Kings Church London :: Blog http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php Sun, 19 May 2013 08:37:02 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/images/logo.jpg http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php Kings Church London. Click to visit. http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#544 If you look back over this week's reading, Paul has summed up three key aspects of our salvation; we are justified, redeemed and forgiven because of Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf. What Jesus has done for us is amazing, earth shattering and life transforming!. This isn't about a religion that tinkers around with our problems through rituals to make us a bit better, it's a wonderful cosmic exchange that affects everything we are from the inside out.But people of faith who have begun well, changed by God, over time can often reduce their faith to religion, to 'dos and don'ts' or worse still, take credit for their own good behaviour. Boasting that they are really nice people after all, that somehow they saved themselves! Paul reminds both Jews and Gentiles not to boast or to be arrogant but to remember it's not about good deeds but our response in faith to all God has done."Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. 28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.29 After all, is God the God of the Jews only? Isn't he also the God of the Gentiles? Of course he is. 30 There is only one God, and he makes people right with himself only by faith, whether they are Jews or Gentiles. 31 Well then, if we emphasize faith, does this mean that we can forget about the law? Of course not! In fact, only when we have faith do we truly fulfil the law."(NLT)To truly declare all Jesus has done is to humbly keep the focus on him - salvation is all about him. There is only one God and one way to be right with him - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(John14:6)Something to think aboutThink on the truth that there is only one God - how can you lovingly, humbly talk to people about that truth?Something to pray aboutLord, I sometimes keep what you have done for me to myself and find it hard to share with those who don't know you yet. Give me both boldness and humility as I go to work or meet friends so I can make the most of opportunities to share the Good News of your salvation. Kings Church London Fri, 17 May 2013 06:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#543 "God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 - he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."The linking of the shedding of blood as a sacrifice to atone for sin seems alien to us today but is central to Old Testament worship and many practices of other religions of the time. The giving of sacrifices attempted to bridge the gap between a Holy God and a sinful people. In the Old Testament this isn't about appeasing an unreasonably angry God - it's about justice and addressing the serious consequences of sin. The sacrifice acted as substitute, receiving the punishment you deserved for your sin and therefore restoring a right relationship with God. So the animal sacrifices foreshadowed the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross."The death of Christ was not only a substitutionary sacrifice for sinners; it was also the public vindication of the justice and righteousness of God himself. God is just; God is righteous; the wages of sin is death; the undeniable public proof of which is the propitiatory suffering of Jesus." Sam StormsJesus chose to lay down his life, to offer himself as a sacrifice, to receive the punishment we deserved, to make us right with God. It's done, it's finished, we are set free from the penalty of sin. "For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. 15 That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant." (Hebrews 9:11-28 NLT)Something to think aboutConsider how this relates to breaking of bread - when you next take the bread and wine, think on the fullness of salvation Jesus has won for you.Something to pray aboutLord, you are the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. You took the punishment on the cross that I deserved. Your love and mercy towards me is so generous and comprehensive. Let me never give up thanking you and worshipping you in response. Kings Church London Thu, 16 May 2013 06:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#545 What a tremendous response to last Sunday's message! I am still rejoicing and giving thanks following last Sunday's response to the gospel preach, when throughout the day on the Catford site 10 people made first time commitments to Christ. Praise God! This great news has energised my week! For the last few days I have been hosting 17 lead elders from churches all over the UK. Mick Taylor and Andrew Wilson joined us and gave some theological input to our discussions as we looked at some of the challenges involved in leading a growing church. It has been real fun and a great privilege to spend time with such great guys and to hear all God is doing in other places. Their desire to be better equipped so they can serve effectively leaves me really encouraged that our churches are in good hands and that the indicators for the future health of those churches is really positive! Meanwhile, back at King's, this Sunday at the 5.30 meeting on the Catford site we have a great guest speaker. Mbonisi Malaba (otherwise known as Bones!) leads New Creation Church in Bulawayo - he is part of the apostolic team that serves the Newfrontiers churches in Zimbabwe where he lives with his wife, Tash. Those of you who have heard him speak on previous visits know that it will be a great time - one not to miss! So - I encourage you, if you don't usually come to the 5.30 meeting... support your own site and your regular meeting in the morning, then come at 5.30 and give yourself a treat! It will do you good! You will remember from last week's blog that there was a certain football match taking place... Did any of you watch the game on Monday evening? I can tell you - I really enjoyed seeing the team I have supported through good times and bad - Crystal Palace - beating Brighton and gaining a place in the promotion playoff final. We are hoping to get tickets for the final at Wembley to face Watford. Come on you Eagles! Kings Church London Thu, 16 May 2013 11:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#542 "All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith."Redemption reminds us of the liberation that came to the people of Israel when God led them out of slavery in Egypt. The blood of the Passover lamb over the doors of the houses of god's people saved them and foreshadowed the blood of Jesus spilt to save us. We are like slaves redeemed - a price has been paid and we walk free; like prisoners, or people kidnapped by the enemy, set free with our ransom paid by Jesus.My husband travelled for many years to Colombia during the nineties when kidnapping was rife there. The company he worked for took out an insurance policy so that if he was taken they would have resources to pay a ransom. It was a strange feeling to think that someone in an insurance office had set a value on the worth of William's life. Thankfully the policy was never needed! God has set a great value on each of us - we are loved and cherished by him. He has provided the ransom needed to set us free from the grip of sin and the devil. That ransom was Jesus; he "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:27-29) "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves" (Colossians 1:12-14) Something to think aboutAre there habits, attitudes, things or people that make you feel you are still a captive, enslaved? Prayerfully share that with someone or do a Freedom in Christ course and find your freedom.Something to pray aboutThank you Lord that I am valued by you; you gave your only son, a priceless ransom that I might walk free. Help me walk in freedom and not be tempted back into slavery. Kings Church London Wed, 15 May 2013 06:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#541 This summer I've been called up to do jury service, which sounds interesting but is also daunting - having to decide whether someone is guilty or not is a big responsibility. In this passage Paul takes us to the law courts of heaven with the legal term justification. There's a lot to this passage but part of the meaning is that despite being sinners we are declared not guilty; we are acquitted of our sins by God."all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith"But this free gift goes beyond forgiveness or a pardon it means we are considered or declared righteous - it's 'just as if' we had never sinned. The family of Derek Bentley who was hanged for a murder in 1953 campaigned for many years to clear his name, convinced he wasn't guilty. He was granted a posthumous royal pardon in 1993, but his family realised that a pardon wasn't enough, they fought on and in 1998 a Court of Appeal ruled that he was innocent - he was justified and vindicated under English law. (Phil Moore, Straight to the Heart of Romans)God, our eternal judge, has declared us not guilty, but more than that, we are made righteous - it's as if we share in Jesus' perfect sinless life as well as benefitting from his willing death on our behalf. We are forgiven, pardoned, justified and vindicated and all this comes to us as a free gift, we receive it by faith - we certainly don't deserve it. Paul has spent two chapters making sure we know we are guilty - but, hallelujah, that's not the end of the story! Sin no longer defines us - grace does. "30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."(1Corinthinans 1:30 NLT)Something to think aboutJesus was falsely condemned and crucified because of your guilt and you are justified and made righteous because of his innocence. What an exchange!Something to pray aboutLord I want to boast in all you have done for me, I don't deserve any of it - your love, your mercy, your justifying work in my life. I am just so grateful. Hallelujah, what a Saviour! Kings Church London Tue, 14 May 2013 06:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#540 Paul summaries his long discussion about sin and concludes that there's no difference between Jew and Gentile. Whatever your background and in whatever ways you sin - we all sin! The righteousness of Jesus contrasts with all our dirty little secrets, all the ways are hearts try to rationalise that we're OK - the reality is that none of us is OK without Jesus."But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." Paul uses the word 'all' three times to really drive home his point. We all 'fall short of the glory of God' - we have "exchanged the glory of the Lord for the glory of his creation. Thus we have traded treasures. We prefer other things in life to the delights of seeing and knowing the God of glory. This is the essence of sin: preferring other things to the glory of God" John Piper.After making sure everyone in the church at Rome understands the bad news, Paul is ready to describe the Very Good News. If you've ever had a negative diagnosis when visiting the Doctor you'll know that the bad news can fill your mind so you can't seem to take in all the good news about treatment. The devil would want to paralyse us with guilt about our past and present sin but we have a complete cure in Jesus - so let's focus on that this week.Something to think aboutDoes your past sin stop you enjoying who you are in Christ? Yes, sin is serious but Jesus' solution to sin is seriously complete too. You're free from your past if you have repented and trusted in Jesus! Enjoy!Something to pray aboutLord, help me never to be proud and think I can be good without you. I've always fallen short but in you I am gloriously saved, justified, and redeemed. The good news of your gospel changes everything - today let me live like I believe it. Kings Church London Mon, 13 May 2013 06:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#537 As it is written: "There is no-one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no-one who understands, no-one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no-one who does good, not even one." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.The procedure today is slightly different. A person is charged and the day of the trial arrives. The defendant is asked to plead. If the evidence is overwhelming, if there is no alibi that can be supplied, no alternative explanation of the facts to be offered, then 'guilty' is the only response to be made. Anything else would make matters worse. In Paul's day you didn't even have to speak; you would simply place your hand in front of your mouth to show nothing could be said in defence, no mitigating circumstances could be offered.That's the picture that Paul ends with here as he draws to a conclusion all that he has been saying since chapter 1 verse 18. Left to stand alone before God's judgment - that's the predicament of every man and woman. Today, some people protest that on that day God will have a lot to answer for. They will have a few questions for him to answer, but all that is bravado. When all the facts are known - there will be nothing more to say. God is righteous and true, all his ways will be revealed as just and our rebellion and sin made all too clear. It makes make no difference what sort of background you come from, how respectable your lifestyle. All, yes all, everyone deserves God's righteous judgment.It's just as well the book of Romans doesn't stop here. Thankfully, there is a major turn in the road ahead. Next week we hear the good news! The power of sin has been broken, its penalty paid! The good news is that on that fateful judgment day we won't stand alone but Christ will stand with us! He will say, 'This one is mine, I paid the penalty for him. I paid the penalty for her.' Hallelujah!But it is worth taking time to realise that but for him we stand with all humanity in the dock, guilty, awaiting sentence.It should make us grateful. It should make us humble. It should make us reach out and offer others the amazing good news that on that day - they needn't stand alone!Something to think aboutOn the spiritual dashboard of your life how are your humility and gratitude levels?Something to pray aboutGuilty, vile, and helpless, we;Spotless Lamb of God was He;"Full atonement!" Can it be?Hallelujah! What a Saviour! Kings Church London Fri, 10 May 2013 06:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#536 Ever started to write a list and got distracted? That's what Seems to happen to Paul in today's verses.What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God. What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge." But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" Why not say--as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say--"Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved. See what I mean? Paul was intending to give us a list of privileges that God's Old Testament people enjoyed and he only got to point one, "First of all" and then interrupts himself. In his mind he has got the objections that some of his readers might have to what he has been saying. Understanding your audience is critical to good communication; people can have all sorts of misconceptions about what having faith means. So, finding out what particular difficulties a person has in understanding the Gospel, where they are confused, or have questions, is vital if we want to help them find the good news in the gospel. The lesson today then is - we need to learn to ask some good questions ourselves and, just as important, be good listeners.By the way - Paul completes the list he started in verse 1 much later in the letter. If you are interested check out chapter 9 verses 3-5.Something to think aboutWho is your closest non-Christian friend? What is their biggest difficulty with the Christian message?Something to pray aboutLord I thank you that you are the answer to everyone's deepest needs. Help me to so love and listen to my friends and family who don't know you yet so that I can understand how to help them get round the obstacles they have in coming to you. Kings Church London Thu, 09 May 2013 05:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#539 Do you ever have a week when you think it would be helpful to have eight days to get everything done? Each person on the face of the earth has the same allocation of time in a day, week or year, but how do you cope when you have more to do than time allows? Bill Hybels famously says it is difficult to lead a church and teach a church well in the same week. For me, this week feels like one of those weeks. One of my Dad's favourite sayings is, 'There is always enough time, it is just a question of priorities...' - this is good advice, but requires the discipline to adjust quickly and to manage your own expectations as well as those of others. It raises questions - do I give more attention this week to the next phase of our building project which will cost over a million pounds? Or do I concentrate on Sunday's preach. Both are majorly important matters... One decision I am glad I made early in the week was to prioritise family over ministry. I am grateful to friends who were willing to change arrangements for a meal together so that I could attend a special occasion with my sons. Some of you may know that I am a lifelong Crystal Palace fan - and a game in the promotion play-offs against our arch-rivals Brighton on Friday evening does not come along every year! I will enjoy the evening taking two of my sons to watch the game - I hope we win (come on you Eagles!), but increasingly nowadays it is the shared experience which brings joy to me. In a busy week and a demanding season, this feels like a good decision. Meanwhile, let's all be content with the seven days God has given us this week!   Kings Church London Thu, 09 May 2013 14:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#535 It is all too easy to read scripture and then apply it to other people.Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth-- you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." Read the passage again -but this time change the word 'Jew' to 'Christian'; 'Gentiles' to 'unbelievers' and the phrase 'the law' to 'the Bible'. Now that smacks a punch doesn't it? What seemed like a rather remote issue that was relevant to other people at another time and place suddenly comes right to our front door and demands our attention. God's people in Old Testament times were supposed to be a light to the Gentiles. By demonstrating the joy and blessing of living by faith in God others were to be attracted to follow him too. They were to live to the praise of his (God's) glorious grace (Ephesians 1:5) instead, to their shame, Paul had to write in his day about the Jews that all too often "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." The tragic truth is that this is not just an ancient danger. Today, many are uninterested in pursuing the truth about Christ because of the lives of people who call themselves Christian. As in Paul's day it was often those that thought themselves most devout who were most guilty. Observing judgmental responses and weak compromise leave a bad taste in people's mouth. Rather than hungering to know more, those who have had a bad experience of Christians quickly try out other sweeter-looking alternatives.Something to think aboutWho do you know who has been put off Christ by a bad experience of Christians? What could you do to bless them?Something to pray aboutLord I want to be a beacon of light, showing people the way home to you. Forgive me when I have been more like a danger signal warning people not to go your way. Help me shine with the love of Jesus today. Kings Church London Wed, 08 May 2013 05:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#534 God "will give to each person according to what he has done". To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism. If you read what Paul writes here out of context it appears to contradict all he says about faith and grace. He seems to say that it is works not faith that count; that we need to earn God's favour by what we do. Surely not!To make sense of these verses we need to understand their context and their pattern. The overriding point he is making, all the way from 1:18 until 3:20, is that everyone has sinned, no one is righteous - none, not a single Gentile or Jew can be right with God because of their own efforts. That's the context. The pattern is to notice what is written in the first and last sentences of this section. Both are statements about God's impartiality, his lack of favouritism, and that is what this section is really about. In thinking about judgement the Roman believers were not to consider Jews in a separate category to Gentiles. Here Paul is not thinking about how people will be saved - but how they will be judged. He is setting the criteria for judgement and he will reinforce again and again (until chapter 3:20) that all fail, all deserve judgement, all need grace. We are all in the same boat and it's sinking! For everyone, faith in Jesus is the only way of rescue.Finally! Remember Paul is not writing an evangelistic tract. He is writing to a church grappling with the strains of diversity. Something to think aboutHow should knowing that God has no favourites affect how I treat people today?Something to pray aboutLord throughout this day help me to see everyone I meet as you see them. I ask you to stir up a spirit of prayer in me so that in each conversation I silently ask you to bless the other person and draw them closer to you. May they find in me something of your love which shows no favouritism.   Kings Church London Tue, 07 May 2013 06:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#533 Your reaction to this passage will depend on where you are sitting. Are you one of the jury or are you in the dock? Paul has been describing the pagan culture of the Roman world, full of rampant and obvious sin. He realises that many from a Jewish background would have been quite enjoying this, nodding happily in agreement and feeling quite superior that even before they put their faith in Christ they had been above such things. Now suddenly he changes his attack and they find themselves not sitting with the jury - but in the dock.You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. This would have come as an incredible shock. "Us do the same things? Never!" they would have cried, but as we have seen, Paul is focusing not on the external manifestations of sin but its inner spring. You can be a highly respected member of society, known as a devoutly religious person and never do any of the scandalous things reported in the tabloid press and have been as far from God as a murdering adulterer.How easy it can be to be complacent about our sin and yet have zero tolerance about the failures of others! To think and act as though we deserve God's grace more than others.Something to think aboutWhen you read or hear of moral failures, do you ever react like the Pharisee in one of the stories of Jesus? Do you ever proudly say, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers?' (see Luke 18:9-14)Something to pray aboutLord, I confess that I easily see myself as superior to others whose sins I consider worse than my own. I ask you to forgive me of this unworthy attitude and I ask that your Holy Spirit will reveal to me afresh your holiness that I, like Paul, might see myself as the chief of sinners saved only by grace. Kings Church London Mon, 06 May 2013 06:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#531 The chain reaction of not acknowledging the creator of the universe and worshipping only him continues. Although people are aware of God's moral code in their hearts they choose to do the very opposite. Often people give the argument that I'm not hurting anyone else - this action is just private - but actually once we choose to do something against God's law we end up approving of others who do the same. We rationalise, we say its OK, we take the lead from others and before we know it others follow our example and the influence of sin widens."32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practise them."This week's chapter has focused on the plight of mankind since the fall. Paul wants the Romans to be in no doubt about the world's need of a saviour. Mankind has consistently failed to keep God's righteous decrees but we have not been left without hope, as we will see as Paul moves his arguments forward. Here's just a taster from Romans 8:3-4 to make your heart sing:"So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit."(The New Living Translation)Something to think about Are there things you condone in your own life, thinking they are private, which you need to confess, repent and get free from?Something to pray aboutLord I'm so grateful that you have forgiven me and welcomed me home, that like the prodigal son I came to my senses about the sin and rebellion in my heart. Help me live in the good of that and not slip back into sin. Kings Church London Fri, 03 May 2013 06:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#532 We have currently had a short season of receiving input from church leaders who are ahead of us on the path of growth. Hard on the heels of Jim Tomberlin came Rich Nathan from Vineyard Church in Columbus, Ohio. It was great to spend time with Rich and Marlene, hear their story and ask them questions. When Rich Nathan started leading his church over 25 years ago, he had 30 people meeting regularly. Over this latest Easter weekend more than 14,000 people attended the church. It was a privilege to listen to him throughout the day on Tuesday as he spoke at a gathering of some leaders from larger churches in our network. At the same time there were uncomfortable moments when he asked some simple but perceptive questions over a breakfast meeting. I realised again that we are in stretching times and, wow, I have so much to learn about leading a large church! These last couple of days, Deb and I, along with Mick and Val Taylor, have enjoyed fellowship with other leaders from our Newfrontiers family of churches across the country - Rich Nathan being the guest speaker. His encouragement and his message on transition were particular helpful - more challenge for us to deal with, more stretching to do! From all this you will realise that it has been a particular busy couple of weeks - but also extremely encouraging. Receiving this sort of input from other leaders who are well ahead of us is indeed stretching, but I have learned that it is vital to our on-going health and to continued growth. The Lord of the Harvest has given us links with skilled workers from other parts of the world and if we are wise we benefit from their experience, while at the same time we can bless churches and leaders who are following us on the road! Have a great bank holiday weekend - see you on Sunday at one of our seven meetings! Kings Church London Fri, 03 May 2013 09:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#530 The scary thing about this chapter is that Paul says three times "God gave them over..." God allows people to experience the consequences of sin and the chain reaction of falling further and further away from him. The father in the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15) did the same - he was ready to run to the son with grace and mercy, but only after the son's his own choice had led him to rock bottom."26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worth while to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy."It's easy to pick out certain sins as worse than others or get drawn into issues society is focused on but Paul's catalogue of sins also includes envy and gossip - it includes us all. There seems an order of choices that moves from lust to actions, and then to losing their understanding of who God is. Once you forget Gods' loving yet holy character - you can convince yourself anything goes.Paul writes in terms of 'them' not 'us' but I don't think he wants the reader to judge others but instead to prayerfully say 'there but for the grace of God go I.'Something to think about Often we turn away from the evil we see in the world - for a moment consider today's news and pray for the people involved on all sides.Something to pray aboutLord, reveal my own heart to me and keep me close to you. Help me hold on to the truth of your character and may my actions and desires be consistent with who you are rather than who I am. Kings Church London Thu, 02 May 2013 06:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2013#529 Ok, so Paul is really getting to the nitty-gritty now! Christians have often got a bad press for being negative about sex but Paul is really using sexual immorality as an illustration for what is going on in people's hearts. Actually, Christians of all people should be able to enjoy the gift of sex with freedom - within marriage (Just read Song of Songs to see God has no problem with sexual desire in itself!)."Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is for ever praised. Amen."Desire in itself is not wrong but in hearts it so often turns to lust which is selfish, greedy and controlling. Instead of seeing love - as reflected in God's own character - as sacrificial, people believe the lie that fulfilling their desires is an end in itself. What's more, they sacrifice time, principles and other relationships to the object of their desires - whether that is another person, a job, wealth, a car or house - and that's idolatry. Instead of worshipping God with grateful and generous hearts, people have become obsessed with selfish desires.Paul is painting this dark picture to remind us that we are all sinners, not for us to point the finger at others. As Alexander Solzhenitsyn so eloquently said, "If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?" Something to think about Is there anything in your life that you get tempted to lust after, grasp at or even worship? Take some time to be grateful and worship God - make him your desire. Something to pray aboutLord I realise that the things of this world and the desires of my heart often lead me astray. I resolve to counter that with the truth about who you are and all the blessings I have already received. Keep my heart full of gratitude and focused on worshipping you as Lord of my life. Kings Church London Wed, 01 May 2013 06:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#528 Paul continues to set the depressing scene of humans turning away from God - he is painting a graphic picture of our deep need of a saviour."Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools.23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles."(The New Living Translation)Many have argued, like Paul, that there is something within us that senses the universe is created by a being greater than us - but if we don't acknowledge God we will create our own god in his place. So people are not ignorant of God, they deliberately decide to suppress that truth, to suppress the questions a beautiful sunset or the intricacies of a spider's web raise, to choose a world without God. Somehow, written on our hearts is the desire to seek and worship something - of course, without the gospel being clearly taught the very nature of God as a loving, saving God will not be fully revealed. As Phil Moore comments, "they are judged because they gladly infect themselves with sin's disease, not because nobody told them that Jesus is its cure."Something to think aboutDo you remember what you thought about God before you put your faith in Jesus? What has changed?Something to pray aboutThank you, Lord, that there was a day when you grabbed me in my foolishness and revealed yourself to me. Thank you that although I was heading in my own direction you turned me around and opened my eyes to your love and mercy. Lord, I pray for those I love who still worship other gods - either literally other religions, or gods of money and work and relationships. Help me to show by my life and words that you are the only God worthy of worship. Kings Church London Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#527 We've read the good news that "the gospel is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes" now Paul gives us the very bad news. Just as in the gospel God's righteousness is revealed, so also is his judgement of mankind's wickedness being revealed in the way God allows people to face the consequences of their beliefs and actions. Once the Roman Christians realise the desperate state of people around them who have rejected God they will appreciate the wonderful power and grace of the gospel and be motivated to declare it."The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."We tend to get a bit nervous when we read of God's wrath and judgement of sin - the value of tolerance is so deeply ingrained in us from our culture - but we all know that wickedness demands a response. Despite our tolerant society we still send more people than ever to jail and recognise that evil must be punished - we just don't like to talk about it in the context of God! Paul doesn't mince his words and this week's section is going to be uncomfortable reading at times but it's in the context of the amazing grace of the gospel and the very character of God. "God's invisible qualities" have been spelt out time and time again in the Old Testament - he is by nature "The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." (Exodus 43:6) Fear not! God's wrath is always accompanied by his compassion, love and faithfulness.Something to think aboutDo you ever think about how the selfishness and sin of human beings contrasts with the compassion and holiness of God?Something to pray aboutLord many in our world, people I know and love, have turned away from you and the standards that are good for us. Lord, you are compassionate but you are also perfectly holy and cannot be indifferent to sin. Help me to read this passage and be moved with love for our world, not being judgemental but realising that except for your grace I would deserve your wrath. Kings Church London Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:37:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#525 The book of Romans has got a bit of a reputation for being hard to understand and is full of verses so crammed with meaning that it can be a little confusing. Often the meaning hinges on words like 'by' and 'from' and some of the best brains in history have argued about Paul's intentions. Sometimes that is because Paul is drawing on Old Testament concepts and restating them in the light of Christ. Here Paul quotes a verse from Habakkuk 2:4 "the righteous shall live by faith" which was about believers living by a steadfast persevering faithfulness in a wicked time - rather like Abraham who waited patiently for the fulfilment of God's promises (Hebrews 6:15). So is Paul saying the gospel is about God's power to save - or our effort to hold on? Is it about God's faithfulness to us - or our faithfulness to him? Is it about moving from an Old Testament faith to a New Testament faith? Is it about God's action towards us - or our response? Or is it actually loaded with meaning and hints at all those things? I like The New Living Translation of this verse which captures the idea that faith is central to the gospel."This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."(The New Living Translation)Paul declares that faith is not just what we need to start the spiritual journey, it is essential throughout our lives! He means this, not just in the sense of keeping the faith, but that faith, not good deeds, is what keeps us right with God. The righteousness of God covers us in response to all Jesus has done for us - but our faith plays a part too. Something to think aboutJesus said that our faith need only be small and weak - like a mustard seed - to release God's power. Mountains move and our sinful hearts can be transformed when we have faith. Are you living by faith?Something to pray aboutLord, I'm thankful that from beginning to end my spiritual life is due to your movement towards me - you have accomplished, through Jesus, everything needed for me to live by faith. Sometimes my faith is weak and I barely hold on - help me as I read your word and grow in faith and understand more about your grace to me. Kings Church London Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:00:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#523 The gospel reveals God's holiness and the huge gap between us who are fallen and sinful, and his character - holy, pure and just. In the Old Testament God's righteousness is expressed in his covenant - he reaches out to make a covenant with mankind. The gospel takes that a step further so God doesn't just offer a covenant to us, he also fulfils the requirements of the covenant through the death of Jesus."For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith.'"John writes that "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us."1 John1:5-10Often we minimise Gods holiness and our own sin - when we do that, we not only fail to grasp who he is in all his perfection and glory, we reduce our salvation to something easy and casual. It cost Jesus his life to bridge the gap between us and a holy God. The gospel can only be truly embraced as magnificent good news when we take both God's righteousness and our sin seriously.When we see both more clearly we will bow low in grateful worship to the one who is both righteous and who imparts righteousness to us because of Jesus.Something to think aboutThink about the righteousness of God - his holiness, that he is light and there is no darkness in him at all - and wonder that he has reached out to you!Something to pray aboutLord, no wonder the angels cry 'Holy, holy, holy'. I'm so grateful that you are not just holy, you are faithful to your covenant promises - you forgive and cleanse me, making me right with you through Jesus. Hallelujah! Kings Church London Thu, 25 Apr 2013 06:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#526 Previous visits from Jim and Daryl Tomberlin to King's have always been extremely profitable, so I can honestly say that I have looked forward with great anticipation to their time with us over the last few days! It has been fantastic to have had the joy of spending time with Jim - he has been an important contributor to the team at King's at crucial times and has guided us through the transition to becoming a multi site church. Once again his visit has been timely, following the launch of our 7th meeting and the increased use of video to deliver the preaching at our three current sites. I can tell you - this morning my head is spinning with all the encouragement and challenges he brought to us, about continuing to think big and plan for on-going expansion! Today I am at Kings Church in High Wycombe, spending time with the leaders of that excellent church, which has seen significant growth over the last few years. I hope that in turn I will be able to encourage them to continue to press on to fulfil the wonderful task of building God's church in their locality. Although their environment is very different from our own here in S E London, it is great that we are able to bless them in this way and to help them along the road! Life is never dull leading Kings, but I know that the next few weeks will be even busier than normal. As a result I would value your continued prayers - for me and also for our great team as we seek to earth all we have been learning and apply it to our situation at King's. We are in the process of making a series of decisions which I believe will lay the foundation for our ongoing expansion. Your prayers are an essential part of that as you stand with your leaders. Exciting days...! Kings Church London Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#522 Paul is driven to preach the gospel throughout the known world because he believes everyone should have the opportunity to hear this Good News and that everyone can be saved if they respond in faith. Paul will pick up this theme later in the book, especially in chapter 3; the amazing grace that though everyone has sinned, everyone can be redeemed if they believe.16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile."Paul looks back to Jesus' words to have confidence that everyone who believes in Jesus will have eternal life. Your salvation doesn't depend on your background, or your own efforts, or good deeds, but on trusting in Jesus Christ. There is nothing that you have done that can exclude you, as long as you believe - just look at Paul. He had been a murderer and persecutor of Christians. Paul reminds his readers that God has revealed himself in history, first to the Jews, but his purpose was set out as early as Abraham - that God wanted to bless all nations. In Rome, the church had the challenge of respecting the Jewish heritage but also embracing all people.16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"(John 3:16-18)This truly is Good News - not like the boasting manifesto of 'Good News' that announced a new emperor and claimed that he would benefit everyone in the empire but actually left most under oppression and in poverty. The gospel really is for everyone, available for everyone, relevant for everyone - and effective for everyone who believes.Something to think aboutAre there people you know that somehow you think are too far from God to be saved? Or who you've given up believing that the gospel is relevant to them?Something to pray aboutLord your gospel is relevant to everyone. The history of the early church in Acts tells of people being saved from all backgrounds. Let me never exclude anyone or take your Good News for granted myself. Kings Church London Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#521 We are going to continue to dig into these two verses each day this week as there is so much to grasp before we move on. They are like a delicious steak that needs to be chewed over and digested slowly!16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:"(or as The Message Version puts it)16-17 "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!"The message of the gospel is not about clever words, it's about God's power to transform people from the inside out, as Paul describes in another of his letters:2 "For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. 4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power."(1 Corinthians 2:2-5)The word for salvation includes more than forgiveness; it's about wholeness and the putting right of all the effects of sin. Paul certainly knew God's power to heal and deliver but here he is focusing on God's power to save us spiritually. This isn't just a past event on the day you decided to follow Jesus; it is God's eternal plan to rescue you completely! God's power is, and will be, totally effective to save those who trust in Him - what a wonderful assurance.Something to think aboutOften we think of God's power in terms of physical healing, but remember - the power of the Almighty God is directed towards a bigger purpose; to save you completely.Something to pray aboutLord I am so grateful that you chose to draw me to yourself and rescue me. Your power to save is at work in me - that's what I rest my faith on, not my own efforts or achievements. Thank you Lord. Kings Church London Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#520 These two verses go to the very heart of all Paul wants to convey to the church at Rome - they sum up his key message and introduce the themes he will define and unpack in the book: the power of the gospel, salvation, the plan of God for Jew and Gentile, righteousness and faith.16 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed - a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: 'The righteous will live by faith."Paul has written of his sense of obligation to all types of people to preach the gospel, that's why he wants to visit them in Rome (v14). He has faced much shame for preaching the gospel, numerous arguments, punishments from the authorities and rejections from his fellow countrymen, but he is not ashamed of the gospel! Nothing that Paul has endured can make him back down one bit from the truth that he has staked his life on time and time again. Paul fixes his eyes 'on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy that was set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.'(Hebrews 2:2)"Therefore, Paul would say - Jesus himself would say - suffer, yes. Be misunderstood, yes. Be shamed, yes. But do not be ashamed. Because the message of God's saving work in Christ is the only final triumphant message in the world. Short-term pain. Long-term gain. For the joy set before you, for the salvation that only the gospel can gain, take up your cross, follow Jesus and despise the shame." John PiperWhy not have a go at memorising Rom 1:16-17? It will encourage you to have confidence as you face challenges to your faith.Something to think aboutAre there times you feel embarrassed at being a Christian, ashamed to tell people about the truth of the gospel? Think about the wonderful power of God to forgive and transform people - and take courage!Something to pray aboutLord, sometimes it's hard to stand up as a Christian, sometimes it's hard to stay true to your word - help me, remind me of how you saved me, what it cost you, that you suffered the shame of the cross while looking into the future to all who would be saved, including me. Lord, empower me to be unashamed today, to walk tall as one of your children. Kings Church London Mon, 22 Apr 2013 06:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#519 Financial debt can be a crushing burden. It can rob you of sleep, fill you with anxiety, be a nagging voice in the background of even the happiest moments. Paul writes about another sort of debt - a debt that inspires, a debt that stirred him into faith-filled adventures. We read about this different sort of debt in today's reading.I am bound both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. When Paul writes I am bound he is referring to an obligation he has, a debt he owes. It is not because the Roman Christians have given him something he needs to return -rather God has given him something that He wanted to Paul to deliver to them. Phil Moore, in his excellent book Straight to the Heart of Romans tells how a local postman was taken to court and convicted because instead of delivering the post he regularly dumped it in a waste bin. That postman didn't feel 'bound' to the people on his round. He left post undelivered so he could take life easy. By contrast, Paul was willing to risk all the dangers of travel in the Roman world to ensure the message of God's Kingdom was safely delivered. God has a delivery round for each of us, with people who need to receive the message of God's love and forgiveness through us. Something to think aboutWho do you think God has put on your delivery round?Something to pray aboutLord, help me to share the good news about what you have given us in Jesus to those who don't know you. Help me not to be like a postman shoving an over large parcel through the letter box - but to present it as a royal invitation to meet the King of Kings. Kings Church London Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#516 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. Maudie Mullins was an elderly lady, small in height, with bright eyes. A devoted member of her church she was the most regular attender of the Women's Meeting on a Wednesday afternoon. Born and bred in South London, life had not been easy for her. She never was well off, just the opposite in fact. Besides that, she had enough troubles to weigh anyone down. In the Women's Meeting there was always a chance to choose a song to sing. Invariably, Maudie's request was the first and always the same one, "Count your blessings name them one by one". If you didn't know her you might think she was just stuck in her ways or even a bit forgetful that we had sung that song every week for years! But if you knew her you knew it was the attitude with which she lived her life. First, count your blessings. It's the same with Paul. 'First I thank my God...' for you all. It could be dismissed as just the polite thing to write at the beginning of a letter - but the more you get to know him through his writings it is clear that this was an attitude he cultivated in his life. Whatever was happening, he wanted first to give thanks. Even in prison he would sing praises and give thanks (Acts 16:23-25). In writing to the Romans he wants to ask for help, he needs to correct some bad attitudes, put right some of their thinking - but first he gives thanks. Even with the much more troubled church in Corinth, he starts with thanking God for them. (1 Corinthians 1:1-9). It was just his way.Thanksgiving is a sign of life, making it a priority is an indicator of health.Something to think aboutWhat are you most thankful for today?Something to pray aboutLord, I want to be an appreciative person, a person who is quick to say thank you and eager and quick to affirm the good in others. Most of all I want to be able to praise you even when things are difficult and challenging. I know you work all things together for good, so in this day help my attitude to be, first to give thanks.   Kings Church London Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#518 As we seek to be faithful to the vision we believe God has given us here at King's, it has been important to have good input from those who have already walked the road ahead of us - a fact I have mentioned before in this blog! All through the continued growth that God has blessed us with we have relied on and benefitted from our connection with leaders from both within the UK and further afield - leaders with experience and skills that apply to our situation. This will continue to be the case in the days ahead with the particular opportunities and challenges that we face. The signs from all three King's sites are fantastically encouraging - with our biggest ever Easter Sunday attendance - praise God! Jim and Daryl Tomberlin will be with us this coming week for his third visit to south-east London - Jim has been a prime coach and guide for us through the transition to multi-site church. As an early pioneer of this way of 'doing church', Jim was a key person in helping Willow Creek in establishing their multi-site setup and now travels widely, encouraging and advising churches about multi-site opportunities and issues. The following week Rich and Marlene Nathan will be spending an evening with our senior leadership team. Rich is Senior Pastor of Vineyard in Columbus, Ohio - the largest Vineyard Church in the USA, where they gather around 9000 people on a Sunday. I recently had the privilege of an hour-long Skype call with him and I am really excited about this visit! Over the years, God has graciously provided mentors such as Jim and Rich who are ahead of me in experience and gifting - it is good to have these friends from the wider body of Christ to advise, bring wisdom and encouragement to us as a leadership - and confidence to us all. Finally - how are you enjoying our Bible notes on the Book of Romans? Mick Taylor and Hilary Dalziel will be providing these over the coming weeks through this blog and I commend them to you. It is good to be able to read God's Word together as a church in this way and the notes will provide good back-up to our preaching series through this important book. Have a great few days - and see you on Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#515 The animals went into Noah's ark two by two and in today's reading Paul pairs up a whole queue of ideas. Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Here we have 'grace and apostleship'; then there is 'loved and called', followed by 'grace and peace'. The one that fascinates me most is 'obedience and faith'. Literally, Paul wrote 'the obedience of faith' and it is clearly a key idea because he repeats it at the end of this letter (16:26). There has been an age-old debate around the role that faith and obedience play in the Christian life. If you stress obedience in the wrong way then you destroy the good news of the gospel. Obedience can be emphasised in a way that makes people think we have to earn God's love and acceptance, rather than receiving it as a free gift. But there is an opposite danger. At times the message that faith alone is all that counts has been heard to mean there is no need for obedience. Then you find people who say all the right things about Jesus but whose lives are nothing like his. For them, putting your faith in Christ has nothing to do with a change of lifestyle and with discipleship. But we are called to the obedience that comes from faith. Christians don't obey out of fear but out of confidence that the God who made us knows what is best for us. Obedience that comes from faith is whole hearted, passionate and joyful. Something to think aboutWhere is it obvious that your lifestyle choices are the fruit of your joyful faith in Christ?Something to pray aboutLord, to be honest, I sometimes find it easier to say I believe in you than to really trust you in the practical details of life. Forgive me when what I do and say springs from fear or selfishness or greed. Help me to live this day fully trusting You. Kings Church London Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#514 In the ancient world a letter would begin with the sender's name and then the name of the recipients. Paul adopts that pattern in all his letters but in Romans he almost bursts it. He squeezes so much more into his opening that after five verses he still hasn't mentioned who the letter is to.Paul, a servant (literally slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.If you could give yourself a title what would it be? Lord? Your Royal Highness? Dame? Sir? Paul gives himself two in the opening verses of his letter to the Romans. They make a curious combination 'slave' and then 'apostle' - or as he might have said today 'ambassador'. One sounds so humble and lowly, the other so full of authority and honour. A slave had no rights; he had no independence. An ambassador was treated as though he was the ruler he represented. When he spoke it was with the full authority of his monarch. But when you think about it, these two titles do indeed go together. The ambassador only has the authority because he is representing someone else. Paul took the title of apostle because he had been given it. He knew it to be a great privilege, totally undeserved, and in that role desired to do nothing but his lord's will. The titles he chose express both humility and authority. Their combination makes clear that humility is not weakness and spiritual authority is not arrogance.Something to think aboutWhat two words do you think best describe your relationship to Christ? Something to pray aboutLord I know that I am not called to be an apostle like Paul but I thank you that like him I know you have called me to be your child. Help me today to walk in the happy confidence that comes from being special to you, knowing that you stand with me in all I do. May everything I do and say bring you joy and give you honour. Amen. Kings Church London Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#513 Today we begin a series of Bible notes to support our preaching series on the book of Romans begun yesterday at our Catford site by Mick Taylor. Those of you who are part of the Downham and Lee sites will be able to read ahead and be ready and prepared for the message next Sunday! I am pleased we are able to provide these notes as we have had great feedback for the 40 Days Bible notes. Reading together day by day will focus our thinking and strengthen each one of us. Let's enjoy God's Word together! Steve     Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - (Romans 1:1) To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:7) The best way to start to get to grips with Paul's letter to the Romans is to learn something about Paul and the church in Rome.Paul is writing from the Greek city of Corinth near the end of his third great missionary journey. His plans are to go back to Jerusalem with the gift from the Gentile churches and then head for Spain. On the way he wants to stop off in Rome, hoping the Christians there will be willing to support his work of taking the gospel to the western edge of the Roman Empire and at the same time he also wants to encourage and build them in their faith.The Roman church has had an interesting history up to this point. From what we read elsewhere in the New Testament and other ancient sources, it was probably started by Jews who lived in Rome but had visited Jerusalem for the great festival of Pentecost and became Christians through Peter's preaching. Originally it was largely made up of Jewish converts but in 49AD the Emperor Claudius expelled all the Jews from the city, including the Jews who followed Jesus. As a result, the church was made up of only Gentiles for a year or two. Paul is writing after the Jews, and with them the Jewish Christians, were allowed to return to the city. At this point, those who had started and led the church in the early days now found that they were in a minority and other leaders were in place. A sensitive situation! And it explains why throughout the letter we find phrases like 'first to the Jew and then to the Gentile...' (Rom1:16)One of the things Paul hopes to achieve through this letter is to secure the support of the church in Rome for his mission to Spain. For Paul, once someone really understood the gospel there would be an unstoppable desire for the good news to be shared widely - not just with friends, family and neighbours but with everyone on the planet!Something to think about How strong is that desire in your heart? How is it being worked out in practice? In how you spend your time? In how you allocate your giving? In the subjects you pray about and the intensity of your prayers? Something to pray aboutLord, when I reflect on the lengths that Paul was willing to go to share the gospel, I am humbled. I ask that I might appreciate afresh just how good the good news of Jesus really is! I want to play my part in sharing that good news with others and helping - through prayer, encouragement, and giving - to enable others to take the gospel to places I will never go and to people I will never see. Kings Church London Mon, 15 Apr 2013 06:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2013#512 One of the helpful and productive habits that I have developed in recent years is to take the first week of each term as a study week. This gives me time out of the office and the normal busy routine of King's to reflect, read, pray and generally prepare for the coming term. This week I have been reading The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller - a brilliant book, in fact I would say it is the best book on the topic I have ever read! It is full of biblical truth, cultural awareness and pastoral application. More details here if you are interested. Alongside this, I have been doing background reading for our Romans series which begins over the next couple of weeks, depending on which site you attend, with Mick Taylor launching us into this important book. I'm sure that our study of Romans will pay dividends in our life together in Christ and impact the work of King's Church in S E London in many ways. Today Mick and I have met up to discuss exciting plans we have for another teaching series for October and November of this year, on a biblical response to cultural trends... I have also had my mind full of spreadsheets, building details and logistics as we continue to develop both our leadership and our facilities - vital parts of our infrastructure - to cope with our growing church. Finally, if you are still thinking about signing up for any of our excellent courses starting this term, please don't hesitate! The Alpha Course starts next month on Thursday 2nd May, Freedom in Christ begins this Monday (15th), and The Marriage Course, which Deb and I lead, starts on Tuesday (16th). These great courses take just a few weeks to complete and will do you good! Now that's another good habit to get into... Kings Church London Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:24:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2013#511 This weekend I would like to invite you to join with the rest of the King's family in celebrating the wonderful events of that first Easter! As the song says, 'He came from heaven to earth to show the way, from the earth to the cross our debt to pay, from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky, Lord, we lift your name on high.' We meet tomorrow (Good Friday) at 10.30am at all three sites to reflect together on all the death of Jesus means for us and for a lost world - then on Sunday through our seven meetings at the three sites we celebrate His resurrection and rejoice in all He has achieved and has given us in His risen life! It's not too late for those last minute invitations to our friends, family and neighbours to come along, too. Recently our dear friend Gordon Cossou died, and I invite you to come along on Thursday for the Thanksgiving Service for his life. Those who knew him and who heard his story know that Gordon lived quite a remarkable life - and was a loyal, faithful member of King's for many years and a regular attender at Wednesday Welcome. Always full of encouragement and words of advice, he will be really missed. However, we are confident he is now with the Saviour he served, and can rejoice that Gordon has a spring in his step once more...! The service takes place on Thursday 4th April, 12pm at the Catford site. Through all the events and demands of this life there is the clear invitation to all of us from Jesus - to come to Him, to receive forgiveness and new life and to know His powerful Presence through the Holy Spirit. The Bible tells us it is that same power that raised Jesus from the dead! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Happy Easter to you all. Steve   Kings Church London Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2013#510 If you've been around at King's for any length of time you will know that teaching on marriage and investing in the marriages of King's people is a high priority for me! One of the ways that we do this is through our annual Marriage Course. Deb and I are looking forward to opening the next series of eight evenings on this important topic, on Tuesday 16th April at the Catford site. Designed to help any married couple strengthen their relationship it provides the tools for couples to give their relationship an MOT and build a healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime.    Each evening consists of a romantic meal for two, a practical talk and couple discussion time. There is no group work and no requirement to disclose anything about your relationship to anyone else. In the eight Tuesday evenings we will cover the art of communication, resolving conflict, the power of forgiveness, the impact of family (past and present) and good sex. You need to book for this course and we ask for £75 per couple to cover the cost of the meals each evening and the course materials. Don't let the lump sum put you off - payment by instalments is possible! Flyers with more details and a booking form are available at the Information Desk and if you haven't done the Marriage Course yet, I would highly recommend it - and so would many married couples in King's! Deb and I had a great few days away last weekend - part of the celebrations for my 50th birthday - and I returned to a series of meetings throughout Monday covering the next phase of building work at our Lee site. On Tuesday my friend Neal Bartlett, who leads the fast-growing King's Church at High Wycombe, spent a day with our King's team, experiencing a full day of staff meetings on Tuesday - the norm at King's London. And today I am spending time with key staff members at Citygate Church, Bournemouth, doing some training with their leaders. Always a privilege and really stimulating to see what God is doing elsewhere in the nation! Flyers for our own Easter programme are now available - each of our three sites meets on Good Friday at 10.30am, where we will all have the chance to reflect on what Jesus achieved for us on the Cross. Then we look forward to our seven meetings over the three sites on Easter Sunday - seven opportunities to celebrate the Resurrection! Come ready to worship the Risen Lord Jesus and bring your praise to Him!   Kings Church London Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2013#509 The blessing of God is a privilege we do not take for granted. What an amazing weekend we have just experienced - growing momentum on our Downham site following the launch of a second meeting, including many visitors as a result of the outreach week, and the two-year celebration on the Lee site was extremely well-attended. Meanwhile, the diversity celebration on the Catford site was fun, colourful, and gave the opportunity to introduce this important biblical theme to many new people. These last few days I have had the privilege of spending time with about twenty key leaders from around the world, all from within the Newfrontiers family. Praying and sharing with guys who lead ever-growing churches and movements of churches is humbling and inspiring. My vision of all God is doing in His world has been expanded and I feel enlarged in God as a result! Later this the year I am looking forward to visiting both Zimbabwe and India to serve some of the churches that were represented. Of course, all that we do and all that we are at King's is the result of the gift of Jesus Christ to a lost world. The Cross is the focal point and the turning point of history, along with the Resurrection! What Jesus achieved there has blessed those who trust in Him with eternal life, forgiveness of sins, fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and made us part of His family on earth - to name but a few blessings! Our mission (and how can we refuse to accept it?!) is to share that good news with others and help them to come into the privileged position that we have through the grace of God. Our Easter weekend meetings provide an ideal opportunity to invite along friends, neighbours, work colleagues and family members who do not yet know that they are loved by God! On Good Friday (March 29th) at 10.30am we will meet for an hour at each of our three sites, to worship together and reflect on this great event in history - the Saviour of the world giving his life for each of us. On Easter Sunday (March 31st) meetings will take place as usual for a Sunday across our sites - Catford at 9.30, 11.30 and 5.30 and both Downham and Lee at 9.30 and 11.30. We will meet to rejoice in the Resurrection and in the incredible privilege we know - be there and make it a great day of celebration! Privilege upon privilege indeed...   Kings Church London Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2013#508 This week I turned 50 (I know, hard to believe!) and celebrated with a very enjoyable family day last Saturday, and with a few close friends on Sunday evening - a great way to mark the momentous event! An evening watching Crystal Palace on Tuesday evening - and to see them win - finished off a great few days celebrating. A golf day later in the year with my golfing buddies and few days away with Deb in a couple of weeks, mean I have decided to make the most of the turning of another decade. I really have not had time to have a mid-life crisis, too much to do and to be grateful for. I am a blessed man! On the church front, the launch of the second meeting at Downham last Sunday was a great success. It is difficult to believe that it's only 2 years since we launched that site; again, there is so much to give thanks for! Our Giving Review month is now in full swing, with another challenging Target. I am trusting God to provide all we need and asking all who call King's your home, to please play your part by bringing an additional gift. Remember, 'small change makes BIG CHANGE'. A huge 'Thank you!' to all who have stood with us through years of sacrificial giving and who have therefore supported all the good we see today. And praise and thanks to the One who made it all possible!   Kings Church London Thu, 07 Mar 2013 10:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#507 Our Tuesday morning staff prayer time this week included great news from the dry run for the second meeting at our Downham site last Sunday - with increased numbers of people, including visitors, and volunteers stepping up to ensure the bases were covered! Keep praying for Ben and Tris and their team as they come this Sunday to the public launch. 20,000 leaflets advertising the second meeting have been posted through letter boxes or handed out to shoppers or to commuters at stations. We look forward to more stories of the grace of God at work in the lives of local people at Downham as time goes on...! And 2013 is rushing on! We are now on the brink of March - our Giving month, with the chance for each of us to review our giving to King's for the coming year and to join in a big push as we seek to raise £90,000 by the end of the month to cover our planned budget. Last Sunday I spoke briefly at each of our meetings from 2 Corinthians 8, reminding us all once again that our motivation for giving is because of all Christ has done for us! It's about our willingness and our conscience - we are free to give or not to give, there is no external compulsion. I stressed again that giving should be proportional - from what we have, not what we don't have, and that no-one should go into debt as a result of their giving. Finally, like Paul with the Corinthian church, I encouraged each of us to complete what we have begun - to see that we have made a good start but we need to finish the task! This exhortation comes with gratitude to God for His faithfulness to us with resources - and also to all of you who call King's your home church and who give week by week, month by month, year by year, faithfully and generously. And I recognise that a consequence of sacrificial giving is that expenditure that you might have been planning on other items sometimes cannot happen. So, 'Thank you!' from myself and the other Elders and the Trustees, to each one of you for your partnership in this great work for the glory of God! I hope you are as encouraged as I am by all we are seeing at King's in these days! Kings Church London Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#506 We are about building a church for the glory of God! But it is not enough that growth occurs in any old fashion - our aim is a strong King's Church established on good foundations and exhibiting all the signs of spiritual health and strength. To that end, in the run up to Easter, on Sundays we will be covering a short series entitled Healthy Church. Over three Sundays we will look at the topics of Community, Diversity and Serving - starting at the Catford site on March 3rd and at Lee and Downham a week later. On the Diversity Sunday we encourage everyone to wear national dress from your home country - a visible expression of our diversity in Christ and a way of adding much needed colour to the end of winter! At the Catford site Malcolm Kyte has already encouraged all those of us who hail from the white British community to come smartly dressed - perhaps a suit for the guys (if you own one!)? I look forward to seeing the variety of costumes and clothing on that day! It is a sign of the health of our church that the Downham site has met for the last time at one meeting! Ben Welchman, our Downham site leader, and his team have been praying and preparing for this Sunday with great vision and purpose in order to be ready for the two meetings. Please continue to pray for Ben, Jess and Tris and the good folk of Downham - that God will bless them with health and growth as a site and that many in their area will hear the good news of Jesus as a result. It's been a long, cold winter - but it doesn't take much sunlight and warmth to start the amazing growth in trees and plants. As the people of God we live in a time when we are enjoying the warmth of His blessing in so much of church life. How are you doing as an individual believer? Are you putting yourself in the warmth of Christian fellowship by meeting in a community group? Are you receiving necessary food and light by reading God's Word and coming to him in prayer? Don't let Easter find you a shrivelled and dried up plant! Act now to establish (or re-establish!) a healthy pattern in your spiritual life and like Hebrews 10:25 says, encourage each other toward spiritual growth - after all, a healthy church is made up of healthy individuals! Kings Church London Thu, 21 Feb 2013 12:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#504 Matthew 7 : 28 - 29 Before Jesus began preaching He went up the mountainside and His disciples came to Him (Matthew 5:1) but now at the conclusion of His sermon a great crowd came to listen in on what He was saying. What they heard amazed them, for while it was demanding stuff, it didn't come with a condemning tone. It sounded more like an invitation. Jesus made it sound like the life He was describing was a possibility for people like them. That's why ordinary people flocked to hear Him teach. He didn't sound like the religious leaders who made their ordinary hearers feel second class, unworthy and without hope. Their words brought death; His were the very words of life. He not only described what they should be - but what they could be like. How could this be? The standard He was setting was even higher than that of the Pharisees. How could His teaching bring such hope? It was because Jesus never asked people just to accept His teaching, but to accept Him. They were not only to obey Him but to follow Him. The secret to the Christian life is to keep close to Jesus. He not only has the authority to teach us but the power to help us. So as we come to the end of these notes, are you closer to Jesus 40 days after starting them? Are you aware of your need of Him even more? Are you more hungry and thirsty for righteousness because you see more clearly what it means? Then you are blessed indeed!Prayer Points1. Thank God for all you have learnt in the last 40 days.2. Pray for preachers at King's, that their messages bring hope as well as challenge. 