we be church

God Gives Great Hugs

It’s been a while since I update people about my months doing a Frontiers Project with my home church in Northumberland. Recently all those on FP in the UK had some training at Center Parc in Norfolk where top bananna friendship was enjoyed and God met with us in amazing ways. Even those not healed or set free from spiritual oppression of varying kinds will be able to testify to the powerful tangible presence of God and his amazing love for us. It was like Jesus came and gave us all a great big fatherly hug.

The highlight was Simon Holley giving us an education in delivering people from spiritual oppression. I hadn’t seen God deal with it on this scale before. I was struck by the fact that we look at salvation as a decision made once. Rather, God wants us to keep taking steps of faith to relieve us from past baggage and provide us with the knowledge/weapons that he is indeed a loving Dad. As Wendy Man shared we often give the enemy a foothold when we call into question the character of God or how he thinks of us. God is good 100% of the time both in fatherly character and passionate loving action towards us.

On the last training day we focused on knowing Joy in God and Mission. Those who felt called to go to another country shared where they felt called to, one lad said New Zealand (I lived their for a year). Finding him afterward he turned out to be a Kiwi I had met once in Wellington, when on a flat hunt. He had given his heart to Jesus in the last year, journeyed to the UK and had decided to do FP in a London Church! Amazing and hugely encouraging. So in summary God is Love and is full of surprises!

On FP Impact, Two Car Accidents in One Day

FP Impact has now started and all the North FPrs have had a great first two weeks of training in the Newcastle base. Lots of practical and foundational teaching from an array of Newfrontiers leaders along side some fantastic social events including go-karting and enjoying sunny days in the north, which is is very rare indeed. We have been recording the seminars and teaching from the last two weeks and I have permission to publish them here for our friends in New Zealand doing FP, the aim is to get them up by the end of the week and you will be able to subscribe via iTunes.

During the week Mike Springer taught on Life Style Evangelism with us then got us doing some surveys with people in Newcastle. Mike highlighted the need for us to have God Stories as it builds faith the Church, so I want to share our group’s (me, Dan & Ben’s) experience doing the surveys in the heart of Northumbria University during freshers week.

Continue reading…

New Adventures: FP Impact in Northumberland

Next week I start FP (Frontiers Project) Impact at County Church Northumberland. For those who don’t know FP is a opportunity run by Newfrontiers to give yourself to work for a church for a typical student year. As well as getting experience in a church environment by taking on projects you get theological training and undertake mission both in the UK and overseas. As far as I know, no one has yet began to document their experience of FP in the blog medium, I might be the first..

My aim is to give some helpful insight to other young people what it is like, the fun, the challenges and the learning with a view to inspire some of those reading to consider doing FP themselves. I would be keen to know what questions you have as I’m entering this new phase and I’ll try and answer them as I blog along. If you have a question please leave it in the comments below.
At some stage I want to invite a few voices that I respect to write some guest posts. I find that blogging aids learning so it would be wonderful to publish some gospel gunner’s  living lessons. Check back for more updates.