Category Archives: REVIVAL

May 14 2013
1 Comment
Bible, Christianity, dreams, Faith, Heaven, Jesus, Prayer, REVIVAL, Worship

Dream Of A Coming Revival

Anyone who knows my wife Zoe well will know over the years she has a great prophetic gift in dreams, really insightful and occasionally scary! The wonderful thing is how they come true in detail. It’s no exaggeration to say that every major move in our life has been foretold in a dream she’s documented.

So the other night she had a dream – about a move of GOD that’s coming our way. This ties in with an increasing excitement I have been feeling, many reporting a palpable sense of the presence of God last Sunday in our service at Kingsway, a number of miraculous answers to prayer here at Ivy recently, one of our sites (the new one at Ivy Sharston) getting over 100 new people turn up last week; and reports from various sites I’m connected to of outpourings in various churches (especially that at my friend Richard Taylor’s church in Wales). It seems the spiritual temperature is being turned up! 

Here’s Zoe’s dream, from her notes. The bits in brackets are my explanatory notes.

I was with a few others (women friends/prayer partners) were in an upstairs room – when a storm was coming up outside. I told someone there how bad it looked but they weren’t at all worried by the storm (this was one of the friends who’s a mighty woman of God who has lived through revival when she was in Brazil). 


 

The sea was swelling and then a huge, enormous wave came up, not like a tidal wave – instead it was like the whole of the sea, came flooding in with tremendous force.

 wave

It flooded everywhere below us. The house shook but still my friend was not phased by it at all. 

 

When all went quiet I went and looked outside. Everywhere looked beautiful, as though the wave had washed everything and made it brighter. The shore was clean, not trashed like you’d expect after a storm.

 

I asked the person with me to cut my fringe so I could see properly. 


 

We went down to the shore which was now full of fishing boats laden with fish. An abundance! Fish of all shapes and sizes. I’d never seen so many or such variety before it was amazing.

 

There were so many that the cost of food went down and even the poor could eat well.

 

Also beautiful creatures came out of the sea, including sea lions. I showed others there that the sea lions were friendly/tame, even though they tried to bite their teeth did not puncture my skin. I held and cared for a ragged brown one.

 

Others helped at other boats, because there were so many fish. Some of the boats had landed sharks in them but no one seemed to be afraid.

 

I asked if Kohl my Grandson would see this and was told, “Yes he will – and he’ll see even more!”

 

 

Zoe says, ‘My interpretation is…

 

There’s a move of God coming that will come with all the force and power of heaven. This is not just going to crash in one area but to sweep over a vast area.

 

It will come shaking ministries. God is very much in control of it.

 

It will cleanse our land, renewing and refreshing it.

 

The Holy Spirit will clean the dirty and remove the rubbish from people’s lives.

 

Thousands will be saved, people of all different backgrounds, races, colours and creeds.

 

Cutting my hair so I can see better is obvious. (Anthony’s note; hair in dreams is often a sign of knowledge or wisdom, so here human ‘knowledge’ can get in the way of spiritual revelation).

 

The poor will eat well – obvious too!

 

God’s people will not be afraid of the creatures that bite (spiritual attack? People who seem far away from God we’re scared of?).

 

We will nurture all those who come to Christ and encourage them in all compassion and humility.

 

People that were seen as dangerous and the enemy, including many criminals and drug dealers etc. will be ‘caught’ too – and born again.

 

What do you think? I’ve never had such a hard time trying to post a blog post on WordPress. Someone doesn’t want us to get too EXCITED! Are you ready for the MOVE? Spread the word!

Let’s pray – ‘Lord, send the wave!’

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Jul 06 2012
Church, REVIVAL

Graham Cooke – BRILLIANT THINKING: Leader’s evening at Ivy Manchester

GREAT start to our time this weekend, Graham spoke BRILLIANTLY about thinking BRILLIANT. Tomorrow at the Armitage Centre we’ll hear more. Excited to partner with our friends from Christ Church Harpurhey and Vinelife,

It’s not too late to book in – here.

Here’s my notes from tonight…

Around 25 years ago had 3 dreams:

1) a grey man in an old car was showing him round the grey city pointing out all the sin and problems in people, with a grey attitude. Depressing!

Dream 2 – grey man in slightly better grey car saying, ‘We are doing courses to help them’ – that was even more depressing.

Dream 3 – Bright young guy in a bright car, shouting encouragement that told them who they really were and it CHANGED the people! ‘This is how I see you – you’re going to be doing this!’ The city changed!

The church has an old vehicle being driven by an old man. The old man is the old man that was put on Jesus. We don’t need to do that.

God isn’t focused on the old man. He’s not focused on sin. Rom 6 – consider yourself DEAD to sin. His focus now is on RIGHTEOUSNESS, and now he’s only dealing with the new nature.

The OLD self is DEAD.
Speak and live out of the new nature. The old nature is buried! God’s not asking you to go grave robbing.

