Leading Evangelism 3 - Easy Evangelism!

This year has been a very positive one in the life of the Aspley Salvation Army and continues to be so. This week we had a strange occurrence when a young lad phone up asking if he could join the Salvation Army. Taken aback I composed my self and said we should meet, so he came the next day with his mum to meet with me and chat through what it meant to be in the Salvation Army. I encouraged him to come for a few weeks before we go through our membership classes to see if it is right for him and help him understand what it means to be a follower of Jesus and a soldier in the SA. On Sunday, he turned up along with his mum to join us in worship and said once again how he wanted to be a soldier.

A couple of things struck me about this strange incident. The first is this; in the church we concentrate a lot of effort and thought in to clever, well intentioned and often expensive evangelistic strategies that we forget about the miraculous ministry of God. Evangelism is a lot easier if we place of faith in God's power and plan for our church. It's not to say we sit back and wait for people to phone us (that clearly is not God's intention for his church) yet we must be cautious in forcing the issues with God. Patience and faith need to off set our action and commitment. If we are not careful we can be caught up in our own succussflness rather that the Holy Spirit's power and promting.

The second is linked: Why should I be surprised that people want to become part of the church? Why should I find it "strange" that people are drawn to God? How limiting has my attitude to leading my church in evangelism if I am surprised when people want to be a follower of Jesus. It has really challenged me to lead a church that see's people make faith commitments. This is not about making our church bigger but growning the kingdom and changing peoples lives in and around the place we worship, live and serve. If this young lad can decide to be a soldier why cant the other people I know well do the same.

Evangelsim is easy, when God is leading us.

Matt

Faith first 3 (Risk Assessent)

Don't worry I am not about to blog on the vital part that assessing the risk of activities plays in the life of a church ministry. They can be boring and laborious to undertake but are crucial to ensuring that we keep people as safe as possible whilst in our buildings, partaking in activities and involved in various mission projects. Yet I worry that this has had an untold impact on the life of the church. Not only have we assessed the physical risk but the spiritual ones too. There are two core elements to faith, they are risk and fear. We need these to bring in to focus our own faith and the faith of the church.

Over the past couple of weeks Katherine has discovered the wonderful world of stairs. This has brought a couple of bumps, a few tears but mainly great excitement and adventure. As her dad, I worry she will hurt herself but also rejoice that she is discovering all life has to offer for a one year old. The stairs probably fell like a mountain and provide much enjoyment despite the danger(which she seems to be oblivious too). It would be easy for us to put a stair gate on the bottom step and stop her even starting the climb.


Fear is emotion we experience in the presence of a potential risk. Once we begin to face the risk and work through it fear turns to other emotions such as excitement, joy or feeling scared. If we don't risk anything we will never fear and experience these and other such emotions. The church seems to have lost its appetite for risk in its ministry. If we as churches "play it safe" then how will we experience the protection and goodness of God. Didn't God risk everything by giving us His Son?

If we risk nothing we lack faith. I believe in a God who is faithful and is well worth risking everything for.

Matt

Faith first.

Over the past few months in our church we have witnessed some incredible moments of joy, fun and hope. One of the great blessing of leading the church is that I have seen people step out in faith and trust that God knows what he is doing. Whether in the small conversations,willingness to be a leader or believe that God's plan will be worked out, people have stepped out in faith.

One example of this is seen in our churches willingness to take on an allotment as a way of connecting with our community. We have no idea what were doing but it was offered to us free and was to good an opportunity to turn down. We set about weeding, digging, removing baths, pulling down a couple of trees and avoiding wasps from a nest we found and in the new year we placed a shed (the size of a small house) on the plot. It was time to get planting but without someone with the expertise to co-ordinate it were would we start. However, God had a plan. Last week David had a conversation with an old work colleague that was looking for an allotment but was unable to find one. David invited him to come and have a look at ours on Saturday and he has agreed to help us out. He knows what he is doing, talking about and is already planning the crops. Thank you God!

