Interview with Charles Simpson on Mega churches

I was really interested to find a very recent video of a short interview with Charles Simpson on the question of why mega churches don't affect communities - but disciples do. This question has come to me every now and then - because I guess I've always held a rather naive view that mega churches surely would affect the community.

We don't have very many mega churches in the United Kingdom. Probably the closest is Church of Christ the King in Brighton (tiny comparably at over a 1000 members!) but I was shocked when many of my friends in the gay community in Brighton had absolutely no idea of CCK's existence or the values it stands for (other than being fully aware that "CCK doesn't like gays"). That is another question for another day coming soon. But it's the biggest Newfrontiers church in the UK and the community of Brighton isn't really affected!

Charles Simpson and the whole Shepherding Movement came under heavy fire for the abuses and excesses that characterized some of it. For example the majority of commenters on "SGM Survivors" hate the Shepherding Movement (and this blog for promoting and honouring Ern Baxter's ministry) and blame it for C J Mahaney and their polity. While I hate the excesses of authoritarian church leadership with a passion - I still remain persuaded by the principles of discipleship under a spiritual real father/mother that Ern Baxter particularly taught so well and so gently. I know the loneliness of being in a church and knowing that you are essentially a stranger.

Here's the video:

I would hesitantly suggest (if I can disagree with Charles Simpson) that I still think there is a place for mega churches but churches that integrate the principles of loving discipleship and cell groups and so on. For example - Paul Yongi Cho and his church in South Korea seem to take this approach extremely successfully - and there is a church that affects not just the community but the country and the world!

So here's to hoping for more mega churches under loving Ephesians 4 Ministries and father/pastors who know what it is to love and care for each member as an essential part of the living Bride of Christ!

My Favourite Worship Leader Ever!!

I was thrilled to find this morning a clip from an interview with the amazing Kate Simmonds. She probably was the person I missed not going to Brighton this year! Why am I such a fan? Because she unfailingly has led me into the Presence of God every time I have been in a meeting where she is leading. Whether it was in the conference hall at Brighton or at Stoneleigh or at Church of Christ the King - everytime. And I think she does it because she is a worshipper first and foremost. You can see it is pretty irrelevant to her about being on a stage - her heart is simply to lead people into God's Presence and when you look at her and see she is already in God's Presence, then it creates a thirst to follow quickly behind and not miss out!

I've been unfortunately in some meetings where some (mostly male) worship leaders dominate the proceedings and make it all about them. They don't like being interupted even if God shows up and one in particular would look irritated if someone came to the microphone wanting to bring a prophecy or a tongue! Kate couldn't be further from that. I will never forget her leading at "Together on a Mission" 2007 when Rob Rufus was causing all sorts of chaos! Correction - God through Rob Rufus was causing all sorts of chaos! She loved it. You could see she didn't know what was happening but her God was present and that was all that matters.

My heart's desire is to get to go to Sydney one day soon and visit the church there where Peter Brookes is leading (another hero of mine!) and split my time somehow between Kate Simmonds, Darlene Zschech and Hillsongs and of course the wonderful Fini and Isi de Gersigny! What a blessed city! So here's the video clip;



This particular quote really stuck with me;

"How I would love to be remembered is ... as someone who loved God, loved people and help people know that they were loved".

Ryan Rufus's latest awesome book; "Sanctification by Grace" was so important in that respect because I believe the same passion grips his heart as Kate's. He wants to help people know that they are loved. And I think that is something that has become increasingly a burden to me. I've been in too many churches now for my liking where the leadership are too often focused on telling you that God is angry with you, that God is judging and watching you. How many like me remember the kind of poems our well-meaning parents would repeat to us? They often had a line like;

"And when we're good it pleases Jesus".

The unspoken implication being; "If you are bad then it makes Jesus angry and He'll 'get' you". Surely the cruelest thing that a church leader can ever do is to use threats such as; "We are casting you out to Satan". How far is that from the prodigal son account? The father who was watching anxiously for his son's return and came running down the road eagerly on his approach. I wonder how many church leaders would come running down the road if prodigals returned to church. My conviction is that many prodigals won't ever darken some church doors again because they are too scared about what will happen if they do. Even I - who have been in Christian and church life for 30 years - wouldn't go to some churches ever again.

No - I love this vision that is expressed by both Kate Simmonds and Ryan Rufus. To help people know that they are loved. What a thing to be remembered for!

The Day of Favour is Here!!

I've just been blasting this wonderful beautiful song from Kate Simmonds into the flat - competing with my neighbour who is doing some drilling or something. Kate wins every time. Just reminded me how much I miss her wonderful style of worship leading. Lord ... when can I go to Sydney and relocate!?



The words are just pure grace!

"That we might be the righteousness of God! ... It's our time to arise! I am not ashamed ... I know I am changed and all You've given me - this hope, this love, this life - I can't deny Your power within me! So here I am send me! ... Be reconciled to God - Your favour is here! Now is the time - let Your glory arise!".

It reminded me so much of Rob Rufus's absolutely AWESOME song he sung in Hong Kong last year. So often gospel preaching is talking about the anger of God and that salvation is from His wrath. And yes there was an aspect to that - but the Cross finished that! His wrath is done! His wrath is spent! So our message to Hong Kong, to Birmingham, to London and the world should be;



"Turn your hearts to Me! Turn away from misery! Turn away from unbelief! Turn away from every offence! Turn away from all bitterness and turn to Me your God! For I am turning the hearts of the city of Hong Kong! ... This is your day! This is your hour! Let's cry out to Hong Kong! He doesn't visit you with judgement or rejection - He is pouring out His glory on you Hong Kong! He is pouring His glory and grace! Fathers will find their sons and sons their fathers!".

Oh let our message ring out to the lost. Favour is here! This is the time! This is the hour! Let ALL come and find salvation!

It's All in a Name ...

We've all got names. Names are significant. They are so significant that God actually changed people's names when He did something in their lives.

I was driving back from work this morning and sitting in a traffic jam by the "Administrative Offices of the Church of God of Prophecy" in Birmingham. I pass it every day but I think I particularly took notice because I was listening to Terry Virgo on CD speaking at "Together for the Future" in Switzerland in 2003 and he gave the following quote;

"We didn't fight for the gifts of the Spirit to then ignore the gifts of the Spirit! That is despising prophecy, that is quenching prophecy".

I wondered whether the prophetic is something that strongly characterises and marks the "Church of God of Prophecy". I'm ignorant - never having been to that church denomination. But it started a flow of thought within me about "church names". And "movement names".

Something remarkable happened when Pete Day and I were meeting together last week - I happened to comment that when I first encountered his church and visited it when I used to be friends with Peter Cockrell (Pete Day's predecessor), it was known as "Lansdowne Evangelical FREE Church". I guess for brevity's sake it is more commonly known as "Lansdowne Evangelical Church". But God began to impress on us the importance of the word "FREE"!

But I will never forget when I was at the Brighton Leadership Conference in 2003 and Terry Virgo was praying. He made one of his comments during his prayer (and it often happens with him) that I just seized upon. Terry prayed;

"Let our doctrines adorn our name".

