These are my notes from the talk, with some questions for Grow Groups to consider and discuss together. PRAY: Thanks to God for IVY KINGSWAY! What a great way to start off our new service there at Cineworld Didsbury. Next Sunday we’ll have the lights in too that we’ve partnered with the cinema in buying, it’ll be even better! Father’s Day Mike said his talk is for those who have felt that your walk with God is drifting or has drifted. Because God wanted us CLOSE. Question – Do you feel close to God right now? How do you know when you are? Read 1 John 3:1 – How great is the love of the Father that he has LAVISHED on us that we should be called the children of God! That’s what we are! Question – Discuss the word Lavish. What images does it bring to mind? The story of the Prodigal son is actually all about the Father and how he relates to 2 different types of people: Read the story together and look at the setting in Luke […]
Tag: leadership
@AlanHirsch – ReOrganise at #NWNLC12
Don’t create systems that create dependences. If you want to destroy a movement – don’t make it easily reproducible.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.
@Alanhirsch – ReMission at #NWNLC12
It’s not that the church has a mission, but that the mission has a church!
@Alanhirsch; ReDisciple – at #NWNLC12
Don’t “do evangelism,” make disciples!
@alanhirsch – ReJesus, session 1 at #nwlc12
We have to think like revolutionaries again. We’ve been too complacent and need to think like movements. Across Europe, we’ve seen what happens when the church doesn’t.
When people say ‘What’s your plan?’ try this answer, ‘I’m trusting God.’
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 he got us here.
Playing to my strengths
Tomorrow we go away as a staff team. In recent weeks I’ve asked everyone to do the Clifton Strengthfinders test, most of them have come back from it saying it’s ‘scarily accurate.’ Here’s mine – I took the test a few years ago but I don’t think it changes that much so I haven’t redone it. If you know me, does this sound like me? Have you done the test – or do you prefer others? I’ve done DISC and Myers-Briggs. I certainly don’t agree with the last sentence of the first one. Anyway, I have to be going… Activator People who are especially talented in the Activator theme can make things happen by turning thoughts into action. They are often impatient. Maximizer People who are especially talented in the Maximizer theme focus on strengths as a way to stimulate personal and group excellence. They seek to transform something strong into something superb. Adaptability People who are especially talented in the Adaptability theme prefer to “go with the flow.” They tend to be “now” people who take things as they […]
Manchester Marathon Miracles & Mud
The weather was bad enough to have stopped thousands who’d paid £50 or so to enter from even turning up so there were far fewer than the 8000 expected. Hundreds of people didn’t finish because of hypothermia and I didn’t stop shivering for about an hour after I finished.
Work – your GIFT to God
The idea that your work is your gift back to God comes sharply into focus when we look at what happened to Cain and Abel.
What New People Visiting Your Church Need This Sunday
I got a nice hand written (remember that?) letter from Richard Reisling today thanking me for putting his great stuff on my blog based on my thoughts about the notes I took from his visit. Well it’s my pleasure – and I’m not done yet! Here goes… What new people need: I NEED DIRECTION. They need someone to have thought about where they go, explain what’s happening with their kids etc. I was walking through Terminal 4 of Heathrow Airport recently and thought, ‘None of this just happened!’ It took SOMEBODY to think how all these people with all these needs, routes, cases, schedules… get around the place. We’re talking about things like signs here. (I just made up a Christian joke about not having signs that make people wonder, but you have to be a charismatic to get that one). TREAT ME AS NORMAL. Like when someone comes to your house. You know how to be hospitable already. Remove the following phrase, ‘Are you new?’ There’s no way to say it without offending someone. Ask instead, ‘How long have you […]