What a privelege to preach it up over the Easter weekend at an amazing church (Salvos 3064 - Craigieburn, VIC).
Be blessed as you listen to this Spirit-inspired message. 'Jesus didn't stay dead!' A message we all need to hear about the power and significance of what Easter Sunday is about.
Bram's passion is that Youth would encounter God. See when people are faced with the reality of the existence of God and God's love for them, lives are changed for the better.
I'm praying all the best for Bram Spencer as he launches off a new Youth Ministry on February 7th called Encounter Youth at Salvos 3064 (The Salvation Army Craigieburn, VIC). With all the social issues that seem to characterise the lives of many teenagers in our communities, a youth ministry that seeks to bring hope is only a good thing.
It's not just about games, entertainment and lots of pizza. An effective Youth Ministry is surely about providing opportunities for youth to encounter God in powerful and significant ways.
Some people will absolutely love this post. Others will hate it. Others will sit on the fence. I just happen to love it.
God just healed a new guy that came to our Church. Well, watch the video for yourself.
Let me say a couple of things. God still heals the sick today.
Wait a minute. Did I just say that?
God still heals the sick today.
The problem is, too many people are simply praying nice prayers (and no doubt God hears them). Prayers that go like this:
"Lord, bless my friend today, who's feeling sick." (Praying for blessing, not healing)
"Give peace to Mary during this difficult time." (Praying for peace, not healing)
"Please be with the family, while John is unwell." (Praying something that Jesus already promises)
"Lord, please bless the hands of the surgeons."(Again, praying for blessing, not direct healing)
"Please comfort Lucinda during this ordeal." (Praying for comfort, not healing)
Nice prayers. God hears them. Sure. Agreed. BUT, what if we actually prayed for the person to ACTUALLY be healed?
I want to stir the pot a little here. Can we stop namby-pamby prayers and begin to ask that Jesus would in fact literally heal someone?
Let me stir it further. We have embraced for too long, a watered down theology of healing, and lacked the bold, Spirit-filled faith to speak to a sickness to be gone!
It's time to usher in a new theology of healing. One that not only respects and honors the idea that God wants to bring love, peace, hope and joy into someone's life, but also that God may well intend to bring physical healing into a literally broken body.
Too controversial?
That's fine. Stick with a watered down version of healing. Stick with a theology that justifies your lack of faith.
Or begin to embrace the idea that Jesus still heals the sick today. Not everyone, sure. God doesn't take away third world hunger, agreed. There is still war in Syria; I know that.
Though, God wants the fullness of the Kingdom of God to come. That's why we pray, ''Your Kingdom Come..."
When the Kingdom does come in all its fullness, that will surely mean healing of every sort.
I'm not sitting on the fence when it comes to that.
Welcome to my first ever VisionCast for Salvos3064. I want to share with you the amazing things that are to come at Salvos3064. There are some things brewing that God is laying on my heart and I want to communicate them with you.
I understand a majority of you reading this would be a part of the Craigieburn Salvo community, but for those that are not (e.g. those who are subscribed to this blog), you still may well be inspired by what you will read.
As Jo and I took on the amazing privelege of leading this awesome church in Jan2013, I sensed right from the start that God would take this church from strength to strength. I am witnessing the reality of this. In the past couple of months we have seen a regular 30 come along to our new community lunch, including a man choosing to follow Jesus after having a plate of tuna mornay. We are witnessing many people responding to the Lord in prayer on a Sunday morning. We are launching new connect groups very shortly, and already have 9 groups set to start in the next month or so, (more information to come). We have also seen people visit our church and begin to become part of our faith community, including the enrolment of a Salvation Army Soldier a few weeks back.
Though, this is not what I am really wanting to share with you. Right now, I want to highlight some amazing things the Holy Spirit is laying on my heart and the future opportunities we have of fulfilling our vision of "Broken Lives Made Whole".
In December of 2013, we are seeking to expand our reach within the 3064 postcode. In previous years Salvos3064 have run a Christmas Spectactular with 300 tickets booked, and the venue packed with people singing carols about the birth of Jesus and loads of food afterwards. We are excited to say that we are seeking to run the Christmas Spectactular over two consecutive nights, with the hope of selling 600 tickets to the great people in our community. There is more information to come, but I believe that God is going to use this event in a really significant way in late December.
