A View Of History In Our City

Our view of history shapes the way we look at life, how we live and how we understand circumstances and events in our world. Some people believe that history is cyclical – life is a cyclical. There’s nothing new – because history repeats itself in an endless cycle. Others believe that history is linear. History and life is linear with a beginning and an end. Then there are others who hold to a chaotic view of history. History and life is nothing more than a series of events that are left to chance, a series of random disconnected events with no beginning, end meaning.

And so when you look at life you’re faced with 3 possible windows. Am I stuck in a never ending cycle beyond my control? Am I moving forward towards some ultimate goal or ultimate end? Or am I living a series of random disconnected events that just happen without beginning, end or purpose?

As I shared last week from the pulpit, there is a Biblical and Christian view of history and life. The Christian view of history and life is that it’s linear and purposeful moving towards a plan put in place by God himself. The Christian view of history is that there’s an unifying story that’s being played out in history and life that cuts across every nation, culture, people and language group – it’s going somewhere … it’s not a random series of events … and all that happens in history and life in our city is moving towards a plan put in place by God himself. There’s a story that unites us in this city.

Firstly, the Christian view of history is that something is wrong with us, our society, our city and our world. Even in an affluent and modern city like ours brokenness is self-evident, from local council corruption, to 30,000 homeless on our streets, to 31,000 abortions each year. Nationally, 40% of marriages in our country ends in divorce, and we spend more on our pets (2.3 billion) than on overseas aid (2 billion). Something is wrong with us, our city and our world. The Bible calls it the consequences of sin i.e. the consequences of living life in a society and culture that has rejected God. What we see and experience of brokenness around us is the outworking of a culture and society that has turned its back on God. (Rom.1:18-32)

Secondly, the Christian view of history is that God is not absent, but is involved, in control, working out his purposes in history to save us, to fix us, to redeem our culture, to renew society, to transform our broken cities and world. And he’s doing it in a man called Jesus who 2000 years ago died on the cross for our sins, who rose again from the dead, and who now rules as God’s appointed right hand man in our lives, our city and our world … who is gathering to himself a people, building a new and transformed society and culture, a city within our city, called the church. Everything in history and life converges and centres on Jesus who comes to save and to transform those living life without God, caught up in sin and brokenness. (Acts 2:21-36; 4:12)

There is a story being played out on the stage of history, in our lives and in our city. We live in a broken world, because we’re broken people who have rejected the God who made us and ignored his way in life. We all need saving, and God acts to save us in Jesus by sending him to die for our sins, to conquer death by raising him from the dead, and to be the one who now rules over all. And right now Jesus continues to save and gather his people, building a new and transformed city within our city called the church; a city where his love, compassion, forgiveness, justice and mercy rule; a city on a hill, a church whose light cannot be hidden in a city that desperately needs saving. You and I are that city, and the story is still being played out today.

A Time To Chart New Maps In Our City

Not only are there two ways to live in life – as a church, there are also always two ways to do ministry in our city. We’re either investing our lives in building the ministry of the gospel in our city or we’re happy being comfortable and safe where we're building up our own little patch in the city of Sydney. It’s always worth asking … what are you building – who are you following?

If your focus in the Christian life or even as a church is on your little patch in life (and honestly that’s all it is … a little patch of grass), and some have larger patches than others in nicer suburbs, the reality is that its still only a patch of grass in God’s scheme. This is the reality as Peter puts it, “All men are like grass, and all their glory (their work) is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And then we read that, "this is the word that was preached to you – this is the word that saved you". (1 Peter 1:24-25)

There’s nothing you build in this city that’ll last - grass grows and fades and withers, but it’s only the Word of God, the Word of the Gospel that saves, that’ll stands forever in our city. I want to make sure that we keep investing and building in what will last beyond our lifetime in this city. Personally, and as a church, what matters is growing the Word of the Gospel in our city. In fact, we’re believers today in the city of Sydney, because the apostles first preached the gospel in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.