Faith always comes first when we are seeking to follow God's plan for our lives. Our church had the faith to take on something it wasn't skilled for but God has provided us with the person who does have the skill. Our church's theme for this year is "preparing to grow" and now we have a place to do it, a person to help do it and a church willing to see it become a reality.

Faith cannot be taught it must be learnt and the church must always be willing to learn.

Matt

A lot to do!

In our church this year we have had an underlying theme of "mobilising for mission." At the beginning of the year I encouraged/challenged our church to get out more. It is easy for any church to become inward looking and isolated from the reality of what is going on around us. Not interacting and engaging with our communities is probably the greatest danger to the survival of the church in the UK. I am passionate about the church response, through mission, as to how we become a creditable partner in the places we seek to serve. A number of people have had to ask me over the past year " so where is the Salvation Army in Aspley?" Hoping people will come to us is not a viable solution to resolving the question.

A few weeks ago, whilst I was away, God presented us with an exciting mission opportunity. We were offered (and agreed to take on) an Allotment in our local area (only a ten min walk from the church). Its 600sq yards (very big) that has a small shack, concrete paths, a few trees, compost bin next to 94 other plots. It was over grown but the probation Pay Back team have been in to help begin clearing it up for us. It's a really exciting project for us to undertake and use as a way of expressing our faith and love for God to the local community. The Mustard Tree Allotment will be run as a community allotment where groups from the church (i.e Parents and Toddlers and After School Club) can use but also groups and individuals from the local area can get involved. The produce that we grow will be used in a variety of ways; used in our Drop In, given in food parcels and given to a local community market (Aspley's Miles Better).

There is a lot to do but such is the opportunity and potential for our church to be involved in it's community, how can re resist. As one of our members prayer "Lord, help us to grasp this opportunity with both hands." This is just one way I believe we can use to engage in mission, with significant practical and spiritual impacts on our church and the community we are seeking to serve.

Matt

Home and Away

I did something silly last week. I didn't have football for the Beacon on Saturday so looked at the Saints fixtures to see that we were playing MK Don's (which is an hour or so away). Spoke to a couple of mates about coming and phoned to book tickets. I asked for the tickets in the away end and got a strange reply; "your a Saints fan but you want to sit in the away fans end." I thought to myself "that is what happens when you see you team at an away ground." Anyway, turns out we were at St Mary's!!

Over the last couple of months I have been thinking a lot about what I believe church is or should be. I have been chatting with a number of people about how the Salvation Army seeks to relate to our world. Sometimes I feel like I am a home fan in the away end. Trying to be heard over the the noise or feeling like I am in the wrong place (not physically). Is my understanding and approach to church wrong or off the page, have I missed something along my journey? Is my passion for a certain model of church better or worse than another, is my vision for the church out of sync with God's heart?

On the other hand, I have been energised by what I see God doing in and through the life of our church in Aspley. People are responding to God, asking question and seek to deepen their faith. I have had great conversations around how we need to change and/or renew our approach so that we can be more effective in being a people who represent Jesus in our communities. I also know that God is showing me the kind of leader he has made me and what my limitations and skills are. I am even more convinced that the church in 2009 can't remain on the fringe of society and must find new and creative ways of being in communities and all levels.

God is teaching me valuable lessons that I hope I will be faithful in learning. Come and join in, it's great fun.

Matt

Well done Wenger!

Today sees Arsene Wenger 13th anniversary of being at the helm of Arsenal Football Club. I have to be honest to say that I am not always a fan of his attitude after games but there is no doubt he is a brilliant coach and his teams play the best football in the league. Not only has he nurtured teams to play football the right way he has influenced the whole of the club, and many others in this country, as to how to maintain a club for the long haul.

