberforce and his portrayal in the film 'Amazing Grace'. He had some humbling experiences and difficulties in his life, but he honoured God. Rachael referred to Joel 2:28-29 where we read that the Lord will pour out his Spirit on everyone. What an amazing prophecy, he will pour himself into us! And Glenn reminded us that Jesus said, 'When you see these things happen, don't let your hearts be troubled.' (Matthew 24:6) Rachael said we should focus on him, listen to him and his voice.

I spoke in a tongue which Glenn interpreted. He saw a lion released from a heavily barred cage. The lion came bounding out, it had a big mane. He realised that Jesus has been released and his roar goes out to the nations and also reaches the church. 'Are you there? Are you listening? Are you coming?'

At this point Barbara saw the words 'Maple Leaf', and Jody described a picture of the aftermath of a forest fire. She saw a huge tree with charred debris all around it. She realised that charcoal can be used as fuel; even in the aftermath of disaster there will be something left in our hearts that is useful for our development. He can turn any disaster into something of value. Jesus is the light and the energy, he tells us not to focus on the problems. Instead we should focus on Jesus himself.

Rachael saw a bolt of lightning hitting a tree. And the Lord told her, 'This is my power, this is who I am. The lightning can destroy a tree but it can also light up the sky all around.

We spent a few minutes learning more about Church of Two (CO2) and testing it for ourselves.

John 10 - Shepherds and sheep

< John 9 | Index | John 11 >

In John 10 Yahshua uses shepherds and their flocks as an illustration. He gives an agricultural parable in the first five verses, but his hearers don't understand. He's not speaking to the disciples and crowds only here, but also to the scribes and Pharisees who were assessing his Messianic claim. (See verses 19-21)

It will help our understanding if we consider the role of a shepherd in 1st century Judaea, sheep didn't live in fields or grassy hill farms as they do in the British Isles. Sheep in fields are securely fenced and can't wander, hill farm sheep wander freely all year and have to be caught and penned for dipping and shearing. Judaean sheep were (and still are) quite different.

The shepherd lives with the sheep and does not use a dog, by day he walks ahead to a place where he knows there will be some greenery and the sheep follow. Much of the landscape is stony and barren. After the rains the countryside turns briefly green and flowers blossom and set seed, at other times the only green things are the leaves of deeply rooted trees and limited amounts of grass and weeds in creek bottoms, along riverbanks, or on dried out riverbeds. The sheep depend for food and water on the knowledge of the shepherd.

At night shepherds lead their sheep to sheepfolds, roughly built out of stones with a single entrance. A number of different flocks spend the night at each sheepfold, the shepherds take turns at keeping watch while the others sleep. The sheep form one, large, mixed flock - there's no attempt to keep them separate.

In the morning, the shepherds head off in different directions, calling their sheep. The sheep recognise the voices and follow their own shepherd. These sheep are not penned in fields, but nor do they wander wherever they like, they follow the shepherd.

Yahshua makes the following five points.

• Anyone who climbs over the wall is up to no good.
• Genuine shepherds go through the opening knowing that the one who's on watch will recognise him and let him through.
• The shepherd calls his sheep and they follow him.
• They recognise his voice.
• They run away from people whose voice they don't recognise.

They didn't understand so he explained it for them. He told them that he is the gate, but all others who came were thieves. Everyone who goes in through the gate will be safe and come and go and be fed. Thieves come to destroy, Yahshua comes to give life in full.

He demonstrates that as his people (his sheep) we know him and follow him and he gives his life for us. Furthermore he has other sheep that are not from this fold, but in the future there will be one flock and one shepherd.

As before, some of them thought he was crazy while others were convinced. People today are no different, some think this is madness, delusion. Others are convinced.

How many flocks are there? Are there house church sheep, Anglican sheep, Pentecostal sheep, and evangelical sheep? No, we are all part of one flock.  That is what the Lord said, he made it plain. There is much broken in our thinking that remains to be mended. Our thoughts are not his thoughts. Whoever you are, however you meet, consider yourself to be part of Yahshua's one flock.

< John 9 | Index | John 11 >

Colworth (CU) - Gone back to fishing

I had volunteered to bring something for today's meeting and decided to use John 8 as I'd already made notes on it for the Scilla Blog. There, I've been sharing a thought from a chapter of John each day.

I explained how some verses of John 8 had jumped out at me as I read the chapter, and how a quick inspection had identified nine ways in which the Father does something for the Son. There is some repetition of these points, but there are nine unique thoughts. Looking at them further they fell naturally into three groups of three. These groups deal with the Father's position in relation to the Son, the communication between Father and Son, and the Father's approval of the Son. You can see the detail from the original blog post.

After I'd shared these details, Dud suggested reading the chapter through. This was an interesting exercise as it put things into context and made the Lord's interaction with the Jewish authorities seem very real. His words would have been rather arrogant if anyone else had spoken them. Nonetheless, coming from him it's just the plain truth!