In fact, the book of Acts is really a testimony to the living, enduring and growing Word of the Gospel. You read in Acts 1:8 where Jesus says to his apostles, "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And today the Word of God is still going out to the ends of the earth in the lives of men and women who have received the gospel. Nations rise and fall, empires come and go, buildings are built and demolished, but the Word of the Gospel will always stand. In fact the growth of the gospel has never depended on the size of a church congregation or its facilities. The pattern you see in Acts is one where as the gospel is preached and received, there you see churches planted in those communities. Some churches meeting in homes, others in public lecture halls, still others in the outdoors.

What are we building and growing in our city? My vision has always been to grow a church not bound by walls, by tradition, by fear, by comfort, but a church with a vision to raise the next generation and to plant Bible believing, Jesus loving, Spirit empowered, gospel proclaiming, mission minded churches across the city of Sydney. In 2005 I cast that vision of sailing the deep waters which led to us starting GracePoint at Auburn. That was part of the start of a vision to plant churches across the city of Sydney: to be a church without walls, looking to plant 7 new churches in 13 years. It’s a vision I’m still committed to.

Between 1994 and 1996, the Institute for Church Development in Germany conducted a research project surveying 1000 churches in 32 countries (published by Charles Schwarz in Natural Church Development.) Churches were categorized into sets of 1-100, 100-200, 200-300 etc. They found that churches in the 1-100 category increased an average of 32 new people over the past 5 years; churches in the 100-200 category also increased an average of 32 new people; churches in the 200-300 category averaged 39 new people; and churches in the 300-400 category increased an average of 25 people (C. Schwarz, Natural Church Development. p.47.) And that means 'a small church wins just as many people for Christ as a large one, and what's more, two churches with 200 worshippers on Sundays would win twice as many new people as one church with 400 in attendance.' (Schwarz, p.47)

What about churches with more than 1000 people? They found that the smallest churches (with an average attendance of 51) won an average of 32 new people in the past five years, while mega-churches (with an average attendance of 2,856) won 112 new persons over the same 5 years.

In raw numbers it means that a mega-church wins more people than a single small church. But, if you keep in mind that a mega-church is 56 times the size of a small church, then the following calculations shows you the potential of the two groups more realistically. 'If instead of a single church with 2,856 people worshipping we had 56 churches, each with 51 worshippers, these churches would, statistically, win 1,792 new people within five years - 16 times the number the mega-church would win.' (Schwarz, p.48)

The effectiveness of small churches in terms of growth is statistically, 1,600 percent greater than that of mega-churches. The myth is that big is better. What we need are more Bible believing, Jesus loving, Spirit empowered, gospel proclaiming, mission minded churches planted across our city. Research also found that statistically more people are mobilized to use their gifts to serve in a smaller church than in a larger churches. If you look at our growth at GracePoint we fall into the small church category. When we started with our first congregation between 2000 and 2003 we grew from an average of 45 to 95 people attending our service (a growth of 50 new people in our service through evangelistic and transfer growth).

I believe we grow the ministry of the gospel best in our city by planting new churches or congregations. As each church plant grows and develops, we begin to plant new churches in different suburbs, which in turn eventually plants new churches themselves. And apart from achieving a much more effective rate of growth evangelistically reaching people groups across the city of Sydney, a smaller group allows for much greater involvement of people in terms of using their gifts in serving, less red-tape and structures to worry about, a much greater ability to maintain focus, and a much more personal church.

We can actually reach people across Sydney more effectively by planting new churches. You plant the first one, and then in 4-5 years time when you have a stable and strong congregation, you plant another new church in a different suburb, one out of our evening congregation, and one out of our morning congregation. If we did this, potentially by 2013 we could have 400 people spread across 4 churches or congregations, with all 4 churches ready to plant another 4 new churches.


Personally I believe it’s time to sail the deep waters again, to chart out new maps as a church in our city. We musn't be bound by walls, by tradition, by fear, by comfort. We’re called to love Jesus and his mission, and people in our city. We’re called to be a church with a vision to raise the next generation and to plant Bible believing, Jesus loving, Spirit empowered, gospel proclaiming, mission minded churches across the city of Sydney.

Water, Church and Ministry

This morning I was at my local coffee shop reading and thinking about ministry. Felt the need to re-read a book titled, 'Aqua Church' by one of my favorite authors, Leonard Sweet. Been thinking about the 'church' recently. What does it mean to be a church where Jesus is at the center leading, directing, shaping, molding, modeling, instructing us? I hear people pray that all the time, that our church might honor Jesus, or that our church might have Jesus at the center. What does it actually mean?

