my life...

Whats been happening recently in my life? Im glad you asked...

Been working at Plenty Valley Salvos! Such a great place to work! We had a greenhouse consultation (or something like that) which looks at the church and tries to put the church on a fast track to growth by making the corps healthy... Anyway, Ive joint the church at a great time! Everyones so positive and wants to see God glorified in our community!

Monday night was a great night! Went to "Strike" which is Macleods youth cell group and I taught them some listening prayer! They got prophets there! Their junior soldiers are awessome prophetesses! God spoke and we heard Him! Hallelujah! Then I had bascketball and topped scored, we lost but im happy! ; )

Tuesday had brekie club at the school with awessom results. Got a few of the guys there who said theyd join my indoor soccer team. I also got a few others who said theyd help me with a school holiday club im running! Praise God theyre open to hanging out and helping out! God save them!

Today was full on. Long day. Im enjoying working at church! I know Gods called me here and I know Gods got big plans for the place and people!

Heres a quote by Michael Phelp the swimmer who keeps smashing world records in pretty much every stroke. After winning and smashing ANOTHER record
Reporter: "How do you keep going faster?"
Philp: "I listen to my coach and take the beating in and out of the pool!"

Wow!

How do you stop sinning?

Church advancement

I WAS thinking, while I was reading the lesson, that, supposing we could blot out from our minds all knowledge of the history of Christianity from the time of this Inauguration Service--from that Pentecostal Baptism--or, at any rate, from the close of the period described in the Acts of the Apostles, suppose we could detach from our minds all knowledge of the history of Christianity since then, and take the Acts of the Apostles and sit down and calculate what was likely to happen in the world, what different results we should have anticipated, what a different world we should have reckoned upon as the outcome of it all. A system which commenced under such auspices, with such assumptions and professions on the part of its Author (speaking after the manner of men), and producing, as it did, in the first century of its existence, such gigantic and momentous results. We should have said, if we knew nothing of what has intervened from that time to this, that, no doubt the world where that war
commenced, and for which it was organized, would have long since been subjugated to the influence of that system, and brought under the power of its great originator and founder! I say, from reading these Acts, and from observing the spirit which animated the early disciples, and from the way in which everything fell before them, we should have anticipated that ten thousand times greater results would have followed, and, in my judgment, this anticipation would have been perfectly rational and just.
Catherine Booth (JAC Aggressive Christianity)

How BIG is God to you? How BIG is the revelation that God has given you of Himself? How BIG is His GRACE? How BIG is His POWER? How much does He LOVE the world? Do you believe God has the GRACE and POWER compelled by His LOVE to transform THE WORLD?

Do you believe He can heal people? Do you believe God can change the world in a second? Do you believe that once someone gives their life to God He can transform their life? That when people come to Jesus addiction and depression can fall off? Do you believe God has the power and the love to do so?

Not only do you believe HE CAN, but do you believe HE DOES and HE WILL?

I do. And when I see the advancement of the gospel in Australia going so slow when there is such strong spiritual hunger I get upset and cant help but wonder what we are doing wrong.

Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" John 11:40

Structure of the church

Here’s the basic structure of how a church meets together,

1) Call to worship
2) Songs
3) Bible reading
4) Songs
5) Sermon
6) Songs

We have a pretty much professionalised service, we have priests, altars, rituals, non members and a lot of members are in the audience as spectators. Leaders have power and authority. This structure really doesn’t change. It hasn’t changed since it came into being in the fourth century when Constantine made Christianity the official religion.

My last blog showed how ineffective that structure is for getting people saved and discipled.

Up until Constantine the church had been meeting in homes and in open spaces as a big group for a celebration. People were added to their numbers daily. Jesus never said anything about congregations. If we look at all churches around the world, the ones that are actually growing are the ones that have small groups that multiply themselves.

Is it a coincidence, that when Christians get together in their homes, share their possessions and lives, pray and eat together and include all people whether saved or not, that people get saved and discipled? Why do we bother with this other structure that only works once in a blue moon?

What would happen if we stopped all Sunday congregations and instead decided to have house churches or cell/Bible study groups? How many people would we loose? Now, why would we loose them? Because they like the structure of the church as it is, they are comfortable with it, even though the structure we have is not effective!

There can be some problems with house churches, please raise them with me and I’ll discuss them in my next blog! Until then, how bout this as a picture of church:

42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

ME CHURCH

Ive been reading a book by Wolfgang Simson called "House Churches that change the world." So far it is FANTASTIC!

