Here’s an encouraging video blog from Mike Betts about all that’s happenning with Relational Mission. Relational Mission is the name we have that expresses the apostolic sphere we are part of within the family of Newfrontiers
Here are some links to mp3 from the Together on a Mission conference in Brighton, which is on right now! I’ll keep updating as more talks come online…
Scott Marques on Courageous Faith in Hebrews 11
Terry Virgo on putting faith on display Hebrews 12
Stephen Van Rhyn on courage for a new era
Pj Smyth, recently recovered from cancer on healing
They confirm what you have said, what you want people to do.
Some are not all that helpful
Major General John Sedgewick who was killed in the Amrican civil war when he looked over a parapet to direct artillery fire and said: “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”
– Matt 28:19 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go into all the world and make disciples, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you. And surely I am with you until the end of the age”
Died, risen, vindicated – I’m large and in charge
Sometimes we have to physically go – my story of going to King’s Lynn is a clear call from God, driving under the South Gates – call it The Gateway – it will be a gateway for the gospel to go to the nations.
But the disciples stayed in Jerusalem to wait for the empowering of the Spirit and to be there for a church plant to grow to thousands! – so it is not always physically go – it’s more about attitude!
Going into everything you already do with a let’s go and make disciples attitude.
Fresh vision and passion for lost people
We have been stuck at 45 people for a while
41,679 population in King’s Lynn – 600 evangelical church goers 1.4%
Jesus’s last words – confirmation of what he had said previously and what he wants to give our lives for
Earlier he had told 3 stories – lost sheep, lost coin, lost son
Those stories involved an all out search – the lost items were highly valued
Rejoicing by people and in heaven when they are found!
I believe Jesus wants to restore a passion for lost people – one of the most vital marks of being baptised in and filled with the Spirit Acts 1:8. Passion lacking – get filled!
Go means we need to be missional as well as attractional
Attractional – leafleting, come to us on a Sunday – which we will still do, because it works
Missional – attitude is go
Emphasis attitude – not about doing new or more stuff – most of us are too busy anyway. It is about having a heart to reach the people God has placed around you because of what you are already doing.
Low fruit is ready to pick, the high fruit is not yet ready
When make disciples – goal is baptise them and teach them to obey
Steps
High and low hanging fruit
Work together to move the fruit down the tree!
Develop friendships First thing Matthew did
Do what you are already doing with a go attitude!
Discover Stories Ask questions to find out where they are at
Discern the next steps How will they become a lower fruit?
That is a mission for life groups, friendships
International café – breathe new life. Aim to build friendships with Eastern Europeans, coffee and cake, help them practice English, speakers, testimonies. Sun 17th 8pm to find out more
Youth – had a club with 5-10 Eastern European kids. We will be starting a fortnightly youth club in the autumn for them and teens in the church. Aim to get 10 to Newday 2012
We will know the presence of God in it – No lo without the go!
The Holy Spirit guides us to develop the friendships, discover stories, discern the next steps. Words to say, questions to ask. Faith issue
If you have…
No passion for the lost – be filled with the Spirit again – He makes us witnesses.
No faith for friends – come to God for faith – weary in it?
Please watch this excellent short video of Terry Virgo on worship ready for our gathering together to worship God on Sunday!
5c. Free to worship from Terry Virgo on Vimeo.
Foodbanks - Trussell Trust
This Sunday, we are taking up an offering to help with the start up costs of this excellent project.
At the same time we would also like to bless the Newfrontiers Church in Gdansk. Kev & Em Reilly moved over a couple of years ago to plant a church in Gdansk – we often pray for them in our prayer meetings, our kids work will be writing to their girls soon and we want to bless them financially!
Do pray about what you can give and be generous!
Davey Falcus is coming to The Gateway to share his story of turning from Gangland to God onn Sat 2nd April 7pm at Springwood School. Do join us if you can…
Come and hear the amazing story of former Newcastle Gangster Davey Falcus
Davey comes from a background of Organised Crime, drugs and violence. From the age of fifteen he was involved in gang warfare carrying razors, machetes and guns, this led to him spending much time in one institution or another. He went on to become part of the main ‘firm’ that controls the drug scene in the North East of England. Throughout he worked with some of Britain’s most notorious criminals as well as rubbing shoulders with many celebrities. A life of money, power and notoriety was not all it was cracked up to be! It left him an alcoholic, a drug addict and a paranoid psychotic mess. A long search through Eastern Religions gave him no answers on the verge of suicide he cried out to Jesus Christ and to his amazement Jesus appeared to him!!
Davey was immediately released from a 15 year drug addiction, a 20 year alcohol addiction and was released from the violent demons that were possessing him!