We discussed the chapter. One of the thoughts we had was that many people at the time struggled to understand what Yahshua meant by some of the things he said. This was especially true before the Holy Spirit began to work in the believers from Pentecost onwards. (Acts 2:1-4)

Aby pointed out that after the crucifixion, Peter and the other disciples went back to fishing. John 21:1-3. Although the Lord had told them, 'I will make you fishers of men', they were at a loss as to what to do next. They so much needed encouragement at that time, and Yahshua appeared on the beach with some grilled fish and gave them just the challenges and encouragement that they needed.

We thought about Saul's conversion on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-19). If Saul had been present he would have agreed with the Jewish authorities during the discussion in John 8. Later he was a prime persecutor of the church. But then everything changed and the renewed Paul was mightily used in spreading the early church through the Greek world.

We also had the thought that often we don't wait for the Lord to show us what to do. We should do! It's always better than heading off to do our own thing in our own way.

We finished with prayer before heading back to work.

John 9 - A man born blind

< John 8 | Index | John 10 >

Ah, John 9, one of my favourite chapters! First I'm going to explain about the so-called Messianic Miracles, then you'll see why I like the chapter.

The rabbis in Yahshua's day had constructed a lot of rules which were designed to ring-fence the Law. Although miracles were not unknown in Israel, the Pharisees had specified three Messianic Miracles that nobody but the Messiah would be able to perform. These were healing a Jewish leper, casting out a dumb demon, and healing someone blind from birth. If someone performed these miracles there was a specified procedure for checking if he was the Messiah. First he must be observed at work, then he must be interrogated. Remember, none of this is in the Law given by Moses, it's just rabbinic teaching accumulated over the centuries.

Notice in verse 1 how Yahshua and the disciples see this man, blind from birth. Perhaps they had a conversation with him or with people who knew him. They had a discussion about the case after the disciples asked why the man was blind. And then the Lord made mud and put it on the blind man's eyes (which would have counted as working on Shabbat according to rabbinic tradition) and told him to go and wash.

Do you see how, in verses 8 to 12, the people who knew the man and his history want to know how he could now see? This was a Messianic Miracle and they knew it! And in verse 13 they take the man to the Pharisees who can't agree amongst themselves over this extraordinary event. They quizzed the man, they quizzed his parents, then they quizzed the man again and got more than they bargained for! (verses 30-33)

What they would have done next would be to observe Yahshua very carefully for a while, and then interrogate him. This is not the only Messianic Miracle he performed, he did all three. Notice that later, Yahshua himself pointed to the miracles when he says, 'The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me.' (John 10:25) And he mentions the miracles again in John 10:32 and 38.

Now can you see why I love this passage? It has hidden within it things that would have been obvious to Greek or Aramaic speaking Jews in Jesus day. These are some of the things Saul would have taught before he became Paul on the Damascus Road and they are details that speak loudly to modern Jews about the veracity of the gospel accounts as historical documents.

< John 8 | Index | John 10 >

John 8 - Things the Father does for the Son

< John 7 | Index | John 9 >

John 8 is mostly a record of a conversation between Yahshua and groups of scribes and Pharisees. It's a rather lopsided exchange with lengthy explanations from him, in response to short questions and statements from them.

There is a great deal here for us to investigate and digest. So let's look at just one small aspect, the remarks Yahshua makes that highlight what the Father does for him. There are nine of these, we'll deal with them in three logical groups (not in the order they are given in the chapter).

As we look at these remarks, notice how they are true of all healthy parent/offspring relationships. In other words they are true for fathers towards their sons and daughters, and for mothers towards their sons and daughters. Since everyone reading this must be a father, mother, son, or daughter (and in many cases two of those things) everything Yahshua says about his Father can be applied to our own lives too. Think about that as you read.

The first group is about the Father's position in relation to the Son

• The Father sent him (verse 16) - Our children grow up and we send them out into the world to live their own lives. And although the Word was with the Almighty even before creation, he was sent into the world. And once here in bodily form he had to be born, feed on milk, wean, grow, learn to speak and walk, learn a trade, and prepare for his adult life. He was sent into the world to live as Elohim with us (Emmanu-El).
• The Father stands with him (verse 16) - How could he not stand with his Son? Everywhere the Son goes, the Father is too, they are inseparable (except for that awful time at the Place of the Skull). That is why Yahshua could say to the disciples, 'If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.'
• The Father is with him, he doesn't leave him alone (verse 29) - This is similar to the last point, yet subtly different. Standing is a passive thing, but when we are with someone we are not necessarily passive. I am certain that the Father and the Son are in constant conversation. And I know the conversation didn't stop while the Son was here on the earth. (See the next group of remarks.) Also, the Father's heart is for the Son.

The second group of remarks describes the Father's communication with the Son in more detail

• The Father speaks to him (verse 26) - This is the conversation mentioned above. A constant flow of sharing.
• The Father teaches him (verse 28) - Not only is there a conversation going on, but part of it is in some sense instructional. Yahshua often said that he only did what he saw the Father do.
• The Father shows him things (verse 38) - There's great joy in a parent showing things to a child. This is a pleasure all parents should experience, and something all children should enjoy. It remains true even when the child is an adult. The same pleasure and enjoyment are shared between the Father and the Son.