Jesus appeared to him in a dream saying, ‘Give me back my stuff!’
All that belongs to me- your fear, insecurity, sin – you’re stealing my stuff.

It’s not who you are. I can’t give you this, if you’re holding onto that.
God’s not asking us to work on it but to lay aside the old stuff. Put on the new man! Don’t babysit a corpse.

You don’t have to work that through – you have to lay it aside.

The problem in lots of churches is that everyone’s working on their stuff instead of rising up to be who they are.

2 Cor 5:17. If it’s true that Jesus didn’t just die for us but AS us, so you’re crucified with Christ. Then when you sin, you’re defaulting not to an old nature but a type of behaviour that hasn’t been replaced with something from the new nature?

Consider yourself DEAD to that.
The antidote to THAT is THIS being developed.

Transformation comes with the RENEWING of the mind. Working on my new self. My real self, in community with others who are doing the same.
It’s about learning how to be a REDEEMED community in a RECONCILED society. Because he is NOT holding their sins against them. He already put it on Jesus! So now the way is open for everyone to come for a taste of what they are really like. Enjoying our new nature! We don’t have any hang ups. We’re too busy being favoured, so nobody’s safe from a blessing, because we’re bringing you the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is a new man in a new vehicle.

When you deal with the old nature you have to do that for a long long time.
When God deals with the new nature he can give you a brilliant thought and if you think like Him and think about ourselves the way he thinks about us, that change can take place straight away.

When God looks at you, he sees nothing wrong with you – just what’s missing from your present experience of you and invites you to experience a miracle in that place.

When God comes, he always comes with a gift.
He says ‘That belongs to me…
and THIS belongs to you…’
New for old.

It’s easy to be prophetic when you know its new for old. He’s always going to take that old struggle and give you his new thing.

We all now people who say they’re speaking the truth in love but aren’t. Because they are just saying what’s True.
What’s true will put you in chains. The truth sets you free.
The truth calls people UP, not OUT.
It says,‘You don’t need to be like that – because this is who you are…’

‘You have an image problem? I don’t – because I see the image of God in you.’

You have a choice now, I can carry on that way or see who I am now. My true self.

We need to practise this in our communities in church and take it out so people discover who they are and what God wants to be for them. The fruit of the Spirit is more powerful than the gifts. Because it’s BEING not just DOING. The best sign and wonder is not a miraculous healing but people seeing you enjoying being loved by him. John 17. Develop loving communities that discover who they are in Christ and behave accordingly. Tell people, ‘This is who you are. You’re brilliant! Stay brilliant!’

We need a radiant idea of God and ourselves. I celebrate who he is.
I like myself then.

And then I see people differently, pray for them differently. And it’s the goodness and kindness of God that brings you to repentance.

Repentance = ‘What you’ve thought brings you to a place you don’t like? Think again.’

Our message?
Now you’re reconciled to God, he sees you different than you think. Start to think like Him.

Transformation is in the air, and it starts with ME.

Apostolic communities always think ‘ME FIRST.’ Let it be in me first. Our role is to be the beloved and let people see how much we’re loved. Everyone’s vulnerable to that!

Every one of us is known in heaven already.

cf. John the Baptist – not even known yet, but an angel comes along and prophesies who he’s going to be and how he’s known in heaven. God is going to release that identity, no just through prophecy but through scripture.

God told him to JUST read and study Ps 91., and keep on doing that. He did it for months. ‘For where I want to take you, I need you to live in Ps 91. This is your inheritance word.’ It’s all about warfare.

God does scripture different than us. He didn’t write it in a year, he doesn’t expect us to read it in a year. He wants us to find our inheritance in it.

Like Jesus did, when he read the ‘wrong’ scripture for the day, Isaiah 61. He says, ‘This is who I am and this is what I’m about.’ You know when you get a word like that. Every promise there is for you. Everything they had, you can have. How many of us have had experiences of scripture where it’s come over us and we’ve gone ‘Oh wow that’s me!’ Lay that alongside that scripture. You have permission to have that promise. You have permission to be that person.

Write it out and read it out to the Lord, saying ‘I accept this upgrade in my identity.’ Because his resources are not tied to your behaviour but your inheritance. It’s not just about getting your needs met. That’s the baby end.

It’s to do with the inheritance. How God sees us. Your identity has glory, power, authority attached to it because he doesn’t do things by half. He sees us so differently. We get to declare, ‘This is who I am! I agree with God!’

Q. So how do we transition away from a Pastor/teacher foundation of church?

That foundation is not able to bear the weight of what God wants to build.
The apostle/prophet is the foundation.
There is no equality there. We’re equal in the sense of being loved, but not power.
teaching ministries go best with a prophet as best friend. You need partnership at all levels.
The apostolic and prophetic need to partner with pastoral ministry. Otherwise you have a ‘present/past’ pastoral ministry, that never moves on to future/ transformation.

Jesus has planned a transformational moment for us that can do 5 years work in 5 minutes! That’s why you need the prophetic and pastoral in there too.