3. Pray that the fruit of this 40 Days of prayer and fasting will be an ever-greater sense of God's presence, and ever-greater expansion of His kingdom. Sunday's Meetings: MULTIPLICATION @ Catford & Downham; MINISTRY @ Lee Kings Church London Fri, 15 Feb 2013 07:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#503 Matthew 7 : 24 - 27 These final verses in Jesus' most famous sermon work well as a Mr Men story. I tried it once. At the end of a holiday club that the church ran I had to give the final talk. This last meeting was on Sunday afternoon in a lovely country park and we invited all the mums and dads and grandparents to attend as well.It was a beautiful sunny day and an artistic friend had drawn out on huge pieces of card this little story Jesus told. The wise man was Mr Happy and poor Mr Silly played the foolish man. It went down a treat. And I think there were times that Jesus deliberately included implicit humour in his teaching. But making people smile was not His ultimate goal, providing an entertaining story for children while their parents dozed in the sun wasn't His purpose. Jesus wanted people to sit up and take notice, for ignoring what He was saying was as foolish as asking cowboy builders in to erect your dream home.Take the time to read through the whole of the Sermon on the Mount and note the points where you felt God particularly speak to you or those points that were most relevant. The key to a successful life of discipleship is not being able to answer exam questions on this extraordinary message or even recite it by heart. It is to be one of those who listen and obey; anything else is sheer foolishness.Prayer Points1. Pray that as we continue to grow as a church we will grow as disciples and not just listeners.2. Pray for the other churches in Lee, Catford and Downham where we have our three sites - that they flourish and grow.3. Pray especially for single parents for whom school holidays next week can bring added pressures. Kings Church London Thu, 14 Feb 2013 07:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#502 Matthew 7 : 21 - 23 I am sitting on a train trying to write these notes. Jesus' stark words are spawning a hundred ideas and they are whirling around my brain. I am slightly distracted by another passenger who has just sat down opposite me. This middle-aged woman got on the train at the last station and I find out later she is travelling to see her very elderly mother who needs constant care. She and her sister take turns in providing the 24-hour cover she needs. So for the next four days she leaves her husband and devotes her time to her housebound mum. So I am struggling to write the notes, keen to find just the right words to get exactly the correct meaning, to write well, to be insightful. Then it comes home to me what Jesus is saying. What counts is not fine words (Lord, Lord) or impressive displays of power (prophecy and miracles) but doing God's will. At this moment that means I need to stop typing and listen as a caring daughter shares about the burden she carries for her mum.Nothing dramatic happened on that journey, but I hope a burden was made a little lighter because a stranger on a train listened. Nothing dramatic but something important did take place. It made me realise it is all too easy to be busy seemingly doing God's work but not His will. Prophecy, worship, miracles can be misleading. Preaching, witnessing, serving likewise. By themselves none of them are a reliable guide to anyone's spiritual standing with God. Trustful, humble obedience is what counts.Prayer Points1. 'Lord, today I want to do Your will. Show me what it is.'2. Pray that we learn not just to share the good news but to be good news to people.3. Pray for the team and all those involved in Wednesday Welcome, our ministry to the elderly. Kings Church London Wed, 13 Feb 2013 07:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#501 Matthew 7 : 15 - 20 Jesus has just challenged his disciples to take the narrow road; now He warns that even there they have to take care who they follow. For there will be some who will offer to be expert guides who are experts in nothing but deception. It is strange that Christians can take all the promises in the Bible seriously and yet frequently ignore the warnings. Under the guise of not being judgemental we can become gullible and follow strange and unhealthy teaching. It happened in the New Testament; it happens today.We should take care who we read, who we listen to or watch, even on Christian television channels. Jesus is warning us to be discerning. There are some who at first glance come across as gentle and caring, knowledgeable and gifted, but are more like wolves than sheep. Following them would lead us to back track on the road of discipleship. This is serious but Jesus gives us a test to help us be discerning. Check out what is the fruit of their lives. Jesus is saying: 'Though they may sound good, will following their teaching lead you to the lifestyle I have been describing in this sermon? Will it encourage you to take the courageous sacrificial choices I have been demanding? If not, give them a wide berth.'When I think about this I am grateful for all the excellent teachers I have had who not only accurately taught God's word to me but were models of what it meant in practice.Prayer Points1. Thank God for those who have been your teachers and role models in the life of faith.2. Pray for those who teach and preach at King's, that they remain faithful in word and deed.3. Pray for all the teachers and staff who serve our children in local schools. Kings Church London Tue, 12 Feb 2013 07:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#500 Matthew 7 : 13 - 14 At this point the Sermon on the Mount takes the final turn into the home straight. The whole thrust is now to bring home the radical challenge that discipleship demands a decisive response. For the original Jewish readers this concluding section would have reminded them of how Moses ended his final sermon in Deuteronomy. There Moses pleads with the people: 'This day ... I have set before you life and death ... now choose life!' (Deuteronomy 30:19) Jesus, the one greater than Moses, sets before his hearers the same stark choice: life or destruction.Of course, if that was all there was to it, everyone would choose life, but it's not so easy. Jesus makes it clear that the road He has mapped out is not the road most travelled. It's not popular, it's not easy. At times it feels a bit of a squeeze, for the gate is narrow. We live in a pick 'n' mix generation. We would like the road to life to be one where all along the route there are cheering crowds encouraging us on, people impressed with our commitment and delighted in our progress. The reality is, however, that choosing to follow Christ means 'being willing' is to tread the same path that led Him to a cross where He was mocked and jeered at. There is an old Sunday School chorus that begins 'I have decided to follow Jesus'. One of its lines is 'Though none go with me, still I will follow'. Jesus pulls no punches but He breaks no promises and He promises life!Prayer Points1. In prayer recommit your life unreservedly to Christ.2. Pray for the clear preaching of repentance in the power of the Spirit.3. Pray that God's joy will be our strength in this final week of prayer and fasting. Kings Church London Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#499 Matthew 7 : 9 - 12 'Do to others what you would have them do to you' is known as 'The Golden Rule'. Apparently Emperor Alexander Severus had it written in gold on his wall, hence it became known as the golden rule. Jesus' statement sums up the teaching of the Law and the Prophets - we are to love God and love our neighbour as ourselves. Jesus was not the first person to make this kind of statement but He was the first to express it positively. Confucius said, 'What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.' The Stoics basically said the same, and the book of Tobit (Apocrypha) states, 'And what you hate, do not do to anyone else.'But Jesus' way of expressing the 'Golden Rule' is far more challenging than other versions. He has raised the standard by expecting us to positively bless others. It's not enough to smugly think, 'I don't do anyone any harm'. The real question is: 'Are you doing anyone any good?'We used to live next door to an old man who was alone. He was often confused, had inadequate heating and needed help with his shopping. Despite being very busy, I felt that I should offer to help. So for a while I bought his food and regularly checked up on him. At his funeral, his son asked me if I was there in a professional capacity (i.e. as a church minister). I replied, 'No - just as a neighbour.'Prayer Points1. Pray that God will open your eyes to the needs immediately around you.2. Thank God for all the good things He has given you.3. Today there's a Membership Morning (at the Catford site). Ask God that those new to King's will find a real spiritual home here. Kings Church London Sun, 10 Feb 2013 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#498 Matthew 7 : 7 - 8 At one point in his life George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that his friend would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the last one was saved.In the original Greek this verse is written in the continuous present tense, that is: 'ask and go on asking, seek and go on seeking, knock and go on knocking'. Too often we ask a couple of times, get discouraged and give up. But Jesus' instructions are to go on asking, go on seeking and go on knocking. J.C. Ryle wrote that we are to pray and not faint: 'Prayer is the very life-breath of true Christianity... Here it flourishes. Here it decays... Neglect of prayer is the sure road to a fall...'Have you ever tackled a DIY job and started with great enthusiasm only to struggle to complete it? Praying persistently and consistently is not easy but if we want to see results, that's the best way to pray. One church leader always signs off his emails with the words 'Keep pressing on'. That phrase is a timely reminder that the Christian life requires perseverance and tenacity.Prayer Points1. If you don't already have one, write a list of all those you are praying for.2. Ask God to remind you of situations that you still need to pray about.3. Pray for all our Sunday serving teams, that they will show God's love to everyone who comes through our doors tomorrow. Tomorrow's meetings: MINISTRY @ Catford & Downham; MATURITY @ Lee. There is also a MEMBERSHIP MORNING for any interested in finding out more about membership of King's... Kings Church London Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#497 Matthew 7 : 6 When I was at college I got involved with the Christian Union. I vividly remember the night we went 'door-to-door' around the halls of residence. My friend and I came upon one room where about five male students were playing cards, gambling, drinking spirits and smoking. Most of them were not interested in talking religion and concentrated on the game. But one student robustly dismissed all religion as worthless and swore that science had all the answers. We debated with him for a time but it seemed a pointless exercise and we left after a short while.Faith is frequently regarded as nothing more than a set of superstitious beliefs designed to give comfort to weak people (e.g. as argued by Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion p. 394-404). Such attitudes are commonplace today. In this passage, Jesus is warning His followers to be discerning about when and with whom we share our faith. When Jesus sent out the disciples to the surrounding towns and villages He told them: 'If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.' (Matthew 10:14)Michael Green comments:'Some people hear the message of God's kingdom and do not want to know. It is an irresponsible use of time and effort to continue to hammer on a door that is firmly closed. The disciples should push on a door and, if it is ajar, enter in. If it is firmly bolted, that is the indication to move on elsewhere.'Prayer Points1. Ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to know when to share your faith.2. If you know someone who is hardened to the gospel, pray that God would soften their heart.3. Pray for those who will find this weekend difficult because they will spend much of it alone. Kings Church London Fri, 08 Feb 2013 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#496 Matthew 7 : 3 - 5A rather pompous deacon was endeavouring to impress upon a class of boys the importance of living the Christian life. 'Why do people call me a Christian?' the man asked. After a moment's pause, one youngster said, 'Maybe it's because they don't know you.'There does seem to be a tendency for some Christians to be fault-finders or part of the 'spot it and stop it brigade' as one humourist has put it. They are quick to make judgements on other believers without knowing very much about their circumstances or background. In this passage from Matthew 7, Jesus is speaking about the kind of judgemental attitude that can take root in local churches. Some men and women act as if they have the spiritual gift of criticism and they make sure they fully exercise it.Jesus warns us not to be quick to criticise our brothers and sisters in Christ because our judgemental attitude may actually reflect our own sins more than theirs. There was a sad example of this a number of years ago when televangelist Jim Baker's sexual sins were exposed. His loudest critic was televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, whose own sexual sins were exposed a few months later. In The Message version of the Bible it says: 'Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticise their faults - unless, of course, you want the same treatment.' Let's address our own problems, weaknesses, sins and inconsistencies before we start trying to fix anybody else!It's time to look in the mirror.Prayer Points1. Ask God to show you your own blind-spots.2. Pray for God's help to change those character defects that you become aware of.3. Pray for our youth leaders, that they will inspire the next generation to attempt great things for God. Kings Church London Thu, 07 Feb 2013 07:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#495 Matthew 7 : 1 - 2 Michael Flanders and Donald Swann were a British comedy duo who were popular in the 1950s and 60s. One of their songs, The Reluctant Cannibal, was an argument between a father and son on the topic of cannibalism and contained the line 'Don't eat people...eating people is wrong!' Hopefully we'd all agree with that sentiment but metaphorically we 'eat people' every time we pass judgement on them. How critical are you of other people? In this passage Jesus tells us not to judge others. But did He mean we should never exercise any judgement in any areas of life? Nicky Gumbel says:'...surely what Jesus is attacking here is a judgemental attitude towards other people. He is warning that we must not judge harshly, condemning others with censorious and carping criticism. We are not to set ourselves up as God...we are not to magnify the errors and weaknesses of others...we are not to be fault-finders who are negative and destructive towards other people...'Jesus said that we would be judged by the measure we use on others. That is an alarming statement because so often we set higher standards for others than for ourselves. If we make a mistake it's because of our upbringing / being overworked / tiredness / stress etc. Before jumping in with both feet and criticising someone else, let's examine ourselves. When it comes to criticising others and being judgemental, let's be reluctant 'cannibals'.Prayer Points1. Ask God to show you if you have a tendency to judge others too harshly.2. Pray for patience when dealing with people who frustrate you and ask God to give you His perspective.3. Pray for all those who attend The Feast this evening, that God's love and grace will be evident to all. Kings Church London Wed, 06 Feb 2013 07:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#493 Matthew 6 : 25 - 34 According to one newspaper, worrying has become a national pastime and it claims that one in ten of us are pathological worriers. The worst worriers are filled with anxiety about events as unlikely as being trampled by a herd of elephants and can even find reasons for worrying about feeling happy: 'they have a habit of catastrophising - coming up with worse and worse possible scenarios'.I don't know if that describes you, but many of us will worry about something today. It might be your child's health, your job, your lack of a job, the economy or global issues. In this passage Jesus emphasises the fact that the Father already knows our needs. We cannot change anything through worrying and every time we worry we convey a lack of faith in God. Of course we may go through testing times, but that is when we learn how to lean into God. He knows you need a job, He knows you need somewhere to live, He knows you need a new outfit - go to Him in prayer but don't extend your worrying into your prayer life! Philippians 4:6 says:'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.'It's difficult to worry at the same time as giving thanks. When we give thanks we express our trust in the Jesus who said 'I will never leave you or forsake you'.Prayer Points1. What is worrying you right now? Commit it to God in prayer.2. Who is the biggest worrier you know? Pray for them today, that they might know the peace of God.3. Pray that our FP Impact team will be wonderfully equipped at their training days this week, Tuesday to Thursday. MEMBERSHIP MORNING: Sunday 10th February - 10.15 to 1pm at the Catford site. If you are interested in attending the Membership Morning please e-mail office@kingschurchlondon.org or phone 020 8690 4646. The morning is for anyone interested in finding out what it means to become a member at King's - attending the morning does not commit you to becoming a member. Kings Church London Tue, 05 Feb 2013 07:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#494 Matthew 6 : 24 At the end of January 2012, the total UK personal debt stood at £1,456 trillion and the average household debt in the UK (excluding mortgages) was £7,975. Average consumer borrowing (including credit cards, motor and retail finance deals, overdrafts and unsecured loans) per UK adult was £4,221.In contrast to previous generations, this generation lives in an age of credit. We've seen a shift from the post Second World War 'save it, then spend it' model to the modern day 'spend it now and pay it back later' model. But Jesus' attitude towards money is different again - His model is 'trust God and be generous'. He emphasises the need to trust God for our finances and to be generous givers.Jesus' model for handling money is counter-cultural - and most of us will have to work very hard to adopt his attitude to money because we have been so conditioned by society to conform to one of the worldly models. Christians don't automatically adopt Jesus' model for handling money the day they become believers. It will not come naturally. Jesus' model challenges our pre-conceived ideas about handling money. It is tempting to try and bolt it on to our existing model, but it isn't always compatible. So if we are going to take Jesus' teaching on money seriously we will have to allow the Bible to shake our existing attitudes. Disciples should be marked out clearly by their attitude to money, which essentially means that financial decisions will be affected by their relationship with God more than any other factor.Prayer Points1. What kind of finance model did you grow up with? Pray that God will help you to move towards His model of faith and generosity.2. If you feel you are enslaved to money in any way, ask God to set you free.3. Pray for the King's office staff and volunteers who work hard to make sure things run smoothly.   Kings Church London Mon, 04 Feb 2013 07:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#492 Matthew 6 : 22 - 23 This week I received a letter from the optician's reminding me that I was due for another eye test. The letter underlined the importance of the test because what the optician observes during the test can reveal a lot about a person's general health.In Jesus' day, the eye was considered to be the window for the whole body. The condition of a window determines how much light enters a room. If the glass is dirty, frosted or distorted, the light will be restricted. So the amount of light that enters a person's heart will depend on the state of his spiritual eyes. Also, the way we view others will be affected by our spiritual eyesight. Prejudice, jealousy and self-centredness will obscure our outlook on life.But there is one particular quality which fills the eye with light. Jesus says: 'if your eyes are healthy your whole body will be full of light' (NIV). The original Greek word translated 'healthy' implies 'generous'. In contrast the word translated 'unhealthy' (v23) implies 'stingy'. In other words, if you have a generous attitude in life you will be filled with spiritual light as opposed to an unhealthy, stingy attitude.When we are generous in our judgements of others, in our attitudes towards others and in our liberality in giving, spiritual light is able to flood into our lives. On the other hand, if we adopt a niggardly, grudging and ungenerous attitude we will remain in spiritual darkness.Prayer Points1. How is your spiritual eyesight? Ask God to reveal any prejudice you might have.2. Pray for a generous spirit in all that you do this coming week.3. Thank God for our Elders and Site Leadership Teams, and pray that He will protect and provide for them and their families. Kings Church London Sun, 03 Feb 2013 07:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#491 Matthew 6 : 19 - 21 A case study was done where a psychologist took a child, set him in a room by himself without any thing to read, no music, or TV, and he said, 'There is a bar of chocolate on the table; you can eat it if you want to, but if you don't eat it until I come back in about 15 minutes. Then you can have two of them.' One child after another was tested in this way and they were graded according to their willingness to say no to short-term benefits in order to have greater gain later on. Those who waited turned out to be the children who were the most mature. They were followed up ten years later and then in twenty and thirty years, and it was found that those who had chosen delayed gratification were the most successful in life.Some people look for instant gratification; Jesus warns us not to seek happiness in things that are seen. Ultimately we'll be disappointed if we set our hearts on material goods because they will wear out, decay or become obsolete. It is commonly said, 'You can't take it with you when you die' - all that we accumulate is stuff that our kids or others will have to sort out after we're gone!Jesus says we should store up for ourselves 'treasures in heaven'. The Greek literally means 'Do not be treasuring your treasures'. So we should use our material possessions to honour God, build His kingdom and provide resources for ministries that are reaching the world for Jesus.Prayer Points1. Ask God to show you if material things have become your 'treasure'.2. Pray that God would show you specifically how you should store up 'treasure in heaven'.3. Tomorrow is our Multi-Site Gift Day. Pray that God will open up the windows of heaven to provide the resources we need to fulfil the vision He has given us. Tomorrow's meetings: MATURITY @ Catford & Downham; MISSION @ Lee Kings Church London Sat, 02 Feb 2013 07:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2013#490 Matthew 6 : 16 - 18 Again Jesus challenges us when, not if, we fast! Fasting is a spiritual habit that enables us to concentrate and devote time we would have spent on food to God. Fasting reminds us that life is more than food and drink! Actually, like Jesus we want to affirm that our food and drink is to do the will of our Father (John 4:34).Fasting can easily cause condemnation if we fail. Fasting can become competitive if we compare ourselves with someone else. Fasting can be legalistic if we do it to earn God's approval. But fasting can help us treat our requests seriously and stir up our faith. That's why Jesus advises us to keep our fasting private, looking as if it's just another normal day while inwardly putting Jesus first over our natural appetites. In our spiritual habits it's what is unseen that really matters. We are living a life based on unseen realities. There are sobering consequences and joyous rewards both in this life and eternally, because of simple things we do or don't do each day.'Therefore, my dear friends...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.' (Philippians 2:1-18)Prayer Points1. Prayerfully think of issues that could do with some determined prayer and fasting, then decide how and when you will fast. (Please refer to the Fasting Guidelines at the back of the 40 Days booklet.)2. Pray that God will reveal His will to you as you make every effort daily to work out your salvation.3. Pray for our students away at university, that they may be a positive influence for the kingdom amongst their fellow students. Kings Church London Fri, 01 Feb 2013 07:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#489 Matthew 6 : 14 - 15 We are still prone to sin, we are still in need of forgiveness and so are the people around us. The challenge is, can we be as quick to forgive others as God is to forgive us? It's uncomfortable to think that our unforgiveness, our lack of generosity towards others, our bitterness, could separate us from God. Our eternal salvation is secure, we are forgiven, but if we hold on to sin our relationship with God suffers. Jesus is clearly warning us. The story of an unforgiving servant rams home the point when Peter asks 'How many times shall I forgive my brother?' (Matthew 18:21-35).Some offences, insults and wrongs are easily forgiven. Others are burned deep into our consciousness by words and actions which continue to wound. Some sins and betrayals leave a trail of destruction in our lives. It's then we need the Holy Spirit to help us forgive daily. We need the Holy Spirit to transform our thinking, break the cycle of anger, regret and pain so we can walk free, forgiving even our enemies.Many people condemn themselves because they can't forgive and forget instantly. Most of us need prayer and encouragement or to go on a Freedom in Christ course. Even so, it will be a daily choice to keep forgiving for some time until the wounds in our life are healed. Remembering how generously we have been forgiven helps us.Prayer Points1. If you have unforgiveness in your heart ask God to give you courage to seek help to deal with it.2. Pray for those who have been betrayed and hurt that they will find the freedom to forgive.3. Pray that many will return to Alpha tonight, and many of those will come to faith through this term's courses. Kings Church London Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#488 Matthew 6 : 13 Our daily battle with sin depends on how we deal with temptation. It's not a sin to be tempted, to have thoughts come into our mind which are negative and wrong; it's what we do with them that's important. Martin Luther said: 'You cannot keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest in your hair!' Someone else has said: 'Flee temptation and don't leave a forwarding address...'We have an enemy who seeks to undermine our faith, our mission and ruin our lives. But we also have a Saviour who has not only defeated the devil but knows what it's like to be tempted yet didn't fall. He is able to help us find a way of escape and overcome. (See Jesus' temptation - Matthew 4:1-11; our enemy - 1 Peter 5:6-11; Jesus our high priest - Hebrews 4:14-16.) 'Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.'Let's be careful not to underestimate our foe and get complacent - let's actively eradicate things from our lives that cause temptation. But let's also be careful not to overestimate our foe and be in fear. Let's renounce anything that would give him a foothold but rejoice that God is in control, Satan is defeated and we are on the winning side in this battle!Prayer Points1. Pray for God's help in your daily battle against temptation.2. Thank God for the example of Jesus who was tempted yet did not sin.3. Pray that God will be glorified by our worship this evening as we gather for our final 40 Days Celebration. Kings Church London Wed, 30 Jan 2013 07:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#487 Matthew 6 : 12 It's easy to understand why we would ask for bread every day - our bodies can't go long without calories. But daily forgiveness? Forgiving others daily? Is that really necessary?Jesus' words remind us that, like spiritual food, being forgiven and readily forgiving others empowers us to live the free, clean, holy life God has called us to. Temptation and sin are ever near us; who can end the day without some confession of sin, some bad attitude, some need of forgiveness?Henri Nouwen said:'Forgiveness is the name of love practised among people who love poorly. The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.'How wonderful that our Father does not tire of forgiving us, of washing us clean, of separating us from our sin:'Come now, let us reason together says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.' (Isaiah 1:18)'So great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He has removed our transgressions from us.' (Psalm 103:11-12)Why not read the whole of Psalm 103 and remember all His benefits to you?Prayer Points1. Spend some time asking God to reveal any sin in your heart. Let Him forgive and cleanse you.2. List all the ways God has blessed you. Praise God for all His goodness, mercy and grace towards you today.3. Pray for all the King's Community Groups and their leaders, that through the groups many will find a place where they can connect and belong. Kings Church London Tue, 29 Jan 2013 07:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#486 Matthew 6 : 11 This prayer is both a humble admission that each day we need God and a thankful recognition that even if our fridge is full today we should not take that for granted. We have a loving heavenly Father who gives us good gifts but we do have to ask, seek and knock to receive what God has for us (Luke 11:1-13).For many in our community there is an anxious daily struggle to make ends meet. For others the struggle is with the 'more monster' - trying to accumulate more and expecting what we have to supply happiness and security. In trusting God with both our needs and our plenty we will find perspective as Paul did (Philippians 4:4-20).How are you doing in recognising each day that you are dependent on God? 'Saying Grace' is sometimes seen as old fashioned but whether you are sitting eating watching TV or round a table, alone or with others, do you regularly thank God for all you have? 'While they were eating Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it...' (Matthew 26:26)Whatever company or government department puts money in your bank each month, God is your ultimate provider. Be thankful for the means He uses but never forget to be grateful to Him.Prayer Points1. Pray that your meal times with family, friends or at work with colleagues will be used by God to build His kingdom.2. Pray for your boss and the company or department that provides your salary or benefits.3. Pray for all those who are unemployed and would love to be going to work today. Kings Church London Mon, 28 Jan 2013 07:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#485 Matthew 6 : 9 - 10 This prayer of Jesus is so simple, straightforward and concise, yet loaded with meaning. Many preachers and authors have meditated on these words and discovered volumes of truth. Why not read it again slowly from The Message or New Living Translation and let the words come to you afresh? (For different versions online see www.biblegateway.com.)God is 'Our Father' - how amazing! 1 John 3:1 says: 'How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.' He has generously, graciously lavished His love on us, unworthy and ordinary as we are.'Hallowed be your name' - Yes, God loves us deeply but He is also holy, awesome and mighty. He should be approached with respect and reverence. Without the death of Jesus who took our punishment we couldn't even come to Him.His kingdom is coming in this world. It won't be fully revealed until He comes again, but amazingly our prayers help His kingdom gain ground here on earth, in London. God wants us to partner with Him to see His will done on earth. In our work places, our homes, our families, our church - God is looking to us to bring in His kingdom.Think for a moment about how things need to change around you to reflect His kingdom.Prayer Points1. Pray this prayer back to God, starting with gratitude that He is your Father.2. Pray about God's kingdom and will being done in all the situations you face today.3. Pray that as we meet together today, we will make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Kings Church London Sun, 27 Jan 2013 07:37:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#484 Matthew 6 : 5 - 8 It's great when people at King's contribute to our worship by praying out on Sundays, but here Jesus homes in again on our motives. Do we like the sound of our own voice? Do we go on and on when we pray? Do we somehow think we need to earn the answers to prayer we seek? Do we find it difficult to stop and listen to God?Jesus paints a picture of a person who prays regularly, who has found a place and a way to genuinely connect with their heavenly Father. A person who is real, praying simply in their own words, confident that God hears and answers. Jesus Himself withdrew to pray regularly and listened closely to what God would have Him do each day.Jesus isn't saying we shouldn't be persistent in prayer (He commends a widow who kept on bringing her requests until she received justice). But He is saying don't pray for effect, don't use formulas, copy others or make a big fuss with longwinded prayers. (See the parables about prayer in Luke 18:1-14.)Why not reflect on when, how and where you pray? What can you change to help you connect with God more effectively? What will help you grow in prayer, persevere in prayer and really draw near to your Father who longs to answer your requests? Start with small changes; these verses are not to condemn, but to encourage you - God loves it when you pray!Prayer Points1. Ask God to help you connect more deeply with Him through prayer every day, starting today!2. Pray that we will continue to grow in prayer as a church.3. Pray for our children's workers who will have the responsibility tomorrow of impacting young lives for Christ. Tomorrow's meetings: MISSION @ Catford & Downham; MERCY @ Lee Kings Church London Sat, 26 Jan 2013 07:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#483 Matthew 6 : 2 - 4 Giving to the needy, the disadvantaged, and the marginalised can be tricky, can't it? We wonder, 'Should I give to that person on the street, the charity that phones me, the neighbour who has lost their job? Will they waste the money, take advantage, or be embarrassed?' Whatever the dilemmas, giving to those in need shouldn't be something you only do at Christmas. It shouldn't be something you do to salve your conscience for your own excesses or as a quick solution instead of fighting for justice.Jesus challenges us to give secretly, unobtrusively, generously and spontaneously. That way we won't become proud, self-satisfied and those we give to will feel respected too. That doesn't mean we shouldn't also be intentional about our giving, so maybe the start of the year is a good time to review your giving to church, Multi-Site and those in need. (See 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 about giving out of a gratitude to God 'for his indescribable gift'!)There are many great charities that can use our gifts and channel them in the most effective way. We are also blessed as a church to have the Jericho Road Project that provides housing for the homeless, food for the disadvantaged, advice for those in debt and is a voice for justice in our community. Check it out on our website.Prayer Points1. Pray for the work of the Jericho Road Project, that God will use Simon and his team to serve and help many in our community.2. Pray for the King's Debt Advice Centre, that those in financial trouble will seek help.3. At the end of another working week for many, pray that this weekend will be a time of refreshment. Kings Church London Fri, 25 Jan 2013 07:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#482 Matthew 6 : 1 The next few verses challenge us about our spiritual habits, often called disciplines, and how they help or hinder our growth spiritually. Acts of righteousness, giving to the needy, prayer and fasting are all part of the spiritual life. Jesus assumes we are doing these outward habits but He then looks deeper, asking us to question our own motives.The religious people of Jesus' day made a show of their righteousness. They had become proud of their good deeds. Jesus isn't saying that good deeds are wrong but He is calling us to a life of humble, selfless integrity. We are, after all, called to be His servants (see Luke 17:5-10).Reflect for a moment on how often when we do something good at work or home we look over our shoulder for someone to say 'well done' or 'good job'. Our hearts desire approval, recognition and praise. In the spiritual life our motives matter more to God than what we do. He sees our hearts and wants us to focus on Him and not on what others think of us.The wonderful news from this verse is that He will reward us! But it may not be as we expect; it could be through spiritual growth, joy or an eternal heritage that won't fade, unlike the compliments or pat on the back we desire.Prayer Points1. Pray for opportunities this week to act righteously.2. Ask God to reveal the motives of your heart as you seek to serve Him.3. Pray for a successful Alpha meal this evening, and for the start of the New Life course. Kings Church London Thu, 24 Jan 2013 07:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#481 Matthew 5 : 43 - 48 The Pharisees knew the Old Testament, but they also knew how to misquote it if it suited them! The last six days' readings have started with Jesus' words, 'You have heard that it was said' (not 'It is written', which is what He says when He quotes the Old Testament). The Bible never tells us to hate our enemies - this was something the Pharisees had made up!God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous; that means He is indiscriminate in His love and we are to be the same. Can this be done? Let these history-changing words of Martin Luther King inspire you:'To our most bitter opponents we say, "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering ... do to us what you will, and we shall continue to love you ... throw us in jail, and we shall still love you ... send your hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and we shall still love you. We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that we shall win you in the process and our victory will be a double victory."'This is the way of disciples of Jesus. Our love for those who irritate us, the difficult and the unlovely, may seem trivial in comparison, but it will still be hard. We'll need God's Spirit who lives in us to help us love in God's way. Prayer Points1. Thank God for His undeserved, indiscriminate love.2. Think of someone you find it hard to love, and pray for them.3. Pray for tonight's Celebration, that we will experience God's healing power. Kings Church London Wed, 23 Jan 2013 07:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#480 Matthew 5 : 38 - 42 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth' comes straight out of the Old Testament Law. To us it may seem archaic and severe, but it played an important role in defining justice and limiting revenge among God's people. It was given as an instruction for judges to apply in court, and forbade the taking of the law into one's own hands by pursuing retribution in family feuds. The Pharisees, however, stretched the principle to apply to personal relationships, where it does not belong. The situations Jesus describes - turning the other cheek, going the extra mile etc. - are examples to give us an idea of how His disciples are to act. The behaviour consistent with being a disciple of Jesus is what He Himself exhibited. He doesn't ask anything of His followers that He hasn't faced Himself.In some ways, the Sermon on the Mount isn't just about us, it's about Jesus Himself. This was how He lived. When He was falsely accused, He stayed silent; when He was spat upon and mocked, He didn't retaliate; when the guards hit Him, He took the pain; and He prayed for those who crucified him.'The Sermon on the Mount isn't just about how to behave. It's about discovering the living God in the loving, and dying, Jesus, and learning to reflect that love ourselves into the world that needs it so badly.'(Tom Wright)Prayer Points1. Spend a few moments worshipping Jesus in the light of what you've just read. 2. Pray that you will be changed to become more and more like Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18).3. Pray for the Elders and Trustees as they meet this evening, that God will continue to give wisdom in all the decisions they have to make. Kings Church London Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#479 Matthew 5 : 33 - 37 Don't swear! That's what Jesus says in verse 34 of today's reading.But what He's actually talking about is not what usually springs to mind when we think of swearing, i.e. bad language. He's referring to making vows and oaths. And the background is the Pharisees' devious treatment of the Old Testament, so as to make it easier to obey.There are various instructions in the Law emphasizing the evil of false swearing or perjury - that is, making a vow and then breaking it. But what the Pharisees did was to shift attention away from the importance of the vow itself to the formula used in making it, that is, what people swore by when they made the vow. They developed a whole list of which formulas were allowed, and they also came up with idea that the only ones that were really binding were those that included God's name! Jesus shows how ridiculous this is, by making the point that however hard you try, you can't avoid some reference to God, because He in some way stands behind everything. Anything you mention is part of His world, and you can't take Him out of any of it.Nowadays, you might hear someone say, 'I swear on my mother's grave', or something similar. Jesus says that what you swear by is completely irrelevant; what matters is that you keep your word. Once again, He pushes the Law deeper, to its underlying intention; we must keep our promises and be people of our word.Prayer Points1. Ask God to put His finger on any aspect of the way you speak which needs attention.2. Resolve before God to speak truthfully and keep your promises, even when it hurts.3. Pray for the daytime Alpha course starting on Wednesday, for the team and those invited. Kings Church London Mon, 21 Jan 2013 07:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#478 Matthew 5 : 31 - 32 When Jesus was questioned elsewhere about divorce (Matthew 19), He replied by going right back to Genesis, and to God's original plan for marriage. And it's a great place to start. Marriage is God's idea, and it's the lifelong, exclusive relationship between one man and one woman. So divorce is a tragedy, and however well the two partners behave in splitting up, it is never painless, especially where children are involved. At the same time, divorce is not the unforgivable sin. If you have been through the heartache of divorce, remember that God is still committed to you - He will never give up on you.It's worth noting that Jesus' tough sounding words here are motivated by compassion - they're almost certainly aimed at protecting women of the day who were part of a society where they could easily find themselves dismissed from marriage and home for quite trivial reasons on the whim of their husbands.As always, Jesus is pushing the Law deeper and further in the direction God intended. What He wants is not a superficial obedience like that of the Pharisees', but a commitment to the deeper issues of faithfulness and love. For those of us who have the privilege of being married, this is a challenging but vital area to live as disciples of Jesus, displaying His character to our wife or husband.Prayer Points1. Pray that as a church we will work hard to support, protect and honour marriage.2. Pray for anyone you know who has been affected by divorce.3. Thank God that we are part of such a wonderfully diverse family. Kings Church London Sun, 20 Jan 2013 07:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#477 Matthew 5 : 27 - 30 How wise are the choices you make in the area of sexual purity?As we saw yesterday, Jesus focuses not just on the end result that the Law talks about (in this case adultery) but what goes on in our minds and our hearts that leads to the final outcome. 'To go on looking with lustful intent at another woman is tantamount to adultery because it is the deliberate nurture of desire for an illicit relationship.' (Philip Greenslade)Gouging out eyes and cutting off hands are clearly exaggerations to make a point, but just because we don't take these words literally doesn't mean we don't take them seriously. It is very clear that we must be willing to make tough choices and deal ruthlessly with lust: don't let your eyes linger; don't tune in to that channel; don't buy that magazine; don't read those books... This is not a rigid new set of laws; this is making wise choices as a devoted disciple of Jesus.It is also not 'repression', as our society might seem to suggest. Think of it more like pruning a rose: you cut off some buds so that the plant grows stronger and produces better flowers. Some pain, but ultimate gain!We don't have to give in to basic animal instincts - we are so much more than that! As human beings made in God's image, we can choose to live a much better way.Prayer Points1. (Men particularly) Read Job 31:1 and pray about it.2. Pray for King's, that we will be a beacon of purity in our community.3. Pray for all those getting baptised tomorrow, that they will meet God in a special way, and that their testimonies will impact others and draw them to faith. Tomorrow's meetings @ King's: MERCY @ Catford & Downham; Site preach @ Lee Kings Church London Sat, 19 Jan 2013 07:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#476 Matthew 5 : 21 - 26 Reading today's passage (and the passages for the next five days!) could make you feel inadequate and overwhelmed in view of some of the things Jesus says - they can seem unattainable. It's good to remember that God is our loving heavenly Father who only wants the best for us. The Sermon on the Mount is not a big stick God uses to beat us when we fall short; it's an invitation to the best possible way of life - life lived God's way. Jesus is describing the life of discipleship God creates among us as we embrace His kingdom rule. It's His way of life, which we will demonstrate as we are increasingly 'conformed to his likeness' (Romans 8:29).The Scribes and Pharisees limited the application of the sixth commandment - 'You shall not murder' - to the act of killing itself. Jesus disagreed; He pushed the Law deeper and further in the direction God intended it to take. It includes thoughts and words as well as the act itself.You can see how important Jesus thinks this is, and it's not just a theoretical discussion, it's very practical. He even says that reconciliation must take precedence over taking part in worship. We mustn't take these things lightly; Jesus doesn't want us singing songs in church if there's something wrong between us and someone else. It doesn't ring true if we say we love God but we hate our brother or sister. Let's have the courage to live God's way - the best way!Prayer Points1. Thank God that His ways are best and commit yourself again to live as a disciple.2. Examine your heart and resolve to sort out any issues where reconciliation is needed.3. Pray for all the teenagers associated with our church, that their gifts and energies will be dedicated to Christ's kingdom. Kings Church London Fri, 18 Jan 2013 07:00:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#475 Matthew 5 : 17 - 20 When did you last read something from the Old Testament, other than the Psalms? It's all inspired by God, and it points forward to Jesus and fills out our understanding of just how wonderful He is.'The Law and the Prophets' is shorthand for all the Old Testament Scriptures, and Jesus says that He didn't come to abolish them, but to fulfil them. Jesus does more than simply give assent to Old Testament teaching, He takes it to a new level; by His person, His teaching and His saving work, He fills with meaning what was true and good but partial and incomplete. Like light shining through a prism, something happens to Old Testament revelation when it is appreciated through Jesus.In Jesus' day, righteousness was judged in terms of keeping the Law, and the Pharisees were the experts: they calculated that there were 248 commands and 365 prohibitions! Obedience to all of them was their obsession. So how can we ever hope for our righteousness to surpass theirs? The glorious truth is that our righteousness is greater than the Pharisees' because it's deeper - it's a righteousness of the heart. Our righteousness is better, not in its amount, but by its very nature! In Jeremiah 31:33, God promised: 'I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts'. And in Ezekiel 36:27: 'I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes'. Through God's amazing work of regeneration and the fact that the Holy Spirit lives in us, this deep obedience really is possible.Prayer Points1. Ask God to speak to you through the whole of His Word. 2. Thank God for a righteousness greater than that of the Pharisees, even though we did nothing to deserve it. 3. Pray for all those involved in pastoral care at King's, for discernment, compassion and patience. Kings Church London Thu, 17 Jan 2013 07:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#474 Matthew 5 : 13 - 16 Have you ever eaten beef jerky? It's lean meat cut into strips, rubbed with salt and then dried. The addition of salt prevents it from going rotten, and means it can last for months without refrigeration. Jesus says that we are the 'salt of the earth'. Salt is a great preservative, and God has put us in the world to slow down the process of social decay.Salt also gives flavour and creates thirst. Christians should be against the dull and the bland, and for colour, richness and diversity. And let's pray that our presence in the community increasingly provokes thirst in others for something better. Jesus says too that we are the 'light of the world'. We are the people through whom God wants to shine His light into the world's dark corners, not simply to show up evil, but to enable people who are stumbling around in the dark to find their way. We may wonder how we are to fulfil these roles. How can we be 'salty' as Christians? And what are the 'good deeds' others are to see as our light shines? Well, it's no coincidence that today's reading comes where it does. At the most basic level, Christian saltiness is the sort of character depicted in the Beatitudes we've been looking at over the last few days, and our good deeds are the godly behaviour Jesus is about to describe: it's the nitty-gritty of dealing with anger and lust, of seeking reconciliation and speaking truth, and loving our enemies. That's the sort of behaviour that comes from being a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. How are you doing?Prayer Points1. Is there an area of your character where you could be more 'salty'? Talk to God about it.2. Pray for opportunities for God to shine His light through you in the next few days.3. Pray for Tope Koleoso speaking to us at tonight's Celebration, that he would hear God's heart for us. Church-wide celebration tonight at our Catford site - 7.45pm. TOPE KOLEOSO from Jubilee Church, London will be speaking... Kings Church London Wed, 16 Jan 2013 07:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#473 Matthew 5 : 10 - 12 It can feel sometimes as Christians that our voice in society is sidelined or squashed, but we are still remarkably free to worship and have our say in the UK. In many other countries the freedoms we enjoy are non-existent and Christians face danger, discrimination and restrictions. Historians reckon that more Christians were killed for their faith in the twentieth century than during all the other centuries put together. But there are moments even here when we need to stand up for justice, refute atheistic beliefs or bring the values of the Kingdom to bear in a situation. That takes courage and sometimes will cause a negative reaction. That's when we need to remember it's 'blessed' to be insulted and we need to rejoice!That doesn't give us the excuse to be arrogant, argumentative or insulting to others in return. We need to remain humble, gracious and full to overflowing with compassion. Let's be known because of what we are for - justice, mercy, marriage, true equality where every person is valued, and sexual purity - rather than be against everything! If you want to know more about how we can stand for these things in our society, check out www.care.org.uk, or Tearfund for international issues.Read 1 Peter 3:8-17 and think how you can equip yourself to be prepared to give a reasoned answer about your faith.Prayer Points1. Pray for Christians in other countries who face physical persecution or discrimination. May God protect them, give them courage and transform their societies.2. Pray that you will be a witness - full of grace as well as truth - in your workplace, among your friends and with your family, even if it gets difficult.3. Tonight there is a Leadership Summit for those involved in leadership at King's. Ask God to strengthen our leaders as we take up the challenge of the new vision God has given us. Church-wide celebration tomorrow - Wednesday 16th - 7.45pm at our Catford site. TOPE KOLEOSO : leader of Jubilee Church London!Join with others from across the three sites to worship together and hear God's word. Kings Church London Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#472 Matthew 5 : 9          Colossians 3 UN peacemakers often seem thrown into dangerous situations with inadequate resources or unclear mandates which mean their missions can sometimes fail. We however have a very clear mandate to bring peace into situations with the resources of the Holy Spirit within us and God's Word equipping us. Paul in Colossians 1:19-23 explains God's plan to reconcile all things to Himself by making peace through Jesus' blood, shed on the cross. We were once alienated from God but now we have been reconciled to Him through Jesus. So we have no excuse but to be peacemakers bringing that message of reconciliation to those around us. In chapter 3 Paul makes things very practical by describing how we need to take off the old clothes of anger, malice and slander and put on the new clothes of compassion, kindness and humility.It will mean breaking down the categories we use to divide ourselves according to race, education or economic status. It will mean we have to 'bear with one another' and 'forgive whatever grievances you have'. But the end result will not just be peace and thankfulness but real life in the body of Christ, when we each use our gifts to build one another up.Children of God acting like we all belong to the same family - what could be more wonderful and world changing!Prayer Points1. Pray that God will help you be a peacemaker and break down the barriers that divide people in your family, your work and church.2. Pray for leaders at every level in the areas of the world you know about where there is conflict. May God give them courage to be peacemakers.3. Pray that the vision that was cast yesterday will capture the heart of every person who attends King's. Kings Church London Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#470 Matthew 5:8Purity of heart seems a strangely old fashioned phrase - we can relate to integrity, which speaks of being consistent, but to be pure in our world of compromise, lies and brokenness is a tall order! Jesus later speaks with challenging rhetoric about tearing out our own eye if it causes us to stumble because He knows the easy way we let a look turn to lust and lust to action. Of course we can never achieve purity by our own efforts alone - we would end up blind and limbless! How wonderful that purity is available in the Cross as we recognise our need of a Saviour, confess our sin and ask Jesus to cleanse and forgive us.That daily need to come for forgiveness is beautifully expressed by David in Psalm 51:'Create in me a pure heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me.'The whole Psalm is worth meditating on as David cries out for God's mercy and finds it. To be forgiven is to truly meet with God, to see God and rejoice.Maintaining a pure heart is connected with what we think about, so today resolve to guard your heart and mind.'Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.' (Philippians 4:8-9)Prayer Points Pray through Psalm 51 allowing God to wash you whiter than snow. Pray for those in our community trapped by habits and addictions that make them feel impure, that they will be set free. Give thanks for the impact that God has enabled King's Church to have in this city, and pray that it will increase in a major way over the coming year. Kings Church London Sun, 13 Jan 2013 07:50:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#469 Matthew 5:7 'Mercy is the beating heart of the One Creator God as He revealed himself to Israel and is characteristic of the way He runs his kingdom.' (Phillip Greenslade) So it should come as no surprise that God not only wants us to be merciful but mirrors our efforts by pouring more mercy on us. We certainly need mercy - left to ourselves we are naturally selfish and risk averse but in showing mercy to others our own hearts soften and widen. A wonderful cycle of grace occurs as we venture out of our comfort zone to care for others. Luke sums this up when he says: 'Be merciful just as your father is merciful', and gives us concrete examples of what that looks like: loving your enemies, turning the other cheek, giving to those in need and even lending without expecting return (Luke 6:27-36). This is mercy and goes beyond kindness to a sacrificial love for the undeserving. Often we aren't merciful because we judge others as not worthy of a second chance. Something that they have said or done makes us write them off. But no one is beyond God's mercy and therefore our mercy. The Parable of the Good Samaritan cuts across the lines of prejudice showing mercy in action and ending with the challenge: 'Go and do likewise.' (Luke 10:25 - 37) Prayer Points Remember with thanks the many times God has shown mercy to you. Ask God to reveal the people around you at work and home that you have difficulty showing mercy to. Pray for them and for yourself that as you show mercy you will receive mercy. Pray for Steve Tibbert as he speaks to us tomorrow at Vision Sunday. Kings Church London Sat, 12 Jan 2013 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#468 Matthew 5:6How ambitious are you? Do goals and targets inspire you? Or are you more easy-going, just happy to feel you are making progress, travelling in the right direction but not too worried to measure the distance travelled or how far there is still to go? This verse is a challenge to both types of people.For the highly motivated goal-setting types it asks, what is your overriding goal? The thing which above all else you most want to achieve. What is your strongest passion and deepest desire? What would make life not worth living? Or as Jesus puts it, what do you hunger and thirst for? He does not tell us to stop being ambitious but to set our sights on the right thing, in fact on righteousness. By this He means to live a life pleasing to God, where our character is a reflection of His. And Jesus promises that if that is your ultimate goal, it is the one objective you can be certain of achieving. It won't come quickly or easily and your death will be a stage in the journey, but success is guaranteed.For the more relaxed personalities who live and walk at a gentler pace, the challenge is to check that calmness is not a cloak for casualness or carelessness. A quiet spirit is not the same as a complacent spirit. Christ calls us to have a passion for becoming like Him. He doesn't call us to change our personality type but he does call us to commitment to becoming righteous in all our ways.Prayer Points Thank God he has made you, you and ask Him to make you rightly ambitious. Pray for those who you know who lack confidence and are unsure of God's love for them. Pray for a spirit of generosity as we prepare for our Multi-Site Gift Day this Sunday.   Kings Church London Fri, 11 Jan 2013 07:50:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#505 Are you one of those who likes to know where they are going? I don't just mean when you're travelling somewhere physically - I'm thinking more of what you are aiming for in life, or even for this coming year. It's a good thing to take time to consider where you would like to be or what you want to be doing over the coming months. This would be true not only for individuals - as a church we set our vision for the future as we believe God has shown us. This Sunday is our next Vision Sunday when I'll be speaking on the incident from the New Testament that we call 'The Five Loaves and Two Fishes'. How does this fit in with the vision for King's? Come along on Sunday and find out! If you call King's your home church, don't miss it. It's vital that we are all active in one way and another in contributing to bring the vision God has given us into glorious reality. Many strike out into the future not really knowing where they are going - we have a loving God who has showered His love and grace on us and has called us to serve Him in bringing about His purpose for our part of this great city - and for the world! What could be more exciting and fulfilling than that? So, come prayerfully on Sunday. I want us all to catch again the great vision we have here at King's. And come ready to contribute to our next Gift Day - our priorities in life are never more clearly shown than in how we use our money. Let it be a really joyful Sunday - God loves a cheerful giver!   Kings Church London Fri, 11 Jan 2013 10:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#467 Matthew 5:5 & Genesis 13:5-11 There is an incident in the life of Abraham which perfectly illustrates meekness. Do you remember that Abraham's nephew Lot had travelled with him to Canaan? But when they finally arrived, the time came for them to part. Neither of them travelled alone, they had flocks and herdsmen with them and once they were no longer on the move, quarrels broke out between their servants. So they had to separate. Pasture and water were too scarce for them to stay together. All this made sense, but what was surprising is that Abraham let Lot have the choice of who went where. It was surprising for one thing because Abraham was the older man, Lot's uncle in fact. Yet much more significant was the fact that this was the land God had promised to Abraham. It would have quite understandable if Abraham had said, 'Well son, it's time for you to move on. This land is the land God has promised me, so go and find somewhere else.' This was meekness in action. Meekness is never weakness according to the Bible; rather it is the desire to put the interests of others ahead of your own. It is not concerned with self-advancement or image projection. For Abraham it was based on the utter confidence he had in the promise of God. All the land would one day be his. He didn't have to fight for it or protect it, he didn't have to make it happen; in fact he could be generous. Meekness leads to a gentle generosity of spirit. Prayer Points Pray for opportunities to be generous this week. Give to God any area of your life where you feel you are striving to make things happen rather than trusting Him. Pray for our on-going leadership training initiatives, that God will raise up a generation of courageous leaders. Kings Church London Thu, 10 Jan 2013 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#466 Matthew 5:4 & 2 Corinthians 7:10-11 Take an honest look at the world today. Turmoil in the Middle East, grinding poverty for countless millions, the exploitation of the weak by the strong, revelations of abuse by famous celebrities. Christians should mourn. Consider the reality of lingering and persistent sin in our own lives. We should weep. But when we face these realities honestly with God He brings comfort. He will never say, 'There, there, it doesn't matter', but His word does say that one day He will wipe every tear from our eyes. That one day 'there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things (will have) passed away.' (Revelation 21:4) He does hear our prayers for those in need and bless our efforts to be compassionate. He is our ally as we fight for justice. His word does say to those believe in Christ's sacrifice: 'There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' (Romans 8:1) Christian joy is never supposed to be superficial. It never is a sign of indifference to suffering or compromise with sin. It is a joy that soars to know the God who has given His Son to rescue the world. It's the delight of the forgiven. The joy of those who know He has sent his Spirit to empower His people. Each day we are called to engage with our sin-sick world sensitively and humbly. We are to bring the comfort of God because we have been comforted by Him. Prayer Points Ask God to soften your heart that tears may turn to prayer, prayer to praise and praise to action. Pray for those who minister to the most needy in our world that they may be full of compassion. Pray for tonight's Celebration, that God will manifest His presence amongst us in a powerful way. Tonight's Evening Celebration Kings Church London Wed, 09 Jan 2013 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#465 Matthew 5:3 & Luke 18:10-14 Jesus doesn't start His sermon with things we should do; rather He describes the sort of people we should be. He paints a picture of the sort of people that God approves of, those who are truly blessed. It would have been a provoking start to His message and it should grab out attention today. For what He sets out are not the sorts of things we are encouraged to write in application forms. They are not the qualities promoted in the media. None of them would appear in a list of the top ten tips on how to succeed. So He begins: Blessed are the spiritually bankrupt, those that have nothing to boast about. Blessed are the desperately needy and undeserving. Jesus once told a story of two men who went to the Temple to pray: one a Pharisee the other a tax-collector (Luke 18:10-14). One was confident he was acceptable to God; the other knew he needed mercy. One trusted in his good works; the other had nothing to offer but his need of forgiveness. We all start off praying like the tax-collector, 'have mercy on me, a sinner', but if we are not careful we quickly start sounding like the Pharisee. Guess which one was poor in spirit?It is vital at the beginning of this series of readings that we come realising our need of God's help, otherwise we will misunderstand everything Jesus says. His commands are not the steps we have to take to get to God. No, they are the steps we can take with God's help. Prayer Points 'Lord, give me awareness today of how much I need You and how willing You are to help.' Pray for those whose pride keeps them from meeting the God of mercy. Pray that our FP Impact team will have a brilliant time at Center Parcs as they join with other trainees from all over the country for a week of training. Tomorrow's Evening Celebration Kings Church London Tue, 08 Jan 2013 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#464 Matthew 5:1-2 & Matthew 28:16-20 One of the reasons Matthew wrote his gospel was to give the early church a manual on discipleship. That's obvious when you read how he ends it. The final words he writes are the words of the Great Commission (Matt 28:16-20) where Jesus tells His disciples to 'go into all the world and make disciples ... teaching them everything I have commanded you.' So it is not surprising that in the gospel he gives us such an extended record of all that Jesus taught. Matthew is saying if we want to know what to teach to make disciples, teach them what Jesus taught us. Obvious, but not often done in my experience. So this year our 40 Days Bible Reading notes are designed to make us better disciples by taking us through the first great sermon we find Jesus giving in Matthew's Gospel, the most famous sermon of all - the Sermon on the Mount. It's pretty certain we don't have everything Jesus said on that occasion because what we have written would only take a few minutes to preach. What we have are the edited highlights. So you may find that some days there is only a verse or two to read, but give yourself time to ponder and maybe memorise it. Allow its truth and its challenge to seep into your spirit and bring its medicine to your soul. Because it's not how much we read or how much we know that really counts, but as both Matthew and Jesus make clear, it's how much we obey that is the real test of discipleship. Prayer Points 'Lord, as I begin these 40 days with You, make Your word a light to my path and a lamp to my feet.' Pray that as the first disciples turned the world upside down we too might be agents of God's kingdom. Pray for an increase of faith as the many ministries at King's prepare to launch their programmes for this term.     Kings Church London Mon, 07 Jan 2013 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#471 Tomorrow will not be just any old Monday. Whatever your usual routine on this first working day of the week, you have the chance to join with hundreds of others who attend King's and be part of our 40 Days programme.  Today we gave out copies of the 40 Days study guides, providing Bible readings and notes to guide your thoughts and some prayer points to follow starting tomorrow, Monday 7th January. It's the start of the few weeks in the year when we unite together to read and pray along the same theme - on this occasion The Sermon on the Mount.  If you did not manage to pick up a copy of the guide, don't worry! We will be posting an email each day early in the morning with the relevant page of notes so you will not have to miss out. This means it can come to your computer, your smart phone or your tablet and allow you to access the readings wherever you are, even on route to work! Alternatively you can download the full booklet or read it online on our 40 Days page: www.kingschurchlondon.org/40days/. Each Wednesday evening during the rest of January we will meet at the Catford site at 7.45pm for a time of prayer and celebration. Come to meet with others from across the three sites of King's, to call upon God and hear what He has to say to us - especially about 2013. I'm really excited about this coming year and all the possibilities ahead! Kings Church London Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2013#463 For many at King's our Watchnight has become a real highlight of the year! This time we saw in the New Year at all three sites on December 31st - I had the privilege of attending and speaking at the Catford site event. What a thrill to see the place packed - we ran out of chairs, and even had to start to turn people away at the end - but most importantly a great time of celebration was had, with great reports from Downham and Lee as well. As has become our practice, we begin the year with a season of prayer and fasting. Our 40 Days will include weekly Wednesday evening Celebrations throughout January, held at our Catford site - times for us as a whole church to wait on the Holy Spirit, encounter Him, and pray into all we believe God is opening up for us in 2013. The King's pastoral team have prepared another 40 Days study and prayer guide on the Sermon on the Mount to unite our focus and thinking. Please pick up your copy if you haven't already done so and use it to inform your praying... These are great days! We find ourselves in the situation where there are more people than ever enquiring about the Christian faith and attending Kings! In a continued response to such God-given growth, over the coming few months we move to two meetings at our Downham site and will begin the next phase of development of the Lee site to create another 500-seater auditorium. In doing these things I believe we are laying a foundation to continue to reach and serve thousands of people in this part of London and beyond, now and in the generations to come. Lastly, and in the light of all that I have written above, I'm giving a personal request to all who attend King's to make an effort to attend our Vision Sunday on January13th. I look forward to seeing you there! Happy New Year to you all and God's richest blessing on all the King's Church family!   Kings Church London Thu, 03 Jan 2013 10:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2012#462 This week our focus is towards the eight Love Came Down Carol services - five evening services at our Catford site and a morning service at each of our sites on Sunday. A reminder that we'd love you to come to one of the evening services as well as one of the Sunday morning services - and to invite at least one person to come with you. A few practical reminders... You won't need a ticket to get into any of the Carols services. And if you're undecided about which of the evening services to attend at the Catford site, please come the 7.30pm service on either Friday, Saturday or Sunday - we're already expecting the 5pm services to be full. Visit www.kingschurchlondon.org/lovecamedown for more information about timings and venues, and if you haven't already done so, please watch the video below in which Phil explains the theme for our Christmas series and the Carols services: "His Journey • Their Journey • My Journey". Hope to see you sometime over the weekend. Kings Church London Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2012#461 I always enjoy spending time with friends within the Newfrontiers family and hearing of the progress of our churches on various fronts. What God is doing around this city and beyond in the rest of the country is encouraging - and exciting too! Good relationships between our movement's leaders have always been a strength we have enjoyed and investing in real friendships is no trial when they bring great benefit to us all. Others are as interested in what God is doing among us at King's as we are in hearing what is happening elsewhere. Meanwhile back at King's - Christmas is really taking hold. I hear from Simon Allen that just under 50 hampers have already been delivered to the Catford site; each site will be receiving filled Arms Wide Open hampers this Sunday but you can also bring your box of food to the King's Centre on Catford Hill during office hours if that helps. I also hear that 300 Caring Christmas Trees have been sold! If you haven't ordered yours yet - it's not too late... www.caringchristmastrees.com/london/ is the place to go and for a small extra sum you can even have it delivered to your home! Our King's Carol Services are now only ten days away. I am so excited about all the possibilities these services offer us - the chance to invite non-church friends to join in well-loved carols, for them to see a vibrant and living congregation of God's people, to share a mince pie (or two!) with them... and not forgetting that they will hear the vital message that Love Come Down - the Lord Jesus born a baby in Bethlehem for the saving of the world. For some who come to King's for the first time over Christmas 2013 could prove to be a momentous year - let's make it our aim to invite family, friends, neighbours and work colleagues to come along. It's always a time to be proud of our people - the creative team and the musicians who bring their gifts and all our other volunteers giving their time and effort so that we can tell the Good News to the people of south-east London. Don't let such a great opportunity slip by without grasping it...!   