Conferences, workshops and courses

It’s been an amazing weekend that has seen God move in many amazing ways. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been blessed in taking out new people on Town Pastors. Last week I took out someone who had travelled the drug and alcohol addiction road and was coming out of the other side with a real determination to live life for God in a very different way to what had gone before. He shared his story with some of our regular homeless and vulnerable people and then through the week he also had chance to share his story with one of our young vulnerable friends on the street.

She met the team whilst we were out this weekend and shared that he had touched and moved her with his story of his journey. She realised that, contrary to what she thought, she wasn’t a lost cause. He’d been on harder drugs, taken more and done worse and had sank even further into the darkness and despair than she was currently and yet God had made the difference in his life. He’d fought for his sobriety and been reborn to a new life as a Child of Christ. He now wanted to join with those Christian brothers and sisters who were determined to make this world a safer better place for those living, working studying and partying in the town. Pray for her that she finds the courage to put the first steps on the road to recovery and a better life. Amazingly whilst Street Angels were helping her,  our friends in the Hartlepool CCTV centre also contacted the team to say they were watching over her and offering sources of help and advice.

The theme of children and families continues to be played out at West View Baptist Church. We’ve been blessed to be joined recently by two new couples, Charlotte and Joe and Terry and Carolyn. They have thrown themselves into the life of the church and already appear as if they’ve always been part and parcel of the  West View family.  Expect to see more of these names in future weeks as God has led, and is leading them on an amazing adventure as they relocate to this area. We prayed for workers and God sent us people who were trained in working in the kitchen, worked with children and were good at practical stuff like maintenance and repairs.  I wanted a bible verse about workers and went on my online bible to be greeted with the Verse of the Day from Joshua 24:15 that ends “But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”. Amazing to have the verse served to me straight away.

Amazing is a word I seem to have written a lot this week. Today in church we were over run with children. They came in as a constant stream, the first came with their church families, then 3 young lads from the estate, then a family from Filling Station, then the family from across the road carrying babes in arms. All arriving at different times, but with the net result that when our Young Church gathered for their separate part of our morning worship they had 23 children. Some of these children don’t even cope well in school yet they chose to come to us. One of the highlights from the day was overhearing the Dad from the Filling Station family say to his young boys, “Go into the kids room, Daddy’s going to stay here because I’ve come to worship”.

Ian,  Amanda and Jonny led worship today. The song choices were spot on and never has the words to “No Longer Slaves” been more appropriate. “I’ve been born again into a family, Your blood flows through my veins. I’m no longer a Slave to Fear, I am a Child of God”.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8TkUMJtK5k

Mark brought the word today. It was Peacekeeping Sunday today and Mark was supposed to preach on the theme of arguments. However Mark was led instead to talk about the different viewpoints in life, looking at heavenly views as opposed to earthly views.

He read from Mark 9 30:37. This was a passage that spoke of the disciples arguing yet finished “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” Did I mention we welcome 23 children into church this morning?

He asked us to consider what a heavenly view might look like.  He  suggested that this should look like we have both good morals and good morale, liking everyone as God’s children and accepting people for who they are and not who we think they should be.

He also urged us all to be positive in our outlook. He posed the question “If we’re not positive as a Child of God, what does this look like to others? He reminded us about the way children behave before they learn about earthly fears. Think about how children just walk up to people and treat them as friends without fear. Think about the way we deal with earthly issues , family abuse, depression, unhappiness, negativity, how and did this change occur in our own lives. Mark shared how his life changed and his outlook changed. He admitted to not being open about his feelings and struggling with depression. Then he says he met his wife Sarah and his future in-laws . Through them he found God and learned to forgive.

He reminded us that it is the earthly values that make us negative and judging of others. He asked “How do we change this?” The best way is to turn to God, pray, share your problems with others, don’t be afraid to ask for help and guidance from friends in church.

Mark shared how he thought that a good principle in life was to think before you act or speak. He recalled the fashion at one point for people in church to wear wrist bands with “What would Jesus do” It’s a good thought habit to get into.It’s true, be polite, say hello to the people you meet in your daily journey, the fellow cyclist, the dog walkers. It leads to a conversation. 2 minute talk to a stranger can change their day. Our new arrival Terry had shared how he met his wife when he was pushing a street sweeper’s barrow and he used to stop and chat. Children do this all the time. Somehow we as adults we lose this ability, yet it can change our lives. Help us overcome negative thoughts, concentrate on the heavenly views. Did I mention West View Baptist Church is seeing amazing things? Help us to show this earth our heavenly views. Join us on the journey.

