February 2010
Don't Settle in Haran
From the top of your head, would you be able to tell me who Terah was? Possibly not. He is the forgotten father of Abraham.
God didn’t intend it that way. In fact, God had a great plan for Terah. Terah himself actually caught God’s dream for his life of reaching the promised land of Canaan. He set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan, but for some reason he settled in Haran, the halfway point between Ur and Canaan. And because of this Terah missed out on God’s best for his life.
27 This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth… 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran (Genesis 11:27-28, vv. 31-32).
Terah certainly started out with good intentions. It wasn’t an easy thing to pack up and leave Ur. But somewhere along the journey, something happened - and Terah decided to settle for less. He quit dreaming. He literally stopped walking. And he ceased pursuing God’s best. Basically, he settled - he settled for the good of Haran instead of the great of Canaan.
What was this “something” that caused Terah to give up on his dream? We can only speculate as the Bible doesn’t say directly, but it is interesting to note that Terah’s son was also called Haran. Terah had to face the heart-breaking tragedy of his son Haran dying while he was still alive. I could only imagine how devastated and heart-broken he was. Perhaps this bitter life experience knocked-out his capacity to dream and keep fighting. And quite probably it was the death of Haran that caused him to settle in Haran, the place of his pain.
In a world filled with tragedy and disappointment, the sad fact is that most of us at some time or another have seen our dreams come crashing down. Something we longed or hoped for which just didn’t come to pass, maybe due to the pressures of daily life or even a knock-out punch that left us down-and-out and battling with mindsets of defeat, discouragement and inferiority.
When such things happen it is all too easy to just settle in Haran. But the tragedy of this - as we see with Terah - is that if we stay in Haran too long we miss out. We miss out on God’s best. Remember, Terah died in Haran, in the place of his pain, when it was only intended to be a short stop on the way. He got trapped in the disappointment of the past and wasn’t able to embrace God’s future for him.
In truth, the moment we choose to settle for where we are - the moment that Haran becomes OK - is the moment that death begins. Dreams die. Passions die. And we die.
The sad fact is that many Christians die in Haran because we settle for less. We don’t make it to Canaan - we don’t realise our potential in God.
Is there a Haran where you are settling? For that matter, is there an Ur that you should be leaving? Is there a promised land you should be reaching for? (Of course I’m not talking here about radical changes in geography, but changes in behaviour, attitudes and mindsets that are just as radical.)
Churches too can also learn from the story of Terah. It is all too easy for churches to settle in Haran, and this is why many churches don’t see the promises of God fully prevail. For LGCC specifically, we have certainly come a long way. We are a large, thriving, growing active church with a great reputation. Many years ago we left our Ur of the Chaldeans. But we need to know that we are not in Canaan yet, and God is calling us to continue the onward march towards the land of promise. We must not settle in the comfortable place of Haran. In fact, in these days, I believe the Holy Spirit is wanting to “unsettle” us a little - he wants us to be dissatisfied with what is, and crave what we do not yet have in God.
Let it not be said that “Dominic died in Haran”, let it not be said that you died in Haran, and let it not be said that “LGCC settled in Haran”.
God is on the move. This is the time to follow. Let’s keep on marching forward! Let’s journey towards the promise!
Every blessing,
Dominic
God didn’t intend it that way. In fact, God had a great plan for Terah. Terah himself actually caught God’s dream for his life of reaching the promised land of Canaan. He set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan, but for some reason he settled in Haran, the halfway point between Ur and Canaan. And because of this Terah missed out on God’s best for his life.
27 This is the account of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor and Haran. And Haran became the father of Lot. 28 While his father Terah was still alive, Haran died in Ur of the Chaldeans, in the land of his birth… 31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and together they set out from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. But when they came to Haran, they settled there. 32 Terah lived 205 years, and he died in Haran (Genesis 11:27-28, vv. 31-32).
Terah certainly started out with good intentions. It wasn’t an easy thing to pack up and leave Ur. But somewhere along the journey, something happened - and Terah decided to settle for less. He quit dreaming. He literally stopped walking. And he ceased pursuing God’s best. Basically, he settled - he settled for the good of Haran instead of the great of Canaan.
What was this “something” that caused Terah to give up on his dream? We can only speculate as the Bible doesn’t say directly, but it is interesting to note that Terah’s son was also called Haran. Terah had to face the heart-breaking tragedy of his son Haran dying while he was still alive. I could only imagine how devastated and heart-broken he was. Perhaps this bitter life experience knocked-out his capacity to dream and keep fighting. And quite probably it was the death of Haran that caused him to settle in Haran, the place of his pain.
In a world filled with tragedy and disappointment, the sad fact is that most of us at some time or another have seen our dreams come crashing down. Something we longed or hoped for which just didn’t come to pass, maybe due to the pressures of daily life or even a knock-out punch that left us down-and-out and battling with mindsets of defeat, discouragement and inferiority.
When such things happen it is all too easy to just settle in Haran. But the tragedy of this - as we see with Terah - is that if we stay in Haran too long we miss out. We miss out on God’s best. Remember, Terah died in Haran, in the place of his pain, when it was only intended to be a short stop on the way. He got trapped in the disappointment of the past and wasn’t able to embrace God’s future for him.