Kings Church London Thu, 06 Dec 2012 14:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2012#460 Can you imagine being in London at night with no money? Looking for somewhere to sleep when it's cold - really cold - and the temperature is still dropping all the time. Someone's already taken that place in a sheltered doorway you had your eye on... you've been turned out of another place by two regular rough sleepers ('Everybody knows this is our spot...') and a resident in one street threatened to call the Police when you sat down on a flight of steps. In the bin bag you carry are all your possessions, including old newspapers retrieved from waste bins - insulation to go between you and the cold, hard pavement... Whatever the reason that brings men and women to such a situation we have the means to reach out with the love of God and to show something of His mercy. Through the work of Simon Allen and his Jericho Rd Project team we can touch the lives of some in such need. This Christmas, while we prepare for our own celebrations, in the warmth and security of our own homes, we can contribute by buying our Christmas tree through www.caringchristmastrees.com where the profits will go to support this vital ministry. Deb and I have already ordered ours and I know that more and more of you are doing the same. Some of you are also bringing in unwanted sleeping bags - others have bought new winter-weight, extra warm sleeping bags to donate to Simon and the team to distribute. As the chilly nights are on us, they will be really valued by those who receive them! On Christmas Day our offerings at all three King's sites will also go to bless those in need who are served by this great work at JRP. Then there are families in our community who struggle with difficult home circumstances or who have to manage on very little money. We aim to show the love of God to them through our 'Arms Wide Open' hampers. Over 250 empty boxes were taken by King's people over the last couple of weeks - all to be filled and returned on December 2nd & 9th, ready to be distributed through Social Services and other dependable agencies. If you would still like to be involved in this there are spare boxes available and we know that The Big Yellow Storage Company are willing to provide more for us if they are needed. Our thanks to them! The non-perishable foods to go in the boxes will ensure that those receiving them will not go hungry over the festive season. And beyond this we have the love and mercy of our wonderful God to share through the Good News of Jesus! Only two weeks until our Carol Services! We may not be directly involved in ministering to the homeless, we may not know among our neighbours those who are in financial need (although in these days of recession we may well do so...) - BUT we all know those who do not realise that the love of God is for them personally and that two thousand years ago a Child was born who would change things forever! I would encourage you to be thinking about those you can invite to one of our eight Carol Services over the weekend of Friday 14th to Sunday 16th December. Pray for them - and take the opportunity the season gives to invite them to come with you. So many are open at this time of year to such an invitation! Love Came Down! What more important message is there for our colleagues, friends and family to hear? Kings Church London Thu, 29 Nov 2012 13:24:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2012#458 If you weren't able to be with us on Sunday and missed the video clip telling us about Christmas at King's, here's a chance to see it... And if you did see it on Sunday - it's worth watching again! For all the details about December at King's, visit www.kingschurchlondon.org/lovecamedown. Kings Church London Fri, 23 Nov 2012 17:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2012#459 Many years ago while working for a company called Hell Xenotron (yes, you read that correctly!) I spent three weeks in Germany at an exhibition called Drupa. I was amazed how quickly I felt out of touch with all that was going on in the life of the church - simply because I missed church for three Sundays in a row. It does not take much for us to feel adrift from fellowship and church life. Hebrews 10:25 says, 'Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another...' The context of this exhortation from Paul is a church under persecution, as a result of which people stopped meeting together. Our challenges are more subtle - busy lives being just one temptation for us to drift away. But let's encourage one another to come to worship this weekend! Why not go on Facebook, post a Tweet, send a text or call a friend and suggest you go to worship together? God is certainly worth it, and to be with His people and worship Him together will do you, and all of us, good! Yesterday the King's pastoral team had a day out together visiting Kerith Community Church in Bracknell. It was great to meet with their team and to learn from this fast-growing church facing many similar challenges to us. Meanwhile, back at Alpha...! Praise God for four people who made an initial commitment to Christ on the Alpha Saturday - that makes ten so far from this Alpha course. And our Christmas hamper project got off to a good start with 130 boxes for filling taken last Sunday over the three sites - that's a really great start. And finally, returning to the subject of meeting together... I am so encouraged by the growing momentum at our 5.30 Sunday meeting at the Catford site! There was a real buzz there last week, with growing numbers in attendance - if you haven't yet been to that meeting it would be well worth a visit. I look forward to seeing you all at King's on Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2012#457 There is so much to be excited about at King's - and Christmas adds to the reasons! Rehearsals for our Carol Services are already under way and for those of you with an eye to Christmas shopping I understand that copies of the Everything worship album are disappearing fast! Available on Sundays at a cost of £10 each, you can also buy copies of the previous album (Mercygiver) and there's a special offer - if you buy both you get the two for £15. Everything is a great album - we have much to be grateful to God for in our fantastic worship team under the leadership of Phil Varley. It's an album to be proud of! Simon Allen and our mercy ministry team want you to know that Caring Christmas Trees are on sale again this year. Good quality Nordmann trees that retain their needles are now available with all profits going to support the Jericho Road Project and its work among the homeless and disadvantaged of SE London. Go to the easy-to-use website to order yours - http://www.caringchristmastrees.com/   And that brings me to our Christmas Hampers... Last year the people of King's and their friends and families filled 260 Christmas hampers for distribution through Social Services and other trusted agencies, who passed them on to people and families for whom times are especially hard. It was a moving sight when the filled boxes were piled up around the edge of the auditorium! We had a lot of appreciative feedback from these agencies as a result of this initiative so it is no surprise that we have decided to repeat it in 2012. This year, in faith, Simon Allen has ordered 350 boxes for us to fill! For the next two Sundays you can pick up a flat-pack box, along with a list of the needed contents to take with you when you do your weekly shop. We will receive the filled boxes back on Sunday 2nd and Sunday 9th December. And if a whole box is too much for you, you are welcome to bring along a few items to contribute to another box - or why not join together with friends to fill one, or with your community group? For those who aren't paper list people, details of the hampers are available here - why not keep the link on your mobile so that when you go round Sainsbury's or Tesco with your trolley, you will have the list of hamper items easily to hand? Some of you are, I know, recruiting colleagues to fill a box or two through your work-place. Christmas provides an opening for us to share about our King's mercy ministries and to invite friends, colleagues and family members to our Carol Services... Let's take every opportunity to get the true message of Christmas out to those who need to hear it - and to share the love of our Heavenly Father with His lost world! Kings Church London Thu, 15 Nov 2012 13:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2012#456 Today is the second of two days coaching with some of the most gifted leaders within our Newfrontiers family of churches in the UK. I find these days extremely energizing and while I trust my small contribution helps equip this great bunch of leaders, I always benefit from the insights of all the attendees. It really is an example of 'iron sharpening iron' (Proverbs 27:17). Once again I have been partnering in this with my good friend Brian Watts - a brilliant coach. One of the most encouraging aspects of this time together has been hearing how past coaching sessions are bearing so much fruit in many of the churches represented. As King's continues to press on towards our goal of reaching London there are many in our slipstream. This is indeed a great privilege. And next week I get to do the same thing again with another group of 12 lead elders offering themselves for coaching! Back in the King's family - we now know that the total for our October multi-site offering was, including gift aid, £65,000. Our elders and trustees join me in thanking you all for another remarkable effort in giving. Although the total fell short of our original target of £90,000 there is no doubt that this is still an amazingly generous offering. We will look to pick up the shortfall over the coming months. Leadership Matters - the current series we are following on a Sunday and in our community groups - will continue to cover relevant and important territory; please take the opportunity to download any talks that you miss so that you get the complete picture. Stop Press! The new King's worship album, 'Everything', will be available for sale from this Sunday at £10 each. Whether for personal worship or as possible Christmas gifts for family, friends and colleagues - Phil Varley and his band will have given us an album to be proud of. We are privileged to have such a gifted worship leader and set of musicians! To listen to a sample track, go to www.kingschurchlondon.org/everything. Kings Church London Thu, 08 Nov 2012 16:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2012#455 Last week I was privileged to be part of the international Newfrontiers conference in Turkey. This was the first time that leaders from around the world had gathered since the inauguration of the new apostolic spheres and it was a delight to connect with friends from across the nations.Bob Roberts Jnr. - senior pastor of North Woods Church in East Texas - was one of the main speakers. It was refreshing to have a voice from outside the movement speaking so clearly, challenging and provoking us to rethink how we view the Kingdom of God. Very stimulating!Cathy and Malcolm Kyte and Mick and Val Taylor were also there from King's - and as well as spending time with them, Deb and I enjoyed catching up with the Loizides, the Koleosos, the Marques, the Mbonisis and Kate & Joel Virgo!On the last full day of our stay six coach-loads of us went from the conference to visit the ancient site of Ephesus. We walked through ruined buildings and along paved streets where Paul and the believers with him would have strolled. When we reached the great amphitheatre I was able to test out the acoustics - I stood on the stone arena and spoke a few words after which Mick Taylor read the passage from Acts where the silversmiths of Ephesus sought to incite civil unrest against Paul - they shouted, 'Great is Diana of the Ephesians!' for hours, apparently... As Mick finished reading we sang together, 'Great is He who's the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords - He is Wonderful!' Diana's temple is no more. No-one shouts her name or sings her praise today. But Jesus continues to be worshipped all over the world and His Church stands for all time. Hallelujah! And it was with similar excitement that I met with 40 people on Sunday at the King's Membership Morning... God is good! Kings Church London Thu, 25 Oct 2012 13:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2012#454 Our mercy ministries are an essential part of the work of King's - here's an update from Simon Allen on what the Jericho Road Project (JRP) is doing currently... Please pray for all these aspects of this important work. The Debt Advice Service has been long in the planning and is now 'all systems go'! The first clients have been seen and further publicity is going out into the Catford and Lewisham area. Referrals can be made by emailing debtadvice@kingschurchlondon.org  or calling 07791 206531. The Feast continues to be full each Wednesday evening with over 100 coming along for a hot meal and to meet up and talk. Currently we are seeing more rough sleepers on a Wednesday night at the Feast than we have been used to - we can't see particular reasons for this at the moment. The stock of 60 sleeping bags that were donated around this time last year by King's people are now almost gone - and the coming of colder nights means that we will need more to give out. If you have a sleeping bag that you do not need, or if you would like to buy one for us to give away, we would be glad to receive them. Ideally these should be cold weather use - 3 season or above. We can also take old duvets or blankets as these are useful for those who are living in squats. If you can't bring the sleeping bag or duvet to the Catford site, please take it to the site you attend and leave it with one of the leaders - we will arrange collection! Friday Support Group - for those who are vulnerable and need a quieter, calmer venue in which to talk than the Feast can provide, Friday lunchtime (12.30 start) is ideal. Between 20 and 25 gather at the Catford site each week with our team members and there is a sense of progress for those who come along regularly. Another new venture - JRP Discipleship Groups, with two groups for men (led by Dave Barlow and Vince Popely) and one for women (led by Margaret Robinson and Jane Haley). Please pray for progress for the members of these groups, and for them to be built up in their faith. Apart from these and our 6 houses providing a safe home for 28 people, which carry on round the year, there are some one-off events to mention... Street Pastors event: Rev Les Isaac, inspiration behind the Street Pastors movement, spoke at our Catford site last week. His talk can be heard by clicking here - "we are not motivated out of fear, we are motivated out of love, power & a sound mind." Harvest events: A number of local schools are kindly donating the food gathered at their harvest festivals to us. In the next few weeks I will be speaking at one or two of these events, telling the kids why the work we do is needed. Christmas! Christmas is coming... In co-operation with Lewisham Social Services and the Voluntary Care Centre we will be looking to the good people of King's to help us fill hampers for distribution to needy families in the days coming up to Christmas. Last year we did a magnificent 260+. We want to do more this year! Details will be available soon. And still with Christmas - we will be aiming to raise much-needed funds for the JRP by selling Caring Christmas Trees again. Flyers and website will be available from the end of October. We will have collection sites in Beckenham, Catford and Deptford plus the option of home delivery!! Kings Church London Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2012#453 Time to mark another couple of firsts at King's! In the last week we have seen the highest attendance at a King's Alpha meal with 105 guests, and the successful launch of the second Sunday meeting at our Lee site. We are now one church with three sites and six meetings! I want to commend the Lee site team, who have done an amazing job preparing for the move to the second meeting on the site. Such a development does not take place overnight - there have been months of prayer and planning taking place as well as sacrificial giving of time and energy by key individuals. In the light of this and by the grace of God I am confident the site will continue to grow rapidly! In anticipation of the move to two meetings at our Downham site in the New Year, this coming Sunday at Downham there will be a Ministry Fair as a part of the preparation to such a move. I am very proud of our volunteers who serve so ably and willingly - part of the life-blood of King's, making us more effective in our mission to reach others for Jesus. A church on the move like ours needs constant transfusions of new volunteers. There are teams of people waiting to welcome you to various tasks and ministries at Downham! This weekend's meetings (all six of them!) will include Dedications at the Catford site where we will welcome the families and friends of those bringing their small children to thank God for them and to dedicate themselves to the task of bringing up those children in God's way. And, of course, there will be the first of our two multi-site offering Sundays in October. Our target for the month - £90,000... Kings Church London Thu, 11 Oct 2012 10:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2012#452 Tonight's Alpha Course at King's has the potential to be our largest ever. We expect over 100 guests - and another 30 plus for our Alpha Plus course running at the same time. I am planning to pop in just for the joy of seeing for myself our auditorium packed with people asking questions of faith! So, it was great last night to meet together as a church to pray for among other things, the launch of our next Alpha course - please continue to pray for Annie Twort and her team of dedicated helpers who do so much to ensure the success of Alpha on a practical level. Each one is making a valuable contribution to the spiritual progress of our guests - our thanks to each one of them. Pray too for those guests - that each one will have an encounter with the Living God. At the same time we are only three days (yes, that's three days!) away from the launch of our second Sunday meeting at the Lee site. The Lee team have been planning and praying about this development for some time but this Sunday it all comes together with meetings at 9.30am and 11.30am. We look forward to great things at Lee! With Alpha and the second Lee meeting in mind there can be no greater spur to further prayer and committed giving - we continue to stretch to reach more and more people with the good news of Jesus. The next two Sundays see our October Multi-site Gift Days and our aim is to reach £90,000. Please come along prayerfully prepared to play your part in reaching this amazing target! I will be preaching at the four meetings that cover our Catford and Downham sites this Sunday - in the midst of preparing for this exciting Sunday I have also spent time this week with our King's team and also with Newfrontiers' leaders from other churches. I shall be in Bournemouth tomorrow meeting with the church leaders there. As you pray for Alpha and for Lee, please pray also for me! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2012#451 At this time of year we have become used to welcoming Frontier Project Impact trainees to the King's team - otherwise known as FPers! They join the King's team for just about a year and we benefit from their energy and enthusiasm as they support the various ministries of King's. At the same time we know that they learn from working alongside our gifted staff members. Each month they join with FPers from all over the region for three days of teaching and training at Queen's Rd Church, Wimbledon. Brett Melville currently oversees the FP programme for the London training base and is excited about all God is going to do through this batch of young people giving time to God and to serve His church! So - let's introduce to you our own FP team members! Vince Popely is working alongside Simon Allen and his team on the Jericho Road Project and the Feast. Vince has been at King's since he was a child and, now married to Lorraine, recently graduated from Greenwich University in Business Information Technology. Gemma Gordon is another home-church FPer. Gemma and her family have been in King's for about four years and having completed her A levels she has come on the team to support King's Kids and our youth ministry before going on to university next year. Tim Higham comes to us from God First Church in Christchurch, Dorset where Morne now serves. Tim's recent work in technical theatre on a Production Arts course means that Phil Varley and the worship team are going to find his skills really helpful! This Sunday at King's we are looking forward to baptisms at the Catford and Downham sites. Seven disciples of Jesus declaring their commitment to Him in this public way. Please pray for them - and also for their guests, some of whom will not have seen a baptism before! A baptism is a tremendous opportunity for inviting non-church family members and friends along. They will listen to the stories of those to be baptised and will hear how Jesus changes lives! If you invite them...   Kings Church London Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2012#450 What a weekend we just had - and another great one yet to come! It was an amazing Sunday, with 39 responses to the gospel through our five meetings. We now know that 15 people made first-time commitments to Christ and we rejoice too, with those who recommitted their lives! Lex Loizides served us so well - what a gifted communicator of the gospel he is. And I am excited that with the coming of a second meeting at Lee in the next few weeks and at Downham in the New Year, we will provide the opportunity for even more people to hear the Good News of Jesus in the future! Today I have spent the day with five friends who lead some of the larger churches within Newfrontiers in the UK - Joel Virgo from CCK Brighton, Tope Koleoso from King's Enfield, Graham Marsh from King's Eastbourne, Simon Benham from Kerith Community Church in Bracknell and Neil Bartlett from King's in High Wycombe. It has been a privilege to learn from each other and to pray together. This coming weekend is another exciting occasion for us, where we will be celebrating the success of the Alpha course at King's over the last 16 years. How many people do you think have come into the Kingdom at King's through this wonderful means of reaching people that God continues to bless? Come along to find out! I predict yet another unmissable Sunday - and another excellent opportunity to invite friends, family members and work colleagues. Who are you praying for? Who are you asking along? Don't be afraid to make that 'last minute' invitation - sometimes that's all that's needed...!   Kings Church London Thu, 20 Sep 2012 14:44:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2012#449 Last night's prayer celebration was another occasion when all of us at King's had the joy of time set aside to wait on God and experience the powerful presence of his Holy Spirit. It was great to welcome Steve Nicholson from Evanston Vineyard, Chicago - his words on the privilege and the challenges of building a diverse church were timely ones for us. This weekend Lex Loizides will be with us on one of his regular visits to us from his home in South Africa - Lex is a great communicator of God's love! I would encourage you be here on Sunday and to bring a visitor or two. It will be a fantastic opportunity for work colleagues, friends and family members to hear the good news of Jesus! If you were unable to be at our Vision Sunday last weekend, can I encourage you to download the podcast from the King's website and listen to this important message. Let the message provoke and inform your prayers for the coming season at King's! Today includes catching up with friends from within our Newfrontiers churches in London and hearing what God is doing in our great city. Later this evening Deb and I are having a meal with Steve and Cindy Nicholson before they return to the States. There will be lots of laughter and lots of talk about where we are at King's - and where we believe God is leading us in the future.   Kings Church London Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2012#448 It's good to be back! And I returned to lots of positive news - more visitors than ever at King's and Sunday attendance more than sustained over the summer. Channel 4 sent a film crew along to the Feast and, so exciting, a marriage restored through a combination of the work of Alpha and the message I preached on a biblical view of sexuality at the start of the summer! What a fantastic way to end a summer break and return refreshed to the task God has called us to! I always enjoy preaching on our Vision Sundays and today was no exception. The heart of my 'Lengthen and Strengthen' message was that we want to be an Isaiah 53 church - Jesus centred. Secondly, we want to be an Isaiah 54 church - expectant of spiritual growth and expansion while strengthening everything we do, and thirdly we want to be an Isaiah 55 church - inviting people to come and drink of God's gospel of grace. Jesus centred, missional and growing, strengthened, going deeper, and invitational. What a set of goals for a church! I am very excited about this coming week, as our dear friend Steve Nicholson from Chicago will be with us. Steve's visits have always coincided with key moments on our journey; on this occasion he arrives weeks before we launch our second meeting at the Lee site. Apart from meeting with our leaders at other times, Steve will be speaking on Wednesday evening at the Celebration at our Catford site. This is definitely an evening not to miss! Steve Nicholson's visit is quickly followed by the return of another great friend to Kings - Lex Loizides will be speaking at all our five meetings next Sunday (16th). Lex is a great communicator of the love of Jesus and I would encourage you to invite a friend. God has given us a Big Vision at King's - something worth giving time and effort to. As a result of God working through us, people are being saved, the disadvantaged are being show mercy, and lives are being restored. God is good! Kings Church London Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2012#447 So what is the third greatest commandment? Not a question I think anyone ever asked Jesus! After loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength... and our neighbour as ourselves, which commandment would you put next on the list? If you could choose only one, what would it be? It's amazing the sorts of questions and thoughts that bobble up in your head when you're on holiday. Over the time of my sabbatical, away from King's responsibilities, this was one of those questions that sidled up to me one day. During our travels, Val and I visited some impressive churches and spoke to some great staff team members. We saw some stunning sights - taking the train from Seattle to Vancouver there were eagles flying above the water of the inlet we were passing, scooping up fish. The drive along the Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver to Whistler was wonderful. There were also interesting and beautifully written books to read (Gilead by Marilynne Robinson is brilliant!), fascinating art to see and glorious parks and botanical gardens to wander around. In the normal run of life it can be hard to make time for such things. This summer our experience of the natural world brought me again to awe and worship. Not of the creation itself, but of the magnificent God who created it all. In the midst of the reality of fallen creation and man's sinful dealing with the world around him we shouldn't lose the wonder of all we see in that world. Part of the way we can act as salt and light in this world is to be the people who see and appreciate "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - anything (that) is excellent or praiseworthy." (Philippians 4:8). Christians should be the most appreciative, joyful and enthusiastic people to be around. "For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving." (1 Timothy 4:4) So my suggestion for consideration as greatest commandment three? To appreciate and cherish God's creation! And speaking of appreciation... This is a good opportunity to say a heartfelt 'Thank You!' to everyone at King's - the other elders, the trustees and each valued member - for giving the opportunity to take three months' sabbatical. It has been a time of refreshing, of research and re-creation and I now feel renewed in energy and focus! Many thanks to all of you... Kings Church London Sun, 02 Sep 2012 19:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2012#446 Ok - so, with a title like that, I know what you're thinking. That I'm about to quote Hebrews 12 and talk about 'running the race' - well, I'm not. Not that I haven't thought about it, given the amazing performances we've seen. Nope, I want to talk about a different lesson - I want to talk about what I saw at the Olympic Park the other day and about the volunteers who were stewarding. Rarely have I been so interested in the people doing this role. I have been fortunate enough to go to lots of sporting occasions and most of the time I don't even remember noticing the stewards - the London 2012 Gamesmakers were different! They were like a suped-up Welcome Team, and they have been rightly recognised for doing a fantastic job. I was so impressed that at one point I stopped and asked one of them what training they had all had (clearly they had had some really good training!) Whilst King's is really good at welcoming people I have to be honest - I think there are definitely things we can learn at church about how that team welcomed the thousands of people arriving at the Olympic venues. Here's what I really liked about them. They were excited to be there - their own genuine enthusiasm for the event about to take place was really infectious, you couldn't help be affected. They were vocal - They welcomed me and encouraged me to enjoy the event, which was really nice. They were available to chat - whilst they had a job to do, they were definitely people-focussed - in fact I think their main task was to be people-focussed. They were highly visible - even though there were loads of people milling around, I could see who they were and where they were; they were really easy to spot - I seriously think we should re-consider the colours we use for the King's Welcome Team 'uniform'. Honestly, it made a real difference. They were informed - when you had a question for them, they either knew the answer or they knew someone who did. We can learn from the high quality of the work done by the London 2012 Gamesmakers - certainly I was provoked to think about how we do things at King's and to realise again the importance of a GREAT welcome! Athletes everywhere will have been challenged by what they saw at the Olympics. King's! We have also been challenged to raise our game!   Kings Church London Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2012#445 This week's guest blogger - Annie Twort The Olympic Opening Ceremony was moving in its depiction of diversity. Thousands of "ordinary" people took part, representing the highly varied cultural and social backgrounds of the residents of London. The involvement of young and old, physically able and disabled, deaf and hearing people, all rang out a clear message of inclusivity. This message resonates deeply with the Gospel. Jesus said "Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away." His urgent prayer for his followers shortly before his arrest and crucifixion was that they would be one, as he and the Father are One. He taught them to think not in terms of hierarchy, but in terms of serving one another in love. In London in 2012, the church of Jesus should rightly celebrate her unique diversity. At King's we regularly welcome people from 40 different nations of the world. This represents an incredibly rich tapestry of wisdom, life experience, and expression of Faith. I see it as a remarkable privilege to worship alongside someone who survived the Rwandan genocide, another person who made the brave choice to break free from alcohol addiction, a young person who regularly invites his friends to Alpha, and an elderly person who has worshipped and prayed in this church for over 60 years. Our unity goes way beyond an event of a few weeks. We are striving to become one in heart, mind, and purpose, in obedience to Jesus. Our door stays wide open to all, and our diversity continues to grow. We thank God for this, because we are so much the richer for it. If we will take the time to listen to one another's stories, we will be rescued from narrow-mindedness. God wants to give us a global perspective, and to increasingly fulfil the words of the prophet Isaiah, "My House will be a House of Prayer for all Nations."   Kings Church London Sun, 19 Aug 2012 19:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2012#444 Another in a series of guest blogs - today from Ben Welchman Recently I've had a couple of instances when my mobile phone has frozen and I've had to do all kinds of things to try and get it working again. It got me thinking, wouldn't it be great if you could do the same thing with people. You know those days when it feels like your brain can't get out of first gear and you probably drink excessive amounts of coffee? Wouldn't it be great to be able to restore to factory settings and get your mind and body working at full capacity? We all get run down at times, so how do you re-charge your batteries? Isaiah 40:29-31 says 'He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.' RESTORE - The great thing is we don't have to wipe the memory or restore to factory settings in order to live fully for God. These verses tell us that God gives strength to the weary. In the creation order God instituted a pattern of work and rest (the equivalent of factory settings for people!). So take a Sabbath rest (at least one day a week when you take time off from whatever you normally do). Make sure you get enough sleep and create pockets of downtime in the busyness of life. RECREATE - A famous advertising campaign talked about WORK, REST AND PLAY. Recreation is so important. So when is your playtime? What do you enjoy doing that is good for you? Maybe it's playing sport, maybe it's seeing close friends, or going to a concert. Create opportunities for your heart, mind and body to be refreshed. RENEW - The Message translation says 'those who wait upon God get fresh strength'. Pay attention to the condition of your heart and do the things that are good for your soul: get 'up-close and personal' with God's word; talk to God on a daily basis; read or listen to stuff that inspires you. Let things that are full of the life of God wash over your soul and renew you. And you will find God's strength when you need it most.   Kings Church London Sun, 12 Aug 2012 18:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2012#442 Over the summer break we have a series of guest  blog postings from King's staff members. Today's is from Hilary Dalziel... This has been a great term for my wonderful team of Pastoral Care volunteers. They do brilliantly in leading the Freedom in Christ course, Relationship Matters course, providing prayer on Sundays, visiting people and doing the admin tasks that keep people connected. After all, pastoral care is best done by all of us - the New Testament is full of commands to care for and encourage 'one another.' If you are one of the many who care for one another at Kings, a big 'Thank you!' The Freedom in Christ Saturday was an exciting day when through prayer people took off spiritual 'plaster casts' - weighty sins that beset them, emotional limits imposed by others, bondage to all sorts of idols and lies. Jesus said, 'the truth will set you free and you will be free indeed.' Many gave testimony particularly to being able to forgive those who had hurt them in the past - they shared their stories with tears of joy. We so need to hear regularly that we are loved by the Father, that the death of the Son achieved for believers total forgiveness and a fresh start, that we were birthed into a new life by the Holy Spirit and that He lives in us. The truth and the Spirit work together in Freedom in Christ to bring liberty, forgiveness and hope. Of course that's just the beginning of a process! Discipleship is like that; we receive truth, the Holy Spirit heals and then we have to walk in the good of that, renewing our mind, fighting off temptation that would unbalance us, putting our faith into practise and asking God to continually strengthen us. Thankfully God is there like an Olympic coach; cheering us on, helping us see our next step and being beside us when we falter to get us up and running again. Why not look out for the next Freedom in Christ course and walk into more freedom yourself? Or if you'd like to be more involved with caring for others at Kings, let me know - I can be contacted at hilary.dalziel@kingschurchlondon.org Kings Church London Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#441 Over the summer break there will be a series of postings by guest bloggers from the King's staff team. Today's is from Malcolm Kyte... Summer time is festival time and one of the oldest is Greenbelt. I went to this event at the end of the 1970s and there (for the first and only time) I met a hermit! He wore a long robe with a rope belt and we argued about the authority of the Bible. He stated that only Jesus' words were the 'Word of God' and not the rest of the Bible. But was he right? How we view the Bible has serious implications for the way we live. If we recognise it has authority we find ourselves swimming against the tide of modern attitudes. But if we don't feel it has authority, we can get into a real mess. The Bible claims to have authority. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: 'All scripture is God breathed...' If that's true then our views need to be shaped by the Word rather than the World; they need to be biblically correct rather than politically correct. When Billy Graham was a young man, several people started to say to him 'you can't believe everything in the Bible'. He began to worry about it and started to become muddled... So he went back and got his Bible and went out into the moonlight. He put his Bible on a tree stump, knelt down and prayed: 'God I cannot prove certain things, I cannot answer some of the questions people are raising, but I accept this book by faith as the Word of God'. He stayed there praying until he had a tremendous sense of God's presence. He then had great peace that the decision he had made was right.' Where does final authority lie for the Christian? There can only be three options: a) With Church tradition b) With Christian reasonc) With the Bible Generations of believers have opted for c) - what about you?   Kings Church London Sun, 29 Jul 2012 19:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#443 Jesus' expectation for us who believe in Him is not just that we will draw people to give their hearts to Him, there is more to it than that, as we see when He said to his followers: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." New Christians' growth in their new found faith is very important and just as growth is naturally a thing that is good, I would say that every one that follows Christ should desire to develop and grow in Him. So this is what we can say about discipleship:- Discipleship is helping people to grow in their understanding of the Christian faith and its application to daily life.- Discipleship is more than just book knowledge - it's about how we live our lives in obeying Christ's teachings. - Discipleship is about accountability, relationship, mentoring and allowing God's Spirit to work in our lives. Here at King's there are many opportunities provided to help new Christians to grow. We run the New Life Course which has been brilliant in helping people to develop in their faith. In September we will run another course called Alpha Plus which also helps new believers with practical ways of daily Christian living. Christian brothers and sisters! We have been entrusted with a great responsibility - a very exciting one - and part of it is to help bring other believers to maturity in their faith in Christ. We need to be committed to this for ourselves and also to make time to give to encourage others, helping them through to the place where they can pray, read God's word and discover their purpose in the family of God without too much difficulty. It is part of the responsibility we have been given by Jesus. The key thing is that it will take time, that precious commodity. We need to think about how we spend our time. Are we investing it in others for the glory of God and the building of the kingdom of God? I encourage you this week to think about this important matter and respond to God's prompting as you pray. Perhaps there is someone you know, a young Christian, who would really appreciate it if you could give them an hour from time to time for talking about spiritual things and praying and reading the Bible together. Think about it! Kings Church London Sun, 22 Jul 2012 19:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#440 Deb and I celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary this week. I am older and hopefully wiser than when we first met but I realise as each year passes how fortunate I was to marry such a beautiful, intelligent, godly girl - I was definitely hitting above my batting average! This year, due to Ben being unwell on his 20th birthday, we are going to have a joint family celebration and enjoy a meal out together. This will also be my last posting for a while and I trust you will enjoy the contributions from our guest bloggers across the summer. I have now led King's for just under 17 years - this last year has again seen remarkable blessing but it has not been without challenge, especially on the building front. The sudden deaths of our architect, Martin Heijne last August and Paul & Charlotte Braithwaite's dear daughter Jo last October have rightly had a major impact on us and the work. Personally, I am ready for a break, my annual study/holiday break begins following next Sunday and I am looking forward to a time to reflect, recharge and prepare for another church year. We need to be prayerfully prepared - ready to rightly handle God's blessing. We know there is much more to come...! When I return in the first week of September the Olympics will be over, the football season will have begun - and we may have even seen some sun. King's! You continue to be a great church to lead - have a great summer.   Kings Church London Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#439 On Monday evening while walking around the golf course with my two eldest sons, I concluded that the ground was so wet and the weather forecast for the coming weekend so poor that we should make an early decision to move Sunday's planned Catford site picnic indoors. This decision has given us time to make alternative arrangements - having made this call, please don't be surprised if we have a mini heat-wave over the weekend...! Any decision you make, large or small, comes with risk - I once heard a statistic that on reflection one out of every three decisions made by management will be wrong. However, with the presenting data, I think that this particular decision was understandable, so the indoor picnic will run from 1.00pm to 3.30pm in the Catford building. At least those of you who were concerned about finding yourself eating soggy sandwiches/jolloff rice/jerk chicken in the middle of a muddy field will now be happier! This evening Deb and I are looking forward to meeting up with our friends Pete and Nicky Cornford, who are in the process of planting a church in the borough of Ealing. With over 30 people already showing an interest, a good core of people is beginning to gather and plans are in place to launch publicly sometime in the autumn. With the blessing of God and Pete's invaluable experience in church planting, I am confident that this particular plant will quickly grow!   Kings Church London Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#438 Last Wednesday's Vision Night was not only an opportunity to look ahead to all that lies before us but also a chance to recognise again God's goodness to us all at King's in the recent past. As we approach the summer break and look back over twelve months we can clearly see that it has been another year of blessing! This Friday evening we will come together for our monthly Half-Night of Prayer - to thank God for all He has done and to come to Him for power and direction for the future. There is still much to be achieved and many to reach for Jesus and so I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible as we meet, on this occasion at our Downham building, on Friday evening at 7.45 for an 8pm start. We know that prayer is powerful - let's make good use of this privilege we have to come before God as His people! Next Sunday it is my privilege to speak at each of our five meetings - the last time for a while as my summer study break is about to begin. I have a growing sense that this Sunday's message will be another important word for us as a church. I would continue to value your prayers as I prepare. After our morning meetings next Sunday each of our three sites will hold its own picnic. The Catford site's event will take place at Elm Lane Sports Ground just across the road from the church building. Downham site will gather at Chinbrook Meadows and Lee site at Manor House Gardens. The weather could well be a topic to include in our Half-Night of Prayer! In the case of rain we will make alternative arrangements - indoors! But whether there's rain or sun next week, let's take the opportunity to enjoy each other's company.   Kings Church London Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:22:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#437 It's a busy summer in London. We've had the Jubilee events, the Olympic preparations are building to a crescendo and Wimbledon tennis is now under way. Meanwhile here at King's, after the recording of the worship album last Sunday, today was our annual staff day out with a walk in the Kent countryside and then lunch together. And the rain missed us! I have the privilege week by week of seeing how hard our team members work in serving the church and in supporting each other in our mission. It was a fun day together! Following the Vision Night last night, there are now only a couple of weeks before my study break and then the family summer holiday in France. Suddenly it seems very close and I'm feeling pressure on my diary with continued demands for meetings with people. However the really big event in the Tibbert household this week takes place tomorrow when Ben will be celebrating his 20th birthday - the first of our boys to leave the teenage years behind... Where did those years fly to? And why does life go so fast? And the King's excitement isn't over! This Saturday sees our first Women's Conference taking place at the Catford building. Hilary Dalziel and her team have been planning and praying about this day for some time - it's entitled Peace and we know it will be a valuable resource for those women who carve out time from the demands of normal life and come along to wait on God and learn from Him. Please pray for Hilary and the team and all those who will attend. It's going to be a great day!   Kings Church London Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2012#436 Over the last few weeks I have been really encouraged as I have had opportunity to meet up with various groups of people at King's. King's is not a perfect church, but we certainly have a good number of remarkable, committed and gifted people. Today we saw and heard once again the brilliant talents of our song writers and musicians, and even more exciting than that, a worshipping community of God's people! Many thanks to all who worked hard to ensure that today went as well as it did. Phil Varley and his bands did a great job, the choir was a real blessing and we don't forget those who ensure that the technical stuff was looked after - a vital contribution! Thank you for giving your time, talents and your effort to make for a fantastic event. Not only do we have gifted people among us, King's is also a very generous church - literally millions of pounds have been given by our people over the last few years, in worship to God and to fund and fuel our mission. From time to time large churches are questioned about the authenticity of the growing crowd of attenders, but these last few weeks have reminded me that behind the numbers who gather each Sunday on our three sites we have a highly motivated and passionate core of people who love God and desire to see God's church flourish in this great city. With that in mind, please make Wednesday evening's Vision Night, 7.45pm at Catford if you possibly can - and don't forget, if you would like to find out more about moving to our Lee site to support the move to multiple meetings there in October, next Sunday, 8th July, at 1pm at Catford there's a lunch with Phil Varley and some of the other key leaders from the Lee site. Come along, meet the team and ask them your questions... and meanwhile be asking God if this is a move you should make!   Kings Church London Sun, 01 Jul 2012 19:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2012#435 Today, after two full days of King's activities, I'm looking forward to meeting with David Stroud and the eldership team of Christchurch London. I count it a privilege to meet up with the leaders of this strategically placed, strategically thinking church right in the centre of London. I hope our time together will be fruitful! Tomorrow Deb and I will be visiting Bournemouth, meeting up with our good friends Guy and Heather Miller. Guy leads Citygate, the growing Newfrontiers' church in Bournemouth, and has an increasing number of churches looking to him for apostolic care in their mission. On Sunday I plan to be at all the King's sites and meetings throughout the day, speaking on the important subject of Diversity at the Downham and Lee sites, while adding my voice to the live recording of our second worship album during the three meetings on the Catford site. I have offered to sing a solo - a prophetic song - but surprisingly have not yet heard back from Phil Varley...! Finally, can I ask you to prioritise next Wednesday evening's Vision Night - 4th July at the Catford site, 7.45 for an 8pm start. This event will provide an important opportunity to report back to the church and update everyone on a number of areas of progress towards our vision, we will have more time to communicate further details on the budget behind that vision than a Sunday allows.   Kings Church London Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2012#434 Make a particular note not to miss next Sunday (1st July) at King's! Phil Varley and his brilliant team of musicians and singers will lead us in the recording of our second live worship album at our Catford site throughout the day. Following the success of Mercygiver we expect another great album - no pressure, Phil! Because of this unique occasion we are asking everyone to come to church twice on the day! The Downham and Lee sites will have their usual Sunday morning meetings where I will be speaking - and I believe God has given me a particular word for both of those sites. Catford will also have their two morning meetings at the usual times. Then in the evening we are asking for as many as possible to attend the 5.30 meeting at Catford, to support the live recording with your presence and your voices! Another date for the diary - Sunday 15th July - when we will have three church picnics after the morning meetings. The Catford picnic will take place at Elm Lane Sports ground, where we were last year, between 1 and 4pm. The Downham picnic will be at Chinbrook Meadows from 12.30pm, and the Lee picnic will take place at Manor House Gardens following the morning meeting. Come along with friends and family and the members of your community group and also be ready to get to know others who also attend your site. It's a great opportunity to make new friends and learn more about those you already know!   Kings Church London Sun, 24 Jun 2012 19:32:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2012#433 In my opinion Scott and Clare Marques are complete heroes when it comes to serving God and reaching a nation. It was fantastic to reconnect with them on our recent time in Harare, Zimbabwe and a delight to be able to return their hospitality last weekend when they were in London. Scott was with us throughout Sunday and enjoyed meeting up with a number of our own key leaders at King's through Monday and Tuesday before returning to Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Over the weekend we had another amazing Alpha 'Holy Spirit Day' - I was informed that 13 people have become Christians on this particular course. Praise God! Also on Sunday morning we had over 30 people attend our Membership Morning. I was very encouraged with the general maturity of that group on that morning. King's is growing fast numerically but it is equally important that we also build a church of maturity. Quality and quantity together! I felt that his last weekend was another sign that behind all the numerical growth we have an ever-increasing number of amazing committed disciples - that's very exciting! This coming Sunday is the second week of our latest Gift Day, our target for June is £70,000. Once again, please come prepared to give...!   Kings Church London Fri, 22 Jun 2012 08:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2012#432 This coming Sunday sees another of our Membership Mornings taking place. This is an opportunity for me to present the Vision and Values of Kings to those who are considering joining with us in our Great Task! It is normally a well-attended morning and I am hoping that yet another 40 people will attend which will push our membership total toward 700. Praise God! We will also have the second week of our multi site offering, the target for June is £70,000 - continued generous giving is an important element in being able to provide the facilities needed to reach more people for Jesus! If you currently attend the 11.30 meeting at our Catford site, have you considered my request for those living nearer Lee and Downham to move to those sites in the coming months? As we plan to launch second meetings at Lee in October and Downham in January, it will be important that we can send some extra people to support those meetings - and also to make further room at the 11.30 meeting for the new people we believe God will also send us! Opportunities to meet up with Phil Varley who leads the Lee site will be provided on July 8th - listen out or watch this space for further details. Finally, I'm aiming to play a little more golf across the summer, with the intended result that my golf score and handicap will reduce! Now that's one of the very few numbers that I like to see getting smaller... lower scores, lower golf handicap!   Kings Church London Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2012#431 We arrived back into the UK from Zimbabwe early this morning - we had a great time away but it is good to be home and to see the boys again! I will say more about my trip to Zim on Sunday and there's a good chance I may show some photographs. My focus now is on preparation for preaching this coming Sunday at all five meetings across our three sites. The Old Testament character we will be looking at from the list of the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 is Jacob - with particular emphasis on verse 21, 'By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons, and worshipped as he leaned on the top of his staff'. It is also the first of our two next multi-site offerings for the month this Sunday, with our target for June at £70,000. The coming week brings the chance to meet up with many of my friends in the Newfrontiers family - this will be another important occasion as we seek to implement well those changes announced at our recent elders' and wives' conference. We will also pray for the life and health of the Newfrontiers churches in our nation and beyond - please stand with the leaders who will be there in that task and join us in earnest prayer. It is our desire to see the gospel go out to many more people and to see churches planted and established in even more localities, both here in the UK and across the world.   Kings Church London Thu, 07 Jun 2012 10:42:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2012#430 Travelling with relative ease to other countries is one of the privileges of our age. Deb and I arrived in Zimbabwe early on Wednesday and I am really enjoying teaching on leadership to an excellent of group of pastors here in Harare. We will be driving down to Bulawayo on Saturday afternoon and I am looking forward to speaking on Sunday morning to the great church that Bones (Mbonisi Malaba) leads. It has been a few years since I travelled in this way as my focus has been mainly on King's and on London and the UK. While I share some of the lessons we are learning to the guys here, at the same time I am able to get a broader perspective on what God is doing in Zim and in the other great African nations around. It is great to have Deb with me on this occasion - we are looking forward to a couple of days visiting Victoria Falls at the end of our trip and we will be meeting up again with Ian and Clare Stell on Saturday evening. Please continue to pray for us as we travel and that God will bless the pastors who have been at the training and also the churches in Harare and at Bulawayo and throughout this region. If you have not yet had the opportunity to hear the message from Sunday 20th May (part of the Inspired series), please download the recording from the website, it contains some important and exciting news...!   Kings Church London Thu, 31 May 2012 16:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2012#429 One of the ongoing privileges of leading King's is that I get to meet some great Christian leaders and discuss church life together - here are five people I met/am meeting this week... On Tuesday I enjoyed lunch with my dear friend Pete Cornford. Pete is a great leader and church planter, he and his wife and kids are now planting a new church in Ealing called Redeemer. Yesterday I enjoyed meeting up with Tope Koleoso. He leads what is, in my opinion, the fastest growing UK church in Newfrontiers. We had a great time sharing news and the challenges of leading a church that gathers over a thousand people! Today I am with my friend Mark Landreth Smith who leads a growing church in leafy Camberley in Surrey. Tomorrow, I have an afternoon with my friend Neal Bartlett from High Wycombe. His church has grown by 250 over the last few years - I'm looking forward to some time with him and hope to win our game of golf! Then on Sunday Andrew Wilson will be speaking at all five King's meetings. He has one of the most remarkable teaching and preaching gifts I know. Have you seen his new book, If God, Then What? Andrew is based at Eastbourne and brings important issues of our faith into simple clarity without letting us slide away from difficult topics. I would recommend this book to help each of us to better explain our faith to ourselves - and to friends who don't yet 'get it'!   Kings Church London Thu, 24 May 2012 07:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2012#428 Today I am in Brighton meeting up with a group of six church leaders who are also grappling with leading multi-site churches here in the UK. I am delighted that Jim Tomberlin, a good friend to King's and an expert in the multi-site field, is facilitating the day - I'm confident he will be worth hearing and will bring fresh insights to help us progress with our own multi-site situation! Jim recently posted this on Twitter: 'You can stumble to two sites, but you have to plan, think, and restructure to get three or more sites' (Lyle Schaller) I found this very helpful - and thought provoking! Tomorrow Jim will be here in Catford with the King's team - hopefully his specific input for our situation will help us avoid any pitfalls as we move forward. I have recently finished reading his new book called Better Together which deals with church mergers, something we have also done with the initiative of our Downham friends. It is definitely worth a look! Lastly I am looking forward to preaching on Sunday as part of the 'Inspired' series... and I will be sharing some important news!   Kings Church London Thu, 17 May 2012 07:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2012#427 We have four very different Sundays coming up! Next Sunday, 13th May, we have Joel Virgo speaking at our five meetings. Joel leads the Church of Christ the King (CCK) in Brighton and heads up Newday. He and his wife Kate have become good friends of ours over the last few years and we are looking forward to Joel's ministry and having their family, including their four young children, with us for the day! On the 20th May I will take the next in our 'Inspired' series out of Hebrews 11 with the life of Abraham, that massive Bible character, as the subject of the day - but I will also be sharing some important news of how we plan to respond to the continued growth we are experiencing here at King's... On the 27th May we have another visiting speaker - Andrew Wilson, a gifted teacher and writer. He has written several books; Incomparable, his book on the nature of God, received great reviews and Andrew's latest book, If God, Then What?, is a great read as well as a great resource as we defend our faith to those who don't know God. On the 3rd June, I will be preaching in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. Deb and I would especially value your prayers as we will be teaching together at a session for elders and their wives in Harare, and I will also preach in Bones' church on the Sunday. We are delighted that our friends Ian and Clare Stell, who know Zimbabwe well, will be travelling with us.   Kings Church London Thu, 10 May 2012 07:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2012#426 ... In fact, I am a BIG fan of Holy Trinity Brompton, the Alpha course and Nicky Gumbel! Tonight at King's we start our next Alpha course. Along with many other churches in the UK and all over the world, we have run this course for some years. In our case this has been every term for the last 15 years and at every course we have seen people saved. God has blessed Alpha and King's has been blessed as a result! I would again encourage everyone to pray for Annie and her fantastic team as Christ is presented to many seekers over the coming weeks. Some time ago I had the privilege of shadowing Nicky Gumbel who leads HTB, and saw how they deal with being a multi-site church. It is good to have contact with churches and leaders who are ahead of us on the path of growth. So - we are extremely excited that Nicky Gumbel will visit King's next Tuesday evening, 8th May. We have moved our monthly celebration from Wednesday to Tuesday on this occasion to accommodate Nicky's diary - HTB's own Alpha course takes up his Wednesday evenings and he could not miss it! You will remember that due to its popularity, this is a ticketed event and so, sadly, if you do not have a ticket you will not be able to come into that meeting. Can I ask as a matter of urgency - if you have taken a ticket and now realise you cannot attend, please return it to the King's office! We have a waiting list of those who would like to be there. Later in May (Friday 18th) Nicky will be taking part in Pentecost 2012 at Earls Court. This will be an evening of prayer and worship and apart from Nicky, Pastor Agu Iruku (Jesus House) and Gary Clarke (Hillsongs) will also be taking part. Further details via this link. Kings Church London Thu, 03 May 2012 11:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2012#425 Today I met with over 40 people who are new to King's! In these sessions, designed specifically for those who have recently joined us - or who are still thinking about doing so, there were many great questions about our church which I trust I was able to answer to their satisfaction. These are also really helpful occasions for me to connect with people who are joining us, as well as helping new folk to connect with us. I always ask newcomers what they like about Kings; their replies today included the preaching, receiving a warm welcome, the fact that we are a diverse church, our great children's work and our commitment to work amongst those who are disadvantaged in our community. I am very encouraged by these responses from those I met today and I am grateful to God that we continue to be a growing church family! I hope that you all enjoyed Phil Varley's message opening up our latest series called Inspired, based on Hebrews 11 - that famous chapter on the heroes of faith. As I do my own preparation for the series I am already beginning to experience an increase in faith for all we are about as a church and all that is before us. With that ongoing vision and mission in mind please remember that our next Alpha course begins at the Catford site with a meal next week - Thursday 3rd May at 7.15pm. Contact the church office to sign up!   Kings Church London Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2012#424 Our church here at King's gave an amazing £508,000 to our multi-site building fund in the last year, including a remarkable £90,000 in March alone. It is quite difficult to find the words to express my thanks to you all for this amazing amount of money raised, especially taking into account the fact that this follows £1 million raised in the 17 months before - and with an economic backdrop which is the worst it has been in a number of decades. God is at work in our church! We are witnessing God's blessing on so many fronts and here is yet another indication of that blessing. In the light of all this I would especially value your prayers as the Elders, Trustees and I continue to grapple with the joys of leading such a growing church; it seems we are continually experiencing an Acts 6 moment. If you don't know what I mean, read the chapter! Having to make appropriate practical and pastoral responses following gospel breakthrough was the pattern for the early church and we are seeing some of the same! In the coming weeks we will be launching into a new teaching series from Hebrews 11, looking at the lives of the 'heroes of faith', learning lessons and receiving encouragement and inspiration from their stories. Mick Taylor has helped us prepare this series before he takes a three month sabbatical from May - we look forward to benefitting from this time of investment in his ministry when he returns. It is amazing to realise that he has been part of King's for over seven years! Sabbaticals are a way of investing in our ministry staff, refreshing them and enabling them to bring yet greater blessing (and even more effective work!) to King's. Please pray for much fruit from this time for Mick!   Kings Church London Sun, 22 Apr 2012 19:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2012#423 What a joy to return from a lovely week's holiday in Sidmouth to see each of the three sites of King's church packed for the 11 baptisms taking place throughout last Sunday. Powerful testimonies and a great word from Mick Taylor, these provided the foundation for another remarkable response to the gospel with 5 people making a first commitment to Christ and 17 people responding for baptism. And this is the third week running we have seen well over 1400 in attendance - we continue to grow at a fast rate with hundreds of new people stepping towards us. So, this week I began looking (again!) into ways we can provide more room for people across all of our sites, while also taking some time out on my regular study week to do some background reading and preparation. I am now looking forward to this coming weekend when Deb and I, along with Mick and Val Taylor, are leading a weekend away for pastors and wives from the London training base. Our aim is to help these (usually!) younger leaders and their spouses to establish a strong marriage that will strengthen and not detract from their ministry. Deb and I will return to London in time for me to attend our 5 meetings this Sunday at Kings - these will include parents bringing their babies to dedicate themselves to the task of godly parenting at all our morning meetings. We expect many visitors - look out for them and give them a friendly King's greeting! It looks like it could be another High Sunday!   Kings Church London Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2012#422 This Sunday we have our Easter meetings, following which I am also looking forward to the following two Sundays. On the 15th there will be baptisms at all five meetings on our three sites and then the following Sunday, on the 22nd, dedications across all sites. King's is a growing family - on the first week we will hear the testimonies of new-born believers, the following week we may hear the voices of new born babies! Both of these Sundays are likely to see multiple visitors who have come to see their friends baptised or to stand with family and friends as they bring their new babies to dedicate themselves to the task of godly parenting. Pray for those who will be baptised and for the families who will bring their children - but pray also that their visitors, who may know little if anything of the love of God, will meet with the risen Lord Jesus in our meeting and be won to Him! And church, rise to the challenge to speak to and greet our visitors with your usual warmth and friendliness! There are many lost and lonely people out there who may cross our doorstep on this Sunday. God is at work in our family at King's - don't let us keep the news to ourselves... This will be my last posting for a week or so - I'm taking some days of annual leave which will include a bit of golf and time with the family. Later today I will be driving down to Winchester to pick up Ben whose first year at university continues to fly by. It will be good to have him home again for a while. Have a great Easter yourselves!   Kings Church London Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:48:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2012#421 It was a great privilege to have Terry and Wendy Virgo with us at the Catford site this evening for the 5.30 meeting. Before Terry spoke I had the opportunity to show them both around our new building at Lee - I have shown many people around over the last couple of years and each time it still amazes me to think what remarkable provision from God it is! It is easy, in the press of all that we are doing, to forget what a fantastic resource that facility is! Our visitors are always amazed. I am confident in the years and decades to come that hundreds more people will find the Easter story relevant to them at King's because of His provision and our venture of faith! I will never forget the first Easter I enjoyed as a new Christian. It was 1983 and so exciting to celebrate the sacrifice and victory of Jesus on the Cross for me! I had been brought up in church - had been dragged, encouraged and taken to church - but now the message of the Cross was real to me. I had come alive, been born again to God! Nearly thirty years later my heart still burns with passion for Christ, as the apostle Paul says in Phil 3:10, 'I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection'. Whether this is your first Easter as a member of God's family or it signals another year or another decade for you in Christ, let us all rejoice! He is risen! He is victorious! This week, on Wednesday at 7.45pm there is an opportunity for all three sites of King's to gather at Catford as part of the family of God and worship our wonderful Saviour God together! Malcolm Kyte will speak and we will break bread together. Don't miss it! And next Sunday (8th) we will celebrate the Resurrection at each of our five meetings...   Kings Church London Sun, 01 Apr 2012 18:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#420 Tuesday morning is when we have the King's weekly staff prayer meeting. This week there was fantastic news to fuel our praise and prayer - 17 people have come to faith at King's since Christmas! And this is as well as over 150 people stepping into community life following our series From Rows to Circles. I hope that you are all as encouraged as I am that as we give our time, effort and finances we continue to see fruit for the Kingdom! Since then there have been two days where I have had the privilege of gathering with those who have apostolic charge of our UK churches. We met to pray together and discuss how we continue to take our movement of churches forward to the next generation - these occasions are always stimulating and challenging. Terry Virgo is the founder of this movement - the family of churches called Newfrontiers and it is a great delight to have Terry speaking this Sunday evening at the Kings 5.30 meeting. Held in high esteem as a man of God, a great Bible teacher and an excellent communicator of biblical truth in the books he has written, Sunday evening will be a great occasion. I anticipate visitors from other churches who have heard he is to be here will also come along - don't miss what will be a great evening! If it is at all possible for you to be there, then come along to the Catford site for 5.30pm. Meanwhile in the morning meetings we will be starting our new Easter series - Friday | Saturday | Sunday. This Sunday, April 1st, we will look at the events of what has come to be called Good Friday and the meaning of all that happened for us on that day. On Wednesday 4th April we will be looking at the significance of the Saturday - the second of the three days that passed after the death of Jesus - and finally on Easter Sunday (April 8th) we shall look at the Resurrection day and the foundational event of our faith! But it doesn't end there - we have The Continuing Story at each of our meetings on Sunday 15th April...   