Core Value #6 Partnership
On Sunday Ben talked about our last core value: partnership. The bible reading was Exodus 4: 10 – 19. You can download the mp3 here or listen to the talk below.
discipleship
Core Values #5 Growth
On Sunday 21st June, Ben spoke on our 5th Value: Growth.
The reading was Matthew 13: 31-33. You can download the talk as an mp3 or listen below.
Ben talked about different seasons of pruning and fruitfulness in our lives, he prepared a handout that explores this a little more. You can find that here.
New Teaching Series – Christian Values and Core Values
Oops, we didn’t record the sermon at our Central Gathering last Sunday so Ben recorded a short summary – its not quite as dynamic as the live recording, but its shorter!!! You can watch the video above, download the talk as an MP3 or listen on the player below.
Ben was launching a new series thinking about our core values as a church. The bible reference was Ephesians 3:14-19.
Learning to Pray
It was great to connect with so many in the prayer room last week, and then at the Central Gathering on Sunday as we talked about living spectacularly ordinary lives for God: wherever we are and whatever we do.
One thing that those who took part in the prayer room kept saying is that they felt God’s presence in a new or deeper way as they prayed. If prayer has a goal, I think it’s that – to find a deeper and more continuous connection with God. Now that’s a big goal, and points to our eternal future: people and God together forever. But we can take lots of small steps that help develop that connection. I’ve found two things have helped me: learning to pray on my own, and learning to pray with others.
Learning to pray on my own.
Show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. Song of Songs 2: 14.
Learning that God is interested in me, God wants to be a part of my life and spend time with me has massively helped me want to develop time with God. My goal is to find as close-to-unbroken connection and conversation as I can. Sometimes that feels a long way off. But periods of silence, breathing prayer (slowly repeating a prayer or scripture with my breathing), written prayers, listening to music or getting out in nature all help.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.
The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16.
Learning that God not only listens but answers has helped too. Writing down the requests I make of God, noticing his answers, giving thanks for them. Learning to pray for healing for people, or for provision for people and acknowledging when God works. All this had grows my confidence to pray more boldly!
My current pattern is to find 3 moments of prayer in my day – morning, midday and evening. In the morning I get a bit of time to sit with God, read a part of the bible, maybe write down some thoughts or a prayer of my own. At midday I pause for a few moments, say the Lord’s prayer and let one phrase draw me to deeper prayer. At night I simply try to remember the things from the day that I’m thankful for and the things that have caused hurt, worry or fear. Then offer all to God as I go to sleep. These don’t have to be long – when I was a teacher or training I used to used my commute to pray. Sometimes my midday pause is a snatched moment in the car, or on the move.
Like lots of you I often use the Lectio 365 App to focus my prayers, which have reflections for morning, midday and evening. It’s a great place to start if you want to try a daily prayer rhythm. My advice would be don’t start with all three – pick one that most often works and then build from there.
Learning to pray with others.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42
There is something special that happens when we get together with others and worship or pray. Making some time to pray with others either with the bible, or a particular focus is a massive boost to mission.
There are lots of regular times Kairos people gather to pray. Your Kairos community might already have its own rhythm.
You are welcome to join at any of the following.
Expresso Prayers, 8am, hosted by Kindle – 10 minutes prayer on zoom, Monday to Friday.
9:30am Prayer – Half an hour every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Kairos room.
Netmakers Prayer – Prayer for the town with people from lots of different churches.
Tuesdays at 9:30am in the Kairos Room.
Prayer for young people and youth work across the town with the Netmakers team.
Second Sundays, 6pm at St Andrew’s Starbeck.
Worship and Prayer night – 6:30-8pm, 4th Sundays.
A longer bit of time to linger in God’s presence, listen to His word and pray together.
Happening next – Sunday 24th September.
Starting Soon –
Prayer for Knaresborough. Weds 24th Sept, 7-8:30 and thereafter fortnightly. Venue TBC.
Prayer for Children and Families. Sunday 28th September, 11am in the Kairos Room.
If you or your community want to learn more about praying you could try –
How to Pray, by Pete Greig. There is also a great version for younger explorers.
Beholding, by Strahan Colemen – Helen and I loved this!
What’s helped you pray? How is God taking helping you increase you connection with him?
Go and make disciples of all nations
Reflecting on Jesus’ great commission in Matthew 28:16-20, Emma explores how are we to ‘make disciples’. Some of the vital ingredients for this process are nurture, inclusion, and loving others by listening to them. You can listen here or using the player below.
I’m not going to pass you by, I’m coming to your house.
Do you ever worry about being passed by, by people, by God?
Do you worry about missing out?
There is a negative side of this, but perhaps also a holy one.
The person always defined by FOMO is restless, never able to settle with who they are, but the person who stays focussed on receiving all God has for them, perhaps they are more likely to receive?