In truth, the moment we choose to settle for where we are - the moment that Haran becomes OK - is the moment that death begins. Dreams die. Passions die. And we die.
The sad fact is that many Christians die in Haran because we settle for less. We don’t make it to Canaan - we don’t realise our potential in God.
Is there a Haran where you are settling? For that matter, is there an Ur that you should be leaving? Is there a promised land you should be reaching for? (Of course I’m not talking here about radical changes in geography, but changes in behaviour, attitudes and mindsets that are just as radical.)
Churches too can also learn from the story of Terah. It is all too easy for churches to settle in Haran, and this is why many churches don’t see the promises of God fully prevail. For LGCC specifically, we have certainly come a long way. We are a large, thriving, growing active church with a great reputation. Many years ago we left our Ur of the Chaldeans. But we need to know that we are not in Canaan yet, and God is calling us to continue the onward march towards the land of promise. We must not settle in the comfortable place of Haran. In fact, in these days, I believe the Holy Spirit is wanting to “unsettle” us a little - he wants us to be dissatisfied with what is, and crave what we do not yet have in God.
Let it not be said that “Dominic died in Haran”, let it not be said that you died in Haran, and let it not be said that “LGCC settled in Haran”.
God is on the move. This is the time to follow. Let’s keep on marching forward! Let’s journey towards the promise!
Every blessing,
Dominic
January 2010
IT'S TIME TO DREAM
If you don’t have a dream, you’re living in less than God’s best. In fact, you’re just existing. But God wants you to thrive, and not just survive.
Living a life of purpose means going after God’s vision for your life, pursuing the desires that God has placed in your heart. Indeed, if you search hard enough you will find that there is a dream that God has placed in your heart. Some of us may have buried it because of the pains, setbacks and failures of the past - others may have already grasped hold of it. But we have to keep this dream continually before us.
Now I’m not talking about an escapist wish such as winning the lottery or getting a brand new sports car, but a vision deep down inside that speaks to your very soul, that sparks your imagination, that captures your heart and spirit, and that draws from your gifts and talents. This is the thing that you were born to do, the thing that ignites the feeling of destiny in your life, the thing that will ultimately unlock your life’s purpose and make you feel alive.
Dreaming is a God-given capacity to see what God sees – it is about getting a picture in your mind and heart of what you were created to be and do.
So what is your life dream? What contribution do you want to make in this world for God? What legacy do you want to leave? And what will you do in 2010 to advance this?
Your future is literally locked up in your ability to dream. That’s why the devil wants to destroy your capacity to dream. He wants to knock it out of you. But this year, hear the word of the Lord: it’s time to dream! Keep on holding on to God’s promises in your heart - refuse to let go of God’s dreams.
Maybe things previously didn’t turn out the way you expected. Maybe disappointment or discouragement has set in. But this does not mean your dream is over.
Think about this. Beethoven’s teacher called him “hopeless as a composer” and he also lost his hearing at a young age - yet he wrote some greatest symphonies of all time. The great novelist Leo Tolstoy, author of the epic War and Peace, was described as “both unable and unwilling to learn” and dropped out of college. Henry Ford failed and went bankrupt five times before he finally succeeded. Winston Churchill failed at school and he didn’t get voted in until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62 – and it was only as a senior citizen that he made his greatest contribution. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor for not being imaginative enough - he also went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. Elvis Presley was fired after just one performance at the Grand Ole Opry and was told that he “ain’t going nowhere” and should go back to truck driving. Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, was cut from his high school basketball team.
What is the message of all this? In the words of Winston Churchill, “Never, never, never, never give up”.
This year, lay hold of your dreams and don’t let anything hold you back. And by the end of 2010, may you be further along in the journey towards the fulfilment of your dream than you are now.
Remember, the greatest danger in life is not aiming too high and missing it, but aiming too low and hitting it. Expect great things from God, then attempt great things for God.
Wishing you a wonderful and most blessed New Year,
Dominic
December 2009
GOD WITH US
Unlike any other baby in all of history, the one born in Bethlehem on Christmas day was unique: he was not created by a man and a woman, for he had a heavenly pre-existence.
Indeed, at Christmas time we celebrate the fact that around 2000 years ago in real time and space, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator God did the most amazing thing: he came to earth in the form of a baby - he became human in the person of Jesus, all so that humanity and the creation could be reconciled to him.
This is why theologians refer to the Christmas event as the “incarnation” (meaning “in the flesh”), for in the birth of Jesus, he who resided in heaven - co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit - took on human flesh. He descended willingly into our world. He took on human flesh. He breathed our air. He felt our pain. And he shared our trials and sufferings.
This fact of the incarnation - that God has come down in the flesh - means that he fully understands our experiences and struggles. Jesus has been where we are, and this means we can come to him with all our thoughts, feelings, needs and struggles. Yet because he is God, it also means that he is not simply a listening ear - he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin and help us out of our struggles.
In this vein, Matthew refers to Jesus as “Immanuel” (1:23). He is not meaning that Jesus would ever literally bear the name “Immanuel”, but rather that this name described Jesus’ role, for Immanuel means “God with us”.