So much of what we do seems more 'human' led rather than Jesus led. Like most churches, I suspect our ministry is filled with countless meetings where decisions are made, where church plans are discussed, where Bible studies are run, where leaders are trained, where evangelism is carried out. The question that's constantly on my mind is, 'where is Jesus in all of this?' Sometimes we fool ourselves into thinking that ministry = meetings. Run enough meetings, pump out enough paper, organize enough events, keep the wheels turning each week, and we fool ourselves into thinking that we're doing ministry.

Someone forgot to tell us that the church is not a business, a committee or a company, but a people that Jesus has saved and gathered around himself; that he's transforming and leading. The church belongs to Jesus and it's His mission and vision we serve. Leonard in his opening chapter points out that our mission is to lead people to water i.e. to Jesus. I'm not always sure whether we're leading people to water whether it's those who belong to the church or those still on the outside.

When was the last time you attended a meeting at church whether a cell group, a committee meeting, a music team practice, or even a worship service and thought to yourself, 'man, that was refreshing ... I came and I met Jesus today'? Like the words of that song on what's at the Heart Of Worship, 'it's all about you, it's all about you, Jesus'. I wish I could say that about every single one of our meetings at church. Unfortunately, it's not always true at church. The Psalmist tells us to 'taste and see that the Lord is good' and that there is 'blessing for the man or woman who takes refuge in Him' (Ps.34:8). Our mission is to lead people to water i.e. to Jesus. We need water and so do those on the outside.

Our problem is that sometimes we muddy the water in our meetings because the cups are dirty. And when you muddy the water, it's difficult to convince people to drink from it, because all they see is a broken and dirty cup. Even worse if people actually drink the water, instead of an experience of Jesus, what they get is an empty, draining, often lifeless experience of church. Or maybe sometimes the cups are not dirty, but just unattractive, so they obscure the pure refreshing water on the inside.

As I was reading Aqua Church, it was also made clear that if you notice something about water ... it's liquid. It's a liquid that fills the shape of any container. The main thing is to trust the water. Don't tamper with it, don't muddy it, don't dilute it. The content always remains the same - the same Jesus yesterday is what I need and what people need today. When it comes to church, people need water, but the containers might need changing. Perhaps what the church needs is a different container. Leonard writes that,

"Every generation needs a shape that fits its own hands, its own soul. Each generation, every person, needs a different handle from which to receive the living waters of Jesus. Our task is to pour the living water into anything anyone will pick up. By 'anything' I mean that literally: anything. If I want to reach my twenty-second century children with the gospel of Jesus, I must be prepared to to pour the living water into containers out of which I myself would never be caught dead drinking. This is what Paul meant when he talked about our "becoming all things to all men" that we might win some (1 Corinthians 9:22)"

Perhaps what we need is not just more of Jesus, but different containers in the way we do church that will help people drink from the living waters of Jesus. Maybe what we need is not just new wine, but new wine skins as well in the way we do church. Ours is an ancient faith, a well of living water that has been running a long long time. There's nothing wrong with the water, it's the containers that need changing in our generation.

Pastoral Note - 4th November

Last Tuesday I attended ‘Cement’, a small group gathering organized by the Friday cell group leaders to challenge some of their regulars to be the ‘cement’ that binds and grows the Friday cell group ministry. Cell group leadership is tough and lonely and sometimes a thankless ministry. ‘Cement’ was all about sharing the needs of our Friday leaders and regulars to be partners in growing God’s people together on Friday night. I was deeply moved as I heard some of our Friday leaders share their struggles, challenges and joys of ministry this year – and their heartfelt appeal for others to be the ‘cement’ in the ministry with them.

So often we come to cell group looking only to receive, to be fed, to be taught, to be listened to, to be comforted, to be encouraged. What we often forget is that we’re not just there to receive, but to also give, to also love. You can’t say you love God, or that you know the love of God, when there’s no evident love for those who “church” with you (1 John. 3:16-19). Love we’re told is expressed not just in words, but in action and truth i.e. acting rightly towards those around you.