Kings Church London Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#419 As we come to the end of our From Rows to Circles series, here are some reasons why there is a real need for true community. In 1995 Robert Putnam wrote a book called Bowling Alone which analysed the breakdown of the American sense of community. The seven issues he identified are as relevant to us and are worth looking at... 1. Busyness and time pressures - tight schedules mean we don't take time to invest in relationships that will build community2. Movement of women into the paid labour force and the resulting stresses of two career families3. Television - 'a major commitment to television viewing - such as most of us have come to have - is incompatible with a major commitment to community life.'4. How we shop - the move from local shops where we would meet neighbours, to supermarkets, to out-of-town shopping centres, to the internet - where we do not even have to leave our homes5. Fewer marriages, more divorce, fewer children, more people living alone - all lead to a greater sense of isolation6. Distrust of authority - this would include major social institutions including the church7. Rise of individualism - everyone does what's right in their own eyes and beats their own path through life All of these factors continue to contribute to the breakdown of meaningful communities. It's time to move from rows to circles - let's build a community with genuine friendship. Kings Church London Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#418 How are you enjoying the From Rows to Circles series? I have been following comments on the series made by King's attenders on Twitter, and it seems that many of you are benefitting from the teaching - responses posted there have been positive. That's good to know! This Sunday marks the conclusion of the series and at the same time the clocks will go forward - don't allow the 'lost' hour to make you into a 'lost' person to worship! Don't let it deflect you from being there to hear the important conclusion of this series on community! Kings is a growing church, but we don't want just to be a crowd, we want to build a church where we care for one another and build genuine friendship across culture, age, gender and class. It is a big dream, but God is looking for a gathered community, not a crowd. I have spent the last two days training full-time pastors on the challenges of self leadership and how to grow a church. It is good to have the opportunity to train the next generation of leaders, and to share the mistakes we have made and the lessons we have learnt. Those who come to the training certainly seem to appreciate these sessions - again, their comments on Twitter are where I get that information! Next week sees the start of our Easter series - entitled Friday, Saturday, Sunday, it will take us through the events of that first Easter week and help us to understand further what was achieved for us at the Cross. That Sunday (1st April) is also an important day as Terry Virgo will preach at the Catford site at our 5.30 meeting. Terry is a wonderful Bible teacher and a great communicator and this is definitely one of those Sundays to go to your usual meeting in the morning and then come along to Catford at 5.30pm - I guarantee it will be worth it!   Kings Church London Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#417 After a weekend which has been more than usually busy - attending the dinner that preceded the Everything conference on Friday night, speaking at our marriage enrichment seminar yesterday morning and then preaching five times today - the week ahead should be a little lighter. Within the next few days I have the opportunity of providing two days training on leadership for fifteen full-time pastors from within our family of churches. This is always a stimulating and encouraging event. Money is still coming in for our March Multi-site offering, and we look to be on track to reach our target of £75,000 for the two Gift Days - another remarkable effort by everyone at King's! Thanks again to you all for stepping up and for being generous to God's work. And can I encourage you - if you have yet to return your pledge form - it is not too late. A coming highlight for King's has to be the visit of Terry Virgo on Sunday April 1st. Apart from being the founder of the Newfrontiers movement of churches, Terry is a renowned writer and is the author of several books, including his most recent, The Spirit-Filled Church. He is also an international speaker and if you have yet to hear him, come along to the 5.30pm meeting on that Sunday. I can guarantee that you will be blessed. And Easter will soon be upon us! We have a great series coming up to prepare us for thinking about the foundational events of the Christian faith - the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ! Entitled Friday, Saturday, Sunday we will go through the events of that momentous weekend and thank God again for the glorious salvation we share as a result of what happened. Flyers for the weekend are now available - please take them and use them to encourage others to come along! Kings Church London Sun, 18 Mar 2012 19:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#416 Today I am spending time with my friends from another Kings Church - this time in High Wycombe, the Newfrontiers church in that town. This is an excellent church which has grown rapidly in the last few years with attendance now regularly at over 650 on a Sunday and with two morning meetings. It has been a great joy to see this church reach more people for Christ in recent years after a period when they had seen little growth. The church is led by my good friend Neil Bartlett and you can find more details on their website.  Then it's another busy few days ahead. On Friday evening there is a dinner to launch the Everything conference and Deb & I will be there. We cannot be at the conference itself to support our good friend Dave Stroud as he leads this national event - on the Saturday morning Deb and I will be leading the Sex, Romance and God seminar at the Catford site of King's. Then I will be taking my turn again to preach five times on Sunday for the next session of our teaching series From Rows to Circles, challenging us to think about community. And many thanks to all of you who gave towards our Gift Day - if you have yet to return your pledge form, it's not too late, please bring it along this weekend!   Kings Church London Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#415 Phil Varley quoted that fantastic song from the film The Blues Brothers earlier this week on Twitter in the context of his preparation for preaching today - the second message in the 'From Rows to Circles' series this Sunday. We had great feedback from the first one last Sunday and are now in full flow! Warning! There's a danger that we could be just hearers of the word...! I want to encourage us all - if we aren't walking across the room, picking up the phone, inviting someone new to join our midweek group or something similar - we will miss the point. Paul exhorted his readers - 'whatever you have heard or received... put it into practice.' Phil 4:9 Make sure you get hold of a 'Community Chest' card each week. These provide some ideas for easy steps to take in response to the message. Like today's - it's not hard to smile and say hello to a new person at the Sunday meeting or to learn their name! And is there someone at your site that's going through a hard time? Then send them a note in a card - it would be a real encouragement to them to have that support. You can also be creative and think of your own practical responses! Other opportunities to grow and learn are coming up - this Saturday (17th) there is a seminar at King's for married couples called 'Sex, Romance and God'. Deb and I lead this seminar every year - we look on it as a time for couples to invest in their marriage. There's no group discussion - just protected time for you and your spouse to think and talk about how you are doing in your relationship. That's got to be an important thing to do, whether you have been married two years, twenty - or fifty! On that same day at the Mermaid Conference Centre near Blackfriars, the Everything conference takes place. Dave Stroud, who has led the Newfrontiers movement in the UK for some years, heads up an excellent team of contributors including international speaker, Os Guinness. More details via this link.http://everythingconference.org/conference-details   Kings Church London Sun, 11 Mar 2012 20:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#414 '...Jesus saw the crowd and had compassion on them.' Mark 6:34. There are two important moments in the on-going story of King's taking place this weekend - both inextricably linked together. Alpha continues to be an important factor in the growth of King's and this weekend we expect 38 guests to attend our Alpha Saturday - Annie Twort and her fantastic team have been preparing for this day, let's continue to support them in prayer! King's has always had a heart to share the message of Jesus with those who do not yet know Him. Jesus had compassion on the crowds and loves the individual - let's continue to pray that many will put their trust in Him this Saturday. Then the response to Sunday's Gift and Pledge Day will be foundational for providing the means for us to present Christ to our generation in this locality - and beyond! Our motivation for giving comes from a deep and rich understanding of what Christ has done for us. 'For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.' 1 Cor 8:9   Kings Church London Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#413 Another momentous day in the Tibbert household tomorrow as I celebrate my 49th birthday. In among all the major plans for the future at King's I will have to give some time and thought to how I might celebrate that landmark age of 50 - only a year away! Those who know me know that I believe in planning ahead, whether for a birthday or a major building project - projects on entirely different scales but both important in their own way. I am also very intentional about investing in the important areas of life and so I want to encourage those of you who are married to also invest in your marriages - the most important human relationship of all. Coming up later this month is our annual Marriage Enrichment Seminar and if you have not been to this seminar before I would recommend that you make it a date not to miss. The Bible has much to say on the issue of intimacy in marriage. Deb and I will be hosting this morning seminar for married couples on Saturday 17th March (9.45am - 12.30pm) at King's Church Catford site. Entitled 'Sex, Romance and God' the morning will provide some practical teaching and resources on the place of romance and intimacy in Christian marriage. There will be opportunities to discuss topics together as a couple, but there won't be any group discussion and no requirement to disclose anything about your relationship to anyone else. The seminar is free, but it would be helpful to know if you are planning to attend so we can be sure to have everything set up comfortably! Please note that we cannot provide crèche or childcare facilities on this occasion. Married couples can book a place by signing up at the Information Desk or via info@kingschurchlondon.org Finally a forward date for your diaries. We are privileged to have a visit from Nicky Gumbel - the senior leader of Holy Trinity Church, Brompton, international speaker and founder of the Alpha Course along with the world-wide movement that has grown out of that - on the evening of Tuesday 8th May. This will be a celebration for all three sites at the Catford site. Nicky is a fantastic communicator - it will be a great evening! Kings Church London Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2012#412 It's amazing to be part of a growing church! But we know that Sunday attendance is only one sign of the health of a church and at King's we are committed to building a people who share their lives - not just on Sundays but by meeting week by week for fellowship, encouragement, and serving both each other and other people in their community. This coming Sunday we start a new preaching series called From Rows to Circles. We are really keen for all those who attend King's to move from the rows we sit in on Sunday to circles in our community groups. We are committed to encouraging everyone to find a group of other believers and seekers where they feel at home and to share our lives with one another. We are not looking just to build a crowd, but to build a community! Phil Varley will be launching this important new series this Sunday. It will also be our first Gift and Pledge Day, please come prayerfully prepared to invest in our future together! Stop Press!! Just confirmed - Terry Virgo speaking at our 5.30pm meeting - Sunday 1st April! If you usually come to one of our morning meetings this is definitely a Sunday to also come along in the evening. Don't miss it!!   Kings Church London Thu, 01 Mar 2012 10:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#411 Wow! The last year has flown by - to find myself travelling round our three sites today on the first anniversary of the King's move to multi-site was amazing! I count it a fantastic privilege to have that unique perspective on what God is doing with us and to see all He has achieved in twelve short but hectic months! I cannot express enough my thanks to each of you who moved site, stepped up to serve and made your own valuable contribution to pull off this remarkable feat. You have all done well! To be able to see that all three sites are established and growing, with people regularly coming to faith is brilliant! We really are one church, with 3 sites. Philippians 4:6 says, 'Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.' I like this verse! All prayer requests to God should be wrapped in thanksgiving. So at the end of another full day at Kings, let's give thanks to God, for without Him we are nothing, but with Him we are more than conquerors. We have much to continue to bring to Him in the way of requests, both personally and as a church. This would include our coming Gift Days! Can I ask you all to come prepared next Sunday and the Sunday after to give generously and sacrificially and to be ready to commit yourself to a pledge for the coming year? It really is a defining moment.   Kings Church London Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#410 This coming Sunday we will celebrate together the first anniversary of Kings becoming a multi-site church. Just one year ago we sent two groups of people from the Catford site to start new sites in Downham and Lee, committing ourselves to all that this new venture would bring. And a year in, I am delighted to report we have not only seen those two new groups of believers established, we have also seen growth on all three sites. God is good! It is good to give Him thanks so this Sunday we are planning something a little different - one not to miss! Meanwhile, can I ask you all to continue to pray earnestly and to prepare for our coming Gift and Pledge Days on the 4th and 11th March? These are two vital days - it is no understatement that our individual responses to God and the vision He has given will directly impact how quickly we can move forward to seeing that new vision fulfilled. Is it all about the buildings? No. It's about the lost people of Catford, Downham and Lee who need to know of the love of a Saviour and to be welcomed into His family! While we look look forward to what will be a fantastic weekend, I want to make one comment looking back. What a great 40 Days we have just had! My own personal highlight - someone getting saved at one of the Wednesday evening prayer celebrations! Exciting days! May there be many more of them ahead...   Kings Church London Thu, 23 Feb 2012 11:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#409 40 Days - Day 40! Acts 2:1-12, :32-33, :36-41 Right from the start of the early church the gospel was preached to people 'from every nation under Heaven'. Those who heard the message would have been able to carry it back to the countries from which they came. There are people worshipping Jesus today in China, India, Eastern Europe and many other places as a result of having come to faith at King's. We want to be a church that reaches many more people who will take the gospel back to their own nations.   Kings Church London Fri, 17 Feb 2012 07:44:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#408 40 Days - Day 39 1 Peter 3:15-17, 1 Peter 4:1-2 & 7-11 If we are going to be ready to give a reason for the hope we have in Christ then we will need to prepare! Writing out your own story and/or sharing how you became a Christina with your Christian friends can be a good place to start. Peter wrote to encourage and inspire Christians who face opposition. He exhorted them to stand firm in their faith, to be willing to speak openly about Jesus and to display the power of the Gospel through godly living.   Kings Church London Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#406 40 Days - Day 38 Ephesians 2:11-22, Galatians 3:26-29 Ephesians underlines God's plan to bring people from opposing social groups together in Christ. Two millennia later the church still struggles to achieve this goal. Yet Paul lays out God's masterplan - through Christ's sacrifice we can be reconciled to one another; every dividing wall of hostility between people can be removed.   Kings Church London Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#405 40 Days - Day 37 Acts 17:16-31, Philemon 6 Paul's example in Athens - if we apply his approach there to our situation here and now it will encourage us to learn as much as we can about other people's culture and background, so we can share the gospel with them in a way that will be easier for them to understand. It's not by chance that your neighbours, friends, family and work colleagues know you! Take the chance to share Jesus with them!   Kings Church London Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#404 40 Days - Day 36 Revelation 7:9-17, Rev 21:1-4, Rev 22:1-7 The book of Revelation gives us, among other things, a glorious glimpse into the final state of all things, when the full effects of Christ's victory over sin and death will be realised. These heavenly visions inspire us to persevere and not give up (Heb 10:32-39). They fill us with hope and joy. They remind us that an international church is a taste of Heaven - and that we are hugely privileged to be part of such a diverse group of God's people now!   Kings Church London Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#403 40 Days - Day 35 Genesis 12:1-4, Genesis 17:1-7 We live in a world city! Many nations are gathered on our doorstep here in South-East London. For many of us the call to 'Go!' does not require a physical relocation but a change of heart and attitude. Are we ready to reach out to the people around us who are from a different social, cultural or religious background to ourselves?   Kings Church London Sun, 12 Feb 2012 07:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#402 40 Days - Day 34 Colossians 2:13-15, Colossians 3:12-17 We are called to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient people, bearing with each other and forgiving each other readily. Jesus prayed in John 17 for our unity to reflect His unity with His Father, and our love for each other to demonstrate to the world we belong to Him. It is community life that tests our faith, our resolve to live sacrificially, our willingness to forgive. Alone on our knees in the middle of corporate worship, church life seems easy - but the real challenge happens when we open our homes to each other, meet in groups, experience misunderstanding and disappointment together, share our sorrows and joys, and strengths and weakness.   Kings Church London Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#401 40 Days - Day 33 Luke 7:36-50 True joy flows when we realise how much we have been forgiven and this has to be expressed in worship and service. Some of us may be tempted to say, 'I never did anything really bad; I'm basically a good person.' Actually all of us fall far short, all of us are sinners through and through whether we look good on the outside or not - but we are sinners saved and forgiven...   Kings Church London Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#400 40 Days - Day 32 Matthew 20:1-18 Someone has said that the definition of mercy is' not getting what we deserve' - and grace is' getting what we don't deserve'. That amazing grace can seem scandalous. God's generosity, to include in the Kingdom those who are completely undeserving, can be infuriating until we remember we don't deserve His grace either!   Kings Church London Thu, 09 Feb 2012 07:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#399 40 days - Day 31 Matthew 6:9-15 Forgiveness is a process, a daily choice to let go of bitterness, resentment and not hold the wrong against someone. As we do that the Holy Spirit cleanses and frees us so His healing forgiveness goes deeper into our own hearts. The process is not easy so we need to pray for the power to resist temptation and evil... Forgiveness doesn't mean we overlook wrong, ignore hurt, make excuses, disregards justice or even restore relationships with no consequences. We do make the choice to say, 'I will forgive and I will struggle for justice. I may still be angry, but my struggle for justice will be purified by forgiveness and thereby become more effective.' (K Bailey)   Kings Church London Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#398 40 Days - Day 30 Matthew 18:21-35 Although our eternal salvation and forgiveness are secured in the Cross, our on-going relationship with God is somehow linked to our willingness to forgive others. 'Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy' (Matt 5:7). This is a sobering Kingdom principle. This is challenging if we have been deeply wronged, we can think we are letting someone off the hook if we forgive - but in fact it is us who stay hooked to the pain and the past when we refuse to forgive.   Kings Church London Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#397 40 Days - Day 29 Matthew 18:15-20 The challenge of forgiving others - this is the Kingdom worked out in the nitty-gritty of disappointment, offence and misunderstanding. Our first response should not be to nurse our injuries but to win our brother or sister over. The responsibility is for us to forgive and be reconciled. Then there will be nothing that separates us from God when we come to him. (Matt 5:23-24)   Kings Church London Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#396 40 Days - Day 28 Matthew 18:1-14 The stories of the lost sheep, lost coin and prodigal son demonstrate not only the joy the Father feels when we, His lost ones, come home - but also the lengths He is willing to go to achieve that.   Kings Church London Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#395 40 Days - Day 27 Romans 8:18-27 God's plan of salvation is bigger than we think! It includes putting right everything that has gone wrong in the entire universe. It's possible to lose this over-riding perspective as we are caught up in the day-to-day details and 'present sufferings' of our own personal lives. It is good to lift our eyes from time to time and remember God's amazing plan to restore all things! Acts 3:21   Kings Church London Sat, 04 Feb 2012 07:44:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#394 40 Days - Day 26 Matt 10:1-16 Any act of love that alleviates suffering, that brings comfort and hope, that shows mercy, that builds up the church, that spreads the gospel, that brings honour to the name of Jesus, is a 'labour in the Lord' and is not wasted, is not in vain.   Kings Church London Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#393 40 Days - Day 25 Galatians 5:1-15 Since Christ's amazing work on the Cross our relationship with God is not defined by the keeping of the Law, but by grace, through faith. Let's never think that we have to, or can, earn God's approval by our works - that would be like trying to drive across the lake after the ice has melted.   Kings Church London Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2012#392 40 Days - Day 24 Matt 6:25-34 Time and time again in the Bible we read the very clear command, 'Do not fear'. God wants us to live lives free from fear and anxiety... the antidote to worry is to ensure we are putting our trust fully in God. Rather than focus on our worries, Jesus encourages us to pursue our relationship with God by seeking His kingdom and His righteousness. That way, we take our eyes off those things we are worried and fearful about, and focus on the One we can trust because we know He has our best interests at heart and is well able to care for us and give us everything we need.   Kings Church London Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#391 40 Days - Day 23 Romans 8:1-11 Jesus has set us free from the punishment that our sins deserved. So let's not accept any feelings of condemnation... Let's enjoy the freedom of forgiveness that Jesus won for us on the Cross and make sure we practice what we sometimes sing: When Satan tempts me to despair,And tells me of the guilt within,Upward I look and see Him there,Who made an end to all my sin.Because the sinless Saviour died,My sinful soul is counted free;For God the just is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me.   Kings Church London Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#390 40 Days - Day 22 Hebrews 10:1-14 In the Old Testament God provided a system of sacrifices and offerings that enabled His people to receive cleansing and forgiveness, but they had to be repeated over and over again. When Jesus gave His life as the perfect sacrifice, once for all time, the whole sacrificial system became obsolete, a thing of the past. Praise God that on the basis of that sacrificial gift, we are made clean for all time and are free from having to do special things to make ourselves acceptable to God.   Kings Church London Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#389 40 Days - Day 21 Luke 4:14-21 Over 2000 years ago, in a synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus declared He was appointed by God to be the source of all true freedom... Throughout the rest of the Gospels, time and time again, we see Jesus... setting people free from sickness, fear, hatred, sin, demonic oppression and bondage to tradition. And today He is still able to help people to live in the freedom that characterises His kingdom.   Kings Church London Sun, 29 Jan 2012 08:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#388 40 Days - Day 20 Acts 14:3, Acts 14:8-10, Acts 19:11-12 Paul had a lively intellect but his success in spreading the Good News couldn't be put down to just his preaching skills - there were many miracles too... Miracles were part of his daily routine - it was normal Christianity for Paul. His ministry was effective because of boldness in witness and the evidence of God's power. We can have inspiring Sundays, vibrant worship and well-run Alpha courses but things really take off when people begin to see the power of God.   Kings Church London Sat, 28 Jan 2012 07:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#387 40 Days - Day 19 Acts 6:1-8, Acts 8:4-8 In Acts 6:3 Peter asked the church to choose seven men 'known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom'. Being saturated in the Spirit isn't exclusively reserved for apostles but is for all believers... the best place to start is to be thoroughly drenched in God's power.   Kings Church London Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#383 40 Days - Day 18 Acts 2:43, Acts 4:33, Acts 5:12-16 'In 1965 the Elim Executive council asked Eldin Corsie... to take his small congregation of 50 members to the impressive Kensington Temple and start a new work... Within a year the congregation grew considerably. Corsie and his volunteers began to clear out the basement for expansion, and what they discovered ignited them with a passion for the miraculous for years to come. Stored under the floor of the main church were numerous crutches, wheelchairs and leg braces that had been discarded following miraculous healings in the revival held there (under the ministry of George Jeffreys in the 1920s and 30s). Faith for the miraculous and an assurance of God's power coursed through the pastor's spirit...' From God's Generals: The Healing Evangelists by Roberts Liardon   Kings Church London Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#382 40 Days - Day 17 Mark 16:15-18 'Jesus told his disciples to make other disciples, baptise them and teach them to obey 'everything I have commanded you'. I see now that this everything included a ministry of signs and wonders. Every time the kingdom was preached by the disciples they would minister in signs and wonders.' from Come Holy Spirit by David Pytches   Kings Church London Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#381 40 Days - Day 16 Luke 10:1-9 & 17 Could there be anything scarier than going up to a complete stranger and attempting to share your faith? ...Jesus didn't even give tracts to his followers - they were sent out with instructions to heal the sick, proclaim the kingdom message and take authority over demons... The disciples didn't just proclaim the kingdom - they were the embodiment of it.   Kings Church London Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#380 40 Days - Day 15 Matt 11:1-24 'Nothing is more comfortable to God's people in distress than to hear of the works of Christ; especially to experience them in their own souls. This turns a prison into a palace.' Matthew Henry   Kings Church London Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#378 40 Days - Day 12 Matt 12:14-24 Being Christ's servant in the world is going to get you into trouble... Jesus' ministry saw Him restoring things to the way God intended them to be, he was putting them 'right way up' but in an upside down world that can cause a reaction. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#377 40 days - Day 11 Amos 5:6-15 tells us to hate evil and love good... An absence of hate is often a sign of indifference or complacency, not spirituality. Hate is a strong word and a powerful emotion - God wants us to so hate injustice that we are propelled into action. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Thu, 19 Jan 2012 07:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#376 40 Days - Day 10 Ezekiel 22:23-31 Prayer is a revolutionary activity; through it God brings His kingdom, His righteous and just rule to the earth through the church. So we need in our personal prayers, and when we meet in our groups and as a whole church, to petition him to 'let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!' (Amos 5:24) Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:42:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#375 40 Days - Day 9 Isaiah 10:1-2 Key to the biblical notion of justice is that the weakest, the poorest and those most at risk are to be particularly cared for and helped. The Bible is equally concerned to remind the powerful and the strong that they will be held accountable. Scripture doesn't give a blueprint for a political programme but it does give key principles to inform us - and the Holy Spirit to guide us. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#374 40 Days - Day 8 1 Kings 3:16-28 If deciding what was just was always easy we would not have to pray for wisdom - but life is complex... In the end justice is putting things into God's order and as a result we can rely on Him to help us find the right solution. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Mon, 16 Jan 2012 07:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#373 40 days - day 7 Matt 5:38-48 Justice is a key theme in the teaching of the Kingdom of God. The world can be full of 'me and my rights', 'my beliefs'... Jesus was counter-cultural in His day... He gave all he had, even to death on the Cross, for others... This puts 'my rights' into a rather different context. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Sun, 15 Jan 2012 08:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#372 40 Days - Day 6 Matthew 6:5-15 We want King's Church to be a community where God's Kingdom is clearly seen and expressed. There are different ways in which that kingdom is revealed now. In the pursuit of justice, in supernatural signs of power, in gracious forgiveness and the gift of true freedom the rule of God is known. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Sat, 14 Jan 2012 08:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#368 40 Days - Day 5 There are moments in our lives when God seems delayed - testing times. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins reminds us that it is important that we do not lose heart or allow faith to drain away as we wait. He is faithful. He will come! Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#367 40 Days - Day 4 The parable of the Lost Son - a story of family breakdown - is one we can relate to. It includes the tenacity of a father's love to a wayward son and also deals with the coldness of a brother's heart. The older brother was right, of course. The young runaway didn't deserve even forgiveness, let alone a party! But that's the whole point. God doesn't give us what we deserve; He gives us what Jesus His Son deserves - overflowing love. What good news! Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Thu, 12 Jan 2012 07:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#370 Julian Adams is a good friend to King's - it's always a privilege to welcome him to King's and last night he spoke at our first 40 Days Worship Celebration. Following the announcement on Sunday of our Big Vision for a church of 5000, it was fantastic to call all three sites together to worship and wait on God. As people poured into the building there was a wonderful sense of expectation! A great worship time led by Phil and the band was followed by Julian speaking of the new season that was opening for King's and the increased influence we would have. As I said last night - we deliberately tell Julian nothing before he comes so that we can hear clearly what he brings to us. I trust you were all encouraged at what he had to say - I certainly was! Today I have been away from King's leading a coaching session for Anglican church leaders in the New Wine group. It would not be out of the question to view this as a widening influence! And so it begins...! Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#366 40 days - Day 3 Jesus' teaching was so effective because He could target the unspoken questions that lurked in people's hearts... Question:Can this be the Kingdom of God arriving when so much about Jesus and his disciples seems insignificant? Answer:Significance is not to be measured by how things start but how they end. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#365 40 Days - Day 2 Many people who don't know God get the impression that He is more interested in judging them than rescuing them. What a tragedy! And the worst part of it is that sometimes they get that impression from those that claim that they know God best. Jesus shocked people by showing compassion to those who were considered undeserving. If we are truly to be disciples of Jesus we should send similar shock waves through our community. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#364 40 Days - Day 1 As we begin our 40 days together, focusing on the Kingdom of God and all it means for us and our world, I will be posting an excerpt from our 40 Days study notes each day. Pray that the vision cast yesterday will capture the heart of every member at King's! 'The preaching and ministry of Jesus caused a sensation because He was not simply announcing that there would be a day when the kingdom would finally arrive - but that in Him that day had dawned ...God had started to put things right, to make all things new through Him. That is why there should be a freshness, a joyfulness, a hopefulness in everything associated with Jesus Christ - especially on those of us who know and love Him.'   Kings Church London Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#363 One of my all-time favourite quotes from a movie is the phrase, 'So it begins...!' said by King Theoden in The Two Towers from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. At our five meetings today I shared a new Vision for King's Church; it was exhilarating to travel around sharing God's 'new' word to us! Tonight I will enjoy the moment, but from tomorrow morning the phrase 'So it begins...' will resonate through my mind as we move forward into this new season. And I cannot think of a better way to start than with forty days of prayer and fasting. As I pray tomorrow morning, using our 40 Days booklet, it will be a real encouragement to know that hundreds of us across the church are doing this together. Wednesday evening, with the visit of Julian Adams at Catford site, will also be another occasion not to be missed. Following an excellent holiday followed by a fruitful time last week of planning, preparation and prayer, I would value your prayers for January - it seems busier than usual. I have eight speaking occasions - including five full days, either at Kings or training leaders. I begin on Tuesday evening at our Stewardship seminar. So it begins...! Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2012#362 I continue to hear amazing news from across the church about reactions to our Carol Services, Christmas Day and Watchnight services, with hundreds more people attending all our events than this time last year. I am now praying that this momentum will flow into our Vision Sunday - a Defining Moment! If you failed to hear of the importance of this coming Sunday (8th) and my request for the whole church to be there to hear what we believe God has said to us - I will say it again one last time, 'Don't miss this one!' This weekend will also see the launch of our next 40 Days series, and we are praying that our first Wednesday night Celebration on January 11th will be another powerful occasion. Please join me in fasting throughout that day, and then come along that evening at 7.45pm to the Catford site where we will all be gathering! Our guest speaker will be Julian Adams - a man with a powerful prophetic ministry. I am full of faith for an amazing evening of encounter with the Holy Spirit. As last year, our daily bible notes will be available from Sunday, so each day as a church we can be reading God's word together and be praying together on similar themes. Lastly - do not miss the Stewardship seminar on Tuesday 10th January at the Catford site. In these present times how we look after our money can be a means of blessing or can increase the financial burden we bear. And it is not too late to book into the Marriage Course which starts on Tuesday 24th January. Follow me on Twitter - @SteveJTibbert   Kings Church London Thu, 05 Jan 2012 12:29:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#361 Great feedback from our Arms Wide Open Carol Services over last weekend continues to come in. People blown away by what they saw and heard - and the way it was done! In some cases, guests were left with mouths wide open! Keep praying that they will reach a point where their eyes are wide open to the glory of Jesus! Today I have started to work on my preach for Vision Sunday on 8th January - I'm asking for your prayers over the next couple of weeks as I prepare for this Defining Moment... Lastly a link to the King's Christmas programme and good wishes to you all as you celebrate Christmas! 2011 has been a fantastic and amazing year for King's Church - thank you for being a great church to lead! Can't wait to see what God has for us in 2012...!! This is my last blog posting until the New Year - if you would like to stay in touch I have now entered the social media world and can be found on Twitter. Follow @SteveJTibbert Follow @KingsChurchLDN   Kings Church London Thu, 22 Dec 2011 11:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#360 A glorious weekend - 2700 people came along to our seven Carol Services and there were many one to one conversations about faith! Massive thanks to all who helped ensure our weekend was such a success. The time and effort that everyone put into those seven events, both before as we prepared and then over the weekend itself, was phenomenal. Musicians, singers, actors, readers, children's workers, tech team, refreshment distributors, stewards, welcomers, admin team and those who prepared the buildings and then cleared up and reset after each service - you were all fantastic! And I can tell you that this weekend was by far the highest attended event at King's. So many visitors - so many chances to share the Good News! For details of our Christmas Day services and our New Year's Eve Watchnight Celebrations, visit www.kingschurchlondon.org/armswideopen/. Kings Church London Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#359 The return home of our son Ben after his first term at university means that Christmas now begins in earnest in the Tibbert household. Ben is looking forward to some home comforts and we are all looking forward to this weekend's Carol Services! In the King's Office the planning and preparation have hit top speed - our musicians, singers and those taking part have been rehearsing hard this week. Plus there are more mince pies available for these events than I care to think about... Don't miss those final opportunities to ask a friend/neighbour/work colleague to come along. Some people do not like to plan their lives too far in advance and a last minute invitation can be really successful for them. This is the easiest event of the year to which we can bring people - highly accessible for those who do not come near a church any other time of the year, plus they are guaranteed to hear the great news as to why the birth of a Baby in a stable all those years ago is relevant to them in 2011! Let's make sure that every guest who comes along to one of the seven Carol Services this weekend receives a good welcome and feels at home. Your invitation, your welcome could be the means to give someone the chance to come home for Christmas - not from university but from a lost eternity, finding a welcome from their heavenly Father and their place in the family of God. Kings Church London Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#358 Suddenly our Christmas Carol Services are nearly upon us! This is the biggest event we have attempted in our history as a church - we are praying for over 2000 people to attend over next weekend and I am keen that each one of us participates in whatever way we can. First, let's continue to ask God for those opportunities to invite a friend, colleague or family member to come along. Let's also pray for those involved in the rehearsals, the preparation and all the various logistical challenges of providing 7 services in one weekend. Not only that - we want everything to be done to our usual high standard! More than anything, let's pray for many to encounter God who has His Arms Wide Open to all of us. All the Christmas details, including times of services, are here on this link. And if you have yet to see my recent DVD about our Vision Sunday which is coming up on Sunday 8th January, please follow this link. The Tibbert household has purchased our tree from Caring Christmas Trees, have filled and returned our Arms Wide Open hamper to King's, and have also invited over 10 guests. But in all the activity - let's enjoy, celebrate and rejoice, because... 'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.' Isaiah 9:6 Kings Church London Sun, 11 Dec 2011 20:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#356 Kings Church London Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#355 It's the nature of things at King's that we are already looking beyond Christmas, even while the final work for the Carol Services and Christmas Day is still taking place! So, if you attended Kings today you would have seen a short DVD profiling our Vision Sunday on 8th January which we are calling A Defining Moment. I am making a special request to the whole church - to make it a priority to attend on that day and hear firsthand what we believe God is saying to us as a church. I am planning to share what God has said to us - about a new vision that will propel us forward for a generation. I believe the vision for the future that we will share on this day will probably shape this church and my ministry for the rest of my working life. It's a big moment for King's and it's a big moment for me, and it's a Defining Moment. So... book that date in the diary, get here early and come full of faith! We will also on that day launch our 40 Days Series on The Kingdom of God, complete with the booklet of Bible notes and prayer guide.   Kings Church London Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2011#354 As Deb is involved in a demanding course related to work, in a moment of madness I have offered to coordinate the buying of our Christmas presents this year. While I am used to the level of finance and management for a large church, this has stretched my planning, budgeting, and communication skills to the max! I am already envisaging the opening of those presents... with a growing sense of concern. Once again I discover new-found respect for my Wonderful Wife! (And I'm already thinking through my strategy to delegate this task back to Deb for next year.) Meanwhile, the initial uptake for our four evening Carol Services Arms Wide Open (link to Arms Wide Open website here) has been very encouraging. Please come this Sunday prepared to take tickets, indicating which services you plan to attend - there is more space on Friday evening and Sunday evening at the moment. Meanwhile our Christmas hampers for distribution to those in need can be brought along to church this Sunday (4th) - or next. And there's still time to order your Caring Christmas Tree and bless those served by Jericho Rd Project in that way... Finally, let's pray for our young people who are away this weekend at Carroty Wood - that they will have an amazing encounter with God as well as a fun time together and that His protection will be over them all. And extra prayers for Nick Ferguson and his brilliant team!   Kings Church London Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#352 We continue to try and use all means possible to keep you all up to date and informed and to let people know that King's Church London exists - and what we are about! Here's our latest development - a Christmas video message. I hope you enjoy it.   Four weeks until Christmas...! Kings Church London Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#351 Over the last two Sundays I have had the privilege of meeting 90 new people who have started to regularly attend Kings in the last six months. How exciting to sit in a room with a very diverse group of people, hear their stories and attempt to answer some of their questions! I have lost count of the number of nations represented, and I had to laugh when in response to one of the e-mail invitations we sent, the reply came back from Taiwan saying that while they would love to be with us, they have now moved back home! We do seem to attract people from everywhere! And I have been here and there this week - including meetings in Wimbledon, Gatwick and of course, at Kings. How are you doing with the invitations for friends, neighbours and family to our Arms Wide Open Carol Services? If you are sending e-mail invitations around why not include the link to the new Christmas web site? Have a look yourself if you haven't already done so... www.kingschurchlondon.org/armswideopen/      Kings Church London Thu, 24 Nov 2011 15:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#350 Preparing to preach as part of the God at Work series made me think about my own working life. I have the great privilege to serve this community of God's people in the midst of Kingdom progress and to share in the joys and challenges that brings. For me that means that there is something different every day and recently this has included walking with others going through sad and painful times. 1. Prayed with dear friends who are walking faithfully through the challenges of cancer2. Received a report on the latest tender costs for the next stage of development for the Lee site3. Prepared my next contribution to the God at Work preaching series4. Spoke to 60 people at our Membership Morning5. Attended the Thanksgiving Service for Jo Braithwaite in Oxford 6. Spoke at Woodside Church in Bedford at their Family Meeting7. Talked through with a parent some of the challenges of raising kids 8. While attending a conference in Nashville enjoyed a great meal with my friend Steve Nicolson9. Attended the national Newfrontiers Training Summit 10. Made a commitment to join the social media world - watch out Twitter and Facebook! And finally, on a personal note, I received a card from a close friend, full of encouragement - God is good! And His people are amazing...   Kings Church London Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#349 From the first day I met the Braithwaites, I knew they were made of special stuff - passionately committed to God and with huge capacity for people and for work. Throughout these last two weeks I have had the privilege of standing with Paul and Charlotte following the sudden death of their lovely daughter, Jo. It was an honour to play a small part in the thanksgiving service held at her home church, St Aldate's in Oxford. My admiration for the two of them has soared even further as they spoke on Friday with such dignity, faith and courage. Jo was clearly very similar to her parents, full of compassion, capacity and fun. The service was superb - led by Charlie Cleverly, the Rector of St Aldate's, for whom Jo had worked as his PA - and the place was completely packed. Together we remembered, we cried, we celebrated her life and we worshipped God and rejoiced in Christ's victory over death! *** Today I enjoyed preaching again at our 5 services as we continue the God at Work series. These last few weeks have been demanding, and I am hoping that the coming period will allow me to catch my breath before we make a big push to present Christ to thousands of people through our multiple Carol Services. Meanwhile, the week ahead involves a visit to the church in Bedford that my brother leads and includes a series of important meetings, among them the Newfrontiers training summit.   Kings Church London Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#348 Today was another first at Kings, with two Membership Mornings running simultaneously across two sites. Phil Varley and Malcolm Kyte worked with me to ensure that everything went according to plan as I went from one to the other. With 61 people in attendance at Lee and Catford, it was exciting to engage with these new people to Kings, and tell them our story, our vision and our values. As always, the groups represented great diversity, it was great to welcome people with origins from all round the world - and this country too. That we continue to see a stream of people coming to find out more about us and taking this next step toward membership is a real sign of God's continued blessing. This coming week I am away at an important Newfrontiers conference. I would value your prayers as we continue to navigate what are the early stages of a new season in Newfrontiers since Terry handed over the leadership at the Brighton conference in July. Then on Friday 11th I will join with many from King's who will attend the thanksgiving service for Jo Braithwaite. This will be held at St Aldate's Church in the centre of Oxford at 2pm. St Aldate's is where Jo was a staff member and where she took an active and committed part in their community. Please continue to pray for Paul and Charlotte, and for Andy and Rachel (Jo's brother and his wife), as they walk together through this difficult time... Kings Church London Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2011#347 There are four significant people Phil and I met while we were at the conference in Nashville who I want to tell you about. Rich Nathan is the Large Church Task Force Director for the Vineyard movement in the US and leads a very diverse church in Columbus, Ohio, which gathers 9000 people on a Sunday. I hope to visit that church and also to get him over to London before too long. Ed Stetzer has been our main speaker at the Nashville conference. He leads the Lifeway Research Team and writes and speaks on theology, mission, church planting, church revitalization and church innovation. Ed spoke recently at a Newfrontiers conference in the US with Terry Virgo and John Lanferman. Talking with our old friend Steve Nicolson over a meal was extremely helpful in gleaning some of his wisdom and insight as as we continue to grow and adjust to our new season at King's. Steve heads up the Evanston Vineyard Church in Illinois and is also Church Planting Task Force Director for the Vineyard movement in the USA. Finally, meeting Happy Leman (yes, that really is his name!) who is Regional Overseer for Vineyard Churches in the Midwest of the US and who leads a multi-site church of 2500 in Urbana, Illinois, with 5 sites and 10 meetings, was brilliant! Watch this space! Kings Church London Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#346 I gather that Nashville, Tennessee, is the home of country music. This week that great city is making room alongside the banjos and fiddles to host the Vineyard USA Large Church Conference! Phil Varley and I fly out this evening to be part of it and are looking forward to catching up with our good friend Steve Nicholson from Evanston, Chicago. Steve and his prophetic teams have had significant input in the history of King's. We are eager to prepare for all that God has for us in the coming months so to be at a conference like this where others who are also gathering large numbers of people will be sharing their wisdom and to learn from their experience is a great thing. I look forward to the day when there are more churches of greater size in the UK too and we can then have our own conferences on this side of the Atlantic! I am also looking forward while in Nashville to meeting Rich Nathan, who leads a church of 10,000 people! Please pray for Phil and me - that we will hear from God in these few days away. We return on Thursday morning, so it will be a concentrated and intensive experience. We are eager to make the most of the time and not to be held back by jet-lag. Unfortunately I'm not sure there will be any time for shopping for checked shirts and cowboy hats, not to mention cowboy boots - but you will have to check out what Phil and I are wearing next Sunday to be sure...! Back in south-east London - next Sunday, 6th November, we have two Membership Morning events coming up - at Catford and Lee. This is the first time we have not only had multiple meetings on multiple sites but have also run two membership mornings on the same day! Yet again, timing will be of the essence! I will be at both, ably supported by Phil Varley at Lee and by Malcolm Kyte at Catford. If you are thinking about membership and want to hear from our leaders what we believe God has called us to do at King's, then this is for you. The morning will run from 9.30am at Lee and at Catford from 10.15am.   Kings Church London Mon, 31 Oct 2011 08:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#345 Those of you who were at King's today will have heard the announcement of the tragic death of Jo Braithwaite. Jo died on Friday morning in Oxford - the result of a traffic accident with a concrete mixer as she was cycling to work. In her 30s, her death at such a young age is a shock to those of us who knew her and her parents, Paul and Charlotte.Jo grew up here in King's Church where the Braithwaite family were actively involved. Paul and Charlotte both served on the staff of King's for some years prior to their move to France; Paul as an elder and he continues to be actively involved with the finance of our multi-site project, even from a distance. He is, with Charlotte's support, a valued and essential part of the team. Charlotte, meanwhile, was my PA until their relocation. Many of you will know Paul and Charlotte and count them as friends and will join us in sending them, and Jo's brother Andy and his wife Rachel, our love at this sad, sad time, along with the assurance of our prayers for them and for the wider family. We are not the only church who will feel this blow. Jo's love for God and her faith were real and active and, like her parents, she was committed to serving her local church. Also, like her parents at King's, she served on the staff of her church and was PA to Charlie Cleverly, the Rector of St Aldate's in Oxford where she had lived for some years. Our prayers go out for the team there, too and for all her friends there and beyond.In our deep sadness and shock we remember that we do not grieve as those who are without hope (1 Thess 4:13). Jo is now beyond pain and the physical limitations of this life and is freed to a fulfilment that we cannot know. We believe that Paul and Charlotte will indeed see her again in the presence of the Lord Jesus, our Saviour. Meanwhile we hold them in prayer, asking for immeasurable comfort in their pain and for that peace beyond understanding. Kings Church London Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#343 Coaching lead elders from other churches is a great privilege - I have spent two days this week on this important task, along with Brian Watts from Battersea. Brian has been talking about handling conflict, while I brought in Phil Varley so that he and I could talk to them about how we work together at King's. Today we will be looking at team building and it gives me the chance to say again how important I believe working in and with a team is - in fact I would say it is vital! This will be the last of eight days of lead elder coaching, done over two years - the feedback has been so positive that we are planning to run another course for different lead elders starting next year. After Sunday's gift day for multi-site, I am informed that we are on track for a combined total of £60,000 for this month - yet another superb outcome as we take into account the current economic climate. You will recall that we were aiming for £75,000 so if you have not yet given, it's not too late! Please join with us in this venture of faith. I am now looking forward to a week off which will include two games of golf. I cannot identify with the transport minister from Vietnam who has banned his employees from playing the game because it adversely affects their work! Then there's the Carling Cup game between Crystal Palace and Southampton to watch... but first of all I look forward to preaching on Sunday at our five meetings - continuing our series on God at Work and looking at ambition and life choices! Kings Church London Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#342 It was great to be back at King's for the 5.30 meeting and to hear the start of the 'God at Work' series. Based around Ken Costa's book of the same name, this is going to be a lively and relevant series as we learn more about living out our Christian faith in the workplace. Reports from our latest Alpha course continue to be encouraging. Annie Twort and her team had 55 guests on Thursday evening. Please continue to pray that God will break into the lives of those who are coming along - and that we will see many of them come to faith by the end of the course! I would also value your prayers for this week - after a full day in the office on Tuesday I have two days of coaching lead elders from other Newfrontiers churches around the country. I want these busy elders to get as much as they can out of the training and also to enjoy the break from their usual routine. Of course the real test of their time away will be in how it impacts their churches when they get home... Can I be the first to remind you that Christmas is coming...! When you come along to one of our wonderful Carol Services on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 16th - 18th December you may not be aware of all the planning, prayer and preparation that is already taking place now to ensure that everything runs smoothly and is done well. Our Christmas event is one we can enjoy together as the people of God at King's and also provides a prime occasion for us to invite those of our friends, work colleagues, family members and even, on occasions, complete strangers who do not yet know the love of God in Jesus! I encourage you to start thinking and praying now about who you will invite. Our vision is to see approaching 3000 people through our facilities over that weekend - to enjoy Christmas and to hear the Good News of what God has done for them in Jesus. That's what Christmas is about!   Kings Church London Sun, 16 Oct 2011 18:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#341 I spent the early part of this week re-connecting with friends from within Newfrontiers at one of our regular times of Prayer & Fasting. I know that I have written in earlier blogs how much I appreciate taking two days out of the normal routine, with all the demands that brings, to spend time waiting on God with 600 to 700 others from within our movement of churches. Our focus is God - His Kingdom and His Glory - and bringing Jesus to a needy world. The times we are living through make this an even more urgent task. Today I am meeting with my friend Neil Bartlett - leader of King's Church, High Wycombe, a large and growing church serving that community on the edge of London. Then on Friday Deb and I travel to Cambridge to spend the weekend with about 18 others, senior leaders and their wives within Newfrontiers, for a time of refreshment, prayer, fellowship and fun! I will be back at Catford for the 5.30 meeting on Sunday as I don't want to miss the launch of our new series, 'God at Work'. Phil Varley will be preaching and will get us off to a great start! On six Sundays we will be looking together at how the Christian faith can be lived out with purpose and integrity in the work-place. And whether you are in full-time or part-time employment, a volunteer, studying and preparing for the world of work, or looking to support family members as they are at work - there is something for everyone in this series!   Kings Church London Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#340 The week ahead includes two days of Prayer and Fasting for me and some of the King's staff team - meeting with God and with our friends and co-workers in the Newfrontiers movement. It's a great privilege to draw aside from the regular routine and the demands of life and ministry to seek God and be refreshed in Him. And also to give God time to speak to us and our situation... In a few weeks' time Phil Varley and I are travelling to a conference for large churches hosted by the Vineyard movement in Nashville, USA. It really will be a flying visit - we fly out late on the Monday evening in time for the two day conference on Tuesday/Wednesday before flying back overnight and arriving home on Thursday morning. As King's continues to grow we are keen to increase our skills and understanding of how to effectively pastor this ever-increasing number of disciples. There are very few churches in the UK that can speak with any authority on this topic - our friends in the United States have some experience and we are keen and open to learn! It seems to me that a mixture of waiting on God and seeking the wisdom and experience of those who have already walked this path is a good path to follow. And can I ask - if you were unable to contribute to our multi-site offering today, please take the opportunity next Sunday!   Kings Church London Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#339 It seems a long time ago that Deb and I sat in Pizza Express in Bedford, talking to Simon and Rebekah Allen across the table about the possibility of relocating from Bedford to London, to start a mercy ministry in Kings. This Sunday we gather as a church to celebrate all that God has done through Simon's ministry amongst us. Simon is our point person, but like all things at King's, behind the scenes we find other real heroes. Thousands of volunteer hours have been poured into showing God's love in action. Food, clothes, housing, counselling, encouragement, advice - all provided by an army of committed King's people. Today we hosted an event for local dignitaries, with over 80 people in attendance, including the Mayor Steve Bullock and local MPs - it was a great opportunity to show how a local church can serve this part of London. We also have our next multi-site offering this Sunday - please come prepared to give. One of the many reasons we are able to continue running the Feast (for example) on Wednesday evenings, where we provide between 70-90 meals every week, is that just over a decade ago the people of King's gave generously so that we could refurbish the Catford building. It is clear that our giving for the acquisition and development of our buildings is directly linked to our ability to show mercy to our community. The potential on the Lee site alone is incredible! Of course in the end, our motivation to show mercy, or be generous in grace-filled giving, is ultimately a response to God's mercy and grace shown to us. As Eph. 2:4 says, 'But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved.'   Kings Church London Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2011#338 This coming week we mark ten years of the Jericho Road ministry at Kings. Simon Allen is one of our heroes whose contribution makes King's the amazing church that it is! The stories of those who have come to faith through the work of Simon and his dedicated co-workers - and the way that has changed their lives for the good - make inspiring listening. The life-changing love of Jesus shown to those who need it (and who doesn't?) often starts with a smile, a handshake, a conversation and a meal given on a Wednesday evening at the Feast. The provision of supported low-rent housing has not only changed the lives of those who have taken up residence but has also sent ripples of good out to family and friends. I would urge us all to continue to pray for Simon and his team - and for those who have benefited from their work over the last ten years. Are there more people to reach out to with the love of Jesus? Absolutely! Keep praying... On Thursday (6th) we host a lunchtime event for civic dignitaries, which will include Steve Bullock (Mayor of Lewisham) and local MPs Heidi Alexander and Jim Dowd. Among the 80 - 100 guests there will be members of local drug intervention teams, hostel managers and relevant council staff. We have also invited those who have leased their properties to King's to provide the housing for 26 adults, and other key supporters. After the lunch I will share our vision of a church connecting with its community and serving local people for the glory of God. I suspect it will be the first time that many of those assembled will have come across a church with three sites and five meetings! Then on Sunday 9th October throughout our five meetings we will celebrate all God has done through the ministry of Jericho Road Project. We will worship God together and there are some fun items planned - it will be a great Sunday - don't miss it! And on that day we will also be taking up our next offering towards to our multi site project, please come ready to give cheerfully!   Kings Church London Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#336 I first met David Stroud when he was 17 and I was 19 - when we were both in Bedford. I was leading the Brickhill youth group and he was leading the equivalent group at Woodside. As they say - the rest is history! Since those early days, the way he and Philippa have served God has been remarkable. David now leads the exciting church at Christchurch London. He has been instrumental in planting three churches as well as bringing leadership to Newfrontiers churches in the UK. Over the years the Tibberts and Strouds have enjoyed the times when our families get together - probably the most memorable involved both sets of parents ending up in A&E for separate accidents involving our children! In more recent years I have enjoyed working closely with David, caring for our churches in the UK. After a number of attempts, it is with real excitement that I have been able to get him to come and speak at one of our monthly celebrations when we get the whole church together from all three sites on a Wednesday evening. Wednesday 5th October is a date not to be missed! Meanwhile our Alpha team are expecting over 100 people in attendance tonight - please support Annie and her co-workers in prayer and ask God that the Alpha guests will have an experience of Jesus - right from Day One of the course! Next Sunday sees the first of our two gifts days for multi-site in October (9th and 16th). Developing the Lee site is a vital part of our progress in reaching the vision that God has given us for this area of London. I would encourage us all to stretch our faith and continue to prayerfully consider what our contribution should be. We have much to be thankful for - our God is good!   Kings Church London Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#334 While the Pastoral team was away this week we reflected on the difference a year makes. This time last year we were 6 months away from transitioning to becoming a multi-site church - now 6 months after the launch, we can look back and see that God graciously steered us through. While there is much still to be done, we thank God for His on-going blessing to us all. Following the historic last TOAM (Together On A Mission) conference in Brighton in July, it's been a number of weeks since I connected with my friends and co-workers in Newfrontiers. I am looking forward to being able to do that this coming week - being together to pray and seek God on our way forward together in this new season. Meanwhile, back at home base we have a couple of important evenings coming up. If you serve in a Leadership capacity in King's I would ask you to make Tuesday evening's Leadership Summit at the Catford site a priority. In these days of multi-site and continued growth it is even more vital that we are united as a leadership. This is an important venue for communicating latest developments and keeping up to date! And this term's Alpha Course gets off to a good start on Thursday evening - also at the Catford site. Got a friend or family member in mind to invite? Don't hesitate! It's not too late... Please keep both events in your prayers!   Kings Church London Sun, 25 Sep 2011 19:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#333 Do you ever look back on a decision you made in the past and realise if you had your time over again, that you would have made a different decision? The gift of hindsight is a great thing! In the coming months at King's we will face a critical decision concerning the development of the building at Lee which will shape our future for the next few years and will probably lay the foundation for the work and worship at that site for generations to come. We will have to take into consideration and balance multiple options, costs, and timelines. This is one of the key decisions the Pastoral Team has been grappling with on our annual four days away of prayer and planning together this week. When we look back in years to come my heartfelt prayer is that we will consider that we made the right decision! I am always interested in leadership lessons from the experience of others. An interesting one that I heard recently says that successful leaders do not rush an important decision but delay the decision to the last moment so taking possible last minute factors and developments into account. It is best not to rush important calls. At our recent Vision Sunday I reported that our giving to our multi-site fund had, for the first time, fallen behind our target. Our response to this fact as a community of God's people over the next few weeks will be another important piece of information in the jigsaw regarding the decisions to be made - and will inform our conclusions in the months ahead. I do believe we need another faith-filled response on our October Gift Day. Once again - can I ask you to come before God and prayerfully consider how much you can bring to our multi-site offering on the 9th and 16th October? Kings Church London Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:32:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#332 The Tibbert family is in major transition; this week sees Ben move to Winchester University - I believe he is well prepared for this next step, but it does leave me wondering where all those years went! Let's pray for all our students as they engage with their new phase of life, often away from home and in a new location - that they will settle to their studies, make good quality friendships, find a spiritual home in a good church and be effective witnesses among their fellow students! This week the Pastoral Team will be enjoying the hospitality of our friends, Paul & Charlotte Braithwaite, as we have our annual time away together. Please pray for us, that we will continue to hear God for our next steps as a church. These will be days of prayer, planning, and seeking God for all He has for us at King's in the future. And I never forget what a great privilege it is to lead such a committed, gifted and united team. We will have fun together over our four days which will involve a mixture of strategic discussions, team building exercises... and a lot of laughter! We are seeking to build a church that will reach hundreds, thousands of people in our time - and we are also investing in the future. Just as those who saw the original King's Church building come to reality invested their money for the future, that's what we are doing in these days! While we seek to build spiritually for eternity, even our buildings will outlast most of us and be an important resource for coming generations of believers at King's, and for those who they will reach for Christ. My reading glasses may be essential these days, but I am long-sighted where spiritual vision is concerned! Today at the three sites we witnessed again the power of personal testimony in baptisms. It was great to see 10 people baptised and to hear their personal stories of coming to faith in Jesus Christ. I never grow tired of hearing the moving accounts of how our God saves! To see all three sites full was wonderful but I want to encourage us all not to become complacent - don't stop bringing friends and family along! The Alpha Course is an easy, accessible way to introduce those you care about to the love of God and the person of Jesus, as those we saw baptised today tell us. Our next Alpha series begins at the Catford site on Thursday 29th September - flyers and invitations are available to help you invite as many as you can!   