TOAM 2011

I am not going to write a report of the event or write summarys of the main sessions. Other men have already done that and have done a better job than I could do (Check out Adrian Warnock's blog). I simply want to reflect on some of my highlights of this fantastic event.

I was not sure what to expect of the event. In previous years I have listened to material from the event and been immensely blessed, however in person it was a whole new experience. This year was the last last TOAM as Newfrontiers looks to split into multiple spheres.

Taken from adrianwarnock.com

1. Seeing the big picture...Being a part of a conference like this really enables you to see the big picture. I often find that I all too often get caught up in my own little world and forget that the kingdoms battles are being fought all over the world. Thursday night blew away this self centredness that I get caught up in. There were thousands of people crammed into the auditorium praying for all the different spheres around the world. We prayed for our brothers in the Americas, Africa, UK, Pacific Rim, Asia, Eastern Europe and Europe as a whole. God is on the move around the world. He is using ordinary men and women to do fantastic things.  
2. This is where the party is...Coupled with being a prayer meeting, Thursday evening was a celebration evening. In the leaders morning session a prophetic word was bought about the evening session being a "coming of age party". Christians are often deemed as being boring and cold. Anyone who saw Thursday night would have to change their mind about that!
3. P-J Smyth on Suffering, sickness and healing...Listen to it! This was one of the best sermons I have ever heard and the best I have ever heard on this subject. P-J handled it fantastically and I really came face to face with God. I saw God's sovereignty afresh. Before the evening I knew it, I could tell what it looked like but I hadn't seen it! Now I have, thank you Mr Smyth for serving us so well.
4. Thank you Nigel Ring...What a man of God! Nigel Ring has served Newfrontiers from the beginning. He handles loads of the administration work and has done so faithfully for years. After Terry's final session we got to honour Nigel for all his hard work over the years. The whole room was on their feet chapping, with many in tears. Thank you for all your hard work Nigel. 

What a great week. I was immensely blessed through the experience. God is so faithful and my prayer is that we will continue to cling to him as we look to advance the kingdom of God and see thousands of churches planted across the world.

5 reasons you should consider doing FP Impact

Between college and Uni? Between Uni and Work? Want to take a gap year or just want to spend a year of your life serving God? Then FP Impact is for you! 

1. YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WILL DEEPEN as you spend the year serving him and pursuing him. You are put in an environment where you are forced to trust and rely on him for provision, faith, courage, boldness and much more. You will be surrounded by godly men and women who are for you and for your growth in God. I once heard it said that doing FP Impact is like getting three years growth in one year...I would agree!
2. YOUR THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING WILL GROW as you travel to your training base to undertake sessions which will both intellectually and practically challenge you. The bible will come alive as you dive into its truth. You will get sound teaching on topics such as the kingdom, creation, eschatology, the cross and resurrection, the church and many more.
3. YOU WILL MAKE DEEP AND LASTING FRIENDSHIPS. Impact allows you to get to know many different people. One great thing is that you are all in pretty much the same place when you come into the year. It is a privilage seeing others grow and deepen in their love of God. Mutual encouragement is a big part of the year.
4. WHAT IS GOD CALLING YOU TO DO? You may have some idea already. You may not. In both cases impact will help you along the road. You will be given guidance, will be prayed for and will be taught to walk in God's promises for your life.
5. IT WILL BE GOOD FOR YOU...See above!

Those are the benefits for you...however there are many more benefits! Your church will benefit from your service. You will impact and bless many peoples lives. Consider it...you will not regret it!

Farewell Bristol

Those of you who have been following me for some time will know that I travel to Bristol on a fairly regular basis for Theological training. This has been richly rewarding and I cannot thank God enough what he has done, the input he has given me and the friends he has allowed me to make. 


This past week was the last time I shall be in Bristol for some time. Training is finished! Time flies! It seems like only yesterday that we were on the train there for the first time. It seems like only yesterday that I walked into a room of thirty people whom I didn't know.

Ten months on I have made some fantastic friendships. One thing that stood out about our group was the unity. Usually when you bring thirty people together cleaks are formed. Not with our group! It was beautiful! 


We were extremely blessed to be looked after by two fantastic men of God. Simon Walker and Jonathon Bradshaw do a fantastic job of organising all our sessions, arranging brilliant socials (Boat trips included) and generally getting along side us throughout the year. We have been blessed by their service.


Brothers and sisters from the Bristol base, it has been a pleasure sharing this experience with you. We have been through a lot and I thank God for being faithful to us all. It seems fitting to end this post with a prayer. 

Father, I thank you for your faithfulness to us all this year. I want to ask for your blessing upon my brothers and sisters as we all move on to our next phase of life. Lord, I thank you for what you have done with us this year and I pray that we would all continue to mature and grow in you. Would this year just be the start of a life sold out for you, living every day for your glory. I pray for protection in whatever you have for us next. May we never lose sight of you! (Psalm 19:14) Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, our rock and our redeemer. All for Jesus AMEN.

