Duncan is a Pastor on the Alton Estate, London, trying to work out how to become more like Jesus in a deprived area www.urbanministries.org.uk
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Council Estate Church Planting 1: Its all about Jesus
Its all about Jesus.
1) Sometimes us council estate Christians mainly focus on avoiding drunkenness, sex, drugs, and violence, without at the same time enjoying our relationship with Jesus.
2) Sometimes church planters mainly focus on the social needs of estates, without enjoying their relationship with Jesus.
3) Sometimes pastors on estates focus on leading the church, without at the same time enjoying our relationship with Jesus.
Wot's the problem wiv this?
1) Christians end up trying to change in their own strength. They don't have the right motivation for change. They don't realize that God wants to gradually shape them to look more and more like Jesus. They end up just being moralists on the estate. We often quote that the main purpose of life is 'to glorify God', but we often miss out the other bit 'and enjoy him forever'
2) Church planters end up planting churches that are not Christ-centered. They begin to measure their success by how much social outreach they do. They forget that their main job is to make disciples of Christ. They also will often get discouraged, and not be getting refreshed by spending time with Jesus.
3) Pastors take a lot of blows. People let us down and ignore the biblical counsel we give and stab us in the back. If we're not daily drinking from the well. then we will die from exposure. If we're not daily spending time with Jesus then we'll forget that we're doing the ministry for Jesus, and start thinking we're doing it for people. If we're not spending time with Jesus, we're not going to be Christlike, and then we can't expect to help others be Christlike.
'My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you' Gal 4:19
I hope the following video on Ps 1 might be helpful to anyone who would like to be inspired to be having better quiet times / devotions.
1) Sometimes us council estate Christians mainly focus on avoiding drunkenness, sex, drugs, and violence, without at the same time enjoying our relationship with Jesus.
2) Sometimes church planters mainly focus on the social needs of estates, without enjoying their relationship with Jesus.
3) Sometimes pastors on estates focus on leading the church, without at the same time enjoying our relationship with Jesus.
Wot's the problem wiv this?
1) Christians end up trying to change in their own strength. They don't have the right motivation for change. They don't realize that God wants to gradually shape them to look more and more like Jesus. They end up just being moralists on the estate. We often quote that the main purpose of life is 'to glorify God', but we often miss out the other bit 'and enjoy him forever'
2) Church planters end up planting churches that are not Christ-centered. They begin to measure their success by how much social outreach they do. They forget that their main job is to make disciples of Christ. They also will often get discouraged, and not be getting refreshed by spending time with Jesus.
3) Pastors take a lot of blows. People let us down and ignore the biblical counsel we give and stab us in the back. If we're not daily drinking from the well. then we will die from exposure. If we're not daily spending time with Jesus then we'll forget that we're doing the ministry for Jesus, and start thinking we're doing it for people. If we're not spending time with Jesus, we're not going to be Christlike, and then we can't expect to help others be Christlike.
'My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you' Gal 4:19
I hope the following video on Ps 1 might be helpful to anyone who would like to be inspired to be having better quiet times / devotions.