celebrating the milestones

Yesterday we celebrated God's provision at alpha, although I cant say to much about what actually happened, let's just say we received a heck of a lot of money from a foundation from which we only asked a little. Obviously this is of great excitement and an example of God pouring out his favour, lavish and generous blessing on us. Money is not everything, but it is a great tool, that when used effectively, and stewarded properly, it can bring about much good. 

I was reminded yesterday that everything is the Lord's (1 Cor 10:26) and he can choose to do with it what he wills. 

I also realized that when these moments happen, its so important to celebrate. 

celebrate 

First and foremost God and his generous love expressed in a tangible way. 

Secondly to celebrate the moment and for those who gave.

Thirdly celebrate the direction of alpha and the opportunities that will flow out of this gift for the extension of God's kingdom here in Canada.

I am so grateful to be apart of something that is so much bigger than myself, so much bigger than alpha. It is a great privilege to do what I do and serve the local church. Although it is a great priviledge I do feel the burden of responsibility that comes with gifting and call. But I believe that God has enabled us to do what he asks us in the power of his Holy Spirit. 

But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

Creating Change... One Coffeshop at a time

 

This past week I met up with a Young Adults Pastor from Vancouver Island. His name is Rick, and I wish there were a hundred more Rick's out there. Listening to Rick tell his story about how he was getting involved in his community really blew me away. Doing something as simple as meeting with young guys and girls in coffee shops has produced much change in personal lives and is impacting the community where he lives.

There was nothing that was obviously special about Rick. But I recognized something that set him apart. Rick's heart for people to know the Gospel was so evident—to Know the transforming LOVE and GRACE of Jesus.

Over the years I've met many people who share this same passion. But Rick's passion was different. His passion seemed to have a really humble edge to it. Telling me his story and what he was a part of almost brought tears to his eyes. It came across that Rick was doing what he was doing because that's what God had asked him to do. It was something deeply personal. Being on Gods' team, serving in that community was a real PRIVILEGE for him. It was like he was a kid being asked to step up and play for his favourite sports team. As if God had personally asked him to PUT ON THE JERSEY. It was this attitude that impacted me profoundly. He was simply being what he was called to be.

Rick came over to the Island from a small town in Alberta. His Dad is the pastor of a really great church in Alberta, so he kinda "gets" the whole pastor thing. He was a youth pastor for awhile, leading a successful youth ministry. Taking some time out as a result of burnout, Rick decided to go into landscaping, which he really enjoyed.

During his time at his landscaping company, Rick felt that God began calling him back to pastoring. He received a job opportunity to become a Young Adults Pastor in Victoria on Vancouver Island.  After praying through the opportunity with his wife, they decided that they would accept the offer and move to Victoria. It was a step of faith. They had no idea what God had in store for them.

As he got involved with the community, Rick began just hanging out with the young people from his church. He did this by meeting up with them frequently in coffee shops. Each week he would meet with a number of them to chat with them, journey together with them and work on things like how to read the bible and praying, etc. Often he would study a book of the bible with the guys and girls and teach them how to journal and how to listen to God speaking to them through His word.

It was not long before these groups started to grow… one became two, and then five, etc. Soon other people who frequented the coffee shops noticed these groups meeting at the same time every week, and started to ask why. One such person was a girl named Carolyn, who worked in the coffee shop. She asked them one day what they were talking about. After Rick explained that they were learning how to read the bible and learning to follow Jesus, she said she had wondered about that stuff and thought it was cool that they were talking about it.  The next week Carolyn asked if she could join in the conversation.

This is just one of the many stories that Rick told me. 

My reason for meeting with Rick was to discuss the possibility of taking each of these groups through Alpha in the very same coffee shops, because he has felt they needed help and wanted a resource that could help young people explore the meaning of life together in a way that would encourage conversation about Jesus in an inclusive and relaxed environment. He is excited about the idea.

