Year in review June 20, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Church, Glasgow, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....2 comments
So all of a sudden, I realize I only have just over a week before I move back home to Ardrossan (unless something changes very quick, like me getting an amazing job with good pay!). That means I’ve got a lot of packing to do, and have spent a lot of time in the flat over the last week, which has given me A LOT of time to think about the last year – working with Re:Hope, the internship, where I’ve grown, etc.
The Internship
First off, my mentor Mike Libolt has been amazing. Anyone who knows ME, knows that HE has put up with A LOT! This guy has been there from the start, guiding me through the internship program, coaching me, pastoring me, and giving me a kick up the backside when it’s been required. Looking back from when I started the internship, I am amazed at the amount of stuff I’ve learned, and how I’ve grown through it.
I remember when I first felt sure about being Called to do the internship, and wondering what God had in store for me. Now all I can think is WOW. I couldn’t have imagined all of the stuff over the last year, the books, coaching sessions, prayer, spiritual retreat, etc.
If it wasn’t for the fact I know how much work and time it takes Mike, I’d strongly recommend the internship. It’s a huge growing experience.
Re:Hope
I am honoured (not a word I’d generally use!) to be a part of what God has been doing in Re:Hope. Equal to the internship, I’ve learned a huge amount from working with Brian Ingraham and the staff at Re:Hope. It’s astounding looking back, having been part of the church for around 3 years now, and seeing the growth (in congregation size, in Spiritual maturity, in Godly Character), in particular over the last year.
In a dark city, Re:hope has been a light. In a City where many Church buildings are either crumbling around their dying congregations, or turning into pubs, we’ve seen Re:hope grow. One point in particular sticks out: having prayed for growth, within 2 weeks, we doubled in size!
Seeing a Church be ALL IN, any time, any place, no matter what the cost. Seeing more people join bible read through groups – becoming a people of the word. Watching people come to know Jesus. Seeing people get baptised. Seeing people making Jesus’ mission – their mission. Seeing people making ‘this’, their life – what they’re living for. Seeing people follow God’s plan, at any cost, instead of their own.
If Re:Hope had a lifetime membership, I’d sign up. Although I don’t intend on going anywhere for at least this year (unless someone has a spare £18,000?), when the time comes when I have to leave – at least for a little while, I will continue to pray for Re:Hope, and take what I’ve learned in Re:Hope where ever I go.
“God, make me like David…” January 12, 2009
Posted by jonesy24 in Books, Christianity, God, Internship.1 comment so far
David rocks. It’s official.
I’ve been reading a book called ‘Courageous Leadership’ by Bill Hybels… (just finished it actually) and he briefly talks about David’s faith-based optimism.
David believed so deeply in the pwer of God that a giant could not intimidate him, a murderous king could not paralyze him, and genocidal enemies could not defeat him. With complete confidence, David marched in whatever direction God pointed him, fully expecting grace and power to be revealed along the way.
Even at David’s lowest point, his ‘optimism’ was strong. When he failed morally with Bathsheba and God struck their firstborn son with illness (I’m pretty ill at the moment too… swollen uvula! Eeeeek), David did not give up his optimism. Even though God said that the child’s life would be required for the father’s sins, David clung to hope. He fell on his face. He fasted and prayed for six days and nights. He could not let go of the slight possibility hat God might spare his newborn son.
We know David’s son died though.
Later, when David was asked why he’d fasted and prayed, he said “I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live’” (2 Samuel 12:22)
Over the last year I’ve seen a lot of hopelessness. I’ve seen people who have long term illness struggling to understand why, despite prayer (and fasting?) they won’t be healed. I talked to an orphaned boy who’s hurt, hopelessness, and just plain confusion over ‘why he lost his parents’, turn to anger directed at God. I’ve had a close friend die, and I myself in that point in time lost hope. I’ve seen the homeless and addicts in complete hopelessness. I’ve had conversations with some of those people, who are desperately trying to escape reality – where they feel completely hopeless – through their addictions. I’m aware of people, who’s circumstances have wore them down to the point – in their hopelessness, that they’re ready to give up.
