Day away!

Some time ago, we went to Barlaston Church, a beautiful modern church south of Stoke on Trent to spend a day of reflection on the team's strengths and weaknesses. There was one or more representatives of each church. We thoroughly enjoyed this time spent together praying and getting our brains tickled. The theme was to define our involvment at key strategic levels in our community.

Our speaker, George Fisher, reminded us that we are not living any longer in a country where Christianism is the norm but in a country where secularism and humanism have taken over. In fact some see Christians as the 'enemy'. It reminds me of Psalm 37:19-21 (NIV) 20 But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish—vanish like smoke. So most people think they can get on with their life without the church, without the Lord! Consumerism has taken over people's mind. They have the idea that whatever they want, they should get! If they disagree with the style of praying/preaching in a church, they may decide to go somewhere else instead of working things out! The sad thing is that now many people do not have a clue what Christianity is about! They may not even know the Lord's prayer.

So how do we reconnect with the community ?

We may want to read again 2 Corinthians 6

3We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;

We should not be afraid of letting people know that we are Christians. 

Let your colleagues, your friends, your boss/es, notice the fruit of the Spirit in you. For example, they would realise that unlike them, you, as a Christian seems to be immune to the arrogance or nastiness of 'the boss' or the 'floor manager'....They will notice your 'virtues'.

Part of George's job is to visit churches anonymously to see what kind of welcome he gets! At lunch, he was telling us that in one church, nobody spoke to him at all. Gloups!

Also your church sign is capital! How to get your church noticed! Here are a few comments!

Autumn leaves, God doesn't.

If you are looking for a sign to come back to God, this is it!

Where will you be sitting in eternity,

smoking or non-smoking ?

How to connect again ? A few ideas...

Have a sign in your church saying : Non-members welcome ...

Psalm reading sessions!

Get some non-believer friends to be part of a 'sceptic anonymous group' to whom you will tell the Good News.

What do you do to line up with the Lord's mission and not block the way!
Let's pray for a renewal of our Christian faith in Great Britain! In Christ.