One side note… The manager of one of the Starbucks where Rick meets attends his church. She was at a recent managerial meeting where the person in charge mentioned he had heard of these groups meeting in various coffee shops. He asked whether they were causing problems and maybe should be asked to leave. “Oh no,” said one of the other managers who was not a believer “They are actually great customers, duper friendly and good for business. We actually like having them there.”

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."  2 Cor 2:14-15

Powell River

Ferry Ride from the Sunshine Coast to Powell River, BC.

One of the really great things about my job working for Alpha is that I get to travel around BC and find out what is happening at the local church level around the province. Today i travel 4 hours north of Vancouver. Two ferry rides later and after some spectacular view - some of the most breathe taking views I have ever seen in my life we arrived at the Westview Baptist church, where they were hosting us for their missions fest. I came up with Jason Ballard and the Campus Fire Crew - Chris Hall and Timmy G as Jason was invited to lead one of the breakout seminars and and evening talk. I had a great day hanging out the these guys -  super fun loving and such a heart for God's Kingdom.

At lunch Jason and I meet with a bunch of people who have been involved in running Alpha in Powell River over the last decade. Not to my surprise I encountered the usual Alphaholics (people who just go on alpha over and over and over again and make alpha the be all and end all of their faith) who usually frequent some of the smaller towns. However, these people had a different vibe. They genuinely got the Alpha vision and from the world Go have been really passionate about sharing the Gospel of Jesus. One of the oldest and softest spoken ladies in the room name Margie, told us how when she first heard of Alpha, she brought the videos and hosted 20 people in her house. She just believe in God using it. Many years and many Alpha courses down the road, she is still actively involved in making God known through Alpha. I really am humble when people want to stick with the vision, and not jsut move on to the next best thing like so many people from my generation. i was reminding again that there is so much to learn from the elderly, who are so gracious and humble in heart, yet love the Lord with a deep passion and conviction. 

At the end of the day I am so thankful for this opportunities to understand and witness the outworking of God's church here on earth. What a privilege it is to do what I do.

God is Able

God is able! Knowing this truth in your heart can really radically change your life, and grant you perspective that you could never have imagined to have. Today I was reading in Bill Hybel's book - Too Busy Not to Pray. In it he spoke about our ability to trust that God answers our prayer id very much proportional to our faith in his omnipotence. If God is truly omnipotent then he is able to do what ever we ask him. This is not so say that God will answer our prayers in the way we might want, but to know in our heart of hearts that he does have the ability to do so. As we press into him and pray according to his will, there is no doubt that in his grace he will answer our requests. What do you need to have faith for today, know that GOD IS ABLE? What do you need to believe knowing that GOD IS ABLE.

Rivendell Retreat

Rivendell Retreat - Bowen Island (BC)

It hard to describe what I have been feeling the past few months. The last year has been an adventure, packed with many moments of grandeur and life giving opportunities. Spanning these moment have been both challenges to learn from and victories to celebrate. This last week I took some much need time out to reflect, think and pray and give thanks to Jesus, who by his grace has brought me to where I am thus far. 

When I first arrived in Vancouver, many people at Regent spoke of the Rivendel Retreat Lodge on Bowen Island. I have always been keen to check it out, and I loved the thought of getting away to prayer and spend sometime away from the city out in creation. So finally last week after I cancelled my trip to London I headed to the Horseshoe bay to catch the midday Ferry.

After a short ferry ride across the bay I began my trek up the hill to the lodge on a beautiful spring day. I meandered up the grey snake like road, I wondered through the quaint little coast town. The sun was shining, the smell of a new season was in the air.
I could literally smell,
taste
and touch the change that hung in the air.

Change

Something that I desired so badly in my heart after months of grey winter skies and trying so hard to steward work and studying - all the doing had finally taken its toll on me. My mind, body and soul was in much need of rejuvenation and new vision.