I think David’s got it right. He faces his share of the bad stuff, and has to do some pretty bold stuff – but he has complete hope in God. Complete optimism.
Regarding Hope… (haha… that joke will never get old)… I think for me there’s going to be circumstances and things that happen that I won’t understand. There’s going to be points where I’m going to have to either chicken out, or step forward in faith-based optimism. I think there’s going to be circumstances that are going to test me, that will most definately be some of the hardest stuff that can get thrown at me, where I’m going to have to do a David… cling to hope, trust in the fact that God is ultimately always in control, that he does have a plan.
God, make me like David.
Courageous Leadership – The ultimate supplier December 9, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Books, Christianity, Church, Glasgow, God, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....Tags: Bill Hybels, Courageous Leadership
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Another book that I’m in the middle of reading as part of my internship is Courageous leadership by Bill Hybels. I’ve just about finished reading a chapter called ‘The resource challenge’ which talks about the challenge of funding, resources, etc… and how without proper resources… the local church can and does starve to death.
Again, I find myself thinking about the current situation with Re:Hope (see previous blogs).
Bill Hybels talks about his vision of an ‘Acts 2′ church, and facing the harsh reality (when first starting out with Willow Creek) of ‘trying’ to fund one.
In Psalm 50:12 God Himself hits this theme when he says “the world is mine, and all that is in it”. In a nutshell, God’s resources are unlimited.
I think (this isn’t the case with Re:Hope, but I’ve certainly been there with my own personal financial support) that we can rely too much on people… when in fact, “God alone controls the flow of the financial river we (I) need.”
He hits it right on the head when talking about people giving, not as the suppliers, but the ‘conduits’ through which God supplies.
God is not just able to help, He’s eager to help. Especially with regards to the local church – His bride. No one wants to see the church appropriately resourced more than God does.
Re:hope is in the thick of it. The owners of our building want to sell it, and scoff at what we offer. We don’t have the ‘finances’. BUT… God is still the ultimate supplier, the God who I firmly believe will finish what He CLEARLY begun. We just have to keep on moving forward in faith.
“The ultimate supplier for the resources (and buildings/finances) we need is the God who wants to see HIS church built even more than we do. And He has plenty.”
Mountain Rain #1 – Faith December 3, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Books, Christianity, Church, Glasgow, God, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....1 comment so far
Talk about being long overdue… One of the books I read as part of my Internship was Mountain Rain – a biography of James O Fraser by Eileen Crossman.
Re:Hope at the moment is in a building that we don’t own. We rent it out from the current owners who are trying to sell it. There has been a bunch of people with different prospects for the building come and check it out.
We are putting our faith and hope in God – for Him to intervene. For Him to provide the building, or to provide somewhere else. After all, He provided the building in the first place. We believe (unless otherwise directed by God) that this building is where we’re supposed to be.
Something that stuck out at me as I was reading Mountain Rain was James Fraser’s faith that God would move. In much of ‘his’ work, it was so clearly God that moved, that he believed God would continue what He’s begun.
I am clearly seeing God move in Re:Hope. In the building situation over the last couple of years, in growth (in numbers and in people’s relationships with God), in the transformation of people’s hearts and in people being saved.
God is intervening. He is moving in Re:Hope. My hope is in the fact that God will continue what He has begun, and with regards to our current circumstances… I believe He will ‘provide’.
The thing is – I can’t see the end result. It’s pretty much down to naked faith. Faith that my God – who’s moved before, and is moving… will move again.
