how you feeling?

It’s Saturday morning.

Not any ordinary Saturday morning.

www.lovestoke.orgvolunteers are out painting school toilets & litter picking around the same school in the Trentham area of our city. Trentham is a southern suburb that is affluent; professional; middle class; and desperately disenfranchised from our city. It has been reported that Trentham wants to go it alone and leave the city boundary.

This is no ordinary Saturday morning because tomorrow we (BCC) plant our second congregation in the school mentioned above in the heart of Trentham. This is no ordinary morning because 20 months ago we embarked on a journey to build an extraordinary, new breed of church in my home city. This last month has seen the realisation of this with continued growth, development of leaders, recording of a live album, establishing several campuses across the city & now our second congregation.

‘Burbs Family is specifically designed congregation with 21st century suburban family life in mind.

BCC is fast maturing into a next level church, some might say, a premiership church. All I know is that I am not the same person who arrived back in Stoke on Trent 20 months ago.

When I say, ‘not the same’ person, I am but, I’m not.

I have become so consumed with Jesus & building great church that some of the stuff that runs alongside I really have no time for. I am very much in the ‘Jehu season’ of life where I am SO focused on fulfilling the stuff that Jesus is interested in that much of the ‘other stuff’ that possibly other churches, even pastors do, I have no interest.

I’m kind of living the ‘no frills’ leadership which, to the consumerist christian, would really be too abrasive to cope with as it demands a ‘no frills’ demand & challenge to cast all religious nonsense off and get down to the real business of pursuing Christ & His great commission.

‘Burbs Family is not ‘another’ congregation.

If you want comfortable, don’t bother.

If you want to make a difference, bother.

I live in Trentham.

I bother that people feel disenfranchised with the rest of the city. I bother that when the facade of prosperity is stripped away there may be huge houses but not many homes. I bother that there is a large percentage of people in Trentham that used to walk well with Jesus & now don’t. I bother that a greater percentage of Trentham may seem to have much but how will that help them in eternity?

Tomorrow I’m involved in planting a congregation in the heart of Trentham.

Why?

Simply because I feel like it.

Because I bother.

How you feeling?

What you doing tomorrow?

Yours Faithfully (24th June ‘09)

This coming Sunday (28th) Bethel City Church is launching, due to its unprecedented growth, a new congregation in the heart of Trentham. This congregation is like no other; ‘Burbs Family congregation is specifically designed with family life in the suburbs in mind.

Why do I tell you this? Why would we, as a church, feel that this is so important to do?

Margaret Mead once said, “Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do.  With no relatives, no support, we’ve put it in an impossible situation. ”

It is my belief that holistic family life is an essential ingredient for the success and healthy development of a city.

If this is correct, we have to ask ourselves, “How much help do we give this thing called ‘family’?”

Family life is often described in two ways. The first is that it is similar to a harbour in which we find refuge from the storms of life. From the early experiences of falling over as a toddler to the devastation from the storms of life, the family is always there to give shelter and protection.

The second common description is that families are like fudge – mostly sweet with a few nuts. We can mostly testify that both descriptions carry weight!

My concern for our city is that we fail to invest properly into this essential ingredient called family and thus family becomes dysfunctional. Therefore the long term effect is that our children grow up believing this dysfunctional unit is normal and then gravitate towards people and situations that mimic the dysfunctional that they recognise.

This is not healthy for the people of Stoke on Trent.

Bethel City Church is committed to ‘Burbs Family congregation in the heart of Trentham because family is important.

Your family is important.

Here are some practical things that help Becky (my wife) and our 2 young boys (6 & 3) get by in the speed and hassle of 21st century living:

1. Downtime – try, at least once a week to have a few hours where you date your family. Date trips don’t have to cost the earth. Honestly your family find you of far more worth than money!

2. Laugh – life is tough. Really tough. In the season of economic hardships, stress, anxiety & pressure learning to laugh with each other really does relieve the strain.

3. Together – very often we decide on a project, not that it needs doing so much as, we need to do something together. I suppose the buzz word would be interaction. Pick a project from decorating to gardening and do it together. Don’t worry if the project ends in disaster, enjoy the time spent together. Who you are is more important than what you do!

4. Space – in saying the above, you count too. Parents, children & the individual need to learn to not be so demanding sometimes. Learn to give each other some space. Don’t use this as excuse but recognise that each person is different with differing needs.

5. Talk – it amazes me how many of us, in family life, shout at each other. Don’t! Listen, shouting isn’t always the best way to get your point over. Learn to communicate in a way that will not cause the roof to be blasted off. We are learning to speak to each other how we would like to be spoken to.

6. Surprise – do something that brings a smile to your family. Don’t expect them to always be there for you. You be there for them. Do that job. Clean that room. Make that cake. Do something that brings a smile!

7. Privilege – realise that you are. For each of us that has a family, many others don’t. To have a family is such a privilege. Don’t take it for granted. This is your family & no one else’s. You are privileged. Treat them special because you don’t get another!

I’m not an expert, just a bloke learning how best to get through this adventure called life.

Hope it helps.

dangerous church

I’m sat in bed.

Day off.

Lap top on lap!

Reflecting on the position that BCC finds itself in 21 months after Becky and I moved home to Stoke on Trent.