A church had 50 new people come to an evangelistic meeting, no one got saved or stayed on at the church but the pastor told someone, "Its ok, we're following them up."

Now, most people I know would say that the majority of people get saved through relationmships etc outside of the church building, service etc. Rather its by people evangelising them, talking and journeying with them outside the church.

Why do we put so much emphasis on "church" if it doesnt get people saved o discipled? Its simply not working. Some churches grow yes. But when we look at the population of Australia and see how many are getting saved we're not making any in-roads. WHY?

Is it that people dont want the gospel or we as Christians arent taking them the gospel? In all of my talks to people at target, 614, people on the street etc, from looking at tv shows, songs on the radio, books and magazines in secular Australia, there is NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING! So what is wrong?




The definition of crazy, "Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result." Are we doing that with church? Are we trying to reinvent something that DOES NOT WORK? Why is church as it it? What is its purpose?

From looking at it, its for those already saved, people possibly too traditional, too comfortable to jump out of the boat and into the sea to save souls. Am I being too harsh?I dont think so. But, what do you think about church? Is it effective? (Also, take a look at Mike Colemans blog which talks about the state of TSA...)

I'll explain some of my therefores in later posts....

Youth Workers Confrence 1

Ive been pretty busy at the Youth Workers confrence which was great so heres a couple of the things I learnt...

The early Salvos were about the things on the right, have we gone towards the things on the right these days?

"The Salvation Army use to be about:
Innovation not Tradition
Going not Staying
Worst not Best
Committment not Comfort"

Heres another quote, "95% of churches are aimed at 12% of the population!"

Definition of insanity, "Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result!" Hmmm sounds like the model we have for church...

Tomorrow I'll put some stuff up from Wolfgang Simson.... Verry challenging

Revelation 2:4-7
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Plent Valley

Yesterday I got some great news. I have a job!!!

I am going to be serving God and the people at Plenty Valley Corps as the Community Development Worker with an emphasis on youth! Its a 3 day per week position involving school ministry and developing lots of new stuff, working with Croosroads!

I meet with them next Friday to work out all the details!

Thanks for all your prayers! God is good!

"The harvest is plenty, but laborers are few, beg the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers."

God answers prayer!

Firstly, On an unrelated topic, has anyone ever been to Koorong without a) seeing someone they know, or b) not buying anything, or even c) both??? Its an mazing place...

Anyway. One of the things I love about God is that He answers prayer! I dont believe our prayers are powerful in themselves, rather the God who answers prayer is powerful! 2 stories...

Yesterday I did Junior Soldiers, I did the session with the three young junior soldiers, (around about 7-9 years old...) on "Listening Prayer." I encouraged them and told them they had all heard God speak to them and I got them to tell me some of the times they have heard God speak in a variety of ways. We did some personal friendship questions with Jesus, then we stepped into a Bible story, then we prayed for each other asking God what to say to each other.

The Junior Soldiers were on fire! They asked God what to say then encouraged, prophesied and gave words of knowledge to each other! I was about to finish but I made them do the same for me and what they said was very spot on! God is good and answers prayer!

Then today I had a phone call from some friends who I had prayed with recently. I had prayed that their son would get better. Surprise, surprise, there son has been miraculously healed! Thankyou Jesus!

So, when you pray do you believe God will answer? Or do you leave a message on His answering machine and not let Him speak back to you? When reading the Bible do you simply read the menu or taste the meal? I'll leave you with Gods phone number...

Jeremiah 3:33 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'

Motivations

Heres my two motivations for getting people saved!

1) Love for God!

2) Love for people!

37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' (Matthew 22:37-39)

And heres a funny clip on motivating people for evangelism...

Whats your motivations for evangelising? Or whats your motivations for NOT evangelising?

MY KING!

Who is God to you? This is a video of my King...

If your revelation of God is that He is all of that then surely that will impact the way we live. If I believe God can heal, surely I am compelled to lay hands and pray that He will heal people. If I believe He can break off depression, not only will I pray for it, I'll tell people who are depressed that theres an answer to their problem. If I believe He can transform peoples lives, then surely I will pray He does it, and surely I will want to lead everyone I know to Christ so that they may have life in its fullness! If I believe God can stop us from sinning, then surely I will live my life in faith that God will help me through temptation.