Evangelists need to work with apostles and prophets. Because apostles and prophets are always trying to walk around the old stuff that’s in place, and because some apostles aren’t really they’re just freaky – and you have to pay to be their friend? Really!? Apostles produce sons, not associates.

I believe more in apostolic cities than apostolic networks.

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May 30 2012
Bible, Christianity, Church, Discipleship, Failure, Faith, history, Holy Spirit, Jesus, justice, leadership, Prayer, Religion, REVIVAL, Theology

@AlanHirsch – ReOrganise at #NWNLC12

Alan lives very near Azusa Street, where the Holy Spirit came up many very marginalised people, which went on to be a movement that changed the world. Jesus is the friend of the outcast and the sinners!

What practices stop the people of God being the people of God? Christianity got into China from Europe, and there were 2 million Christians, until Mao Tse Tung obliterated it. How? Threw out the leaders etc. Except for peasant people who were forced to rediscover themselves.

Compare that phenomenon with that of the early church. We have to ask, what am I doing that God has to take people like us out – to get what he wants done, done?

Don’t create systems that create dependences.

Go with the flow of what God wants done in us. He has what it takes. And he has given us agency!

We need to receive the gift of repentance, be immediately forgiven – then change our behaviours.

Rodney Stark & Roger Fink described how Methodism in the USA grew like mad, then plateaued – then dropped off a cliff.

It started with the Methodist circuit riders blazing trails. Radical pioneers.

Then they took them out and got them to study Latin, Greek and Hebrew, domesticated them.

And have been in decline ever since.

If it takes seven years to train in CofE as a leader – you have over-complicated it.

Our methodology is blocking us.

In China, 65% of the leaders are women. What does that tell us? 2 million to hundreds of millions in a very short space of time.

If I was the devil and I wanted to take the church out, I’d create an elite two -tier system with cleros (calling) being to clergy – rather than ALL God’s people being called. Yes, believe in leadership, but don’t take all the leadership on.

If you want to destroy a movement – don’t make it easily reproducible. The genius of Al Quaeda is that is so diverse – (I think there’s references to this in Starfish & Spider?).

Someone asks – ‘how do you make a case for the ordination of women?’

Well – what about making a case for ordination at ALL first off. It came out of Rome not the NT. It doesn’t honour Jesus to suppress anyone. Our practices are our problems.

The ‘Back to Jerusalem’ movement have this slogan: ‘Every believer is a church planter, every church is a church planting church.’ We all contain ecclesia…

So even if there’s only ONE believer left, he or she carries the seed to reproduce the whole movement. God got the whole universe going in a particular way. In every seed there’s a tree and in very tree there’s a forest – there’s POTENTIAL, contained. A spark has the potential for a fire.

This is how God sees us.

We need to see our churches like this.

The potential is HUGE!

It’s amazing what God can do with us. So a leader’s job is to bring EVERYONE into the game.

When we have thought of church planting, we have thought we have to extract people from the domains of everyday life. How about we rather plant church IN the domains of society, and let it break out in the arts and media and government.

Someone ask, ‘How do we control that?’

Trust God. He is able to lead!

God is not simply God of the church, but of all we are. We locate God in our structure (which is just one way to manifest His presence).

The best way to learn chess? Take the Queen out. Then you learn how to use all the other pieces.

Are we over-relying on the Sunday services? Even very good ones with great teaching.

To see how effective your sermons are, next week – ask, ‘What did I preach about three weeks ago?’

What if we put all that effort into disciple-making instead?

It takes time at the front end, but it’s the way of multiplication.

We believe in ‘the priesthood of all believers,’ but it’s largely a doctrine not a practice. As long as you’re wearing a collar it speaks louder than your words. You’re representing the institution. It’s very hard to get a person to understand something when their salary depends on not understanding it.

Look afresh at Ephesians, written as a general letter to a group of ordinary people, in various churches. This applies to everyone!  It’s Paul’s fundamental ecclesiology. Barth Jr called it ‘the constititional document of the church.’ And it was NOT written to leaders. This is for everyone.

Eph 4:1-6 UNITY (applies not just to early church but all time)

Eph 4:7-11

Grace was given to EACH ONE OF US.. (literally us all). Give = aorist indicative, very strong and applies to all 5.

To become… APEST – apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers..

So, ‘I wonder what I am?’

He’s given APEST – to build the church. To get us to Maturity.

It’s Jesus’ intention that we find our place in this framework.

Vs 12 – 16 applies to the church of all time, too – you have to torture the obvious meaning of the chapter to say the preceding verses don’t!

Why did we code out the Apostles and Prophets and Evangelists?

How many times in the Bible do you hear the word Pastor? ONCE – here.

Apostles. gets used 80+ times.

Teachers – we get told by James ‘not many of you should be!’

But isn’t it dangerous to release the APE?

Well the Shepherds and Teachers who have run the church so far have historically hurt people over doctrine a lot. Inquisition etc.