Last Sunday at our City Gathering we recorded our first ‘live’ album and this month of June sees us launch our 2nd congregation ‘Burbs Family. Alongside this we are resident in Abbey Hulton (Main Campus); Hanley (City Youth); Fenton (When… distributions); and we own a premises in Meir (ST3 The Treehouse) which is a major building project that is slow due to economic crisis the banks are facing.

The reality of BCC situation is one that no longer can we be called a church of potential! We are stepping into being a church of potential ‘realised’.

This changes things.

Why?

Honestly, I think that whatever principalities or demonic forces or ‘whatever’ opposition to the extension of His Kingdom really don’t listen to our talking but as soon as talking becomes a reality, they sit up and notice.

All of a sudden we are now maturing and facing huge steps of faith. All of a sudden it’s like we graduated to the battle field of city transformation.

All of a sudden you discover the men from the boys.

I have never been in this place. This place of a whole new level.

I like it!

I was talking to a much admired friend of mine who has gone the distance and whom I look up to (www.davegilpin.com) and as we discussed BCC’s awesome journey and phenomenal season, I began to realise that this is it!

This is where I always new the battle was.

I even thought that I was cutting it previously.

But you cross a line where there is no going back.

BCC crossed that line!

No going back.

BCC is a provocative statement of faith to Stoke on Trent.

BCC is a dangerous church.

BCC is a city transforming church.

There is no backing out now!

This is for real!

Building dangerous church is work giving your life for!

Really.

It is!

You in?

disciple?

As a house we seem, in the midst of continuing growth, that we are leaking people.

I’ve looked at those, or the track record of those, leaving and there are some real historical traits.

A refusal to tithe; an apathetic level of commitment; a dislike for challenge; an almost Pharisaical regard for ‘protecting’ the truth; & an ability to spiritualise gossip. All done whilst smiling at me – Senior Pastor.

I have no problem these people leaving as obviously they are not with us or connected to the culture, vision and heartbeat of BCC. God bless them in their next chapter. I hope and pray that their ‘issues’ don’t follow them (I think they will!!)

I do have a passion, even an excitement at the strength of discipleship and maturity that we are developing. It is like the fat is being burnt as the training of an athlete continues!

We are getting real fit!

Below is a kind of check list regarding discipleship:

1. Fruitfulness in our service for God (Matt 25:14-30) [this means more than lip service]

2. A humble attitude and a willingness to serve others (John 13:12-17)

3. A standard of excellence in our lives in general (2 Corinthians 13:11)

4. A close relationship with Jesus (Galatians 2:20)

5. The fruit of the Spirit manifest in our lives (Gal 5:22-23)

6. A stable, consistent and holy walk before God and man (Eph 4:11-16)

7. A solid knowledge of Gods word and discernment as a result (Heb 5:13/ 6:2)

Church growth is great.

Church strength in maturity & mobilisation is even better.

What is really humbling?

BCC is experiencing BOTH!

Yours Faithfully (article for Sentinel)

12 months ago, I did a terrible thing!

It was so disastrous that I’m afraid that I am about to pay a hefty price!

Due to my bold, even audacious comments that I would complete the Potters ’Arf  in less than 2 hours, this Sunday proves whether I was truthful in my declaration or merely a bag of wind!

The declaration wouldn’t have been so bad except for me making such a statement in front of my congregation of several hundred young people eager to hold me to the ‘2 hours’.

12 months ago I began training. Sunday is coming!

The interesting thing in this story is not the fact that I made such a bold statement of intent, or even that I’m a minister and should be in church on Sunday, not even running around this city like a headless chicken. The interesting thing, for me, is the response of the people in our congregation.

I said something and the people are committed to holding me to it.

I believe that this is the fundamental reason why so many people in our society are voting the way that they are. I hear much of this ‘protest vote’ and wonder why. I think I may know the reason why.

The reason, I believe, is because our leaders and those in governmental positions are heard saying much but we all know that actions speak louder than words.

Credibility, reputation and integrity are essentials for ‘quality leadership’ which produces ‘quality followship’. However, these essentials don’t merely happen because of what we say. Like fruit, they are developed over time. Our words are merely the face. People need to see the substance, or the fruit, from our words. Once they see that we mean business and are committed to the long haul, then they begin to trust, even believe in the words.

One of the crazes that grips this google generation is Twitter. I have to confess that I am addicted to Twitter. A friend of mine recently sent a tweet that said, ‘We should ask God why there is such poverty but He may ask us the same question’.

When I look at the headlines about ‘Expenses’, it makes me think my friend was right! What the recent headlines have shown me is that the voters primarily base their opinions on whether or not the people that they are voting for can be trusted. They look at their character before their charisma! When people, like myself, who are in positions of responsibility fail to deliver on that which we have stated then we have to understand that people will feel let down and disappointed. Leaders have to realise that ‘when good men fail to do nothing, evil prevails’.

I began traing 12 months ago. Setting the alarm. Getting up early. Pounding the pavement for, initially minutes, now hours on end. Then the change in diet and surrendering my beloved curry. I even came to the point of lifting weights. 4 stone lighter & a lot fitter I’m ready for the challenge of Sunday!

All of this done hidden away in the quiet, not on show.

In order to be leaders of which people can depend upon, we have to be people of substance. In otherwords, that which is done in the background, when no one is watching will make us into the people in the foreground that everybody sees. Integrity, credibility & reputation don’t just happen!

 

Leaders, people in positions of authority and government, please, we must be seen to be people of our word, not merely a bag of wind.

Sunday is coming!