And I've never forgotten that! What a challenge. What he was essentially laying before the gathered thousands was this - we call ourselves "Newfrontiers". But what "new frontiers" are we breaking? What new challenges are we meeting? What new untrodden paths are we moving along?

And the same questions face all other names. Is the prophetic a key part of the "Church of God of Prophecy"? Do they fight the fight of faith by the prophecies given? Or is the prophetic quenched and ignored and has become in essence liturgy? What about Lansdowne Evangelical Free Church? Are they really free and living out that freedom of the wonder of God's lavish grace? I know I can testify with integrity that Pete Day is a pastor who most certainly is striving in that direction and those dear folk in London are fortunate to have such a man of God with a vision to see the people of God set free from condemnation and guilt and loosed into New Covenant life.

What about some of my other favourite churches?

"City Church International" - no surprise I love this name and get a tingle from it. But the challenge is immense. Not only is this church set itself a goal of being a blessing and a gift to the city of Hong Kong but they have also set the world as their parish. "World evangelisation" is the goal and nothing less will do! Those who follow the ministry of City Church International will know that is true. The sheer fact that a church less than 5 years old managed to attract over 20 nations to the "Glory and Grace" conference!

"Church of Christ the King" - again this awesome church has set it's standard through it's name as exalting and glorifying the risen and reigning Christ Jesus. I've expressed my dissatisfaction before with a persistance in calling Jesus Christ; "The Saviour". Indeed He is our Saviour but that was a part of His earthly ministry that is now complete. He is our glorious risen and reigning King - and sits enthroned TODAY! That's why any emphasis or focus should remind us of a throne or an empty tomb - not a cross. And again I can testify that visiting CCK certainly makes you aware of the risen Christ.

"Jubilee Church - Sydney" - well I haven't actually visited this church but I know it's very dear to the heart of my friend Ursula. But I love the name "Jubilee". I think there's a few churches in the UK with that name. What does "jubilee" mean and suggest? This is the best definition;

"Jubilee (Christian), the year of Jubilee is a special year for the remission of sins and universal pardon where debts are forgiven, slaves and prisoners freed, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest. In the Old Testament book of Leviticus, a Jubilee year is to occur every fifty years".

So the challenge to a "jubilee" church is this - do they make their people aware that this is the year of God's favour? Or are the people actually unaware that God is even delighted with us!?

I would be remiss if I didn't mention my former home church in Dunstable. It went through an interesting but telling change of name. We used to be known as "New Covenant Church" which is clear enough in it's statement. We are and were a people of the New Covenant! But then the name was changed along with the doctrinal position of the church to it's present name; "West Street Baptist Church". To my mind, there is little challenge in that name. It's simply a geographical statement that the church meets in West Street in Dunstable and they are "baptist" - whatever that means.

But I think possibly the greatest challenging name that a church can adopt is to call themselves; "Grace Church". It is such a basic word but is only one I am learning about in these last few years. "God's redemption at Christ's expense" is one often-used but oversimplified definition. The scope of grace is as glorious as the stars that God flung into space. No matter how often we stare at it, we still haven't quite covered it or even begun to see all aspects of it!

But surely to call yourself "Grace Church" is making a statement to the watching world that the whole place is saturated in the grace of God. That there is no condemnation or guilt or legalism. Indeed legalism (being the exact opposite to grace) should be so far removed that even the concept of legalism in a "Grace Church" is laughable. Every member would hate and despise what legalism and law does to the Christian!

In fact because they are a "Grace Church" - if the grace of God is known in dynamic reality then the Presence of God in a manifest fashion should be daily/weekly present and known. Signs, wonders and miracles should be commonplace for the people know that it is nothing to do with their efforts but in fact the divine boundless energy and love and passion of a loving God!

I wonder what part "by-laws" have to play in a "grace" church ...

I saved the best till last. In 2007 Rob Rufus prophesied that we would begin to see 100% first generation grace churches being born into the earth. That were not just "grace" by name and legalism by doctrine. And personally I have always loved the name "New Covenant" and loved the name "Grace". Partly because the last two churches I was a member at were called that (although they didn't live up to the name by any standard) - but also because I just love, love, love the names. So Julie and Aaron Morris have combined the two!

"New Covenant Grace Church". What a challenge facing them! But I don't know of a couple better placed to lead this precious group of people and ultimately change Canada and the nations. Because I am fortunate enough to see the heart-ache, worry, pain and agony that this couple suffer - but the determination to not allow legalism to flourish anywhere near them.

A rather random blog post I know. But just a meandering-inspired by the rush hour this morning! Do our doctrines really adorn our names? Are we free? Are we really a "grace" church? Is the world our parish, the nations our mission field? Are we breaking new frontiers where possible? Or is our name actually a historical nostalgic something dreamt up by a pastor when he was at college? Because our names are what the world sees first - and don't tend to be impressed if what they see is the opposite of what is claimed.

Law or Spirit?

I read this on the CCK blog written by the wonderful Joel Virgo (who I note is joining the speaking team at "Together on a Mission" in Brighton in July!);

. The law condemns the old heart
· The Spirit gives a new heart
· The law gives instructions
· The Spirit gives companionship
· The law puts nails in the coffin
· The Spirit sows seeds of life
· The law veils our eyes
· The Spirit opens our eyes
· The law makes you a slave
· The Spirit makes you a son
· The law promotes to compliance or hardness
· The Spirit promotes love and joyful obedience

And yet again - I just wonder why on earth we drift so easily and "comfortably" back to adding "just a bit" of law into our new life in the Spirit? We are DEAD to the law! Jesus Christ cancelled it at the Cross and by doing so He DISARMED the principalities and powers! For heaven's sake - let's stop making the devil's job easy for him by rearming him with the law.

A Day at CCK, Brighton!!

I was fascinated to come back from Brighton to read Mark Heath's latest post looking specifically at four different directions Newfrontiers could be going in. I think they could easily apply to churches generally but what made it so applicable was the experience we have had being at Church of Christ the King in Brighton today. I want to make it clear that the three hour drive back to Birmingham was largely spent discussing in depth the two services we were at this wonderful church so this isn't an "off-the-cuff" post but one that has been discussed and thought through in depth!

Before I get into my report on today - for those who don't have time to get over to Mark's post - here's a very brief summary of the four positions he outlines. Where are we going?

1. Church Growth – (Bill Hybels, Hillsong, Rick Warren)

2. Reformissional - (Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll and maybe C J Mahaney and Wayne Grudem)

3. Neo-Pentecostal - (Rob Rufus, Todd Bentley)

4. Emerging Church (Rob Bell and Brian McLaren and Steve Chalke)

Now before I get into discussing my opinion on where I think Newfrontiers is headed in light of my experience today - here's a more objective report on CCK, Brighton and more specifically what Terry Virgo preached on.

Simon Brading was leading the worship from the keyboard and we began by singing just two songs before one of the leaders came up and led us in a time of communion. Then there were the obligatory notices and the "speak to someone you don't know" - while Terry Virgo got ready to come up and speak.

