Church will be different this Sunday.  We are closing up shop at the primary school this Sunday and traveling to another part of Melbourne, to Boronia to join another church, another Vineyard community to join them for the morning.  Mountain District Vineyard.  They have been in rough spot and it will be great to join them, to stand with them.  The Bible is clear when one part suffers we all suffer and when one part celebrates we all celebrate.  As we follow Jesus, we just want them to know they are not alone.  We will be back at the school the following Sunday.

Off to this years Vineyard pastors and leaders conference in sunny Queensland.  Joking with people about suffering for Jesus on the Sunshine Coast.  The wild thing is, it is another year gone…since the last gathering of this kind.  Time sure fly’s by. Looking forward to the theme, God’s presence.  Boy do we do that.  And as Moses said in the old testament of the Bible in Exodus 33:15, “Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.”"  As God’s people we are people of the Presence of the Lord.  As Moses says following this…”How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people form all the other people on the face of the earth?”  (Exodus 33:16) A few things should mark the people of God, the church, His body: His presence and His love the foremost of these.  Look forward to sharing things that come from this time.  

I wrote last about going off for the national conference. We have been back a week. Had a great time. I love being with a church family where it is good to be together and enjoyable in many ways. Last Sunday we gave opportunity to share. All of us had connected to the last session, where Lloyd Rankin from the Vineyard in NZ had shared.

A few weeks back I had made mention to a couple of laws of learning. One is the law of recency, where the last thing you mention in a learning environment is what is remembered. It was perhaps for that reason we remembered, but also because the language and the point he was making made so much sense to us where we are at.

His point basically was that the King (Jesus) is always at work and His Kingdom is moving. WE do not have to do this thing called ministry by trying to be the smart and clever one and try and make it happen, but we need to learn to keep up with what the Spirit is doing and do that. On the edge of where the kingdom is advancing is where the action is. We began to see areas where perhaps God is at work in our church and can see that we want to move in that direction.

Was good to be challenged and encouraged and to come back together with a few things clearer.

Sorry I have been quiet of late. Actually busy. Doing well though.

Just thought I would let you know a few of us are off to the  Vineyard National Pastors and leaders conference  Continue »

We might not always think of the possibility of a person being a thinker and/or teacher and also a practitioner…some one good at practice. I would love to invite you to our gathering on the 29th June, where we have Greg Trainor, of Cabramatta Vineyard in Sydney sharing with us, one who is both.

Greg has taken his church family through the process of changing their church to being more organized around the call to mission then other aspects of the faith that we would normally organize around. Greg is a great practitioner but also recognized within the Vineyard in Australia as one of our foremost thinkers and teachers. Vineyard Australia has just established a school, and Greg will be one of the teachers in that.

You are welcome to join us on the 29th.

Spent the last couple nights with a family who have lived here in South East Asia for nearly 10 years now having come from the west.  They are doing well, however there is a cost and an impact from living cross culturally for so long.  At times there is a tiredness, there is the constant experience of them all (especially the children) standing out, there is the slow process of building relationships and especially growing deeper, there is the busyness of the culture, there is all the cross cultural differences, there are many obvious needs with not always easy answers and there is the constant spiritual battle.

 Perhaps you know some people, some friends or others who have chosen to be salt and light, to share Jesus love with people in another part of the world. Perhaps as you think of them now.  Pray.  Perhaps you should plan to take one of your holidays and visit them. It means a huge amount, oh and more importantly it will impact you.  I will be processing for awhile what and how it impacts me, and what to do with it, but I do know it has impacted.  Perhaps that would be good for you as well.

The biggest thing I can say it don’t take life for granted.  Pray.  There is a huge battle in our world and they need all the prayer and support you can muster.

One of the observations from my short trip in South East Asia, has been how small the world is these days.  Growing up as an Aussie in west africa 30 years ago the world was so different.  Communication between there and home was long and difficult; letters and telegrams, phones not working all the time.  These days the world is getting smaller.  Of course there are obvious differences in culture, food etc, but everywhere you see as an example, mobile phones.  I sat in a market watching the sights, sounds and smelling the smells of this part of the world and sent a few txt to my family.  Right there and then I heard back from my father. 

Earlier in the day I met a friend of my host, the local shop keeper.  She spoke of one of her sons studing in Melbourne.

Communication, travel, and in many ways…we live in such a smaller growing world.

…arived in south east asian country today.  First impressions, green after Melbourne, humidity is slowly kicking in (that hot and sticky feeling), the mix of cultures; so western and so eastern all together, things that remind me of nigeria…20 plus years ago.

First gathering, great,  such a heart for God.  Great to be doing something with Tim again.  Stay posted.

Heading overseas for a trip to encourage some churches and missionaries.  Really looking forward to it.  Been a busy period of time.  A major job ended today, with the  graduation from the course I have been managing in my other job at EastWork.  Will let you know re my trip, hopefully as we go.  

I cor 14:26 says; “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”

In this simple scripture there are at least 4 aspects. It talks of the value of the church gathering together. It talks of the reality of there being different gifts or different ways that people connect with God and hear from Him. It talks of the need for us to not keep those gifts to ourselves but to share them with others. And it talks of why this is important…because of the strength it brings to the family!

The next couple Sundays we are going to practice these principles. See the Calendar for the details. We believe God speaks to all of us, in different ways, and we all have something to share. So take some time before Sunday, quiet yourself before the Lord and ask if he has something he wants you to bring as we gather…then stop and listen. What comes to mind? Take note of it. Write it down and then come and share. Perhaps you will have a scripture and a few thoughts about it or something God is teaching you. Perhaps a story or testimony of who God is for you, at this point of life. Perhaps a song. Perhaps something we should do, or pray for, or…you fill in the blank…

See you the next couple Sundays and come ready to be involved.