Radical Relocation of GOD??

There are certian Bibilcal truths that are so liberating and foundational for me, that are keys in our Christianty. This is one of them! "GOD is with us". I get so passionate that I want to SHOUT out to everybody... The KING of all KINGS is with us 24/7...that's better news than I thought the GOOD News was!! 

No other religion promises this. Yet, Christianity boldly & unashamedly declares that God is with us, in fact, He never leaves us or forsakes us!  Matt 28:20. Heb 13:5. In fact it's announced as Jesus comes to earth His name is "Immanuel". Matt 1:23. (It's interesting that this is declared at the beginning of Matthew & again at the end). 

I think some Christians if not purposely, but certainly in their actions, are saying God is a far away God. That's not only bad theology, it's so wrong. The songs we sometimes sing, "implore God to be with us". Sometimes the prayers we pray are, "please God be with us today...".  NO...we have a near-by God, not only is He before, behind, beside, above and below, but the amazing good news is HE is IN us!!! Wow! Paul says approx. 164 times the phrase, "Christ IN us, with us etc". For eg. Col 1:27 which is the theme for Colossians, says "Christ IN you the hope of Glory".

Let me push this a little further, I wonder if some believers have an Old Testament God. In the Old Testiment, God worked with special people, at special places & at special times. In the New Testament, God announces, HE is with us!  There has been a radical relocation of God!  We are now the temple of the Holy Spirit!  He NEVER leaves us! He works not only through a certain race or 'men', but through EVERYBODY...boys, girls, women, every race and in any place. Amazing! God the Father, Son & Holy Spirit, live in us...WOW!!  When you pray for somebody, He is there! When we meet together, He is there! When we go to the office, school or home, He is there! Why? Because YOU are there...He lives IN you...in fact His address is your address!!! 

HE has already come 2000 years ago...let's walk in it. I encourage you to meditate on this truth and allow it to become a revelation within you. For this is indeed a life-changing foundational liberating truth! 

It's supernatural...7000 new churches!!!!! Now that's multiplication.

Last week I had the privilege to travel to Chennai India & meet again with my church planting friend & apostolic leader Ps Kalyan Kumar. We have known each other for 20 years. It was fun to be with him & see what God is doing through him as he plants new churches. By 2025 he is aiming for 1000 churches!!! The way things are going it will happen!

We were talking about a person Dr R (Bobby) Gupta. Kalyan happened to know him well and I was able to meet with him. I was so excited!

25 years ago I first met Bobby Gupta at a church planting forum in London. I remember that day well. He spoke about His "Hindustan Bible Institute" (HBI), training leaders to begin new churches. (HBI began in 1952). The students fully graduate when they have planted a church, (or been part of the team). I thought that was so exciting when I first heard it & have kept it in my heart ever since. My dream is to see a Bible College in Europe do the same!!

So now,  fast forward 25 years to February 2013 in Chennai & I meet him again at the HBI.
We end up talking non stop for a few hours...You guessed it, church planting, movements... it was so inspiring to hear what has happened. In the last 28 years over 7000 churches have been planted! Now I'm not discrediting this number, but even if it is half of this it's absolutely amazing!! Included in this are new movements, that are self sustaining and multiplying. Of course as we were speaking I was imagining a few 'Church Planting Training Centres for Western Europe', (CPTC for WE). Then I begin to dream ... what would it feel like to see whole new movements / networks begin in Europe. Some would have 30-50 churches, some would have 100's of new churches...I must admit I began to feel somewhat emotional. It was a wonderful God moment...

Paul R Gupta & Sherwood G Lingenfelter have written a very inspiring book which records the journey.
"Breaking Tradition to accomplish VISION... 
Training leaders for a Church planting movement".  
www.bmhbooks.com

A chapter describes how 'formal education gradually cripples & derails a school originally founded to produce church planters. The books states, few Reformation leaders imagined the essential questions of modern mission - evangelism, making new disciples of new believers, & planting new churches.' (pge 11). Very challenging!

It is a very clear call to the church; 'Unless the church focuses on the task of making disciples & planting churches, we will not fulfill the mission of God for our generation'. (pge 4). He begins his introduction, 'God's mission for the church is to make disciples of the nations, & God insists on accomplishing that mission through us'.  