Our revelation and understanding of God impacts the way we live. What picture of God do you have judging by the way you live? Do you live your life believing in how great God is?

How to Evangelise!

Leading someone to Christ is the greatest privledge of all. It gives you an amazing buzz. Angels in heaven rejoice as people come to the Lord. People are saved from death, hell and despair and are given the right to become children of God, full of life. Sadly, many people struggle with evangelism. Not knowing how to lead even their closest friends to Christ.

Ive had the great privledge of leading people to Christ lately and I want to share a couple of things that hopefully will help those who are struggling.

The most important thing I find is my own personal relationship with Jesus christ. We live in a post mordern society where people all have their own 'religion' or set of beliefs. You believe what you want, and I'll believe what I want. Unfortunately thats not right. There is only one way to God. Jesus Christ.

Therefore you must have a healthy relationship with God. You must have testimonies of what God is doing in you, for you, what He is saying to you. You need to be able to tell people how God made Himself real to you. That I would say is the first step. Know that God is real, and show others how God was made real to you.

The next step is very similar to the last. Live with God. Dont live your life with the same story of God. When people get married they accumulate a whole heap of memories and lessons learnt. Its the same with God. Always go forward in your relationship with God. It needs to be active. It needs to be NOW!

You need to pray for opportunities to come your way. Ask God for simple openings that you can turn into a talk about faith. Ask the Holy Spirit to prepare the people you are going to talk to. Ask God if theres something you should know or read first.

God needs to be the most important thing in your life. You need a relationship with God that gets you excited, motivated, happy, joyful etc! God needs to impact your mind and being. You must be subconciously aware that He is by your side wherever you go!

As God is on your mind and in your soul, as you have a living real relationship with God, hearing Him, seeing Him do things etc, and as you want people to get saved, you want God to use you, the next steps should come naturally.

When I meet people I let them know I am a Christian. I dont do it the same every time. I wear a wrist band that says PUSH. (Pray until something happens.) It creates conversation starters. You might wear a t-shirt. You might tell them you were at a prayer meeting the other night. At this stage, no confrontation.

As you talk, talk about likes and dislikes. What they like to do. What they do with their time. Eventually the topic will get on to your likes and dislikes. What you do with your time. Here you plainly tell them about your church commitments etc.

From here you can ask them if they believe in God. Dont preach to them yet. Talk about their beliefs! Its all about them. Probe them with simple questions like "Why dont you believe?", "What happend that made you turn off God?" Somewhere there will be a hurt, a problem why they dont accept Christ.

Here, use one of your testimonies to show them how God is real to you. What God has done. Sometimes stories of Jesus from the Bible are good, or even other peoples testimonies of what God did in them. Relate similar peoples experiences to theres, but make sure you dont say its the same thing. The thing to focus on now, is not their problem, but how God has fixed that sort of problem in other people or yourself. Then easily tell them that God can do the same for them.

Use your brain when doing this. Be sensitive to their feelings and beliefs. Dont tell them their wrong, but tell them what you believe to be truth, or say the Bible says... Make sure you talk out of love. A loving person will not yell at people or scare people, or threaten people. They will encourage, respect, and warn.

You dont always need to push for a conversion on the spot. Sometimes people need to think it all through. By now you have planted a seed in their heart and mind and it will surprise you that they will not forget that conversation. After all this, pray. Then pray. Then pray!

Next time you see them you may like to ask what they thought about the last conversation you had. Then go from there again! On to the next step.

As your conversations will go, you can start to say, "You can accept Jesus in your heart right now if you like? I'll pray with you if you want! We can do it right now." Give them opportunities. Dont force!!! But ask!

This is pretty long and Im getting tired now. Im gonna post it and hopefully someone will read it! If you disagree with something, or dont understand something post a comment! Thats my sermon for the day anyway!!!!!!

God bless you all!

Corinthians 5:11-6:2.(V11) Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men...14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again... 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come...20We are therefore Christ's ambassadors!

Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams, sometimes known as the sexiest man alive, a man who makes millions of dollars every year from his singing etc has gone into rehab for the addiction he has that was brought on by low self esteem!

Can you believe that? Hes one of the most popular people in the world and he has low self esteem!

Where does your self worth come from? Does it come from people or God? God loves you. He cares for you. He doesnt stop loving you when your in a bad mood. His love is unconditional. The things of this world will pass away but God wont. Gods love and acceptance wont.

