Apostolic Ventures (Bank Holiday Festival)

Here's the 'Power' Festival Weekend ministry from Monday 27 May 2014.

1. The apostolic church recognises a call in its generation to specific people groups and/or locations.
2. Understands that the unit that God works through is the gathered Body of Christ, so skillfully builds the church.
3. It's God's instrument for heralding the gospel of redemption in Christ and transformation in the Holy Spirit.

Other ministries may be content merely to see the church flourish.
To the apostolic, this is like a fire engine that never leaves the station for a blaze.

Venture 1) In 2013, our greatest number of new members came from 'friends' (4/10) and family (2/10). 
How can you give time to connect with such folks?

Venture 2) Next (2/10), were contacted through our Jesus Centres.
Are you making best use of volunteering opportunities, and Jesus Centre groups with gospel slant?

Venture 3) Our MILC (Multiply International Leaders' Conference) delegates testified to the power of prayer. 
By prayer they found direction, grasped opportunities, and overcame difficulties.

Kiran (India) related how he was led to go with his team to an unevangelised village and ask for the 'postman'.  On arrival, the man was found to be seriously ill - in fact, unconscious.  Kiran was annoyed at this seeming dead-end.  Turning to leave, the man's wife asked if they could pray.  Kiran hadn't got as far as 'Amen', before the man stirred and sat up.  The family came to faith, and now there's a thriving church in the village.  

Venture 4) They also testified to the effectiveness of releasing those with evangelism gifts in teams with complementary ministries.
This means churches keep growing after the initial burst of new-planting growth.

Daniel (Kenya) and David (Sierra Leone) engage teams with specific gifts to make initial contact with folks, follow them up, and so on.

Venture 5) Who are the people on God's heart?  Churches have prayed and asked God to bring to mind contacts' names, before inviting them to events.
This builds faith that there's a specific local mission field already in His purposes.

Some of our church households have made a point of giving specific personal invitations to suitable events, rather than sticking with general publicity or vague announcements at other meetings.

Acts 18:9  One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10 For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11 So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

Dear Justin

Loz was impressed that I manage to churn out a blog a week (on average).  The secret is that at Leaders-in-Training residential weekend in June, I agreed with Duncan that he'd text me every Saturday to see if I was getting something published.  The next thing Loz commented was whether I'd really join the connected generation by doing shorter blogs.  He finds mine lengthy.  Hmmm.

So here's a series of minis.  We'll start with an open letter to Justin Welby.

Dear Justin,
I'm sure you've had lots of advice, but hey, there are some things you can't get enough of, so here's mine.

1. Forget about women bishops.  When, in crisis, the cultural mood swings back in favour of mothers being at home, then what a bunch of clueless twits you'll all look.  The custodians of family values, caught with with your gaiters down.  When I hear Christina Rees saying, "The Church of England has been betrayed by the Laity", I'm reminded of Richard Nixon's assertion that "the will of the people mustn't be allowed to interfere with the democratic process". Just listen to yourselves!  A church that marries the culture of the day inevitably gets jilted when sentiments move on.  

2. Be the last white European primate of your communion.  Whatever it takes in canon law and UK law, get it sorted before you retire (or resign).  If it's true that the modal Anglican member is a 22-year-old single woman living in Africa, with education up to "A" Level, let's see it in the positioning of your government.  Head for the global south.  Get there before the Vatican!  Leapfrog GAFCON. 

3. Remember the gospel is about transformation, not reformation.  This is the big divide, not gays, traditions, political persuasions, ethnicity, disposable income.  Don't get on the "More education", "Economic solutions", or "Dialogue" bandwagons.  The cross in our redemption, sanctification and glorification is necessary, sufficient and non-negotiable.  (I'm sorry you don't share our theology of baptism, but that's not a show-stopper.)

I'll be praying for you, as expect you now won't be able to accept an invitation to Men Alive or Sheffield Praise Day.