Kings Church London Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#331 I'm sorry to tell those of you who missed our worship celebration at the Catford site last night - you missed a fantastic evening! Inspiring worship from our band and the choir, plus an auditorium full of people intent on bringing their praise to our wonderful God! And what did we sing? Old favourites, tried and tested? Not one! Every song was new to us but brought with a passion for God that swept us up as we learned them - as far as I was concerned we could have carried on singing and worshipping for hours! Six of the new songs were from sources around the globe, three were 'home-grown' and I defy anyone to tell them apart on the basis of quality. I say it again - it was a fantastic evening and I went home rejoicing in God and in the health of the church as revealed last night. I want to acknowledge all the hard work that Phil and his team put into the worship for our meetings as well as for special events like last night. Their commitment to God and to excellence means that we benefit from the fruit and so had a wonderful evening. It was great preparation for what will be another really full term. This Sunday we look forward to baptising ten believers over the three sites, there is our half-night of prayer at the Lee site this Friday (16th) - 8pm until midnight, there is the start of Alpha on Thursday 29th where we are looking to see an increased number of attenders and responses to Christ - and on Sunday 2nd October a number of families will be bringing their small children to give thanks and dedicate themselves to the life-long task of godly parenting. I'm excited about all God is going to do among us in the coming days - it's been a great week! And yet another highlight: Crystal Palace 2 - Wigan 1... Kings Church London Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#330 Proverbs 11:14 - For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure. Today at our meetings I spoke about the untimely death of Martin Heijne. Martin had served the church here at King's as our architect over the last 13 years and had graciously steered us through six different building projects. Although he was not a member with us, over this time he had become a good friend, a trusted advisor and, in many ways, a part of our team. The last time I spoke to him was on the Friday before he died - the day before I went on holiday to France. It was a great shock to receive a call on the following Monday from his dear wife Nikki, explaining that Martin had died suddenly from an aneurism while on a sailing trip. Please join with us in praying for Nikki and the family. Martin was a strong Christian, and one of his lasting legacies will be the church buildings he helped to bring into being across our nation which will be used by the people of God for generations to come. He is now with the Great Architect in heaven. Please can I ask you to pray for me and the team here at King's as we adjust to this news? We need to navigate the repercussions of this untimely loss, as we seek to move forward on the next phase of building work across all our sites and see this part of Martin's work completed in south-east London. Today at King's I also gave an overview of some of the major opportunities and challenges we face at King's during this coming church year. If you were unable to be here to hear that message, please download the talk from the website. We looked together at Acts 2 - at a church experiencing growth, while being devoted to the apostles' teaching, corporate gathering, community life and prayer. We referenced the fact that the Acts 2 church was generous and saw more and more people saved and added. It was a church full of the Holy Spirit! Which brings me back to my requests to you to join us in prayer! This coming week gives two opportunities to worship and pray together. On Wednesday night we restart our monthly Prayer Celebrations at the Catford site - 7.45 for a good strong start! Then on Friday there will be a Half-Night of Prayer at the Lee building, starting at 8pm. 'Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...' Kings Church London Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#329 I've discovered that there are differing views when it comes to how people feel about September! Some (and I would reckon that there would be quite a few mums in this group!) are glad to see their children return to school and enjoy getting back into that sort of routine. Others miss the freedom they had... However you spent this summer I hope you are feeling refreshed and ready for the beginning of another church year, which like the school year starts this week. The end of this summer has been more than usually busy for the Tibbert family. It's a time of change and transition, with one Tibbert son heading for university in Winchester, another moving into a new 6th Form and the third starting secondary school. Some of our families will, I know, be facing similar changes and, like us, will be praying that all our children know God's presence with them. My study break and holiday should stand me in good stead for the coming term and I am raring to go and to see more of God's magnificent work among us at King's! This morning I met up with other Newfrontiers leaders from across London, apart from which I have been in planning sessions with the team this week - please join the elders and staff team at King's in praying for God's grace, His guidance and wisdom for us all in the coming days. First thing - Vision Sunday this weekend! We will celebrate what God has done among us, thank Him for such blessing and then look ahead. We are privileged to be part of a diverse community which is experiencing the on-going blessing of God, with more people than ever attending and showing interest in joining our church. While this is extremely exciting, this privilege provides fresh leadership challenges to ensure we all keep moving forward together. On Sunday I intend to outline some of the challenges and opportunities we now face while looking at Acts 2. I would ask you all to ensure that you are there on Sunday - praying together that God will keep us in step with His purposes for King's! Kings Church London Thu, 08 Sep 2011 10:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2011#328 Guest blogger Ben Welchman...It's hard to believe that the King's Downham site launched only 6 months ago - there are many exciting signs of God at work among us!We have averaged around 160 people on Sundays, which is fantastic. Every Sunday there are new faces and 35 visitors have expressed interest in the church by filling in a Like to Know More form. Apart from bringing in new people, God is knitting our hearts together and building strength into us - a people who are stronger together than we are alone.One of the many advantages of being a multi-site church is that we have plugged into the Alpha course running at our Catford site - as a result we have already seen three people from Downham become Christians. One of them and two other believers have also been baptised - such a delight! These numbers represent something of what God is doing in the lives of individuals, and we believe God for so much more: that in the coming year we might impact the lives of many more people in Grove Park, Downham and Bromley.My wife Jess has done an outstanding job with the 0-4s and we have some really superb leaders who have emerged in that vital ministry. Similarly John Harper has developed King's Kids (5-9s) and seen the children particularly engaged with worshipping Jesus together. There are some excellent youth leaders running our 11-14s ministry - over 35 different young people have attended this Sunday programme at least once. Please pray for our young people - that God would meet with them and continue to add to their number.In the coming year we plan to launch 'connect groups' to maintain the advantages of depth of relationship, personal support and encouragement to grow in God within small communities - even as we press into further numerical growth on Sundays. And as the year goes on a big challenge could well be fitting everyone in on Sundays with a particular pressure point in our kids' work - we regularly gather 40 to 50 0-14s on Sunday mornings. To provide suitable facilities the wall between two former offices will be removed and the resulting larger area refurbished to create an additional room for our kids and youth.Let's pray for the next six months - we know that God has more for us! Kings Church London Sun, 04 Sep 2011 19:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2011#326 Guest blogger Annie Twort who oversees Alpha at King's... Thirty years ago, as a young Christian, I read Yonggi Cho's book 'Prayer - key to revival'. It made a deep impression on me, not least because here was a leader who had seen phenomenal church growth - his church in Seoul, South Korea is reckoned to be the largest in the world - and he was sharing his biggest secret with us! Yonggi Cho's challenge - to keep prayer central to personal and church growth - remains provocative. Every so often I have a "reality check" as I think of the millions of people in our nation who do not know Christ. In our history, Wesley, Whitfield, William and Catherine Booth, Spurgeon and others saw so many turn to Christ that the social climate of the nation was changed. I think about the eternal reality for those who reject Jesus and the escalating social pressures in our cities. How we need to pray - and seek wise strategy for reaching the nations who are part of our multicultural 'world city'!In order to pray from the heart, we need the MOTIVATION to pray. Acts 4 tells us that heart-felt, persistent prayer for the lost is motivated by the Holy Spirit - and is directly focussed on praying for the gospel to be successful in winning people for Jesus. 'After they had prayed the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly' (Acts 4:31)Our most effective strategy at King's for presenting the Gospel to people has been the Alpha course - over the years hundreds of people have come to faith in Christ through Alpha here. Last September we saw our largest ever Alpha, with 150 guests attending one or more sessions. Let's ask the Holy Spirit to motivate our prayers for the success of our autumn Alpha course, which will include a group for deaf people. Worldwide, deaf people are one of the least reached people groups; very few churches run Alpha for the deaf, so this is a unique opportunity. There will also be a group for young people aged 14-18 years, a significant age for questioning and making decisions which affect the trajectory of a young life. We see clear need in our nation for the good news of Christ. If we ask Him, that same Holy Spirit who worked through the gospel sharers of our history will motivate and enable us all. Prayer is indeed key to revival. Kings Church London Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:37:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2011#327 Guest blogger Phil Varley... If there is one thing which taxes my brain a lot it's this - how to lead a balanced, sustainable, God-centred and enjoyable life. Every year I seem to ask myself this same question, mainly because I'm not at all convinced that I've got it sorted. My suspicion is that I am not the only one - if that is the case - read on! Jesus says this really interesting thing in Luke 10 to Martha who is rushing around - very busy, very productive, seemingly doing important things, but apparently not quite getting life right. Jesus looks her in the eye and says, "One thing is needed." Wow, only one thing. That's not my experience! I live in a world which tells me lots of things are needed. There are so many things which I seem to need to do - so many people that I need to see - so many things I need to prioritise - and (to make matter worse) so many books on my shelf I have still to read on how to prioritise (note to self - must prioritise some time to read those books)... I am not the only one feeling this - how many of us feel overrun? How many of us have times (too many times?) when we feel that we are not quite getting life right? And into the middle of this issue, Jesus says, "One thing is needed." So, what does it mean to be a "One Thing" person? I think it means that before everything else, we are clear about our Number 1 priority. It doesn't mean that we are not busy; it means that we primarily dedicate our lives towards this one goal. Recently I came across a guy called Ueli Steck - he is an inspiring "One Thing" guy! Check out the link below to see what he gives his life to. How can I be a "One Thing" person with Jesus? - Well, I guess that's a whole preaching series, but here are some thoughts and practical ideas: First - be convinced that Matthew 6:33 is true - that if I seek His kingdom first, God will give me all the other things I need. That by putting him first, I win! Second - start each day with this thought - 'How do I give this day to You?' Tell him right at the start of the day - 'I want you to be first - help me live your way today - help me make it a "one thing" day.' Third - do something every day that embodies this desire - put him first. Even if its three minutes of sitting still and listening to God - do it every day. Read a psalm every day. Believe that if you give him time, he will guide and help you to live your day for "one thing." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-dPjDYVKUY   Kings Church London Sun, 21 Aug 2011 19:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2011#325 Guest blogger Mick Taylor...I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that life doesn't ever seem to slow up very much - but at least for some of us the summer gives a bit more time and space to enjoy things that get squeezed out during the rest of the year. So how about some stimulus to think a little more about how the Bible relates to life?One of the roles I have in Newfrontiers is to lead the Theology Forum. This group of Bible teachers produce a couple of things you could try out. This year we have launched a theology blog called "What you think matters" (www.whatyouthinkmatters.org/blog). The website is now filling up with short, sharp and inspiring contributions ranging from critiques of Richard Dawkins' work to the use of highlighter pens in studying the Bible! On the same website you will also find a number of more substantial articles on important theological topics. These include "Towards a Christian Approach to the Environment" and "The Church and Israel".If neither of these are your cup of tea, here's another suggestion. Earlier this year I read a remarkable book called "Resistance Fighter". It is the story of Susie Howe, a nurse who had been trained as an HIV/AIDS specialist. Susie's personal journey in serving God resulted in her working in Africa as a result of which she has now set up three charities to help some of the most deprived people in the world. It is a truly inspiring read. What makes the book all the more interesting is that Susie is a member of the Newfrontiers church in Putney (her husband Jem is one of the elders there).Finally, in July Newfrontiers held an international Leadership Conference in Brighton - all the main talks and seminars are available for download. If you look closely you will find that both Steve Tibbert and I contributed to different 'training tracks'. Apart from ours (!) there are loads of other excellent talks to listen to, so while you have a few extra moments this summer - why not invest some time in becoming better equipped? http://www.newfrontierstogether.org/Groups/174928/Newfrontiers/Resources/Talks_and_Preaches/Select_Event/Leadership_International_11/Leadership_International_11.aspx Kings Church London Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2011#324 When you hear on the early morning news that the London Fire Brigade just had its busiest night since the Blitz, you know something is not right! Last night, as news spread of violence and vandalism, we sat in front of the TV amazed at how this could happen in the streets we walk down week by week. I love London. In my opinion it is the greatest city in the world, mostly peaceful and safe unless you go looking for trouble. However, last night was different! Let's pray for our city, let's pray for peace to return to our streets, and let's pray for the Police, Fire Brigade, Emergency Services, for those who have lost homes and/or livelihoods, and for those in authority - for parents, community leaders, and local and national politicians. In the days that follow much important discussion will take place on the underlying issues which motivate a small minority of young people to instigate such violence. These are important issues and need proper debate. Nicholas Ferguson, our youth pastor, has written some helpful direction to us all in his blog today. I commend this to you. Click here to read what he has to say. Kings, I ask you to pray for our city and community. Let us continue to model to our neighbourhood that different generations and nationalities can live in harmony together. And let us continue to make a positive contribution to our city, in Jesus' name. Steve Information... information...information... Prayer meeting - at King's Church, Catford TOMORROW (Wednesday August 10th) at lunchtime from 12.30 - 1.30pm. Please come if you are available. Small groups - can we ask you to contact other group members who might be particularly vulnerable to check that they are okay and to reassure them. If you are able, we also suggest that people get together to pray in twos and threes in the next few days if they want to.This Sunday's meetings - we want to give adequate time to pray in the meetings this Sunday to encourage a sense of faith in a time of uncertainty and give reassurance. Engaging with other churches / our community - We are in touch with other local Christian organizations to co-ordinate any responses. We have also contacted the local police and Lewisham Council to offer our practical help and support should it be needed. For up-to-date information on our response to the current situation click here for the 'Events' page on the King's website.  Kings Church London Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2011#323 Guest Blogger Malcolm Kyte: The London Olympics organisers need to sign up 70,000 volunteers in what they have described as the biggest recruitment exercise since World War II. They have been overwhelmed by the response - over 100,000 have signed up!If an event is big enough, it seems that there is no problem in finding volunteers. And it doesn't get much bigger than the Olympics. It certainly won't come to the UK again for many decades, so unsurprisingly thousands of people want to get involved. A big vision inspires a big effort. The Olympics will be amazing, but the memories will fade and life will return to normal as soon as it finishes. The Olympics may be described as 'the greatest show on earth' but the kingdom of God is 'the greatest show in the universe'.In Matthew 9:35-38, Jesus expressed real compassion for the crowds who were pressing in...'Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'Increasingly people come to King's who are harassed and helpless. We regularly see people respond to the Good News and we don't want to turn people away! In the last four months hundreds of extra people have come into our meetings - but that does present us with a challenge. We need workers to serve the growing numbers and to enable us to continue to proclaim Christ. If you are not already 'in the game' can I encourage you to serve? At the Olympics the volunteers will be called 'Games Makers' but all of us can become Games Makers for the greatest venture ever - the Great Commission. Let's give ourselves fully to the work of proclaiming the Good News and building the church. Kings Church London Sun, 07 Aug 2011 19:41:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#322 What's been happening?A group of 17 went from King's to Encounter Camp this year. Encounter Camp exists to provide a place for people to meet with God and this year was fabulous. There are many stories to tell; here's one. A man who had had constant headaches for over 10 years was prayed for. During this time he forgave his mother and the headache lifted, he did not have another headache all week! For some they encountered the Holy Spirit in a fresh way or for the first time, it really was a joy to see God at work. The week consists of teaching, worship, ministry, sports, devotions, hanging out, walks in the beautiful countryside and much, much more. Next year I would love us to take 40 people from King's. Dave Barlow has now come on staff as an administrator from 1st July 2011. He has done a fabulous job for the past year as a volunteer and quite frankly it was hard to imagine office life without Dave being here to organise all that goes on. For many years Dave was a street drinker in Catford who would tell me that one day he will sort out my office, he does that now and a whole lot more.Please see my blog for more news www.socialactionjrp.blogspot.com What's coming up?We have been filming for a presentation for the 10 year Celebration events for JRP in October 2011. Hopefully we will be able to get some good stories recorded ready to be used. In the last few weeks Andrew, who attends the Feast, has been taking photos of the Feast. We had to change our plans for the 2011 bikeathon fundraising event however we are now considering an August fundraiser where the residents will walk a long section of the North Downs Way. We will do what we did last year and go for the £1 challenge. Last year about 580 people (plus 1 or 2 animals) supported us. Obviously the aim will be to get even more people supporting us this year. There is no date planned yet but if you would like to get involved; walking, providing nourishment on the way or getting sponsorship please let us know. It is something that the residents have been asking to do for many years!One issue - being set free at Encounter CampOne man who came to Encounter Camp found the liberating freedom that is found in Christ when he surrendered his life to Jesus at the evening meeting. The following night he received prayer from the ministry team and he was touched by the Holy Spirit, he described it as the best feeling and so different from highs from substances. There was a difference in him straight away, including what he described as the stupid smile - every time he talked about the Holy Spirit he had a huge grin on his face! There will be more stories to follow.jrp@kingschurchlondon.org   Kings Church London Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#321 The buzz of conversation filled the packed auditorium as an army of volunteers hosted tables, looked after the children of single mums in the kids' work and a fine group of men served teas and coffees! Pretty tables were laid to welcome 299 women who gathered together on July 9th - many visiting King's for the first time. King's Women's Breakfast aims to encourage, connect and inspire women but has also become a vehicle for outreach.Our guest speaker Margaret Mizen told the story of the murder of her 16 year old son Jimmy (www.jimmymizen.org). In this terrible event a tried and tested faith enabled her to respond with forgiveness and grace. Amazingly, God gave her assurance and peace in the chaos that ensued. She now has many opportunities in our community to speak about the need to deal with violence, anger and find reconciliation. Janet, who attends King's, spoke of God helping her forgive her ex-husband through prayer received on the Freedom in Christ course. The twist in her story came as God challenged her to recognise her own part in the breakdown of the marriage and ask for forgiveness.Unforgiveness is like a splinter in the soul - left in place it festers and causes more pain. But when we forgive we put our splintered life in the hands of One who was stretched on a wooden cross and the grace and love of Jesus flows into our life.Victor Frankl, the Jewish psychologist who spent time in a Nazi concentration camp in Germany wrote, "They stripped me naked. They took everything - my wedding ring, my watch. I stood there naked and all of a sudden realized at that moment that although they could take everything away from me - my wife, my family, my possessions - they could not take away my freedom to choose how I was going to respond."'Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.' Colossians 3:13If you missed the morning why not download the testimonies from the King's website? Kings Church London Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#320 What a year! Hundreds more people attending than this time in 2010, seeing people being saved almost every week, this month's launch of the book and, of course, the exciting transition to becoming a multi-site church. And now it's time over the summer break to reflect, give thanks and ensure we are well positioned for the next church year. By God's grace we are riding a wave of blessing and we want to ensure that we make the most of it - to His glory and for the salvation of many more! As has become my practice in recent years, my six week study break/holidays begins tomorrow so this will be my last posting for a while. Over the summer I trust you will enjoy guest blogs from the members of our great King's team. Meanwhile, the leadership blog will continue through the summer as usual. This has been yet another remarkable year, but I know I need a break and I am sure that the rest of the team are looking forward to theirs! As I have said on previous occasions - we are involved in a marathon, not a sprint. We know we are about a great work for God and I want to thank you for being such a great church to serve and lead! Have a great summer - I'm already looking forward to our Vision Sunday in September - Sunday 11th - put it in your diary! Kings Church London Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#319 It was great to welcome Bones to King's this evening as our guest preacher - bringing some of what we appreciate about our worldwide family of churches and joining us in celebrating that fellowship - always a great benefit to us! Over the years I have attended many Christian events, this last week at Brighton will go down as one I will never forget, the last Together on a Mission (TOAM) conference and the end of another chapter in the movement of which we are a part. Newfrontiers is changing and what we are becoming is still to be revealed - we had a memorable, historic few days at the conference. In the sessions PJ Smyth's powerful message on suffering came with real authority, and Dave Holden's message, which closed the conference on Friday morning, will also be listened to again and again. Go to the Newfrontiers' website for the downloads of all the talks. As in previous years it was good to see friends from around the world and to worship with thousands. And Mick Taylor and I spoke at seminars which were well received. On the list of totally new things for me this year was seeing Good to Grow being sold in the conference bookshop. People buying my book - a new experience for me! This is my last week in the office before my annual study break. It has been a remarkable year (another remarkable year!) in the life of King's Church - just last weekend at our Lee site four people became Christians in the baptism preparation session! I truly believe we are set for remarkable gospel breakthrough in the coming weeks and months. The summer break will give me the opportunity to reflect, recharge and prepare for the next church year and all that is to come. I would encourage each one of us to prepare for what God will do among us! Kings Church London Sun, 17 Jul 2011 19:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#318 This week, along with a few of the other Kings' leaders, I will be down in Brighton for the final Newfrontiers 'Together on a Mission' conference. This conference, as with the Stoneleigh Bible Week before it, has been an annual fixture in my diary for some years. It's been a good place to focus on God and His Word, hear inspirational speakers and to meet and pray with other church and ministry leaders from across the UK and around the world - both new faces and old friends. I will be speaking at one of the leadership seminars and will value your prayers! While they are still in the country after these conferences many UK churches have taken the chance to invite overseas leaders to come and speak - we are looking forward to Mbonisi Malaba (otherwise known as 'Bones'!) speaking at King's at the 5.30 meeting on Sunday 17th. Bones leads New Creation Church in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and will be well worth hearing! And why not combine that with our Church Picnic on the same day? We will be based at the Elm Lane Sports Ground, just two minutes' walk from King's, from 1.30 pm onwards and look forward to gathering from all three sites to enjoy an afternoon of games and fun. Plans are well in hand - there will be an ice-cream van and a burger van to supplement your own picnic if you so wish - as well as a barbeque. There is a team arranging various games and races, gladiator duels are promised and a bouncy castle for those young at heart! The essential game of football will also take place. Pray for fine weather, bring your brollies (just in case!) and bring your chairs and rugs, your food and drink and friends and family - and then come along to hear Bones at the 5.30 meeting afterwards - a great way to end the afternoon! That day will also be a Gift Day for the Move to Multisite. Finally - for those of you who are tech-lovers and who own such a device - we learned this week that my book Good to Grow is now available on Amazon in a Kindle edition! Kings Church London Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#317 Why multi-site and not a church plant? This is a good question and one which needs a good answer. During my sabbatical I had the privilege of shadowing Nicky Gumbel of Holy Trinity Brompton for the day. He took me round his nine meetings on three sites (soon to become four sites) all within cycling distance of each other in West London. Known around the world as the birthplace of the Alpha course, this is an impressive church. It was fun to cycle between the sites in Nicky's wake and to discuss at length with him the reasoning around going multi-site. While totally committed to church planting, Nicky Gumbel has concluded, as I have, that particularly in urban centres, where appropriate property is so rare and so expensive, the multi-site concept provides a large church with the opportunity to continue to grow, and therefore to build a resource base for its wider vision for reaching the nation and those nations beyond our borders. Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Thu, 07 Jul 2011 06:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2011#316 We have regularly taught the church at King's about good stewardship and handling your money well. Apart from preaching from the platform on this important topic, we do an annual Stewardship Seminar on a Tuesday evening, giving clear and practical advice. Many new believers are coming into our churches with their past financial mistakes casting a dark shadow over them and their families. For their future well-being these issues need addressing. I have taught the 80/10/10 principle for over a decade: live off 80 per cent of your income, give 10 per cent and save 10 per cent. Avoid debt like the plague (with the careful exception of a mortgage). I trust that this teaching 'investment' will have placed many in the church in a good position, despite the current economic issues. Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Sun, 03 Jul 2011 19:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#315 We believe that people of diversity are joining our churches for of the following reasons:�� Immigration. We've seen a huge influx, especially from Africa and Eastern Europe. All those who live in a town with an immigrant population will be aware of this. These arrivals often bring to our churches their robust faith and vibrancy.�� Reaction to a particular leadership style. Some join us having left churches with an authoritarian leadership style.�� A desire to integrate. If you move into a foreign land, your kids go to a new school and you may go to work, so a church that consists entirely of your own culture can be a safe place. But over time, sometimes a gospel driven challenge comes - 'If I witness to my white neighbour and he/she gets saved, no way would he/she feel at home in my Nigerian church.' A mother told me that her children had been asking, 'Why do we have black friends and white friends and then go to a church where we are all black?' There is a realization that every other area of life is integrated. When they start to look and find a place like King's, it's a halfway house. And those in mixed marriages especially feel they can identify with us.�� Location. People often travel miles across London to go to a church/worship centre/teaching ministry of the type they prefer. Then, if kids come along and they can't get to their own church one Sunday, they look locally, find 'people like me' in our church and say, 'If they have made the journey to a church like this, then I can too.'Of course we get excited, but it's a big thing for them just to attend. Among other things they have come to a different worship style and preaching style. We must remember as we consider this journey we are making that those who come from a completely different background have made a massive, massive move just to come into our churches. Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Thu, 30 Jun 2011 07:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#314 We are learning all the time - I'm aware that most UK churches are white but often seeing increased diversity in those attending, so they are keen to learn about this vital issue. If all we do is get excited about diversity, we miss the point. There are radical implications for how we lead our churches. Let's talk about something really basic first: food. In the early days Deb and I invited an African couple to our house for a meal. We asked if there was anything they didn't eat - they said they ate anything, but when we served strawberries it was clear that the husband had never tasted them before. We all laugh now, but were all embarrassed at the time. We didn't see - food is an issue. When we began Alpha at church and were providing food there, we served white western (bland) food. We were trying to reach out to local people with the gospel and were giving them a hurdle to overcome by providing food they found difficult. I used to sit at an Alpha table in a diverse group and I would be the only one eating the food. 'It's all right - we ate before we came,' they would say - it took me about three Alphas to work that one out. Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Sun, 26 Jun 2011 20:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#313 One of the greatest dangers for a large church is that it can become consumed with its own agenda. The leadership demands and breadth of its programme can make it an increasingly independent entity, able to attract preaching celebrities from around the world and with the financial strength to do so. It can even grow to a point where other churches attend its conferences and the lessons learned are passed on to churches that desire to grow and reach their own communities. To a degree we have done all of the above, and in themselves such developments are not wrong. However, you can be a large church and be known in your town, you can be a large church and be known in the small Christian world, but building a large church will not necessarily result in reaching a nation. Ultimately it's an issue of vision - are you building a church to change a nation, or reach a town or area, or influence the Christian scene? Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Thu, 23 Jun 2011 07:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#312 When we moved to two meetings we also had to pastor the sense of loss that some of our congregation felt. We did this publicly on Sundays, identifying with people's sense of loss ('I don't see my friends any more') and providing an exhortation to see the costs of the move as worthwhile as we reach many more people with the gospel. It is our continued experience that as we have provided more options and more space, God has given us more people. + + + + It would be my observation that too many leaders set up their leadership teams so that their own abilities appear to be head and shoulders above those of the team they lead. This can give a false impression that they are extremely good leaders. I believe one of the true tests of great leadership is the stature of the men and women around the primary leader. I am surrounded by men and women of great gifting and capacity, each in their own area of expertise far more gifted than I am. I would have it no other way. As I have said before, 'staff your weaknesses' - and this also explains why we have such a large staff team at King's: I have a multiplicity of weaknesses! Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#311 One of the greatest challenges you will face in going to a second or third meeting is the volunteer challenge - you need to release a lot more ministry to run the Sunday meetings. So, for us to launch an evening meeting requires us to recruit, train and release one hundred more volunteers a month (twenty-five per week). Obviously, where there is children's ministry at both morning meetings, the volunteer challenge is higher. We have found running a 'Ministry Fair' on a Sunday as part of our launch strategy to be an effective way of connecting people to ministry opportunities created by the extra meeting. Ministry leaders and their teams literally 'set out their stalls' around the back of the auditorium, and potential volunteers are given information about the work done by each group. Some teams are immensely creative in their attempts to recruit. My observation would be that cakes seem to play a large part in the proceedings - but I could be wrong. Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media Kings Church London Thu, 16 Jun 2011 07:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#310 Today saw the King's launch of Good to Grow - I hope you will enjoy reading it! Over the course of the next few blogs you will be able to read short excerpts from the book. I trust that they will whet your appetite for more! 'When things move fast it is sometimes difficult to get an accurate perspective on what is happening. We realized we needed to move towards two meetings, but the growth had come so quickly. As we sat in the meeting room at the church with the full pastoral team, it was six weeks to my annual study break and summer holiday and we were planning to launch a second meeting in the following January (2006). Steve Nicholson was in the room, listening to our earnest discussion around all the logistics that came with such a development. After a while I noticed he was smiling broadly. I looked at him and he laughed and said, 'You can't wait until January - you're full now!' He explained that on the basis of his experience with similar growth spurts in churches it wasn't possible to simply 'manufacture' such growth by providing space for people - but it was certainly possible when such growth was given by God to quench or suppress it by not having enough room to accommodate those who came. Once a meeting room is regularly 80 per cent full, the number of new people coming along week by week will begin to drop off. Regular attenders won't bring friends, family or work colleagues if it's hard to find space for them.' Excerpt from Good to Grow by Steve Tibbert with Val Taylor - published by Authentic Media   Kings Church London Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#309 Jim Tomberlin is a man who is proud to be a grandfather! During the course of our celebration last night he mentioned his grandchildren several times ('Did I tell you that I have four grandchildren...?'). In a similar fashion he is passionate about the church and about sharing what he has learned about becoming a multi-site church. He is keen that active, living churches should reproduce themselves and that those churches should go on to produce what would be, in effect, grandchildren! Last night's celebration was a great time and very inspiring! I hope that those of you who heard Jim were encouraged - he is a great guy and has much to teach us, being someone who is further down the path of multi-site experience than we are. Having worshipped together first we were in a good place to hear such encouragement! All that he said, both last night and during the day with the Elders and pastoral staff, confirms that we are on track to ensure we establish a lasting work for the Kingdom of God. Jim has given the leaders at King's a lot to consider for the future. With wide experience that covers Europe and the US, he is worth listening to. I know that some of you might have been surprised at his confident statement that King's is likely to need to establish a fourth site in another 18 months' time - that gives us serious food for thought. Such a statement has to send us to God in even more fervent and earnest prayer - please join with the Elders and leaders in asking that God will make each future step clear to us! Meanwhile we continue with the work in hand - reaching out to those who live around the three sites that we do have. More and more people are stepping towards us each week and we have another series of baptisms coming up on the 19th June - these can be an ideal opportunity for inviting friends, family and neighbours. Let's take every chance God provides! And I hope we are encouraged at hearing that when Jim Tomberlin is asked about the pioneers of multi-site in the UK he directs people to Holy Trinity, Brompton - and to King's Church, London! Our multi-site video clip from the King's website is part of the material that he uses as he travels internationally teaching about multi-site. We may think that we are tucked away in south-east London - but our story is going round the world. Speaking of our story - this Sunday sees the book launch at King's - copies of Good to Grow will be available to buy. Those who have been around at King's for the last fifteen years will recognise the story as they read, while those who are more recent arrivals will be able to find out how we came to be the church we are now! Kings Church London Thu, 09 Jun 2011 11:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2011#308 There's been a whole lot of revising going on in the Tibbert house this week - and a week off from work for me and for Deb. (I wonder how many GCEs and A levels Deb & I will have 'earned' by the time the boys are all done with school?) In the midst of this bookishness - the first copies of Good to Grow arrived from the publisher! After all the months of work - writing, re-writing, discussion with the publisher about the design etc - here it was, in my hand. I have to say I am pleased with the look of it - I hope that those of you who read it will both enjoy and benefit from the content. I'm sure that I will hear from some of you - either way! It will be on sale at a discounted price (£3) from King's from Sunday 12th June but it can also be ordered at a normal price via the Newfrontiers website or through Amazon. I gather that the Asda website is also listing it - I haven't checked Sainsbury's or Tesco yet! So, it's been a good week - about to get even better with the visit of Jim Tomberlin to speak to the Kings Elders and pastoral staff during the day on Wednesday. Jim will then speak at our monthly evening celebration in the evening. It's going to be a great session - don't miss the chance to hear from one of the pioneers of multi-site church! He also has experience of cross-cultural ministry and has pastored a fast-growing church - one that grew to 5000 people. There are few who we can turn to in order to learn from their experience with multi-site - Jim is one of the few. Wednesday (8th June) - 8pm at the Catford site - don't miss it! Kings Church London Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#307 Exam fever has hit the Tibbert household! Next week will be full of revision and I know it will be the same for many of our church families - let's pray that our children will be able to do their best in this exam season and that pupils and parents alike will know God's peace. It was very stirring watching the Obamas' visit to the UK this week and how Michelle Obama took a group of school girls from north London and showed them Oxford University. Her aim was to raise their expectations about themselves and to encourage them to aim high. She is both realistic and practical and did not leave out the fact that hard work was essential if they were to gain a place there - but she encouraged them not to be deterred. It was an inspirational thing to do - those girls will carry her words with them into the future. That's a positive influence of good leadership! Today I have been in High Wycombe spending a day with that excellent church and Neil Bartlett and their leadership team. Tomorrow I shall be at the Coign Church in Woking - another great church - under the leadership of Malcolm Kayes. I have been told that the copies of my book Good to Grow are expected to arrive in the office either tomorrow or Monday - I'm looking forward to being able to hold a copy in my hands! We will launch the book at our meetings at King's on Sunday 12th June and I look forward to that day! This will be my last posting until I return from holiday next week - exams or not, I hope you have a great Bank Holiday weekend. Kings Church London Thu, 26 May 2011 09:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#306 Our membership morning today saw 35 people eager to hear about King's - its history, its value and its vision - and who are seriously considering joining us in our mission. It is always great to meet new people who are interested in committing to Kings and to wonder which of them will be future leaders serving in King's - or even further afield! The week ahead for me includes a visit to the dentist (not good news) and visits to great churches in High Wycombe and Woking to meet with their eldership teams (definitely good news!). Have you booked the evening of Wednesday 8th June to come and hear Jim Tomberlin at our celebration? He is a major figure in helping churches and has wide experience in a US context of anything to do with becoming multi-site. It will be an inspiring and encouraging evening! I heard this week that copies of the book Good to Grow should be here sometime in the next week or so! We are planning to have an official launch for the book on Sunday 12th June and copies will be available to buy at King's at a discounted price of £3 per copy - elsewhere the price will be £7.99! You can read excerpts from the book and also recommendations for it from other church leaders on my Leadership Blog (click here). Kings Church London Sun, 22 May 2011 19:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#305 This week has been more than usually full of meetings and, as I mentioned in a previous posting, has involved a fair amount of travelling. So... Sunday went something like this - Catford, Downham, Lee, Catford, Lee, Catford - this pattern, or similar, is something that the preaching team are becoming more used to. On Tuesday there was the full raft of planning and review meetings with the staff team and included a Skype call to Pete Cornford in Perth, Australia. There was also a meeting with Martin Heijne, our architect, to discuss the next phase of building on the Lee site. Preparation for the future is constantly on the agenda, both in our prayer and in our planning - your personal prayer support is invaluable in this. Since then I have spent the last two days in Cardiff, meeting with the leaders of the Newfrontiers church there. I am now looking forward to the next 24 hours with the Leadership trainees at our London training base - I count this a huge privilege to have input into the lives and growth of these young leaders and so help to build and establish a strong church for the future. I can honestly say that I am never bored - I have found that there is never a dull moment serving God! This Sunday sees our next Membership Morning at the Catford site from 10.15 to 1pm. I always enjoy these sessions - sharing our vision and values with those who are thinking about taking a further step in commitment at King's! If you are thinking about coming along - just to find out more - it's not too late. We do ask people to register so that we can make sure we have enough room - simply call the church office on 020 8690 4646 and let them know that you want to attend and I shall look forward to seeing you there! Kings Church London Thu, 19 May 2011 13:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#304 I mentioned last time the planned visit of Jim Tomberlin to us on Wednesday 8th June and thought that you might like to know something more about him. This will be a unique chance to hear a man who has much to share with us. Jim is an experienced pastor based in Scottsdale, Arizona and has an international role consulting in the two areas of his passion and expertise - the multi-site church and community transformation strategies. Jim has been instrumental in bringing churches together for God's Kingdom for over a decade. God has used him in a variety of ministries from pastoring a church in Germany, to growing a mega-church in Colorado Springs, to pioneering the multi-site strategy at Willow Creek where Bill Hybels is the senior leader. He draws on his three decades of pastoral experience as a spiritual entrepreneur, international church leader, mega-church pastor, alliance-builder, communicator of vision, city-reaching specialist and multi-site pioneer to help churches fulfil their destiny.Jim holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Georgia State University in Atlanta and a Masters of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Deryl, have three adult children. You can find out more about him on the website for his organisation http://multisitesolutions.com/ .On a different topic - I have been asked about the book and when it will appear! The latest news is that Good to Grow is at the printers and we expect copies to arrive at the King's Office at the end of May - or the beginning of June. Here's what it will look like! Kings Church London Sun, 15 May 2011 19:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#303 It was really encouraging to see so many people respond to the gospel invitation last Sunday - God is on the move! We have more people stepping towards us than ever before. Please join me in praying that each one of those individuals will find a home with us and grow in faith. Our next Alpha course has now begun. Annie and the team had 45 guests last week and as the course has just begun it is not too late to register - either for yourself, or to bring along a friend. Just because you haven't invited them yet doesn't mean it's too late! This week, while attending Prayer & Fasting in Peterborough along with 500+ other Newfrontiers leaders, I had the privilege of an initial meeting with David Smith who leads Kingsgate - one of the largest churches in the UK. As Kingsgate is approaching 2000 in attendance I am hoping to learn much from their situation. We continue to learn from those who have already walked the path that we are following - by the grace of God toward even greater growth and next month we will have a unique opportunity to hear from someone who has pioneered the multi-site strategy in the US. Jim Tomberlin has pioneered the multi-site strategy at Willow Creek, working with Bill Hybels. He is also passionate about community transformation! He will be with us at our Wednesday evening celebration on June 8th - put the date in your diary and plan to be there. It will be an encouraging and inspiring evening! Kings Church London Thu, 12 May 2011 11:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#302 Recently I have enjoyed John Ortberg's book Faith & Doubt, which I would recommend as well worth a read. This was part of my preparation for preaching this morning in our series out of John's Gospel and the response of the disciple Thomas to Jesus' Resurrection. I trust that you have enjoyed this series. It was also great to welcome Ray Lowe to our 5.30 meeting today - Ray has been influential within our movement and especially in this region, and has discipled quite a few current Newfrontiers leaders. He has also been extensively involved with the churches in Mexico. The week ahead for me includes two days of Prayer and Fasting with friends and fellow-leaders within the Newfrontiers movement of churches - these are always inspiring times and it is good to take time out from the daily pressure of church leadership to wait on God. I'm looking forward to the fellowship but also to hearing what God says to us! Now we are through the period when every week produced a holiday of some kind or another we will see the return of normal life! The Alpha meal took place last Thursday and the first week of the Alpha course happens this coming week. It's not too late to invite a friend to come along - or to go along yourself. Those coming along will find a welcome from Annie Twort and her dedicated team! Our small groups are also a good place to find friendship and encouragement in your faith - here at King's we consider them an important element in building the true community that the church is. If you aren't already a part of a group and want to know more about where and when they meet, please speak to someone in the King's office, or to whoever is serving on the Information Desk on a Sunday. A warm welcome awaits! Kings Church London Sun, 08 May 2011 19:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#301 Some people find talk about finance dull and depressing. I don't! Looking out on the great variety of faces of those who were at the Vision Night yesterday I know that all our raising of money is toward one end - to reach more people for Jesus. Each individual is valued in the sight of God and as Bill Hybels says - the Kingdom advances one life at a time. King's Church is really blessed in that we are seeing a regular stream of lost people finding the love of God for the first time. So, as I shared with everyone last night as we reviewed the first eight weeks of being a multi-site church, there are good and encouraging signs for us to praise God for! In truth - we have had a remarkable first eight weeks! The average Sunday attendance has been 1250 - this means we have 250 more people in King's than this time last year. We have had two exceptional 'High Sundays' - Mothers' Day when 1500 attended and Easter Sunday when there were over 1400. At our last baptisms we heard amazing testimonies. Further, generosity in giving means that we are looking at making early progress with the ongoing refurbishment of the Lee building so that we can extend the auditorium and relocate the offices there. These two developments will make a tremendous difference. Attention to the roof and the boiler will also be useful! At the same time we have set ourselves to further develop the community life of King's. Key areas for attention in the next stage of church life are our small groups and training programmes. Inevitably after a time of particularly strong growth we need to give further attention to helping people to move on in their discipleship, whether they have come to King's recently or been faithfully serving God for decades. Finally, this Sunday at the 5.30 meeting, we will be welcoming Ray Lowe as our speaker. Ray and his wife Sue are now involved in the Bromley Church having led the Biggin Hill Fellowship. He is always well worth hearing so if you usually come to one of the morning meetings, consider coming along in the evening too! Kings Church London Thu, 05 May 2011 11:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2011#300 Do you know what the above figures mean? Are you interested to find out more? Then you should not miss Wednesday evening's Vision Night! Can you guess what they might represent? Is it the number of cups of tea served at King's in a year? Here the answer to the first amount - £5,398,504 is the total King's expenditure for last year's budget. (Please note that these figures are still to be audited - just to keep the accountants happy!) Now that's a big figure! But we serve a very Big God! What do you think that 3,060,421 stands for? Money given last year? The amount we borrowed to buy the building? What we plan to spend this financial year? Come on Wednesday evening to find out! Please make every effort to attend; we take very seriously the good stewardship of the huge amounts of money the people of God give towards our mission. The evening will look back on last year's income and expenditure and will also look forward to the coming year's. And we will praise God together for His generous provision and seek His face and His guiding for the future. We look to Him to speak to us all. Kings Church London Sun, 01 May 2011 20:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2011#299 Just before I left for a very enjoyable week's break in Sidmouth with the family, I received a report confirming that in the financial year ending March 2011, the church here at King's gave to the building project a remarkable £667,000 over and above our normal giving. This means that in the last 18 months the church has now given over one million pounds to our move to multi-site. This is quite remarkable and it is difficult to find the right words to express my gratitude to each of you for your contribution and to God for His provision. What a brilliant church and what an amazing God! If you were in any doubt that you are investing in kingdom expansion, you only needed to be here on Easter Sunday. As I moved from site to site, I realised that after only 8 weeks since becoming a multi site church, we are in the wonderful position of having three buildings which are already showing signs of being full! Once again, the testimonies of those being baptised on Easter Sunday were deeply moving, reminding us that behind our ever-increasing crowd, genuine, life changing encounters with Christ and His Holy Spirit are taking place. What an encouragement on that day to see more than 10 people respond to the call to be baptised! Our Vision Night on the Wednesday 4th May is an important annual event in the life of King's. I will be sharing our latest thoughts on how we believe God is leading us, while also presenting a report of last year's budget, and this coming year's proposed budget - please make every effort to be there. We will worship God together and rejoice in His marvellous provision for us - and for the lost! Kings Church London Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2011#298 Yesterday I met with Martin Heijne, our architect, to look at the latest version of our development plans for the building at Lee. Having done the initial work to make that building usable for our purposes, we now need to look ahead and see how we can progress with maximising the usefulness of the building. Our giving for multi-site continues to make a difference and we should be delighted at all we have achieved. As we approach another multi-site gift day this weekend, the generosity of the King's community is a real encouragement to us as leaders! Meanwhile, we have received a revised offer from Eurocentres which we are currently reflecting on - I would value your prayers as we consider how we can take this partnership forward. Yesterday my Dad celebrated his 75th birthday, now that is an achievement! I hope I have his level of energy and quickness of mind when I am his age. This will be my last posting for a week or so - I am on holiday next week. One of the joys of a week off is having relaxed time with the family involving a combination of a certain amount of sport with the boys as well as just spending time together. This will provide the necessary refreshment for the start of the next term and all that will bring! Let's continue to pray, give and work for all that God wants to do through us at King's... and enjoy the Easter break! Kings Church London Thu, 14 Apr 2011 14:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2011#297 Today I enjoyed the privilege of preaching out of John 18 and 19 - Jesus' encounter with Pilate, part of our Passion series preparing for Easter weekend. Following a busy week, it was great to present Christ to the many who gather at King's. Last week, among all the meetings, I spent many hours poring over spreadsheets - all part of ensuring that we continue to manage our money well. This is important preparation for planning wisely for next year's challenges and opportunities. Both Scripture and spreadsheets inform our future - God uses both to guide us - in different ways! Bill Hybels (one of my favourite writers and speakers) says it is difficult to lead a church well and teach a church well in the same week - some weeks it can feel that you have not achieved either! Today, following a period of particularly intense leadership, the week ahead looks a little lighter - and we have a family holiday to look forward to before Easter. I just heard we currently have 5 baptisms lined up for Easter Sunday - a day not to be missed! Kings Church London Sun, 10 Apr 2011 19:32:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2011#296 In his outstanding book Courageous Leadership Bill Hybels describes certain leaders as activists - their prayer life is summarised as a cry to God for HELP, as once more they jump into the deep end, believing that God will come through yet again. This has been one of those weeks for me, when each day I have been saying to God 'HELP!' Following a remarkable weekend when more people than ever before attended King's and a week filled with back-to-back meetings, I find myself travelling to Cardiff again today to help, support and encourage this great church. On this occasion Mick Taylor is with me. But we go in the context of a great celebration last night! To stand and sing with such a crowd of God's people and offer up sustained applause and worship to our glorious God... it was a great evening! We stand amazed at what God is doing among us - exactly a month in to multisite we had 1500 people at all 5 meetings on Sunday and, including the 100+ people who joined us from Downham in the course of the year, we are now averaging an extra 250 attending each week compared to this time last year. Praise God! Ben Welchman told us of the 150+ that are gathering at Downham and the foundations that are being laid. On Launch Sunday around 30 children were expected - over 50 arrived. Our kids' workers stepped up to the challenge! Investment in the worship team is producing fruit and the first person has come to Christ through the invitation of a Downham member. Three families brought their babies for dedication last Sunday and four new people stepped towards us, wanting to know more about the church - all signs of health and vitality! Over at Lee, Phil Varley spoke of another first - among the 200 gathering there is Korean student who is also attending the language school within the building, something that they have prayed for. Phil wonders how many future church planters may be there, learning English in the plan of God to send them back home to build His world-wide church! Vision for our times! Further encouragement - there are 14 people who are being followed up who had no links with the Catford site prior to attending Lee. There are challenges for all three sites - the need for everyone to serve in some way has produced a new raft of volunteers and both Downham and Lee are seeking to lay foundations that will bear the weight of growth in the future. Meanwhile, back at Catford, Malcolm Kyte spoke of an extraordinary first year for him since arriving from Wimbledon! Despite the 'loss' of a significant number of people to support the two new sites, the fact is that the spaces left seem to have been quickly filled and visitors keep coming. We are particularly grateful to those who have volunteered to fill the gaps in the Welcome team and the work among our noughts to fours. Our worship bands are stretched and yet they continue to make a great contribution to this important element in our meetings. And it's not only the sites that are seeing growth - last week at the Feast, part of our social action ministry, there were 120 people fed. This was another biggest ever attendance. All in all - life at King's continues to be hectic but we are seeing God at work and our aim is to maximise the impact of all this blessing! Kings Church London Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2011#295 Sitting in a car this morning, going from the first meeting at our Catford site on route to our second site in Downham and knowing that by the end of the morning I would have attended 4 meetings... this brought into focus for me how much time on a Sunday will be taken up with travelling! Today at each meeting we celebrated Mothering Sunday - or Mothers' Day if you prefer - and that included chocolates all round! Over the three sites we also gave thanks for about 20 babies, praying for them and also for their parents as they dedicated themselves to the task of bringing up their children in God's way. It's a huge task and all parents need God's help for this life-long commitment. This Wednesday evening we gather again at Catford from across all the sites to wait on God and enjoy His presence. Those who were there for the times we shared over the 40 Days will, I'm sure, want to be there again - and if you didn't make any of those, don't miss out this time! At the end of the week I make another important trip to Cardiff. I would really value your prayers for this visit and on this occasion Mick Taylor will be joining me. More travelling time! Please pray for these journeys and ask that God will provide extra energy for the meetings while we are there. Have a great week!   Kings Church London Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#294 On Tuesday evening I had the privilege of interviewing six new members from our Downham site. At the same time Mick Taylor, Malcolm Kyte and Ben Welchman were also doing interviews - around 17 people in all who were overwhelmingly positive about Downham's involvement in the move to multisite and who are excited about the vision for all we want to see God achieve through us in south east London! The high quality input of Martin Alley, Ben Welchman and Nigel Mumford (amongst others) in helping the people of Downham to become an active part in this vision has been crucial - as has the willingness of the people there to share that vision. That they spent three months at Catford while the Downham building was refurbished has, I believe, been important too. Further, those who are part of the Downham site tell us that they are encouraged by the good standard of the building work done and the difference that the money spent has made. I believe that all that investment, both financial and in terms of human effort, will bear great fruit in the future! Today I am in Croydon, meeting with Dave Stroud and the Newfrontiers UK team and looking forward to this coming Sunday and our Mothers' Day event. We are expecting plenty of visitors as we will see twenty babies and small children brought by their families to give thanks to God and dedicate themselves to the task of godly parenting. Our kids' work is growing fast! Kings Church London Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#293 Standing at the back of our first meeting of the day I looked out on everyone enjoying our Celebration of Diversity. It was great! Apart from the flags of the nations that always hang in the auditorium, there was plenty of brightly coloured bunting too - and when everyone turns up in nation dress then we really are a multi-coloured community! It is so good to worship God together in this context and taste something of what it will be like in heaven when all tribes, races and nations will praise our glorious God together in harmony! And it was my turn to preach. I spoke on the joys and challenges of being a multi-generational church as well as one that has many cultures represented, one that has both young and old within it and all the decades in between. A first time for me speaking five times on a Sunday and as we look to do this regularly... I say, 'Bring it on! Looking ahead, my coming week involves joining with key leaders from Newfrontiers for a three day conference. Like King's, the Newfrontiers movement is looking to the future and all that God is calling us to do. As you pray for King's and its leaders please also continue to pray for the leadership of the movement of which we are a part - that Newfrontiers churches will have an increasingly significant role in reaching the lost and establishing further churches that know the power and presence of Jesus - for His glory! Kings Church London Sun, 27 Mar 2011 19:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#292 This week I hosted two days of coaching for twelve lead elders from within our Newfrontiers family of churches from around the country. This is a regular event and one which I really enjoy! On our first day, we had the privilege of hearing from John and Debby Wright from Trent Vineyard Church in Nottingham. They lead one of the fastest growing churches in the UK - it was great to learn from their experience. Thanks for your prayers about the meeting with Eurocentres this week. To be honest I was a little disappointed we did not make more progress, but the discussion was constructive and we will meet again in early May. Patience has never been one of my top fruits of the Spirit and is obviously an area in which I need to grow! Having missed the first opportunity to preach 5 times on a Sunday by being laid out with a stomach virus, I am now really looking forward to speaking this Sunday at our Celebrating Diversity day. I look forward to seeing you there! ... Don't forget the clocks go forward this weekend... Kings Church London Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#291 It has been a good week! On Thursday night and Friday I had the joy of meeting up with Dave Stroud's apostolic team, as we look to serve the churches in the UK and beyond. Yesterday, Deb and I enjoyed speaking at the Sex, Romance and God seminar, which Deb & I lead annually. It is always encouraging to see couples investing in their marriages - over 30 on this occasion. We had a great time together - it's my prayer that as we build a church of some size that we will establish strong marriages within the church.As I travelled around the three sites today, I was very encouraged by all I saw and heard. So much hard work, thought and prayer was in evidence - all bearing fruit as we are already seeing early signs of growth! I particularly enjoyed hearing Ed's testimony at the baptism in the 5.30 service. The week ahead starts with an important meeting with the CEO of Eurocentres, who is over from Switzerland to meet with me and Paul Braithwaite - we would value your prayers in preparation for this key meeting. Kings Church London Sun, 20 Mar 2011 20:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#290 Have you ever wondered what a pastor does in a normal week? Here's a snap shot of my Tuesday this week... 8 am - Skype call to Australia to speak to my friend Pete Cornford in Perth. It was 40 degrees in Perth, cold and misty in London9.30am - Staff prayer at King's including encouraging reports from the Alpha 'Holy Spirit' day on Saturday. Six first time commitments made, with a total now of 13 people coming to Christ on this course. And there was further fantastic news - early signs of growth on all sites and at all meetings with numbers of visitors in evidence10.30am - 30 minutes with the elders to stay up to speed on three key issues11.00am - 30 minutes meeting with all three site leaders 11.30am - Catford site team meeting followed byPhone call to Paul Braithwaite in France (Paul was an elder at King's prior to relocating to France and still gives his financial and planning skills to support the work at King's)1-3pm - lunch meeting with Graham Marsh, leader of King's Church, Eastbourne3-5pm - meeting with key staff5-6pm - phone calls, admin6.00pm - go home, pick up Deb, return to King's for the Marriage Course7-10pm - Deb and I speak on the Marriage Course on Good Sex10.15pm - Arrive home A full and fruitful day - never a dull moment in pastoral ministry! Kings Church London Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#289 You can imagine how disappointed I was to miss our 'Going Live' Sunday for multi-site last week, so I really enjoyed travelling round all three sites today - and it was great to feel so much better! Across all three locations the signs are all very encouraging and while these are early days and it will take a few weeks for things to settle down, already we have many visitors appearing at all our meetings. Next Saturday morning at the Catford site, Deb and I will be hosting the annual marriage enrichment seminar - Sex, Romance and God. It runs from 10am to 12.30 and is free - but if you plan to attend (and we hope as many couples as possible will do so!) you will need to sign up by ringing the Church Office. We cannot provide childcare on this occasion so please make alternative arrangements for your children. I thought you may like to know that my book Good to Grow is in the final stages at the publisher's, and we hope to have copies available by end of May early June at a discounted price! It will be good to hold an actual copy of the book after all this time... Kings Church London Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#288 On Sunday we got to test our contingency plan to cover the preacher falling sick! At the moment when I finally realised I would not be able to preach as planned I was very grateful to be part of a team - and to have Mick Taylor step in at the last minute and preach the message I had prepared was amazing! Obviously, the logistics of this are more complicated when there are five services to cover but everything went off well and I was delighted with the reports that came back from each of the sites. It was also fantastic that Mick was able to announce on Sunday that we made our multi-site giving target of £75,000 in February - a truly amazing effort and a wonderful result! And I am also delighted to report that more people than ever before participated in this offering; it really was a great team effort - well done, church, and praise God! My week has, inevitably, been about recovery - I am glad to be feeling better and look forward to being in worship on Sunday once again. Now we have made the move to becoming a multi site church, I am keen to remind you of our next King's Church Celebration at the Catford site on the evening of Wednesday 6th April. It will be great to gather from all three sites, worship God together, hear news of what God is doing in each location, and wait on God - all together. Kings Church London Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2011#286 With only 3 days to 'going live' across our sites, our mission week is in full swing. Have you seen the billboards yet? And have you invited a friend? This is an excellent opportunity to encourage even those who you have invited to King's before to come along - people are generally interested in something new and often like to be in on it! Tonight our small groups will be distributing flyers in the areas around where they meet and on Saturday morning outreach teams from the Catford Hill site will go out into the town centres of Catford, Forest Hill and Sydenham. Meet at 10am at the Catford Hill site - all welcome, even if you haven't signed up! The teams from Downham will also meet at their site at 10am to go into Downham and Bromley, while the Lee teams meet at 10.30am in Lewisham, Leegate and Blackheath - contact Robert Kwami at the church office for exact locations. Following the excellent dry run last Sunday, I heard we had 4 visitors at the Lee site, not bad - considering we were not officially open! Carpeting has now been fitted at the Lee site and with signage being installed on all sites this week, we look set to 'go live' this Sunday when I will be speaking from Acts 19. Pray that the message is as fresh on the fifth occasion as on the first! After a full day of meetings on Tuesday (including yet another encouraging meeting with Eurocentres), a day spent with the Brighton elders on Wednesday and today gathering with the other Newfrontiers' pastors in London, I am looking forward to the weekend, which has two firsts - my 48th birthday on Saturday and then preaching 5 times in one day on Sunday. Your prayers are much appreciated! Kings Church London Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#285 We are nearly there! After all the prayer and preparation it was great to travel to all three sites today and be in all five meetings, experiencing a dry run ready to go live next Sunday. 