Immanuel. I find that pretty amazing! In fact it dazzles me every time I think about it. GOD WITH US. Contemplate how big God is, how far above he is, how transcendent he is. Now take a moment to look at the majesty and glory of his creation. The truth is that God is greater and stronger than anything or anyone we have ever known. And yet the remarkable thing is that in the coming of Jesus at Christmas time, this same God has become intimately present with us. He is “God with us”.
This is the true meaning of Christmas – that God himself came into human history, coming to do what only he alone could do, coming at a particular time and place for the sake of people of every time and every place.
Sometimes the valleys and pitfalls of life can knock it out of us. As we get pulled here and there by our jobs, finances and meeting the day-to-day needs of our families, the pressures of life can seem overwhelming. We can feel out of our depth and desperately alone. But in these times, we must remember the wonderful Christmas message: Immanuel is born - God is with us!
The events in that manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago proclaim God’s desire to be with you. Know that through his incarnation into human flesh, the God of this universe has extended his hand and invitation to you. He is not some distant, detached deity. He has drawn close to you through Jesus. This Christmas, I encourage you to draw close to him.
A happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to you from all of us here at LGCC!
Every blessing,
Dominic
Unlike any other baby in all of history, the one born in Bethlehem on Christmas day was unique: he was not created by a man and a woman, for he had a heavenly pre-existence.
Indeed, at Christmas time we celebrate the fact that around 2000 years ago in real time and space, the eternal, all-powerful and all-knowing Creator God did the most amazing thing: he came to earth in the form of a baby - he became human in the person of Jesus, all so that humanity and the creation could be reconciled to him.
This is why theologians refer to the Christmas event as the “incarnation” (meaning “in the flesh”), for in the birth of Jesus, he who resided in heaven - co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Spirit - took on human flesh. He descended willingly into our world. He took on human flesh. He breathed our air. He felt our pain. And he shared our trials and sufferings.
This fact of the incarnation - that God has come down in the flesh - means that he fully understands our experiences and struggles. Jesus has been where we are, and this means we can come to him with all our thoughts, feelings, needs and struggles. Yet because he is God, it also means that he is not simply a listening ear - he has the power and authority to deliver us from sin and help us out of our struggles.
In this vein, Matthew refers to Jesus as “Immanuel” (1:23). He is not meaning that Jesus would ever literally bear the name “Immanuel”, but rather that this name described Jesus’ role, for Immanuel means “God with us”.
Immanuel. I find that pretty amazing! In fact it dazzles me every time I think about it. GOD WITH US. Contemplate how big God is, how far above he is, how transcendent he is. Now take a moment to look at the majesty and glory of his creation. The truth is that God is greater and stronger than anything or anyone we have ever known. And yet the remarkable thing is that in the coming of Jesus at Christmas time, this same God has become intimately present with us. He is “God with us”.
This is the true meaning of Christmas – that God himself came into human history, coming to do what only he alone could do, coming at a particular time and place for the sake of people of every time and every place.
Sometimes the valleys and pitfalls of life can knock it out of us. As we get pulled here and there by our jobs, finances and meeting the day-to-day needs of our families, the pressures of life can seem overwhelming. We can feel out of our depth and desperately alone. But in these times, we must remember the wonderful Christmas message: Immanuel is born - God is with us!
The events in that manger in Bethlehem 2000 years ago proclaim God’s desire to be with you. Know that through his incarnation into human flesh, the God of this universe has extended his hand and invitation to you. He is not some distant, detached deity. He has drawn close to you through Jesus. This Christmas, I encourage you to draw close to him.
A happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year to you from all of us here at LGCC!
Every blessing,
Dominic
November 2009
YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!
President John F. Kennedy once said: “Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country”. When it comes to church life, perhaps we could similarly say: “Ask not what your church can do for you... ask what you can do for your church”.
I say “perhaps” because I believe that every church member has the right to legitimately ask, “what is my church doing for me?” However, we must remember that church is to do with the people – the body of believers - not the church office or simply the leaders. So when we ask that question – “what is my church doing for me?” - we must be prepared to be part of the answer ourselves. That will often mean rolling up our sleeves and getting involved.
It’s been said that in church life 20% of the people do 80% of the work – that the vast majority of church-goers are spectators and consumers, not participators and producers. Is this the case in LGCC?
Well, one thing I know is that we have some outstanding examples of volunteers at LGCC. In fact we wouldn’t be able to do what we do on Sundays or midweek without the help of these wonderful servant-hearted men, women and young people. (Just imagine what we’d look like without them – no one to look after your kids during the Sunday services, for instance, or no one to work the PA on a Sunday morning.)
Nevertheless I’m also aware that we are close to a precarious position when it comes to the amount of people we have actually serving in the various ministries to keep them going to the level of excellence that we desire. Simply put, we need more manpower – not simply to maintain what we have attained, but also to attain the new things that God is laying before us.