Terry spent some time bringing a report back from the months he has spent in Australia as this is the first time he has spoken at his home church since getting back. Here's a short video clip;

It was exciting to hear about what God is doing out on the "Pacific Rim" particularly at the interest in Japan there is to hear more about the grace of God. Terry has been invited back in 2010 to speak at a national conference and his book; "God's Lavish Grace" is going to be translated into Japanese. The advance of the Gospel indeed! He then introduced his sermon - a continuing of the series on "Elijah" that he has been doing over the past year or two.

Here are my notes;

1 Kings 18 (NASB) - Elijah

Elijah came and confronted a king about a nation that had tragically lost its way. God had promised Abraham that through him, He would bless the whole world. They had the high privilidge of coming to Sinai and hearing the voice of God. He called them; "My Bride - I am married to you". Look at the Psalms and you will see they knew who they were. In the preceding chapters you will see over 58 years seven kings came and went and they forgot who they were. They ceased to represent God and enjoy God. Having come into the land they saw other gods here. They learned how to cultivate. King after king yielded ground and the nation that was meant to be the light of the world - now made it illegal to worship Israel's God under Ahab. Into this Elijah was sent to confront Ahab and said unless you change, God will act. God will capture your attention and bring you down! It is a bit like God pulling the plug on the banks. We are falling apart - what is going on?! God can turn a flourishing place into a desert (Psalm 107). Ahab will be further confronted by Elijah.

"How long will you limp between two opinions? If the Lord is God follow Him".

1. Behold Elijah.

"Now Elijah ...". No background to him - he just appeared. God is ready to start speaking again. This period of humbling is over and God is going to show mercy. The Bible repeatedly says that God will not over test His people. "If He causes grief then He will have compassion" (Lamentations). It is interesting to see that God initiates this. It is not Elijah saying he wants to have another go. It is not Elijah initiating. It is not for Elijah to get ahead of God. Some like Moses try that and they are not very successful. God had closed the heavens until He was ready to open them again. When he faced Obadiah and Obadiah spoke of doubt - Elijah was solid and said "I will meet him today". Elijah is so submissive to God that it is like you are meeting God. He is truly prophetic! "Elijah arose and went". This man is carving out a life of total obedience. He speaks with frightening authority because he lives in a relationship of total obedience. He is sent by God and knows God will be with him.

We want to look like people who comes from the Presence of God and speaks with authority - that is the true prophetic church.

Where did unlearned fishermen get their boldness on the Day of Pentecost? Down through church history there has been a break out of people who know God.

2. That spells trouble.

He earned the title; "You troubler of Israel". That is a feature when the church begins to be the church! It happened with Jeremiah - another authentic prophetic. When he spoke in his day and promised judgement - "Jerusalem will fall". They called him a treasonous man and threw him in prison. But he was just the authentic voice! An authentic voice does not want to make trouble, it just wants to shed light! They are sharing but it looks like trouble! The one who lives the righteous life will be seen as such! The early apostles hit this kind of come back! (Acts 17) So many people are responding to Paul that people start speaking against him. "These men who have turned the world upside down". The Greek word means literally "revolutionary". John Stott says the same word is used of an Egpyptian terrorist who tried to start a revolt! Revolutionary overtones! But it doesnt say that he caused trouble! (v2, 3) The verbs that describe Paul; "reasoned, proclaimed, persuaded". Paul was just being reasonable but the backlash was - you troublemaker!

"God is light and in Him there is no darkness". Light came into the world but men prefer darkness to light because their deeds are evil. They want to stay in the darkness. The offer of light is seen as trouble but that is the thing that you most need! The words that describe the people that charged Paul; "jealous, wicked men, mob, uproar, riot". That is the reaction that Paul got as truth is told! That is how the church is often regarded as these days. We tolerate everything apart from people who feel they know something. The message of hope and light and life is a Gospel declarer! Not trouble! We are meant to be salt and light! If we haven't got a clear message then we may as well stop speaking! He knew what he was saying was true!

Such kinds of declarations will meet with hostility. Paul says to the believers in Colosse - let your speech always be gracious. Always be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in you. Let your speech arrest the corruption. Speak when you can to stop the corrupting trend. Elijah was the hope of the nation! Not a trouble maker!

3. It is time to make your choice.

Jesus was ruthless with religion! The religious were dismissive of the apostles! They didn't like that! They called the blind beggar "untaught" because he was healed! Elijah had no time for the prophets of Baal. But he had mercy on the people. Never has there be someone who came so near as Jesus. Never has there been someone who stood before the Presence of God. Come from God! He grew up in a carpenters home. Just a child of Mary and Joseph. He didnt come near just generally but near to the ordinary people. He offended the religious! He ate and drank and sat and laughed and danced at weddings! John could say that we handled and touched. Mary could say that she anointed His feet with her tears.

It is wonderful to know a God who comes near. He comes near! "Emmanuel - God with us".

We can start our day saying "Thank You Jesus - you are with me!". "How long will you limp between two opinions?". As a nation they hadn't totally abandoned God. Their very identity was linked with God! They knew their history and the Psalms they sang. Even Ahab's sons later in the book of Kings took over and his name was Ahaziah. Ahab called his son "Yaweh has grasped". And the second "Yaweh is exalted". This nation had a divided heart. We are not supposed to follow two masters. Jesus said you actually cant do it. It won't work! "You cannot serve God and money". Jesus used money as a kind of god. What does money offer? It offers some interesting things. "I will care for you - provide for you - give you fulfillment". Who else offers that? Money is coming with the same offer! And Jesus says you cant serve both. When a rich young ruler came to Jesus and there was an attractiveness to him but Jesus enunciates some principles and then saw right into his soul. "Sell what youve got, give it to the poor and follow Me". He couldn't do it. The man went away sad.

The tax collector - a crook and yet Jesus came to his home. He was so different. Although he was very rich and very crooked, he said he would give back. Jesus said; "Salvation has come to this house". We are appealing about who is the Lord of my life?

The only way you get salvation is a revelation of Jesus, Who He is and what He can do.

1 Corinthians 6:12. The prohibitions of Jewish lifestyle were lifted. That approach to God, trying to keep the old laws is irrevelant. You don't have to keep them! All things are lawful! The liberty of the Christian is that all things are lawful! And then he says; "I will not be mastered by anything". A good job, a nice house, a nice car, a nice wife or husband, a good education is all lawful. Christianity recognises it is Gods world and we feel very at home in it! But we aren't going to come under anyones control. Otherwise we are in danger of something becoming an idol and we cannot serve two Gods. The fact that we are free doesn't mean we become a glutton! Is that how we show our freedom?! That's not being free at all not being able to go without something!

Jesus said "Go" but hasn't He said He will work all things together for good?! What matters most? That is the appeal! We can't live with non-negotiables. Jesus is looking for ruthlessness. He calls for a radical commitment! Loving but truly revolutionary! We are saying "Jesus whatever you say". He said "How can you believe yet make no effort to attain the praise that comes from God alone?". Elijah didn't get praise from anyone but wanted the praise that came exclusively from God. 1 Cor 4:3. It is so easy to be zealous if you get some applause. You want people to see it from your point of view! Jesus modelled a completely different lifestyle. He always kept very clear. His passion was to please the Father. Even as a little boy He "must be about His Father's business" and He carried that to Gethsemane. Under the shadow of the Cross itself; "Not My will but Yours". Jesus had one intent - to please the Father.