The third group is about the Father's approval of the Son

• The Father is pleased by the things his Son does (verse 29) - We all know the joy of being pleased with a child's achievements or knowing that a parent is pleased with us.
• The Father is his witness and testifies for him (verse 18) - What better or more reliable witness can a person have than their own parent? What a tragedy it is when a parent will not testify on behalf of their own child!
• The Father glorifies him (verse 54) - And in the end, the Father's purpose is to glorify the Son. This is one of those facts the Bible shares with us that shows the Father and the Son are co-equal. If the Father had precedence over all he would surely not glorify another, not even the Son. The Father crowns his Son with glory after glory.

< John 7 | Index | John 9 >

John 7 - Organism or organisation?

< John 6 | Index | John 8 >

Now we get to the root of things. John 7 describes how Yahshua goes up to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (an autumnal feast). It seems he remains there right through to the winter. At the Passover he will die and three days later he will rise again. Even in the autumn he is clearly aware the authorities are planning to kill him. He travels and arrives incognito (verse 10).

Halfway through the feast he went to the Temple and started teaching, amazing the scribes and Pharisees by his knowledge (verses 14-15). Slowly it dawned on people that this really was the man the authorities had wanted to kill. But because he was teaching openly and they'd done nothing to him, the crowd began to wonder if the authorities were now convinced he was the Messiah. (verses 25-26).

They believed that when the Messiah came, nobody would know where he came from. Yahshua was known to come from Nazareth in Galilee, so this ruled him out. Knowing what they were thinking he said, 'Yes, you know where I'm from. But the One who sent me is true. You don't know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.' (verses 27-29) They knew where he was from (Nazareth) yet they didn't know where he was from (heaven). We are all too capable of making similar mistakes. In very many cases, church is run as a earthly organisation, not a heavenly organism. Our rules tend to be about structures, Father's rules are always about life. What a contrast!

Chapter 7 of John reveals the Son living according to everything the Father shows him in the moment. And it also shows religious authority trying to impose 'correct' structure and behaviour. As Yahshua told them clearly, 'My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.' (verse 16)

And they tried to arrest him but no-one took hold of him. Four times in the space of a few seconds he has used the phrase 'I am'. That is almost certainly what enraged them. They tried to take him, but the crowd was dense, many had put their faith in him and nobody in the crowd would take hold of him and hand him over. How infuriating!

'I am' might sound like an inoffensive phrase, but it sounds very similar to the name of the Most High, Yahweh or Jehovah. It was probably pronounced something like 'Yah-Veh'. To the Jewish authorities it was an affront of the worst kind, he had uttered the name of the Most High, the name that must not be spoken except once a year by the High Priest inside the Holy of Holies. This was an outrage. To this day devout Jews say 'Ha-Shem' instead of 'Yah-Veh'. Ha-Shem simply means 'the Name'. To see this outrage in action again later, read John 8:58-59, John 18:4-6 and Mark 14:61-64 (if the name was uttered in his presence, the High Priest was required to tear his robes).

The important thing for us to understand is that earthly rules don't apply to Yahshua because he comes from the Father. He does not live according to the world but according to heaven. He was not playing by the rules laid down by the Jewish authorities, he was playing by the rules laid down by his Father. Suppose that a rugby team and a cricket team decided to play a match. Would it work? No! It would be chaos, everyone would be confused. Even the referee and the umpire would be at a total loss.

We, as Yahshua's followers, have to play by his rules, not by the world's rules. This has a massive impact on our daily lives (or at least, it should). Church is a living organism (the body, the Bride) not an organisation. Christ died so that we might have life - not structure! He gave us one way, love, not law. He came to make us free, not so that we could tie one another down with dos and don'ts. A living rose can grow and reproduce with no effort on our part, a paper rose cannot. Praise him!

< John 6 | Index | John 8 >

Eaton Ford (day) - Purgatory?

Roger mentioned the 'Ship of Fools' website and recommended the 'Purgatory' discussion. I took a look at this after the meeting but didn't have time to explore it thoroughly. However, I was much more interested to learn that Roger and Ruth have been trying Church of Two (CO2) and glad that they seem to be enjoying it and finding it useful.

The three of us (Paul, Roger and I) ran through CO2 together. One of the things that was much on our minds, of course, was the recent earthquake in Haiti.

I agreed to send some CO2 literature to both Roger and Paul to help them understand the process better and also to pass on to others they may be interested in teaching it to.

We prayed for some of our friends and spent some time chatting, finishing off with a very fine chip shop meal.

Organic Church - What is it? What isn't it?

A discussion about the meaning of the term 'organic church' has broken out online and I thought it would be useful to summarise it here and provide links to some of the sources. We use various phrases to describe the nature of the life we lead and the meetings we have. House church, small church, gathering, organic church, home group, cell, small group are all terms I've seen or heard. There are probably others.