Re:hope 2008 – NEW VIDEO November 30, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Church, Glasgow, God, Internship, Re:Hope, Read Through, The Bible - it's quality stuff!.Tags: Brian Ingraham, Christianity, Church, Glasgow, Re:Hope, Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church
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Ok. I apologise… this blog was meant to have an embedded video… but for the life of me – it won’t work/I can figure it out. *sigh*
Here’s the link…
Re:Hope Kid’s Fancy Dress Fair November 1, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Church, Glasgow, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....Tags: Church, kids ministry, Re:Hope
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Last night we had our halloween kid’s alternative at Re:hope. It was called the ‘Fancy dress fair”, and consisted of loads of amazingly fun stations for the kids to go round, including things like: various games, arts and crafts, Nintendo Wii, dunking for apples, etc.
It was actually quite a good turn out. There were plenty of ‘non-Re:hope families’ that turned up, and the kids seem to have a ball of a time.
I myself was dressed up as Clark kent…
Here’s some pictures of the event:
Bean-bag throw
Indiana Jones and Clark Kent
Poland 08 Videos September 20, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Internship, Mission, Poland, Re:Hope, What's happening with me....add a comment
Here’s some videos of the Poland Missions trip I went on…
Saved for what? June 6, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, God, Internship, What's happening with me..., Worship, You and me.add a comment
One thing that I’ve found difficult is to seperate my work (for Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church) from my personal one-on-one time with God. It made me thing about what it is to work ‘for God’. And how to ’serve’ simply isn’t enough.
Here’s what I’m getting at…
God didn’t save us to serve. That would imply that God needed or required us. Which I find hard to believe. In fact, that’s a nice way of saying it… I just plain and simple don’t believe it.
I had a conversation with a friend over MSN Instand messanger last night, and I asked her, ‘Why did God save us?’.
“Because He loves us”
God didn’t save us to serve him. He doesn’t require that from us. God is all powerful, remember? He’s Glorious with or without us anyway. He saved us for Sonship and to worship Him. (Check out Paul Washer on Youtube).
Makes sense right?
I wasn’t saved to serve. I wasn’t saved because God required something I had to offer. I wasn’t saved because I’m extreamly good-looking… ONLY KIDDING! I was saved because yes, God loves me, and yes he wants for me to be his son, and to worship him and to love him like the almighty father He is.
Sonship is different from Serving. And working for a church, or as a missionary isn’t ‘enough’. You’re a son or a daughter of God, not an employee. The son/daughter element of your relationship with God is still required no matter how many hours you put in ‘working for God’.
Overwhelmed April 26, 2008
Posted by jonesy24 in Christianity, Glasgow, God, Internship, Re:Hope, What's happening with me..., You and me.1 comment so far
As part of me going to live up in Glasgow and work for Re:Hope Next Generation Church I have raise financial support. Honestly… sometimes it gets me pretty nervous. The prospect of not having the money I need and being unable to pay bills, or rent, or not having enough money for food scares me.
I’ve sent out support letters to family and friends – which seems very foreign to me – not sure what to expect. The whole idea of raising support and relying on other people and especially God is something I’ve not really had to do before.
I take confidence in the fact that I feel this is something I feel God has called me to do. I trust in Him and his plan for me – even if I don’t know what that is. I have faith that he is going to provide for something that He’s called me to.
I hate the idea of ‘wimping’ out. I hate the idea of changing my plans or having a safety net ‘just in case it doesn’t work out’. You can’t be a ‘wimpy’ or ‘cowardly’ Christian. We have to be strong and courageous – especially when it comes to walking into the unknown.
I’m totally overwhelmed by the support I’ve recieved. Don’t get me wrong… I’ve still got a fair bit to go… but I can’t get over the fact that people who can’t really afford to give me money are in fact giving me the largest gifts or donations.
I recently recieved a card in the mail with a cheque inside from friends I’ve not seen in a fairly long time, who quoted J.Hudson Taylor … “God’s work done God’s way will not lack God’s supply.”
- In the process of becoming a courageous christian… who steps out into the unknown – with a certainty and confidence in a faithful God who knows me better than I know myself.