Ian and Amanda led the service today and chose some powerful songs to demonstrate the power of words, whether it be eagles soaring, unending praise or standing firm on a Rock.

It was a great service made all the more relevant for me having finished the previous night’s Street Angels patrol simply talking to people and being given the right words to deal with a variety of people. The correct reassurance for worried Mancunian, the sharing of faith with the person who hadn’t been to church since they were little, the sharing of comfort and a hug for a homeless person, the words of shared background and understanding with the once atheist, now Buddhist but Christian living seeker of knowledge. We had a new volunteer with us and he asked what he should say if people asked him about his faith and his life journey. My answer was simply to say that it was up to him, we didn’t have a script,  we simply ask people to answer from their own heart and experience why they choose to be a street angel.  That honesty and openness is what people respond so positively to. Not sure he believed this at the beginning of the night but he was convinced by the end.

Esther brought the Word today. She spoke about the power of words. She hoped we’d all been offered words of welcome when we arrived and hoped we were glad to be here. We had opened our service with the broadcast words of Shadrach Meshach Lockridge who was the preacher at Calvary Baptist Church from 1953 to 1993.His words on “That’s my King” come at the end of an hour long sermon he delivered and are amazing to listen to. The rythmn and the musicality of his words reach out across the 4 decades since he preached them. Esther pointed out that God has given her a lot of words (her husband David agreed!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA86JLichyY

Mark 8:27 offers some important words here. They are central to our understanding of Jesus, Central pivotal . Says it all. They mark a place 2 and a half years into the ministry of Jesus.

The disciples are travelling, they’re going up north Just like some couples in this room. Mark is the shortest most chronological Gospel starting at the baptism of Jesus. Jesus is baptised in the Jordan lowest point on the planet. They’re on their way to Caesarea Philippi . We’ve already heard about lots of miracles and parables from Jesus. Mark was the PA or personal assistant to Barnabas Paul and Peter. He was the translator. People wanted Peter’s sermons recorded a bit like this blog. Words are so important.

Thankfully gospel people blogged them and write them down. These events happened 6 months before Jesus went to the cross. The disciples were travelling in a pagan area. The source of the water they find is snow on the mountain flowing through a crack in the water. This has pagan symbolism and there are statues of Caesar and Pan in the rock face where the river emerges. This is where Jesus asks “Who do people say I am? But it’s not out of vanity or ego. It’s not a Donald Trumop incident. Trump needs to know how people see him checking tweets etc.

Not he case for Jesus. His authority comes from God. Children of God is where and what our identity should be. It’s approval from God we’re after. The disciples reply back with the headlines of the day, Herod says the same words in chapter 6. Amongst the people was already the sense that that he was a prophet. Between John the Baptist and the previous prophet there had been a break, a period of silence of 400 years! A long time.

Jesus wanted to know what people were saying simply to lead to the big question “Who do you say I am Peter?” This is the first time Peter speaks. “You are the Christ the messiah”. Was Jesus surprised Peter got it right. Matthew 16:15 to 20 shows this knowledge was from God. Peter didn’t tell Mark this bit. Peter it seems did not want to have the focus about him.  Tough for us not to put the me as the focus. Esther noted that a lot of us preach with ourselves as the focus. It’s difficult not to.  Jesus was affirming Peter here and starting to teach the disciples some tough bad news messages.

Both Christ and messiah mean the annointed one. This is where the teaching of the disciples starts. Only when we answer this question can Jesus move us on. The power of God working in us is shown and the cost of this is revealed. Whatever God call us to do has a cost. Jesus speaks plainly about being the son of man. Daniel 50o years before shares his vision in Daniel 7 13:14. Dwell on this for a minute. What a message! This is our Jesus foretold.

Jesus uses hard words, involving suffering rejection death. Peter rebukes Jesus , yet Jesus takes him aside. He doesn’t embarrass him, he clarifies his message in private. Esther shared that she had always felt for Peter when Jesus refers to Satan. Jesus was seeing Satan at work trying to tempt Jesus through Peter. Jesus needed to go to the cross to fulfil his mission.

Esther and David then shared a dialogue from the Roots material we use for our children and youth teaching.  Again the words were powerful  as Jesus (voiced by David) shared  his views on how blessed are meek those who mourn and so on. Words from the commentator (Esther ) such I serve someone who was born in a stable and died on a cross reinforce the power of words. We also used this dialogue in our visit to our friends at the Sheraton Court care home later in the day.

