we be church

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.

Newday Youth Conference 09

This weekend I had the opportunity to go to the Newday Youth Conference in Sherwood Forrest, yes that’s right, the realm of robin-hood. I didn’t really know what to expect, but thankfully I was in experienced company, thanks Larry!

Looking at my notes the theme which leaps out is that God wants us to be equipped by the understanding that we are His People and to stick to the Guns of his Gospel! You would expect that to be a given but it is very easy to get bogged down or distracted from the fact as your focus. This is how we can run with the youth we are responsible for and see change in their lives.

The Talks?

(The talks will be up on the new newday website soon)

Luke preached on 1 Peter 5:5 about being humble, what true humility is and what it isn’t. Sometimes we can put ourselves above what God is doing and have that arrogant attitude and sometimes we can place our selves below what he wants to do not living up to the responsibility and gifting we are given.

Julian Adams preached on John 14:12-21, the pursuit in God is about his heart which then brings power. Also that we are Children of God, not orphans. We have an identity, an inheritance, a home, and a FATHER!

At this point we chose a seminar. We decided to go to one run by Pete Benton who heads up the Glo Youth in New Life Church East Grinstead. He showed us the need for a strong inspired vision from God and the need for a firm but adaptable structure.

Nearing the end of the conference Joel Virgo preached on Standing Before God from 1 Kings 17,18 using Elijah as an example. Standing before God in resolve, obscurity, responsibility, in truth and even in courage.

Finally Stuart Gibbs helped us look through passages that communicated what Jesus had achieved for us as to be the foundation and core of everything we do. A funny example he made was that we shouldn’t preach a mix bag but a pure bag (using cocaine as the metaphor). We should only preach to peoples hearts. Legalistic manipulation doesn’t work and doesn’t create change in people only the gospel. And yes like pure cocaine it should kill us for any alternative, the word needs to pierce hearts.

[Sore Thumbs] The Greenfingers Edition

Every week I link to resources and sites that stand out and which are worth pointing people to, hence the name sore thumbs, “it stood out like a sore thumb”.

Why Church Plant?

“The Great Commission was actually given at five different times in separate locations. On each occasion the Lord added to the previous command, and so we need to think about the total picture to understand the full implications of the Great Commission…” (read the study at Adventures of a Church Planter)

Newfrontiers Church Planting Website

“Since the time of Abraham, God has been intent on filling the world with his glory (Gen 12:1-3) and we believe that the very best way to do this is by the starting of new churches” This new site has been built to encourage the goal of seeing 400 church plants in the UK. It is full of case studies, information about current and future plants and information about a conference in Autumn 2009. Embedded below is one case study by Stef Liston who is planting a church in Camden, London. (view the Newfrontiers Church Planting website)

The preparation phase: Stef Liston – Revelation Church, Camden (London) from Newfrontiers Church Planting on Vimeo.

Song: More Than a Conqueror

Artist Mali has a blend of smooth RnB and passionate Gospel that is refreshingly honest lyrically. His song More Than a Conqueror is based on Romans 8 and particularly verse 37, “Cos God’s covenant with me I always have the victory”. (Mali on Myspace, Mali on iTunes)

Remembering Newday 08

At Newday 08 this year around 6000 young people attended to let their hair down and have fun. The event gave them the opportunity to listen to some relevant talks from Newfrontiers leaders, attend outreach sessions in the city and get jumping to great worship music and gigs. Here is a short documentary our church’s youth group filmed of the event so people could know what it was all about. Good times…

Newday 08 from pixeljuggler on Vimeo.

You can download any of the talks from the event, I would especially recommend Stef Liston’s and P-J Smyth’s morning and evening talks. Get the talks on your iPod!
Also an official Newday facebook page has been recently set up, so you can catch up with the all the monkery people got up to. If you went what was your favourite memory of the event?