Jesus said: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
I don’t want to miss out! I don’t want us to miss out on what God is doing in our moment of opportunity.
I was praying about this the other day and felt the Holy Spirit’s whisper. “I’m not going to pass you by, I’m coming to you house.”
This reminded me of a verse we had been praying about in Vision Team this week.
“And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Eph 2.22
God’s plan is to dwell with us.
There are a few stories, in the bible, where Jesus visits homes.
A couple of them are to do with Zaccheus and Mary.
You probably remember the Zaccheus story – he doesn’t want to miss out on seeing Jesus so he climbs a tree. But Jesus spots him and calls him down: ‘I must stay at your house!’ Zaccheus’ life is a bit of a mess, he’s a collaborator with Rome and he seems to have got rich through corruption. But Jesus wants to be with him, and this changes Zaccheus. The story ends with Zaccheus promising to pay back his corrupt earnings, and give away half his wealth.
In another story Jesus visits Martha and Mary’s home. Mary finds herself drawn to Jesus, she just wants to sit and listen to him. This is a big taboo for the time, and winds up her sister! But Jesus commends her: ‘Mary has chosen what is better’. In another story Jesus comes back to their house and Mary pours out expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet.
Many are searching and hoping not to miss out.
Can we say that there are certain things that get’s Jesus attention? Maybe?
Zaccheus climbs, Mary sits.
Both interupt their normal way of being because they interested.
They make space to welcome Jesus. What might that look like for you: do you need to climb or sit somewhere to see, to listen?
Mary and Zaccheus change. Mary pours out perfume, Zaccheus gives back his dodgy wealth.
They let their Lord transform them, fully, extravagantly
Perhaps this is what helps us find: attention and obedience.
Waiting, watching, listening and then responding to what God’s doing.
Here is a breath prayer that might help you embed this more.
Try repeating it slowly a few times, as you breathe in and out.
You want to be with me,
Jesus I welcome you.
Listening Carefully… Choose
Sadly we weren’t able to record last Sundays Central Gathering sermon. Ben talked about the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:13-48. Jesus shares a set of picture-parables to prompt his listeners to a choice.
The narrow and wide gates. Jesus says that the way to life is narrow, its hard and involves careful thought and intention. But it leads to life!
Sheep and wolves, fruit trees and thorn bushes. Jesus says that there will be some who look good, but are actually trying to destroy life. Perhaps we all face that temptation. He encourages his listeners to look beyond specatular signs and to seek good fruit fruit. Are our lives become more kind, more holy, more loving?
The house on the rock and the house on the sand. Jesus recognises that in times of crisis everyone wants to build shelters. He says that those who listen and obey Him will be like builders who build on rock. When trouble comes they will have a house that stands firm. This links back to one of his earlier picture parable in this part of Matthew – a town on a hill. As we build on the rock together, but listening to and obeying Jesus words, we become a bright city – that offers light and shelter for each other and those around us.
So that leaves a choice – who are you following?
Will you listen to and obey the way of Jesus.
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Bonus Content – In this series has we’ve mentioned a couple of resources.
The Bible Project. You can watch their final sermon on the mount video below.
The Narrow Path by Rich Villodas. You can get the book here, or listen to an interview with him about it here.
We have used these resources to produce a booklet of discussion questions and ideas. You can get that here.
Listening carefully… when you fast, pray, give.
This Sunday we did something slightly different. Rather than a talk on this topic I led some discussion around Matthew 6: 1-8, 16-18.
Why not join in with a similar reflection. Read the passage a couple of times and then think about the following questions.
What Got my (Ben) attention was the word ‘when’. Jesus assumes that those who want to grow in their faith, who follow his way will fast, pray and give. You might like to think about some new questions.
You can find further resources for reflection and discussion, a link to the bible project video for this passage, and some further thoughts on practices here (link loads pdf).
Listening carefully… oaths, revenge, enemies
Continuing our series studying the Sermon on the Mount, Helen B reflects on our use of language, creative responses to oppressive behaviour, good disagreement, and how food brings us together. The reading is Matthew 5:33-48. You can listen here or using the player below.
You can find a link to the next Bible Project video in this series, and some discussion questions, here.
Listening carefully… murder, adultery and divorce
Continuing our series studying the Sermon on the Mount, Ben reflects on Jesus’ challenging words in Matthew 5:21-32. Jesus calls us to live in a way that demonstrates what God is like by the way we relate to each other, honouring and valuing one another in relationship, not crushing, objectifying or discarding, not only in public but in our hidden inner lives. Jesus offers kindness to those who are wounded and space for honesty where we have got it wrong. His redemption and ability to restore are more powerful than our worst failures. You can listen here or using the player below.
You can find a link to the next Bible Project Video in this series, and some discussion questions, here.