To say I was inspired, challenged & fired up is an understatement! I left noticing again the huge board in the foyer which reads, I quote: 
"To give every Indian an opportunity to hear, understand & respond to the Gospel and be discipled into communities of believers, so that we will see a dynamic transformational church in every village, colony, town and city of India & beyond. 
Building Transformational Leaders to disciple the Nations." 

Now that's one Heaven of a mission statement...and it's happening!! Western Europe...awaits such vision...

Jesus...what did he come to do again??

Luke 19:10 says it so clearly in Jesus own words; "The Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost..."
The task is very clear, uncluttered...even simple! 

Matt 28:19-20 "Jesus last words are 'GO... MAKE DISCIPLES of the Nations...BAPTIZE in the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit...TEACH new disciples to obey ALL the commands I have given you. Be sure of this I AM with you always...'"

WHERE and HOW does this work best? In communities of faith...CHURCH! The most effective way to fulfill this in our lifetime is to start new Churches. I am really going out on the edge here, but I believe it is consistent with Biblical discipleship - Jesus' last command - the commission he gave His disciples which includes us, is to plant, start new communities of faith...churches of different sizes and styles. God is soooo creative! 

Anyway that's what I believe Jesus told us to do!!!!  What do you think?

www.visionchurches.com       www.booksbynick.com

Title: "How to have a successful harvest"

'The following I have found to be keys in the process of seeing His Kingdom extended.

Before I share these keys, there are some foundational understandings:

1. Harvest is not an event it's a process. 

2. The further evangelism is removed from the local church the less effective it will be.

3. In my view, and I believe it has been proven time and time again, friendship evangelism is the BEST way to proceed. 75-90% of people become Christians through a friend or a relative. Most people will have 2-3 people who are either relatives or friends or work colleagues who are open to the gospel in some way. These are the ones to specifically pray for and ask along to a special small group, church event, concert or guest speaker.

The keys...

1. SOW seed. Keep sowing seed. There is no tree without the sowing of seed.

2. You receive in the harvest the KIND of seed you sowed. Plant apple seeds, you will get an apple tree. 

3. You receive in the harvest MORE than what you sowed. If you sow one apple seed, you receive not only another tree, but lots of apples and countless MORE seeds. That's what happens in the natural, imagine… the supernatural!!

4. You reap in ANOTHER SEASON to when you sowed. Sometimes it takes months, even years for the harvest to show itself. Keep sowing!!

5. There is NOTHING you can do about the harvest of yesterday...but you can EFFECT THE HARVEST OF TOMORROW!!

Keep sowing Gospel seeds - lives depend on it!! 

Until next time...

Passions & Talents - How do we find them?

Title: Passion & Talents - how do we find them?

How can we find our Passions and Talents? 

What were we created to do? 

We are so uniquely and wonderfully created; how can we maximize what God has given to us for His Glory?

Each one of us has been given abilities and gifts. It seems that many don't know what they are. Before God we will not be responsible for what talents or gifts we don't have, but we are responsible for those we do have. (There are many free 'Gift analysis' questionnaires on line...this will certainly add to the picture you can build of your passions). Our gifts and talents are locked within what we are passionate about. 

Answering these questions below will empower you and lead you towards the following:  1. You will know how you are wired up and what to do with the one life God has given you.  2. You will know what to focus on and what NOT to. You will know what to say YES to and what to say NO to. For example, if you are passionate about public speaking or hospitality, you'll be more motivated to study this subject in depth and become even more skilled. 3. You will be able to pray specifically for the talents God has given you, finding creative ways to use them.  4. Finding your passions will lead you to better understand your gifts & talents. 5. You will better understand yourself, which is always helpful. 6. Answering the questions below will enable you to become more productive. 7. If you work in your passions you will enjoy what you are doing much more. Even the difficult things will be OK for you can see the end result. 

4 easy Steps in answering these questions. 

Step 1. Begin to pray specifically about what God might be saying to you through this process. 

Step 2. Take time to think and answer the questions. This is not a one day thing...take a couple of months over it.