Of course, we do have enough church members. And if everyone was to contribute just a little of their time and talent we’d have more than enough help. That’s why this month I’m challenging EVERY able church member to get involved in at least ONE ministry. That may mean helping with the kids, serving on the host team, assisting with hospitality or catering, volunteering your technical, IT or media expertise, lending a practical hand in the office, getting involved in building maintenance, becoming part of the cleaning rota, and much more. Whatever it is, there is a place for you to offer your time and talent to further God’s purposes in this house. (Please refer to the “Your Church Needs You” volunteer booklet showing you the hundreds of ways that you can get involved at LGCC.)
We have great dreams at LGCC. But the fact of the matter is, we won’t realise them without you! If we each do our part - if we can unleash the power of everybody - the cumulative effect will be awesome. And together we’ll take LGCC to the next level as we grow to a church of 1000!
Your church needs you, now more than ever! Please get involved. And may you begin to experience the great blessings of servanthood and volunteering.
Every blessing,
Dominic
October 2009
LET'S GET BACK TO NORMAL“Let’s get back to normal”. Those are the words that I believe God put on my heart as I was preparing for the launch of the Revival Breakthrough Service last month.
Recent statistics have pointed to dwindling church attendance in the UK. In England, during the 1970’s, 12% of the adult population attended church services on Sundays. In 1980’s it was 10%. And in the 1990’s the percentage dropped to 8%. The projected figures would indicate that in another 30-40 years church attendance in England would have all but ceased to exist!
Correspondingly, this declining church attendance has led to decreasing levels of Christian influence in society. Rather than being strong and powerful as we once were, the UK church now appears weak and dying. We’re perceived in popular culture as being boring and irrelevant. And the media mocks us as we squabble amongst our own about whether homosexual priests should be ordained as bishops, whether we really believe the Bible on creation, and the like.
Surely this is not the way things were meant to be. Surely this is not what God intended. And indeed, if we turn to the Scriptures, we can see the early church of the book of Acts was a strong, vibrant, united and Spirit-filled group – seeing the multitudes saved, numbers being added to daily, and moving in signs, wonders and miracles (cf. Acts 2:42-47).
I believe this is God’s norm for the Church – yet sadly the norm has become the exception. “On fire” is no longer the default state, but a special category reserved for the slightly more enthusiastic and eager.
But surely every believer should be “on fire” for Christ? That doesn’t mean that everyone is called to proclaim Christ from the town square. But it does mean that every Christian should be so deeply in love with Jesus that his heart is our heart – that we want to be like him and that we have a genuine and acted-upon desire to let his love be known to others.
That’s why I believe it’s time to get back to normal (“normal” as in the book of Acts). This is what revival is about – restoration to our true state. And, given the statistics above, if there ever was a time for revival, surely it must be now.
Last month I talked about the new thing that God is doing amongst us. His glory is falling. His light is shining. And he is telling us to arise and to shine. This is why I’m choosing to look at the statistics above in a different way. Gideon’s army was reduced to almost 1% of what it originally was. But this was by God’s design as he sifted out those who were only nominally part of the army. And miraculously, God took that faithful bunch of 300 and defeated the Midianites. Could it be that he has a similar plan for the 300 of LGCC?
Jesus isn’t coming back for a weak and dwindling Church – he’s coming back for a glorious Church! Ecclesiastes 7:8 says the end of a thing shall be greater than the beginning. If the church of Acts began in such a wonderful way, then we can legitimately believe God that the end-time church - of which we are a part - will be equally magnificent, if not greater!
Desire God’s best!
Every blessing,
Dominic
September 2009
EMBRACING CHANGEWhen the Lord speaks, you have to be willing to go someplace new. Responding to God invariably and inevitably means change. It means stepping out of your comfort zone, being willing to take risks, venturing into the unfamiliar, and allowing God to shake things up a little.
But most of us are not too happy about change. We view change as a threat, not an opportunity. We prefer the comfortable surroundings of the familiar, the habitual and the customary – but all too often this leaves us stuck in a rut, stagnant and out of sync with God’s “now” plan for us.
The journey of faith, however, navigates the carriageway of change. Faith involves stepping out and stepping up into God’s purposes and God’s reality. Think about Abraham. He had to leave the familiar surroundings of his country, people and father’s house and go to the land that God was showing him (cf. Genesis 12:1). And it was only as he left in obedience and abandoned himself to God’s promise that he entered into God’s awesome plan for him (which incidentally changed the history of the world!).
Ultimately you either go forward or backward in the Christian life – but going forward means embracing change. And change is in the midst here at LGCC – we’re positioning ourselves for the growth, expansion and move of the Spirit that lies ahead. Practically, exciting new services are being launched, new initiatives and concepts are being birthed, and new people are coming in – this is because spiritually we have entered into a new season: God is doing a new thing and has put a fresh anointing upon us to go further than ever before.
I believe that Isaiah 43:18-19 & 60:1-2 are especially appropriate for us at this time:
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland (Isaiah 43:18-19).
Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you (Isaiah 60:1-2).
Spiritually the UK may seem like a wasteland and these may be dark days, but I invite you to see with the eyes of faith where we are going, what God is doing, and to wholeheartedly embrace God’s “now” plan for LGCC. Dream of God’s glory shining in and through us. Dream of the multitudes coming in – your friends, family, colleagues, classmates, neighbours – and strangers you don’t even know yet. Dream of a revival move of the Spirit never before seen - the healings, miracles and supernatural outpourings. Dream of LGCC transforming this region as we move out in gospel power, and even becoming a tool of healing and transformation in our nation and beyond.
