It seems to be the time for goodbyes. I leave Bristol today for good (although of course I will be back visiting my parents and family regularly) but I am properly moving up to Birmingham later today. It's quite a weird feeling. I wish I could say that I am sad but I'm not. I'm excited. Bristol hasn't been a particularly easy 5 years at all. Everything that could be shaken in my life has been shaken but as the Scripture says - I have found out what is unshakeable! And praise God - I have realised that the perseverance of the saints has absolutely nothing to do with the saints themselves really! I've learnt so much - as we do in times of trouble. As Jesse said quite rightly;
"Work gets done and generations rise to their challenge, embracing the new work God is doing when those alarm bells are sounded and Christians begin to gasp, perhaps even panic, at how much work needs to be done, and how short the time we have".
Maybe if Bristol had been the retreat and the rest that I hoped it was going to be, I wouldn't have been motivated and stirred to try and accomplish what I have. I have definately had my faith shaken in the local church - yet once again, praise God, I leave Bristol realising that my belief is still unshakeable that the local Church IS the hope of the world! So I am meeting with a pastor in Birmingham on Thursday to get to know him and to find out about his church and (God willing) find out where my place is within it. It's a church that welcomes the Holy Spirit and is passionate for more of His Presence but it honours the Word of God too.
I'm full of expectation and excitement for the future. Birmingham isn't the end of the road (I think). I am going to be there short term (I also think!). The reason I sound cautious is because I've learnt not to map out my own future anymore. God tends to have other ideas sometimes! But I know it's going to be a vital step and I pray that somehow I can play a part in His grand scheme of covering the earth with His glory. While I know and recognise that God isn't in a rush in His divine timing, I desperately hope that I may be part of the generation that sees the people of God go in and take the Land!
So goodbye Bristol! Here we come Birmingham! (Oh yes I updated the Charismatic Resurgence post one last time before I go).
1 comment:
Not sure if you got this. i used your ern baxter.com email
Hi my name is Chris Welch,
It's interesting what you are doing.
I am in Peter Stott's and John and Wendy Wilbraham's church in Havant,Hampshire.
Peter has recently been ministering on Covenant themes again.
He is also being reawoken to the Egypt/Wilderness/Land themes and the
process wherewith we grow.
For 15 years I have been working on a double CD of songs and material
on this subject, which is about the three stages of growth..children
young men fathers from 1 John.
As I now seek to close this off with a long track on Christ and His bride
based on the themes of Covenant Love...I did a search on Google to see
if anyone still has the Capel Bible week tapes from 1976, where the Thursday session
was entitled Covenant Love.....based among other things on David and Jonathan's relationship.
I had no idea what you were doing, but about 3 months ago I set about making my copy of
The Ern Baxter Kansas City Shepherd's Conference message...Thy Kingdom Come..into a CD
before it perished.
A friend of Dave Fellingham, Marcus Roberts, let me hear the King and His Army tapes
back in the Autumn of 1975 when I was 17. I was at the Dales in 1976 but do not have the tapes.
Like many of us, after the awesome events surrounding becoming Christians and then being baptised in the Holy Spirit,
Ern Baxter was used mightily in this country to envision us and move us on.
I found it painful when others from Argentina with whom I was living talked of the amazing events
there....but also of the false move prophesied about Fort Lauderdale....Hopefully this was a warning
about what was to take place, the over shepherding etc...but not a complete sweeping away of the amazing revelation sweeping
England at the time through people such as Ern and Bob Mumford.
That said...my involvement with the Argentinians certainly opened up a new dynamic of "seeking God's Face" and
learning more about the Tabernacle and how we enter God's Presence on our own or corporately.
This dynamic is being followed by Peter Stott and the Havant Church under the general heading of "Key of David" meetings.
I am grateful that all these strands are true however... and I love how God has shaken people between all the streams
in the last 20 years so that we all stand a chance of getting a greater understanding of the whole Word and not just little bits.
Any help on the Capel recording would be useful. My friend thinks she has a copy of the 2 tapes buried in her basement but has
not been able to find them.
All the best
Chris
Oh the email reflects our website which is what we do here. www.piano-s.com
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