New Stuff & A Jesus Manifesto

I’d like to draw your attention to a some new stuff available on the resources page of this blog.

We have an article on the Attributes of Jesus by Dr Lockeridge, some notes on how to receive and weigh prophecy and links to A Jesus Manifesto by Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet.

I particularly want to commend the last of these.  A Jesus Manifesto (subtitled ‘A Magna Carta for restoring the Supremacy of Jesus Christ’) is a necessary and timely prophetic call to the body of Christ.

In a prevailing Western Church culture where we can all to easily find ourselves caught up in the latest fad or teaching; the exhortation to place a living, vital relationship with Jesus at the very heart of our corporate and individual lives – not just in name, but in actuality –  is powerful, challenging and foundational to our identity as followers of the King of Kings.

It doesn’t always make comfortable reading.  For example, I winced a bit when they included ‘the kingdom of God’ in their list of things that can take the focus away from Jesus.   Nevertheless, it doesn’t hurt us to be reminded that without the everyday living, breathing presence of the King Himself amongst us, all our aspirations to being a ‘kingdom community’ are worth very little.

I wholeheartedly encourage you to read it, discuss it, and spread it widely.

You can read A Jesus Manifesto online here and take part in the online discussion, or you can download the pdf file here

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Listening for the Spirit……

Hi everyone. Nathan shared something really encouraging and provoking with us a short while ago. I thought it worth reproducing here. Enjoy…..

HI GUYS, I STARTED TO WRITE THIS TO ENCOURAGE MY WORK COLLEAGUES BUT THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR ACTUALLY.  I’VE TAKEN OUT STUFF TO DO WITH COACHING BUT HOPEFULLY IT ALL MAKES SENSE AND ACTS AS AN AN ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL OF YOU.

Something I feel God has been speaking to me about is being prepared to be open to the Spirit not just in Church and at home etc but everywhere!  Now I know many of you are all great at this anyway, but it’s good encouragement for me, and it’s good to share anyway to help encourage you all as well.

I’m asking God to speak to me and give me little nudges so to speak whilst I’m in places such as town or on the bus, I’m asking for “Opportunities”…. And we all know what God is like – you ask and he willingly provides!

So, I’ve been on the bus talking and building relationships with people who most people wouldn’t want to be associated with, and I felt really strongly that all this is helping people to realise that there is something different to life as they know it – “Harsh, Critical, bullying etc” and we want to change that to a life full of  “love – honesty – Integrity – Peace – healing – Honour”.  My main saying in life is the popular WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) and I know this is what Jesus would be doing if he was on the bus.

Today on my journey to work this afternoon, I stopped off at Subway for my usual Thursday “Subway of the Day” Italian BLT.  When I sat down to eat it (which I hardly ever do), I overheard (not that it wasn’t hard because everyone in the shop could hear!) a conversation about the Holy Spirit’s warmth and calming Presence.

One of the people talking was a lady from Poland who recently went to Bath City Church and got touched so amazingly that she goes every Sunday, which she has never done before. The other person speaking to her was the guy who served me my Subway, asking questions relevant to her obvious new found faith.  He was a great guy and someone I’ve respected over the last few months because of his attitude and loving nature to customers.  You could tell he was also a lover of Jesus and was proud of it!  When the lady went, I pulled him over to my table and started speaking to him, letting him know I was also part of a church when he responded with a “wow! that counts 6 of us!”  Not only were he and the lady he was speaking to Christians, but so were the couple who had just bought their subway, and the girl assisting him and me!  And we weren’t the only people in the shop either!  I then went on to sharing with him something I feel God had given me because I was being open to the Spirit.

My point is, if we fully open our hearts, souls and minds to God’s will, he will take us on great supernatural journeys in “ordinary” life, which means, because we are full of God’s supernatural spirit, we are going to come across “different” to others and impact so many lives.  Hopefully in Subway today, it impacted the couple who were sat on the table next to me 🙂

I want to encourage you all to share stories with each other so that we know what we can pray for or come alongside you!  I’m going to try to do it more, as I’ve loved writing this because it’s building my faith right now!

I’m adding this in for fun factor but I love this certain phrase from a great movie (points for those who get the movie right!) which is a good motivation with my own unique twist.

“Feel the rythm, Feel the ryhme, get on up, it’s Jesus time! AAAAMMMEEEN!” (I know its a little pointless, but it made me chuckle when I thought it! hehe)

Take it easy

Nathan

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Coming up…..

Hi everyone – I am just wanting to give you another general update on some of what’s in store over the next few weeks and months.

Apart from continuing with our regular ‘First Sunday’ of the month celebrations and weekly open homes for eating and meeting together (there are now at least 4 or 5 of these happening every week – not all are Blogged!), there are some other opportunities lined up for growing, and being equipped in sharing Jesus.

At present Giles is leading a series every Friday evening on the principles and benefits of ‘Contemplative Prayer – Deeper into God‘. In September, I will begin repeating the ‘Releasing the Kingdom’ series over 6-8 weeks, possibly on Sunday evenings or midweek (tbc) for those who have not been through it previously and for others who would like to do it again. Last time surprised me with how powerfully God’s Presence was with us, and I strongly encourage you to be part of this as it is designed to help equip us to understand and fulfill the mandate God has given us to reach the area. We will grow in healing and deliverance, in listening to the Spirit and understanding who we are as the people of God in Twerton.

Also in September we hope to have John Bedford with us for a day of teaching and equipping, and on 3rd September we are planning a ‘Family Night’ for all the church family to come together for envisioning, sharing news, and looking to the year ahead. If we can do it, during October we’d love to have Pete Duke over to encourage and equip us in ‘Sharing Jesus with others – naturally’

There’s more, but lastly for now, try to keep August Bank Holiday Sunday (31st) clear as we are hoping to do something simple but significant in the community that weekend. More to follow……watch this space! Love and Blessings, Andrew

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Making the Bible Alive

To fill you in on what we’re doing on Wednesday nights over the summer:

We finish the series “You shall know them by their fruit” on 22nd July and take a couple of weeks’ break.

Then, on Wednesday 12th August, we start an 8-week block running through until Wednesday 30th September.  The subject will be “Any Questions” and people can come to whichever weeks they want, bringing their questions or letting us know them in advance if they want to remain anonymous or give us opportunity to prepare an answer.  We will meet at 6.30pm, starting with dinner at a cost of £2 a person; we will break bread and aim to be finished by 10pm.  All we’d ask is that people phone, email or talk to us by Tuesday night if they want to book in for the following night.

… And if no one has any questions, we’ll pose ours!

Hugh and Jane                                                                                                                    Mobile: 07985 472599

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This Monday Night

Hi all,

Just a note to say we’re shaking things up a bit on Monday nights. The focus of the evening will be on having an encounter with Jesus, with no other plan than that! So come full of the Spirit and ready to give God your all!

We will be meeting at 7pm at Jon and Lorraine’s house, having some dessert and then getting straight into it – so please eat before you come.

Hope to see you there.

Lots of love
Nick

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