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THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO END!
THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO END in 2012! Believe me! The Bible is clear on how the world will end. Have a Happy New Year.
Today I have been on my desk all day thinking, planning, praying and looking at the calendar. From the beginning of last year we declared 2011 the year of ‘Faith at another level’. After 12 months I can honestly say that it was definitely a ‘faith stretching’ year.
God enabled us to do so much. This year I’m open to more faith stretching opportunities. The need to pray is greater. Praying for wisdom and understanding. Praying for God’s favor.
10 Years: 2012 will be our 10th year pastoring LifeChurch. I can’t believe we are still here. Ane and I have learned so much right from day 1 and we are still learning how to lead. Some of the kids that were in our Sunday School back then are now our church leaders. Exciting times and greater things are ahead of us. We are blessed to have a great team of leaders and volunteers at LifeChurch who are so passionate about God and the Vision of the House.
I believe the best days of leading and pastoring are ahead of us.
New Church Building We have bought a place in Manurewa. We will move into our new church home this year. Renovations will commence soon. Our new church home is right next to the town centre next to the red light street of Manurewa. Homeless people sleep on the front steps. A strategic location! We see a church that is open 24/7 not just Sundays.
New Frontiers: This year we will sending missionaries to India, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The message of the Gospel must reach the ends of the earth.
International Partnership: Once again we will be hosting and partnering with some international ministries in the Great Commission. More on this later.
Servolution: This year Servolution is spreading to cities and towns outside of Auckland. We were so blessed to work with 48 different churches and denomination right across Auckland in 2011. This year, more churches are coming on aboard to serve and share the love of Christ in our communities through simple acts of kindness. Mark your calendar and get involved 23-25 March. Email: info@servolution.co.nz
Please pray and partner with us to reach Manurewa, South Auckland and the World with the simple message of Hope through Christ.
Called to the Ministry?
We are a month away from Servolution and there is a huge buzz right now not only in Auckland but Sydney and Brisbane as well. Thank you to all the pastors and the churches who are partnering together to share the love of Christ through simple acts of kindness.
This morning I was meditating on the fact that we are ALL called to the Ministry. To Serve People and to Share Christ. The Great Commission and the Great Commandment. ‘Ministry’ is not a special career for the clergy. It is a calling for all those who follow Jesus Christ. We are all called to minister not just the paid clergy.
Someone asked me the other day “when did you accept the call to the ministry”. I did say 9 years ago. But thinking about what I said back then, was wrong. I accepted the call to minister the day I gave my heart to Christ, which was the day I decided to follow him, 25 years ago.
‘Minister’ is not title, nor a position. It is a function. (my conviction)
Ministry is what ALL Christ followers do. There should be no ‘professional ministers’ in the Body of Christ. some are called specifically to equip he ministers (Eph 4), that does not make them professionals. If people are not ministering under their equipping ministry then they are not doing the ministry of equipping.
As a pastor I need to be careful not to act, talk and preach in such a way that sends a wrong message that I’m the “Super Pastor”, who is ever present in time of trouble, always counseling, always praying for people, making every decision, etc…….. ( try to do those every now and then).
Jesus trained the 12 to minister and then sent them. He did the same with the 70.
So are you called to the ministry? If you say you are a follower of Christ then know this……YOU ARE CALLED?
No one is going to ordain you to witness and share the love of Christ. You are called to the office, the factory, the school ….etc……where you work!!! you are called to the sports club that you are part of, you are called to the business and the clients you are part of……..
Thank you for obeying the call of Christ, to serve, to feed, to care, to love, clothe, to visit, to pray, to comfort…. ………
In Servolution Language; thank you for washing cars, giving out water bottles, mow lawns, giving out flowers, renovate schools, giving out food parcels, weeding gardens, baking cakes, picking up rubbish, painting out grafitti, etc………..
At LifeChurch, we say, “Every member is a Minister”. My wife and I are the pastors but everyone is a minister.
Let the SERVOLUTION begin………
Yes the wait is over. Today is Servolution day!!!
We kicked off the revolution of service with an awesome time of prayer at 5 this morning, laying the servolution foundation for the next 3 days!!
In a couple of hours our first team will hit the streets with a massive cleanup strategy. The goal is to pick up rubbish in every street, avenue, crescent, place, road, lane, boulevard, vale, drive, close, court, way, in Manurewa.
So if you want to be part of the Servolution, just come down to Clendon Recreation Centre Car Park and join the fun!!
This is the Day the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it.!!!
Weekend Reflections
Had breakfast with our leaders at our place 6am Saturday morning. That’s crazy…. Great fun… we probably woke up the neighbours…… time to catch up. Our guys are so pumped with what God is doing at church and our next season as a church.
Spent the whole Saturday thinking, preparing, studying, reading, praying…..……..
Sunday morning on the way to church I prayed, “Holy Spirit bring conviction to our hearts”
Overwhelmed with the presence of God during worship.
There was a great sense of freedom and excitement. During worship I looked behind me and on the bleachers!! What a joy it is for any pastor to see young people worshipping God HARD OUT!! Church is the place to be on Sunday mornings!!
Preached my heart out. Spoke on the heart of Jesus for the lost and the role of the church as representatives of Jesus …..along those lines…… Initially I planned to preach on the ‘Christ in the Community’ but after Saturday …..in my sermon preparations it ended up in a different direction… The Holy Spirit answered my prayer and definitely brought conviction to our hearts.
On Sunday, we also launched our new season of Outreach. 2009 we will only be doing a few ‘Bridge Events’
Servolution: 3 days of Serving the Community
$2 Christmas.
Weekly Bread Run – Free to Randwick Park Community
Rubbish Collection – monthly
Paint Out – monthly
Global Day of Prayer
Prayer Walk
