Investing into the Kingdom

Did you watch Noah on BBC1 the other week? 

Its always good to see some Biblical drama acted out on our screens. The thing that struck me was the way in which they presented him as not even supported by his closest family until quite late on in the process of building. This was highlighted even more than the ridicule others gave him.

During Holy Week at one point I found myself reflecting on the way in which Jesus was ridiculed, willfully misrepresented and wrongly accused. He did little to respond, he was not able to much of the time, but what comes over is that he just got on with what the Father was calling him to do. Just as Noah did. Just as many of the Biblical characters did as they followed God’s call.

What we do will sometimes attract ridicule and misrepresentation.  There will be moments of self-doubt, times that we are tempted to pull back from the brink. We will find we need to focus in on the main thing that we are called to do and…… just do it.

Having just led a small Kairos team on the Community of Practice we are part of (something like the Leaders & Teams Learning Community we hold twice a year) what emerged as we listened to God together was a challenge to make sure we focus on the main thing we are called to as a church: Releasing Communities of Followers in the Mission of Jesus.  It’s not that we haven’t been doing this – but there was a definite feel of intensification – of the Holy Spirit emphasising our vision to be releasers of disciples in communities/extended families.

This term we are going to be focusing, in teaching, huddle, Learning Community and training, on investing the capital each of us has in the things of the Kingdom. I am beginning, with the help of the Vision Team and Base Team, to explore what it will look like to further invest in the release of effective communities – I believe we have only just started and hope you will continue, even if you feel a little like Noah must have done, to press on pursuing the vision God has given us.

Mark