We can’t just choose the good bits when we become a disciple of Jesus. It’s hard . If we are to save our lives we should be prepared to lose our lives in Jesus. In this world many of the words folks us are to bring people down . Words really, really matter . Use words that matter well. Make a positive effort to use words well. Be positive with our spouses, our children, our parents, our colleagues, take positivity out there Esther concluded with the words of Isiaih 50 4:7.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA86JLichy

I’m a bit late with the blog this week. We’ve packed a great deal into the week.

The Hyde family, Tim, Eleanor and Jonny led worship on Sunday. Tim brought us the Word and looked at Judges 6 and 7. He reflected on the fact that he was blessed to have been tutored by someone who was part of the committee who translated the NIV Bible.

Judges sits in the history of Israel. People had settled in the land, God continually raised up leaders for the people. In chapter 6 Gideon is visited by the angel of the Lord. He’s threshing wheat in secret,

The angel  confuses Gideon by saying “The lord is with you mighty warrior.”

Tim asked us to think about how would you thresh wheat in a wine press? How do you get the height and the wind to separate the wheat from the chaff?

Go and save Israel is the message and chapter 7 is all about Gideon taking back Israel from the Midianites .

The story is full of irony. Gideon is introduced as the mighty man of valour, Gideon was full of fear and doubt. In the time of Judges they’re in the cycle of people forgetting God and being punished. Peoplke lived in constant fear hiding in caves in the mountains. Gideon is trying to thresh wheat. Anyone tried it? The separation of the chaff is vital yet Gideon is doing this inside without the benefit of the wind. Gideon surveys the destruction wreaked by the Midianites.

Doubt and fear makes him doubt. But his doubts are out of ignorance. Gideon is a caricature of the whole of Israel. He is a clear marker of someone who has sunk to a low point full of fear and doubt.

A man who is crippled with fear and doubt yet is called to lead the people into battle. Gideon when being addressed as a mighty man of valour probably looked over his shoulder looking for someone else!

Gideon questions the wisdom of being face to face with god. In the midst of fear and doubt God says I am with you. It’s encouraging that God calls people like you and me. Gideon asks for more proof. He’s heard it before. He goes to get lunch for God and God spontaneously combusts the lunch. Gideon perceived the truth.

Gideon is clothed by the spirit of the Lord. It speaks of protection, comfort security and empowerment for the task ahead. Think of what Jesus said . Gideon overcomes his fears and sounds the call to battle. Gideon is the contender for the Lord not for Baal. He still doesn’t get it. If you were wrapped in God.s presence you’d marh straight into battle. Gideon wants another test, he puts the fleece on the ground . But he squeezes out the water and still doesn’t believe. He asks for more proof.

Gideon has become desensitised to God, Are we like him?. No one else in the Bible gets more encounters with God but still doesn’t get it. God is patient and that is good news for us all. Ironic that God chose a smaller weaker battle force. God wanted them to be left in no doubt as to who wins the battle. God gets directly involved for the first time in picking the team. Those afraid didn’t need asking twice before leaving the battle, but there were still too many. How people drank then decided the team. Only 300!are left. No cup no glass, how would you drink?

God was picking the weaker army. God is underlining he is the victor here. He’s picking an army using as criteria skills and abilities that have no use in battle.  Tim posed this as a question for us all. For the church to teach another generation do we need more or less people, bigger or smaller buildings, or no buildings at all. No coincidence that this follows Deborah . She attributes without prompting the thanks to God.

Gideon’s success goes to his head, he thinks about taking taxes from the people, Gideon is the only one who doesn’t get the title of judge. Ironic that no other judge dies as much harm to the spiritual health of Israel.

We are just like Gideon. He’s not an example to be followed, he’s like you and me. The story is about a patient god who meets us in our fears and doubts to accomplish his purposes and it doesn’t matter how many of us there are. Is the fact that churches are closing good or bad? God’s church will survive even if ours or yours do not. God is seeking out people who are following him. There are times when his ways don’t fit with ours and it all feels risky. Gideon teaches us to trust in God. But if you want to know about how to celebrate victory look to the song of Deborah rather than the actions of Gideon.

Later on Sunday we caught the last few minutes of the England football match as we joined our friends at Sheraton Court for a short service. It was nice to see the welcome we got and the efforts the staff had made for the residents to celebrate England’s victory.  Not quite the song of Deborah but we did join the residents in a small chorus of “We’ll meet Again” as we were leaving.

On Tuesday we hosted a new series of workshops for those interested in leading worship or preaching. We had friends from Oxford Road and the Headland join us. Pray for those taking part in this new venture as they explore new ideas.