Step 3. It helps to write answers in a small notebook that you go to every day or two and add to what you have written. A picture will begin to form of your passions and even your talents.

Step 4. Ask respected peers and those in leadership over you "what do you see me passionate about?", and "What do you see are my talents or gifts?" Again note the answers down. Writing clarifies and un-clutters thoughts.

Here are the questions:

1. If you could mobilize the masses, what would you do?

2. If someone gave you unlimited finances and resources, what would you do?

3. What do think about all the time?

4. What do you care deeply about? (Your treasures / your values).

5. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

6. What do you believe God wants you to do?

7. If you could snap your fingers to get something done, what would happen?

8. What absorbs you and captures your attention?

9. What things are you committed to?

10. Slogans and Creeds?

11. What have you achieved with competence or success?

12. Where do you belong? (A large city, small town, medium sized City, the country...?)

13. Are there any should's that have trailed you?

14. What is ministry for you? 

15. What are the events and situations of the past that have ignited good feelings in you?  

Enjoy...remember it's a journey. God has wired you up a certain way. May this serve you so you are able to find your passions and envision His dreams for your life...so all Glory goes to Him.

Enjoy...remember it's a journey. God has wired you up a certain way. May this serve you so you are able to find your passions and envision His dreams for your life...so all Glory goes to Him.

Do we realize how much God has given us?

Flying back from London this year, I was reading the daily mail. There was sad but fascinating article about a homeless man who was found frozen to death in Wyoming. He died from hypothermia under a railway overpass. Authorites found few uncashed cheques in his wallet. The story doesn't end there. His name was Tim Gray who was an adopted son of the wider Clark family when he was five by Dr Gerald Gray. At the time of his death Tim was due to inherit 12 million pounds!!

A very sad story indeed. But maybe as disciples of Christ we live not realizing how much God has given us? Let's go back in time and look at the story Jesus told of the lost son. (They are 3 stories making the same point - but that's another story). Luke 15:1-32.
The younger son comes home ashamed & repentant and even after the Father gives him the
'finest robe' - signifing, honour,
a 'ring' - this gave the son power of attorney (authority),
'sandals' - which stands for freedom, the father gives the younger son a huge party!!

The older son enters the story and is angry and will not enter the party... 'I've slaved for you all these years never once refused to do a single thing you told me to do. You have never given me a party so I could celebrate with my friends...now this son of your's...'

The father replies, 'you are always with me & EVERYTHING I have is YOUR'S'.

Two powerful supernatural basic truths that run through the New Testiment: He is with us! And EVERYTHING I have is your's! 

Tim was adopted. Did he realize what he had? Maybe he did, but didn't walk in what was his. We are adopted. Do you realize what you have in Christ? 

The inheritance is being contested by family and friends...there's a terrible fight going on!! Our fight has already been fought & won...by JESUS!! 

Jesus Mandate... It must happen in Europe!!

Tim Keller from Redeemer presbyterian Church USA, writes a powerful article on 'Why Plant Churches?' For the full article see below...

http://download.redeemer.com/pdf/learn/resources/Why_Plant_Churches-Keller.pdf

Here are a few highlights for me:
In the article he more than suggests that, 'Jesus essential call was to plant churches'. That's powerful. Virtually all of the great evangelistic challenges of the New Testament are basically calls to plant churches... Matt 28:18-20. Acts 2:41-47. The only way to be truely sure you are increasing the number of Christians in a town is to increase the number of churches. 


I believe the Apostle Paul's "missionary journey's" in the book of Acts, should be more accurately called, "Church planting and church strengthening journey's".


It is a great mistake, Keller goes on to say, to choose between church planting & church renewal. Strange as it my seem, the planting of new churches in a city is one of the VERY best ways to revitalize many older churches in the vicinity and renew the whole body of Christ. WHY? 
1. New churches bring new ideas to the whole body. 
2. New churches are the best ways to surface creative, strong leaders for the whole body.
3. New churches challenge other churches to self examination.
4. The new church may be an evangelistic feeder for a whole community. 


"Church planting is still the most effective long term evangelistic method under God's Heaven!" How are you involved?