Dear Black Countryites,

Greetings to you all.

I trust that you're all doing well, especially as we have now officially entered "British Summer Time" and have more light to fight away the dark winter depressions!

My ears have been hearing quite a lot of late again concerning "unity" and "togetherness", and especially it's place in mission. I would kike to place a marker again here, but rather than rambling afresh, I thought I would retrieve something I sent you last year when we were in the middle of the "credit crunch".....hope that's OK.....here goes........;

"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?? Maybe 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 around in hard places.

If we can somehow see a shift deep within ourselves, and between ourselves 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".

Well, there you go guys! I hope that this has in some way encouarged or challenged you to think about where you are at. If you ever feel that you'd liike to feedback, comment or ask anu further questions, please do!

Enjoy the Spring,

For YOUR NETwork of Black Country Christians

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GENnet Kids Weekend

Hi,

I’ve enclosed details of our weekend away for children which will take place on Friday 17^th-Sunday 19^th September 2010.

It is for children who are currently in School Yrs 3-6 (2009-2010 school yr).

It is £45 and includes accommodation, food and plenty of activities. Last year we had over 100 on the weekend and it sold out.

We are expecting it to be extremely popular again this year, so book in early to avoid any disappointment.

Booking opened on the 1^st March.

We do have the extra facility of camping this year which is at a cheaper rate of £25- you would need to provide tents and sleeping equipment but all food and activities are included.

Please read through the attached information and if we can provide any more information, please contact Phil at philmiles@junction10.com

Looking forward to a great weekend

Kind Regards

Phil Miles

On behalf of the GENnet Kids Team

PLEASE PASS THIS E-MAIL ON TO WHOEVER LEADS THE CHILDREN’S WORK AT YOUR CHURCH

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GENnet NIGHT Dates –

April 15^th May 13^th June 17^th

All of these take place at the Chapel in Sedgley, 8pm start!!! More details and directions of required!!

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Sandwell Net News

Dear Sandwellians,

Hope you are all well! Please find important information listed below regarding events and information that will hopefully encourage, empower, motivate and help us be the ONE church of Sandwell.

Together we are stronger!

Jon Grant

Sandwell Net Coordinator

0121 552 5556

sandwellnet@thenet.org.uk

Sandwell – Global Day of Prayer III

Pentecost Sunday - May 23rd 2010 West Bromwich Town Hall 6pm - 8pm

PLEASE PROMOTE!

Please come and please bring your congregation so that TOGETHER we can pray and seek God’s face.

I hope you are all well! It does not seem yesterday since we had our second Sandwell Global Day Of Prayer in May last year. We prayed into lots of situations local and global. As local leaders we all feel this would be good to do again but it would also be good to get a few testimonies of what God has done over this last year. If you know of anyone or if your church has seen God do some amazing things due to prayer/breakthroughs etc. If you could let me know, it would be great to include some testimonies on the night.

We will be gathering again as Sandwell leaders to pray on top of one of the highest points in Sandwell, a place called Bury Hill in Rowley to hear God’s heart for our borough. If you are a church leader and are interested in joining us the date is Monday 10^th May 1.30pm Those of us that were mad enough last year met together to pray. It is an amazing view where you can literally see all of Sandwell. From this high point you do not see the lines that divide us ie town boundary lines, you see ONE Sandwell, the way that God sees it. This was a great launch pad for Sandwell Global Day of Prayer II and I'm sure it will help us pray more strategically as we meet for Sandwell Global Day of Prayer III.

PLEASE let us join as one voice to pray into our borough that desperately needs Jesus, that desperately needs His church. It would be great to see West Bromwich town Hall full, not for numbers sake, but for the sake of encouraging one another, supporting one another, seeing the bigger picture of what God is doing and joining together our fragmented borough which sadly is not too dissimilar at times to the Church! We are all placed strategically in neighbourhoods, towns doing great pieces of work, but for one night I beg you let us come together to proclaim Jesus as King and to seek his face for the people of Sandwell. Last year we had approx 400 in attendance, surely there are more than 400 Christians in Sandwell????!!! Pass on the info to all Sandwell Christians!

I am more than happy to come and promote the night at your congregation, please let me know if you would like me to do this ASAP so that I can fit it in.

