When a church fails to participate in the Great Commission, its spiritual health begins to fail. When we consider the Great Commission to be a Great Suggestion, we lose purpose and significance. Church becomes a club, and a boring one at that! Members begin to miss services. They visit other churches and sometimes they stop attending altogether.
If I think that my church exists to meet my needs alone, my true needs will never be met. My life will lack purpose and meaning. I will stop growing into the likeness of Christ. Instead, I will grow in boredom and frustration and insecurity.
Lord, may we feel the pain you feel for the lost and dying. May we partner you in the quest to bring them direction and life. After all, you rescued us to do exactly that.
Cheers for now - Ian
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Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
The fellowship of the Spirit
“Fellowship with the Spirit” – a phrase that has been suffusing me with warmth ever since it settled in my heart on Sunday morning.
I can have fellowship with the Holy Spirit! I CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!!
The word fellowship speaks of a friendly relationship, conversation, shared purpose and intimacy. And I can enjoy this with the third Person of the Trinity at any time and in any place, for He is at the very core of my being. Holy Spirit, you are within me.
When I feel my toes slipping and my body is swept into the wild ocean of God’s plan for my life, the Spirit is within me. He is here to provide guidance as the shore slips beyond my view. He is here to provide strength when my limbs grow tired of swimming. He is here to encourage when my spirit flags.
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me” (Psalm 42:7).
God’s plan for my life will always take me out of my depth. But I have fellowship with the Holy Spirit. When I can no longer trust my own resources, I must trust in God. And faith in God pleases God. Indeed, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).
So I’m going to keep on praying “your will be done”, but I’m also turning to the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Cheers for now - Ian
I can have fellowship with the Holy Spirit! I CAN HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT!!
The word fellowship speaks of a friendly relationship, conversation, shared purpose and intimacy. And I can enjoy this with the third Person of the Trinity at any time and in any place, for He is at the very core of my being. Holy Spirit, you are within me.
When I feel my toes slipping and my body is swept into the wild ocean of God’s plan for my life, the Spirit is within me. He is here to provide guidance as the shore slips beyond my view. He is here to provide strength when my limbs grow tired of swimming. He is here to encourage when my spirit flags.
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me” (Psalm 42:7).
God’s plan for my life will always take me out of my depth. But I have fellowship with the Holy Spirit. When I can no longer trust my own resources, I must trust in God. And faith in God pleases God. Indeed, without faith, it is impossible to please God (Heb 11:6).
So I’m going to keep on praying “your will be done”, but I’m also turning to the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Cheers for now - Ian
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Weakness is strength
Two weeks ago, I wrote about God’s strength being perfected in weakness. Today, I would like to write about the impact this principle has been having on my concept of ministry.
We live in an age dominated by the media and communication. Any member of my congregation can turn on his TV and listen to a staggering selection of preachers, whether via satellite or DVD. Gone are the days when a person’s pastor was his or her main source of Bible teaching.
The same is true in the realm of music. At one time, the only Christian music available was by the Fisherfolk, Don Francisco or perhaps Larry Norman for something a little heavier and outdated. Today, however, Christian music and especially praise and worship music have become significant genres in their own right with numerous bands producing polished, high quality music. Did you know that there are now Grammy awards for Gospel music?
You may be wondering what this has to do with my work. A year or two ago, a member of Harvest admitted to me that the most life changing message he had heard in a seven year period was delivered by a well known international preacher. Given that I had preached regularly at Harvest over the period in question, this was somewhat humbling! Did I have anything to offer from the pulpit when my congregation could listen to some of the world’s best teachers simply by pushing a button? Further, how could our very ordinary praise and worship team measure up to the polished performances of groups like Hillsong United and Jesus Culture?
I have tried to be some sort of other-worldly blend of John Piper and Chris Quilala, but it hasn’t worked. John Piper is a better speaker and Bible student than me, and – for those that haven’t heard me sing – my voice is nothing like Chris Quilala’s. In fact, what I have is power cuts, a cantankerous generator and a finicky sound system that gets hammered every week as it is set up and set down.
To be honest, I feel weak. I am at the mercy of many factors over which I have no control. Further, and this has been hard to admit to myself, I have limits! And I am not talking about the limits I have created in my own mind. No, I am referring to real limits that God has established.
I am Ian Rea, frail and weak.