It’s the responsibility of all God’s people to practically and actually love people when we gather, not just the responsibilities of our leaders. Taking an interest in people, making them feel welcomed, following up those who aren’t around, finding out people’s prayer points and needs, sharing your story and needs with others, practically helping out when you meet, offering to help and asking where you can serve when you meet … they’re all expressions of love that we are all called to. It’s not just our leaders who are called to love, but all God’s people when we gather. As one of our Friday cell group leaders put it, ‘by ourselves we can’t be the cement that binds and grows people on Friday nights. There’s not enough cement to bind and grow people - you guys need to be part of the cement that does it.’

Imagine a cell group where everyone came only thinking of themselves. Imagine a church where everyone came only thinking of themselves. It’s not the kind of church Jesus had in mind, and I’m quite sure that it’s not a church he’s saved or gathered. Those who really know the grace and love of God, will show grace and love. If the one who loved us and died for us, to save us and gather us is at the centre of our gathering whether on Sunday or any other day, then when we meet, we should come with a heart to serve, to love, to give, to reach out, to bless, to comfort, to listen, to encourage, to make a difference in someone’s life. You lay down your life to love and serve others whenever you meet, because Jesus first laid down his life to love and serve you. As he has loved you, so love others when you gather in your cell groups. We need more of your ‘cement’ if we’re to grow this ‘church’.

Pastoral Note - 4th October

This week our pastoral staff spent some time looking at what it means for us to do “church” ministry. One of the challenges the pastoral team faces is the many expectations both the leadership and congregation have of them. As I’ve observed churches and spoken to church leaders both here in Sydney and overseas, it’s amazing the diverse expectations churches have of their pastors. Counsellor, strategist, administrator, fund-raiser, musician, communicator, preacher, evangelist, mobilizer, mentor, vision caster, problem solver, cleaner, care-taker … the list is endless.

There’s a difference between what the church wants and what the church needs. Growing as a church will take pastors and leaders who will give the church what it biblically needs. But growing a church will also take a congregation that knows what they should expect biblically from their pastors and leaders. When there is biblical congruency between what our pastors and leaders are giving, and what our congregation is expecting, we will grow.

Ephesians 4:11-16, tells us what we should expect biblically of our pastors/teachers. There we are told that God gave the church pastors/teachers (there is no ‘and’ in the NIV bible separating pastor and teacher. A pastor pastors through teaching the word, and a teacher pastors by teaching the word). The role of the pastor/teacher is to serve the church by equipping all God’s people to serve in ministry and to grow in maturity, so that they might stand firm and not fall over in the Christian life. That means that the role of our pastors and leaders is to help you work out how to serve others at church (ministry); helping you discover and unpack the gifts God has given you to serve at church, so that together with others you might grow in maturity to become more like Jesus (maturity).

There are many needs at church, but we’re told here that our greatest need is to grow in ministry and maturity so that we might become more like Jesus. Your leaders and pastors are there to help you do this. It’s not just their primary responsibility, it’s biblically what God has called them to focus on; to do and busy themselves with. My role is to pastor/teach you by helping you work out how to best serve using the gifts God has given you, so that together with others as you do this, you might grow to be more like Jesus. It’s the role of all our leaders to do this. But it’s also your role to want to be equipped to serve others; to want to discover and use your gifts at church, so that you might grow in maturity with others.

In fact, we’re told in v.16, that when there is congruency between what your pastors and leaders are giving, and what you are expecting, we will grow, because as Paul put’s it, ‘each part does its work’. If you’re a leader may you focus on and busy yourself equipping others in ministry and maturity. If you’re not a leader may you focus on and seek to be equipped in ministry and maturity. It’s what every church needs, it’s what our church needs to grow.

Pastoral Note - 28th June 2007

Last Sunday afternoon I was running a baptism class. And one of the things I said to the group was that the Christian life is not and has never meant to be an individual journey or life. Becoming a Christian is not just about getting right with God, but being saved into God’s family. In the Old Testament, scattering was a sign of God’s judgment, and being gathered together was a sign of blessing. In saving us God gathers us into his family and into relationship with each other. We’re told that Jesus bought the church with his blood (Acts 20:28).