"Thirteen years after he was greeted with the headline "Arsene Who?," Arsene Wenger made Arsenal history on Thursday. Having arrived in English football a virtual unknown, he is now the longest serving manager of one of the world's most famous clubs.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-10-01-3633290902_x.htm

So what has this got to do with the church? Arsene, for me, has proved that time is an essential commodity in leadership. Someone once told me that the average length of stay of a C of E vicar in growing churches is 17 years. Stability is key to developing teams, leaders and ministries in local churches that can flourish and impact the community. Arsene is still not finished with Arsenal and will continue to look at ways of making it a place where good football is played and trophies can be won. A church leader needs time to survey the church and it's community, discern a vision and then develop the values with which the church will grow. Of course there are dangers with leaving leaders in the same place such as: becoming comfortable, traditions setting in, becoming leader driven rather than need driven and feeling immovable.

As a Salvation Army Officer I have no idea how long I will be in Aspley (a long time I hope) as it's leader. But I am convinced that time is need in all situations to allow leaders and the church to seek and respond to the needs around them.

Matt

Christian Mission

On Tuesday as part of the Mission Week we had a discussion evening about mission. One comment really challenged all of us. What would we be like if the Salvation Army had kept it's name as the Christian Mission? Obviously it is a bit of a "what if" question where we will never know and can't do anything about it.

But for me, It raised a whole host of question about the current state of the SA and it's mission. Have we become a irrelevant/cumbersome organisation? Are we more concerned with being an Army in our barracks rather than a group of missionaries? Are we now deeply bound by the trappings of the past that we will never break free to be the radical, passionate and transformational people that William Booth raised up?

I have been encourage this week by the 4 young people that have come on Mission Week. They have restored my hope for the future of the SA in Aspley and in Northampton. Ultimately, there is nothing in a name, it is up to it's members to discern the heart and desire of God for it and get on with it, which is what they have done.

I pray that I keep learning how to be a missionary in all I do.

Matt

Rebuild, Renew and Rejoice

We have Just got back from our first experience of an Aspley Corps(church) retreat. We had a fab time chilling out as a group, playing silly games, eat loads and staying up late! The theme of Rebuild, Renew and Rejoice (based on the book of Nehemiah) was both encouraging, informative and challenging.

Sop what did I get out of it.
Rebuild: I know that there are things in my life that I need to put higher on my priorities list. I need to make sure that they are priorities that edify the kingdom and not just because I like doing them.
Renew: I need to delegate more jobs to people in the church. I have already given one job out to somebody that will free an hour or so of my week.
Rejoice: I give thanks for all the challenges of being a church lead. On the Sunday morning I felt overwhelmed by the burden yet the joy of being the leader at Aspley. It has been a privilege to see God at work and to see foundations being laid for the future.

God's kingdom is near, nearer than we probably think.

Matt

Nearly there.

Well, it is only one more day till we move from Leicester to Nottingham. As from my previous blogs you will have gathered that we can't wait to get there. We have nearly finished the cleaning, only a few last bits to pack and my new car arrives tomorrow.

On Thursday we make the short journey up the M1 to our new home in Aspley. It will be sad to leave Leicester. Lots of happy memories like our first marital home, getting Ruby (our dog), various meal with big Andy, moving from Leicester Castle to Leicester South and much more. But we are assured that what is before us will give us just as much joy as Leicester has. Looking back God has taught us a lot about trusting him and being patient (not always easy for me) and we know that what every is put before us in the future, God will not abandon us but we need to make sure that we call on Him in confidence and hope.

Next week we are at a Summer School for young people in the Salvation Army and then the fun starts in seeing what God has in store for me as the Corps Officer (church leader) in Aspley.
Matt

Covenant Day.

I have now completed my training as an Salvation Army officer and tomorrow is our sessions Covenant Day. This is where we sign to say that we are committing to live our lives for God as Salvation Army officers. This is a significant day in the process of training and will be a commitment that I make for my life, allowing God to direct me and the ministry I am involved with.

This has felt like a long time coming and am looking forward to it and commissioning on Saturday. But I am more excited about what those days mean in terms of Gods plan for us in the future. Lizzy and I are both excited about moving to Aspley this month (Yippee) and that we can live together permanently again. But most of all we are excited about how God is going to us us as a couple in the life of the church and the community of Aspley. We don't know what that will look like but that's part of the fun and our faith.

Matt