Today Davey is Senior Minister at Ashington Family Church in Northumberland. He has travelled on his itinerant ministry to some thirty or so nations preaching and teaching in schools, prisons, conferences, crusades sometimes in stadiums with many thousands of people. Davey has received much media coverage appearing on many secular radio and TV programmes as well as regularly appearing on Christian Broadcasting Networks. His story featured on BBC ‘Songs of Praise’ on Nov 5th 2006. The ministry has been accompanied by a strong presence of the Holy Spirit, with healings and miracles a regular occurrence, so expect fireworks! His book Gangland To God is rapidly becoming a bestseller!! More at www.lakeshore.co.nr
The latest Relational Mission prayer letter is online here. Do please download and pray for what is going on in our sphere!
2010 was a memorable year for us – some great highs and some tough lows. It’s good to look back at what God has done, to stir faith for what He will do. So here are some of the highlights for The Gateway Church in 2010.
It was a year of laying deep foundations. We kicked of the year with a mini series on worship with David Hutton’s four songs we sing, followed by my exhortation to live in the good of 1 Cor 14:26 – when you come together, everyone has a… We have seen great progress in the bringing of contributions in our meetings this year!
In February we were exhorted to “establish your heart” – an exhortation to settle Jesus is Lord and live for Him.
We began to invite in apostolic and prophetic ministies to lay good deposits among us. Mike Bollinger’s prophetic preach and ministry on “Jacob – no longer 2nd best” was helpful to many who live under a shadow of performance.
Edward & Fridah Buria’s visit in October was amazing and truly apostolic, raising faith for a move of God and laying some helpful foundations in an under-hyped way was so releasing!
We saw new gifting emerge and flourish amongst us – including David Taylor’s first preach at The Gateway and Tiff’s growing confidence in leading worship.
For me, the Help for Heroes Chinese Buffet and Charity Auction was a highlight to the year, 120 people, a mountain of food, lots of lots and a pile of cash for a good cause was a great evening.
In October The Gateway Church transitioned from being a church plant to a church as David Hutton & I became elders. In one sense nothing changed, but in another everything changed as the Church became established.
The recent carol service was another highlight – a packed room of people, the band doing an amazing job and some surprisingly good acting from Katie, Ches and David “Mr Nowhere Man” Hutton!
Personally I had a great March month of celebrations of hitting the big 40, which finished with a long weekend in Prague – a beautiful city. We found some great places to eat in Norfolk including The Oak in Fakenham and The Yurt which is unique. I read some great books – Isaiah – God saves sinners by Ray Ortlund – which has helped make sense of that great Biblical book. Straight to the Heart of Acts by Phil Moore and Inside Out by Mike Betts have also been great reads!
I talked about a prophetic word of being at a nice spacious plateau with three hills ahead of higher places in God for us. In the prophecy people wanted to stay on the plateau and I was exhorted to stir vision and joy for the journey to get up the hills. I felt the hills, represented our small groups, leadership development and evangelistic success – all of which were keeping us plateau’d. We have been working on all three and I am delighted with our small groups and leadership development program and am calling on God for our first adult new disciples to come through.
All in all a great year with much to look forward to. Please give your lives to the Local church, our best prayers, our giftings, our finances. Let’s work hard at establishing our hearts, pressing on in grace and love for one another and see God do something amazing through us!
Last Sunday was great!
Dave Matthews spoke magnificently on our need for a PAT – To Proclaim Jesus, Admonish one another and Teach one another, so we get to be more like Jesus. There’s no mp3 this week, but I will put up the powerpoint on the website in a moment!
Do put it into practice – be open to proclaim Jesus and to be admonished and to admonish when necessary -we all want to be more like Jesus! The way he explained how to do it well was superb, so do take a look at the powepoint to refresh your memory.
Life is full of teaching moments, so don’t forget to use them too – yesterday we ended up discussing what is a Christian at the tea table, out of a comment one of the kids mad about a naughty kid at school!
Life is about being obedient to the Holy Spirit when He whispers. Go for it!
Christmas Clothes Giveaway
At the Tuesday marketplace was a lot of fun – well done Alison for organising it. We got to bless a lot of people, share God’s love, the Gospel and to pray for healing. It was one of those stepping out of the boat times. Out of my comfort zone and yet as you step out, God blesses what you are doing. We may well see some visitors on Sunday because of it.
This Sunday
The Christmas Carol service is one of the biggest evangelistic opportunities of the year. People say ”yes” far more often to an invite to a Christmas carol service. A free lunch helps too. It is a bring and share – but most of those we invited on the streets will be sharing more than they will be bringing. Please let’s make their second encounter with Christianity a great one! Bring lots of food! A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and people’s eternal destiny could hang in the balance of our hospitality this Sunday. So please bring lots of food and let the guests go first (I really don’t want to have to do FHB – family hold back!!!)
I do pray that these next couple of weeks will be full of blessing for you as you spend time with your families and friends.
10am at
Gaywood Primary School,
Field Lane
Kings Lynn
PE30 4AY
©2012 The Gateway Church
