Together on a Mission

Every year we join with pastors, leaders and students from around the world at the Newfrontiers Together on a Mission Conference.  It has two strands one for leaders and one for Students and twenties.  This is not a bible week but is the family coming together to once again hear the vision and enjoy worshipping together in a much bigger setting.

The task of reaching the world cannot be done by one church alone. Yet many churches coming together and bringing their own unique contribution will go some way to seeing this great commission, to which we have all been called, fulfilled.

I have been for the past 6 years and have always found it to be stirring, encouraging, challenging and full of the presence of God. the deadline approaches for the first price break (Feb 28th) maybe it's time for you to consider going or at least finding out more. You can both book in and get more information here.

Home from conference...

I am now home after 4 great days in Brighton and there is so much to reflect on from the week. I am very tired and feel spiritually full. God really met with me at the end of the last session and reminded me once again of the wonderful sacrifice that Jesus made on my behalf. It's incredible to think that he would pour his life out for someone like me. As tears trickled down my face I couldn't help but be filled with joy.

There were many highlights, including a memorable session yesterday afternoon, which should be downloaded from the resources page of Newfrontiers (link in the side bar) by everyone who is part of Newfrontiers. Other highlights include seeing people of Reading Family Church visibly growing in the Lord before your very eyes; having a team of 30 men and women from the church with Sean and I; as always worshipping Jesus with dance and song and praying for the nations was magnificent last night and something in the region of 1.1 million was raised in the offering to support the work with the poor, the building of church plants and the ministry of the apostolic teams.

I'm sure as the days go by and the dust settles, God will show us what it is that we need to be taking on board for us as a church. However what I do know right now is that I have been instilled with fresh faith for the days and months ahead and that God wants our church to continue to grow and reach the town of Reading in which we live.

Together on a Mission

I always see the Newfrontiers Leadership Conference as something as an oasis in an otherwise busy year. It's a time where I am able to come and enjoy great teaching from the Word; be refreshed by the power of the Holy Spirit; enjoy fellowship with people from RFC, across the nation and the nations. I find that what God does in me over these 4 days leaves me hungrier than ever to know more of him.

The conference started yesterday and already it has not disappointed. Although the guest speaker this year is none other than Mark Driscoll, from Mars Hill Church, Seattle, there are also high calibre guys who will be teaching us. Stephen van Rhyn from Jubilee church, South Africa spoke magnificently from Daniel 1. The overall theme of his message being that God is in control and what our response should be to Him. I realised how much I still try to do things in my own strength and how much I think things are actually my bright ideas when, in truth, the Lord our God is Sovereign.

Mark was quality and Terry was excellent on Stephen; you can find out more about these on Adrian Warnocks Blog as he will be covering the conference in details and having exclusive interviews.

This morning I am in anticipation of where Mark will go with his message this afternoon; of what David Stroud will have to say; but especially what David Devenish will have us feasting on this evening (He was last years highlight for me!) I have just done an interview with Dave Bish which you can here on his blog.

Together for the Nations...

Sundays don't come much better than they were yesterday. We had the honour of having Pervez Sohail with us and his family. He preached message encouraging us to grow in faith, faith that cries out to God regardless of circumstance. It was special in its content but also in it's delivery. It is the first time that we have had someone speak in their native tongue and have it translated into English, his daughter Ruhama did an outstanding job.

Anthony led worship well and we had several contributions all with the same message of God's love for us irrespective of our sin or situation. There were many people responding to God from where they stood/sat, it was evident that the Spirit was working amongst his people.

In the evening we went to Camberley for Together for the Nations. This was a regional event organised by the Beacon Church, Camberley. There are many nations that are supported by churches in our region and there are some of the leaders from those churches across the world over this week for the Leadership Conference in Brighton. Last night saw us hear some of what is going on in those and nations and then praying for them. We also had the joy of having Evan Rogers from South Africa, lead worship.

We dropped Pervez off at about 9:30pm after a wonderful 13 hours with him. I am discovering more and more what it is to have a desire to see our church reach the nations and have the nations amongst us. This weekend had been a weekend spent with people from other cultures and I have enjoyed every minute of it.