When God saves you, he saves you into His family, a gathering with others who have been saved. As such you are spiritually connected to those you church with. You are, and they are part of God’s family whom Jesus died for. The challenge has always been to see ourselves as part of this family. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4 that the way forward is to, be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called — one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

A loving, vibrant, strong church family depends on those who are gathered … being humble and gentle and patient and carrying one another in love. We read in v.5 that we belong to one body in Christ and we share the one Spirit who unites us to each other and to Christ. We share the same Lord, faith, baptism, God and Father. I said to those being baptized that for them the challenge will be what happens when the road with their church family gets rocky, cold, tense … when they face conflict and disappointment. How will they respond? How will you respond?

Some people will say – the church has disappointed me … I’ll find another church. Others will say – that’s the way church is, I’ll just have to learn to live with it. I reckon that there’s another way - – this is what the church should be, I’ll change it, I’ve give, I’ll use my gifts, I’ll be an example, I’ll serve, I’ll love.

In a self-centered culture, most people come to church asking, ‘What am I getting out of this?’ The right Christian response and a better question would be, ‘What can I give to make this family a better place? What can I do to make this family more loving place? What part can I play to build this family?’

Some only come to church looking to be served. It is the very opposite of what it means to follow Jesus and to become more like Jesus. Jesus we read came to serve and lay down his life for many, not to be served (Mark 10:45). And he calls those he gathers to himself to do likewise (John 13:34; 15:13). In a culture where everyone only thinks of themselves, we are called to be counter-cultural i.e. to be humble and loving servants of one another in God’s family. That’s what we should be whenever we gather.

The next time you come to church, leave your worldly thinking about church at the door. Ask God to transform your thinking, your attitudes and your actions as you come to church. Ask him to use you to meet the needs of others here. Ask him to give you opportunities to love and encourage people. Ask him to help you see areas where you could make a difference. We can be a better church, a more loving church, a growing church, but it depends on you being humble, gentle, patiently carrying each other in love. Don’t forget that you and I, we are all part of this one family with Jesus at the head (1 Cor.12)

Church is not about you or me, it’s about us, and how we can together grow to love the God who made us and sent his Son to die for us; how we can learn to love and serve each other; and how we can prepare ourselves, our families and those around us to meet God one day in eternity.

Pastoral Note - 20th May 2007

Everyone has a view on what our problems are as a church. I am always hearing that the church needs to make changes, our leaders need to make changes, our people need changing. We need a ‘reformation’ of sorts. The ‘Reformation’ was a movement in the 16th century to reform the Catholic church in Europe. The Reformers were those looking to reform the church from its corruption and false teaching. In an attempt to reform the Catholic church came the REdiscovery of the Word of God, out of which the protestant churches have come out from (Baptist, Presbyterian, Anglican, Lutheran).

One reformer was a man called Martin Luther who challenged the teachings of the church on how someone gets saved. Luther argued from the Bible that a man/woman is made right with God through faith alone in the work of Christ alone (Rom.1:16-17). It hinged on the conviction that the Bible alone is ones final authority on all matters of life and doctrine. He was charged with heresy. When questioned before the courts, standing before the most powerful men and women in Europe and asked to recant, he said, "Your Imperial Majesty and Your Lordships demand a simple answer. Here it is, plain and unvarnished. Unless I am convicted [convinced] of error by the testimony of Scripture or (since I put no trust in the unsupported authority of Pope or councils, since it is plain that they have often erred and often contradicted themselves) by manifest reasoning, I stand convicted [convinced] by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God's word, I cannot and will not recant anything, for to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me."

True reformation begins when you take the Bible as your final authority on all matters of life and doctrine. If we are to bring reformation to our church, our leadership and our lives, then we must be men and women of the Word i.e. Bible centered and Bible believing Christians. The revealed Word of God alone must shape what we believe and how we are to live. Sola Scriptura (by scripture alone) was the battle cry of the Reformers, many of whom died defending the authority of the Bible.

Transformation begins with a conviction that it is the Word of God alone that is our final authority on all matters of life and doctrine; a word that is inspired by God or God breathed, infallible (without error in what it teaches) and sufficient for my life (2 Tim.3:16-17). The best thing we could be doing as a church is to be men and women devoted to searching the Scriptures, reading the Scriptures and applying the Scriptures. Only then will you experience God’s personal ‘reformation’ in your life.