'Thank you!' to all of you who are moving site to Downham or to Lee, or who have agreed to stay at Catford - and especial thanks to all who have stepped up and volunteered to help carry the load for all that needs to be done so that the move to multi-site can actually happen. Our new website is now up and ready to view. If you have yet to see it, follow the link and take a look - I hope you like the welcome video! www.kingschurchlondon.org I would encourage those of you who use Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites to use them to 'gossip' about King's and the move to multi-site. (That's a first for me - encouraging 'gossip'!) And those with e-mail access, please forward the email flyer you have received to all your contacts! Such means can be very useful in reaching others with this great news. Then we have the 3 massive billboards around the borough, 35,000 leaflets being distributed, posters at train stations and bus stops... we want the whole of South-east London to know about King's. Personally, I am looking forward to the challenge and the privilege of speaking five times next Sunday, preaching from Acts 19! Let's continue to pray for the site leaders and all those w orking with them and behind the scenes, that their strength and stamina will be undiminished and also that many will come to know Christ - even in these first days. An early harvest, Lord, please! Kings Church London Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#281 One Monday, 21 months ago, I took a phone call which set in motion a series of events and laid the foundation for our move to multi-site. It is impossible to estimate the man-hours that have been poured into preparing for this coming Sunday by me and all of the King's team. We can though be confident that we are well prepared, both in God and in all our human planning. This Sunday's dry run will be fun as we will run each meeting slightly differently. I am really looking forward to visiting each site and each meeting in turn to see how it has all come together! Keep praying - for the teams at each site and all the practical preparation that is involved in getting everything to work as it should. At this moment, as we stand on the brink of this momentous move, I would just want to express my deep gratitude to all of you for your commitment to give, to move, to serve, and to pray towards this next stage of becoming a multi-site church. It is a privilege to lead such a church and to serve such a people. Now back to my holiday...! Kings Church London Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#280 Our 40 Days of seeking God in preparation for becoming a multi site church finished today in a moment of commissioning. We marked another historic moment in our journey towards becoming a 1000 member church by praying and sending out our friends and co-workers to the Lee and Downham sites. Kings will never be the same again! On reflection, the tangible presence of God with us over the 40 Days has given me a growing confidence that God is powerfully with us. We move forward full of faith into this next season with all its demands and all its opportunities to prove the faithfulness and power of God. Let's not lose that sense of God's Presence with us and let's always be ready to receive more of His Holy Spirit! On a personal note I am looking forward to a week's holiday now - time with Deb and the boys, golf and bird watching are planned - weather permitting...! Don't miss next week's 'dry run' at each of the three sites, in preparation for going 'live' on Sunday 6th March. Kings Church London Sun, 20 Feb 2011 19:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#279 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.' Acts 13:3 The church at Antioch is a model for us. It was wonderfully diverse - which is seen in their leadership team. They were open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and put worship and prayer at the very centre of their lives together. In many ways King's shares some of these characteristics already but let us keep pressing on, so that like Antioch we might be a church that impacts not only our community but the nations of the world. Prayer Points1. Pray for King's that we will always be willing to take bold steps to reach the lost.2. This year church life will change in unexpected and exciting ways. Pray for the sensitivity and flexibility to ride the wave of God's blessing.3. Pray that this evening's prayer meeting will be a great climax of the 40 Day programme. Pray also for times together on Sunday when we send out people to the new sites at Lee and Downham. Tonight we have a time of Prayer from 10pm to midnight - a great way to end the 40 Days and prepare for Sunday when we will send out those who will go to the two other King's sites! Remember that Sunday is a Gift & Pledge Day.   Kings Church London Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:00:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#278 '... because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down and ...he died. But the word of God continued to increase and spread.' Acts 12:23b - 24. Kings and princes, prime ministers and presidents do not ultimately control events. It is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who is in control. Hallelujah! Prayer Points1. Praise God that He is the One who is in control of your life - and of this world.2. Pray that none of us will be intimidated by the fear of powerful people but live knowing that in Christ nothing can separate us from the love of God.3. Thank God for all He has done amongst us through the 40 Day programme.   Kings Church London Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#277 'When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John... where many people had gathered and were praying.' Acts 12:12 Peter knew exactly where to go when in danger - a home open for prayer. Do we go to the church community when in need or do we keep to ourselves? Prayer Points1. Pray that God will give you boldness to pray big prayers and enjoy the adventure of faith that follows.2. Pray we will experience surprising, amazing answers to prayer as a community because we have a God 'able to do more than all we ask for imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church an in Christ Jesus throughout all generations. Eph 3:20 - 21.3. Pray that we will sense deeply that Christ is with us as we meet this evening. Kings Church London Wed, 16 Feb 2011 07:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#276 '... Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.' Acts 12:5 The church prayed earnestly for Peter - this combines the idea of perseverance (praying without letting up) and intensity (praying urgently with fervour). On the Freedom in Christ course people experience release from what has chained them for many years - bitterness, un-forgiveness, wrong thinking - through the prayers of ordinary believers and the power of the Holy Spirit. Prayer Points1. Let's keep praying earnestly for those imprisoned by addictions, oppression and sin that the supernatural work of God will set them free. 2. Pray for Christians facing discrimination or imprisonment for their faith, particularly in China.3. Pray for the Feast and Wednesday Welcome ministries that will bring support and comfort to the disadvantaged and elderly tomorrow. Tomorrow night, at the final Celebration in this series, we will break bread together as we consider the theme of Community. Kings Church London Tue, 15 Feb 2011 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#275 '...Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people.' Acts 11:25 - 26 Growth comes when the right people are serving in the right places. Barnabas saw the need for Biblical teaching in Antioch. Teaching the truth is important for not just gathering a crowd but for moving people on to discipleship. Prayer Points1. Pray for Steve, Mick and Malcolm particularly, as they encourage and train other leaders in Newfrontiers.2. Pray that we will be a church of the Word and the Spirit as each one of us uses the gifts God has given us to serve each other.3. Pray for God to call people into full-time ministry. Kings Church London Mon, 14 Feb 2011 07:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#274 'Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus.' Acts 11:20 This church was not planted by one of the big names in the early church. It wasn't through Peter or Paul or even Philip that things got started but through un-named disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene. God doesn't have to wait for the tremendously gifted to arrive before He can work, nor should we. Prayer Points1. Of all the evidence of God's grace at Kings what are you most thankful for? Give thanks for it.2. As some of us are about to 'scatter' to Lee and Downham give thanks that it's not because of persecution and ask that God's hand will be on us to make us effective in reaching new people. 3. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide all we do today so that Christ receives all the glory and honour. Kings Church London Sun, 13 Feb 2011 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#273 'When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God' Acts11:18 The Jerusalem church leaders were convinced by Peter's account of God's dealing with those gathered at the house of Cornelius. That Luke, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, took such trouble to include the whole story shows how foundational this lesson was for the church and how important for its future. Prayer Points1. Pray for someone who may tend to suffer discrimination because of who or what they are.2. Pray that as a church we will genuinely welcome all people, as Jesus does.3. Pray for our worship tomorrow that we will be drawn closer to God and to each other. Tomorrow we have one of our monthly Gift Days and there will be an opportunity for those who haven't already done so to make their Pledge. Kings Church London Sat, 12 Feb 2011 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#272 'While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.' Acts 10:44 'The Holy Spirit is more likely to come in power where the truth about Jesus is being lifted up and made plain. The Spirit loves to come and take the truth about Jesus and turn it into an experience of Jesus. That's what happened in Acts 10. Peter held up a verbal portrait of Jesus and the Spirit came and turned the portrait into the living reality of Jesus Himself'. (from a sermon on Acts by John Piper) Prayer Points1. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is to be our continued experience; pray for Him to fill you again today. 2. Pray too for those who were baptised last year that they will be firmly established in their faith and well connected in the church here.3. Pray for all those involved in pastoral care at Kings ask for discernment, insight and patience. Kings Church London Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#271 'He (Jesus) commanded us to preach... and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.' Acts 10:42 How prepared would you be to present Jesus to someone who was genuinely open?  Prayer Points1. Pray for clarity to be able to do this, and at the same time, jot down a brief summary of the gospel for when the opportunity arises!2. Pray too for the preaching team, that as they preach Jesus from site to site, people will be drawn to Him.3. Pray that all three sites will have an excellent start when we begin Multi-site meetings. Kings Church London Thu, 10 Feb 2011 07:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#270 'Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests' Acts 10:23 This was a major deal for a strict Jew and was a major step in Peter's journey of obedience in accepting those who had previously been considered as outside God's plan. A critical moment for Peter - and for the growth of the early church! Prayer Points1. Pray for an opportunity to show hospitality to someone from a different background. Is there someone from church you can invite round? Or a neighbour you can befriend? 2. Ask God for boldness to step out of your comfort zone!3. Pray that as we enter the last ten days of the 40 Days God will continue to speak to us as we fast. Kings Church London Wed, 09 Feb 2011 07:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#269 'At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment'' Acts 10:1 God still delights in choosing 'outsiders', the least expected, those different from us, to be part of His wonderful, multifaceted church. Prayer Points1. Pray that all of us in King's will be increasingly open to welcoming people from all sorts of backgrounds. 2. And agree with God that next Sunday you will make a point of speaking to someone you have not spoken to before.3. As we prepare for a major gift day on the next two Sundays seek the Lord about what you should give. Our next Celebration is tomorrow evening at 7.45pm - come and be fed on the Word, inspired in worship and strengthened through prayer. There will be an extended time of prayer for healing. Kings Church London Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#268 'He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers ... and presented her to them alive.' Acts 9:41 We need to remember that God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and is just as able to intervene in healing power now as He was in the First Century. If we are honest, we still have a long way to go in seeing God break in with significant healing in answer to our prayers. How great would it be for us to grow in this area in King's! Prayer Points1. Pray to our God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, for an increase of healing in King's in 2011.2. Pray also that testimonies of healing will lead to people believing in the Lord, as was the case with Dorcas. 3. Ask God to give you a Scripture to meditate on this week. Kings Church London Mon, 07 Feb 2011 07:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#267 '...the church... enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.' Acts 9:31 'Fear of the Lord is not merely reverence and respect. Neither is it a craven fear of constant cowering before a damning Judge. Nevertheless it is fear. A fear mixed with reverence and awe. A fear that keeps us pure from sin. A fear that encourages us to live a life of worship, with love toward God and the desire to bear righteous fruit for Him and others.' Prayer Points1. Pray for a greater understanding of what it means to live in the fear of the Lord.2. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you respond clearly when others mock your faith.3. Pray for all those at the Membership Morning today that God will speak clearly to them about where their spiritual home should be. While at the recent time of Prayer & Fasting and following last Wednesday's Celebration, we felt that God was putting prayer for healing on our immediate agenda. In response to that, this Wednesday evening we will be setting aside extended time for praying for those who need God to heal them. We will worship, have a biblical exhortation and then move into prayer. We encourage you to make the most of this opportunity! Kings Church London Sun, 06 Feb 2011 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#266 'Ananias!' 'Yes, Lord!' When Ananias visited Saul, he was taking an enormous risk. Saul had been responsible for some serious persecution but Ananias obeyed the Spirit's prompting and took that risk. When he arrived Ananias had to exercise his faith again when he prayed for Saul to be healed. The result of Ananias' obedience was the salvation of the most effective apostle to the non-Jewish world. Prayer Points1. Pray for God to stretch you further in your faith.2. Ask God to help you to step out more in the prophetic.3. Thank God for the Scriptures and ask that we will all be ready to feed on it tomorrow. In tomorrow's meetings we will be looking at the theme of Scripture from Acts 11:19-30. A Membership Morning will be taking place at the same time.   Kings Church London Sat, 05 Feb 2011 07:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#265 ''Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus...' Acts 9:5 Saul had a spectacular meeting with Jesus that turned his world upside down. God chose the time and place - the man destined to bring the gospel to non-Jews was converted in a non-Jewish area. We should never underestimate God's sovereign power and his willingness to use anyone to extend his kingdom. Prayer Points1. Pray for God to sovereignly meet with many people throughout this coming year.2. Let this story encourage you to pray for those who seem to be the most unlikely converts to Christ.3. Pray for the children's work this Sunday - that the young people in our care will know that Jesus gives life in all its fullness. Kings Church London Fri, 04 Feb 2011 07:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#264 'The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."' Acts 8:29 Philip was open to the Spirit's leading and as a result he had a divine appointment with an influential member of a foreign government. The Ethiopian was open to the Spirit's guiding as he believed and then asked to be baptised. Both these men are great examples for us to follow! Prayer Points1. Pray that you would be more sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit and willing to obey them.2. Pray for lots of baptisms in the coming year.3. Pray for the deaf in our church. Thank God for their contribution to our life in God. Kings Church London Thu, 03 Feb 2011 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#263 '... Peter and John placed their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit' Acts 8:17 This chapter shows that it is possible to be a believer and not be baptised with the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Holy Spirit to the believers changed them - from a frightened and defeated group into a dynamic, world-changing force. Prayer Points1. If you need to be baptised with the Spirit begin to ask God to fill you.2. Ephesians 5:18 tells us to be continually filled with the Spirit so ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh.3. Pray for all those at Kings for whom English is not their first language. Pray that this will not be a barrier to feeling part of the family. Kings Church London Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2011#262 'Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.' Acts 8:4 The opposition intended to crush the early church resulted in the spread of the gospel as believers left Jerusalem and were scattered further afield. As we prepare for being a multi-site church we need to take their example and speak of Jesus in every situation. Prayer Points1. Pray that God would give you a more robust faith that doesn't waver under pressure.2. Ask God to make you increasingly willing to proclaim Christ in a variety of circumstances.3. Pray for the elders as they continue to seek God's leading for the church in this exciting time of change. Tomorrow evening we meet to worship Jesus, to pray for each other and to celebrate the riches we have as a multi-cultural church! The elders continue to encourage those who can to fast each Wednesday. Kings Church London Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#261 'But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit...' Acts 7:55 Being full of the Holy Spirit does not necessarily produce an easy and trouble-free life. Stephen's faithful witness in the situation where he found himself resulted in his death. Few of us are called to pay such a price but we are called to live well - and to die well, full of faith and love for Christ. Prayer Points1. Ask God to show you if there is anything that is becoming an idol for you. If there is, come to him in repentance.2. Unless the Lord returns we will all have to go through the gates of death. Pray that we will not only live well but die well, full of faith and love for Christ. 3. Pray that we will continue to learn how to unlock all the potential there is in being a multi-cultural church. Kings Church London Mon, 31 Jan 2011 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#260 'Moses thought that his own people would realise that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not.' Acts 7: 25 Sent to rescue his people, they rejected Moses' leadership and doubted his motives. Stephen spoke in a forceful way in an attempt to pierce the armour of his hearers - his desire was to win them and prevent them making the same error concerning Jesus as their ancestors had made with Moses. Prayer Points1. Pray for discernment to know when you should give a bold challenge rather than just an encouraging word. Ask too for the courage to give it.2. Ask for eyes to see the need in the hearts of those who oppose us and cause us problems.3. Thank God for all the different types of people who call Kings their home. Kings Church London Sun, 30 Jan 2011 07:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#259 'Brothers and fathers, listen to me!' Acts 7:2 Stephen begins his defence by telling the story of God's dealings with His people from the start of the Old Testament. His hearers were well-grounded in the Law and the Prophets and considered themselves to be the experts on God's intervention in history - this did not go down well! At the point where he mentions their great ancestor Joseph he is showing them that like the brothers of old, they have rejected the one who was to save them. Prayer Points1. In this time of change for King's pray that we keep in step with what God is doing.2. Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you flexible and responsive to where he is leading us as a church and you as an individual.3. Pray for our worship and the preaching of God's Word tomorrow that it would be pleasing to God and empowering for us. At our meetings tomorrow we will be looking at the theme of diversity in the context of Acts 6:1-7 Pray that God's word will be presented, heard and acted upon. Kings Church London Sat, 29 Jan 2011 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#258 '...Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power...' Acts 6:8 Stephen was one of the Spirit-filled, wise men chosen to administer the pastoral care within the church but he also did great wonders and miraculous signs among the people. This brought him to the attention of those who opposed the work of God. He is a prime example of the truth that being a caring, Spirit-filled Christian doesn't guarantee a quiet life! Prayer Points1. Consider how Stephen is described in this passage. In what way would you like to be like him? Ask God to work that in you today.2. Pray that when you experience opposition because of your faith that you will be a witness in how you respond. (:15).3. Pray for Kings Church to be known as a place of spiritual life and practical care. Kings Church London Fri, 28 Jan 2011 07:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#256 'So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly...' Acts 6:7 As we find our niche in church life and serve in that role - we release others to do what they are called to do. Every person's contribution to the life of King's is unique and invaluable! If we want to see the number of disciples increase rapidly then it is essential that we each play our part. If you missed the Ministry Fair on Sunday, it's not too late to volunteer to serve - we need every hand to the plough in these days! Prayer Points1. Pray that the Lord would help you to identify your unique contribution in the Body of Christ.2. If you feel you have a leadership gift of some kind, ask God to open up an opportunity to use it. 3. Pray for the publicity campaign that is launched today that many in our community will decide to attend one of our sites. Kings Church London Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#255 'Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.' Acts 5:42 Despite a flogging, the disciples persist in their God-given task. They rejoiced because they were found worthy of suffering for the name of Jesus and continued to obey the divine instruction to 'tell the people the full message of this new life' (5:20). Prayer Points1. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you the ability to discern what God is saying to you2. Read James 1:5 - pray that God would give you wisdom for daily living3. Pray for Malcolm Kyte as this evening he is appointed an elder. Ask God to anoint him afresh with the Holy Spirit. Kings Church London Wed, 26 Jan 2011 07:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#254 'At daybreak they entered the temple court, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.' Acts 5:21 The instruction above came from an angel, in the middle of the night and involved a miraculous escape from prison! To obey was not without risk - to put it mildly! Yet, their obedience is accompanied with boldness in the face of increasing opposition from the authorities and is set against a background of growing interest from the people. The two go together at this point. Prayer Points1. Pray for boldness in sharing your faith even when you think you might face ridicule.2. Pray for those doing the current Alpha course.3. This evening the Marriage Course starts. Pray for all who attend that this will help them build strong, healthy, joyful marriages. Dave Holden, a leader from the wider Newfrontiers family of churches, will be speaking at tomorrow evening's celebration and Malcolm Kyte will be appointed as an Elder. Please pray for them both! Kings Church London Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#253 '...you have not lied to men but to God.' Acts 5:4 Ananias and Sapphira's story is one of the most dramatic and unsettling in the New Testament. At the very foundation of the Church God shows clearly how he views their attempt to blur the edges on truth - and that integrity is to be highly valued. The accusation of lying to the Holy Spirit is not taken lightly and has disastrous consequences for those concerned. As we move into a new stage of growth for our church we should have the same attitude to integrity - in giving and serving - in all things! Prayer Points1. Pray that you would be a person of integrity in your workplace.2. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any times when you have given a false impression of yourself and ask for forgiveness.3. Pray for the Site leaders to be given wisdom and insight as they recruit the different teams required to serve at the different sites. Kings Church London Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#252 '...they shared everything they had.' Acts 4:32 King's is a generous church - many give sacrificially to support the ministry of the church, multi-site and Jericho Rd Project. But - do we see and respond to the needs of individuals around us, or do we expect 'the church' to do it? We need to remember WE are the church and in sharing what we have we will all know God's grace powerfully at work in us. Prayer Points1. Pray that you will have an opportunity to be generous to those you know have needs in King's - opening your heart, your home, your wallet.2. Pray that we will be one in heart and mind - a diverse community united in the Spirit.3. Pray for those who have been given the gift of leadership to be willing to use it in the life of the church. Kings Church London Sun, 23 Jan 2011 07:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#251 'When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.' Acts 4:24 This gave them the courage to leave the circumstances to God to deal with and to pray they would keep preaching about Jesus... they didn't ask to be delivered from the threats, but to have great boldness. Prayer Points1. If you are facing a challenge of some kind in your life pray that God will help you gain a Biblical perspective on it and have boldness to glorify Jesus in it.2. Pray that as we meet to pray as a community we will be filled powerfully with the Holy Spirit.3. Pray for the Ministry Fair tomorrow that many will step in and volunteer to serve. Tomorrow's meetings will be on the theme of leadership, from Acts 6:1-7.There will also be a Ministry Fair - if you are not currently serving in the church come and find your niche to support God's work in King's - you are an essential part of that work! Kings Church London Sat, 22 Jan 2011 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#250 '...we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.' Acts 4:20 Speaking about Jesus is central to growth. Our culture values tolerance above all else, so we need courage to speak of who Jesus is and the exclusive claims of Christianity. Prayer Points1. Pray that you will not disqualify yourself as 'ordinary' or 'uneducated' but recognise that you are God's person in your community.2. Pray that God will give you boldness to take opportunities to speak the truth about Jesus to friends, neighbours and work colleagues.3. Pray for those you know are unwell. Ask that they might receive a healing touch from God today. Kings Church London Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#249 'They seized Peter and John...put them in jail... But many who heard the message believed.' Acts 4:3-4 Despite the imprisonment of the two disciples - there was dramatic growth for the embryonic church. God was on the move! Prayer Points1. Pray for our Elders who preach at King's each week and the team who communicate the gospel at Alpha that their words will have boldness and clarity.2. Pray for those on Alpha to wrestle with who Jesus really is.3. Pray for 'divine appointments' this week where the Holy Spirit opens spiritually strategic conversations with people. Kings Church London Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#248 '...this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold...' Acts 3:18 Peter unfolds the plan of God in Jesus and pleads with his hearers to respond, to move from wicked ways to blessing. We have the same message to offer to the people in our world who do not know Him. Prayer Points1. Pray for those you know who seem closed to the gospel that they will come to their senses and turn to God.2. Pray for those who once knew God but have grown cold; that they will remember their Saviour.3. Pray that many people will be filled with the Holy Spirit as we gather this evening. Kings Church London Wed, 19 Jan 2011 07:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#247 'By faith in the name of Jesus, this man...was made strong.' Acts 3:16 Peter challenged his hearers with the truth of who Jesus was and the fact that they had killed the author of life. Then he showed that Jesus still has power - to heal and to save. Prayer Points1. Consider some of the titles of Jesus like "the suffering servant", "wonderful counsellor", "bread of life", "good shepherd" - thank Him for all He means to you.2. Look up Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1:15 - 23 and ask God that you may know the "incomparably great power for us who believe".3. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a deeper awareness of the power you have in him. Tomorrow evening we have another opportunity to come together and celebrate all we have together in Christ. We will be praying for each other and expecting to receive more of the Holy Spirit, looking for those times of refreshing referred to in Acts 3:19. Kings Church London Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#246 'Peter looked straight at him...' Acts 3:4 Peter saw the man in his need and then, in the power and authority of Jesus, he gave the man something of much greater value than the money he expected - healing in the name of Jesus. Prayer Points1. Ask God to open your eyes to the people in need around you and give you faith to pray for them.2. Pray that we will see more people healed at King's.3. Tell God where you particularly want his help this week. Kings Church London Mon, 17 Jan 2011 07:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#245 'They devoted themselves...' (Acts 2:42) In response to the work of the Holy Spirit within them the new believers gave themselves to the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Do all these elements figure strongly in your life? Do you need to re-apply yourself to them? Prayer Points- Firstly, thank God for what we already experience of these characteristics in King's. Take time over this - we shouldn't take these things for granted.- Then pray that God will cause us to grow in those areas where we need to see increase.- Pray that God will release a spirit of great generosity amongst us. Kings Church London Sun, 16 Jan 2011 07:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#244 '...listen to this: Jesus...' (Acts 2:22) Peter stands up and talks about... Jesus! His human-ness, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, the fact that He is Lord and God. It's all about Him! Prayer Points- Pray for opportunities to share some of these truths with someone in the coming week. - Pray too that you will go deeper in your understanding and appreciation of Jesus during these 40 days.- Pray for each of our Sunday meetings - that our worship will please God and we will meet powerfully with Him. At tomorrow's meetings the theme will be the work of the Holy Spirit. It will also be our monthly Gift Day towards the Move to Multi-site. Kings Church London Sat, 15 Jan 2011 07:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#243 '... I will pour out my Spirit on all people.' (Acts 2:16) It was wonderful to see the auditorium full on Wednesday evening as we gathered to worship and celebrate - and to receive ministry from Julian Adams. Many were touched powerfully by God and I am sure we will be living in the benefit of the outworking of all that was done for weeks to come - if not years. If you have a testimony of healing, or of being touched by God's Spirit in a specific way on that evening, please contact the office and let us know so we can rejoice with you! But we mustn't ignore the missional impact of the giving of the Holy Spirit. He isn't just given to us for our personal benefit but to propel us into witnessing and caring for a lost world, and sharing all that Jesus can do to transform the lives of lost people. Lost people matter to God! Prayer Points- Pray for yourself, that God will fill you with power to speak for Him as the first disciples did.- And pray for us as a church, that the gospel will radiate increasingly out from us.- Pray for our youth leaders as they prepare for the Friday evening events. Kings Church London Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#242 '...they were all together in one place.' (Acts 2:1) Like those early disciples, we are all together in one place before we move out to become a multi-site church. Look at what was achieved through that small band of disciples then. Now imagine what God could do through us! Prayer Points- Let's pray for the same Holy Spirit to fall on us during this time, both individually and as a church, to propel us forward together. - And pray that after we have launched, we will continue know the Spirit's power and presence with us at each site.- Pray for the Gift Day on Sunday - that God will speak to all of us about what we should bring. Kings Church London Thu, 13 Jan 2011 07:34:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#241 '...the Scripture had to be fulfilled...' (Acts 1:16) In the uncertain times in which they found themselves, the disciples turned to God's word. We should do the same. Prayer Points- Ask God to speak powerfully every time we gather to listen to the preaching of Scripture.- And also for tonight, as Julian Adams speaks prophetically to us - as a church and as individuals.- Pray for greater release of the prophetic gift in our worship times. Kings Church London Wed, 12 Jan 2011 07:22:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#240 '...why do you stand here...?' (Acts 1:11) The urgency of mission! People from every tribe, nation and tongue are to be gathered into the Kingdom. Our task - to recruit them! Prayer Points- Pray for those people who you will meet today who don't know Jesus as Saviour and Lord.- Christ's ascension means he was victorious over death and sin. Ask for His victory to be evident in your life today.- Tonight Steve, our senior pastor, is leading the Stewardship Seminar pray that many will be helped to live grateful and generous lives. Tomorrow evening - Celebration at King's at 7.45pm. Julian Adams, who has an amazing prophetic gift, will be our guest. Kings Church London Tue, 11 Jan 2011 07:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#239 Here is the first of the '40 Day' blogs series that links with the Bible study notes and prayer diary given out yesterday. If you haven't already obtained your (free!) copy, collect it next Sunday. Meanwhile, this blog will appear daily... '...all that Jesus began to do...' (Acts 1:1) The work that Jesus began on earth continues through history - and today in our locality - by the work of the Holy Spirit in us, His people. Prayer Points- Ask Jesus to fill you with His Spirit right now. - Pray for the church that we will become increasingly Christ-like so that others may know Jesus is real because of what they see in us.- Pray that the whole church might be caught up in this time of preparation and prayer. Kings Church London Mon, 10 Jan 2011 07:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#238 Mission is at the heart of God - He sent His son, He Sent His Spirit, and now he sends us, His people. We believe that at the very heart of the King's story is a desire to be a missional community. At our Sunday meetings today it was great to present an overview of our 40 Days series based out of the book of Acts, and so catch the atmosphere of the New Testament church, full of evangelistic fervour and zeal. As Acts 4:12 says, 'Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.' Each day during the forty day period, I will make a short blog posting to encourage us all to pray daily as we countdown to the launch to multi-site. I expect us to experience a growing sense of faith for all that God has for us as the days pass. I am very excited about our first Wednesday evening celebration this week, when Julian Adams will be our guest. Julian is a remarkable guy with an amazing prophetic gift; I fully expect this to be an occasion when we will hear from God. Following a day of fasting together (please see the notes in the 40 Days booklet on this important topic), let's gather together on Wednesday to wait on God and receive the Holy Spirit. 40 days and counting... Kings Church London Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:24:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2011#237 Happy New Year! I hope that you had a brilliant Christmas and New Year break and trust that 2011 will be a year of great blessing for us all. For Deb and me it was great to spend time with family and friends over the holiday period, the only blemish being yet another defeat when I played Risk... but I am now rested and refreshed and ready for our 40 days series! This weekend is our Vision Sunday where we will launch 40 Days with an introduction to the book of Acts, the book on which our series is based. I truly believe that this series has the potential to draw us deeper into God while at the same time laying the foundation for the next decade of church life. It is that important! In the light of this, please make every effort to join us on Sunday at 9.30, 11.30 or 5.30. In just over 40 days we will become a multi-site church. At the very heart of this expansion is our desire to present Jesus Christ to hundreds and thousands of people in South East London. The King's team has worked tremendously hard in preparation for this next phase - now we all need to rise to the challenge of seeing this Vision fulfilled. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday. Kings Church London Thu, 06 Jan 2011 11:22:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#236 A fantastic turnout to our Carol Services in the light of the severe weather conditions, with over 1600 in attendance at the five meetings! 'Well done!' to all of you who drove or trudged through the snow to be there and also support all those who worked so hard in preparation for the weekend. And 'Thank you!' to all who took part, whether on the creative side or in the practical and technical arrangements. Pray that the seed sown in the hearts and minds of visitors will bear much fruit in the coming months. At the end of what has been a really eventful year I wanted to thank all of you for your outstanding response to the challenges this year has provided for us. Thanks for rising to all that has been demanded - you are a great church! We have faced many challenges together over the last decade and God has proved faithful. We are now attempting another huge step towards fulfilling our vision to be a 1,000 member church. 2011 will be another opportunity to serve God and reach towards that vision as we move towards becoming a multi-site church. Please make every effort to be at our Vision Sunday on the 9th January, when we will launch '40 Days'. This time will include:• An exciting preaching series out of Acts, which will cover seven key foundational themes that we want the whole church to grasp. • A call to prayer and fasting at a new level - we want to go deeper into God. • Daily Bible notes through the 40 days to back up the teaching series.• We will call the whole church together for weekly Wednesday evening Celebrations with some inspiring additional teaching, prayer, and an emphasis on receiving the Holy Spirit and seeking God together. We will also open up the coffee bar! Thank you for your outstanding commitment to Christ and to His church. I believe we are on the verge of something quite remarkable. Dates until the New Year:• Christmas Day - Saturday 25th - 10am meeting for one hour only. We will cram everyone in to one meeting! Please note - no children's work or supervised crèche. • Boxing Day - Sunday 26th - NO MEETINGS• New Year's Eve - Friday 31st December - Watch Night Event from 7.30pm - 12.30am. Come for any part or all of it! Prayer, celebration, fellowship, refreshments - see in the New Year with God's people, in His Presence! This will be my last posting until the New Year, so I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a Joyful Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year.Steve. Kings Church London Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#235 This week has been spent in preparation for this weekend's Love is Here Christmas Carol Services and, beyond that, our '40 Days' series starting on 9th January. We are looking forward to an amazing weekend with as many visitors as we can invite! Don't forget that last minute invitations can be as successful as those made weeks ahead - if you haven't got round to asking that neighbour or friend to come along - it's not too late! Many of you will be making final purchases over the next week, writing lists, going to school concerts or plays and attending Christmas parties at work or with friends. Whatever you are doing this week, remember in all the busy-ness of the season that we celebrate the coming of our glorious King as a vulnerable baby to an ordinary family and as a result God is with us! John 1 records it this way, 'The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us...' Each year at about this time I take a few minutes out from all the demands and with multiple deadlines to meet, to read again the story of Christ coming to earth in the one of the gospel accounts. I encourage you to do the same! Kings Church London Thu, 16 Dec 2010 11:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#234 This next week will see an army of our people involved in preparation for the biggest weekend of our year. We are praying for over 2000 people to attend our five Christmas Carol Services - please continue to pray for visitors to come along. We want everything to come together to help our visitors and long-established attenders alike rejoice in the story of all God has done for us in Jesus! From the music and speaking, the technical details of sound and projection, through to car-parking, welcome team, all the catering arrangements and the clearing up after each service - there is a huge amount to be covered. Our grateful thanks to all who are giving their time and effort to make each service a success, especially those who are bringing guests! The other evening I dropped into our small group leadership meeting to share with them the exciting details of our '40 Days' series in the New Year. I enjoyed watching the young people preparing their dance routine, heard the band rehearsal and then spent 5 minutes listening to the choir rehearsing. They sounded amazing! Nathan Prime and Alison Taylor are doing such a great job - this year's Carol Services are going to be superb! And please pray for me this week as I prepare and write the short talk I will give as my contribution to the event! Please also pray for the church at Downham, who will have their own Carol Service on Saturday and then, on the following day, their last Sunday meeting before joining with us at Kings. We give thanks for the faithful witness of Downham Way Family Church and look forward to them connecting together with us as we become a multi-site church to serve the communities around us. Pray too for Ben and Jess Welchman as they spearhead this work and for Martin and Ruth Alley as they ably support them. During the time the Downham folk are with us at King's essential refurbishment will take place at the Downham building ready for the launch to multisite at the end of February. It has been great getting to know many of the Downham people and I am looking forward to our partnership bearing much fruit for the gospel! Kings Church London Sun, 12 Dec 2010 19:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#233 The shopping bug came upon me in a big way on Monday this week! I visited Bluewater shopping centre, Ikea in Croydon, 2 different Homebase stores, Comet, Currys and PC World - all in the same day. (You're now trying to work out what I've been buying, aren't you?) This is a once-a-year experience for me and now I have that out of my system, I am back at work for a rest! This week has been taken up with meetings with the King's team in preparation for our '40 Days' series starting with our Vision Sunday on January 9th - one not to miss! I have great expectations of this time in our church life and believe that God will do great things for and among us as we wait on Him. He is preparing us for times ahead and we need to dig deep into Him and His Word! Also this week I have been meeting others from within our family of churches. This is the last week to pick up Carol Service tickets - please make good use of them and invite friends, family and work colleagues. Christmas Carol Services are an easy event for new people to step into - once here they get the chance to see who we are and what we are about. This Sunday at King's look around you and see how many new people there are among us since last year's Carol Services... then imagine how many more could be here (and at Lee Green and Downham!) this time next year. Then give that to God in prayer and praise! Kings Church London Thu, 09 Dec 2010 16:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#232 How are your Christmas preparations going? Amazingly, we are now only two weekends away from our Christmas Carol Services - tickets are going well, but we do need you to indicate which of the five services you plan to attend. Can you imagine how many mince pies we need to provide in order to cater for everyone? And that's only one small aspect of the preparations going on behind the scenes... Please help by picking up tickets for you and your guests! As for this week, once again I will spend much of the time with our friends from within the Newfrontiers family of churches. We are in important times of transition within the leadership of our movement - please pray for those who have this important issue in their hands. Simon tells me that sales of Caring Christmas Trees are going well - there are still plenty of trees available! You can order a tree on www.caringchristmastrees.com or by calling 0845 111 8733. The Nordman trees really are fantastic - they don't drop their needles and as they have been cut very recently (as opposed to those which are cut and stored in warehouses for weeks...) you are guaranteed a fresh tree. But that's not the prime reason for buying one - all the profits made from the sales will go toward our Jericho Road Project and the Feast, reaching out to the homeless and supporting the vulnerable. Our offerings over Christmas will also go to this ministry, to show the love of Jesus to those whose need is very great. Christmas and New Year dates for your diary:Saturday 18th: Carol Service - 5pmSunday 19th: Carol Services - 9.30am, 11.30am, 5pm, 7.30pmSaturday 25th: Christmas Day service - 10am ONLYSunday 26th: NO SUNDAY MEETINGSFriday 31st: Watch Night Event - an evening in three parts.7.30 - 8.30pm - Prayer. 9.00 - 10.30pm - Celebration. 11.00 to 00.30am - Communion.Sunday 2nd January: meetings at 9.30am, 11.30am and 5.30pm Kings Church London Sun, 05 Dec 2010 19:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2010#231 Kings has always had a vision beyond itself; we live in a great city, with many opportunities for the gospel. Our vision as a resource church is to be part of what God is doing in the whole capital - not just our own part of London. Today, as part of that vision, I meet again to pray with the leaders of the Newfrontiers churches in London. At our time of Prayer & Fasting for Newfrontiers leaders in October, Dave Holden called to the front all the leaders of churches in London boroughs. It was amazing to see a great crowd flood forward, one of those 'God moments' which encapsulates all that has been achieved by and for God in the past decade of partnering together in this great city. Suddenly, our vision for 50 Churches and 10,000 people in London seemed to gain greater substance. If past performance is the best indicator for what the future might hold, then we can confidently believe God for more churches to be planted and more people saved, discipled and sent out. Larger churches are emerging among our ranks (King's is now seeing well over a thousand each Sunday), and many of those larger churches are seeing growth. These are exciting days! With this in mind it has been good to gather the London leaders on a monthly basis at Bermondsey to pray together - for each other, our churches and church plants, and for this great city. While we continue to enjoy God's blessing on our family of churches we also celebrate the growing sense in the city that God is on the move. Recently David Stroud spoke to over 35,000 Christians from other church groups at the Excel building - they hold prayer meetings totalling tens of thousands. Quite amazing! God is on the move!   Kings Church London Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#230 In just over 80 days we will launch our two new sites in Lee and Downham. This week we have just agreed the first phase of building work on both of these sites, requiring around £100,000 worth of expenditure. Behind every pound we are spending is a commitment to reach thousands of people for Christ, consequently, our Multi-site Gift Days are increasingly important. Our next Gift Day is next Sunday - 5th December - please be prayerfully prepared for that day. I am growing in confidence that we are about to see another surge of growth! Please continue to pray for our Carol Services on the 18th and 19th of December - and remember to pick up (free) tickets indicating when you and any guests plan to attend. We want to cater well for all the visitors and friends who will come to King's for this event - many for the first time. Our aim is to see 2000 attend throughout the two days - please play your part in inviting family, friends and work colleagues to celebrate the birth of Jesus with us! Have you found out what '40 days' is about? Here are a few facts - it will include an exciting teaching series based in the book of Acts, starting on the 9th January. Please make every effort to be at our Vision Sunday on that day, it will be the start of a season when we will call the church to a sustained period of prayer. For those who are able (and that would be most of us!) the elders are also calling us to a time of fasting - it will be key time of preparation as we launch those two new sites. 2011 will be upon us before we know it - what will God have achieved among us by the time we prepare for 2012? Kings Church London Sun, 28 Nov 2010 20:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#229 I've spent most of this week at a conference with other Newfrontiers leaders. Yet again, it's been good to meet with the national leaders of our movement and pray and plan for the future. I don't know about you but I am really getting a lot out of our series on The Prodigal God. I think that this is the first time that we have spent six whole weeks on a parable of Jesus and it has proved really rewarding. Don't miss next Sunday's instalment! Copies of Tim Keller's book (around which our series is based) are still on sale at the Information Desk at the discounted price of £6 per copy. Well worth the investment! Christmas will soon be here! With our ever-increasing size we plan and prepare early for our Christmas Carol Services to make sure that we can look after our visitors well. Please do the same and think and pray about who you will invite to come as your guest. Christmas is an excellent time for visitors to see who we are and what we do - one of our staff team came to King's for the first time at a Carol Service! There are five services from which to choose: Saturday 18th at 5pm (includes a song by the children and BSL interpretation)Sunday 19th at 9.30 and 11.30, then 5pm (where the children will again take part) and finally 7.30pm with BSL interpretation. Free tickets are available from the Information Desk on Sundays. Please note that the two Sunday morning Carol Services are not 'normal' Sunday meetings so there will be no supervised crèche and no children's work provided. This will be the same for all five Carol Services. Should a small child become restless, the crèche rooms will be available for parents/carers to go to and stay with their child. Beyond Christmas comes New Year - and our Watch Night Event - the evening of Friday 31st December here at King's for prayer, celebration and communion. 2011 will be a momentous year for us in many ways! Come and see in the New Year with God's people, in His Presence.   Kings Church London Thu, 25 Nov 2010 11:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#228 Simon Allen and his team from Jericho Road Project and the Feast will be selling Christmas trees again this year to raise additional funds for our mercy ministry among the homeless and rough sleepers. Feedback from last year on the Nordman trees (which do not drop their needles!) was excellent and with a month to go orders are already coming in. Apart from supporting this great outreach project, the aim is for Caring Christmas Trees to be known across South East London, providing an opportunity for thousands to become aware of King's - who we are and what we do. Look out for articles in Lewisham Life magazine, newspapers, ads on radio stations and on websites. Last year this venture even had national press coverage! Very simply - order your tree online and collect it from 1 of 4 sites in Catford, Deptford and West Norwood and, new for 2010 - Beckenham, on the weekends of the 10th/11th and 17th/18th December - and for a little extra, home delivery is available! You can buy a tree online at www.caringchristmastrees.com  Businesses (schools, churches and companies) can book trees by 24th November and get early delivery. Individuals can order their trees up to the 13th December. You can also volunteer to help at a collection site, helping customers choose their tree. More people are needed to fill the slots for 2010, last year lots of young people volunteered. Don't miss out this year! I would encourage you to tell a friend; tell your office - a quote from last year, "This is a great way to tell my office colleagues what our church is involved in". How about delivering flyers to the homes in your street? You could include a flyer about our Carol Services at the same time! If you require posters, flyers or volunteering information please contact Dave on jrp@kingscentre.org.uk  or Simon sallen@kingscentre.org.uk Meanwhile, keep praying for our Carol Services - for those who will take part - and those who will come as guests. We are praying for over 2000 people to attend our five Christmas Carol services, if each of us brought one guest we would easily achieve this goal! And then there's our Watch Night event on New Year's Eve- more details to follow... Kings Church London Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#227 Over a month to go until Christmas but in the best traditions of King's, final details are in hand for our 5 Christmas Carol Services. This year we are doing one Carol Service on Saturday 18th as well as four on the Sunday, so there should be no problem in finding a time that suits you - and your guests. And guests are what these services are for. We want to use the season to invite as many as possible to come along and hear the message of a Saviour born for us all! Our theme is Love is Here - fliers are available from Sunday. Saturday 18th at 5.30pm - this service will have a song by the children as well as BSL interpretation. Sunday 19th at 9.30 and 11.30 and then at 5.30, where the children will again take part, and at 7.30 where BSL interpretation will again be available. Tickets for these events are free, but we do ask you to go to the Information Desk and take a numbered ticket for you and each of your guests so that we can be sure to have enough mince pies available for everyone! Tickets are available from Sunday. Have you got the message about the 40 Days? Looking past Christmas into the New Year...I have request to ask of you. Would you ask other King's people you meet, 'Do you know what the 40 days is about?' I want as many as possible to be part of what will be a defining time for King's as we wait on God together - to do that we need everyone to be in the know... Lastly I am delighted to report we had another very constructive meeting with the management of Eurocentres and we are now talking about a longer-term lease. This has the advantage of adding our income and so enabling the development of the Lee Green site to proceed at a quicker pace. God is good! Keep praying...! Kings Church London Thu, 18 Nov 2010 14:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#226 My Dad and Mum grew up in South London during the Blitz. Occasionally, when we get together as a family the grandchildren ask Poppa, 'What was it like to grow up in London during the Second World War?' We enjoy hearing his stories and he enjoys telling them! It's easy to forget that a good number of our senior members grew up in a nation at war, with bombs dropping out of the sky and loved ones away on the battle front. You can't live through that experience and not have it impact the rest of your life. It is good to remember those who served and died in both past and present wars and give thanks for those we loved. And it is not now just a matter of remembering the World Wars of the last century - each week on the TV news we are informed of the deaths of young soldiers in the current conflicts and know that behind those bald facts are grieving families. Whatever our opinions about the conflicts, Remembrance Sunday is now an important focus for personal and national sadness and remembering. At Kings, The Act of Remembrance is an important inclusion in our Sunday worship on this particular day and we see it as an opportunity for us to connect with many in our church and community. On the whole, new churches struggle to integrate such moments into our 'liturgy'. We resist the formality in fear that we will lose our freedom in worship. However, our faith is based on a major event which we are encouraged to remember and give thanks for - Jesus Christ crucified, and risen! We remember and give thanks. Kings Church London Sun, 14 Nov 2010 19:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#225 My day with the leadership of the Vineyard movement went well - thank you to those of you who prayed! It was a great privilege to share some of the lessons we have learnt about diversity with our friends from Vineyard. This great movement has had a huge influence on me, not least through Steve Nicholson. It was also good to meet up with friends such as John and Eleanor Mumford and John and Debby Wright. They were keen to hear our story and asked lots of questions. It's a sign of good health when we can share experience across the streams of church life. This Sunday at King's we have our monthly Gift Day for the move to multi-site, please be in prayer about what you can give. And, if you haven't already done so, please return your completed survey questionnaire indicating which site you will attend. But before that, this Saturday we have the Alpha 'Holy Spirit day' - please pray for our superb Alpha team and for Annie Twort who heads up this important work. Join them in praying that God will meet with the guests who come along - and that lives will be changed as a result! I hope you are enjoying The Prodigal God series on Sundays as much as I am. We look forward to the next part this weekend - one not to missed... Kings Church London Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#223 Over the last few weeks Deb and I have been hosting a discipleship group at our home. This week, we shared our experience around the issue of diversity - it was moving to hear people share their stories and the journeys they have made. A few tears were shed as we touched on painful areas and experiences and we also laughed together at how differently we view life and the world. Kings has many strengths, but the common ground we find in Christ, expressed in our diversity in culture, age and class, is probably at the top of my list. For all the challenges it brings, it reflects the heart of God and we rejoice in it! This coming Wednesday I have the privilege of speaking to the leadership of the Vineyard movement in the UK on the subject of diversity and church planting. I would value your prayers as I serve this great company of believers. The Vineyard movement has had a huge impact on my life and ministry, not least through the counsel of Steve Nicholson, who has been a good friend to King's and a wise advisor at crucial times in our ongoing story. Yesterday the women of King's and their friends enjoyed a fantastic time at the Women's Breakfast - well done to all who were involved, a great effort! Next Saturday, our biggest ever Alpha course meets to discuss the Holy Spirit and His work. Please pray that the guests will experience no hindrance to being there - and that they will meet with God. We expect Him to do great things there, just as He has done in the past! Kings Church London Sun, 07 Nov 2010 19:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2010#222 Last night at the prayer meeting I asked for prayer for some important meetings taking place in the next few days that will have outworkings for the future of the new building projects we have in mind. These meetings take place in the context of our largest ever Alpha course and the fact that there are 45 people booked in for our Membership Morning on Saturday! It was great to come to God as His people - about His work! I have already talked about Christmas in previous blogs - I now want to raise your eyes to January! Sunday 9th is our Vision Sunday and will mark the start of what will be (another!) momentous year for King's as we go multi-site. In preparation for this the Elders are calling the church to 40 Days of Prayer starting on Monday 10th January. Each Wednesday evening in that period we will meet at King's to pray and we are inviting those who can to fast on those Wednesdays too. Some of us will fast for longer periods - this is a 'grace' matter and not one of compulsion - please join us if this is appropriate for you. To help focus our prayers over those 40 days Mick, with the help of others on the pastoral team, is putting together a booklet of Bible reading notes and prayer points for us all. On the Sunday that marks the end of the 40 days we will pray for and 'send out' those who are going to Lee Green and Downham - it will be a fantastic day - Sunday 20th February - one not to be missed! I want to thank everyone for the tremendous efforts that have been made with giving to our multi-site project - the generosity and sacrificial giving displayed are tremendous. The way that people have owned the vision in this way is superb - you are a great church to serve! So, keep giving and keep praying! And we are not alone - this morning I met with the leaders of the London Newfrontiers churches to pray together for our great city. Currently there are 5 new church plants under way - we are keen to see the work of God advance into yet more areas so that individual lives can be touched and changed by the love of God. I encourage you to add your prayers to those of the London Leaders! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#221 An enjoyable week off with Deb and the boys. The only blemish was losing at golf to my brother on the 18th, with him chipping in a shot from 30 yards - well done Martin! On Thursday this week I will meet with all the Newfrontiers leaders from across London. This is a new initiative, we have decided to meet up and pray together monthly as we partner together in this great city. There is good Biblical warrant to pray for the peace and well-being of the city where you live and to ask God to prosper our work as we seek to reach our communities for Jesus. Next Sunday morning I will be leading the Membership Morning from 10.15 to 1pm. This takes place upstairs while the worship and preaching are going on in the auditorium and gives me time to share our vision and values as a church. It is for those who are interested in finding out more about greater involvement in King's - coming along doesn't commit you to becoming a member but it is the first step in the process. Sign up at the information desk! Mick Taylor began our series on The Prodigal God today, telling the story from Luke of the prodigal son. Our aim is that this series will be great preparation for us all and, among other things, motivate us again to share the love of God with our unchurched and unsaved friends and family. Which brings me to my first point - Christmas is coming! Who are you thinking of inviting to one of our Carol Services? Be intentional in praying for them and making it as easy as possible for those you invite to come along... Kings Church London Sun, 31 Oct 2010 20:19:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#220 I'm looking forward to the start of our new preaching series on Sunday. Based on the book The Prodigal God by Tim Keller, it will give us a new look at all that our wonderful God has done for us. We are making discounted copies of the book available for the next few weeks (£6 each) - it will be well worth the read. Next Saturday (6th November) the Women's Breakfast takes place at King's (9.30 - 11.30). Hilary and Ghulam and the team anticipate another great morning. There are still places available - this Sunday is the last opportunity to book your place. Those attending are very welcome to invite unchurched friends along - there will be room and a warm welcome for them - very appropriate as the theme for the morning is 'Friendship'! And for those guys who will be at home looking after the children while our wives attend - good work, guys! And Sunday 7th November sees another Membership Morning. If you are interested in finding out more about what membership at King's involves then sign up at the Information Desk on Sunday. While I've been having a few days off over half-term, it's been good to hear that our Alpha course continues well - there were 81 guests last week and one person responded to the gospel. God's Spirit needs no breaks - unlike us! Finally - a reminder that it's this Saturday night/Sunday morning that the clocks go back... Kings Church London Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#219 Deb and I have been away with our friends and co-workers on the Newfrontiers UK team this weekend - worshipping and praying and catching up on news from within the Newfrontiers family over meals together. Next weekend at King's we begin our Prodigal God series - our preaching team will be using the book by Tim Keller as a basis for a biblical look at our wonderful God and what He has done for us. Copies of the book will be on sale at a discounted price of £6 each for the next few Sundays. It's an excellent book - I encourage you to invest in a copy. If you go to our website you can see a short video clip which will give you a taster of what is to come... or click on http://vimeo.com/15984863   I'm sure that the series will be uplifting and inspiring, especially as preparation for the Christmas season when we will get the chance to share the good news of Jesus with many who do not usually go to church. You probably won't be surprised that preparations are already in hand for our Christmas Carol Services - it's not just the supermarkets that are keen to get your early interest in Christmas! The last seven weeks since returning from sabbatical seem to have been lived at a fast and furious pace, so a week off for half term is something to look forward to. This week, I hope, will include a game of golf as well as time with Deb and the boys. See you next weekend! Kings Church London Sun, 24 Oct 2010 19:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#216 Guest blogger Nigel Mumford on stepping into the King's team... While I still have responsibilities at our Downham church and so spend part of my week there, I've also enjoyed spending time recently at the King's site, getting to know the team and sitting in on discussions about the present - and the future. The Downham church has been my home for 31 years - for the last 12 I've been working full-time for the church. I was baptised there, Ruth and I married while being there and our three children have all been part of the life of that community. It's not a small thing to consider a change but Ruth and I feel we are ready for a new challenge and are looking forward to our increased involvement at King's. Meanwhile I will be helping Ben Welchman and Martin Alley as the folk at the Downham site go through the transition to becoming part of King's and the site launch next March is a major focus. Plans for refurbishing the building there are in hand. My role within the King's team is still taking final shape. Meanwhile, there is plenty to do at Downham and I am also taking on a new role in the wider community. I have served for a while on the Lewisham Police Multi-Faith Forum - from that involvement I have received an invitation to be Chaplain to some of the teams of officers based at Catford Police Station. I still have to discover all that this entails. Meanwhile I am very much looking forward to the coming months as we transition to multi-site and all that involves.   