IMPORTANT CHANGE: The leadership team at Salvos3064 have decided to discontinue our Sunday night meetings, due to smaller numbers coming and because the discipleship that has been happening on those nights, will be happening through the launch of our new connect groups. We also want to acknowledge that as Salvos3064 grows, we do not want to 'Over' programitise church activities. Those seeking further and deeper discipleship should ensure they become connected to a Connect Group. Please share this information on, as it is effective immediately.
But there's more.
Maybe you've heard of a thing called Messy Church; maybe you haven't. Messy Church is church for the whole family, that does well to integrate all ages into a fast-paced, exciting, faith-filled time together. Messy Church generally starts with 45 minutes of craft/activities, followed by 20 minutes of worship and interactive bible story, and then dinner as a group.
If you want to know more about Messy Church, check out this 6 minute video.
Here's an annoucement for you:
We will be launching MESSY CHURCH in late January 2014!
Sunday Nights, every fortnight, 4pm - 6pm, from late January 2014, we will have Messy Church at Salvos3064!
This is how it will look in 7 months time:
4pm - Craft Activities in the Rock Climbing Room
4:45pm - Worship and Bible Story in Main Worship Hall
5:10pm - Dinner in Foyer
At the Christmas Spectactular we will launch Messy Church (or rather, give people a glimpse of what Messy Church will be like), but that will be the main event in which we will publicize our new congregation!!
I am believing we will launch Messy Church in Jan2014 with atleast 200 people in attendance.
On the nights of the Christmas Spectactular in December we will also launch our new Messy Church Worship BAND, called 'The Crazyburners'. Bram Spencer is going to lead this new band, and they will be playing some of the latest Hillsong Kids songs, Colin Buchanan, etc. We will be organising an audition night for The Crazyburners in the next few months, and so keep an ear out if you want to be a part of that.
The gospel of Jesus transforms lives. The power of the Holy Spirit sets people free and equips them for ministry. We seek to fulfil the work of a 21st Century Salvationist by reaching broken, hurting people and allow them to feel absolutely connected to a community of faith, where they will find unconditional love, joy and hope for their lives. We aim to fulfil ministry that reforms our society.
I am beyond FIRED UP. I am absolutely convinced that the Lord is guiding us, and we will see the fruit to a greater measure as we continue to lay our lives down at the cross of Jesus, and offer our lives as a living, holy sacrifice to the glory of God.
On February 3rd, 2013, I shared this vision with the Craigieburn Salvation Army Community. I hope you are inspired to dream big when you read it:
I have a dream: That the suicidal in our community will find Jesus will give them hope for living.
I have a dream: That the depressed will find joy in the power of the Holy Spirit.
I have a dream: Every hurting person in our community will have an opportunity to respond to Jesus.
I have a dream: That this church would be used of God to restore broken marriages and broken relationships.
I have a dream: That family members will give their lives over to Jesus.
I have a dream: That this church will help people find a deep sense of purpose and calling to live for Jesus Christ.
I have a dream: That God working in miraculous ways through the people of this church, would be the norm and not the exception to the norm.
I have a dream: That God will abundantly finance the work of His church, primarily through the people of this church.
I have a dream: That every idle back-bencher will find their role in the life of this church to help fulfill this great mission.
I have a dream: That every hurting person would find hope.
I have a dream: That every person would understand their God ordained giftedness and would use their gifts and skills to honour God.
I have a dream: That 'Blood and Fire' would not be some cute ideology tucked away on some Salvation Army flag somewhere, but that it would characterize the essence of The Salvation Army movement.
I have a dream: That The Salvation Army would understand that the best days of the Army were not in the days of William and Catherine Booth, but the best days are actually still to come.
I have a dream: That this church would powerfully and prophetically impact the wider body of Christ. Not just people in our community but the wider body of Christ right around Australia, if not the Globe.
I have a dream: That Salvos 3064 will have people waiting in the foyer hoping they will find a seat in the second or third morning service.
I have a dream: That prayer meetings would be overflowing with passionate people seeking after God's heart.
I have a dream: That these last few weeks have not just been a nice start to 2013, but it is just the start of something more, what God wants to do in 2013.
*****
Listen to the "I have a dream" podcast below. The dream is near the end of the podcast. The middle of the podcast has a video playing in the background, which you will need to skip while listening.