Whatever term we use, most of us are probably thinking of a life that is Christ centred and involves meeting with others who have the same focus. Additionally we may (or may not) be thinking in terms of a movement.

Taken together, the items below cover this debate pretty well. If you have time to read only one, read Frank Viola's contribution. It's a great statement and analysis and I agree with every word. Thanks Frank!

If you are aware of other items we could add to this list send the link as a comment and I'll add it in if it seems useful.

Chris Jefferies blog post - This was published before the discussion began, but it covers aspects of movements that are relevant to the debate.

Mark Galli's article - The debate began with this article in Christianity Today. Mark sees organic church as another movement that will eventually crash like other movements in church history.

Neil Cole's response - Neil explains that, for him, it's not about success or failure but about being Christ-centred every day.

Bill Heroman's blog post - Bill's humourous response suggests that death is part of life. He has a good point.

Chris Jefferies blog post - This item tries to draw further attention to the debate, and particularly to Neil's response.

Frank Viola's response - Here Frank provides a cogent and well-written definition of what is and is not organic church.

Mike Morrell's comments - Mike provides some comments on the discussion so far, adding more thoughts on the way.

Mike posts again - Some more of his own thoughts and experiences on organic church.

Related material

Henry Drummond - Writing in the late 19th century, Henry Drummond is best known today for his essay on love, The Greatest Thing in the World. But he wrote other works too. One of these, Natural Law in the Spiritual World identifies some of the striking parallels between the natural world and the spiritual world. You can read the whole thing online, but regarding organic spiritual life see especially the chapter on Growth.

Theodore Austin-Sparks - Possibly the originator of the term 'organic church'. See these items in particular.

Other relevant authors - Watchman Nee, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Communio Sanctorum, Letters and Papers from Prison)

John 6 - With him or without him?

< John 5 | Index | John 7 >

John 6 is another very rich chapter. Which part should I choose? To tackle the entire chapter would need a lot more space than a blog post! There's the feeding of the five thousand (verses 1-15), the events on the lake (verses 16-24), Yahshua's discussion about eating the living bread from heaven (verses 25-59), and the loss of many followers as a result (verses 60-71). These events are connected and most of them involve eating.

I'm going to focus on the section about the lake (the Sea of Galilee). The disciples acted much the way we do ourselves, there's a valuable lesson for us here in Kingdom living. The twelve disciples had seen the five loaves and the twelve baskets of pieces that were left, but what happens next?

Yahshua heads off alone into the mountains, the disciples get into a boat and set out to cross the lake without him. (Matthew and Mark describe events slightly differently, Yahshua tells them to go ahead on their own. But this doesn't alter the principle that when we do it alone we are likely to find it hard going.)

A strong wind blows up and the waves rise higher, not only that, the wind must be in the wrong direction because they row for three miles or more. To add to their troubles it's now dark. Have you ever felt like that? Life seems such hard work, progress is a struggle, you can't see where you're going, and the Lord is not with you. Do you know that feeling? Are you going through a patch like that right now? We've all been there!

At last they see Yahshua coming towards them. This would normally be great, but he's walking on the water and they are just petrified! How would you cope with this? How would I? On the beach we'd probably have a screaming fit and run away inland, but the twelve are in a small boat bobbing on a heavy sea with a strong wind blowing in the wrong direction. There's nowhere to go, except over the side of the boat!

In Matthew's account this is exactly what Peter does. Yahshua called to them, 'Courage! It's me, don't be afraid.' And Peter, do-it-first-and-think-later Peter replied, 'If it's you, Lord, tell me to walk out to meet you'.

And notice what happens next. He gets into the boat with them and immediately they arrive at their destination.

What a contrast! Without him, instead of sailing they had to row against the wind. But with him, they arrived immediately.

I don't think I need to spell the lesson out, it's obvious to all of us. So when you embark on any course of action do you think you'll be better off with Yahshua on board, or would you prefer to do it all yourself leaving him behind?

< John 5 | Index | John 7 >

Eaton Ford - Church, life, homelessness

Sean and I met at 20:00 as usual, Jim joined us later as he had another meeting first. We began by talking about church and whether it's better to have small groups networking with one another or larger groups. We couldn't see any reason to change what we're doing, but felt we might benefit from stronger (but informal) links between groups. We also discussed the Moggerhanger meeting on 7th February and Peter Farmer's meeting in Nottingham on 12th.

Next we considered life in Christ as a process. We begin to change long before we commit ourselves to follow him, and after that point we continue to grow in knowledge and grace. It's not true to think of people remaining static apart from a step change at the point when they first believe. So we felt we should get too hooked up on the idea of getting a person 'saved', but rather do our best to meet them where they are now.

We wondered about ways of helping the homeless. Jim told us that he is thinking and praying about doing something for homeless people next Christmas.

We went through CO2 together as a threesome (if that's not a contradiction in terms). Once again we found this to be a useful way of going a bit deeper with one another and it was good to hear how we feel the Lord is leading us individually.