For Him there was no alternative, nothing else appealing to Him. Here is our focused Saviour, modelling sonship for us. Equal and yet submissive. "The Father sent the Son". He was submissive so that is how He could be sent. He came to a world that lies. He came and showed us what it is like to be a Son. "You came from heaven to show the way".

You can learn objective rules and not love God. It is about how can I please Him and enjoy Him more and get to know Him better!

"For the joy set before Him He endured the Cross". We are His joy! He wants a wife like Him! "Lets go and do the Father's will". Lets not limp between two things. God is willing to bring rain! Let Him be God!".

Terry then called up one of the CCK evangelists who gave a very empassioned short Gospel message to which there was about 10 responses! This was really exciting! Simon Brading then led us in some more worship and it began with one of my favourite songs from the 1970's;

"Jesus we enthrone You, we proclaim You our King,

Standing here in the midst of us - we raise You up with our praise,

And as we worship build a throne - and as we worship build a throne!

And as we worship build a throne - come Lord Jesus and take Your place!".

It was as though my tear ducts were put onto free drainage! That song particularly was so special and reminded me of the truth that Jesus Christ is risen and reigning! We sang a couple of other songs and then a leader came up and closed the meeting. There were no specific spiritual gifts during the meeting - no prophecies but there was a short few minutes of singing in the Spirit.

So the ramblings of a Mystery Worshipper ...

My thoughts! Allow me to begin with the caveat that CCK is one of my favourite churches in the United Kingdom. I first went to CCK when my home church in Dunstable was rapidly becoming rabidly anti-charismatic and I was just thrilled to find that it was possible to find a fully functioning charismatic church that wasn't totally anti-doctrine or anti-the Bible. So when I share my thoughts - I do so with the discomfort about criticising a family member. This isn't easy for me. But I hope that I will carefully explain my observations - and as always I am open to criticism and points that will enable me to hone my attitudes if necessary.

A. Terry Virgo - Grace and Law?

Terry has always been known as a "Grace teacher". Rob Rufus speaks of him frequently as being so key in his life. In 1984 Terry visited South Africa and it was that teaching on the grace of God that began to make Rob the man he is today. I remember being told by one of the former disciples of Stanley Jebb that when Terry Virgo and Newfrontiers went around the country on the "Enjoying God's grace" tours between the Downs Bible Weeks and the Stoneleigh Bible Weeks - my home church and Stanley Jebb was so concerned at this "antinominanistic teaching" that he began a series on the Law!

But during this sermon I noticed that I have become hyper-sensitive to any mixture of law and grace. And I saw it happen again and again. Firstly I recalled that Terry preached a glorious sermon on "Elijah" back in Bristol. That sermon was the most profound explanation of grace that I had heard upto that point. I had just come out of Sovereign Grace Ministries bitter and badly bruised - and that gentle but prophetic teaching drew me back to not turning my back on the church as I wanted to at that point.

I need to say that I have not seen the same grace in this series that he has been preaching. And I am not quite sure why. Terry seems to be trying to apply this Old Testament passage to a New Covenant period that we are in. At the beginning of the message he stated quite firmly that it "could be God pulling the plug on the UK banks". Rob Rufus would differ quite firmly from that. Rob said again and again throughout his glorious "Established in Righteousness" series that we cannot lay the earthquakes, tsnuamis, terrorist disasters and so on at God's door and blame Him. It is logical - God has given us free will. We are not living and governing our countries by His Kingdom economy therefore we are reaping for ourselves the fruit of that.

Secondly he made a number of comments that again I seized on. Near the end of his sermon he was speaking about; "Jesus is looking for ruthlessness. He calls for a radical commitment!" and an example of that was; "If your hand causes you to sin - cut it off! If your eye causes you to sin - pluck it out!". Terry made that comment and then moved on. Those particular Gospel commands of Jesus Christ are something of incredible sensitivity to me because they were used by the SGM pastor while I was being "disfellowshipped". He asked me specifically if I had committed immoral sin with a friend of mine - which I denied.

His reply was then; "Well Jesus said if you look at someone with lust in your heart then you have as good as committed adultery - so you have!".

The obvious reply to that was; "Well so has every man on this planet!". But at the time I didn't think of that. Rob Rufus has gloriously again made me realise how utterly wrong and indeed cruel it is for preachers to apply these New Testament commands of Jesus to us today. Do we see the disciples and followers of Jesus walking around at the time dismembered? With eyes gouged out? Of course not! He would have become known as a sado-masochistic cult leader! What was Jesus saying? Rob said;

"Don't take the outlandish things that Jesus says in the gospel and say 'I've got to live by that!'. See the context is that He is saying this to the arrogant people! Christians say; 'That is the new law of the New Covenant!'. Jesus Christ is preaching under the Old Covenant that you must not commit adultery but under the New Covenant even if you look you have committed it! Oh pleaseeeeee!

There is no faith in that! We are all dead if that is the case! He was preaching Abraham to the broken and the hungry for God and He was preaching the law to the self-righteous and to the arrogant".

So I offer hope to every person like me whose hand has caused them to sin, whose eye has looked at something that we shouldn't have. We do not need to go for the kitchen knives yet. Our bodies are the glorious temple of the Holy Spirit! No - Jesus has taken that radical punishment on our behalf. HIS hands were pierced for us! HIS back was beaten for us! HIS side was pierced until blood flowed for us!

I don't know why Terry said what he did. I can appreciate his heart is missional. He spoke frequently throughout the sermon about Tom Eaton out in Japan and other Newfrontiers folk who have acted radically and "gone". But I don't think the subtle mixture of law and grace is required to keep that radical fire burning. How much better to go because we simply "MUST - MUST - MUST". He is too good to keep to ourselves!

B. Reformissional? Charismatic? Confused?

So finally we come to Mark Heath's excellent summary as to where Newfrontiers are going. I must admit to spending much of the journey home rather confused as to what I had witnessed at CCK. The atmosphere was very different. The lights in the main auditorium were turned out and the stage was lit brightly. There were coloured lights every now and then sweeping over the audience during the singing of songs. And I can say quite honestly that it was a very professional performance. The worship band were excellent and everyone joined in enthusiastically. But I found myself asking why signs, wonders and miracles were absent from the meeting as were spiritual gifts (apart from a brief moment of singing in the Spirit) and were offered at the end after the benediction.

But it was MISSION that dominated the meeting. They showed a "Mobilise" video at one point and encouraged all the teenagers and 20's to get their bookings in before the 28th February "while it was still cheap". Joel Virgo - the lead elder - came up and did a long plug about the famous Newfrontier churches "Gift Days". The figure that the elders are believing God for is £150, 000 and this money will be going to CCK itself to help their work in Brighton. Scott and I discussed on the way home how helpful it is to present the figure that the elders wanted. Does it encourage a "Malachi 3" atmosphere of giving or a "Melchizadek" atmosphere of giving?