Make a decision today to be part of the vanguard, not the old guard. We’re marching towards the promised land. And God is calling for renewed commitment on the part of every member - that we become the new wineskins for the new wine that the Spirit is pouring out in this day.
We cannot go where we need to go by remaining where we are. Don’t be content with what has been or what is - crave what can and shall surely be!
Every blessing,
DominicAugust 2009
SIGNS, WONDERS AND MIRACLESActs 10:38 describes how God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil - because God was with him. God is with us too, and Acts 10:38 is a picture of what we can see happen when we partner with the Holy Spirit and are empowered by him.
Jesus was anointed - to preach, to heal, to deliver the captives, to open blind eyes, to set at liberty those who are oppressed and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Jesus was anointed to undo the works of the devil. In fact, 1 John 3:8b says: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work”.
What a powerful truth! This means that what the devil has done to you can be undone because Jesus has won the victory on the cross. Primarily this means being delivered from the grip and curse of sin – it means that we can believe God to walk free from the destructive habits, negative thinking and past behaviours that previously bound us. On the cross Jesus washed our sins away and the justice of God was satisfied as the penalty of our sin was laid upon him, our substitute.
But Jesus also dealt the death blow to the fruit of sin on the cross. Yes, the consequences of sin await full and final eradication in the second coming, but Jesus came to undo, loosen and destroy the devil’s works – works such as sickness, illness and disease. We deserve punishment, wounding, death, poverty, shame and rejection, but Christ through the cross gives us forgiveness, healing, life, abundance, glory, and acceptance.
Christ’s victory on the cross gives us a biblical warrant to expect great things from God in the here and now, including signs, wonders and miracles. Physical healing may not be the primary purpose of the cross (though there is a clear link between Christ’s death and healing, Matthew 8:17) and God in his sovereignty and this side of heaven may not heal everyone we pray for – but he does heal, and he is more willing to heal than we sometimes give him credit for.
That’s why I want to exhort you: step out and attempt great things for God. Dare to believe God for miracles. In fact, I believe signs, wonders and miracles are the birthright of a Spirit-filled church. That’s one of the reasons why we must keep on being filled with the Spirit (cf. Ephesians 5:18) – that we would be a naturally supernatural people as we endeavour to outreach to our world.
Oh how we need the Holy Spirit’s anointing today! The anointing brings release, the anointing brings breakthrough, the anointing destroys the yoke! We need God’s power to do what cannot be done in the natural order, to back up our gospel words with powerful demonstrations that Jesus has the power to save and to heal.
We live in a hurting world full of hurting people. God places miraculous giftings in the church primarily that attention might be drawn to the gospel and people would ultimately come into the saving knowledge of Christ. The Bible says that “when the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said” (Acts 8:6).
Miracles are ultimately a sovereign act of God’s will, but believing God for miracles today so that his glory would be evidenced is a biblically legitimate expectation. Jesus says in Matthew 17:20, “If you have faith even as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you”. Therefore, expect God to act when you pray! Expect souls to be saved, bodies to be healed and miracles to happen - authenticating our claims that we serve the one, true and living God. Only a wave of supernatural outpouring can see the revival that we so desperately long for. Let’s pray that Letchworth and beyond will experience a fresh touch of God’s power as we step out in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. “Lord, show your power.”
Every blessing,
Dominic
July 2009
THE SCANDAL OF THE PENTECOSTAL MIND
Pentecostal Christians sadly have a reputation for neglecting the “Word” element of the faith. The story goes that a man visited a laboratory to purchase a Christian brain. He was shown multiple brains for sale by the scientist. Firstly, he viewed a Catholic brain – the scientist said it was on special offer at just £20,000. Next he was shown a Baptist brain – going for £40,000. Thirdly, he was taken to the Methodist brain – the RRP was £60,000. Finally he was shown a Pentecostal brain, located in a special and sealed part of the laboratory – which the salesman said cost a staggering £500,000. The man asked why the Pentecostal brain cost so much more than the others – to which the scientist promptly replied, “The Pentecostal brain has never been used”.
Now this is not true of all Pentecostals by any means, but is there a ring of general truth to it? Or put another way, why is it that within the Christian world Pentecostals have such a poor reputation when it comes to the theological endeavour? What could be the reason for this scandal of the Pentecostal mind?
To answer my own question, I think part of the reason is that - due to the Pentecostal emphasis on experience - it is sometimes all too easy for us to think that the Christian life is simply about passion for Jesus and moving in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I remember whilst studying Theology at Cambridge that a Pentecostal minister once said to me, “Why bother with all of that theological rubbish? Saving souls is all that matters”.
Now, who could argue against the fact that saving souls is primary? I hope by now that in these 2 months since I’ve been at LGCC you’ve caught a little of my heart – a heart which burns to see the gospel preached and demonstrated in Holy Spirit power so that our nation can come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, a heart which wants to see every Christian passionately in love with Jesus, walking in victory and pursuing God’s holy presence and cause every day.
