Bethel Leadership Advance

I’m heading out to Bill Johnson’s church, Bethel, in Redding California this Friday. It’s come around kinda fast so hardly anyone knows that we’re going! I’m travelling with Julian Adams and Roydon and Jan Loveley. Julian inadvertantly prophesied last week to Roydon and Jan that they were about to go on a trip that would be incredibly significant – little knowing that he was going with them. Amusingly God!

I have to say I’m getting that expectant feeling again – what will this years visit lead to? When we arrived for the conference last year I was standing in the registration line and asked the guy next to me what was the best thing they had seen over the previous year. In a matter of fact way he replied ‘well we did see a girl healed of HIV’! My jaw hit the ground as he explained that the girl had tested three times positive for HIV and then after prayer had been tested twice more only to be found completely healed. I knew right then that this was not going to be an ordinary conference.

And that turned out to be the reality. We learned so much about creating a church culture that can host the presence of God – you can read more about our adventures here.

So here we go for another year! I’m yearning for an encounter with Jesus that opens my heart for greater ongoing intimacy with Him. I’m desperate for a filling with His power so that we can see the blind see, cancer driven out and the lame walk on an ongoing and sustained basis – that we might fill Bedford and our region with the fame of God. I’m hungry for Him to touch me deeper with His love so that I can give it away. If you get a chance to pray for me that all that would be great. Pray also for increased connections with significant men and women who might come to Bedford to help stir the flame of what God is doing. From last year we got a great connection with Paul Manwaring who’s coming to visit in a couple of weeks (details here) and this time I’m hopefully meeting with Kevin Dedmon, author of the Ultimate Treasure Hunt - the book that got us out on the streets! Bring it on! I’ll be blogging regularly during the trip so check back.

Lastly, if you’re in the praying mood then please remember my wife Caroline. Her back has gone out again and she’s in considerable pain. We really need another miracle there. It’s causing us both to look to Jesus, not allow disappointment to fester and keep believing and praying for the breakthrough. Stand with us if you will..

Battle lines?

Got some grief for my last post and apparently I’ve been naughty so here’s a little caveat or two;

Firstly, when I say ‘were on the right track’ I should have added “for us”. I wasn’t meaning to indicate that anyone else was on the wrong track but simply that I felt the Lord confirm to me that were on the right one for us. That’s not to say that numbers are an indication that you’re on the right track – of course numbers of people can all be wrong!

Secondly apparently that post will be seen as drawing battle lines which is not helpful. Again not my intent. I’ve learned loads and continue to do so from other churches and bless them on their journey.

Having said that someone once said to me that if you never say anything that upsets some people you’re probably not saying anything. The fact of the matter is that there is increasingly a danger that due to certain successes elsewhere we might be led into a model of Sunday meetings that focus extensively on preaching and less on worship and demonstrations of Gods power. In my reading of NT church life if we settle for this we’ll have missed something. All three of these aspects need to be powerfully and consistently demonstrated – Christ exalting preaching, worship AND signs and wonders. Let’s not settle for anything less.

We’re all on this journey to encounter more of Jesus and give it away and I love the fact that we can sharpen one another on the road. In love of course

In God’s presence

What an outstanding weekend we just had with Julian Adams and Janet Brann. For those who don’t know them Julian and Janet both have an incredible prophetic gift – incredible. Personally knowing most of the people they prophesied over left me weeping at the accuracy, the sense that God was in the house and that He cares so deeply for his children

Here’s a few things I learned

1/ Honour releases life. We’ve been studying honour as a church and the fact that it releases life. One practical outworking is that when we have guest speakers now we stand and applaud them as they come to speak. The effect on the atmosphere was tangible. Both Julian and Janet commented that is was so easy for them to prophesy because of the faith that was in the room developed by the sense of honour.

2/ People come for the presence of God. I’ve been wrestling somewhat recently as many church leaders seem to be following a certain US church named like a chocolate bar on an incline. Don’t get me wrong – there is much to learn from this church. But my concern is that their emphasis does not seem to include signs, wonders and miracles – the power of the kingdom of God. This weekend reassured me that we’re on the right track. God’s presence is the most important thing and when it’s evident people will come because they are hungry not for a gospel that is merely talk but for one that is demonstrated with power.