A phrase that was mentioned was, 'Church is built on people who denied Jesus', Certainly true for Peter, and true for Paul as well - he persecuted Jesus' followers.

Jim prophesied, 'He'll give you extra strength, you'll be surprised by how much strength he will give you'. That's quite a promise!

John 5 - Learning from Dad

< John 4 | Index | John 6 >

In John 5 we have an amazing catalogue of right and wrong ways to see things. This is important because seeing things the right way provides an opportunity for life while seeing the same things in the wrong way leads to death.

The chapter begins with the healing of an invalid. Two factors are significant. First, the invalid had been regularly and patiently trying to follow an accepted approach to healing, but Yahshua chose a much simpler way. And secondly, the healing was performed illegally because it took place on Shabbat, the day of rest. It seems that the traditional and legal ways were completely ineffective. But Yahshua's novel and illegal way was entirely and immediately effective!

Yahshua had a conversation with 'the Jews' about this. The term 'the Jews' normally means the scribes, Temple priests, Pharisees, Saducees, and probably other groups like the Essenes. These groups didn't agree on everything, but they certainly agreed that true authority was to be found somewhere in their teachings about the Law and in all the traditions and regulations they had built around the Law.

With that in mind, lets look at some of things he said to them.

John 5:17 - We are disciples, or perhaps the word apprentices describes it better in modern English. And in a sense, Yahshua himself was the first apprentice. He learned the skills of working in wood from Joseph just as any boy in Galilee would have learned the family trade at that time. And being an apprentice meant living and working with the master craftsman in the family home. Usually, the master craftsman would also have been the apprentice's father. So it was natural for Yahshua to have the same relationship with his heavenly Father, doing what an apprentice does, watching Dad at work and learning by copying. So Yahshua told them, 'My Father's always doing his work even today, and I'm working too.' And what was today? It was Shabbat, the Holy Sabbath day of rest. No wonder they're angry! Not only is he saying he's the Son of the Most High (they already know that's what he's alluding to), he's also saying, 'The Almighty works on Shabbat so I do too.'

John 5:19 - Here's a perfect description of family at work, apprenticeship at its best, the Father and the Son in unison, the Son following the Father's lead.

John 5:20-23 - It doesn't get much clearer than this! The Father loves the Son (as indeed any good father does). And he shows him what? Just the beginner's tasks? Everything but the really important stuff? No! He shows him everything! He even gives the Son the choice of who shall live, and he gives him responsibility for judging people. Why? So that the Son will get the same honour as the Father. And now he tells them to their face, 'If you don't honour me, you don't honour the Father either.' Ouch!

John 5:24-27 - But it gets worse for these Jewish authorities. Now Yahshua tells them that anyone who listens to him and believes his Father, already has eternal life, won't be condemned, and has crossed over from death to life. He tells them that even the dead will hear, that the Son is judge. They began by judging him for working on Shabbat - now he says he is going judge them!

So you see, this really is a matter of life and death whether those Jewish leaders thought so or not. We need to understand that Yahshua (Jesus) is who he claimed to be - the Son of the Most High. We need to understand that he has the power and authority to judge us, and that we have already crossed over from death to life if we hear him and believe. It makes a difference!

< John 4 | Index | John 6 >

REVIEW - Organic Church, how long will it last?

Neil Cole has just published 'Long Live the Organic Church: A Response', a short article in Christianity Today. It's well worth reading. (And see also a fine post by Bill Heroman.)

In particular, Neil reminds us that we shouldn't 'live for success, but to follow Christ every day'. We need to be planting seeds that will grow and bear fruit for the future, not building structures that look alive but are not. A fossilised seed might look pretty much the same as a living seed, but plant them both, water them in, and wait... eventually you will see the difference!

Father's purpose and plan for each of us is a living seed, bursting with potential. This is what it means to have a heart of flesh. My own personal purpose and plan would be a mere fossil, a heart of stone. He has given me a heart of flesh in place of my original one of stone. Now I must use it in loving obedience - his plan not mine.

Neil quotes Bob Logan who said, 'Success is finding out what God wants you to do and doing it.'

Here's an extract from Neil's article. If you like what you see click through and read the whole thing, it's only two pages. It's also worth reading Mark Galli's earlier article to which Neil Cole is responding.

If we truly saturate our society with vital followers of Christ capable of making disciples, the world will change. I believe that simply connecting God's children to their spiritual Father in such a way that they listen to his voice and courageously follow his lead will transform society in broader, more holistic, and longer lasting ways than anything else we try.

The change, however, will not be for every generation. In fact, it could very well be that our most serious problems are caused by thinking the decisions we make today will be permanent. We end up establishing methods without the people hearing from God themselves and making their own choices. The result is a lifeless religious institution.

Homer Simpson once said, "I guess people never really change; or, they quickly change and then quickly change back again." In a real sense, all transformation is only momentary. There is a reason for this: We are called to live in the moment. Love is the fulfillment of all righteousness and it is always a choice. We are to love God with our whole being … every day. Who you are is really a lifetime of decisions made in specific moments, which make up the person you see in the mirror. God wants us to choose him every moment of every day, not just once at a middle-school retreat campfire.