But my Pentecostal colleague was wrong - for the theological endeavour is vitally important, and the choice between saving souls and disciplined study is a false alternative. Indeed, passion for Jesus and a disciplined mental life are not natural enemies. In fact, it’s very dangerous to separate the two. Christianity thrives on intelligence, not ignorance – and ignorance is not the mother of devotion but of heresy. The choice between passion for Jesus/moving in the Spirit and rigorous study of the Word/ Christian doctrine is simply a false dilemma. The only option is both/and, not either/or.
Some may respond by saying that “all you need is child-like faith”. I agree – the Bible does talk about coming to God with “child-like faith”, meaning an attitude of profound trust in God. However, sometimes we mistake “child-like faith” for “childish thinking”, failing to take on board Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians 14:20: “in regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults”. This kind of attitude is also a far cry from Peter’s exhortation in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be prepared to give an “answer” (i.e. “reasoned defence”) for the hope that is in us.
The truth is that sound, authentic spirituality combines both the mind and the heart – and one without the other always leads to a serious defect. Emphasis on the intellect alone is dangerous: “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1) – and certainly some Christian denominations have fallen foul of this. However, emphasis on the heart alone is equally perilous: “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9) – and perhaps this is where Pentecostals have to be especially careful.
I believe that true theology is a spiritual activity in which the Holy Spirit empowers our thoughts and speech – it is actually a form of spiritual warfare, and therefore it’s something that I hope Pentecostals in future generations will grow to be very comfortable with and even lead the way in: “we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
At a local level, for LGCC to be the church that we are destined to be, I believe we must be both a Word and Spirit people. I’m startled by the increasing number of ministers I come into contact with who describe their churches as either a “Word” church or a “Spirit” church. This is because the modern church has seen a divorce of the Word and the Spirit – but we cannot afford to separate the two. We need to be a people who take the mighty sword of the Word and wield it in the awesome power of the Spirit. As Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, “... our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction”.
For this reason, I’d like to encourage each and every one of you to become diligent students of the Word. But at the same time, I want to exhort you to believe God for breakthrough, miracles and supernatural outpourings in your own life and also here in Letchworth and North Herts.
We must never stop moving in the Spirit – relying on the Holy Spirit for his fresh infilling and anointing. But this pursuit must always be anchored in the Word – for if you’re empty-headed before you’re Spirit-filled, you’ll be empty-headed after you’re Spirit-filled (cf. RT Kendall)! Ultimately, it’s never a question of theology or no theology - it’s always a question of what theology: good, biblical theology or bad, unbiblical theology.
Pentecostals know how to move in the Spirit – it’s in our spiritual DNA. But it’s time to eradicate the scandal of the Pentecostal mind and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, be equipped in theological truth in order to not only know what we believe and why, but also reach out effectively to our world! Join us as we explore these ideas at the morning services in July.
Every blessing,
Dominic
Now this is not true of all Pentecostals by any means, but is there a ring of general truth to it? Or put another way, why is it that within the Christian world Pentecostals have such a poor reputation when it comes to the theological endeavour? What could be the reason for this scandal of the Pentecostal mind?
To answer my own question, I think part of the reason is that - due to the Pentecostal emphasis on experience - it is sometimes all too easy for us to think that the Christian life is simply about passion for Jesus and moving in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I remember whilst studying Theology at Cambridge that a Pentecostal minister once said to me, “Why bother with all of that theological rubbish? Saving souls is all that matters”.
Now, who could argue against the fact that saving souls is primary? I hope by now that in these 2 months since I’ve been at LGCC you’ve caught a little of my heart – a heart which burns to see the gospel preached and demonstrated in Holy Spirit power so that our nation can come into the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, a heart which wants to see every Christian passionately in love with Jesus, walking in victory and pursuing God’s holy presence and cause every day.
But my Pentecostal colleague was wrong - for the theological endeavour is vitally important, and the choice between saving souls and disciplined study is a false alternative. Indeed, passion for Jesus and a disciplined mental life are not natural enemies. In fact, it’s very dangerous to separate the two. Christianity thrives on intelligence, not ignorance – and ignorance is not the mother of devotion but of heresy. The choice between passion for Jesus/moving in the Spirit and rigorous study of the Word/ Christian doctrine is simply a false dilemma. The only option is both/and, not either/or.
Some may respond by saying that “all you need is child-like faith”. I agree – the Bible does talk about coming to God with “child-like faith”, meaning an attitude of profound trust in God. However, sometimes we mistake “child-like faith” for “childish thinking”, failing to take on board Paul’s comments in 1 Corinthians 14:20: “in regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults”. This kind of attitude is also a far cry from Peter’s exhortation in 1 Peter 3:15 to always be prepared to give an “answer” (i.e. “reasoned defence”) for the hope that is in us.
The truth is that sound, authentic spirituality combines both the mind and the heart – and one without the other always leads to a serious defect. Emphasis on the intellect alone is dangerous: “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1) – and certainly some Christian denominations have fallen foul of this. However, emphasis on the heart alone is equally perilous: “the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9) – and perhaps this is where Pentecostals have to be especially careful.