This is not a leadership text, it’s a ministry text.

Apostle = missio, sent. people who feel God pushing them out into the future, they’re boundary people. Could be Petrine (in system) or Pauline (outside system).

Prophets – sensitive to God, hear him, see him, speak for Him. Irritate everyone as result. They feel deeply for the poor.

Evangelists – recruiters to the cause, people buy in because of them.

Shepherds – Bring love and community.

Teachers - Bring wisdom and understanding. No sense of urgency. Systematic.

You need ALL FIVE to change the world.

These 5 are of course in the creation order – you see such people in all kids of organisations, but he’s given it to the redemption order.

Ministries are started by the generative (APE) – and sustained by the operative (ST – maintainers).

The problems are when the APES are exiled, and the STs take over. Every movement in decline takes this model.

Jesus has given us (the church) FIVEFOLD ministry so we might MATURE!

Jesus is all 5. We are meant to be His body. How else can we represent HIM in the world? You can’t run an organisation on having a HR department.

If you want a missional movement you have to have missional ministry to go with it.

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May 25 2012
Bible, Faith, leadership, REVIVAL

When people say ‘What’s your plan?’ try this answer, ‘I’m trusting God.’

My notes below from a great talk given yesterday by Gary Clarke,  leader of Hillsong London.

We were hosted in Stoke at Breathe City Church, which is led by my mate the fantastic @mrjamesgalloway

We learn through trial & error.

Church growth isn’t one specific thing & if I keep doing that it will grow.

Rick Warren recently said people think of growing church like this… a small church is like a kitten that over time grows into a big lion.

No, it’s an elephant! A different thing all together! (I could reference you back to our itunes page and my talk on this at Ivy AGM in January about church sizes and cultures). 

Reading – 1 Sam 13;  Jonathan & his armour bearer

The Israelis were in a tight spot with nothing going for them.

Ever felt like that?

How do I get out of that?

We have to have that ‘this is what I can see’ – when nobody else can see it.

We have to have that inside of us, even if nobody else can see it I can. The leaders job = see it and get others to see it

Chapter 14 is when Jonathan steps out:  One day Jonathan son of Saul said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the Philistine outpost on the other side.’ 

We are not supposed to be the ones who just camp out and average . Saul represents the average. There had been thousands in the army but they’d declined back and now hundreds of average were gathered under a pomegranate tree. Lots of people had deserted – some went and hid in caves, and some even went to the enemy.

Jonathan started to have something stir..

Vs 4 – he had to go!

Jonathan said to his young armour-bearer, ‘Come, let’s go over to the outpost of those uncircumcised men. Perhaps the Lord will act on our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few.’

To do what? Not to fight the whole army but to check out the outpost, 25 men . He said, ‘I’m not sitting around waiting for something to happen.’

Notice that very important word - ’Perhaps..’

‘Do all that you have in mind,’ his armour-bearer said. ‘Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.’

His armour bearer was with him ‘heart & soul.’ Ok – let’s go out on a limb. If it works we win, if not, we’re dead.

And they fought & won!

In that first attack Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed some twenty men in an area of about half an acre…

THEN. Suddenly!! 

God stepped in. There was panic! An earthquake! Victory!

And then Saul and the average guys, and even the ones who had gone to the pub joined in too.

Let’s start at the end – and work back through the story again.

At the end we have revival. The ones who had disappeared came back – because God had done something.

But…

What got God in?? What got God involved?

We are waiting for him to get in – and he’s waiting for us to give him something to get in on!

Notice the motivation here. When Jonathan speaks to his armour bearer, he says ‘God will bring victory to ISRAEL‘ in other words, it’s not about us.

And the armour bearer never gets named. He was willing to take a place where there is no recognition.

The pressure is on to be a name. We have this desire for prominence.

But when we attempt greater things for God it must be, ‘I’m doing this because.. the people need Jesus!’

God saw two people declaring an intent together to do something risky and he stepped in with them.

The people around you will stop you or propel you.

Question: Do you let other leaders know ‘I’m with you – heart & soul.’ ? 

If I’m going to see it happen, I’ve just got to get the right people around me. They’re not driven by their own agendas. Don’t put people around you who have their own agendas!

But here were just two people with unity – taking the same risk, ‘Trust God or die,’ and God said ‘I can do something with that!’ They did something small, but it was big to God, who sees the heart.

Notice also the armour bearer’s response: ’Do what you think best.’

Not, ‘Did you really pray about that?’

‘Did the elders approve?’

‘What does everyone else think?’

The board – were under the tree! This guy was really with him. We have to build these values into our lives.

Notice, Jonathan never said ‘God said’ – that gets bandied around far too much. And then if you got it wrong, God was wrong!?

No. He just said ‘Perhaps… maybe…’ 

‘Perhaps the Lord…’

Based on what? He was Saul’s son, he would know God was the one who parted the sea, trounced the giants etc. He had this personal conviction, ‘I know God and I know how he works. So I confidently take steps.’

