Reaching the UnreachedAn annual conference for churches trying to reach out in the hard places of our land

Matthew presents Jesus as a new Moses bringing a new exodus and a new kingdom, creating a new community and a new covenant. Jesus has gone up a mountain to teach his new community just like Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the law. And so we might suppose we were about to get a new law or a new ethic. But, no, Jesus says he’s not bringing a new law, but fulfilling the old law (5:17-18).

In Deuteronomy 4:5-6 God said that if Israel lived under his law then the nations would realise that it was good to live in God’s kingdom. But most of the time Israel didn’t do a good job of living under God’s law. Instead of drawing the nations to God, Israel brought God’s name into disgrace (vv. 13).

But Jesus is creating a new community for his new age with the law written on their hearts (in fulfilment of Jeremiah 31:31-34). This community will live in a way that brings light to the world and glory to God (vv. 14-16).

This is the way the community of Jesus is to live (v. 19). It’s not just an impossible ethic to make us despair and drive us to Jesus. This is the way we are to live. This is how we will be light in our city.

And so Jesus makes it very practical.

(continue reading…)

Imagine a City

Imagine a city in which:

• people resort to vio lence to settle disputes
• people readily shout abuse at one another and rain down curses on one another
• people get mad when someone cuts them up in traffic or when the call centre cuts them off

Imagine a city in which:

• it is common to find someone distraught because their partner has been unfaithful
• husbands boast of their faithfulness, but openly go to strip clubs or secretly use po rnography
• children blame themselves for their parents divorce

Imagine a city in which:

• people say one thing, but do another
• people have to swear on their mother’s grave because no-one trusts anyone else
• you are always suspicious of your motives

Imagine a city in which:

• people stab you in the back when they get the chance
• people always demand their rights
• disagreements escalate into feuds

Welcome to our city. Welcome to Sheffield.

(continue reading…)

I like a clear strategy, thorough-going administration and functional organisation. It makes me feel in control and as if I’m on top of things. It makes me feel as if the task of reaching people is not beyond me. I feel safe with a strategy, so I want people around me in my church that are gifted administrators and organisers.

And surely that’s what the Lord wants too, isn’t it? His churches will be built up, and His people will grow, by the power of efficient strategy and people who are able to make things happen. “Send me more of them, Lord,” I would pray.

But what happens when you are trying to build a Gospel-centred church family when few are administrationally gifted, most genuinely struggle to organise things and planning doesn’t come naturally? Well, if you are an idiot like me, try to beat them into organisational shape whilst begging God to transform them into the congregation that all the church growth manuals say they ought to be. Or else go back to your bible and realise that the Lord expands His kingdom rule through weak and feeble pray-ers who depend on Him over their own strategic ability and well meant plans.

I want things tidy, manageable and measurable so that I can feel in control of something that truly is beyond me. The Sovereign Lord doesn’t do tidy, but leads us to a heart of dependency.

I want a clear plan that testifies to my greatness as a leader. He wants to silence our pride and show that He alone is saviour.

I want to put confidence in worldly methods and boil Gospel ministry down to a manageable formula. He works to defy worldly wisdom and delights to anwer the prayers of dependent people.

Realising this is truly liberating. I no longer need to try to disciple people to be square pegs in round holes. I don’t need to train non-strategy types to be what they are not (needlessly frustrating and discouraging them along the way) .

Not all in our church families can plan, strategize, and push through a vision for Gospel growth, but everyone of God’s children can beg their heavenly Father for mercy, direction and saving grace. I can teach them all that! Until recently, I counted it a frustration that our church family has only a few who can drive through a vision – however, I’m beginning to think that in the long term it might be one of God’s greatest gifts to us. It means we have nowhere to turn but prayer, and we can all beg!