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—John 1:12

Witnesses FOR Christ!

Last night was the territorial welcome to the Witnesses fro Christ session! Commissioner Knaggs spoke about how we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then our witness will be natural. What a great holiness teaching, God hits us, we hit the world...

At 614 I was talking to a man who has been helped by the Army for a couple of decades and he told me that "no salvation army person had ever mentioned God to me!"

What a shame! If only he knew that the only true God, the living God, creator of the Wold, loved him so much that He would die for him! No greater love is this than to lay down your life for someone!

If only there were more who were filled with the Holy Spirit! Some of my most memorable ministry times have been when people have been baptised in the Holy Spirit! When the Spirit of God, the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead fills a person! What a difference that makes in ones life! What a great experience! To be clothed with power from on high!

Are you filled with the Holy Spirit? Dont know if you are or not? Then repent! Turn from your un-godly ways, give your life to God! Live in faith! Once the revelation of Jesus twines itself to the love of God that comes from the Holy Spirit you will be compelled to love your neighbour as yourself!

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:8

A Current Affair

I was watching the telly last night and I saw an A Current Affair add. It had the usual hidden camera in the car park as a man put some bread in the back of his car. It builds this man up to be "an ex police man, a man of God etc but look what hes doing... Hes ripping off the poor etc."

I know this man. He loves Jesus. His family has had a rough time over the years!

Im sure theyd love your prayers at this time!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

God gave you a brain!

Ive been reminded of a story twice in a short period of time:

A man was stranded on a deserted island and he cried out for God to help him. A boat came past and offered him a lift, "No thanks, God will save me!" He said. Then a submarine which he replied the same. Then a helicopter, and again the same answer. He died. Got to heaven and asked God "Why didnt you save me?" God said, "I sent a boat, helicopter and submarine but you refused it!"

Ive had a couple of hard decisions to make lately. Well, one in particular. Where do I go from here? Where do I apply for jobs? Where do I soldier? Etc etc etc!

Ive had a couple of chats with a couple of different people about this but one line I keep hearing is "God gave you a brain!" I keep asking God "Where do you want to send me?" And I dont hear an answer, but all these people say, "God can use you wherever you go, and God gave you a brain! Its ok to make a decision for yourself!"

So heres a couple of thoughts:

• God gives me opportunities, sometimes we need to decide to take them.
• Other times God directly tells us what to do
• And still other times, the job is there to be done and God wants us to do it but we need to use our own initiative

What opportunities has God given you that you need to take?
What has God been saying to you?
What does God require of you?
What can you do for God that He would appreciate?

Then I heard the vocie of the Lord saying "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I! Send me!" Isaiah 6:8

Pray for revival!

The last few weeks I have been really convicted and convinced that NOW is the time for us to pray as much as we can for revival! There is something on the horizon, we need Spiritual breakthroughs right now. I feel revival is so close yet we need to pray it through the place we are in now! I urge you, PRAY as much as you can! Ive tried doubling my prayer time today, and I hope to continue that on. We need more prayer meetings, spontaneos meetings, with friends, family and church! We cant pray too much!

The other connected idea is, and I dont know how theologically correct this is... I want to have the sort of faith that makes God do things. Like the centurian Jesus saw, He was amazed at the mans faith He had to heal the boy! In evangelism, I ask God to show up in peoples lives! I try to put God to work. I try my best to put the pressure on God. I dont want just my words to do the work, I want to have enough faith etc so that God will have to show up! What do people think about that idea? Im still trying to think it through...

Anyway, lets pray as much as possible for revival! Lets have faith that its coming! Lets put the pressure on God to act! Make sure you're ready. Repent of your sin! You have sin! So do I. Lets get rid of it, consecrate ourselves to God and live by faith!

30 "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
Ezekiel 18:30-32

IM SO EXCITED IM GOING TO SCREAM! GOD IS DOING AWESSOME THINGS IN THIS TERRITORY AND HAS BIG THINGS COMING UP!

STEPHEN COURT AND DANIELLE STRICKLAND, TWO HEROES OF MINE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO OUR TERRITORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen - Assistant Personel Secretary: Leadership/Officer DevelopmentDanielle - Territorial Social Justice Director

RRAY FOR THEM!!!!! BRING ON REVIVAL!!!