However, I have discovered that an awareness of my weakness is strength. My local church does not need a perfect performance or world class standards. It needs Jesus. And only the power of God, which is made perfect in my weakness, will give people what they really need.
Cheers for now - Ian
We live in an age dominated by the media and communication. Any member of my congregation can turn on his TV and listen to a staggering selection of preachers, whether via satellite or DVD. Gone are the days when a person’s pastor was his or her main source of Bible teaching.
The same is true in the realm of music. At one time, the only Christian music available was by the Fisherfolk, Don Francisco or perhaps Larry Norman for something a little heavier and outdated. Today, however, Christian music and especially praise and worship music have become significant genres in their own right with numerous bands producing polished, high quality music. Did you know that there are now Grammy awards for Gospel music?
You may be wondering what this has to do with my work. A year or two ago, a member of Harvest admitted to me that the most life changing message he had heard in a seven year period was delivered by a well known international preacher. Given that I had preached regularly at Harvest over the period in question, this was somewhat humbling! Did I have anything to offer from the pulpit when my congregation could listen to some of the world’s best teachers simply by pushing a button? Further, how could our very ordinary praise and worship team measure up to the polished performances of groups like Hillsong United and Jesus Culture?
I have tried to be some sort of other-worldly blend of John Piper and Chris Quilala, but it hasn’t worked. John Piper is a better speaker and Bible student than me, and – for those that haven’t heard me sing – my voice is nothing like Chris Quilala’s. In fact, what I have is power cuts, a cantankerous generator and a finicky sound system that gets hammered every week as it is set up and set down.
To be honest, I feel weak. I am at the mercy of many factors over which I have no control. Further, and this has been hard to admit to myself, I have limits! And I am not talking about the limits I have created in my own mind. No, I am referring to real limits that God has established.
I am Ian Rea, frail and weak.
However, I have discovered that an awareness of my weakness is strength. My local church does not need a perfect performance or world class standards. It needs Jesus. And only the power of God, which is made perfect in my weakness, will give people what they really need.
Cheers for now - Ian
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Power for transformation
Some time ago, I was chatting to Gail in the lounge whilst a Hillsong United CD played in the background. Suddenly – in mid conversation – I became aware of the song that was playing, and one word resonated strongly with my spirit: awakening. The Holy Spirit seemed to take this word and use it to detonate an explosion of excitement and anticipation. God was about to awaken something fresh and breathtaking in my life! Even as I write, the thought that God is awakening in me some hitherto dormant or unrecognised quality or ability is hugely exciting.
It has occurred to me on a number of occasions that God alone knows our true abilities. After all, He designed us. I may think that I know what I am good at or what I am capable of or what will satisfy me. But the truth is that God alone knows, and I will only unlock my real potential when He helps me to discover it and when I obey His promptings.
Take Moses as an example of this principle. God’s blueprint for Moses contained the specifications for a great leader, yet Moses could not see it. When God called Moses to lead the people of Israel into freedom, he resisted, thinking he did not have it in him to lead.
Be that as it may, God is awakening something new in me. I have a suspicion of what it is, but time alone and the ongoing work of God will reveal it clearly. I wonder whether God is waiting to release some transformative power into your life. I am convinced that He is. I am also sure that He will do it in a unique and special way, so do not expect God to deal with you in the same way as He has with me. But if you ask Him regularly to provide just what you as an individual need to grow, He will answer your prayer.
Cheers for now - Ian
It has occurred to me on a number of occasions that God alone knows our true abilities. After all, He designed us. I may think that I know what I am good at or what I am capable of or what will satisfy me. But the truth is that God alone knows, and I will only unlock my real potential when He helps me to discover it and when I obey His promptings.
Take Moses as an example of this principle. God’s blueprint for Moses contained the specifications for a great leader, yet Moses could not see it. When God called Moses to lead the people of Israel into freedom, he resisted, thinking he did not have it in him to lead.
Be that as it may, God is awakening something new in me. I have a suspicion of what it is, but time alone and the ongoing work of God will reveal it clearly. I wonder whether God is waiting to release some transformative power into your life. I am convinced that He is. I am also sure that He will do it in a unique and special way, so do not expect God to deal with you in the same way as He has with me. But if you ask Him regularly to provide just what you as an individual need to grow, He will answer your prayer.
Cheers for now - Ian
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