As the sun beat down,  I cried out to the Lord to show me my path for the next season, to affirm where I was and the purposes that he had for me in Canada. Nearing the end of the climb, I passed through a construction sight and I had a wonderful word from the Lord. At first, I muttered negative thoughts about the mess of the construction sight and how ugly it looked. Even though I knew the end result would be a beautiful house looking of the majestic bay. I realized at that very point that my life in fact felt like a bit of a construction sight. It wasn't all that attractive. I know that from the outside people might sometimes think that I had it together, but the truth is, non of us really have it together and it is by God grace that we forge on, living out what our creator has called us to do. Anyway, back to the picture. So my life a construction sight- God the clearing away to make space for something beautiful to be built. Sometimes the clearing and the foundation making, the pouring of concrete and blandness of these stages is a little disillusioning. sometimes you cant see the plan for what the final building will look like although you get hints or glimpses of it as you go along. Praying through this image I receive renewed revelation and confidence about the journey that I am on. I life long journey. Although I may not know and see the final purposes of my time in Canada. I do feel that it is strategic; a laying of the foundation, the clearing for something beautiful to be built. My life in construction, not more, no less, but in a process of being made better. Not by me but by the master architect and builder. The one who sees and knows the end from the begging. What a joy to know that ultimately my life is in the hands of the one who created me. Praise God.


Isaiah 40:28- 31

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Limitless LOVE

Psalm 103:11–12
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us

It amazes me that God actually loves us so much, even though we can fail him time and time again. Praise God that the riches of His mercy and love are from a well that is eternally deep.

We see in this Psalm , we see the Psalmist David wrestling with the idea of God's mercy towards those that fear God. He compares it to the great expanse of the heavens. Considering how much more we know about the heavens than what David would have known,it makes the magnanimity of this truth come ALIVE.

The very fact that that the Heaven are a limitless expanse; we are not even able to fully measure the extent of the universe even with our most modern technology, lies the hope that no matter what we have done, what transgressions we may have committed, we can come to God, because the extent of his mercy is so great. In fact it is so great than when we come to him, he removes our transgressions from us- as far as the east is from the west - that's limitless love.

Let the joy of this truth set your heart free today to know that you are loved not because of who your are but because of who God is, a God of limitless LOVE.

The New Testament lays a greater stress on prayer than it does on the evangelization of people. There is a deeper need to prayer that there is even for people to be converted, and I don’t say that lightly because there is a fierce need for conversion. But conversions wont happen unless we are praying and the Bible says that from the beginning to the end” Bishop Sandy Millar

We have a big vision for the re-evangelization of the nations and the transformation of society. And the GOOD NEWS is that God has promised to give us precisely these blessings; describing them in 2 Chronicles 7:14 as the healing of the land, hearing of prayers, and the forgiveness of sins. The BAD NEWS is that promise is conditional upon our humble and fervent prayers.

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14

Three of the most important words in the passage may well be the most inconspicuous words too: WHEN… IF… THEN

WHEN…
Before God promises blessing, He Promises problems. His people are not immune from the droughts and plagues, which, to an agrarian culture, meant disaster at every level: environmentally, financially and socially.
IF…
We are currently experiencing environmental, financial and social crisis but sadly so many of God’s people are placing their hope in products, personalities and programs instead of doing the one things that God’s requires: that we turn to Him in prayer. There is a big IF that acts as a hinge, connecting the prediction of problems (when) with the most incredible promises of healing and salvation (then). We want God to say “If problems come, when you pray, then I will act,”  but actually He says the exact opposite: “When problems come, if you pray, then I will act…”
THEN…
When challenges come, if God’s people will respond with prayer that are humble, hungry and holy, He promises to answer us by sending forgiveness and healing. The hinge of history, it seems is the bended knee.

“God is not deaf, He listens; more than that He acts. He does not act in the same way whether we prayer or not. Prayer exerts an influence upon God’s actions, even upon his existence.” Karl Barth
So as we re-think prayer in light of this scripture its again unpins that it is something essential that we are to engage in .
Adapted from the Alpha Prayer guide