An Open Letter To Our Cell Group Leaders

Cell groups have started and the new ministry year has finally begun. Firstly, let me say that I am thankful for the commitment of our cell group leaders - let it always be to Jesus and his mission. I anticipate both a challenging and an exciting year as we look to bring a renewed vision of Jesus and His mission to our church. As I shared on Sunday, renewal comes when we are grounded in the gospel of the the Lord Jesus who died for my sins, who rose from the dead, who today rules this city and my world; renewal comes when we begin to see that Jesus calls us to a bigger vision in life and ministry than our narrow vision ... the people in this city and the world is our mission; renewal comes when we rely on, depend on, seek, and wait on the power of the Holy Spirit to empower us to accomplish his vision and mission through our lives, in this city and in our world. We need all three - a clear gospel, a wider vision, and the power of the Spirit. My prayer is that God might be so gracious as to do just that for me, for you, and for the people under your care. Pray with me, for me and for each other, and for our people. It's what we need.

Secondly, let me say that I'm looking forward to leading our Tuesday evening cell group leaders fellowship this year. I know that we're all busy with ministry, but I hope you'll see coming on Tuesday evening as your time: your time to sharpen yourself and others; your time to chill, relax and share with other leaders; your time to be renewed personally for life and leadership. My prayer is that you'll come and leave energized, excited and empowered for Jesus and his mission.

We'll be meeting up as cell group leaders starting this month on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at church, with our first get together on the 12th (next week). The program for us as cell group leaders on Tuesday will generally be a simple one - we meet at 8pm sharp and will be finished by 9.30pm. They'll be a short teaching segment that I'll take (1/2 hour); they'll be small group time (guys/girls) to think and work through the implications/relevance of what we might look at (1/2 hour); and then 1/2 hour of praying over what we've explored, for ourselves, and for people in our cell groups.

Thirdly, let me say that I'll be praying for you these few weeks as your cell groups start. May you know the leading and power of the Spirit, as you follow Him and as you lead others under Him.

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 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 - 4th March 2007

Looking to improve your tennis serve or golf swing? Looking to ace your course? We do it all the time from sport to study. Looking to improve your spiritual life? Growth in the Christian life takes time and believe it or not ‘effort’. Godliness doesn’t come by thinking about being godly, it comes when you work on your godliness. Serving others doesn’t come by thinking about where you can serve, it comes when you actually involve yourself in serving others. What you need to realize is when you commit yourself to following Jesus, you are actually committing yourself to a life of discipleship. (Mark 8:34-38)

Discipleship is a life-long journey, or rather a life life-long relationship, not a one-off event. And part of discipleship means committing yourself to being equipped as a disciple of Jesus. This means that if you are a Christian, you have committed yourself to learning how to follow Jesus in life. I believe that there are three areas of discipleship every Christian needs to work on. It’s all about growing to be more like Christ (Col.1:28). Firstly, there is the discipleship of a Christlike mind i.e. having your mind or thinking shaped by the word of God (Rom.12:2). As they say – ‘garbage in, garbage out’. The same holds true for your mind – right thinking comes when your mind is filled with the right things. Learn to disciple your mind by growing in your knowledge of the word of God (2 Tim.3:14-17). Disciples of Jesus are students of the word of God.

Then there is the discipleship of a Christlike heart i.e. having your heart shaped by the godliness a Christlike character. Your heart is the hidden unseen part of your life that occasionally surfaces in your relationships, your attitudes and your decisions. Forgiveness, humility, love, patience, kindness, compassion, perseverance, self-control, generosity … are all ‘heart’ issues (2 Peter 1:5-9; Gal.5:22). Learn to disciple your heart by growing in your personal godliness, in Christlike character. Disciples of Jesus are students of personal godliness.

Thirdly, there is the discipleship of a Christlike hand i.e. having your hands shaped by a Christlike service. Following Jesus is not just about becoming more like Jesus, but also becoming more like Jesus in my relationship to others as well (John 13:34), It’s all about equipping yourself for the work of ministry to serve those around you (Eph.4:12-13). Learn to disciple your hands by growing to use your God given gifts and abilities to serve others, in Christlike service. Disciples of Jesus are students of ministry.

If you’re following Jesus, you’ll commit yourself to the discipleship of your mind, your heart and your hands. Every Christian is called to be prepared for the work of ministry. And that really is what Training For Ministry (TFM) is all about this year. Running over 6 Tuesday evenings in March and April, TFM is looking to help you grow in your knowledge, character and ministry. Would you be prepared to invest 12 hours this year to go the next step in your Christian life?

Check out the details, by right clicking and downloading the TFM image below!

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