I don't know - I am not a CCK member - but I wonder whether my primary motive in giving generously would be out of a heart full of abundance at the lavish grace that God has poured on me? Or because I didn't want to disappoint the elders and have the excruciating news that after "Gift Day" has finished, that Joel Virgo got up and said; "We didn't make it" = guilt. Would it not be more helpful for the elders to keep that figure to themselves and maybe announce it when and if that figure is met?

Finally I was wondering about this "mission" emphasis that Mark Driscoll and Tim Keller (now Newfrontier favourites) seem to be leading the way in. Taking the book of Acts - what did the early church do? Did they go - go - go militantly to meet figures or did they make it their primary ambition to see the Presence of God come down - and then find that the surrounding community were "added to them daily"? It was actually persecution that split them up and sent them to go! A note about communion - the leader who opened up the Lord's Table said something rather odd too. He said; "If you are a guest or visiting us then perhaps you would like to let the elements pass you by". That left both Scott and I very nervous as to whether we should or should not take the bread and the wine. Fortunately the girl sitting next to me didn't seem to know that we were visiting so gave me the bread and wine with no trouble. But I would have felt very uncomfortable if she had bypassed me and not let me join in. Is that something "Reformissional"?

My love for CCK and for Terry Virgo and indeed Newfrontiers remains unchanged - but I found myself leaving the meeting and wondering where dimmed lights and a disco-lit stage with flashy videos and a frantic drive for mission left a sense of "SUDDENLY from heaven". Does that make me "Neo-Pentecostal" under Mark's definition!? Maybe so!

Speaking of which - I spent a ridiculous £30 on a book I found in the CCK bookshop that looks really interesting. It is called "Apostolic Networks in Britain - New Ways of Being Church" by William Kay and was published in 2007. Both Mark Heath and I enjoyed Andrew Walker's "Restoring the Kingdom" and I am relishing seeing what the conclusions are on much of our childhood now that more time has past. I will post a review when I've read it later on this week.

I have every intention of "going" as soon as I can. I KNOW that I will not be staying comfortably in the United Kingdom for the rest of my life earning a pension and paying a mortgage. I have a suspicion that I am never going to own my own house. I know that I will most probably be heading for the Far East and China and whatever that holds for me. But I have got no intention of going unless the Presence of God goes with me and signs and wonders accompany the preaching of the Gospel of grace!

Terry Virgo at CCK, Brighton - 6th January 2008

So here is Terry Virgo's Sermon from last Sunday:

Elijah Part 3 - A Man of Personal Obedience - 1 Kings 1:1-17.

"We have been looking at this story, realising that Elijah lived at a season similar to our own in a "post-Christian era". The people's identity was wrapped up with God but they had turned their back on God and Elijah was living in his culture but in touch with God. Although he was already a man out of step with his culture by his stance and a man unthrown inwardly by the confusion taking place in the nation - he had to live out his life in the real situation that was there. It wasn't enough for him to be simply a man of prayer. He also had to live in the world and to have an obedience expressed in action. His walk with God wasn't simply a stance - a static thing - an attitude. It was a life lived out before others and before God in stark contrast to the generation in which he lived.

He was a prophet but he wasn't just a voice deploring the situation - complaining and criticising. He was called to live a different kind of lifestyle - not just morally correct but by faith in which God was calling him to do. He was no longer to be hidden away but would live before people in what God called him to do and be. He was in that sense like Abraham. Abraham was also not just a moral character saying what was right and wrong. It says about Abraham that he went out "not knowing where he was going to go". Elijah begins to obey God and was told to go and face the king but he didn't know what would happen next. He didn't know the full picture. He isn't just avoiding Baal worship but he is living a life in response to a personal invitation from God to live by faith. He is going to encounter the king not knowing what the exit strategy after meeting the king would be. He doesn't know how things would go after he delivered his message. It was a life that said; "Whatever God says - this I will do". That is the heart of what it is to be a Christian.

It isn't about relating to rules and regulations but a response to a personal invitation.

Jesus called men to leave their nets and follow Him. He said "Follow Me". Come to Me. It says they left their nets and followed Him - they had to completely trust Him and abandon what seemed like common sense. They said "Okay we will do that". He started to live a life expressing confidence in what God says. Thus they began to lay the foundations of a totally new community on the planet. We are told in Hebrews 11 that these heroes of faith who are set forth as models - we don't read so much about their morality - as their faith in God.

They weren't taken up so much with speaking against the culture but saying "Yes" to God.

It says of them that the world was not worthy of them. A wealthy man came to Jesus and said he had lived by commandments and rules and regulations but Jesus invited him to a completely different approach. The man was sorrowful and went away. He didn't make a good choice but he could say he has always tried to be moral. "I am happy to obey objective rules but to commit my life and leave everything in Your control!? I can't do that". That is what faith is all about. That is what Abraham - the father of all faith - started with. He left everything that made sense and he went out not knowing where he would go. Jesus said to guys; "Commit yourselves to Me".

That's the root of who we are! We are not just rule-keepers but followers of a personal invitation.

So ... 1. It's a life of obedience in action.

2. It's an obedience that left choices with God.

It was an obedience that left him very vulnerable. He didn't say "Well you guarantee my safety and I will go". Jesus trained His disciples exactly like that. He led them into dangerous situations and into vulnerable circumstances. When Jesus said "Follow Me" they may have said, "Well let me go and deal with this". Jesus said, "Let the dead bury their own dead". It sounds harsh! Is that a ruthlessness under His exterior?

Jesus out of His love knows there are times when whole-hearted commitment to priorities is the only way. A revelation of a loving Saviour who knows that things only get solved when you deal with them ruthlessly and put priorities first.

After he had confronted the king then what? Ravens would feed him and a brook bring him water. This comes out of personal trust in God!

Normally I wouldn't encourage prophecy when they are just two of you. Prophetic words should come in the context of a wider circle that can weigh and judge with all the safety factors that are in that.

The way forward wasn't knowing all the answers. He doesn't show you the complete programme all the time. "And ... ?". "Just go. I am calling you to an adventure of relationship. I am calling you to trust Me". Israel was meant to be a people that walked with God. That means not knowing the complete picture but it's a faith that leaves the choices with God.

We love the church - we love one another - but at root walking with God is a matter of personal commitment when He speaks.

Ultimately the church is made up of scores and thousands of millions of people who are saying; "Yes Lord - what do you want me to do?". It's not a value simply rooted in a system but in trust. It is the way God leads us step by step. Elijah was involved in what we may call reckless obedience and God wants us to be the same. (Luke 6:48) - to be religious isn't simply to take on the expected level of morality and how you tend to live as a Christian. Beloved - that isn't digging deep down into a foundation. That isn't "Whatever He says to you - do it". That makes us all living by another value system altogether.

One day Jesus said some will say "Lord - Lord!" and He must say "Depart from Me - I never knew you".

We need to take care then that we are hearing and doing the Word of God - not just hearing it.

Just to hear and not do is to not receive the blessing. It's the digging down and the saying; "Whatever You say to me". What is needed in our generation was not just a word deploring the sad state of the nation but a people who lived by another value system related to what God was saying - even when it looked foolish.