Thanks for your time, I know it’s a ramble but hopefully, like me you want to see your little bit of Sandwell transformed, not just physically but spiritually, and if we join all that together…

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Sandwell Forum for Voluntary Youth Organisation

Are you a youth organisation? Do you need support with relevant training? Do you need funding? If so please contact Nathalie at sfvyo@hotmail.co.uk for more info and application forms. SFVYO is a Sandwell umbrella body that represents over 50 voluntary youth organisations. I represent organisations that are a part of the forum at numerous council groups/committees etc. Membership is free as is training etc. There are some funding opportunities coming up – become a member now! We also have a new 17 seater minbus for use by SFVYO members at very competitive rates!

Jon Grant

SFVYO Chair person

The Street Pastors & City Prayer Gatherings

will be on the first Friday of each month,

from 8pm-10pm

at St Peter's House (top flat) 4 Exchange Street, Wolverhampton.

Dates for 2010 are as follows:

2 April,7 May, 4 June, 2 July, 3 September, 1 October, 5 November, 3 December

An amendment has been tabled in the House of Lords that will offer protection for faith-based adoption agencies who wish to place children with married heterosexual couples.

The amendment has been tabled by a senior Liberal Democrat Peer, Shirley Williams.

It is supported by Lady O'Cathain and Lord Waddington and we expect it to be debated on Tuesday (23 March).

Problem

Since 2007 many faith-based adoption agencies - all of them Roman Catholic - have either closed down or dropped their religious ethos because of Labour's homosexual equality laws.

The laws force faith-based adoption agencies to consider homosexual couples as parents and leave no room for liberty of faith-based agencies to operate in keeping with their religious ethos.

Hope

You may have read on our website, or in the news media, that a Leeds-based Roman Catholic adoption agency won a court case in the High Court this week.

This was good news which offers a glimmer of hope of survival for that particular charity.

But the amendment, if successful, would be a lifeline to all faith-based adoption agencies (Evangelical or Roman Catholic) to operate in accordance with their beliefs about marriage.

Surely it cannot be right for the state to penalise the belief that vulnerable children are best off with a mum and a dad who are married.

Please pray

Will you join me in praying for this matter? Please pray:

• That the amendment will be debated on Tuesday.
• That it will be voted on and passed.
• For all Peers who will speak in support of it.
• For fair, accurate and widespread media coverage of the issue.
• That the political parties will support freedom of conscience.
• For staff of The Christian Institute working on this important issue.

Yours in Christ,

Colin Hart
Director
The Christian Institute

Registered office: The Christian Institute, Wilberforce House,
4 Park Road, Gosforth Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE12 8DG
The Christian Institute is a company limited by guarantee,
registered in England as a charity.
Company No. 263 4440 Charity No. 100 4774
A charity registered in Scotland Charity No. SC039220

“WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS…..”

Remembering Mark Williamson

What?

“With a little help from my friends” is the title of a fundraising concert for Mark Williamson. The evening will complement a benefit concert being planned in Los Angeles.for him.

Who?

Mark Williamson spent many years living in Dudley and worked in music and church based youth work. Twenty years ago he moved to the USA where he lives in Tenessee with his wife and 3 children under 10.. In the USA Mark had much success in the music industry working with people as diverse as Roger Daltrey, George Harrisson, Denise Williams, Bryan Adams etc.

Sadly 8 years ago Mark was diagnosed with a chronic progressive illness, and is now unable to work.

Why?

Chris Eaton of Kinver, who is helping to organise the concert visited Mark recently. The chronic nature of the situation means access to medication is difficult. The simple aim of the concert is to raise enough money to buy 3 months medication for Mark, during which time he can consider future treatment options.

How?

The concert is being arranged by friends from the Midlands Appearing on stage will be Chris Eaton, Dave Pope, members of Cliff Richards backing band, Victoria Williamson and other surprise guests. Everyone is donating their time free of charge, so every penny from ticket sales will go direct to Marks health care. The target is £3000 from the evening.

When?

Saturday April 24 at 7.30pm at Amblecote Christian Centre. Tickets are £10 and available from tim@thenet.org.uk OR telephone 01902 880000. SAE's need to be sent to The Net, Alpha House, Tipton St, Sedgley, W. Mids, DY3 1HE with cheques payable to "Amblecote Christian Centre".

Quotes

“ Having spent time with Mark in the States in February, and seen his tough situation firsthand, I conceived of the concert. The support of musicians has been unbelievable.”

Chris Eaton singer/songwriter

“ I am thrilled that some of dads friends have offered to set up this concert. I am glad I can play a small part by sharing some of my favourite songs as part of the evening “

Victoria Williamson singer

FURTHER MEDIA INFO

Please contact Peter Brownjohn 01384400684 07759831896 pbrownjohn8@aol.com

By the end of March photos of Mark will be released. A further press release and interview and photo opportunities will be circulated shortly.