Could it be that our propensity to run to mission and busyness, without attentively tending to our altars of prayer, encounter and worship, means much of our church efforts are often powerless good works? Does our prayerlessness mean we lack the markers of God’s power among us, His presence upon us and His glory within…
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Many in leadership, and many in the ranks of every Church, are deeply weary at a soul level. Some lives are so filled with busyness and burden that we have lost connection with the sounds of our own souls, and it is this that has led some to private compromise. But I believe a deep…
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As soon as we entered lockdown, church leaders had to begin thinking about changing almost everything, as multiple departments closed, public settings shut down and most endured the huge discovery curve of taking many ministries, groups and services online. Adrenaline pumped and it was actually a tad exciting (apart from those touched by grief or…
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As we enter this new era in God I believe that He is saying that… …Out of the storms and shaking of this new dawn will form in my people a clear new vision, accompanied by an unveiling of fresh power, purity and my strategies for this time. This is a Time of Judgement &…
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“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco This period of recent reflection under lockdown has not only been good for me as a person, but also for us as a church. It is so easy in the hustle and bustle of church life to experience mission drift, and to slowly,…
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On Sunday 4th October 2020 I preached a prophetic word on the following passage. I think it sums up this pivotal time: “See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away…
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On a prayer walk today I was struck by a line that came up in a leadership forum I was honoured to speak at yesterday. The line was “Beware Fatigue!” – and it resonated with some of the leaders present. So far 2020 has been an incredibly unusual time for everyone, but I want to…
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How Did Jesus See Scripture? I cannot even begin this blog correctly without thanking Andrew Wilson for his excellent book ‘Unbreakable’ which has inspired much of its content. Indeed, I simply stood and preached this message one Sunday with his book in my hand, unashamedly sharing its outstanding content. A link to the book is…
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Reasons To Trust The Bible There are many fascinating reasons we should trust the divine root of the scriptures. Here is a selection of them to stir your thinking: Archaeological Evidence The Hittites are mentioned almost 50 times in the Old Testament, but for centuries there has been no archaeological evidence of their existence. Of…
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In these days when anything declared authoritative is viewed with great suspicion (and even more so if it’s ancient too!) how can we be sure the Bible we revere as Christians is accurate, relevant, steadfast and worthy of being preached? Can we be sure its perceived moral codes are truly eternal when it evidently toys…
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We are convinced that we are living in days when God wants to bring revival, power and influence to His people, across the world. We are therefore passionate about helping believers to live powerful lives, cultivate healthy, growing, presence-filled churches and bring the influence of God’s Kingdom to their world. One of the ways we…
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In the contemporary, polite, suit wearing (or indeed tight-jean wearing!) niceness of church leadership, there are many “tut tutters” that would seek to sanitise and soften who Jesus truly was. Some overcook the “meek and mild” image of Jesus, leaving us with a bland do-gooder god-man who would not raise his voice or display his…
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We live in a world that seems to adore the extroverted. This has an impact even on the church world. A “faith and leadership” web article recently spoke of “the evangelical megachurch, which often centres around a dynamic, celebrity pastor who encourages others to also be extroverted in their faith.” It would seem that even…
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The second great truth from the Great Commission is that we are to be, and make, disciples. This means that the Church should feel like a training school, a barracks, a college, a training camp. But while Jesus said make disciples, we often think church is about running church services and projects. This, I believe,…
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How to Pastor a Church when you’re Prophetic Not all Pastors are alike. In fact, no two are the same. Church Pastors are like cars: All run on roads, all can accelerate and brake – but under the bonnet (the “hood” for our American cousins) all Pastors are more different than most congregation members would…
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Some say church leadership is hard, and there are endless blogs on the sorrows and pains of church leadership. While I sympathize in many ways, I also slightly disagree with this claim. I don’t really think Pastoral leadership is hard as such; it’s more that it is “complex” and “unusual” in ways that many don’t…
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Probably the greatest thing we must realise, if we grasp the importance of the era in which we live, is that we must “live a life worthy of the calling we have received” (Ephesians 4:1). You are incredibly important. Your decisions matter. Your church is important. You have been born “for such a time as…
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Denominational renewal seems to be a point of great pain, stalling and infighting in the Christian world right now. I am saddened by the sight of good, godly men, who find themselves lost in the quagmire of organisational disagreement, having to waste valuable energy on difficult organisational renewal. This has led me to think about…
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I ended up in ministry because I love to minister. Personally, I feel right at home when I’m preaching, teaching, prophesying, singing, helping, ministering in God’s presence and in His Gifts. It’s my sweet spot! And most church leaders are the same. But one day I learned I needed to change. It was a few years…
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Churches and ministries thrive on volunteer teams; People who consider it worship to practically work for the cause of the Church & the Gospel, for no financial gain. But leading volunteers is complex. Many great leaders in the business world find themselves surprised by their inability to lead in the volunteer sector, as they suddenly…
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