3. It was an obedience based on humility.

"Go hide yourself by the brook where the ravens will feed you". He had just addressed the king and declared it will not rain! What will happen next? A tour from Dan to Beersheba? I may make it rain! Turn up - I will be there! I am holding history in my hands! It's my moment! Instead of it being his moment, he had to go and "hide himself". That's not what I had in mind! Hide yourself. It's not an easy word to hear.

Hidden times can be very difficult times. Faith that leads to courageous breakthrough and obedience that marches down Goliath or says "Let the fire come" is exciting obedience. But obedience that says "Now go and hide yourself" isn't very appealing.

No. "Hide yourself". Go and be hidden away. It requires real humility. It's hard for us especially in a generation about knowing your rights and knowing who's in authority. Often Christian teaching can get on the back of "knowing your rights" and "being forceful". First of all - be hidden away.

Are you any good at hiding away? How is it for you when your voice is not heard? How do you feel when no one seeks your opinion? How is it for you when you don't even know what's happening? No one will ask what his assessment is. He won't influence anything - he will be hidden away. The ravens will bring him food but not much information! Am I being blogged? Nothing!

Losing our influence can come in seasons in our lives. You can go through a time when you are not making the choices or shining. It can come in all sorts of ways and it can be costly. Somehow we feel that we value ourselves by the choices we are making. Sometimes it is hard domestically - a son or daughter looked to you for guidance but now they are married! It is hard not to be needed! Your wisdom is not being drawn on! It doesn't need to be the platform of a guy who has got a nation! It can be domestic and small.

"Hide myself?". Yes that is the word. Jesus had just been announced by John the Baptist and a voice from heaven had come! Now go to the wilderness - go hide yourself. Even Jesus went that way. What about this anointing of the Spirit that came on me? It says in the Bible we are like arrows in His quiver and an arrow must go through much preparation! Then we get stuck in a tube! A quiver just looks like a black hole. Sometimes that is how it is. Surely God wants more for me than being hidden away? But there are seasons when we must be hidden away.

God gave me this gift and there must be a reason for use of it! You may be in a church and your gift isn't recognised and it's not always right to go to another church. Recognise a season of hiding and allow it to happen. It's not easy to cultivate humility alone - that's why we need one another. We need people to correct and lovingly point out things. Is it hard to bring a correction to you? When you get criticised, do you defend yourself angrily? Go and take a lower place - go and be hidden away. You are not needed at the moment. You have been dropped. How do you handle that?

Last of all; 4. It was an obedience that gets you "there".

"The ravens will feed you "there".

Some of us fail to experience the supernatural because we don't get "there".

Sometimes we are unwilling to break out of rationalisation and logic. Maybe fear and pride - maybe straight disobedience means we never get to see the supernatural. God told me! I just went to Brighton station! Some of us apply all kinds of logic so we never get "there". We don't get close enough to hear Him.

God could say this; "The ravens will turn up - will you?".

The Christian life can be a life of extraordinary excitement but "there" wasn't just a display of the supernatural but a place where revelation came next.

Obedience brings revelation of God's faithfulness.

Some say "I never hear God speak to me". Well what about general guidance?

God loves speaking to people who take Him seriously. God loves speaking to people who say yes to basic revelation!

"Blockage"?? How about simply reading your Bible and doing what God says and you may start hearing more intimately. Get used to hearing God on His basic revelation. God loves to speak to those who take Him seriously. Obedience begins to make things work for you in terms of relating to God. I find the whole computer world a bit strange and terminology can be odd. "Plugged in?!". Well have you "plugged into" hearing God yet?

Faith grows in the context of obedience and in that context your faith begins to put on muscle.

Some say "You must have great faith". No - its just a case of doing what I was told! He said "Do it" and so "I did it" and the ravens turned up! Now God is saying to us as a church; "Go for a big thing!". When you are there - He will feed you. As we keep obeying and following His leading, He will be faithful. What do you know about ravens? Nil! But God said "Go!". Go there - get there - and God commanded! It is as you obey you get the revelation of His miracle faithfulness.

You find that the brook dried up! And faith is really tested. True faith looks and doesnt think about the alternative plan. True faith thinks "How did I get here?". I got here by following God and God will see me through! The day the brook dried up, God said, "Now go!". He didn't speak into that the day before the brook dried up! The day it dried up, God spoke. That is refusing to be independent! After many days God said to Elijah, "Go and show yourself to Ahab". God had an ultimate plan - and that was "Show yourself". His intermediate plan was "Go and hide yourself". It was like that for David in Adullum's cave. It was like that for Joseph in prison. A season of low profile and a season of being apparantly irrelevant.

Later he will call down fire from heaven. His faith was such that he said "Pour water on it - soak it!". He got faith like that because he got used to doing what God said. He only applied for this job because God said. He let God make the choices for him. God was not giving me permission so I refuse to go to Plan B! That is the Christian walk! The Pharisees did rules and regulations! "In the law blameless" but I didn't know God at all!

You cannot explain us away apart from a supernatural God demonstrating His faithfulness.

"You never will prove the delights of His love, until all on the altar you lay ... What He says we will do - where He sends we will go. Never fear, only trust and obey".

Off to CCK, Brighton on Sunday!!

I think God has an amusing sense of providence. These last few weeks have been quite confusing in regards to what I think about Terry Virgo and Newfrontiers and where they are all going. I've switched from faith in God and faith in Terry as a wise master-builder, to fear that he is being courted by Reformed cessationists in a bid to make him "respectable"!

So I noted on Sunday that Terry is preaching at CCK in Brighton and the wonderful Phatfish are leading worship. I really felt a sense that we should go and be there, so go we are!

I'm really excited (and a bit fearful). CCK has always been the most powerful church in the United Kingdom I have ever been to. The Presence of God seems unusually manifest there in extraordinary ways that it is hard to find elsewhere. I've got a desperate hope first and foremost that we will encounter God there in power as He loves to come on the gathered corporate Bride. I hope to be able to sense something of Terry's heart and vision for 2008 (even if he doesn't say anything specifically about Mark Driscoll's visit - which is fine). I can't wait to be lead into the Throne Room of heaven under Phatfish's such Spirit-sensitive leadership.

I promise to post a full report next week!

Rob Rufus's messages at CCK available.

Church of Christ the King, Brighton have made Rob Rufus's two messages from Sunday 8th July prior to the conference available for download as MP3's.

They can be found here.

I do recommend them again so highly. It really set the tone for the conference that was to come. My reports from the two sessions are here and here and these MP3's will definately bring them to life! Go listen and be blessed, motivated and stirred!

A New Look Website and Sunday Evening at CCK, Brighton!!

"A New Look!".

I have got the "new look" bug and have tried a new template on the blog. Hope it's easier on the eye. The dots were doing my head in particularly after "Life on Wings" broke!

CCK, Brighton.

The morning report of CCK is here.

This morning's message on "Grace and the Glory of God" was Rob Rufus at his best and so we spent all afternoon in a haze wandering along the Brighton beach saying "Wow" and "Awesome!" quite a bit. It was with some excitement that we came back for the evening meeting at CCK. Traditionally the speaker normally preaches the same sermon again to ensure that the younger congregation who turn up in the evening get to hear it but Rob had the freedom of the CCK elders to preach a different sermon.

