Net News 09

Posted by THE NET on 24 February 2009 | 0 Comments

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net news - feb '09

In this issue:

  1. Reinhard Bonnke - Final Call THIS WEEK
  2. Tim's ramblings   
  3. ACE news QUARTERLY SESSION THIS WEEK
  4. News from the sectors GATHERING THIS WEEK
  5. Leaders' net news  GATHERING THIS WEEK
  6. GENnet news
  7. The Big Weekend (Kids)
  8. Black Country Prophetic School STARTED THIS WEEKEND GONE!
  9. Sponsored Sinai Challenge 16th - 23rd May 2009
  10. The Watoto Children's Choir
  11. St Philip's in Penn Fields
  12. "SAVE THE CHURCH VARIETY SHOW"
  13. WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?
  14. JOBS

Reinhard Bonnke - Final Call

This is the final call for those interested in attending An Evening with Reinhard Bonnke at Bethel Convention Centre on Friday 6th February.  Doors open 6pm - Starts - 7.30pm. 

Enjoy a great evening of worship, teaching and ministry from the renowned Evangelist who in this decade has seen over 54 million people respond to the call of Salvation around the world.

Join Reinhard and the CfaN team for this special event right on our doorstep!!

Visit http://uk.cfan.org/Events/2-Unmissable-UK-Events.aspx for more information...

Dearest Black Countryites,

Greetings to you all.

I hope you're managing to rise above the many challenges we face in the "faith crunch" we seem to be hearing about so often. I say "faith crunch" as The Bible compares faith with credit on more than one occasion, so maybe we as Christians should be better prepared than anyone to know how to navigate the many pitfalls and anxieties that everyone around seems to be experiencing?

I find myself quite stirred today to continue the theme we began to unpack last time. I also sense a boldness to go beyond the walls of security and comfort to challenge many of you, and to hopefully stretch or question some theological standpoints you may have. Please be open guys.

It's good to have a strong theology. I have also found it very useful to have one that is rather flexible, maybe like a skeleton for example. It is never wise to get too stuck in our ways is it, and to be secure enough to have one's theology occasionally challenged is hopefully constructive

According to Paul's letter to the Christians who lived in the city of Corinth, Jesus has arranged the parts, combined the members and distributed the gifts to make HIS BODY function correctly (1 Cor 12).

I suggested last time that our prayer in 2009 should surely be, "Lord, show us how to be your Body in the way you would have us be here on earth"?? This is something that we all need to give serious thought to as the world around us changes, and to do it as positively as possible. We all know that so much needs to change, but there is much that has been built that is beautiful too, and negative criticism of what we see is never the best staring point.

God is still definitely talking to people all over the world, and all over our nation about His Body/Church.....He has no plan B! He wants us to be functional in our communities, He wants us to be involved in peoples' lives, and He wants us to work together with other parts of His Body.

In short, He wants US! And He wants us to work in groups, of all kinds, of all "ethnos"/tribes, of all kinds.........unity in diverstity. Maybe He wants us to work together in traditional ways, and maybe He also wants us to be creative and innovative.

So, let's continue........ready?

Finding your place in His Body

There has been tension over many years between the PLACES that people find themselves in Christ's Body, and very often in recent times, this has very often manifested between "local" and "regional" church perspectives. I have experienced this many times in my own walk and it has proven to be very difficult to navigate at times.

I now find myself serving in a leadership capacity in both......interesting challenges, but what a beautiful opportunity to see breakthroughs and barriers broken down.

Some people do not recognize anything wider than "local" as legitimate, and many others use the term "para-church" to describe "non-congregational" models or expressions. Equally, some feel that "local churches" are part of the problem rather than the solution, and too introverted in most cases. There are surely valid points in each story. 

How sad.....that we would allow the enemy to divide us. We are ONE, and all aspects of Jesus' Body are legitimate, and each is unique and needed.

I can't help but wonder how Paul would have viewed The Church in Corinth as he wrote his letter previously alluded to?

There is no need to have to struggle through this. It is a deception, and it is fruitless trying to convince others that you are right if you find yourself in this position. We need each-other, and local/regional concepts can flow together. This is something that we as THE NET are 100% committed to, yet working it through still proves to have it's challenges.