Each generation must face its own tests and make its own choices. Our children do not become Christians because we choose to follow Christ, but because they do. If they are only living out the choices of their parents, their faith is not true and will remain fruitless religious conformity. This is also true for religious organizations.

John 4 - Jacob's Well

< John 3 | Index | John 5 >

John 4 contains some extraordinary details!

From time to time people realised who Yahshua truly is. He's not just a wise teacher, a generous judge, or a great prophet (though he is all of those things). But he is the Messiah, the Son of the Most High, the Promised One sent from Heaven by the Almighty himself! He is an awesome person, the One the ages have been waiting for, the very turning point of history.

But in Galilee or Judaea, almost every time someone realised the truth Yahshua told them to keep quiet about it, to tell no-one. And rarely, if ever, did he volunteer the information. But here, in Samaria of all places, to a woman, without the presence of the twelve, to a person living a sinful life - he actually spells it out. Doesn't that seem a little strange?

He spills his great and most precious secret to the lowest kind of person (in legalistic Jewish eyes). Even the disciples are puzzled, just think what the Scribes and Pharisees would have made of this!

Why did he do it?

Perhaps the simple truth is that Yahshua is not looking for holy people. He is not looking for achievement, but for obedience. And he knows what is in a person's heart.

Picture the scene. It was the sixth hour, in other words midday. The sun was at its highest and hottest, shade was hard to find, the road was dusty, they've been travelling since dawn and are tired, thirsty, and hungry. The twelve have gone to find something to eat and drink. Yahshua sits here in the dusty heat alone beside the well, Jacob's Well. Perhaps he's thinking about the passage in Genesis where his ancestor Jacob is at a similar well in another foreign land at around midday. The sheep couldn't be watered until they were all gathered and the heavy covering stone was rolled away from the mouth of the well.

That he thought about this is speculation of course, but it's possible. Perhaps it's even quite likely.

Here he is in a foreign (and despised) land. The people who live here are also distant relatives sharing the same ancestors. Yahshua has come for the gathering of his own flocks, and like Jacob he has come to roll away the stone that blocks the mouth of the well so that the sheep can be watered. And here comes a woman to draw water much as Rachel must have done all those centuries before.

So he asks her for a drink, knowing already that this is a conversation the Father wants him to have. And in the conversation about living and eternal water, a heavy metaphorical stone is partly rolled away in the Samaritan woman's heart. He finally tells her who he is, the stone falls aside, her understanding becomes clear, and she leaves her jar to run back to town to tell everyone. She tells them all, they spend some time with the Master, and many of them believe.

Nothing in the Bible is there by mistake. This despised, foreign, sinful woman has a place in John's Gospel for a reason. She is there to inspire us and encourage us. Yahshua's gift of life and his promise of an endless supply of living water is for all people of any status in any land. It's for those leading sinful lives. It's for those who are despised. It is for you and for me - HalleluYah!

< John 3 | Index | John 5 >

John 3 - you must be born again

< John 2 | Index | John 4 >

How do people come to believe in Yahshua (Jesus)? What is the process? John 3 provides an example and Yahshua's unexpected response.

Nicodemus was a Jewish leader, a member of the Governing Council (the Sanhedrin), the ultimate religious and civil power under the Romans themselves. To bring this into perspective, imagine Nicodemus as an archbishop and a cabinet minister rolled into one. This religious and political heavyweight came to see Yahshua already convinced that he came from the Almighty. Not every member of the Sanhedrin would have agreed, but for Nicodemus the miracles were sufficient evidence. He knew this man was sent, perhaps a great prophet, maybe even the Messiah, but he wasn't yet thinking in terms of the Son of the Most High. This would have been a very difficult concept and wouldn't have occured to Nicodemus.

So what did Yahshua say to him? 'You must be born again. This time not of water, but of the Spirit.' Nicodemus must have thought, 'Uh?'

So the Lord explained in more detail. An outpouring of water from the womb is part of the process of natural birth by which a person enters this world. But there's a second birth and part of that process is an outpouring of the Spirit. In neither case are we talking about a negligible amount. In both cases there's a sudden flow where before there had been nothing.

Without this 'second birth', it's not possible even to see the Almighty's Kingdom.

Of course Nicodemus still doesn't get it, Yahshua is speaking mysteries here. Until the time of Pentecost it will remain a mystery even to the twelve disciples. Nonetheless, Nicodemus believed this Yahshua was someone special, a great teacher. He became a follower (see John 7:45-53 and John 19:38-42).

'How can this be?' he asks again.

Yahshua replies, 'You're Israel's Teacher, don't you understand these things?'

This hints at Nicodemus' status, perhaps he had a special responsibility for interpreting and teaching the ancient scriptures. If he can't understand, nobody can!

And then Yahshua points him to a scriptural analogy that Nicodemus does understand. Read Numbers 21:4-9, then John 3:13-21. Do you see the parallel? This would have made some sense to Nicodemus and he surely would have remembered it later after the crucifixion and resurrection.