Simon Brading was leading worship in the evening - since Kate Simmonds left for Australia, Simon now leads the team of worship leaders at the church. It's easy to see why. His maturity and passion for God is contageous! We began worship;

• How Great Thou Art!


• (new song) There's no condemnation.


• (new song) The enemy's been defeated.


• Holy, Holy is the Lord.

There then was a prophecy from a guy in the church about the banner drums of the army of the Lord. He is for us! We are invincible! Joel Virgo then came up and prayed thanking God for the finality of His victory - the shout of the Lord is in the camp! The worship was kept short so that Rob Rufus could take time to minister after the sermon. He got us to sit down and again introduced Rob to us. Rob warned that he wouldn't be speaking for very long because he wanted to get to praying for those who were hungry.

He said that God wanted to unleash the wild side of His Personality tonight! God is an extremist! He can deal with extremes! His desire is to take the low level of anointing upon us and increase it. There is an increase of anointing that can and must come. (Luke 4:17-18). Jesus Christ came into the earth as God Almighty with His humanity restraining His divinity. The miracles He did, He did as a man - hence He required the baptism of the Holy Spirit to activate such ability. At the age of 30 He was anointed with the Spirit and power and then He did miracles.

In Nazareth it says that their unbelief stopped Him from doing miracles. "Could there do no miracles" not "Would there do". Anyone anointed can do miracles and signs and wonders. Not everyone will be an equipping Ephesians 4 Ministry but everyone can be equipped to do signs and wonders.

What Does the Anointing Do?

(Luke 4:18). If the anointing will flow unrestrained, many psychatrists will be out of business!

"We can look to the finished work of Christ but if there is no anointing to make it real and administrate the victory of the Cross then the Cross will remain a historical event that we may get sentimental about".

Let us not allow cynicism to make us bitter! The anointing sets the captives free! The anointing "massages" toxins out of us - our hurts, pains are turned into good. We can do nothing without the anointing! The anointing is God's power and Presence made manifest! When the anointing is made manifest, the whole atmosphere is super-charged. You can detect it physically. Are we ashamed of the manifestation of His Presence? The anointing is heavenly materiality. Heaven becomes more real than earth! John G Lake said that the anointing is the supernatural made natural.

The anointing isn't generated. It isn't about how much you pray or fast. The empty Cross is the generator and the Word of God is the power lines. Faith is the fuse. Pride or fear or shame will increase the resistance to the anointing. The time is coming - prophetic people can sense a weariness across the earth with cerebral head knowledge of God. The brain is just a physical organ. There is a difference between our brains and our minds. We must get to the place where we are so desperate that we will do ANYTHING to get it!

To the hungry, God is coming in power! (Mark 5:24-30). "She felt ... Jesus perceived". This account of the woman with the bleed is an awesome account of the manifestation of the anointing. The woman had to steal the anointing from Jesus Christ. Somehow she knew that she could pull it from Him by her faith through His clothes. But she didn't know that Jesus would also feel the power go out of Him and be aware. One woman drew the anointing from Him with a touch of faith. Why restrict healing to one method or one way?

Let's get everyone healed! Combine everything!

Rob then asked us to stand and in his simple and undramatic way asked the Presence of the Holy Spirit to come down and glorify Jesus Christ. Straight away the atmosphere became heavy and charged! I felt like wave after wave of heat rolled down over me. Rob then asked for those who were being affected physically by the Spirit to come forward. It was an awesome moment. I haven't responded to a ministry call for a few years now but I found myself running forward to the front of the church. Rob and the elders were taken aback by the amount of people who came forward. Scott said it was almost half the church! But despite this he began to pray for us and it felt like a whirlwind began to sweep through the room. Scott testified later that it was still affecting those who hadn't gone forward.

The experience I had was awesome. I was standing with my eyes closed and felt like a brighter and brighter glow began to penetrate my perception. I sensed an awesome thrill and excitement and just knew that God was "rejoicing with singing" over the fact that His people were so desperate to encounter Him and Him alone - not just a manifestation of His power. Rob got round as many people as he possibly could and it was remarkable that noone seemed to fall under the power of the Spirit but still got dramatically affected. It was remarkable because there simply weren't enough catchers! Yet God still came and still did powerful work - proving that the phenomenon accompanying His Presence is irrelevant as long as His Son is glorified.

Tomorrow: Day 1 of "Together on a Mission 2007" - Stephen van Rhyn, Rob Rufus and Terry Virgo.

Sunday at CCK Brighton!!

As I promised here are the day by day reports from the heavenly week we have just had in Brighton and it began of course on Sunday at Church of Christ the King (where Terry Virgo is based). Scott and I had gone down on the Saturday afternoon to be there for the reason that CCK had managed to get Rob Rufus to come and speak to them before the conference began both morning and evening. Kate Simmonds was also back early to lead worship at her former church, so it was with some degree of excitement that we arrived at what we consider to be our second home! Both Kate and Rob were welcomed with typical CCK passion.

One of the reasons I love Kate's way of leading worship is that it seems there is;

"No warm-up allowed!".

Straight away we were being led into the Presence of God and God responded with His zeal for His people by coming down so powerfully upon the gathered masses. Here's how the worship went;

• Praise Awaits You.


• We Come in Your Name.


• (new song) Pouring Out.


• (new song) Lord You are an amazing God.

There then was the most AWESOME prayer shouted out from an African lady in the congregation! Her passion and her zeal and evident love for the Lord had people trembling and crying out. I love charismatic churches! Without them - you wouldn't have this!

A lady then came up the front and began to prophecy;

"There are coming days when you will appreciate the sense of betrothal more and more. I am going to draw you into My Presence more and more. This love will give you a passion for the Kingdom. You will know the mystery of this love of God for His Bride the Church and it will impact your lives. I have had your names written on My heart. Look to Me afresh for the signs that I am drawing you".

John Hosier then came up and appropriately weighed and responded to the prophecy in a prayer. And Kate then led us in the awesome song;

• Every knee shall bow.

Joel Virgo - the lead elder at CCK - then came up and introduced Rob Rufus warmly and filled in some of the history as to how long Rob had known Terry (who was present and in the front row with Wendy). Rob then came up to preach;

His text was 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 (but he didn't use it a great deal!).

Rob began by making some comments about "Antioch" churches and "Corinthian" churches and their presence today. "Antioch" churches are those churches who for them the boundaries of the Kingdom of God know no bounds! They live to give! "Corinthian" churches on the other hand are indeed a people of power (and there is nothing wrong with that) but they are limited by self-indulgence. They cannot see past their own borders. Rob urged us;

"Give away your best to the nations for they are in our inheritance! The kingdom of heaven is given to those who believe that worship must cater to His temperament and His desire. The time to reap is coming in a powerful way!".

Rob then asked his wife Glenda to come up and bring a prophecy that the Lord had given her that morning while he was out for a run. She came up and said the following;

"The heart of God wants to commend you as a church. Younger generations have faithfully guarded what has been passed down by their fathers. They know the price that was paid and the battle that was fought. The fathers fought to see God's kingdom restored. They cried out for revival! You as a church are going into a season of reaping. It is harvest time! It's promise time! It's fulfillment time! This is not a time to waver and say "Will it come?". It's time to be bold in the Spirit! It is an Amos season!".