I believe that true theology is a spiritual activity in which the Holy Spirit empowers our thoughts and speech – it is actually a form of spiritual warfare, and therefore it’s something that I hope Pentecostals in future generations will grow to be very comfortable with and even lead the way in: “we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).
At a local level, for LGCC to be the church that we are destined to be, I believe we must be both a Word and Spirit people. I’m startled by the increasing number of ministers I come into contact with who describe their churches as either a “Word” church or a “Spirit” church. This is because the modern church has seen a divorce of the Word and the Spirit – but we cannot afford to separate the two. We need to be a people who take the mighty sword of the Word and wield it in the awesome power of the Spirit. As Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:5, “... our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction”.
For this reason, I’d like to encourage each and every one of you to become diligent students of the Word. But at the same time, I want to exhort you to believe God for breakthrough, miracles and supernatural outpourings in your own life and also here in Letchworth and North Herts.
We must never stop moving in the Spirit – relying on the Holy Spirit for his fresh infilling and anointing. But this pursuit must always be anchored in the Word – for if you’re empty-headed before you’re Spirit-filled, you’ll be empty-headed after you’re Spirit-filled (cf. RT Kendall)! Ultimately, it’s never a question of theology or no theology - it’s always a question of what theology: good, biblical theology or bad, unbiblical theology.
Pentecostals know how to move in the Spirit – it’s in our spiritual DNA. But it’s time to eradicate the scandal of the Pentecostal mind and, in the power of the Holy Spirit, be equipped in theological truth in order to not only know what we believe and why, but also reach out effectively to our world! Join us as we explore these ideas at the morning services in July.
Every blessing,
Dominic
June 2009
GET SALTY
Last month my wife Jodi came to me with a picture of the Letchworth Garden City logo. You may have seen it at the entrance points into the city: it’s an image of 3 magnets turned inward. Jodi said she believed that, as far as LGCC was concerned, God is wanting to turn the magnets the other way round, not inward but outward so that the church will attract the multitudes into it because of the irresistible pull of the Spirit of Christ that is upon us.
She then gave me a Scripture, “coincidentally” just after I’d independently written some thoughts in my journal about “getting salty for Christ”. That Scripture was 2 Kings 2:19-22, which I believe is a prophetic picture of Letchworth Garden City:
The men of the city said to Elisha, "Look, our lord, this town is well situated (NLT: located in pleasant surroundings), as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”
"Bring me a new bowl,” he said, "and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, "This is what the LORD says: 'I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’”
And the water has remained wholesome to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.
As I’ve been proudly informed many times since arriving here, this is the world’s first garden city – “pleasant surroundings” indeed. But spiritually, what is the water like and what kind of spiritual fruit is being produced?
I believe we’re living in a day in which the spiritual ground of the UK is generally barren as the bad waters of secularism, materialism, naturalism and false religion have choked out the Christian witness, to the point that the spiritual land is not as productive as it once was. In cities, towns and villages all over the land, people have written off the Church and some have even signalled the death of Christianity over the next 50 years.
But this cannot be the end (my Bible tells me something different!) and there must be a solution. So what’s the solution? Elisha cast salt on the water at the source and the water was restored and the city healed. Obviously a miracle took place – it was not the salt or the bowl but God’s power at work which brought about the city’s restoration and transformation.
I believe the solution is salt in the supernatural bowl, which for us at this time, is a picture of Christians coming together and operating in the supernatural power of God as we proclaim, demonstrate and live the good news of Jesus Christ.
Friends, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Jesus warned the people of God not to lose their saltiness (cf. Matthew 5:13), and part of the reason why the UK is in its present spiritual state is because of decades of disengagement and compromise on the part of the Church. God has called us to be salt, not sugar. It’s time to get salty for Christ, for this is a crucial time in which we really need to be salt to the world.
Salt is no good in the salt cellar. It needs to be applied. As we apply our salt, and then lean on God’s supernatural power, Letchworth and beyond will feel the ramifications – and we can be a tool of healing and transformation in this city, seeing the waters restored and the land bearing spiritual fruit befitting of its heritage and surroundings once again.
So let’s be the salt of Letchworth! Let’s turn our magnets the other way round! And let’s believe God that a stream of revival will flow out of LGCC, touching Letchworth, North Herts and even our nation.
Every blessing,
Dominic
May 2009
Jodi, Kobie and I are so thrilled to now be joining the LGCC family. The series of events that led to our being here point clearly to God’s handiwork, and this is one of the reasons why I think that God is up to something, not just personally but more significantly, in the life of LGCC.
I consider it a great honour to be able to take on a church of such standing within the Elim denomination as LGCC. I would like to pay tribute to the tremendous work of Mark and Kathy Ryan over the last 11 years: they have laid an excellent foundation and done an outstanding job in driving the ministry forward.
For us in LGCC we are entering into the next exciting phase of our journey, and there is indeed much for us to look forward to. I firmly believe that this is the time for growth and expansion - God is on the move and doing something new amongst us. Yet I am also keenly aware that nationally and wider there are many challenges facing Christians. Europe has sadly been hailed a “post-Christian” continent; our Judeo-Christian heritage which has sourced so much of this nation’s values, institutions and freedoms is seemingly being eroded week by week as the secularist agenda runs rampant; and if some statisticians are to be believed, in less than 50 years time Christianity in the UK would have all but disappeared.