I stopped trying to win arguments years ago as we all have our own opinions, perspectives and theological pursuasions, but what we must all surely agree on is this....it is His Church, and He wants us to be ONE, in unity and in agreement wherever possible. The Father needs His people to think globally, act locally and to function relationally at every level, never putting our own personal agendas above others.

This is so hard in today's culture, and very often when you travel around, it is not hard to see disunity, to locate competition, and to avoid downright animosity between different sections of His Church in most towns or cities in our wonderful nation is all but impossible...how incredibly sad.....but how can it be His Church if His Church is His Body?

How can Jesus' arm go that way, when His leg is doing something on it's own? How can His eye be looking that way in one place, but another in another?? Myabe He is cross-eyed, or has double-vision?

How is it that the scripture I have read so many times over the last few years regarding the people of Israel can also so often be seen in 21st century Western culture.....?

         "...and everyone did what was right in their own eyes"

Can we truly bring glory to Christ by acting independently, even if we are convinced that God has called us, told us and sent us? I find it really hard to grasp to be honest, especially as I read Jesus talking to His friends (in John 17) who together pretty much birthed The Church in the first place.

I said it last time, but what on earth did Jesus have in mind when He first uttered that incredible word CHURCH two thousand years ago?

Guys, if we can wrestle with these simple ramblings and find some way forward TOGETHER, we may find ourselves so close to a genuine "revival-like" breakthrough, that we could almost touch it....I'm convinced of it.

              "That they may be ONE as WE are ONE"   (John 17)

Maybe we have tried to be one as we are one, rather than grasping what Jesus actually said. We probably have an idea of what being one looks like, and we find too many reasons to be cynical and way too many obstacles/differences to overcome.

Maybe, just maybe, we need a revelation FIRST of what ONE looks like from Heaven's perspective, and then a miracle or two to effect some changes deep within ourselves in order that we become a great connecting point for Jesus to join others to? Maybe this equally applies to individuals, and groups of individuals (whatever we happen to call ourselves in such gatherings or groupings).

I'll park it there for now, and trust that you catch my heart in this guys as the only agenda is that we can more effectively reach our region TOGETHER.

I genuinely believe that this is possibly our greatest MISSION TOOL, though we see it as an optional area.

Here's two MISSIONAL scriptures to back up this conviction, though you may never have read them as evangelistic/missional before, but please bear with me as I paraphrase them.........John 13 & 17 (NIV);

".....by this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  (it communicates more than we yet realize)

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me". (cause & effect)

DID YOU REALY GRASP THAT? This shows us that there is a direct missional effect when we are ONE. No wonder the enemy has invested so many resources in wrecking this over so many centuries??

We are like a valley full of dry bones, separated and lacking in CORPORATE life.....yet as I read Ezekiel 37, and Church History and even signs around our region in recent times, maybe there is hope for the future? Our God has a great habit of turning things round in hard places.

If we can somehow see a shift deep within ourselves, and betweenourselves as individuals and groups, there is nothing that our God cannot do with and through us. Is the arm of The Lord too short??

"With God, all things are possible".

"If you believe, you will see the glory of God".

I see teams of oxen rising out of the earth......I wonder what you see today?

I could go on, but maybe you've had enough!!

Well, please do your part in all this my friends, and let's trust our Father to do what we cannot do.Come on Lord, here we are, please help us to understand and be enabled thus to do your will

As I also suggested last time, "...only He can organize us to somehow stand together. Only He possesses the genius to know how The Church really functions in this world. Only He can handle the headship, the organizing and the pressure of leading the most amazing living organism in the galaxy!

Come on Lord, here we are; please help us to understand these Kingdom principles, and thus be enabled to do your will, and be The Body you prepared to do Your will on earth as it is in Heaven in The Black Country in 2009.


Amen,

Love,

Tim

On behalf of your NETwork of Black Country Christians

ACE: Black Country

‘Resourcing Our Sector'

 ACE Quarterly Networking Event

‘How do we continue to resource our work

in uncertain economic times?'

See website for further details [click]

A-C-E-  The Association of Christian Enterprise - for ALL interested in, involved with or wanting be either in Christian Social action, concern or responsibility.....worth a peak??

News from the Sectors

dear brothers and sisters

we can't emphasise the quality of the forthcoming speakers over the next two months enough, but before we get started...