Rob then continued. Budda's tomb is occupied! Mohammad's tomb is occupied! But there is an empty tomb in Jerusalem! He said that he has been given an assignment to birth grace-filled churches across the nations. There is a cry for freedom across the churches of the nations. A cry for chains to fall off!

He referred to his text and made the point that Israel was baptised into Moses when they went through the sea and into the cloud. Too many evangelicals stop at baptism in the sea and forget the cloud. For us we are baptised into Christ but we also need to pass through the cloud of glory! There is more to come! We should be expecting our shadows to heal the sick as we walk through the streets of Brighton! He said;

"We cannot win people one by one - the race is too fast! We need the cloud of glory to settle on cities so that hundreds of thousands of millions are swept into the Kingdom of God! It has happened in Wales! It has happened in Azusa Street! There MUST be more in heaven than there is in hell!".

When you touch the glory of God, God Himself in tangible naked glory is revealed to us! Religions today are trying to counterfeit the lack of the glory with Adam-like fig leaves. Conversion means more than baptism in water - we must be enveloped in the glory! He prophesied;

"The day is coming when you will stand in My glory and radiate it effortlessly".

Access to the glory is through the finished work of Jesus Christ and that is it. It isn't our good works that produce faith but our faith that produces good works. God has prepared Newfrontiers by living in a foundation of grace to stand in the glory. Grace is essential! The Old Covenant glory revealed God's opinion of you and me through the law. We all know we are breaking the law. He demands a perfect righteousness from you yet under grace in the New Covenant we see His opinion through grace.

"Law says "DO - DO - DO!". Grace says "It is DONE!".

If we truly grasp our weakness and utter helplessness apart from grace then the cherubim will back off and allow us into the glory. He testified that while preaching in Hong Kong before coming to the UK, 2 angels came down in glory and stood either side of him while preaching with trumpets. A lady got healed even before making it to the front! He made the point that fasting doesn't earn the blessing or the glory. It simply positions us to be more sensative to God.

"All over the world true New Covenant churches with a foundation of grace are moving into the glory. You can never see the cloud of glory while you are in the land of slavery".

The enemy knows that legalism in the church will stop the Church coming into the cloud of glory. The doctrine of demons that will be taught in the last days is not license but a return to legalism - forbidding marriage and so on - people will not leave the faith for license. They will leave it because of legalism. We may know a bit of freedom but then like Pharoh and his armies, the slavemasters of the law will come and attempt to drag us back.

(Exodus 20:14) At one point the Israelites were more aware of the armies of Egpyt than they were the cloud of glory that was ahead of them. But then the cloud of glory moved through them to seperate them from the slavemasters. This is where the church is prophetically in 2007. This is where the Israelites got baptised into the cloud. There is a teaching abroad that calls to "balance the teaching of grace with law!". Satan is behind that lie! How can you balance heaven and hell? How can you balance good and evil? They are mutually incompatible!

God the Father treated Jesus Christ as the worst sinner on the plant so that you and I can be treated as the most righteous. "By one sacrifice you and I have been made perfect forever!". Disobedience or obedience doesn't affect the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In the Father's eyes we are perfect forever! In the cloud of glory you can see only Jesus!

"Jesus + Anything = Nothing.

Jesus +Moses + Elijah = Nothing.

Jesus + Law = Nothing.

Jesus + Nothing = Everything!".

It is effortless. "He healed them ALL".

Tonight: Simon Brading leading worship and Rob Rufus speaking the "Anointing of God" with the most incredible ministry time!

CCK, Brighton on Sunday 8th July!!

I noted a few days ago that Rob Rufus will be speaking at CCK in Brighton prior to "Together on a Mission" - and am tremendously excited about that. I was discussing with my new pastor up in Birmingham how we both wanted to hear Rob in the context of a local church teach as compared to a larger conference - so here is our chance! I can't wait to hear what he has to say and to share to that wonderful church. But if that wasn't enough and my excitement wasn't reaching fever pitch - I now note that Kate Simmonds will be back and leading worship in the morning on that Sunday!

Now let me reassure all worried readers - I am not in the process of hero worship (not much anyway!). Heroes tend to be human and they will and do let you down. Unless they are glorified in heaven like Ern Baxter! My excitement at this key Sunday is that two respected servants of God who I do deeply admire, respect and love will be together taking joint responsibility to lead us into the Presence of God and set the Brighton week off with an awesome kick start! Kate's gifting for not taking centre stage but leading the congregation into worship is just outstanding. There are very few worship leaders I know who within the first song can take us "there".

It's going to be quite a week - quite a conference. And I am desperately hungry to meet God in awesome and unparallelled power. "Show me Your glory God! Show us Your glory!".

Hillsongs - Consuming Fire

I found this awesome link courtesy of the wonderful Hillsongs. I first sang this incredible prayer at Church of Christ the King when Tom Eaton was speaking just before "Together on A Mission 2006". I'll never forget it.

Rob Rufus at CCK!! July 8th!!

How excited am I?!?!

Sessions from the Worship School at Church of Christ the King, Brighton!

One of the many strengths that come out from CCK, Brighton is their outstanding gifting in worship. The wonderful Kate Simmonds used to lead the team there until her recent move to Australia with Peter Brookes. Other worship leaders of course include Stuart Townend, Paul Oakley, Phatfish and the awesome Simon Brading (who will be helping to lead worship at Together on a Mission 2007!). To be involved in a time of worship there often felt something like being at Stoneleigh. They demonstrate a passionate, Christ-exalting, God-centred prophetic gifting to lead the people of God into the throne room and bask in the Presence of the Holy Spirit and it is just ... heavenly!

However CCK cannot be accused of being exclusivist or hiding their tremendous giftings under a bushel. For some time they have run a Worship School where they invite pastors, worship leaders, and just worshippers in general to come and receive from their experience, passion and gifting. This is no theological, dry time! It is theologically based but the topics give away their passions to draw people in to experience God's love and His pleasure. They hold main sessions and more practical workshops where I believe there is an opportunity to try out songs and music and receive advice from the CCK team.

I've never managed to get to a Worship School although I know that Pete has and I am sure will testify to it's impact on his life as well as Mark Heath (and I think my friend Luke has as well?) So I am tremendously excited that the last Worship School (14th October 2006) has now made their sessions available in MP3 format on the CCK website! It was tucked away in the Archive and I only found it by accident - so I wanted to draw attention to it so that those of us who haven't had the blessing of being able to attend can benefit from the material too.

The sessions are available here and were as follows -

Main Sessions:

God's Presence in the Worshipping Church
Dave Fellingham

Rhythm of the Saints
Phatfish & Stuart Townend

Declare His Praise and let the World Hear
Joel Virgo

Workshops:

Vocal technique and harmonies
Lou Fellingham

Worship leading, preparation and practice
Kate Simmonds

Prophetic Worship
Dave Fellingham & Simon Brading