Park Life 2011

 Palmerston Park, Southampton. One White Marquee, One God and One Gospel. What a week?!

When approaching an event like Park life you never know what to expect. God always likes to surprise us, and this was no exception. I soon learnt that little formal advertising had been done and in fact the main way of getting people to the meeting was through scattering. 

Scattering was the term used for the hour before the meeting where we would go out into the city and talk to people and invite them along. I was blown away by the openness of so many people---especially the younger generations.

Have you ever wondered what New Testament church would have been like? I certainly have and I think I experienced something very close to it last week. Never have I seen so many responses to the Gospel (38 over the Wednesday to Saturday meetings, and then several more on the Sunday), people so open to be prayed for and people from different walks of life coming together under one canvas to hear about the risen King Jesus.

Among the healing seen were a broken arm mended, a semi-blind eye restored and a leg growing (I missed it but apparently it was pretty cool). God was really wanting to restore physical bodies and our faith was stirred to push into him more.

One of my highlights of the week was on Saturday night when after many responses to the Gospel we all piled down to the front and worshipped our hearts out. Among those dancing and singing were Christians, drug addicts,  recovering drug addicts, alcoholics, recovering alcoholics and I swear there may have even been a dog running around. 

Being able to serve at Park Life has really changed my life. Seeing God work that powerfully in an English city (with all it's scepticism) was really a kick up the backside. We need to be pushing into all that God has for us and not allowing our culture to get in the way. Let God use you...I dare you!

Park Life

This week I will be heading over to Southampton to join up with the Life Church Crew and other Impact students. We are going to be part of Park life, an annual event that Life Church run in one of the parks in the city centre. 

The idea is that they preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, in a marquee, in the park, at several meetings throughout the day. What a great opportunity! 

Life church have done this for the past few years and have seen lots of fruit come out of it. Each year they have seen people saved and added to the local body. Holding an event like this also gives the local communities a lot of exposure to the church and more importantly Christ. 

If you are in Southampton at all this week, why not pop over to Palmerston park and check it out.

Memory & Meditation

Scripture memory can be one of the most challenging yet rewarding disciplines of the christian walk. Some of us possess the memory power of the average goldfish (myself included in this), which means it can be a challenge to make the time and effort to memorize the word of God, knowing full well that we will forget it as soon as we have learnt it.

John Piper in his book Desiring God dedicates a whole chapter to Scripture:Kindling for christian hedonism. He talks about how he has been blessed by memorizing scripture and using it for worship and warfare. 

I myself have been following a program for scripture memorization. I find that have structure really helps with discipline---much the same as reading the word of God. I was amazed at how many resources are out there. I will list several of them at the bottom of the post. 

Even in the week or so I have been working through this structured program I have found that I am retaining what I have learnt. I'm also finding that while I am sat at my desk I'll be thinking through and meditating on the passages that I have memorized. 

Why not give it a go? You will be blessed by it! "Let us labour to memorize the Word of God---for worship and for warfare. If we do not carry it in our heads, we cannot savour it in our hearts or wield it in our spirit." Piper, Desiring God. 

1.  

   http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/2009biblememorization-esv.pdf

This is the one that I am doing. It gives smaller chunks than the second option (considerably smaller chunks) but still gives more than a single verse. 

   
     2.

http://www.fbcdurham.org/assets/Media-Library/Scripture-Memory-Booklet-for-Publication-Website-Layout.pdf?phpMyAdmin=ww-4Qf9q8l6bkWILEZvm3GweI4c

 This second resource takes a different approach, memorizing whole books of the bible rather than just small parts. This is a long term approach to scripture memory and I myself have not yet attempted it. Joshua Harris recommended this one on his blog a while back. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

The main point I would like to make is to commit to it and see it through. Ask God for grace in the task and pray that he would be glorified through it all!

How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

I am currently writing an assignment on bible genres and how to approach them correctly. This has led me to dive back into a fantastic book, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. The book has been a tremendous help with writing the assignment and at points I have been tempted to just hand the book in and say "there you go!" 

 
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart have written a wonderfully clear and insightful book on approaching the bible and getting maximum nutrition from it. They correct many common mistakes made while reading the word of God and offer "essential insights into scripture and its application".

They say that "Understanding the bible isn't just for the few, the gifted, the scholarly. The bible is accessible. It's meant to be read and comprehended by everyone..." This is so true. Everyone from the new believer to the seasoned preacher can and needs to understand this wonderful living book. 

Grab a copy of Fee & Stuarts fantastic book and get stuck into God's word, reading it "for All its worth."