..i must tell you there is some great stuff to read on the bbc you know (although i am in a bad mood with the bbc at the moment):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/01/

map_of_the_week_trust_and_belo.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7853494.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7799274.stm

our speakers...

anyway, back to our lovely speakers - we have a very lively and interesting speaker this month, WEDNESDAY 4TH FEBRUARY, 7AM, QUALITY HOTEL DUDLEY, and his name is ian green.

see the following links for more info on ian, http://www.protonfoundation.com/or http://www.iangreen.org/ or the attachment for a very brief overview.

we feel that 2009 is about encouraging and releasing the sectors and partly this can be begun through our breakfast meetings. ian will be a key catalyst in this and will certainly be a very inspirational and challenging speaker.

we would encourage you to invite your own guests along to this one who will truly be inspired listening to and contemplating ian's message. all are welcome and the cost is as usual £10 per head plus optionally and without obligation, any donation you would like to bless our respective speakers with.

the following month we focus on law and justice so any and all who feel a passion for justice or are involved in the (more in next month's email) we have the wonderful andrea minichiello-williams. for info on andrea, see http://www.christianlegalcentre.com/view.php?id=199, http://www.ccfon.org/ and http://www.lawcf.org

while you're there - this is worth a listen: http://www.lawcf.org/index.asp?page=Podcast+%2D+Hebrews+11+%2D+Faith

wow!!

booking in...

as ever this is done through the lovely and ever-so-slightly-balding-me via text or email, or via the equally-lovely-much-more-convincingly-designer-balding-tim-fellows, again via text or email.

please book asap as i have to provide numbers to the hotel by next tuesday a.m. we have about 20 of you pre-booked so plenty more space available.

look forward to seeing you all.

together...

jolyon - 07711 413800

Leaders' net

Mission and Culture

February 3rd 2009 9.30am

at Amblecote Christian Centre

Lawrence Singlehurst

 Many of you may remember the really insightful messages brought by Lawrence when he was with us in September last year. This session will build on his message and help us to consider;

  • How can we understand better understand culture and its effect on the communities we are trying to reach?
  • What are the changes that have and are taking place in our 21stCentury Post Modern Culture and how do we need to respond?
  • What do these changes mean for the missional activity of the church?

Please book in via admin@thenet.org.uk please let us know when you book in whether you require lunch. Hit the reply button now and let John know you are coming.

There is plenty of parking around the church, and for satnav or if you need a map use the postcode DY8 4BS. You can find more details on the church website http://www.amblecotechristiancentre.org.uk/

GEN net news

Hi Guys,

Just a quick reminder about the 2 Weekends Away in May, bookings being taken NOW on both (Please see below)!!

Also for you guys that were at the last GEN night in January, and for anyone else who might be interested please see that attached notes from the night. One of the attachments is a brief breakdown from Linsey and the other is Paul Millers notes from his teaching on the night.

Cheers,

Love Cookie

On Behalf of the GENnet Team

.....................................................................................

GEN Weekend Away - May 8th - 10th

We have now sent off the deposit for the weekend away in May. We have booked Kings Park, Northampton as the venue after such great reports back after the last weekend, we have booked 50 places to start with but we have the option to increase these depending on the demand (However this will only be for a short time as the centre is really busy) if you are looking to come please can you contact me ASAP with a £20 deposit to secure your place.

Prices this year have only increased by £2 for adults so will be £114 a head, children's prices to follow but I think they will be similar to last year -

Prices -  Under 4s - Free    4-7 year olds - £56       8-16 year olds - £84

Don't forget as well guys you can pay for others that might not be able to afford this opportunity, and also if it would help you can pay by monthly instalments.

To secure your booking please send your deposits to

GENnet , C/o Brierley Hill Project , South Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 2RR

                                   ----------------------------------------

GENnet Kids Weekend: Friday 29th May - Sunday 31st May 2009

This is a fun, high energy, faith based weekend organised by The Net for children in school years 3-6 from Friday 29th May-Sunday 31st May 2009.

See website for further details [click]

Black Country Prophetic School - 2009

First workshop Saturday 24th Jan 9.30 meeting in the market square in Dudley (see below for detailed instructions for this first of four workshops)

Hi Everyone,

We are repeating a similar series of sessions to the Prophetic School we facilitated earlier in 2008. The details of the 2009 school are below. This year we are adding two Bible lecture Sessions to the programme. Can I ask you to make this information available to those in your congregation who may be interested? We are particularly interested in engaging younger people in this times programme. Leaflets will follow shortly.