But that must not be the end of the story. If there ever was such a moment, this is the time for Christians in the UK to rise up and become agents for change in our society. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “IF MY people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (emphasis mine). There is a land and a people that so desperately need healing. This verse shows the role that we - God’s people, the Church - have to play in that. The Christian cry of recent times has been “send revival”, but did you notice the “if” of 2 Chronicles 7:14? God is ready. But if we want to see this nationwide revival, then know that it begins with a personal revival in each of us. As we pray, worship, pursue God’s presence, and walk in holiness, God promises that He will respond - and the world will ultimately be affected.
I firmly believe that the Church - moving in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and preaching the gospel in full power - is the only hope for our nation. And this specific local church has a great role to play in that too - in Letchworth, North Herts and yes, even wider. Praise God for everything that has happened in LGCC up to this point - it is no small achievement. But there is still more land to conquer - still more territory to take (cf. Joshua 13:1b-7). And how appropriate the name of our annual May Conference, for this is indeed the time for us - individually and corporately - to “step up” in the things of God. This is the time to advance.
Let’s therefore believe God for His very best. Let’s not just be content with “Sunday Christianity” but allow Jesus to be Lord of all as we unleash the power of the gospel through active evangelistic witness and “salt and light” engagement in every stream of life and culture. Let’s be a church centered around the cause of Jesus Christ committed to seeing souls won; disciples made; lives, communities and cities transformed; and ultimately our world impacted with the power of Jesus. This way we will do our part in seeing God’s glory demonstrated in and through His Church (cf. Ephesians 3:21).
It’s an awesome privilege to be joining you. I look forward to getting to know each of you over the next weeks and months (please just remember to exercise those wonderful Christian virtues of mercy and forgiveness when it comes to me remembering your name!). And do join me on these vital Sunday mornings in May as I share with you what I believe to be a significant series of messages from God’s heart as we transition into this new phase in our ministry (more details inside).
Holy Spirit - set our hearts on fire with a passion for Christ and a desire to reach out and be good news to this hurting world around us.
Every blessing,
Dominic
I consider it a great honour to be able to take on a church of such standing within the Elim denomination as LGCC. I would like to pay tribute to the tremendous work of Mark and Kathy Ryan over the last 11 years: they have laid an excellent foundation and done an outstanding job in driving the ministry forward.
For us in LGCC we are entering into the next exciting phase of our journey, and there is indeed much for us to look forward to. I firmly believe that this is the time for growth and expansion - God is on the move and doing something new amongst us. Yet I am also keenly aware that nationally and wider there are many challenges facing Christians. Europe has sadly been hailed a “post-Christian” continent; our Judeo-Christian heritage which has sourced so much of this nation’s values, institutions and freedoms is seemingly being eroded week by week as the secularist agenda runs rampant; and if some statisticians are to be believed, in less than 50 years time Christianity in the UK would have all but disappeared.
But that must not be the end of the story. If there ever was such a moment, this is the time for Christians in the UK to rise up and become agents for change in our society. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says: “IF MY people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (emphasis mine). There is a land and a people that so desperately need healing. This verse shows the role that we - God’s people, the Church - have to play in that. The Christian cry of recent times has been “send revival”, but did you notice the “if” of 2 Chronicles 7:14? God is ready. But if we want to see this nationwide revival, then know that it begins with a personal revival in each of us. As we pray, worship, pursue God’s presence, and walk in holiness, God promises that He will respond - and the world will ultimately be affected.
I firmly believe that the Church - moving in the anointing of the Holy Spirit and preaching the gospel in full power - is the only hope for our nation. And this specific local church has a great role to play in that too - in Letchworth, North Herts and yes, even wider. Praise God for everything that has happened in LGCC up to this point - it is no small achievement. But there is still more land to conquer - still more territory to take (cf. Joshua 13:1b-7). And how appropriate the name of our annual May Conference, for this is indeed the time for us - individually and corporately - to “step up” in the things of God. This is the time to advance.
Let’s therefore believe God for His very best. Let’s not just be content with “Sunday Christianity” but allow Jesus to be Lord of all as we unleash the power of the gospel through active evangelistic witness and “salt and light” engagement in every stream of life and culture. Let’s be a church centered around the cause of Jesus Christ committed to seeing souls won; disciples made; lives, communities and cities transformed; and ultimately our world impacted with the power of Jesus. This way we will do our part in seeing God’s glory demonstrated in and through His Church (cf. Ephesians 3:21).
It’s an awesome privilege to be joining you. I look forward to getting to know each of you over the next weeks and months (please just remember to exercise those wonderful Christian virtues of mercy and forgiveness when it comes to me remembering your name!). And do join me on these vital Sunday mornings in May as I share with you what I believe to be a significant series of messages from God’s heart as we transition into this new phase in our ministry (more details inside).
Holy Spirit - set our hearts on fire with a passion for Christ and a desire to reach out and be good news to this hurting world around us.
Every blessing,
Dominic
