Attendees-Wild at Heart UK May 2010

Comment

Comment by Lion (Tim K) on February 19, 2011 at 8:40am

Welcome Colin.  As you will see the forum is still here and available, although a bunch of us have taken our sharing into a private forum where we can support each other in greater openness and confidence.

Comment by Michael Jones on November 18, 2010 at 9:41am

Men, We need to rally behind our brother Mark and his team. They are putting on a Boot Camp in conjunction with their London church.

Here is an except from his message:

"Late in the day I know, but just a shout out for any prayer cover that you can fire up to cover the three of us running the first Boot Camp at our church (St Mark's, Battersea Rise, London, UK) and the guys attending (and associated families etc). There are three of us running it and using the Boot Camp DVDs. The church is blessing it but it is our initiative. We hope it will take off in the longer term.

We have about 35 guys coming to a place in Oxfordshire, arriving this evening. We are setting off around lunchtime to do the preparation.

Anyway just doing last minute jobs now but prayers appreciated for this endeavour.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."

We will be praying for Mark and his team.

Comment by Lion (Tim K) on October 14, 2010 at 2:45pm

I'm with you in this Nick. I'm certainly not wedded to the CofE as an institution, though I've attended CofE since teenage years, but I attend my village church because that is where God is working, and because I want to be able to give. I have one ally locally, and he is ordained in the church here but isn't the vicar. Most of the life I find for me comes through being part of a home group and in me leading worship for the church. But to be frank although I attend a service most Sundays, it is mainly for giving to others rather than receiving. But I do love the moment of taking communion too.

I still think God wants me to build relationships with men of my age and younger in my village, and they are not churchgoers. the point is not to turn them into churchgoers, but to live LIFE before them and to aim to share it with them. I still need to get on with this!

Tim

Comment by Henk van Veluw on October 11, 2010 at 1:51pm

Hoi men,
For years I was studying about the armer of God in Efez.6 but I never could grasp the breast plate . This week I was doing the daily prayer whit my wife and John mentioned about the ful armer, and I jumped up whit tears in my eyes and I know I had it, I mean I realy know and understand what it stands for. This is what this new way of walking whit God- being church- has brought me. And it is going on and on, God the father is asking me questions about his word I have to look up and I stand Amased about storys I read for years tel me about his love for me now. I know now I am the church, because God is living in me and I`m exited where al this is heading because of al the desires in my heart for al these years are coming to life again. O how great my God is !!!!!!!!!! He is leading me out of my pain, i`m getting healed and what was lost is coming back .
I never have felt alive as now - Henk
Yes Micheal I realy feel shepherded

Comment by Michael Jones on October 11, 2010 at 9:19am

Jon,
The contrast that comes to mind is the difference between shepherds and sheepdogs. Shepherds move the flock by leading, setting the example, marking the trail, aiding those that lag or are injured.
The sheepdog, by contrast, moves the flock by negative influence, pressing them from behind, nipping at those who lag, etc.

May we all be good shepherds and experience the influence of a good shepherd in our lives. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for his sheep.

Comment by Nathanael (Jon S) on October 11, 2010 at 9:11am

Hey Guys, the way I see this church thing is that we have all been chosen to follow God in a deeply committed but intimate way. As God's chosen people we accept the responsibility to discover what Christ was intending that church should be. In my opinion it certainly was not a contract that would simply exchange one yoke for another, and He certainly had no plans to exchange one pharisaical system for another.

In my experience once you start to question the church system, or to express any kind of disappointment in it, you can quickly become marginalized and so begins the life on the fringe. I have even been told that I am guilty of neglecting or forsaking the gathering of believers when I have chosen to take some time out, whereas I believe the scripture they are quoting is there as a reminder for none of us to walk alone.

Guys, we need one another, boy do we know that and there are times as Gareth says where we get together and explode into amazing worship - long may that continue, God loves all that. But let's face it, we can all do away with the heavy shepherding, spirit of religion leadership and we have so much more important stuff to put our energies into than church system politics.

Do whatever it takes to remain strong in Christ, and don't walk alone, remain in deep intimacy with the Holy and Victorious Trinity and I think we will not go far wrong.

Love You Brothers.

Comment by Pete UK on October 10, 2010 at 11:03pm

Nick, in my experience with churches in England, they are focused on 'winning' people in to their church (for the kingdom) but not in discipling them once they are in!

It is like a great promise of a new life - and folks enter in and find a great welcome party just inside the door, but after a while they get tired of the party and want to live more of this new life. But nobody is teaching them where and how to find it, because they are still focussing on all the new converts out there to be made!

Our banks have a similar attitude - new customers get great deals, but existing and loyal customers can take a hike to some other bank! And sadly in church - that is what folks do - they think, well I'll try another brand of church.

So off they go to another church and are met with joy - after all they are new members! and after a short time they find that there is no more life here than back where they came from.

Our churches feed obligations and expectations and performance based religion to the masses to keep them turning up weekly and paying the stipends that keep the paid clergy in position to feed us more obligations and expectations!

Our Lord calls us into relationship with Him - not obligation and performance!

You will have guessed that I have given up churches! :)

Comment by Michael Jones on October 10, 2010 at 7:41pm

Nick,
I love your heart, brother. The institutional church is a field ripe to harvest, albeit one that has its share of thorns and briers.

Stay the course, Nick. We continue to pray for you and your ministry.

Comment by Henk van Veluw on October 10, 2010 at 1:04pm

Hoi men,
I was in church for almost 18 years was an elder for 7 years. In may 2009 BC Collorado one week after return no elder enymore and 3 months later out of church. God came in my life in the middle of my misery after crying out to "if there is a God then plaesse help me " . And so he did - He spoke to my heart. then I get involved in "churchianity" . God did a lot in my life but realy walking whit God I learned sinds BC. When I was trown out/left church I was alone. Now papa is bringing people in our life. I`m still loocking for men to walk with.
Because my hearts desire is FELLOWSHIP. I have to learn this on an not churchy way.
Henk

Comment by Gareth Jones on October 10, 2010 at 10:00am

Hi Nicolas
I'd have to say it's main role in my life is as a place to get together and worship! To lift he roof off as we did at wah when we sang on Sunday am almost nothing matters when you are in that atmosphere of praise and I believe it mirrors praise parties in heaven!
G

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• …
• 28
• Next ›
• Page