Leader – it’s not the words you speak in vision, it’s the quiet confidence that says to others ‘She knows God, and how He works!’ People follow that.

Meanwhile, average is sitting under a tree praying for a revival. But Jonathan took initiative in the face of challenges.

The truth is, what he did wasn’t outlandish -  a 50/50 chance – but it sure looked like a big thing  to average.

The leader takes initiative but we need the right person followers. Will you follow right? We have to find people who can follow our initiative. Not just take their own.

And we don’t have to know everything first to be action oriented. We have to be able to say about some things – ‘that’s God’s problem.’

When people say ‘What’s your plan?’ try this answer, ‘I’m trusting God.’

The only thing we know about the future is ‘He’s in it!’

The only way we got here is that he got us here!

If you look back at what you came through, the mountains you faced don’t seem big anymore – when you look back at them. They go from insurmountable to insignificant.

This is where faith comes in.

As you take the giant on, he becomes food for you to fight the next one. Every step of the way there are giants and mountains to face! But if we can see the other side, take others with us, we’ll see that change only God can bring!

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Nov 06 2011
Bible, Christianity, Faith, Jesus, Manchester, Prayer, REVIVAL

Andy Hawthorne: Called to Impact!

Andy Hawthorne

When you became a Christian you weren’t called to come to church but to BE the church.
Success is not a big building for us to gather in, but when we impact the world. The real action is on the pitch, but the 15 minute break with the manager is important

Ephesians 2:10
We
- not me. Corporate promises! Not solo flight Christianity.

Are God’s masterpiece
We wow God!! He smiles over you

Created in Christ

To do good works

Prepared in advance for us to do

If I don’t do mine, the world misses out. Go to the grave having done them,

This verse doesn’t sit alone. We need its context.
It starts with the worst news ever. Very bad news.
As for you, you were dead, following the devil, an object of wrath!

That’s harsh. But without Christ, we are sinners. Dead men walking. All of us, the best of us. Thoughts, attitudes, and actions. Dark hearts. Messing the world up: and God is angry about that. Everything that spoils the world. Righteous anger. You think God doesn’t get angry at what makes us angry? When you read about Vincent Tabak, or human trafficking etc.

But
Because of his great love… Jesus!! Grace!! Good news!! Made alive!! The punishment taken for us! I’m glad I’m a Christian! Get passionate about that
Because passionate people change the world.

Darkness came on the earth for three hours as he took the fall. Our fall
Our substitute
The divine But in your life.
Not saved by good works
But by that good work
For good works!

If you don’t want to impact the world for good, you’re not really a Christian! You have to work out what those works are, you’ve been appointed for some good works.

The gospel works!
You are called to something! Discover it.

1) invest in relationships
And
2) invite people to church, to Alpha etc

Invest and invite = Impact!!

That’s how the early church grew exponentially.

Oct 05 2011
Church, Faith, Jesus, leadership, Prayer, REVIVAL, Uncategorized

Draw A Circle! Catalyst 2011 Mark Batterson.

Amazing session of teaching at #cat11 (labs)

Mark Batterson

National Community Church – Washington.

Your leadership cannot go beyond your prayer life. 

The Book Of Legends (Talmud). In the first century there was a drought that was killing off the nation. Honi the Circlemaker. Drew a circle in teh sand and prayed, Sovereign Lord I will not leave this circle until you have mercy on your people. He carried on praying for more rain until the rain was the size of eggs. Then he prayed again for the rain of God’s blessing.

The prayer saved a generation.

Bold prayer honours God, and God honours bold prayer. When you pray what you can’t do.

Joshua 6

1 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.

(God had already done it – but they had to do something).

If your dream is of the Lord, he has already delivered it!

What did they have to do? 

3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the LORD and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” 7 And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the LORD.”

A General who goes to his church told them recently about how a perfect plan never survives contact with the enemy. And this is the first battle of the promised land. How about a better plan?

Battering rams? catapults? That makes sense!

What’s this about?

A new way of praying?

Prayer is the difference between you fighting for God, and God fighting for you.

Pray like it depends on God – and he will begin to fight for you! He will make things happen that there’s no way you could have done it.

So they go round in circles…

Why?

Marking their territory? 

cf your dog! Staking claim to something. How do we do that? By prayer. Jericho was a 12 acre city, 50 foot walls, 10 feet thick. Intimidating place! First lap they’d feel foolish. 400 years in slavery. 40 more in exile. Then the second lap is a bit faster. Walk and pray – helps you not be distracted. Holy confidence grows as they step out. By the seventh day, they are ready for a holy roar. ‘This place belongs to the Lord.’

They marked out not their territory, but GOD’S territory.

When you don’t know what you’re doing – you have to pray!

And all the promises of God are for you! They are YES and AMEN. Our problem is not over-claiming.

We are not meant to just read the Bible, but to pray through it. When you come to a Promise – CIRCLE it and pray it! Claim it as a promise.