What was the key for the bronze snake to be effective to save life? The poisoned person must look at the snake, must see the snake. And so with the Messiah, if he is to be effective you must look at him, you must see him, you must understand who he truly is and know that in seeing and believing you have recieved eternal life.

< John 2 | Index | John 4 >

Colworth (CU) - The Good Samaritan

Nothing had been arranged for today's meeting, so we met and chatted for a while. We talked about the way we feel when we see something wrong - a car in the ditch, somebody lying on the ground. Normally we slow down, but we may be past the incident before we have decided what to do. If there are other people already helping we may just continue on our way, especially if there are official helpers present - the police, an ambulance etc.

But if we're first on the scene, how do we react? Obviously we need to investigate and offer help if we can. But what if we see a beggar asking for money, or a man hitting a child? We know what we should do, but what would we actually do?

This led us on to read the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) which we discussed before finishing with prayer.

John 2 - at the right time

< John 1 | Index | John 3 >

Everyone knows of the wedding in the village of Cana near the Sea of Galilee and the water into wine event. There's not much left at Cana now, just some remains of walls in a field at best (even the precise location is uncertain).

There's a great deal in this rich chapter (John 2) that we could discuss, but for me one of the significant features is hidden away in this business of water and wine. Notice in verse 4 how Yahshua tells his mother, rather brusquely, 'What's it got to do with me, woman? My time hasn't come yet'. Yet just a short time later he's telling the servants what to do and the water they draw is wine when it is poured out.

What's going on? Why does he say one thing but do another? This is not the only example. When his brothers were going to the feast in Jerusalem and invited him to join them he told them, 'No, my time has not come'. But as soon as they had left, he too set out for the city! (John 7:1-10) Why?

Perhaps the answer is that Yahshua, when he was here in the world in a human body, did literally what he later explained to his critics, 'I only do what I see the Father do' (John 5:19). So look at it like this...

Mary - 'They're going to be embarrassed, they've run out of wine.'

The Father - 'It's not your time yet, Son.'

Yahshua - 'It's not my problem, my time hasn't come yet.'

Mary (to the servants) - 'Just do whatever he tells you.'

The Father - 'Now is the time, my Son.'

Yahshua - 'Go and fill those pitchers with water. Then draw some out and take it to the MC.'

I think that really is how the Lord lived his life day by day. He did and said what his Father showed him and told him, moment by moment. And that is how he wants us to live too. He sent the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Christ) as a permanent advocate and comforter for all his people. If we are listening we will hear, if we are looking we will see.

There was a short time when the Father stopped speaking to Yahshua, and he cried out in a loud and desperate voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, why have you forsaken me?' (Mark 15:33-34) But that was a unique occasion. He has not (and never will) forsake his followers on the earth today.

< John 1 | Index | John 3 >

John 1 - the Word

< No earlier chapters | Index | John 2 >

River Church in St Neots is studying a chapter of John's Gospel each day beginning today, January 10th. As John has twenty-one chapters the process will finish on the last day of January. Rob McFarlane is planning to post a blog entry every day with some thoughts on the chapter. I thought I'd like to do the same thing because it's a really great idea.

Here's Rob's post on John 1. And here's mine...

First, a general comment. John's Gospel (and indeed every book in the Bible) is rich with depths of meaning. There are superficial things that everyone will see right away, and there are also deep things that are more difficult to dig out. But we each have our own personal approach to the book too, so to some degree each reader has a unique understanding of the content. What follows is just a note on what stood out as I read today - nothing more and nothing less.

I was deeply struck by the reminder that Yahshua (Jesus) is the voice of the Almighty. He is not his own voice, he is his Father's voice. He is the Word and was there right at the start (verse 1-2). Once, in discussion with some Pharisees about the washing of cups, Yahshua said that it's not what goes into a person's mouth that makes them unclean, but what comes out. It's not whether we drink from ritually clean cups or not, it's what comes out, what we say, because the source behind the words is contained in our hearts (Mark 7:1-23).

Yahshua is the Word spoken into the world by the Almighty. And the Father's heart is clean and holy, therefore so is the Word that he speaks. And 'the Word became human and lived among us' (John 1:14).

This is so awesome that we struggle to grasp the significance of it! Imagine if the Queen came to live in your home for the rest of her life; left Buckingham Palace, rang your doorbell, and came in to share your family home. How would you feel about that?

The King of the Universe came to live amongst us! How awesome is that! One of the first things he did on arrival here was to call people to follow him. He still does that. He still wants us to follow. But first we need to understand who he really is. If you want to know more about all of that read the rest of John 1.

< No earlier chapters | Index | John 2 >

St Neots - lunch at Barretts

Today we met for coffee and lunch at Barretts in St Neots. It was refreshingly different to sit together at a table surrounded by the buzz of shoppers stopping for a cuppa or a quick lunch before dashing back to the bargains again. We were in no such rush, Paul and I arrived first and then Roger joined us. We had a leisurely coffee followed by an equally leisurely light lunch, and then stayed at our table to talk and pray.