Book in via admin@thenet.org.uk

See website for further details [click]

Sponsored Sinai Challenge 16th - 23rd May 2009

Elam Ministries invites you on an adventure of a lifetime.

Get a flavour of what it must have been like for the Israelites to wander in the desert for 40 years! By day you will follow the Bedouin guides up the mountains and across the wilderness. By night you will camp out under the stars. Camels will carry your luggage, and the Bedouin will cook your meals over an open fire in the traditional way. This is a ‘moderate grade' challenge involving trekking and some scrambling up steep slopes to watch the sunrise over Mount Sinai.

So how does it work? Well you book on this trip like any normal holiday but you then get your family, friends, colleagues and any one else you can think of to sponsor you to do this challenge. The money that you raise will be put towards sending 1,000,000 New Testaments to Iran. Many Iranian Muslims will read and be impacted by the word of God through the funds raised by this challenge.   

If you are interested in this challenge then click here to download a copy of the information pack or contact Matt Rogers on 07943 872431 or email matt@elam.com.

Look forward to seeing you in the desert.

Matt Rogers

Elam Ministries

Alpha House, Tipton Street, Sedgley, West Midlands, DY3 1HE

http://www.elam.com/      mailto:matt@elam.com       07943 872431

The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda will be doing a concert on Tuesday 3rd March at 7.30pm at Amblecote Christian Centre and at 7.30pm on Wednesday 4th March at Bilston Pentecostal Church.

 

"SAVE THE CHURCH VARIETY SHOW" 

PROMOTED BY GREG STOKES "KATES HILL PRESS"

On behalf of

ST JOHN'S CHURCH PRESERVATION GROUP

KATES HILL, DUDLEY

QUALITY HOTEL (Ward Arms)

Birmingham Road, Dudley

FRIDAY 30th JANUARY 2009

8pm

Poets Brendan Hawthorne and Geoff Stevens

Storytellers Sue Hulse and Greg Stokes

Comedy from Des Stokes and Emma Rollason as

"DOLLY ALLEN"

Tickets £2.50

Reserve by telephone Greg 01384 255973 or Deb 0787 119 5042 or email savestjohnschurch@hotmail.co.uk

Buy from reception at the Quality Hotel or Pay on the door

 

"Working Together To Save St John's Church"

http://www.savestjohnschurch.zoomshare.com/

St Philip's in Penn Fields is celebrating 150 years in July and we would like to put on a day's entertainment on Saturday 11th July.
 
We would like a Christian Folk Group / Singer to perform during the day and a Christian DJ to run a disco in the evening.
 
Both would probably appeal to "up and coming talent" who may want to broaden their experience, or someone with some more experience who could add a lot to the event. We're not sure because we are still at the planning stage.
 
We are expecting to pay!
 
If you can advise us of anyone in the area that would be most helpful to us.
 
Please either reply via The Net e-mail, or call me on 0781 637 0436.
 
God bless,    David Taylor.

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?

A church response to social disorder

linked to gangs, drugs, guns & knives

Wolverhampton/Black Country/

Shropshire/South Staffordshire Launch

TUE 3 MARCH 2009 @ 6.30 for 7 pm

St John's-in-the-Square

WOLVERHAMPTON WV2 4AS

Main Speaker: Dr Joe Aldred

Secretary Minority Ethnic Christian Affairs of

Churches Together in England

The meeting will also include:

·         A chaired discussion on ways of taking this strategy forward

·         Copies of the report available at £5 each

·         Coffee/tea/cold drinks/biscuits available from the Hope Cafe

 

For further information please contact:

Cllr J Peter Wilson, PO Box 4289, Wolverhampton WV10 8WX

Tel: 01902 656814  Email: peter@wilsonwolverhampton.co.uk

 

Organised with the support of Wolverhampton City Centre Churches Engaged & Wolverhampton Street Pastors

 

Meeting will close at 8.30 pm

 

COPIES OF POSTERS IN PDF FORMAT CAN BE EMAILED DIRECT TO CHURCHES & ORGANISATIONS WISHING TO PROMOTE THIS EVENT.

PLEASE CONTACT PETER WILSON BY EMAIL - peter@wilsonwolverhampton.co.uk