The enemy has taken so much of our property and the Lord wants it back. Mark our territory. Circle it. Matt 18:18. What you bind and loose on earth is bound and loosed in heaven. Put spiritual contracts in place. Pray and pray through.

The most important thing to do this year? Work out how to pray more. Not laying your agenda before God. Discover God’s agenda for YOU.

Doing Reconnaissance. 

Gathering information and intelligence. Prayer is how we do this. The Reticular Activation System in your brain determines what you pay attention to and notice. cf Set Life Goals. You probably won’t achieve goals you never set. When you pray you start noticing things – everything. Col 4 – pray, be watchful and thankful…

When you pray you’ll se first and further. Do Recon.

Reading is a form or recon. Conferences is recon. But the best way? Prayer. the still small voice – where you perceive the imperceptible. I’d rather than 1 God idea than a 1000 good ideas. Where do you get them? Pressing into God.

Keep Going.

What if they gave up on circle 5? Some of you have been circling so long. The dream hasn’t been fulfilled. How to write a book? Do a 40 day fast of entertainment. Pray and write till the book was written. Have a deadline. that’s a lifeline for your goals. I’m not coming out of this circle till you do it.

He was once asked, ‘If you had to describe yourself in one word what would it be?’ He said at 22, ‘Driven.’ Thought it was a good answer.

But he was taught how to kneel by his father-in-law, who always had to have new patches in his trousers and kept on keeping on.

We want to take just one trip around Jericho and wondered why they never got the miracle.

Mother Dabney – talked about, coined phrase-  ‘Praying through.’ keep praying!

Until recently, he always added (unconsciously) ASAP on his prayers. ‘God would you do this, ASAP.’ I want God to do it yesterday.

Now he has a new acronym for prayer.

ALAIT

As Long As It Takes.

In fact, let it be long enough and hard enough that I’m not at all tempted to take any credit for it for myself.

Are you willing to pay the price?

Acts 2:41 – 3000 people baptised in one place, That’s a goal. One day, as long as it takes.

100 years ago, Gypsy Smith. Never went to school, yet lectured at Harvard. Went to the White House, preached to more than a million people. Powerfully used of God. They asked him, ‘How?’

How does revival come?

He said, ‘Go home, lock yourself in your bedroom, lock yourself in, draw a circle around yourself – fervently and brokenly for God to send a revival to everything in that circle.’

That’s our job.

Tagged , , ,
Feb 07 2011
4 Comments
Bible, Church, Holy Spirit, Manchester, Religion, REVIVAL, Uncategorized

New Wine and Old Wineskins

For years while I was in leadership settings in Anglican churches, with some glorious times of course for which I am grateful, I kept coming up against a particular short parable of Jesus and feeling like, ‘He’s talking to me, he’s talking about me.’ It’s from Luke 5, that old stuff about new wineskins:
read it here

I would go to conferences, go up for prayer, or just in my daily Bible readings for me and Zoe this passage would leap off the page as it seemed to describe so much of what I was attempting to do, which was at times stymied by the structures which were not ready for change.

It’s been fascinating for me to read pretty much in one sitting, a book that was sitting around on my shelf probably for about the last six years, which has incredible insight into how the parable relates to church now and how it will look in the future. C. Peter Wagner’s ‘Changing Church’ has been at times really like somebody reading my mail! I’d read a similar book of his,  Churchquake, and maybe I wasn’t ready for it then but it didn’t grab me quite the same as this one. I don’t agree with everything he says of course but there is so much plain sense here I could’t stop reading way past bedtime! In the book he talks about a new Reformation that is coming to the church, in fact it’s already happening. And it’s the change from old wineskin to new.

If we look through the history of the church, God has continually been creating new wineskin after new wineskin so it shouldn’t come as a surprise when he does it in our lifetimes.

A new wineskin, a new Reformation, will of course mean massive gains for the kingdom of God while at the same time huge amounts of disruption for the status quo.  For that reason Wagner  identifies for us and  alerts us to the demonic ‘Corporate spirit of religion’ which is assigned to prevent change and maintain the status quo by using religious devices.

Its target is human minds, particularly people in positions of influence and religious structures who unconsciously allow themselves to be manipulated so that they will not hear what the Spirit is saying ( present tense) to the churches as in Rev 2:7  but instead to only focus on what has already been said in former times.

In conversation with many good friends during those times, when I sensed God was saying if I trusted him to really step out then he would  open a new door – so that I would not have to remain in the structures which had become strictures – that objections that were raised kept me within the fold –  sometimes because of a sense of loyalty, but if I’m honest, often also lots of fear.

Anyone with any experience of the way these things work would think it quite obvious that those in high positions of denominational leadership would worry about and oppose, directly or indirectly, whatever they might perceive to go against ‘unity at all costs’ or be a threat of the new doctrine of democratic ecclesiastical government and not allow the old wineskin to move into God’s new times and seasons.