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

If getting people saved is The Salvation Armies mission, or even every Christians mission, what would our life look like if we were devoted to just that? Where would we spend our time? Money? Abilities?

Good News!

The two people I led to Christ went to Surefers paradise on Friday. I was worried they wouldnt get the teaching etc they needed as new Christians. When they got there they thought theyd catch up with some old friends. When they met them they were pleasantly surprised to find theyre all born again Christians! Praise Jesus for GREAT timing!

REVIVAL

614 is going off! Salvations all over the place! Hada great prayer time today with a few of the others! Gods doing a special work there!

So the churches were strengthend in the faith and grew daily in numbers! Acts 16:5

TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

Yesterday I briefly mentioned how I got chatting to a couple who were involved in some satanism and witchcraft. How things have changed!

The first thing she said when she came in today was, "You convinced me, I want to convert!" Imagine what I was thinking! We had a chat, and she spoke to me about how she been getting followed by demons etc. She has had enough. Towards the closing time for the centre they asked me if I could give them a 'blessing'.

Me and Joe took them upstairs to the temple and had another chat where I explained that God wants us to worship only Him. If they wanted Gods blessing and wanted to be protected then they had to give their life to Christ! They had to give up all magic etc.

We knelt at the holiness table where they asked for Gods forgiveness and for the Holy Spirit to come into them. Me and Joe laid hands and prayed for them. They felt light, as though a heavy load had been taken off their shoulders. They took off their necklaces which had demonic symbols and I gave them Bibles instead!

(Heaps more to the story but ask me if you want to know more!)

Hallelujah! God saves! Who are you trying to get saved at the moment?

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

God is great! Hes given me HEAPS of opportunities to share the gospel lately!

Sunday night, we were out witnessing til 1:30am in the city! I got to speak to a few guys. When I prayed for one guy He felt the love of God and had goose bumps etc, hopefully God will use that experience to continue to pour out more revelation to that guy! Also another guy who we prayed that God would reveal Himself to within the next 24 hours. Putting the emphasis back on God! Afterall saving people is HIS job!

Monday hada fantastic evangelical talk to a couple. Shes saved, hes PRESAVED! Will be soon! Hallelujah! He said everything I said made sense! I just told him my testimony and spoke about God using his words and the situations hes told me about! Hes gonna turn to God soon, that is, if he hasnt already! Also got to help them out with food a voucher!

Today I had the opportunity to witness to a couple who worship satan. (Little 's' on purpose!) I was able to show them how BIG and LOVING God is! Explained that light is more powerful than darkness! (little candle lights up a big room! darkness runs away from light!) More on this conversation later! Again got to help them out with food parsel and blankets!

Not all ground is ready for harvest YET! But witnessing, and sharing the love of God is like putting cow poo (couldnt spell fertaliser...lol) in a garedn. We can prepare the ground, water it, put seeds in then let God do His thing! Theres steps people need to go through for themself to get to the point of bearing flowers which equals SALVATION. Sometimes God uses lots of little steps, others a mixture of BIG and small. Other times a couple of BIG steps. All depends on the person!

God youre AWESSOME! Keep up the GREAT work! Thankyou that you build PERSONAL relationships with us. We're all different and you know how to speak best to us! Youre AMAZING!

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

Working at 614 has opend my eyes to a couple of things.

1) The government has cut back emergency relief funds by a huge chunk recently because the un-employment rate is lower. The problem is that those stats dont take into account that if someone only has a casual job, or a part time job even if its just one shift a week, they are regarded as employed. The problem is still there, at 614 it sometimes feels like its getting worse. There are HEAPS and HEAPS of people who need a bit of extra help but cant get it.

2) We were trying to find a homeless guy some accomodation. However this guy has mental and sociological problems and cant look after himself. He is sleeping on the street which is very unsafe. When we tried to take him to the places that are SUPPOSE TO HELP they could do nothing. We were told by the mental something people to go to st vinnies hospital to get an assensment of his health etc but once we got there they had a go at this poor bloke and told us they dont do it. He stoprmed out upset because he cant get anywhere to sleep and when people try to help him he ends up getting hurt even more. Now theres next to nothing to do...

The thing we need to do is pray. God can make a difference. We have a great social support system compared to alot of other places, but theres still people who go hungry, who sleep on the street, who are without the light of God. Pray that God will shower His love on these people in a practical way! And ifyou can, ask if you can help out your local family support or emergencey relief place!