We shared news about the many friends we regularly pray for and we also tried out something else. Paul and I are already doing Church of Two (CO2) together daily, but this time we were able to include Roger as well.

This was a good experience as always, it helps us to express things that otherwise might remain unsaid. Not that we would deliberately hide our feelings from one another, but just because the simple VIRKLER process gives us a good set of hooks to hang things on.

Brampton - Heal Our Land

It was wonderful to meet with Jim and Sean again after a bit of a break. This time we met at Sean's which worked out really well.

Jim told us about The Awakening, a period of 21 days during which the plan is to read John's Gospel and spend time in prayer. He also mentioned that Rob McFarlane of River Church is posting his thoughts on John daily.

I talked again about Church of Two (CO2) and we gave it a try there and then, maybe we'll do this on Thursdays for a while and see whether it's useful in this form. I enjoyed our first trial and imagine it will help us grow deeper in relationship as well as helping us hear the Spirit's direction for our lives week by week.

Sean wondered what would be the next thing to hit the UK. We're currently struggling with a difficult winter, we had the recession, there seem to have been a string of problems in recent years, society is damaged or broken in so many ways. Sean senses there may be trouble ahead and that something big is coming, perhaps something oppressive and perhaps especially so for the church. I think he may be right.

Jim reminded us of the 'Heal our Land' event taking place in the UK during 2010. It's using a version of Jimmy and Carole Owens' musical 'Heal Our Land' as a way of focusing the church's attention and prayer on the current state of Britain and reaching out to those around us with the gospel message of hope and love. As he was sharing these thoughts, Jim had a picture of a flashy,, polished Mercedes. Inside were two people who appeared almost dead. They had the trappings of a good life but were withered. We need to look away from the world and look instead towards eternity.

Jim went on to remind us of Hosea's story. He fell in love with a beautiful young woman and they were married. She later left him and became a prostitute. One day, when he was in the town market, Hosea saw his wife on sale as a slave. He paid a heavy price for her and took her back home. This is how the Lord feels about his people, he was prepared to pay a heavy price to get us back. He has shown how much he cares about us.

We all went on to discuss a little more about the course of history and where we are now headed. Where is history taking us? And more importantly, where is Yahweh taking us?

We also considered Esther who was 'here for a time such as this'. She had a particular function and responsibility in the Almighty's plan. So do we. We, too, are 'here for a time such as this'. We need to fulfill that purpose as the Lord unfolds it for us.

Colworth (CU) - Our calling

Steph Whitney led the meeting today. She had prepared some material on various aspects of our personal calling. She explained that she and Ron are part of a small group that meets regularly at home, for prayer, Bible study, and to be led and guided by the Holy Spirit. Steph based today's session around a series of Bible verses and short extracts.

Hebrews 3:1, Ephesians 1:18, 2 Timothy 1:9, and 2 Thessalonians 1:11 explain that our calling is something that we need to discover. I believe this is true, and for me these verses speak powerfully about the fact that we have been called out of darkness into Jesus who is the light of the world.

We thought about the fact that we need to be faithful to the Lord, we need to be worthy and fulfill all that he has for us. Our hearts need enlightening. There are practical aspects to this as well, for example finding a framework for Bible study that is right for us.

1 Peter 2:9 shows us that it's about sharing in a group, not just an individual matter. We are part of a priesthood, we are part of a holy nation. And it's not merely up to us (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, 2 Peter 1:1-11).

ANNOUNCEMENT - Moggerhanger Meeting - 7th February 2010

Hi everyone, here's a date for your diaries - 7th February 2010 for a regional gathering at Moggerhanger near Bedford. Come and join us for fun, a shared lunch, invited speakers, and more.

We plan to meet at 13:30 for a snowdrop walk in the woodlands at Moggerhanger Park followed at 14:00 with a light but warming lunch in the old house. It will be something like jacket potatoes and a choice of fillings, more details nearer the time.

After lunch we have some invited guests who will share about events in a wider context. These will be short sessions of no more than 20 minutes each.

• Peter Farmer from Nottingham has been invited to speak about organic church networks and church planting movements in the UK.
• Someone from South-West England may be coming to tell us about church planting and growth in that region.
• I will describe our experiences with the Church of Two (CO2) concept in and around St Neots.
• We hope to hear about the work of X-treme Youth Camps in north-Bedfordshire. 

There will also be an open time for prayer, praise, and body ministry, as well as an opportunity for open discussion and a Q and A session with the invited guests.

There is no charge for attending, but to help with catering please let me know if you are coming, how many adults and children are in your party, and whether any of you have special dietary needs. There will be an opportunity to donate to the work of Moggerhanger Park if you wish to do so.

More details in mid January,

Grace, peace and joy to you all in the new year,

Chris Jefferies
chris@scilla.org.uk

124 St Neots Road
Eaton Ford
St Neots
Cambs
PE19 7AL