But Wagner points out to us that the strongest opposition to new wine skins actually comes from representatives of the most recent old wineskin. Those with the newest incarnation of old wineskins are likely to be myopic in recognising that’s what they hold, so they stretch the old one but resist the necessary changes to gain the new, even though the old wineskins will not be able to hold the new wine, the wineskins will break and the wine will be lost.

Denominational leaders have often dutifully affirmed while at the same time skillfully domesticating charismatic renewal and its leaders, effectively turning down the gas on the fire of the Holy Spirit so that it’s safe, manageable and doesn’t burn their house down.

So I wrestled for many years with the uncomfortable thought of not staying within my denomination to be an agent of renewal but instead to step outside if necessary in order to open up a new wineskin that God might want in his grace to pour into.

Together with many of my friends however I was perhaps falling under the spell of that spirit of religion, because I wasn’t able to discern its influence or presence. If it was easy to spot, why would anyone fall for it?!

On page 51 Wagner lists the kind of things that were said to me by friends (and I said them to myself) which kept me where I should not have been for longer than I should have been as he lists the reasons why many leaders will not consider leaving the denomination to found what he calls ‘New Apostolic Networks.’

  • This is the church of my family I would betray my family heritage
  • My friends are all here
  • The denomination holds my ordination credentials
  • The denomination holds our church facilities, and we would lose them.
  • All my clergy colleagues, including my support groups, are in the denomination
  • This is my employment – how would I support my family?
  • My retirement funds are here, I would forfeit that if I left
  • My religious affiliation is part of my personal self-identity
  • I must avoid the sin of rebellion and remain loyal.

And so it was (despite the pain involved in stepping outside of a denominational framework of leadership which had so much I love and have enjoyed) that I finally and personally  came to the place of realistically giving up the notion that internal reform was possible in what too often seemed a hopelessly compromised old wineskin setting; which restricted growth, rewarded incompetence and rejected orthodoxy. I took one of the biggest risks of my life  - to move into a new wineskin.

Now please keep on pouring it out Lord!

I am still an Anglican with the credentials of having been ordained as a priest in the system, and I am very grateful that the Bishop here has been gracious to grant me permission to officiate while I’m experimenting in whole new ways of doing church. Permission without restriction is the best of both worlds. But I had to be willing to lay it all down and I was. And God is faithful.

I don’t see myself as being disloyal to or rejecting my denominational roots, though I have become disillusioned and dissatisfied with its spiritual and theological directions. Many great people and leaders I know will choose to remain (I was told over and again, ‘you have to be in it to win it’).

If that’s what the Lord is telling YOU, fantastic – but while nothing in this post should be taken to say that denominations or any particular denomination is bad or beyond redemption, I simply invite you to consider the question I grappled with so long and its implications for you – if God is choosing to pour out new wine, but you choose to remain in the old wineskin, how might you miss out – and might that be more than you stand to gain by remaining?

Dec 19 2010
Bible, Christianity, Christmas, Church, Discipleship, Faith, Manchester, Prayer, prophecy, Religion, REVIVAL, Theology, wisdom

How Wise Are You?

Great talk for Christmas by Debra Green at Ivy MCR this evening- my notes…

The Wise men. We don’t know how many came, but they had three gifts. The most Jewish of the synoptic gospel writers wants to tell us about these people & the universality of the good news.
The shepherds are in.
These magi – are included.
Unlikely guest list!
Only those with eyes to see. Those who are seeking, find.
It’s hard these days to get Christmas cards – only 1% of cards have a ‘religious’ sense.
£16.7 Billion will be spent this Christmas by Britons. Many will go into more and more debt?
How wise are we?!
Could it have been a supernova?
Or just the manifestation of the glory of God? Because it was moving.
It seems only the magi saw the star. By that, Christ was revealed. Jesus then becomes the star. The star of the show.
There’s a move to remove Christ from Christmas.
Our job is to reveal him to the world.
How?
By speaking of him.
This is great news for all people!
When you follow a star, & find a stable.
Disappointed?
They went to the palace to look for him.
But he went where least expected.
You could be looking for a star & find a stable. After a long journey.
Not what we were expecting?
But something amazing is there.
The Magi’s job was to be interpreting signs for life, the signs of the times. Some take this as a word that astrology is okay. Today so many are into horoscopes etc – it’s a dangerous guide!
Lev 20:6 & many other passages warns against such.

It needs the church, to reveal Jesus.
God is bringing light to great darkness – Is 9.
The North Star is the only one to be guided by. If you lose it, you will get lost.
Jesus is our North Star!
If you seek him
Get on the journey
Search
He’s looking for you
Revealing himself
You will find the one you are looking for. He is your direction.

The Wise men made the wise choice. They worshipped him.
Lay face down before him.

Tagged ,
Sep 20 2010
4 Comments
Bible, Christianity, Church, Faith, Jesus, leadership, Manchester, Prayer, Religion, REVIVAL, Uncategorized

WE DO NOT HAVE COCKROACHES!

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.”

I’ll admit to a certain amount of frustration at times from various books I read, even the odd conference – here it is….

Try to grow a church and people say, ‘Oh you’re all about the numbers.’
As if the numbers weren’t people.

People like your kids, your neighbours, your friends.
Don’t you want them to come to Jesus too?

I talked in church yesterday about how Jesus refused the numbers game when at the beginning of John 4 the Pharisees started comparing his growth stats with John the Baptists’ – how he went to a lone broken woman in an unexpected place on the margins, because the kingdom of heaven does not usually advance by crowds but one life at a time. (In fact through that one woman’s story revival hit the town!).

But sometimes lack of relevance or connectedness to ordinary people – evangelistic ineffectiveness – is applauded as a sign of faithfulness rather than a cause of concern or a need to change and try something different.

Being ‘attractional‘ has been made a dirty word in some church settings, and I don’t get that. How about ‘A city set on a hill cannot be hidden?’

Will doing/ being/ leading church better help or hinder that?

I know being the light of the world is not all about having a big lighting rig or the best sound systems etc. (but I’d rather the sound etc. be as good as it can be with what we’ve got).

What are you doing to help?
More important:
What are you doing to hinder?

Are you praying/serving/encouraging/helping church get better?
Or are you getting bitter?

Or shall I talk about batter….
Because there’s a chip shop just opened near us here in Didsbury.

So what? Well people queue up outside this chippy, in the rain, without brollies if needs be. Long queues. For fish and chips. They’ll be queuing now, I bet.
Something fishy about that?

Well you know there are good chippies and bad ones.
They are just being the very best they can be.

It’s no good just opening a chippy and hoping (or even praying) people will come. They might stumble in once, but if the service or food or hospitality is awful, they’ll not come back.

Bad Examples?

Bad Practices: The town I lived in when in Devon, the local chinese – the owner threatened an environmental health inspector with a cleaver. I didn’t want to go to that chippy!

Bad ‘Advertising;’ I once saw a curry house on Oldham Road that had a cardboard sign in the window; ‘WE DO NOT HAVE COCKROACHES.’ Didn’t make me want to find out for myself to be honest. Sometimes – even with the best intentions – we shoot ourselves in the foot.

The new chip shop in Didsbury village must be doing something right, (chip shop evangelists?)! So much so, I’m going to try it tonight too, to see what’s remarkable about it – and so it goes, and grows.

Somebody is doing something RIGHT there – something different. Others in that industry who are wise and humble can learn from them.

Could churches learn something too? About something much more important.

They’re not content to just ‘be faithful’ to gather around the fryer and know that they have had fellowship making fish and chips again- they actually want to feed people!

They’re not happy to occasionally have a regular customer come back once a week or once a month and have their chip need met. They want hungry people to come to COD! To have the peas that passes understanding.

I bet if you meet the owners and employees, they’ll be passionate, knowledgeable, excited and friendly. They want a fish and chip revival!

I think we can learn something from this, and we should – if we’re going to be the light of the world that attracts people to Jesus.

Extra salt please!

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,
Feb 28 2010
Bible, Christianity, Failure, Faith, Father God, Heaven, Jesus, Manchester, Religion, REVIVAL

Lindz West of Lz7 on the skills of Evangelism

Lindz from Lz7 teaching on being an effective evangelist.

Manchester is his adopted city, he is a missionary to Manchester! Sept 27th his ‘this little light’ song will be released.

The government are right behind it: ‘Shine’ campaign = film young people doing something good. Put it on the website.
Momentum is building!

He has been doing evangelism full time for ten years. Employed by Luis Palau festival to preach to their youth, some massive crowds.

But the tough stuff is When you go onto a classroom etc with his work through the Message – there are walls to be broken down

Mk 1;17

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.

Ever been fishing!? Hard work! Chucking out the net is dirty work, and you need some skills, but ordinary people can do it.

When he did a sports science degree – he learned a definition of SKILL.

Skill is a learned ability to bring about a predetermined result with maximum certainty often with minimal outlay of time, energy or both.

So: do your work:,be prepared in advance! To be relevant to who you’re reaching.

Know your audience, be all things to all people to save some. What’s going to work best for this person?

Know your testimony. Be ready!

Break down a barrier!
Eg., body language. We communicate a massive amount non verbally.
Hand gestures: do you tend to point (aggressive) or use open hands?
If people are closed arms & legs, you need to change them from being closed.
Eye contact – use a visual sweep.

Don’t shuffle about in an uncertain way: the gospel is something you can stand on.
Stand confident in your faith.
In schools you learn at the sharp end. Any questions time!? That’s tough apologetics.
God has said to him, if you fail 7 times, get up 8 times!

When Lindz was in new York, ended up he ‘just happened’ to meet Chris Moyles. It took till 2am till the conversation turned to God. If Chris Moyles comes to Manchester, he will visit Ivy!

And it happened because the conversation turned to the opportunity.

Are you willing to be interrupted? Like Jesus was with Zaccheaus.

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