Kings Church London Thu, 21 Oct 2010 07:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#218 Guest blogger Ben Welchman reflects on becoming site leader at Downham. Both Jess and I are excited about our move to the Downham site early next year - we have faith that this is the right thing for our family and for the Downham church family too. It is a massive privilege to be asked to serve the church in this way. As we now step into what will be a 'getting to know each other' phase, our prayer is that God will knit us all together in heart and spirit. We made a good start with the church lunch at the Downham building today! The main difference between the forthcoming Downham and Lee sites of King's, is that there is already a vibrant community of God's people at Downham! My task, as I become Site Leader there is to help the church build on good foundations that have already been laid. I will be applying some of the insights and lessons that we have learned at King's and will be looking to see God move in new ways! And as a site we will continue to benefit from Steve's vision and leadership. There are some great people at Downham; I sense there is growing excitement about the new direction they are taking - while understanding that there are still some questions to be answered. This will be a massive learning experience for me as I work with the people there to achieve all that God has for the Downham site. A few others from the Catford site will be joining Jess and I on this adventure as we become one new tribe at King's. There will also be some visible changes to the building - the refurbishment, details of which are currently under discussion, will be a vital step forward towards the official launch, planned for next March. I would hope that before too long we will see more people saved and baptised - and joining that worshipping community. Greater diversity in leadership will also be another thing I'd love to see us grow into. We will be ideally placed to reach out to the communities of Grove Park, Downham, Chislehurst and north Bromley. I am praying that as a site we will impact that whole area with the gospel! Kings Church London Sun, 17 Oct 2010 18:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#217 This evening Deb and I are in Brighton enjoying a meal with our friends Joel and Kate Virgo. We are joined by Jim Tomberlin and his wife. Jim is a leading expert in multi-site church from the States who was involved with Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago in launching their first satellite campus. Here is an excellent opportunity to get advice from someone who will know the issues and can share lessons learned - passing on his wisdom to us as we transition to becoming a fully-fledged multi-site church. On that subject, don't forget to return your completed questionnaire on which site you are intending to support. We need them back by Sunday 14th November. Tonight our Alpha Course continues with the second session. Please keep praying for the guests who signed up - that nothing will prevent them from being there and from responding to the love of Jesus. Pray too for the team who look after them so well! There's a real buzz in the room at Alpha! And have you thought of volunteering and giving a few hours to support what goes on at King's? There are great opportunities, not only with Alpha, but with many other ministries in the church. This Sunday there will be a chance for you to meet team members at each of our meetings during our Ministry Fair - to hear from them what they do and catch something of the vision of King's in the process. It's a great way to find purpose and friendship - by joining one of the ministry teams and becoming an active member of King's. There have never been more opportunities to serve the Lord Jesus at King's than at the present time! Kings Church London Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#215 Although it has been necessary to spend a great deal of time in our 'Move to Multi-site' focusing on the buildings, behind the scenes we have been planning and discussing how this is all going to work out for us all. 'Where will I worship?' has been an important question that many of you have been asking. Now is the time to begin resolving that issue! As I announced today, we have arrived at the point where we need people to indicate which site they will go to - Catford, Downham or Lee Green. As leaders we have prayed and discussed around this matter and it is our view that to ensure the viability of each site, from those currently attending King's we need 140 people (including children) to go to Lee Green, and 20 people (including children) to go to Downham. Taking into account the size of each of our current three meetings and to ensure that each can continue to function, this needs to happen as follows: - 60 people (including children) from the 9.30 meeting- 85 people (including children) from the 11.30 meeting- 15 people (including children) from the 5.30 meeting Please read through the Multi-site leaflet you received today and then prayerfully consider where you should be and complete your questionnaire. As you do so, we would encourage you to look at where you live! If you are in Beckenham, say, we would not anticipate you going to Lee Green... However, we would ask you to remain flexible as we may need to readjust numbers in the future. The majority of people will, of course, continue to worship at the Catford site - this will be essential for the well-being of all three sites! Next Sunday sees our next Multi-site Gift Day. Don't be distracted by everything else that's going on - it's vital that we continue to give prayerfully to this! This week I shall be at the two days of Prayer & Fasting for Newfrontiers leaders. I'm looking forward, as I always do, to spending time in God's Presence. When I return there are important meetings concerning the refurbishment of both the Lee Green and Downham buildings... Kings Church London Sun, 10 Oct 2010 19:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#214 Following the success of our first worship album, Mercy Giver, I am now really enjoying learning further new songs written by the members of the King's worship team. As we learn them during our worship times, I'm wondering if there will be another album before too long...! What a gift - to be able to write worship songs which help people worship Jesus! This week my diary has included meetings with the elders from the Wimbledon church, led by Phil Moore. It was encouraging to hear their news. Also, I had a brief meeting with the elders at New Community Church, Sidcup, looking at their building plans. It is always great to see where God is blessing and hear of churches who are making progress. Two days spent with Dave Stroud and the UK Team have made for a full week. On Sunday 17th October we have our next multi-site offering. Our target for the month of October is £40,000. Let's come prayerfully prepared to give again. The Alpha Course recommences tonight - just imagine when we can run Alpha Courses in the new building at Lee Green. That's just a part of the reason we are giving our money! Kings Church London Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:50:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2010#213 As I travelled back from a meeting in Bedford on Thursday I was informed that because of the numbers coming to our Alpha meal that evening we hadn't got enough church knives and forks - so many people were attending. In the event, 187 meals were provided! It's been a number of years since I attended our Alpha Meal, but on this occasion I felt a prompt to go along. I was glad I did. What an amazing team, led so effectively by Annie Twort. Let's pray that many of the guests will sign up for the ten week course - and that many find Christ as a result. Yesterday we experienced another first - the highest Sunday attendance to date at King's! Please pray that God will continue to keep His hand upon us, and that He will give the wisdom to lead the church into another surge of growth. The month since returning from my sabbatical has been very full - the new building and the book have taken extra time and I have really valued your prayers. I'm delighted to say that the first draft of the book, Good to Grow, is now finished and will be with the publisher within the next day or so. It's been quite an effort. As usual, at this stage in the year my responsibilities within the Newfrontiers family of churches begin to pick up speed. We are a growing church in a growing movement - please keep praying, not only for King's but also for our wider network. You are an essential part of all that is going on! Kings Church London Mon, 04 Oct 2010 10:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#212 I heard this week that on the back of the baptismal meetings on Sunday we now have the largest number of people signed up for Alpha at King's since we began running the course in 1995. Fantastic! Annie Twort, who along with her dedicated team of volunteers runs the course, says that there are 115 guests signed up for the Alpha Meal tonight! When all the friends-of-guests and helpers are included in the catering arrangements it means that over 180 people will be sitting down to eat and then listen to Malcolm Kyte talk about common objections to Christianity. All this gives me encouragement that our plans to provide further space for people to hear about the love of Jesus are going to bring even more fruit. This week I have been in planning meetings to discuss the refurbishment of the Lee Green building. There are various options available and the Elders, Trustees and I would really value your prayers as we come to a decision. Each option will inevitably require large amounts of money. And it was great to see some of the Downham leaders at the Leadership Summit on Tuesday evening, sharing in one of our regular times of catching up with all that's going on with King's and hearing of future plans. We look forward with them to a new phase in the life of that faithful group of believers. Their building will also be receiving some needed attention. Meanwhile the last touches are being put to the book. Please continue to pray for that to be completed well - and that the publisher will like what they read and not require too much reworking! Writing a book is another 'first' for me, and for Val who is helping me - we are learning as we go! This Sunday morning we will see new parents at King's bringing their babies and small children to give thanks to God for their safe arrival - and to give themselves to the task of Christian parenthood. Pray for these children - that they will come to know their Lord and Saviour early in life, and pray for their parents that they will have an abundance of love and Godly wisdom! Kings Church London Thu, 30 Sep 2010 10:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#211 A final draft of the book is now complete! I hope to call it Good to Grow - with a subtitle 'building a missional church in the 21st century'. We need to get the final version to the publishers by the beginning of October, so I would value your on-going prayers for the last details which are still to be finished. Once the manuscript has been sent to Authentic Books for production it will be some months before it reappears in book form. We will let you know as soon as we can when it will be available! It was fantastic to see 7 people baptised today, witnessing to their faith in Jesus and declaring their intention to follow him for the rest of their lives. I always find such meetings encourage my own faith. Please continue to pray for those who were baptised - that they will be 'rooted and grounded' in Jesus! This Tuesday evening at King's there will be a Leadership Summit - formerly known as the Extended Leaders Meeting. If you serve in King's in any leadership capacity and have had the invitation letter, please be there at 7.45pm - there is much to share with you. This coming year, and all it will demand, will need every one of us to play our part. All this in order to achieve all we believe God has set before us! I look forward to seeing you there. Kings Church London Sun, 26 Sep 2010 18:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#210 We're having a really productive and enjoyable few days together here in France - many thanks for your prayers, they are greatly appreciated. Your partnership with the leadership team in this way will move us all toward even greater effectiveness in this new phase of our mission in south-east London. I am convinced that there are thousands of lives waiting to be reached with the good news of Jesus and that this is why God has given us the new building - and the strategy to go with it! The weather has been good - we are making the most of it while preparing for the coming year. As well as giving time to prayer and planning we are discussing a broad range of subjects - on Tuesday we were joined by Martin Heijne (our architect), and Paul Braithwaite, to look at a whole series of options on the redevelopment of both the Downham and Lee sites - all very exciting! This morning Mick Taylor has presented two theological papers for us to examine and discuss - something to stretch us! And meanwhile I'm looking forward to speaking at our baptismal services this coming Sunday. Don't forget to invite your friends and neighbours to come along. The personal stories of these relatively new believers, as well as the baptisms, are powerful in sharing the gospel and declaring that everyone needs a Saviour! Kings Church London Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#209 I really enjoyed teaching at our London training base yesterday - around thirty leadership trainees giving time to prepare themselves for greater involvement in ministry. The subject was 'How to Grow a Church'! In the evening Deb and I met up with a number of old friends to celebrate with Tim and Liz Brown at their 25th wedding anniversary party in Woking. Tim and Liz will soon be joining the Newfrontiers church plant in Delhi - an exciting new adventure for them in a church that will benefit greatly from their experience. Today we welcomed David Devenish to speak at King's and Downham, preaching four times on the same day. I understand this is a first for him! It's always good to welcome David - his  approach to race and languages from a biblical foundation takes us on in our thinking about what it means to be a really multi-cultural church. Tomorrow the pastoral team begins five days away together in France where, once again, we will be hosted by our friends Paul and Charlotte Braithwaite. We have an extremely full agenda - while we are excited to be growing and moving towards becoming a multi-site church, there is much to be prayed through and discussed to ensure we make as good a transition as possible. This time away is always excellent preparation for the coming year. As we grapple with so many important issues, please pray that we will know God's presence with us and grasp His wisdom! I am also looking forward to plenty of fun and laughter as we relax and chat together over meals. And watch this space for details of the water polo matches... Kings Church London Sun, 19 Sep 2010 19:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#208 I have spent several days this week with friends from the Newfrontiers family from around the globe. These International Team meetings give us the chance to hear news from church plants all around the world. The network that Edward Buria oversees in Kenya now has over 500 churches! He is praying for more!! It's good from time to time to lift our eyes from what is happening in the UK and rejoice in all God is doing on other continents. It spurs our faith and encourages our own work - as well as informing our prayers. Speaking of which - have you been along to at least one of our prayer meetings this week? If you have been unable to get to any so far then I would strongly encourage you to get along this evening at 8pm - or to the one that will run from 10pm to midnight tomorrow (Friday) following our youth event. It is no understatement that this coming twelve months will see further significant steps forward for us at King's. Unless we undergird it all with prayer and come regularly and faithfully before God, seeking Him... we will be weaker and less effective as a result. I don't want that to happen! This Sunday we have the privilege of welcoming Dave Devenish to preach at all our meetings. Previous visits from him have been important, giving us focus for next steps and direction and encouragement on our journey towards all that God is building at King's. A Sunday not to be missed! Kings Church London Thu, 16 Sep 2010 07:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#206 I had an extremely enjoyable first week back in the office and to have the privilege of preaching four times on our Vision Sunday yesterday was a great joy! Thank you for your prayers as I began what will be a regular event for our preaching team - four meetings each Sunday. This week I will be meeting up with key leaders in the international Newfrontiers family. This will be the first chance in a while to reconnect with many of my friends from around the world. I'm really looking forward to our extended times of prayer and to hear all that God is doing - far and wide. Of course this week we also have our Week of Prayer and Mission Week at King's. We will be gathering as a church to pray at 8pm each evening from Tuesday 14th to Thursday 16th, at 1pm on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th, and then on Friday evening (17th) from 10pm to midnight. The Mission Week will include early morning leafleting sessions (7am - 8am) at local rail stations from Tuesday 14th through to Friday 17th. Then on Saturday 18th we will meet at King's at 10am to go into the local shopping centres in Catford, Lewisham and Sydenham. If you haven't already signed up for one of these teams, please contact the King's office to do so! Next Sunday Dave Devenish will be preaching. On previous visits the messages he has brought have always been timely and extremely helpful to us. We look forward to his ministry!   Kings Church London Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#205 Fifteen years ago, when I was first called to move from Bedford, I felt God speak to me about London. My call to lead King's Church in Catford followed. To now also have the privilege to serve the Newfrontiers churches in London is a great delight - gathering with the pastors, elders and staff of our London churches today after the summer break was enjoyable and time well spent. It was time to catch up with friends and to hear in more detail what God is doing among Newfrontiers churches in our capital. On this occasion I also took the opportunity to invite them to visit our new building in Lee Green, and spoke briefly on managing priorities - a topic that will become even more relevant (if that was possible!) to all of us in the coming weeks and months of activity. Seeing the building once again through their 'new' eyes brought home to me what a brilliant facility God has given us - and an amazing Kingdom opportunity! Now our focus at King's is on our Vision Sunday. I would encourage everyone who calls King's their home church to make every effort to be at one of the meetings as we step forward into what will be another significant year for all of us! As well as being a regular Gift Day, this will be the time when I share with the church important information about future developments - don't miss it! And I would really value your prayers for me and the good people of our Downham Way Church as I preach there, as well as at our three meetings at King's Centre. My subject for this Sunday... 'Time to Advance!' Kings Church London Thu, 09 Sep 2010 16:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2010#204 The Tibbert family flew back into the UK on Tuesday morning following a fantastic holiday in America which marked the end of my sabbatical. It was a great time and I learned a lot! Today was my first time at Kings for three months - what a joy to be with my home church again, to worship God and see so many friends. And so begins another season in our journey together! Please make every effort to be part of our Vision Sunday, that's next Sunday - 12th September. The title of my talk on that day will be 'Advance!' and I plan to share important information in light of our move to multi site, so it's one not to be missed! We begin this next church year with another first for King's - it will be the first time I'll preach four times on the same day, three times at Catford and once at Downham - I would value your prayers. And I know that the guys who will be preaching in the weeks to come will also be glad of your prayers for God's grace and increased Sunday stamina! The preachers' family Sundays will need some adjustments to allow for the new arrangements. While I've been away I have had the opportunity to visit many excellent churches over the last three months, both here and while in the US. I will be talking about some of the really interesting things I saw and heard in coming days... but it's true - there really is no place like home! Thanks for being a great church to serve and lead - I'm glad to be back! Kings Church London Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2010#203 Wondering what to write about for this little slot, I thought rather than tell you about things I'm doing, I'd tell you about what I'm reading. In the mornings I try to sneak downstairs before anyone else and read my Bible. This plan doesn't always work out as often I'm joined by Ben (2 years old) who has other views on what Daddy should be doing! When I have made it to my Bible I'm reading Romans. The other day I was happily reading chapter 5 when I came across these words: And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Now I've read these words quite a few times before, but I decided to really slow myself down and think about what I was reading. Here are some of the things I noticed. Paul talks about "rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God" - and I wrote in my note book - "there is hope." Hope is such an important thing. Even when you walk through a tough season, if something offers hope, it sustains you. If all hope is gone, then that's when things get really bad. But this passage is saying that there is always hope - that as a believer, hope is never extinguished. Things will never get to that point. Even in suffering there is still hope, is Paul's conviction. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of suffering - I much prefer it when things are going well! I'm more of a 'tranquillity junkie'. But this passage says that even in difficult times God can produce something good - there is hope. And here's the phrase I really love - that this hope "does not disappoint us." That's an amazing claim! We live in a world when lots of people are trying to sell us stuff - and often they do it by telling us their product will change our lives. We will be thinner, look younger, taller, be more popular, successful and generally much, much happier... Truth is, whatever the product, it pretty much always disappoints. This passage tells us that life with God is very different. That there is always hope and this hope always always, always, always, delivers as advertised... I'm just getting my head around it, but I love it! Kings Church London Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2010#202 After spells of torrential rain and ferocious winds we can all say 'we made it through' and enjoyed what was an awesome week at the Norfolk Show ground that hosted Newday 2010. With over 100 people on the King's Church site, it's fair to say it was buzzing! Our young people enjoyed the various cafes during the day before letting their hair down in the evening with a variety of skanks* at the popular Rhythm Factory. The main meetings were superb and full of moments where the Spirit of God moved in power to work in the hearts of thousands gathered in the big marquee. Each day, young people were moved by powerful talks by speakers including Stef Liston, Joel Virgo, Stu Gibbs, Scott Marques and Julian Adams. The 12-14s were well served by Andrew Wilson throughout the week whose wit and sharp mind kept them on the edge of their seats (although they were sitting on the floor!). Some classic highlights included the near riot in response to the 'unfair' distribution of jollof rice during an evening meal - you had to have been there! But the main highlight had to have been when Adrian Holloway preached the Gospel and we saw 334 make first time commitments, 305 make re-commitments, and 374 healed - awesome! And with 7 of our youth making first time commitments and several others being filled with the Spirit, Newday 2010 was a really fruitful time for King's. The youth team again showed their commitment to serving our youth - they were brilliant! Special thanks to Matt Wills, Luke Catley, Lesray Cameron and Sandra Sonola. And also to Kevin and Valerie Catley and Barry and Ciska Stowell who served us so well with the catering - YUM! Another eventful week where God proved once again that He is at work in the lives of an emerging generation. Bring on 2011! (*skanks - popular urban dance routines. Search You Tube for migraine skank, kingdom skank and tribal man skank for some examples. Enjoy...) Kings Church London Sun, 22 Aug 2010 18:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2010#201 This month my mum and dad celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary (by the way, it's the 'blue sapphire anniversary' if you're curious!), but you can't buy cards in the shops for 65th anniversaries - I guess no one expects people to be married that long! I can see their faithfulness and love demonstrated everyday in the care and patience they show each other within the frustrations of being elderly and less independent. What an example! Summer is the season for weddings - there are a number of weddings coming up soon within the King's family and we send our 'Congratulations!' to those making this wonderful commitment. It's interesting that Jesus' first miracle was to enhance the celebrations of a couple getting married in Cana (John 2). Jesus, who never married and lived a life fulfilled to the extreme as a single man, also honoured marriage and the covenant commitment required. These days it can feels like making a marriage last takes a miracle, but at King's we really value marriage and try to help couples lay a strong foundation for a lifelong relationship. Last year King's started a Marriage Mentoring ministry headed up by Peregrine and Denise Storrs-Fox, my husband William and myself. We've trained a number of excellent couples to prepare couples for marriage and walk with people going through tough times in relationships. This naturally follows on from the Marriage Course that Steve and Debs lead every year. Couples getting married at King's have all sorts of backgrounds - some have been married before, have children or have a rich variety of cultural heritages - so we are constantly learning how to help people deal with their past, honour their families but also create a new strong family with Christ at the centre. Sometimes people come to know Jesus who are living together and want to remodel their relationship biblically, so we help them take those steps. It's great to have a group of volunteer Marriage Mentors who themselves have all kinds of life experience so we can pool our wisdom. So if you have the joy of going to a wedding this summer, pray for the couple (and for yourselves if you are married!) that their love will never stop growing, fuelled by the love of Jesus. God is committed to marriage - it was His idea! - and He will make your marriage the best it can be for his glory if you give it back to him.And who knows, maybe many more of us will reach Blue Sapphire anniversaries! Kings Church London Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2010#200 I've been thinking recently about all the good friends that I have in King's! I want to be like the apostle Paul and value them as they should be valued. In Philippians 2, Paul talks about two of his friends - Timothy and Epaphroditus. Timothy's father was Greek and a non-believer, his mother was Jewish by birth and had come to believe in Jesus. Timothy and Paul came from very different backgrounds. Good friends have a genuine interest in each other. There is real acceptance of who the other is - even if they come from different backgrounds, as Paul and Timothy did - and as so may of us do within King's! Outside of church we might not naturally have come to know each other, but now our friendships are centred in Christ, who has broken down all the barriers between us. And further, we are on a mission together - we serve a higher cause than merely following our own wishes. I am so pleased to be part of a wonderful, growing, multi-cultural church where we represent so many countries and nationalities but have one mind and heart together! Good friends support one another. I know that I have been very grateful for the concern, the prayer and the care shown to me during the time when my mother passed away and I was so far away from Ghana - I'm sure others of you have received similar support. Some of the trials and the battles that we experience will be similar, some will be very different - we will always need support from our friends! Friendship shown in such difficult times supports us and enables us to carry on. As we build genuine friendships we will come to know each other better, grow in our understanding of our friends  and be able to support them more effectively. I read recently this statement, which I would really agree with! 'Christian friendships are extraordinarily powerful - they are enriching, rewarding and emotionally restoring.' Kings Church London Sun, 08 Aug 2010 19:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2010#197 They say you don't get a second chance to make a first impression! I started my new role as a pastor at King's at the beginning of April having led a fairly large Newfrontiers church in Wimbledon. There are many similarities in the way my previous church and this church operate - except that everything at King's is on a larger scale! Sometimes there is a feeling that the bigger a church becomes then the quality of church life decreases - nothing could be further from the truth at King's. Apart from being on the leadership team of King's, I continue to oversee six churches in south-west London - most of them around 100 in size - so I understand the constant 'resources challenge' that every church faces. Churches do the best they can with busy volunteers who have limited time and skills for the tasks that need doing week after week. So, it has been thrilling to discover just how well things are done here at King's! I have visited Jumping Beans (1-2s), Promise Land (3-4s), King's Kids (5-9s), ignite (11-14s & 15-18s), Wednesday Welcome (over 60s), the Alpha course and the Freedom in Christ course. Without exception, every group and activity has been done to a high standard - thoroughly prepared and well delivered. I have also had the privilege of seeing how the pastoral care team works and sat in on a child protection team meeting. Again, the level of care that King's offers is of a higher quality than many other churches because those involved have lots of experience. King's Church has many talented people who are utilizing their gifts to further the kingdom in south-east London - I'd like to congratulate those of you who are already serving - but there is always a need for more servers in any church. So if you have yet to get involved can I encourage you to step up and serve - and make sure that King's continues to offer the very best at every level of church life as we move to being a multi-site church! Kings Church London Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2010#196 I don't know when you last went to Downham. Maybe you drive through it on the A21 on the way to Bromley. You may have passed the Downham Way Family Church building at some time but not be aware that in the large estate between Bromley Road and Grove Park live around 25,000 people - 10% of the population of the borough of Lewisham! Ruth and I have been based at Downham Way family Church since January, to be on the ground with them as they have been considering the possibility of becoming part of King's. We've found a church there full of great people who have made us feel very welcome right from the start. Some of them we've known for many years - others we're just getting to know. The church has a real heart to reach out to people in Downham and beyond, and it is inspiring to begin to dream of how God could use the joining of our two churches to bring His blessing and salvation to this area of South East London - 25,000 people in Downham alone who need to hear the message of God's love and grace! Since the first mention, about six months ago, of Downham joining with King's, the people of Downham church have made quite a journey! I want to commend their elders, Nigel and Ian, and also the extended leaders' group, who have led the way with courage and integrity. Change is never easy to embrace, and can be costly, but as we step forward in faith we know we have a great God and Shepherd who knows how to lead His people in the right paths.   Kings Church London Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:42:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2010#195 'Please don't expect me to stop and look after someone in need. I let other people do that stuff - just don't ask me. I find that needy people drain me of energy and I just don't have the patience. I'm happy to give my money to those who do the work - I prefer it that way...' Does this describe how you feel sometimes? Can I ask you, when was the last time you stopped and listened to someone in need? I mean listened to their story. Jesus spoke about what happens when you invite someone to spend time with you knowing that they can't repay you. This was not about conditional love - i.e. if you can pay me back I will offer you help. But it is such 'open-handed' expressions of care that Jesus encourages us to make. Jesus says if those you invite then invite you back in turn, you have already been repaid. BUT if you reach out to the poor, crippled, lame and blind you will be BLESSED. Can I suggest two simple things to do: Get to know people. The widow on your street, the teenager who doesn't fit in at school or church, the mother tearing her hair out in despair at her struggle to parent, the addict who is fixated on the next bit of gear. I spoke with a homeless girl last week who had suffered a mental health breakdown - her story was so sad. Then there was the rough sleeper who has been given a 6 month suspension on his personal benefits. Often there is no easy answer - but we can always listen to someone's story.Be willing to lose your 'self'. As a result of doing this you may miss your favourite TV programme, or feel out of your depth and have your own faith questioned - 'Can God really help this person?' Walk in faith, pray for the person, help them practically. The blessing may be a delayed blessing (it may be immediate!) but God is always true to His word. In the end - in the Kingdom economy - it is totally worth helping those in need. Do you want merely to be repaid or to be BLESSED? Kings Church London Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2010#199 Building contracts exchanged, purchase completed! I am delighted to inform you that we have exchanged contracts on the Lee Green building and that completion of the legal transfer of ownership has taken place! The 'new' building is now the property of King's Church! Just over a year on from the original phone call that made us aware of this opportunity, the building is now ours. How great is our God! I honestly believe that this huge step of faith we have taken together will provide the foundation for thousands of people to come to Christ in our generation and for generations to come. My thanks yet again for your on-going support for this remarkable venture. What a great church King's is! And what a fantastic God we serve! And I promise that this will be the last interruption to my break from blog-posting as I continue to enjoy my sabbatical and prepare for the exciting days ahead at Kings! For a virtual tour of the building visit our new multi-site website at www.movetomultisite.co.uk Kings Church London Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2010#194 I never used to like the idea of counting the numbers at church - it seemed dehumanising. But I have come to realise what a difference careful counting can make! At King's we count how many are participating in each ministry area. These numbers help us to be more, not less, people-focussed, rather like the shepherd counting his sheep. We can chart growth - which is encouraging, and helps us to plan strategically. We can spot any trends of decline, identify the reason, and respond accordingly. To give you a couple of examples: • Two years ago I looked at how many people had come to faith in Jesus over a two year period. I discovered there were 121 in all (very encouraging!), but that only 11 of them had been baptised in water (very alarming!). So we looked again at how we teach and encourage baptism. In 2009 we baptised 50% of our new Christians. • In 2006, having run Alpha at Kings for ten years, we saw that 1200 people had attended up to that point, and at least 200 of those had come to faith. I can now report that in the fourteen years ending Spring 2010 there have been a total of 2170 guests on Alpha, and that at least 300 people have found Jesus for the first time. These numbers do not include the hundreds whose walk with God has been enriched through Alpha but they do reveal a clear growth trend, which enables us to pray and plan for the future. As we approach the possibility of new local areas being opened up to the Gospel as we become a multi-site church, I am confident that we will see increasing numbers of people come to faith in Christ - each one an individual in the sight of God and precious to Him! As Bill Hybels says - 'The kingdom of God advances - one life at a time!' Annie Twort heads up outreach at King's, which includes our ongoing Alpha Course - one of the largest in this country. Steve Tibbert is on sabbatical and will return in September Kings Church London Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2010#193 I've recently returned from a trip to Los Angeles which was a part of my sabbatical. I had the opportunity to visit ten different services at three multi-site churches over two weekends. It's fantastic to see others who are ahead of us and learn as much as we can from them. Brett Melville and I had the privilege of meeting with leaders from Mosaic (www.mosaic.org), led by Erwin McManus, and Saddleback Church (www.saddleback.com), led by Rick Warren. We met with small group pastors, campus pastors and worship leaders amongst others. Whilst we were there we also met Miles McPherson who leads The Rock Church, San Diego (www.therocksandiego.org) who invited us to visit his church. They are a multi-cultural church of some 13,000, who were launching their first multi-site meeting that Sunday. It was great to worship with them at their main site (we felt very home with their diverse worship) and then join with over five hundred others at the launch of their first multi-site. One of the highlights of the whole trip was meeting with Steve Gladen, the Small Group Pastor of Saddleback. It was an immense privilege to get three hours with a man who is responsible for over three thousand small groups! And I thought I was busy! It was humbling to hear Steve's story and get an insight into small group life at Saddleback. It was so helpful to get the distilled wisdom of a guy who has so much knowledge and experience; but ultimately it was his passion for people that shone through. I can't conclude without mentioning the other highlight, a short excursion to Yosemite National Park. This is a simply breath-taking part of God's creation and the only natural response to stunning valley views, snowy peaks, thundering waterfalls and majestic trees was to worship God, the great designer. I return inspired, with more passion for Jesus, for people and his wonderful church. Ben Welchman is King's Small Group Pastor. Steve Tibbert is currently on sabbatical and will return in September Kings Church London Sun, 04 Jul 2010 19:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2010#192 ...Three books in two weeks, that's some going! The books are • The Reason for God by Tim Keller• Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell• Surprised by Hope by Tom Wright The reason for this bookfest is that I'm preparing for the Together on a Mission Conference at Brighton next month. The series of seminars I will be leading will be looking at these books and discussing the issues they raise. Each of the books aims to help Christians and churches to think through their mission in the world but they each raise interesting issues - some controversial - which need addressing. So the aim of the seminars is to model how, in Paul's words, we should Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.(1 Thessalonians 5:21-22)  Three books in two weeks? It's not as bad as it sounds because I've read them all before - or at least parts of them. And I love reading! How about you? Over summer life generally becomes a little less hectic for many of us. Why not get hold of a good book that will stimulate your 'little grey cells', feed your soul and fire your imagination! Whatever you read - remember to be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) - check out what you read with the Bible!  If you want to know more about the conference check out: http://www.newfrontierstogether.org/Groups/102585/Newfrontiers/Together_on_a_Mission/Together_on_a_Mission.aspx And if you are interested in hearing the seminars they will be available for download soon after the conference from the same website. Mick Taylor is teaching elder at King's and is Course Director for Leadership Training within Newfrontiers. He also chairs the Newfrontiers Theology Forum. Steve Tibbert is currently on sabbatical and will return in September. Kings Church London Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2010#191 I became part of Downham Way Family Church in 1979 - not long after Terry Virgo started getting involved with us as a church. Links between Downham and King's actually go back at least to the late 1970's when Terry starting giving input to both churches, as God was expanding Terry's apostolic ministry beyond a few fellowships along the South Coast. The church was founded as Downham Baptist Church in 1929 and has been a faithful witness in the community ever since - but both the church and the local community have changed a great deal since then. One thing that has remained the same is God's faithfulness to us as a people and His desire to see a church built that demonstrates Jesus to the people in the locality of Downham and beyond. God has spoken very clearly to us at Downham about being part of the move to multi-site and we have made a decision in principle to become part of King's Church. This is a massive step for us as a church and is both exciting and costly at the same time. Having Martin and Ruth Alley based at Downham with us to help in this process over the last few months has been a pleasure and a real encouragement! God has spoken to Newfrontiers as a movement of churches about there being 'no well-worn paths' ahead. At Downham, we've definitely not been this way before as a church, and there are still uncertainties about how it will all work out. But! - we have a real sense that God is leading us in this, so it's a great opportunity to trust Him as we move forward into the next phase together. It has been an absolute privilege to have been part of the church in Downham - a brilliant and faithful company of God's people, and I am highly expectant for all that God has for us as one church on multiple sites in the future! Nigel is an elder at Downham Way Family Church. Steve Tibbert is currently on sabbatical and will return in September... Kings Church London Sun, 20 Jun 2010 19:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2010#190 When I was a teenager, my dad and I used to spend our Sunday afternoons knocking on people's doors to give them a Christian newspaper called Challenge, and I would give the kids in the house a children's magazine called Plus. We did this for a few years, and made many contacts and friends. At the end of the afternoon we would meet a small group from the church who would bring a portable organ (pumped by foot to make it work) and a battery powered PA system, and a small stool. Out in the street, Dad would stand on the stool and preach the gospel and we would sing hymns. One day Dad was preaching and a man who was standing at his front gate shouted out, "Do I have to give up smoking to become a Christian?" Dad replied, "No... you have to give up everything!" We live in Christian culture where the emphasis is on grace, mercy and love, and it's this that underpins our gospel message. It is the thread that runs through all we teach and on which we weave church life. This is, of course, right and what the Bible teaches us... (Here comes the 'but!') - is this all there is in our message? Bishop Desmond Tutu is quoted as saying, "I don't preach a social gospel; I preach the Gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned for the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, "Now is that political or social?" He said, "I feed you." Because the good news to a hungry person is bread." The good news of Jesus Christ is "holistic" - concerned with our whole existence, every part of us - and it's life changing! The cost is high - 'me' goes and God comes, both completely and utterly - total surrender. That's how it's meant to be. Mark Jeffery is the King's Church Administrator. Steve Tibbert is currently on sabbatical and will return in September Kings Church London Sun, 13 Jun 2010 18:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2010#189 Although I wasn't intending to post a blog while I'm on sabbatical, the news of our giving toward the Lee Green building purchase has been so encouraging I felt I wanted to make an exception! With a remarkable £115,000 given in May, that brings our total in the two months to the start of June to an amazing £205,000. This is wonderful news! I want to express my deep gratitude to God - and to all of you who have participated so generously to help reach this first target. It really is an outstanding achievement which I am confident God will honour as we reach towards all the kingdom opportunities before us. For your continued support in this great venture and your faithfulness in giving - thank you! We now await the completion of the legal process involved with the purchase of the building, which should take place very soon. Have a great summer - I look forward to being with you all again in September! And 'Thank you' yet again - from myself and the King's Elders and Trustees. Steve Kings Church London Tue, 08 Jun 2010 15:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2010#188 We are having a fantastic time in the kid's work at King's - it's a wonderful privilege to serve in this area! To have a team of kid's workers who give their time so willingly and who work hard to ensure our children have a fun and exciting morning Sunday by Sunday is a real blessing. Our 1-2s now have a new curriculum - and a new name! On a Sunday morning Jumping Beans (a fantastic description of this group!) have a Bible story and a worship time - it's wonderful to see children at this young age dancing and singing their praise to God! The team who work with them do a brilliant job in making the morning lively and interesting for the children. Our 3-4's work continues to thrive - their team are working really hard at making the Bible teaching engaging and interactive. We are also really excited to see the children singing along to worship and really getting involved in the actions - just ask anyone involved about The Wiggle Song!! I must say what a brilliant work I believe our leaders in Kings Kids are doing! Most of our leaders in King's Kids serve from 8:15 - 1:15 on a Sunday morning - they give their time and energy to create an environment which is fun and exciting and very energetic for both children and adults!!! We always have a time of worship and Bible teaching and really value our small group times when the children have opportunity to share together, discuss and where appropriate look things up in the Bible. I want to thank this great team of people who work really hard to encourage and help the children to grow and develop in their knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ. It's an honour to lead this team! And if you have children who enjoy King's Kids - it would be wonderful if you could take the time to encourage their leaders- we all know what a difference such encouragement can make! Steve Tibbert is on sabbatical and will return in September Kings Church London Sun, 06 Jun 2010 18:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#187 It's taken me the first month of working at King's to work out exactly what my role is! When I first spoke to Steve about joining the team I asked him to summarise the role in one sentence. He said 'to oversee the pastoral staff and help them develop their ministries'. So, when I started the job in April I typed that sentence out and pinned it on to my notice-board. Specifically, that means I will be meeting regularly with Ben Welchman (small groups), Hilary Dalziel (pastoral care), Annie Twort (Alpha), Robert Kwami (Pastoral care/Alpha), Nick Ferguson (Youth), Simon Allen (Mercy ministries) and Kerri-Jane Lamb (Children). You might wonder why it's necessary to have someone overseeing these very capable leaders. The reality is that all of them are carrying a high level of responsibility. For example, Simon Allen's annual budget is bigger than most churches, Nick Ferguson has more young people to care for than most pastors have in their churches and Annie Twort is leading some of the largest Alpha courses in the UK. I hope that with my considerable pastoral experience I can support and develop this great team.Somebody recently added a yellow post-it note to the role description on my notice board - it said: 'and the rest...'. The 'rest' is to head up pastoral care in the church, lead the team that will potentially integrate Downham Family Church into King's and sit in a lot of meetings! Outside of King's I am part of the Newfrontiers London team which means I continue to oversee six churches in south-west London...so I shouldn't be getting bored any time soon! Steve Tibbert is on sabbatical and will return in September   Kings Church London Sun, 30 May 2010 18:29:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#186 This will be my last posting until September as my sabbatical starts tomorrow. While I'm away you won't be without things to read on this blog! I am delighted to announce that throughout my sabbatical there will be a succession of guest bloggers from within the King's leadership writing on all sorts of topics. Continue to drop by and see who they are! As for me - I would especially value your prayers during the coming weeks as I begin to write the book on leadership. This book has been in my mind for some time now - the sabbatical is an ideal time to get the major part of the work done, especially as I look ahead to the autumn and all the work that will be required of us to prepare for the launch of the Lee Green site in early 2011!! It's very encouraging that there is interest in the King's story from churches elsewhere - and also that a publisher wants to print it!And I hope that you all have a great summer - I look forward to returning in September - refreshed and ready for the next exciting phase that God has for us all at King's. Join me in praying that God will refocus our attention on Him and on the future plans He has for us. When we consider what He has done with us in the last few years... imagine what wonderful things are ahead! Kings Church London Thu, 27 May 2010 09:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#185 It was great to have our good friend Steve Nicholson from Chicago with us yesterday and also to welcome the members and friends of Downham Way Family Church to share in the day. We trust that you were blessed and encouraged! I was certainly encouraged by the preacher's message as I begin my sabbatical. What a brilliant way to finish this period of ministry - having Steve Nicholson remind us that we are in a spiritual battle, facing a real enemy. I would encourage us all to heed his exhortation to continue to trust Jesus in the face of opposition and challenge - proving that in Him we can overcome all the enemy throws at us. As we all take a break, don't let the summer see us flag in our love for God - or in our zeal for His Kingdom! Steve N is around with us for the rest of the week - do not miss his seminar here at King's on Wednesday evening (May 26th, 7.45 - 9.30pm) entitled 'Releasing the Prophetic'. It will be a time of encouragement and teaching and I would urge everyone who can to be there! As for the Gift Days - we will announce the result of our offerings in May on Sunday 6th June! Kings Church London Mon, 24 May 2010 07:41:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#184 With our second Gift Day coming up this Sunday here's another multi-site Q&A to help spur us on in giving! Apart from Jericho Road Project what other 'outreach' initiatives will be put in place? If I give towards the move to multi-site so we can buy this real estate will I be investing in the social issues that the church needs to be involved in? We are committed to seeing people saved - and to seeing the gospel change our communities. This means that at times we will serve people who may never respond to the gospel or become Christians. At the same time caring for the poor and those in need gives us great opportunities to share the good news - it makes sense to unbelievers that Christians care for those in need - as well as being a gospel directive! Our current building is a limiting factor on the number of outreach ministries we can be involved in and how often they can meet. The new building opens up great possibilities for new ventures. In thinking about future 'mercy' ministries we need to ask the following questions and consider some important issues -  - Have we the right people and resources - and especially the leaders for these ministries? What about finance? One of the great strengths in all King's has done over the last decade or so is that the ministries begun have been sustainable. There is no point in reaching out to needy people with a ministry that soon collapses and leaves them in the lurch.  - What else is being done in the area we are dealing with? Research is needed to find out what the greatest needs are in the area. If someone else is already doing a great local work we would not want to reproduce the same.  - And we must build a strong local church, a place of healing and where people are built up. We must provide biblical teaching (including for our young people), care for our children and our elderly, allowing God's word and His Spirit to change our lives. Without a strong church we are failing the community around us! I'll look forward to seeing you all on Sunday when Steve Nicholson from Chicago will be with us at all three meetings - it will be a great day!   Kings Church London Thu, 20 May 2010 07:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#183 On Tuesday and Wednesday I will be meeting with the eldership team here at Kings - we have a full agenda, looking at the opportunities the new building and the move to multi-site will give us. We would value your prayers! These are my last couple of days here in the office; the following 10 days are involved in the wider Newfrontiers movement - including Thursday in High Wycombe and Friday at The Coign church in Woking. Next Sunday will be my last Sunday at King's until September due to my sabbatical. Don't miss it - Steve Nicholson - Senior Pastor of Evanston Vineyard, Chicago - is our guest speaker at all three meetings. Steve also leads the church-planting team of Vineyard USA, planting an average of 50 churches per annum for the last 10 years - and has a strong prophetic gift. Those of you who were here for his previous visits will recall that the prophetic words brought by him and the members of his team have been used by God to strengthen and direct us! Also this will be our second Gift Day this month, going for £100,000 in May to reach our target by June. If you have yet to participate please can I ask you to come ready to give next Sunday. Kings Church London Sun, 16 May 2010 19:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#182 I've just returned from two days of Prayer & Fasting with 600 leaders from Newfrontiers churches from across the UK. During one of the breaks I had the opportunity to meet up with Matt Chandler, who was our evening guest speaker. Matt's church in Texas has grown to 5000 people on 3 sites over the last 5 years - that's a growth curve of 1000 people each year! He is also recovering from major surgery having had a brain tumour removed 6 months ago but it would have been difficult to tell from the energy and intensity he brought to his session. I also had the privilege of meeting up with a young pastor from the Ukraine who leads a Newfrontiers church and also oversees 20 churches; both the meetings were extremely encouraging. Those two days of waiting on God have been good preparation for what's coming up! A day full of meetings at King's today, a game of golf with my brother tomorrow, teaching all day on Saturday at our Leadership Training base on Building a Team, and then looking forward to Sunday's three meetings with the next phase of our Old Testament Challenge. Sunday also sees the first of the two Gift Days for May (Hasn't that come round quickly?) Please come prepared to give again, as we reach for our target of £100,000 to be given in May. And, of course, tomorrow night is our monthly Half-Night of Prayer - come along for any time between 10pm and 2am (or for all of it!) to call on God on behalf of King's and to hear from Him. Kings Church London Thu, 13 May 2010 10:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#181 Today at our Vision Sunday I reflected on leading the church here at Kings for the last 15 years, and called 'Half time!' In another decade and a half we will be engaging with the issue of succession in leadership at King's! In the more immediate future I'm looking forward to an extended break across the summer and I'm planning to write a book on leadership - built around the narrative of all that God has done at King's in the last 15 years. What's your dream? If you have yet to take the time to go over to the Dream Board at the side of the auditorium, I encourage you to take a look! It is extremely encouraging and represents so many aspirations - all building towards our dream of establishing a 1000 member church. The week ahead involves an important meeting with Eurocentres, two days of Prayer and Fasting and then possibly finally exchanging contracts on the Lee Green building! Next weekend we have the first of our two offerings in May towards the new building, when once again we aim to raise £100,000. Then on Sunday 23rd we have the great privilege of having Steve Nicholson from the Chicago Vineyard with us all day and preaching - one not to miss! Another multi-site question and answer... Will there be local midweek activities happening at both sites? Midweek events, including Alpha and youth events, will continue to be based at King's Catford for the time being. We plan to launch the Sunday meeting at Lee Green and move the King's offices there as finances allow. In the meantime, our ministries will continue to be based at the Catford site. Kings Church London Sun, 09 May 2010 19:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#180 At last night's Vision Evening I was delighted to report that King's continues to grow! Sunday attendance is up by 10% on last year, people are still being saved regularly, over 50 guests on our latest Alpha course. I also brought the church up to speed on the latest news on our move to multi site - we hope to see contracts exchanged this month. And we presented this year's budget! Today is Election Day. Deb and I will vote this evening, and then I intend to stay up to enjoy watching the results as they come in. As Christians we should take our responsibility as citizens seriously and vote - I make my decision about who to vote for by taking into consideration three key factors - Leadership, Values, and Policy. I am looking forward to preaching at our Vision Sunday this weekend, which will be my last opportunity to speak before I go on my sabbatical at the end of May; I look forward to seeing you there! Following our outstanding offering in April of £90,000, please continue to pray and prepare for our next offerings on the 16th & 23rd May. We have almost reached that important target! Another multi-site question and answer... Will each site have its own pastor? It is our plan that each site will have its own leader, providing on the ground leadership for Sunday meetings amongst other things. These leaders will work closely with Steve Tibbert and the pastoral team. Steve will continue to be the Senior Pastor for all the sites of King's Church and the Elders and Trustees will continue to oversee the whole organisation. Steve and the Elders continue to look at different churches that have gone to a multi-site arrangement to see how they arrange details and will consider what's best for King's. Kings Church London Thu, 06 May 2010 10:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2010#179 I was delighted to announce during our meetings today that as at Friday morning the money in for the purchase of the Lee Green building during April has reached a fantastic total of £90,000 - just short of our target of £100,000. This is a remarkable achievement for which we give thanks to God. He saves, He changes hearts, He provides - and we give in response to His work. May I also express my thanks to all of you who participated in this achievement. What a great church we are a part of! Now all we need to do is to repeat this in May and we will be ready to go! Let's continue in prayer as we approach these next Gift Days. On Wednesday 5th May we will have a Vision and Prayer Night, and don't miss our Vision Sunday on the 9th May. Another Lee Green question and answer... So, even with the Lee Green building, King's Church at Catford Hill will still be in operation? Absolutely! The Lee Green auditorium will currently only hold about 200 people - so any meetings there will be smaller than we are currently having at Catford Hill. But after a few years we plan to refurbish the Lee Green building and build an auditorium that could hold, say, a thousand people! But the plan is to keep growing and building up the Catford Hill site, too. Each building will serve the area in which it is situated - we aren't looking to replace anything but to provide further opportunity to reach those who aren't in the room yet! This development is for them, rather than for those of us who are already benefiting from all that Jesus has done for us! Kings Church London Sun, 02 May 2010 19:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#178 Thank you to all of you who had your photo taken last week in preparation for the 'Dreams' display board. Please pick up your photo this Sunday from the tables in the auditorium. I'd encourage you to be thinking now about what your dreams are for this exciting new phase of King's life - just one sentence, please! - so you have it ready to be written it in the space under your picture on Sunday. Together they will make a fantastic display! I have just returned from two days with Newfrontiers UK Team meetings -tomorrow I'm looking forward to a day off. On Sunday we pick up again the Old Testament Challenge series which we began last year - I'm looking forward to hearing Phil Varley preach about Joshua and in the coming weeks we will go through to the story of King Saul. I'm also looking forward to announcing on Sunday the total for our recent Gift Days towards the purchase of the Lee Green building... exciting times! On that topic - here are a couple more questions (and answers!) about the move to multi-site... What will happen to the Deaf Service? For the time being this important meeting will continue to be at King's Catford but there may well be another at King's, Lee Green in the future. If we are reaching all the communities of south-east London then I would envisage that we will also reach those who are deaf or hearing-impaired in the Lee Green area - and beyond. What about the King's offices? We plan to move the King's offices from King's Catford to the Lee Green site when finances allow. Once this relocation has taken place it will mean that the pastoral and admin staff and volunteers will no longer have the cramped working conditions that are so far from ideal. That so much good work is achieved under the present arrangements is testimony to their great work ethic and their excellent attitudes! Kings Church London Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#177 How are you at waiting to hear important information? I am not very good! I become impatient, I don't even like waiting in traffic ... Rather than being at a standstill I prefer to attempt a shortcut - which my kids inevitably call 'one of Dad's long cuts'! Over the next 24 hours I will be waiting to hear if we made our Lee Green building target of £100k in April. No chance of a shortcut to this information! It takes quite a long time to add up the offering, check the bank account and work out the tax refund! We have a great team who do this for us - let's hope they have good news to report by the end of the working day on Monday. If you have been part of the giving during April I want to express again my thanks to you! Now it's a deep breath and we look to repeat the target again in May... The week ahead for me is full of extremely important meetings. On Tuesday evening I meet with the Trustees to look in detail at our Budget for the year, approaching £5 million including purchasing the new building - we value your prayers. Please make every effort to attend the Vision Night/Prayer Meeting on Wednesday 5th May when we will share with the church all the latest news! Included in the rest of this week - I'll be taking part in Newfrontiers UK team meetings. Kings Church London Sun, 25 Apr 2010 18:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#176 Last night I had a very positive meeting with the church at Downham. I am now extremely hopeful that their considerations about joining King's are going well and their becoming part of King's Church will happen. That's very encouraging! Today I have been meeting with a team of those who are actively involved in the training of Newfrontiers pastors. The preparation of well-trained leaders is key to our ability as a movement of churches to reach towards our goal of 400 churches. Our teachers and trainers aim to ensure that the training is to a high standard and so give the trainees the best chance to excel! This coming Sunday, as people enter the building for the three meetings, we will (with your permission!) be taking individual Polaroid-type photos to be included on the 'Dreams' board. The photos will be available next week for you to collect and to write on them your dreams for the future of King's - especially in the light of the acquisition of the Lee Green building. These will then be displayed around the auditorium so that we can all share in them! Also this Sunday we shall have our second Gift Day for this month - we are looking towards our target of £200,000 by June and have some way to go as yet! Giving is always an act of faith - let's stir our faith and be in prayer regarding our own giving to this momentous project! The elders and I are really grateful to all of you who continue to own this vision and give sacrificially as a result. Speaking of the move to multisite... here's another question that's been asked recently... Q: What about the preaching at all the multi-site meetings? I heard someone say that we might have the preacher on video rather than 'live'. A: Our plan is to have a 'live' preacher at all the meetings. We have looked at the issues with this and believe we can cover all the planned meetings. If the number of meetings - and sites - continues to grow, then we will have to look at this again. In time it is possible that we might use a DVD recording from the first meeting of the day, especially when, for example, we have a guest speaker. Kings Church London Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#175 This Wednesday I am looking forward to meeting up with the church at Downham. This is another important step on our journey together. I am increasingly excited about how this partnership could develop - Downham Way Family Church has faithfully sought to serve the community around them and I foresee good opportunities for us to work together in that locality as part of our multisite strategy. We have had a few questions regarding the move to multisite and have dealt with them from the platform - but there is a chance that some of you may have missed the answers given, or forgotten what was said! So I thought it would be a good idea to go over them in the next few blogs. Understandably, an important question is: 'What does being a multisite church actually mean?' At King's it will mean that we continue to be one church with one eldership, one legal identity and one set of finances - but we will meet at more than one site! If you think about our three Sunday meetings at the moment, we have different people coming to each meeting. The same situation will hold for a multi-site structure but this time the meetings will also be at different locations. The point that people will not know those who attend the other location(s) holds even now. Those who attend (say) the 9.30 meeting may have no idea who is at the 11.30 or 5.30 meetings! Fast-growing churches - especially in urban areas - are pursuing the multi-site route, as they get to the point where their current building is at maximum capacity. Larger buildings where the whole church can gather are often difficult to get hold of, either because they don't exist, or because they are prohibitively expensive! For us, we will have our meetings at King's Catford as we do now - and also at King's Lee Green in the new building. And if the Downham Church decides to join with us - that will become a third site... Kings Church London Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#173 I really benefited from the family holiday last week and returned energised ready to hear Malcolm Kyte preach for the first time at King's on Sunday - a great message! On Monday we drove to Bedford and St Neots and spent time with both sets of parents - my Dad celebrated his 74th birthday! I hope I have his energy when I'm 74!! Then it was back into the King's office for a productive day on Tuesday and I am now mid-way through three days of training with leaders in Newfrontiers churches in and around London. I am sharing this block of training with Brian Watts from our Battersea church and we are looking at the Myers Briggs personality tests. If you know this set of tests you will be aware that it is very helpful in giving insight into the way an individual is wired. Self-knowledge is an essential prerequisite for effective leadership! This Sunday it's my turn to take up the preaching baton! I'm looking forward to that - and also to participating in our next Gift Day for the Lee Green building. What an opportunity we have in this amazing new facility - and what a challenge as we seek to raise £200,000 in two months! We know God is faithful and we know that we are called to sacrificial and generous giving. Let's rise to the challenge, answer His call to us as a church and rest on His provision for us and our families! Kings Church London Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:37:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#172 I'm delighted to welcome Malcolm Kyte as he joins the King's staff team this week and as he preached at King's for the first time today! Malcolm & Cathy come to us from Queen's Road Church, another Newfrontiers fellowship in Wimbledon, where Malcolm was Senior Pastor. He joined the team there in 1985 and led the team from 1997. Malcolm also serves the wider Newfrontiers movement by overseeing six churches in south-west London. With a Master's degree in Applied Theology and extensive ministry experience in team-building, mentoring leaders, church planting, preaching and teaching we look forward to benefitting from his gifts and experience here at King's! Malcolm and Cathy have lived in Wimbledon for the last 32 years, where Cathy was a busy Mum and also served as Children's Work Co-ordinator at Queen's Rd. She has also worked for Kingsway Communications as part of their Children's Ministry Editorial Team, has written two books and has been in demand as a speaker at training days for children's workers. In 2009 Cathy became Faith Support Officer for the Mother's Union, working full-time in Westminster, writing resource papers and speaking at various events. They have three children - Ben (married to Lizzie) works as a housing officer in Birmingham where they are members of Oasis Church; Andrew is a teaching assistant and musician and is at Revelation Church, Camden, and Joanna (also at Revelation Church) is currently working towards three A levels. Malcolm and Cathy are avid AFC Wimbledon supporters, love spending time in coffee shops with occasional trips to the theatre and art galleries in their spare time... Please pray for the Kytes as they progress through the process of finding a home and the transfer from south-west to south-east London. We know God will bless them - and us - in our future together! They join us at a crucial stage in our growth as we move towards going to multi-site and purchasing the new building - we look forward to our Gift Days over the next two Sundays in dependence on God and ready to give to His work! Kings Church London Sun, 11 Apr 2010 18:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2010#171 I am still buzzing from our weekend of celebration! What fun and what a great testimony to the power of the gospel to join people from different nations together! We have had great feedback from those who came - and from their visitors. And this weekend there's another opportunity to celebrate and to remember why we are all one new man in Christ! The Easter message is the heart of the Christian gospel and we have three meetings on Easter Sunday -with baptisms taking place within the 11.30am and 5.30pm meetings - in which to celebrate our risen Lord Jesus and all He has won for us! Tonight we have our Easter communion and reflection - this evening (Thurs) at 8pm, led by Robert Kwami and Mick Taylor. Since the weekend I've been away for a couple of days with friends and leaders within the Newfrontiers family. Each of those present has a role in overseeing a particular area within Newfrontiers so it's possible while there to get a wider picture of the health of our movement as we pray, plan and discuss together. It's all very encouraging and I'm now looking forward to a week's holiday. Meanwhile, on the King's front, the next monthly Gift Days for the Lee Green building are approaching - 18th and 25th April are the days to remember and be prayerfully prepared for! We are looking to God to provide the £200,000 needed by June. This is a big reach for us at King's - but not for God! Let's pray - and give - to the glory of God! Kings Church London Thu, 01 Apr 2010 10:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#170 Today at King's we celebrated our diversity in the tribe of Christ! What a great day of celebration, both enjoyable and moving. In each of our three meetings, the highlight for me was the reading through of all the names of the nations of the world and as those from each country stood we could see just how many different nations were represented. It was wonderfully overwhelming - I hope someone was counting the countries so represented! Thank you to all of you who answered the invitation to come along to the 5.30 meeting - and thank you to those who have been faithfully working behind the scenes to ensure that this evening's music event following our worship - and the food of all nations (almost!) - was well prepared for us! We continue to work towards building a multi cultural church to reach this part of south east London - one that will glorify our risen Lord Jesus. Next Sunday we will celebrate that risen Lord and rejoice on Easter Day with baptisms at all our Sunday meetings. Don't forget to invite your friends, family and work colleagues - it will be another special day at King's! Before that we will have the opportunity to share communion together on Thursday evening (1st April) from 8 - 9.30pm and meditate on what Jesus' death means for us. And Easter Saturday morning (3rd April) provides another chance for those of you who have not yet seen the Lee Green building to come along and look round! God continues to send us more people - the new building will ensure we have room for them - and for even more! Greater things are yet to come; greater things are still to be done in this city...! Kings Church London Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#169 It was great to be able show another group around the Lee Green building last night - so far around 260 people have taken the opportunity to see this tremendous facility. If you haven't been along yet, don't forget the next opportunity on Saturday 3rd April. You can pick up free tickets for the tour at the Information desk on Sunday. And if you aren't able to get to Lee then we have a large display of photos, plans and drawings in the corner of the auditorium which will give you an idea of what we are looking to achieve! I was really encouraged that some of our friends from Downham came along too - fantastic to have them sharing in this vision! This morning I have spent time praying with all the full time leaders within the Newfrontiers churches in London. It's great to partner together with so many good people to reach this great city! Tomorrow I have a day off (using up those annual leave days before the end of March!) - I'm looking forward to playing golf with my brother Martin. Then my focus will be on our exciting 'One Body, One People, One Sunday' event this coming Sunday, celebrating the diversity we have at King's! Not one to miss - I look forward to seeing you there! Although I know we will have a great time at all three meetings, there will be an extra attraction at the 5.30pm meeting. We will be enjoying light refreshments - various finger foods with recipes from around the globe - to accompany the various bands who will be entertaining us from 7pm, once the meeting has finished. If you come along to the 9.30 or 11.30 meetings, you might want to support your usual meeting and then also come along at 5.30 to enjoy the music and support our great musicians... Worth thinking about! And don't forget that the clocks go forward an hour overnight Saturday/Sunday morning.... Kings Church London Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#168 Deb and I, along with Mick and Val Taylor, have just returned from hosting a weekend for leaders who are undertaking leadership training through the Newfrontiers London training base here at Catford. This was the first such weekend to focus on marriage in ministry for trainees and is a new module in the training course which we are planning to roll out to other Newfrontiers training bases, once it has been reviewed. Initial responses were very positive - and that was despite one or two of the group going down with a stomach bug. This did not appear to have anything to do with the catering at the Berkshire venue - several attenders reported having family members unwell prior to the weekend! Now I'm looking forward to next weekend at King's and Sunday's diversity celebration! The staff team has been working really hard to ensure that plans and preparation come together for this event. Called 'One Body, One People, One Sunday', all three meetings will focus on this theme and refreshments will be served! The 5.30 meeting will be worth extra attention as following our worship and preaching there will be musical entertainment on the main stage from 7pm, served up with food (finger-foods and cakes etc) from countries around the world that are represented within King's - an international feast! Come and enjoy the food, celbrate our diversity - and support our excellent musicians! Kings Church London Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#167 I have just had two days holiday - for the first time in years I realised I hadn't taken all my leave allocation for the year. This is a leadership mistake! If you read my leadership blog (http://stibbertleadership.blogspot.com/2010/02/rest-patterns-of-life.html), you would have seen I argue strongly that good rest improves productivity. Seems I need to pay attention again to my own material...! Tonight - an evening at Josh's school and then a weekend away, teaching on pastoral ministry and marriage. This is for a group of Newfrontiers leadership trainees and their wives - another chance to meet with couples who are eager to be more effective and significant in leadership in their churches and who realise that the strength of their marriage will have a direct effect on the effectiveness of their ministry. Our giving towards the Lee Green building project now stands at just over £300k - we therefore need additional giving of £200k over and above the pledges received to reach our target of £600k by June. Therefore! Can I ask you all to pray and prepare - seriously consider what you can give - so we are all ready for our next gift days in April and May. We look to raise this extra £200k over the weekends of the 18th and 25th April and 16th and 23rd May. Yet again we come dependent on God and also aware that He calls us to great effort! Kings Church London Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#166 Mothers' Day having been properly observed in the Tibbert household, it was also great to be at King's today. The chocolates given out at the meetings were much appreciated - thanks to Morné and Leanne Smit for sorting those out! The next major Sunday in the King's calendar falls on Sunday 28th March - the weekend before Easter - when we celebrate our diversity. This year we have a day entitled 'One People, One Body, One Sunday'. Our fantastic choir will be taking part - come and join the celebration! If you have yet to visit the new building at Lee Green please do take up the latest opportunities provide on the evening of Wednesday 24th March and the morning of Saturday 3rd April. This building is amazing! As before we are providing free tickets for the tour so that we can be sure to have the right number of guides in action! Further details and tickets are available from the Information Desk. I thought you would be interested to know that our Alpha Course continues strongly. Annie Twort and her team are doing an excellent job - an amazing 101 people have attended one or more sessions during this course, there have been 26 people on the Alpha Plus Course and 47 attended the Alpha Saturday. And 10 people have responded to the gospel so far this term. Wonderful news! Behind these numbers are the stories of individuals whose lives are being changed by God, relationships being restored, finances sorted and eternal destinies rescued. When God is at work practical matters are dealt with as well as spiritual ones! Kings Church London Sun, 14 Mar 2010 20:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#165 The highlight of the week so far has been hosting two days of coaching for 15 lead elders from within our Newfrontiers church family. Brian Watts, who leads the Newfrontiers church at Battersea and who works with me regularly on these occasions, has been taking us through the Myers Briggs personality test. It is good to do such a test occasionally - it increases self awareness and also gives us insight into how others are built - and apart from that, it's fun! This part of my work is an important investment by King's in the life of our Newfrontiers' churches generally - we receive appreciative comments from many who attend as to the value of these sessions both for them and their churches. On Saturday morning Deb and I will be hosting the Marriage Enrichment seminar here at King's. If you have been at King's for any length of time you will know how much value I set on investing in our marriages. For those who are married, this seminar will give you some helpful things to think about and talk through together. It's not all serious, though! I guarantee that there will be lots of laughter...! And then I will be speaking at our Mothers' Day meetings on Sunday. A weekend investing in home life in the church - time well spent! Don't forget the Open Evening on Wednesday 24th March at Eurocentres - a chance for those who missed the previous opportunity to see the new building at Lee Green. Come along and see what God has given us in this facility! Kings Church London Thu, 11 Mar 2010 12:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#164 There were 40 people at the Membership Morning today. That they are all considering joining us is an exciting sign of God's continued blessing and a real encouragement! We have yet to hear the final total of the Gift Day - I will announce it in Thursday's blog - stay in prayer that God will continue to meet our need for the funds for the Lee site. And keep a generous and faith-filled heart as you give! This week I will be hosting two days of coaching for Lead Elders at King's for Newfrontiers church leaders from around the country. This is always a good time to enjoy the company of other leaders who share in the same task of building God's church - and they are very appreciative of the training! Yesterday was our Alpha Saturday - often an important day for those attending the Alpha Course. Please keep praying for Annie Twort and her excellent team who give their time, skill and energy to serve those seeking after Jesus! Of the 48 people who came to Alpha Saturday, 9 of them made a commitment on the course so far! Rejoicing in heaven - and at King's! For those of you who have not yet been able to see the new building at Lee Green, we will be having an Open Evening on Wednesday 24th March. Come along for a guided tour and prepare to be amazed at what God has provided for us - but especially for those who don't know Him yet! And finally - preparations are in hand for our pre-Easter event to celebrate our diversity! Sunday 28th March is the date - book it now! Listen out for further details and look out for the flyers to give out to your family, friends and neighbours. One Body, One People, One Sunday! Kings Church London Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2010#163 Today I've been in Bournemouth, visiting my friend Guy Millar and his eldership team. Guy is a gifted leader - he leads a great church as well as overseeing other churches in the UK and India. On Sunday I am looking forward to hosting our regular Membership Morning, where those who are considering commitment to King's come along and hear me lay out the vision and values that underpin our church. They also get the chance to ask any questions! You can book in at the Information Desk on Sunday, or contact the King's office during the week. About once a year Deb and I run a Marriage Enrichment Seminar on a Saturday morning. This year it takes place on 13th March. Entitled 'Sex, Romance and God' it is open to all married couples in King's - and is free! In the UK we are required by law to have an annual MOT inspection on our cars - consider this a similar exercise for your marriage, which will always benefit from some thoughtful attention and (unlike your car) is designed to last a lifetime... Places are limited so please book in, as for the Membership Morning. Are you praying about the Gift Day on Sunday? Please join with me and the other leaders as we call on God to provide what is needed for the new building. I believe that as we do so He will provide - and will also challenge us to give sacrificially. As an eldership we are grateful for the large interest free loans and the gifts we have already received - but we continue to depend on every individual gift of £10, or £100, or even £10,000, to bring in the full amount. Our current short-term challenge is to raise an additional £330K by June. 'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse... and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing you will not have room enough for it.' (Malachi 3:10) This Sunday we will bring our gifts again as part of our worship! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#162 During this time of change and expansion for King's, spending time with the pastoral team and their spouses is even more important than usual. We had a great time away together at Mulberry House on Friday evening and Saturday, praying and worshipping together and finding out what's happening within all the families. There were serious times and also times of laughter - especially around the meal tables! A strong team in fellowship together will continue to be one of the vital elements in building a strong King's church for the future. When we look at the great task ahead, I know you, too, will understand that. Then, following another full Sunday at Kings, I'm looking forward to the week ahead! Highlights include the Marriage Course, a day with the Newfrontiers church leaders in Bournemouth and Brighton, and then finally... celebrating my 47th birthday on Friday! Next Sunday we have our next Gift Day for the Move to Multi-site. Please come prepared. There will be a Membership Morning running at the same time where I will be sharing the vision and values of King's with more potential King's members. This - along with the continued stream of people who we see making a commitment to Christ - is a wonderful motivation to our giving, and our serving. Making room for yet more people to find God through King's - that's a fantastic task - one worth giving your life to! Kings Church London Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:00:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#160 Every man has certain times in his life which call forth profound questions from the depths of his being. Questions like, 'What am I doing here?' and 'How did I get myself into this situation?' When I tell you that it was zero degrees as Josh, Ben and I set out on our first game of paintballing last week, you'll know the kind of scenario I'm talking about. Being the true sportsman that I am, I called on the self-discipline that I had developed over the years... and swung into action! As a result I'm delighted to report - victory for the red team! Our baptisms on Sunday contributed to a fantastic day! The Kingdom advances - one life at a time! We have much to thank God for. While the world seems in chaos, God's purposes continue to unfold. And we believe that we are included in God's purposes - by His grace! He longs to see many more people in south-east London come to know Him and be part of His Church, worshipping Jesus and showing the life of the Spirit in all they do. It's our vision to see that happen more and more - our second site at Lee Green will be an integral part of this vital work. So, I am happy to remind you that we will be having another Gift Day for the 'Move to Multi-site' on Sunday 7th March! Please be asking God how much you should give and come ready to give cheerfully! This week has involved me in an important meeting with the church at Downham and today I'm in a Newfrontiers UK team meeting. Deb and I are looking forward to leading the Marriage Enrichment seminar on Saturday 13th March - available for all married couples within King's... and it's free! Just sign up at the Information Desk on Sunday - places are limited so don't hold back. Plenty of couples within the church have been to previous marriage seminars - if you want a recommendation, just ask around! Kings Church London Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#159 Yesterday I enjoyed speaking to the Leadership Foundations trainees at our London training base on Knowing Yourself. It's a privilege to be able to invest in the future leadership of churches in this way and I always enjoy spending time with these guys. And I feel refreshed after a few days off and ready for the next push! Suddenly the prospect of my sabbatical starting in June seems rather close, which is both exciting and also a bit scary with so much to be done in the next three months. But back to this week! On Wednesday evening I'll be attending an important church family meeting at the Downham church, followed by a day with Newfrontiers national team. Then on Friday and Saturday I will be with our own pastoral team and their spouses - important occasions for fellowship and to build one another up. I cannot stress enough how important I believe our marriages to be! As part of our commitment to this most vital of relationships Deb & I will be running one of our regular Marriage Enrichment seminars on Saturday 13th March. For all married couples - whether you have been married for a few weeks or several decades - come and spend a couple of hours investing in your marriage - and at no cost whatever! Please sign up at the Information Desk on a Sunday - places are limited! On Sunday 7th March we will be holding our next Membership Morning for those who are thinking about stepping into King's in a more committed way. From 10.15am until 1 pm you can hear from me about the values and vision of King's and also ask any questions you may have. Attending does not commit you to becoming a member but is a first step towards us. Kings Church London Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#158 This coming week I have a few days holiday and will enjoy spending time with the family. The highlight of the week is Joshua's 15th birthday, which includes a first for me - a day paintballing! Please pray for the old guy as I charge around taking hits and leading an attack on a building somewhere! It was great to be in the audience at the Youth Showcase on Friday evening - with a packed house and people standing at the back! Music, dance, poetry and drama were all in the programme and those who took part did brilliantly! Thanks to Nicholas Ferguson and everyone for all the hard work you put into a fantastic evening. And if you missed it - make sure you're there for the next one! I gave the church an update on the pledge process today and I hope that many more of you will return your pledge forms in the next week, so we can complete the picture and move ahead together. I also communicated our running total given to date, which stands at £270k, which means we still need to give another £330k by June. This is challenging but not impossible if we all participate in taking this hill. Our relationship with Eurocentres continues to progress well, and we expect to move towards the exchange of contracts on the new building by the end of March. I continue to value your prayers in the coming weeks. Kings Church London Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#156 I have just returned from two brilliant days meeting with leaders of large churches across the UK, a real privilege to meet up with those whose churches have already faced the issues that we are dealing with now - and to be able to discuss with them what they have learned and how they progressed. Tomorrow night Deb & I are looking forward to attending the Youth Showcase (7.30 for 8pm at King's) where the wealth of talent that resides in our young people will be on show! Last year Deb and I were away, but this year we'll be there to support our own boys, as well as the excellent and gifted youth group at King's. Sunday sees the second message in our series from the book of 1 Peter - my turn to speak this week following Mick's excellent introduction to the series. And we will report the result of our two Gift and Pledge Days, not one to miss! It's also Valentine's Day, so there's much to be done in preparation for this Sunday! Thanks for praying for me last Sunday. Deb and I were at Downham Way Family Church launching the year of secondment for Martin and Ruth Alley at that fellowship and had a great time. I was delighted with the response to the message from 4 people wanting to be baptised. Kings Church London Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:42:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#155 Deb and I are attending a Large Church Forum (that's a forum for large churches, not a gathering of thousands of church people!...) just north of Nottingham this week. We see this opportunity to fellowship with some of the leaders of large churches from different church streams across the UK as a real privilege and look forward to learning from the wide range of experience that will be represented there. Attending such an event is all part of investing in the future of King's! I would also value your prayers as I will be involved in a meeting this week to discuss future developments in Newfrontiers - as in our church, so within our movement, there are important decisions to be made in order that we might achieve in our generation the goals that we believe that God has laid before us. We depend on His grace and power! I am looking forward to hearing the result of our Pledge and Gift Days; we will announce the outcome next Sunday (14th Feb). If you have still to return a pledge form please send it in to the King's Office or hand it in at the Information Desk. Each commitment made is a valuable addition toward the acquisition of the new building! Kings Church London Sun, 07 Feb 2010 19:20:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2010#154 I have spent this week in preparation and in team meetings with a number of our key staff. Deb and I both enjoyed speaking at the first week of the Marriage Course, which reminds me... Valentine's Day next week! Come on, guys! Never let it be said that the men of King's don't know how to show a little romance to their wives or girlfriends. It's a win-win situation! Now I am looking forward to this coming Sunday and the second of our Gift Days. If you have yet to complete a pledge form, it would extremely helpful to know how much you plan to give over the next 3 years, as we look to purchase our new building. Please be assured that every contribution matters! The Elders and I know that, like us, you see this as an amazing kingdom opportunity - and if you are able to commit to giving a few pounds extra - or many! - each month for the next three years then we shall see the project advance speedily to the glory of God! Martin and Ruth Alley and Deb and I will be with our friends at Downham Way Family Church this Sunday; we would value your prayers that God will bless that fellowship and the morning we spend together. Kings Church London Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:38:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#153 At our three meetings today I spoke on our plans to move to becoming a multi-site church. Following a decade of growth we have run out of space! This presents us with remarkable opportunities and challenges. Just think! We have worked out that four meetings on two sites will require us to have seven worship bands! And other leaders of ministries are already engaging with this issue and praying and planning for similar expansion in their teams. Are you ready to consider what this might mean for you? Next Sunday I will be speaking at Downham Way Family Church on 'Building a Missionary Church'. Please continue pray that God's leading to us all will be clear as we consider the church at Downham joining our multi-site church. This coming together would mean that we could have 5 meetings on 3 sites in the near future. Thank You to all of you who took part in the offering today, giving prayerfully and generously! We will not know the full total until we complete our pledge process at the second Gift Day next Sunday (7th Feb) - if you are yet to participate please come prepared then. Deb and I now look forward to speaking at the first week of the Marriage Course on Tuesday evening (2nd Feb). I hear we have a couple of places left so on this occasion if you decide that you would like to join the course you can just turn up at 7.00pm on that evening and register! Kings Church London Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:29:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#151 Following hard on the heels of the weekend at Bognor, I should have been at Prayer & Fasting on Tuesday and Wednesday but my plans were suddenly interrupted with a sickness bug which has taken me out for most of the week ... so I've had some time at home preparing for this next important Sunday at King's, which I am looking forward to! How are you feeling about the Gift and Pledge days? Are you excited? Are you full of faith? Are you prepared? One of the challenges of leading a church is to know whose counsel to listen to. During the last few months some have said, 'We will reach our target of £750k a year for 3 years - easily!' Others have expressed concern that we are overstretching ourselves. Sometimes it is difficult to genuinely assess the spiritual health of a church community - or the ownership of a vision to reach thousands of people for Christ. One of many indicators is the level of giving! The next two weeks will show how far we have come on this spiritual indicator for all to see - and also how far we have yet to go. I remain confident that God has led us to this point - and that together in faith we will step into the future that He has planned for us, for our blessing and the blessing of so many who do not yet know Jesus! See you Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#148 Just returned from a brilliant few days away at our 'Together @ Butlins' weekend! Great worship and I enjoyed hearing Dave Stroud and Dave Devenish bring encouraging messages to our mission! I realised afresh that we are a part of a family of churches who are passionate about presenting Jesus to our nation and - as David Devenish so effectively communicated - to the ends of the earth! It's also just fun to hang out with people and renew contact with old friends from other churches! My week starts with two days of Prayer & Fasting in Peterborough, gathering with Newfrontiers leaders from across the UK to pray for our nation. I could not think of a better thing to be doing in the light of all that we face together here at King's, not least with our Gift and Pledge days over the next two Sundays. Can I encourage us all to participate - we will only carry this huge opportunity if we stand together. Kings Church London Sun, 24 Jan 2010 21:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#147 I am now very much looking forward to our Butlin's weekend. It will be exciting to gather with 3000 Christians from Newfrontiers churches across the south of England to worship God together! Please pray for Phil Varley and the musicians and singers as they lead worship at the sessions, and I would value your prayers as I speak on the first night and lead the weekend. If you aren't going to Bognor then please remember that we are only having morning meetings here at King's this Sunday (9.30am and 11.30am only). I'm delighted that a good number have booked into the Marriage Course, which starts on Tuesday 2nd February. There are still a few spaces left on this excellent course which many have found so helpful - and it's also fun! Whether you have been married two months or two decades, I guarantee that you will learn something and it will be enjoyable!! Registration forms are available at the Information desk on Sunday. Looking beyond our own shores and interests, please join in praying for the nation of Haiti in their desperate need. We are also sending a gift from King's church to Tearfund - the Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund - which has partners who were already working in the country and who will be able to place aid where it can really help. Kings Church London Thu, 21 Jan 2010 10:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#146 What a day! And what an amazing God we serve! We move forward into the future in the confidence that God has already done a remarkable thing amongst us in this last decade. In our meetings today it was really moving to see all those candles - representing changed lives, salvation and growth.   - In the last decade we have seen tens of people saved each year - in the next decade we are believing God will increase that figure into hundreds for each year.   - In the last decade we have been a church in the hundreds - in the next decade we are believing God that we will become a church of thousands.   - In the last decade we have been a church with one site and three meetings - in the next decade we are believing God that we will become a church with multiple sites and multiple meetings. These goals will not be achieved quickly! As Jim Collins says, 'Overnight success takes 20 years...' The next decade is full of potential. As you pray and consider what you are able to give and pledge on our Gift Days on the 31st Jan and 7th Feb, know we are investing in God's eternal purposes - lives saved, lives changed. Many are watching us. Our call to be a church that models important values and practice is a real one - however, let's us keep our focus on Him! Just before Christmas I preached a message on the Supremacy of Christ (see the download for 13th December 09). He is before all things and in Him all things hold together (Col 1 v17). To Jesus be all praise and glory! Kings Church London Sun, 17 Jan 2010 20:06:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#145 There are three important events taking place this weekend which I wouldn't want you to miss! First - after many months of delay, finally we can all have a look around the new building! If you need information on visiting this Saturday (16th) please do not hesitate to contact the church office. Thanks for all your patience and understanding throughout the journey so far. I hope many of you will be able to come along and see what we will be taking possession of later in the year. It's an extensive building - allow 45 minutes for the complete tour! Then we have our Vision Sunday, when we will take the opportunity at each of our three meetings to celebrate all God has done over the past decade and also look forward with great anticipation to what we can achieve together in His purposes in the next decade. When we think of what God has done with us in the last ten years... we can only meet the future with faith and encouragement! On Sunday we will also see the launch of Mercy Giver - the very first worship album produced by the King's worship band! This is a real achievement by Phil Varley and our musicians and singers - a whole set of original songs written by our own people. If you were there on the Sunday when we recorded the songs you will know that they are a great contribution to our worship of our mercy giving Lord. Copies are available at £8 each - good value! And don't forget the Stewardship seminar on Tuesday Jan 19th, the start of the next Alpha course on Thursday 21st, and the Marriage Course on Tuesday 2nd Feb...   Kings Church London Thu, 14 Jan 2010 11:46:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#144 Deb and I have just returned from a weekend away with our friends Tim and Liz Brown and Mark and Bev Landreth-Smith. We have known Tim and Liz since our days in the youth group in Bedford - later in the year they will be moving to Delhi for 12 months to help plant another Newfrontiers church in India. Now my focus is all on next weekend. I cannot wait for you to see the new building on Saturday! When we come together on the following day for our Vision Sunday I know that the experience of seeing the facility will give extra impetus to our praise and worship - and our prayers! We will give thanks to God for all His provision over the last decade and also look forward to 2020 and think about what the next ten years might mean for King's. We approach the coming weeks knowing that our response on the Pledge Days will be critical in how we grow as King's Church and so prosper His work. This is one of those times when we realise again that God's Sovereignty and human effort together will shape our progress! Kings Church London Sun, 10 Jan 2010 21:00:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#143 2010 will not include a slow start! I began the week at Center Parcs in Thetford - not to enjoy the wonderful scenery or the great facilities, but to speak on leadership to all the FP Impact trainees (around 130 of them!) who had gathered from Newfrontiers churches the length and breadth of the country for five days of teaching and fellowship. I have spent the rest of this week preparing and planning for what is an important term. Please pray that God will help me as I speak on 11 consecutive weekends, including the 4 key weekends in a row starting on the 17th January. These are our Vision Sunday on 17th Jan, at Together @ Butlins over the 22-24th Jan, on the 31st at Kings when I will be addressing the issue of building a multi site church (this will include our first Pledge Day and Gift Sunday) and then on 7th Feb at Downham Way Family Church. This is a demanding Sunday schedule which comes alongside a full weekday timetable too - I highly value your prayers for me in all of this. Kings Church London Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:56:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2010#142 I am disappointed to announce that for the second year running, I was first to go out at the annual RISK game. I realise this continues to bring into question the strategic leadership of the Senior Pastor, which is worrying at such a key time in the life of the church - another good reason to follow Robert Kwami's excellent exhortation this last Sunday for us to be a praying community. We begin an important few weeks in the life of the church here at Kings, please do make every opportunity to have a look around our new building at the Open Morning on Saturday 16th Jan (tickets for this are available from the Information Desk on Sunday) and of course join with us on our Vision Sunday on Jan 17th. It's not too late to book into Butlins...! Kings Church London Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#141 What a great privilege it was to speak at our five Carol Services over this weekend - to present Christ and celebrate this Red Letter Day! We were able to accommodate nearly 1800 people through the five meetings - next year, with the new site as well... who knows how many we will reach! Thanks to all who invited friends, delivered flyers, sang, played an instrument, acted, catered, greeted, dealt with PA or lighting, oversaw the car parking, cleaned, organised, decorated or served in any other way which made the whole weekend such a great success! And can I wish each one of you a really Happy Christmas and a great 2010. God bless each of you richly in the coming year! meetings to come:Friday 25th December - Christmas Day meeting 10am - 11am (please note!) Sunday 27th December - 2 meetings only: 9.30am & 11.30am (no 5.30 meeting)Thursday 31st December - 'Watchnight' prayer event at King's - 9pm until lateSunday 3rd January - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pmSunday 17th January - Vision Sunday - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pm   Kings Church London Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#140 Did you hear that the Caring Christmas Tree project made the national press, with a mention by Lucy Mangan in an article in the weekend Guardian? To have a look, click on this link... http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/dec/12/lucy-mangan-christmas-decorationsWhat a great job Simon Allen has done in profiling the Jericho Road Project through this initiative! Around 270 trees were sold this year - a good foundation for next Christmas!! Our plans are now well advanced for this weekend's Carol Services. These are always fantastic events! Bring your friends and family and share in the celebration with great music and a great message - Jesus born for us all! Throughout our Christmas services at King's we will be taking up an offering to support our mercy ministries as well as sending a gift to our Newfrontiers churches in Kenya, who are experiencing prolonged draught and all the challenges associated with lack of rain. Edward Buria, a respected Newfrontiers leader in Kenya, tells us that people are dying already as a result of the famine. This is a life or death situation for so many - our generosity here can make a difference there... Christmas Carol Services: Saturday 19th December - 5pm & 7.30pmSunday 20th December - 2.30pm, 5pm & 7.30pmBSL interpretation will be provided on Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 7.30pmThe Kings' children will be performing a song at the Saturday 5pm service and at the 2.30pm service on Sunday.Parking is available at the Rathfern School on Rathfern Rd NB - No morning meetings on Sunday 20th December! Other meetings:Friday 25th December - Christmas Day meeting 10am - 11am (please note!) Sunday 27th December - 2 meetings only: 9.30am & 11.30am (no 5.30 meeting)Thursday 31st December - 'Watchnight' prayer event at King's - 9pm until lateSunday 3rd January - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pmSunday 17th January - Vision Sunday - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pmTogether @ Butlins weekend (Friday 22nd Jan to Sunday 24th) - something to look forward to in the New Year! Booking forms are available in reception and at the Information Desk on Sunday. Kings Church London Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:43:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#139 The coming week for me includes attending a nativity play, Sam's 10th birthday, a trip to Quasar (some serious fun with a laser gun!) and final preparation for our five Carol services! Important dates for the rest of the month and beyond... Christmas Carol Services: Saturday 19th December - 5pm & 7.30pmSunday 20th December - 2.30pm, 5pm & 7.30pmTickets and flyers are available at the table by the Information DeskBSL interpretation will be provided on Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 7.30pmThe Kings' children will be performing a song at the Saturday 5pm service and at the 2.30pm service on Sunday.Parking is available at the Rathfern School on Rathfern Rd NB - No morning meetings on Sunday 20th December! Other meetings:Friday 25th December - Christmas Day meeting 10am - 11am (please note different time!) Sunday 27th December - 2 meetings only: 9.30am & 11.30am (no 5.30 meeting)Thursday 31st December - 'Watchnight' prayer event at King's - 9pm until lateSunday 3rd January - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pmSunday 17th January - Vision Sunday - 9.30am, 11.30am & 5.30pmAnd it's not too late to book in for our Together @ Butlins weekend (Friday 22nd Jan to Sunday 24th) - something to look forward to in the New Year! Booking forms are available in reception and at the Information Desk on Sunday. 2010 beckons already! Kings Church London Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#138 Another wonderful Gift Day on Sunday toward the cost of the new building and going multi-site. Praise God for the £81,000 now sitting in the account that wasn't there this time last month - and thank you to all of you who are continuing to trust God and be generous in these days! Further meetings re the new building have dominated the first part of the week, all providing further encouragement that we are moving to a positive conclusion. I am now in the middle of 3 days of meetings connected with our Newfrontiers family of churches. This is always an encouraging time and confirms that God is moving in all parts of the movement - not just in London and Catford!! This Sunday I look forward to preaching out of Hebrews 1 - a real change of subject and style after our Reel to Real series. And Christmas is nearly here! Please take as many of our fantastic Christmas Carol service flyers as you can reasonably use and give them out to your neighbours and friends. If you can, why not post them through the letterboxes in your block or street? Great music and drama sketches, hot drinks and mince pies, a good (short!) message and friendly faces - all are waiting at King's on the 19th and 20th! Carol Services : 5pm & 7.30pm on Saturday 19th December and2.30pm, 5pm & 7.30pm on Sunday 20th December Kings Church London Thu, 10 Dec 2009 10:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#137 It was great to have Julian Adams with us this Sunday. I hope that you all found it encouraging - especially those who he spoke to individually. We also took up our next offering for the new site as part of our 'toward multi site' challenge. Thanks to all who gave as part of their commitment to this important project. We will report on progress with that later in the week. Please pray for the meetings that I will be having this week with banks and other people, to do with the new site. Our focus is now on Christmas and especially our five 'Red Letter Day' Carol Services for which much preparation has already been done. Rehearsals and planning are at a pitch - please pray that God will speak through all that is done and don't forget to invite your friends/family/neighbours/work colleagues! There are plenty of our fantastic Red Letter Day flyers for us to take to help with this. And tickets are available at the end of each of our Sunday meetings - these are free and help us to know how many will be at each carol service and therefore how many mince pies will be needed - so please only take the number that you are reasonably certain will be used. Let's keep praying that this Christmas will be a real time of kingdom sowing and kingdom harvest all rolled in to one. The message of God and sinners reconciled is a stupendous one - not to be kept to ourselves! Christmas Carol Service times: Saturday 19th December - 5pm and 7.30pmSunday 20th December - 2.30pm, 5pm and 7.30pm Kings Church London Sun, 06 Dec 2009 19:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2009#136 Plans for the Tibbert Christmas are now in full swing. The Tree has been ordered! Simon Allen and the Feast/Jericho Road Project teams are grateful to those who have already ordered their tree through Caring Christmas Trees - do go to the website to order yours!www.caringchristmastrees.com/selondon. All orders need to be placed by December 14th - only 10 days to go! Even our mayor has supported this new venture - he has been photographed with one of the trees for the local press and has also placed his own order.This year the Tibbert Christmas sees a major change. Up until now we have benefited from going to our parents' homes for Christmas Day/Boxing Day with them providing the food and all the work that goes with that. We have been really glad to benefit from their generosity! This year the baton has been passed to us so for the first time a Christmas turkey has been ordered and will be cooked in our kitchen! We're looking forward to a great time! It will also be a Red Letter Day at King's - that's the theme for our five Christmas Carol Services. Preparations are well in hand and we would ask you to pick up free tickets for these important meetings after our current Sunday meetings, so we know how many to cater for! The service times are Saturday 19th December at 5pm and 7.30pm and then on Sunday 20th at 2.30pm, 5pm and 7.30pm. This is the ideal time in the year to invite friends, neighbours, family members and work colleagues along to King's! There are those in King's and in God's family now whose first visit was to a Carol Service.But before all that we look forward to Julian Adams being with us, this Sunday. Julian has a prophetic gift and will bring something more of God to us - don't miss it! Kings Church London Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:12:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#135 The week ahead includes an opportunity to pray, to give and to receive a prophet. On Wednesday evening (2nd) we gather at 7.45pm for our monthly prayer meeting. We are in quite extraordinary days, please come to call on God and ask Him to continue to guide us as a church. Next Sunday (6th) we have our next offering for the building project, please come ready to give. This move to multi-site is not so that we can acquire more property but so that we can provide the opportunity for many more to hear the Good News of Jesus and find their place in the family of God! There are those who are lost this Christmas who will be worshipping God with us this time next year because we made room for more people. We are part of this amazing work of God in the lives of those who don't yet know His love! Lastly, great timing to have the prophetic ministry of Julian Adams who is visiting the church on that same day, one definitely not to miss! God is good! Kings Church London Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#134 As if returning to King's on Sunday from the London leaders' weekend and taking part in the recording of the live worship album wasn't enough, it was fantastic to hear that 5 people made commitments to Christ at our Alpha Saturday. Praise God! That news gave added encouragement to the week - I spent the day on Tuesday in the King's office and, along with Deb, spoke at the Parenting Course in the evening. Our musicians and singers did a superb job with our live recording session - thank you to all who put so much effort into the day. They can now enjoy the sense of a job well done (and a rest!) and we all look forward to the release of the album when the necessary technical stuff has been done. And thank you to all of you who came to more than one meeting to sing and support this venture! I'm now in Milton Keynes with some 70 leaders who have responsibility for the care of our Newfrontiers' churches - it's great to spend time with those who are seeing God at work in our movement. We continue to grow - both in the number of churches and in individuals being added to those groups of believers! God is good...! Looking forward to next Sunday when I'll be speaking on dating in our 'Reel to Real' series and using clips from the movie 'Hitch'. There will also be baptisms in the 5.30 meeting! See you there...! And don't forget to order your Caring Christmas tree soon - think of it as something crossed off the Christmas 'To Do' list - and at the same time making a real contribution to our social action ministry. We may not be able to help each week at the Feast or with Jericho Rd Project but we can support this important work by buying a tree! Kings Church London Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#133 It was great to get back from the leaders' weekend and be with the church at the 5.30 meeting... despite being held up by traffic on the way back and arriving late. It was brilliant to see so many of you there! To worship God using songs written by different members of Kings and to lay down the tracks for the King's Worship Album was fantastic - another first in the King's journey! Over the weekend I spoke to the London Leaders on the key principle of rest in the life of a leader, and therefore I am looking forward to tomorrow - a day off! Last week my meeting with the current owners of our proposed new building was on Monday, a 'one off' event and one that I do not intend to make into a habit. The week ahead involves speaking at the Parenting Course and then being away for 3 days at a Newfrontiers conference. I'm looking forward to being at King's next Sunday (29th) and preaching on 'God's Kinda Romance' - my movie is Hitch! Then the following Sunday (6th Dec) we have our next offering for the move to multi-site and a guest speaker in Julian Adams. He has an amazing prophetic gifts, a Sunday not to be missed. Kings Church London Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#132 Thank you for praying for our meeting with the current owners of the 'new' building - I'm delighted to tell you that it went well and was very constructive. Today I have been in Bedford hosting the Newfrontiers Training Summit. We reviewed last years training and have worked on how we can improve the training of our pastors in the coming years. The aim is to provide our churches with leadership that is bible-based, spirit led and strong in wisdom to lead. Tomorrow I will return to Bedfordshire to host the London Leaders' Weekend, this is a key time of refreshment, teaching and connection for all we are doing in London together. I would value your prayers as I lead the weekend, and speak on 'Rest' on Saturday morning - a very relevant topic. Both Deb and I look forward to travelling back on Sunday afternoon to play our part in the recording of the Album! Do come twice if you can! Kings Church London Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:37:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#131 On Sunday morning I had the delight of hosting the membership morning, with 40 in attendance. I was at our exciting church at Christchurch London in the afternoon where Dave Stroud leads and had the privilege of appointing my friend Ross Bull to eldership. You will also have heard on Sunday that Martin and Ruth Alley are likely to join Downham Way Family Church for a year as a part of the ongoing joint investigation into the possibility of the church there becoming a part of King's. Obviously this is huge news for us - Martin and Ruth have been in Kings Church since the church was birthed in 1985. The plan is that from the New Year they will attend Downham on Sundays. Other details are still to be finalised. I was delighted with the total of our first offering - £106,000 including the Gift Aid tax rebate we will receive. The Elders, Trustees and I thank you for your generosity and commitment to the vision here at King's. This is an excellent start with this, the first lap of a long race! We have now received written confirmation of the acceptance of our offer on the building and I will be meeting the current owners of the site on Monday morning. I would value your prayers for our discussion. Our next offerings are on the 6th Dec and 10th Jan - please be praying and planning what to give. We are also building up to our Gift and Pledge Days on 31st Jan and 7th Feb. On these Sundays we will be looking for the church to pledge giving through to March 2013. These are remarkable days of blessing and kingdom opportunity, let's rise to the challenge! Kings Church London Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:01:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#130 Yet another first is coming up! On Sunday 22nd November we will be recording a live worship album at Kings - please come along, if possible twice. We're asking that as many as possible attend one of the morning meetings and then the 5.30 meeting as well. Last week I meet with a publisher to discuss my book on the story of Kings and the leadership lessons learnt on the journey through the last 15 years. I plan to write this over the next few months so it can be published in early 2011. Christmas is approaching fast! This year we will be providing five carol services - on Saturday 19th at 5pm and 7.30pm and on Sunday 20th at 2.30pm, 5pm and 7.30pm. Start preparing the ground with your friends and neighbours for those all important invitations that could change a life! Have you seen the Caring Christmas Tree leaflet yet? Simon Allen and the Jericho Road Project (that includes The Feast) have up to 1000 (yes, that's one thousand!) Christmas trees for sale. The profits from this enterprise will go directly to helping homeless people in S E London. Good quality, non-drop Fraser fir trees in various heights to suit your room size - and the Christmas tree in the auditorium will be one of them! (Only 999 left to sell!) Please tell all your friends and neighbours about this new project - leaflets and posters are available, by the hundreds! And if you are able - volunteer to serve at one of the collection points... details are on the website www.kingscentre.org.uk/socialaction or http://socialactionjrp.blogspot.com And this Sunday and on Sunday 22nd November, Christmas cards in aid of the Jericho Road Project will also be on sale at £3 for a pack of 8 - or £5 for two packs. Finally do not miss Sunday's Membership Morning and Mick Taylor speaking on 'God's Kinda Woman' in our 'Reel to Real' series. Kings Church London Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#129 I have just returned from an excellent weekend at the Newfrontiers Cardiff church! It was great to see Andrew Davies now recovered from the terrible cluster headaches which had previously laid him out and back in such fine form, praise God! Do pray for the church in Cardiff, it has a huge call upon it to reach the city and the nation of Wales. Never a dull Sunday here at King's - I eagerly wait the news of the total of our first Gift Day towards the new building fund. We will announce the amount at the end of next Sunday (watch this blog for details!). Today Phil announced the possibility that Downham Way Family Church might become a part of King's at some future stage. The Downham Church would fit well into our multi-site strategy - we may have three sites in the future. All this is in the very early stages of consideration with many things to take into account and is not a certainty - we value your prayers as both churches and eldership teams seek God's way forward. This week I will again be having a number of meetings related to the new building and in my next King's blog (on Thursday) I'll tell you more about the album, the book, and ...Christmas trees! Kings Church London Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:29:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#128 I hope you are enjoying the 'Reel to Real' series which we are running on a Sunday. Some of the films used to illustrate the messages will be favourites while others you may not have seen and will now want to watch when they come round on TV! This Sunday Phil Varley will be speaking about 'God's Kinda Families' using 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' - it will be a great morning! If you were expecting to hear Mick Taylor speak on 'God's Kinda Woman' - that's next Sunday (15th Nov). The flyers that advertised this series have them the wrong way round. If you know someone who was making a special effort to hear these talks, please let them know! Kings Church London Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#127 I was out shopping with our youngest son, Sam, when the call came through to my mobile telling me that our revised offer on the new building had been accepted! High fives were the order of the day! The 'Yes!' moment pretty soon became a 'Wow!' moment as we began to roll up our sleeves and prepare for all that needs to happen as a result of that one phone call! So, it was great to see so many at our family meeting last night, to share in the news on the building. To be able to tell everyone the locality of the building was a great joy and relief! And also to be able to say that we have received a loan offer from a bank, which means all systems go! The serious work now begins! With our first Gift Day taking place this Sunday this is the time to show our commitment to the project. Please come ready to give! We are about a great work and our giving is a real investment in the eternal well-being of so many individuals in this part of London and in the well-being of our city as a result! God is about building His church - a great work - and we are part of it by His grace! I would love to be with you all for this Sunday's Gift Day when I trust we will make a strong start to the fund for the move to multi-site. A prior commitment means that this weekend I will be in Cardiff, visiting the church there along with my friend David Devenish. The purpose of the weekend is to strength this key church - we will have meetings throughout the whole weekend and, as always, I would value your prayers. Kings Church London Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:55:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2009#126 Today I announced that we will be holding a family/prayer meeting at 8pm on Wednesday 4th November to discuss the latest news on the proposed building project. Please make every effort to attend and please pass on the news to all our King's family and friends. My week off has been really enjoyable, a good break with the highlights being winning the golf (shot an 83!) and a family day out at the coast with fish and chips on the beach at Whitstable! I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. Let's continue in prayer for all that lies ahead! Kings Church London Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#125 This will be my only posting this week, as I'm on holiday. I'm looking forward to a week at home with the family, playing golf, going bird watching, and having my brother and his family down for the day. Today at King's we enjoyed dedications in the two morning services and baptisms in the evening. It was fantastic to see the church packed, with many guests. I am expecting more news on the new building front this week and following a day like today, our need for more space is clearly apparent. Nicholas got us off to a good start with our Reel to Real series today looking at God's Kind of Family; I hope you enjoyed the clips from Finding Nemo. I look forward to speaking next Sunday on God's Kind of Men, and the film clips will be taken from... Gladiator! Kings Church London Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#124 Are you able to read the signs of when you are too busy? One of my warning signals is double booking meetings or not even remembering I was supposed to be meeting with someone. This has happened to me twice this week - not good. Therefore - time to stop! Time to reflect. And a good time to be going on a week's holiday at half term... But before the break we have an exciting Sunday at Kings with dedications in the morning meetings and baptisms at the 5.30 service! At all three meetings we will begin our new teaching series Reel to Real. This series is an especially good one to invite unchurched friends along to as it will address the subjects of families, friends, romance, men and women - looking at these important topics in the light of what we believe to be God's point of view, as seen in the Bible but using clips from popular films as illustrations! We continue to pray that the long-awaited decision on the 'new' building will soon be made - and in our favour! So please remember our first Gift Day towards this important objective - Sunday 8th November! Kings Church London Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#123 I announced today that we have changed the arrangements for the Together @ Butlins weekend at the start of next year. Due to lower than anticipated bookings by the first cut-off date we have decided to combine the two weekends - the dates for this will be Friday 22nd - Sun 24th Jan 2010. All those who have already booked into the first weekend (8 - 10 Jan) have automatically been transferred to the second weekend and will have equivalent or upgraded facilities. If you are unable to go to Butlins on 22 - 24th Jan you will need to phone Butlins (0845 070 4772) by 27th November to cancel your booking and receive a full refund. And if you have yet to book in we would encourage you to do this quickly as there are now limited spaces available! If you need any further information, please see the handout or go to the Information desk. Sunday 25th October sees the start of a new teaching series at King's. Called 'Reel to Real' it will use popular films as a jumping off point to compare our world to God's view on various topics. Men, women, families, relatives, friends and romance all come under the spotlight over the six weeks. These Sundays will be excellent opportunities for inviting our friends and family members to come along! Alpha continues to go well. This week there were 75 guests for Alpha and a further 19 on Alpha Plus. Annie Twort and her fantastic team are looking forward to a good term - please pray for them! Kings Church London Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#122 Following two excellent days at Prayer & Fasting with the leaders from Newfrontiers, the next few days include meetings with the representatives of four different banks - all related to the building project. We are at a critical stage of negotiation with the current owners; please pray that all our hard work and prayer will come together. I regularly remind myself of the prophetic word that Lex brought to us, 'Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord'. God's word particularly applied in our situation confirms that God's work done God's way is to be our focus. We are about God's work, and we trust Him to open and close doors. With that in mind - can I remind you of the Half-Night of Prayer tomorrow evening (Friday 16th) from 10pm through until 2am. Come for as long as you are able - to worship our wonderful God and bring our requests to Him. Let's strengthen ourselves in God for all that's ahead! Kings Church London Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#120 Another week flashes by, and you sense autumn is upon us. Yesterday I was in Sevenoaks where our Small Group leaders were enjoying an Awayday! Ben Welchman had arranged a great day with training included. It was good to spend time with these valued members of the team and to invest in our small groups in this way. I hope the leaders were encouraged and reinvigorated for their work as a result! Are you involved in a small group within King's? If not come along on Wednesday 14th October for Bible Study Together - a series of six evenings with the chance to hear a session of Bible teaching and meet others who are part of the King's family. Each evening begins at 8pm, with the chance to chat over a hot drink if you arrive a few minutes before, and will be finished by 9.45pm. This coming week starts for me with two days at Prayer and Fasting along with other Newfrontiers leaders from across the UK - several of the team here at Kings will also be there. After that I go on to visit an excellent church in High Wycombe. Following a strong start to the term, it was amazing to hear the news that over 120 were in attendance at our Alpha meal. Let's pray that many will return and find Jesus, the answer to the questions of life! Our negotiation for a new building is at a key stage - I would value your on-going prayers... Kings Church London Sun, 11 Oct 2009 18:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#119 Back into the full activities of King's after being away with the team last week and my week has included meeting up with the Newfrontiers UK team which I always enjoy! We are living in exciting times at Kings and it's encouraging to hear news of gospel breakthrough all over the UK. I am looking forward to speaking to all our Small Group Leaders at our Small Group Leaders' Day Away on Saturday. The day will include time for prayer and worship as well as the chance to focus on vision and strategy for the future. Small groups continue to be a key way that people 'root in' to King's and our Small Group Leaders perform a vital role in leading people, encouraging them to support each other and connect with new people. We appreciate all they do to serve us all in this way! Please pray for this training day and for our group leaders - that God will meet with us and that everyone there will be built up ready for the year ahead. As new people join us (week by week it seems at the moment) our small groups continue to be crucial in establishing the growth we are experiencing and building the kind of community that God wants us to be. Bible Study Together starts next Wednesday evening 14th Oct, for more information, please look at: http://www.kingscentre.org.uk/events.php Kings Church London Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:38:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#118 What we do with our money speaks louder about our priorities in life than what we say those priorities are! We plan our finances carefully to ensure we have money available for those things that we see as important and sometimes go without other good things to achieve our goal. Where does our giving come in this process? Too many Christians practice the principle of 'last fruits' rather than 'first fruits', giving to God what is left after everything else, rather than making Him the first to receive from what we have. The scripture is crystal clear on this principle. Today at Kings I outlined the biblical rationale for giving - that this is not an optional extra for a disciple of Jesus but Christians are called to be generous givers - and this is done under the grace of God, not 'under compulsion' but joyfully! This week our next Alpha Course begins - please pray for the team as they begin another ten-week series of evenings designed to make the good news of the Kingdom accessible to non-church people! Pray for those who have signed up for the course. Pray too for the health and stamina of the team who serve them so well! And please continue to pray for the building project. I have a series of meetings, all connected with the building, in this coming week. Pray that God will act on our behalf and that we will soon know the outcome of the bid! Kings Church London Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:42:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2009#117 I am enjoying spending a week away with the pastoral team from King's as you read this. We have spent time focusing on some of the major challenges before us, not least the prospect of launching a 4th Meeting in September 2010 on another site. While applying ourselves to these challenges, we have also enjoyed times of prayer and the wonderful location and hospitality here at the Braithwaites' home. All this future planning is done in the context of our amazing baptismal weekend last Sunday - I have been reflecting this week on the power of testimony, the amazing and wonderful stories of how Christ transforms lives, the warmth with which people speak of the church here at Kings, and how often it is the faithful witness of one believer that begins the journey of faith. All this means that over the last two weekends we have seen more than 80 new people step towards us. Many are first time commitments, others are showing interest in Alpha and many say they would like to know more about the church. Praise God! Keep praying and inviting! The growth we are continuing to see encourages us as leaders - we need to continue to provide room for those God is giving us. We are in faith that this increase will continue! The Alpha Course continues to be an effective place to introduce people to Jesus. Have you thought about inviting that good friend, your neighbour or a family member to come to the Alpha Meal on Thursday October 8th? Take courage and make the invitation - it could be a life-changing conversation! Kings Church London Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:51:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#116 It was fantastic to see 9 people baptised today, God is good! And we know from past experience that baptisms and the testimonies that go with them challenge those who are considering their own relationship with God. Keep on thinking and praying about who you can invite to the Alpha meal on Thursday 8th October!In the coming week I am taking the pastoral team away for an important week of prayer, planning and relaxation. We will be staying at the Braithwaites' home in France and we fly with Ryanair. These are extremely important times of reflection and prayer - we will discuss the major challenges and opportunities before us as a church. I am delighted that Malcolm Kyte is able to join us, and we look forward to his contribution. Please do pray we have an excellent time, and also for the wives/husbands and families that we leave behind! Thank you for your prayer support, not only for this coming week, but in all the challenges and opportunities that we face in the coming weeks and months. As a leadership we appreciate the fact that we all stand together in our commitment to seeing the kingdom advanced and lost people won for God! Kings Church London Sun, 27 Sep 2009 19:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#115 This week I have been involved in a couple of meetings to do with my responsibilities in Newfrontiers. The highlight was hearing how our training of pastors and leaders across the country is developing. It's encouraging that within our movement with its emphasis on church planting, young leaders continue to be sent by their home churches for training. This is not only good planning for our established churches and their future leadership but also we intend that churches as yet 'unborn' will have theologically informed and spirit-filled, godly characters ready to lead them. Addressing that future need is all part of the vision! This weekend I am looking forward to the baptisms at King's; it is always wonderful to hear how Jesus Christ can transform lives! Many of those we baptise are the fruit of our Alpha course and this term's course will start on Thursday 8th October with the Alpha meal. Invitations to the meal and registration forms are available at the Welcome Desk. Have you got your Butlin's booking in yet? Less than a week to go before the prices go up... and remember the subsidy that we are offering to regular attenders at King's. This will give support where the costs of this event would overstretch individual or family finances. Forms are available from the Information Desk. Don't miss what will be a great weekend! And we continue to prayerfully await the outcome of the board meeting and a decision on our bid for the new building! Kings Church London Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#114 Time is running out to book in at Together at Butlins before the first cut off date of 30th September! We had a great time at this event last year with positive feedback from those who went, so we anticipate increased demand for next time. Book before Sept 30th for the cheapest price! If you are a regular King's attender and finance is an issue for you, we offer a subsidy - £30 for an adult place and £25 for each child. Please ask at the Information desk for details and for an application form. Billed as a weekend of 'worship, teaching, vision and encouragement', we look forward to hearing from Dave Devenish and David Stroud as our main speakers, while there will be time for fun in the Butlin's facilities and for fellowship with friends from our churches. Spending time together over coffee or meals is an excellent way to get to know each other better. Our children's and youth ministries are in the hands of those who will make sure that it's a memorable time for everyone. Last year we know there were those who were disappointed when they tried to book later in the day so we have increased the capacity to make sure that no-one is turned away this year! The region has been spread between two weekends and King's will be at the first Butlin's Bognor event from Jan 8th - 10th. To book your place get hold of one of the leaflets from the Information Desk and in reception and call the Butlins booking hotline direct. Don't miss out on a great weekend! Kings Church London Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#113 Following an excellent week of Prayer and Mission, it was great to have Lex with us today. It was wonderful to see so many people respond to the gospel - 22 at the three meetings. There will now be plenty of work for our dedicated team of staff and volunteers so that we help each person who responded to find their place in our church. It's all a part of the continuing work of King's going on behind the scenes! The task of telling people the claims of Jesus and all that He has done for them is a vital part of the work of King's. Next Sunday (27th) we look forward to baptisms - a chance to hear the stories of those who have made their own commitment to Jesus. These are always powerful times! Let's continue to invite our friends and family along so they can hear the Good News! Alpha continues to be one of the most effective tools to bring people into contact with God. Our own Alpha Course will be starting for the autumn term with the Alpha Meal on Thursday 8th October at 7.15pm. Do you have a friend or family member who you could invite to this event? A well-prepared two course meal followed by a short talk from one of our team will introduce our guests to the chance to sign up for the series of Thursday evenings ending on 10th December. Some who start as inquirers will be part of the Kingdom of God by Christmas!! While we wait for the outcome of our bid for the new building please continue to pray that our offer will be accepted. There will be an important meeting of the Board of the company who currently own the building on September 24th. Pray that this item is high up on the agenda and that a decision is made on that day! Then pray that the building is sold to us! And for those who are able, this seems like a good time for fasting with our prayer!! Kings Church London Sun, 20 Sep 2009 18:24:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#112 We are in exciting and challenging times! As we look to God to direct us on future developments at King's - especially with regard to a possible new building - I would ask you to continue resolutely in prayer. We meet this week to pray together and call upon God to empower us for the work he has given us in this part of London. As I said on Sunday, I love Nehemiah's prayer recorded in the first chapter of the book of Nehemiah. There are three key points with his prayer that provide a good pattern for us. - He is God focused - He reminds God of His promises- He prayed for success This is a great outline for any prayer - personal or corporate! And we have further opportunities to pray today (Thursday) at 1pm and at 8pm tonight and again on Friday evening from 10pm to midnight. Then on Saturday morning we meet at 10am for prayer before going out into local town centres giving out publicity and talking to those we meet to invite them along. Please come and give your support! Our friend Lex Loizides arrives in the morning, and we look forward to his ministry at all three meetings on Sunday and anticipate many responding to the gospel. Do use this opportunity to invite a friend or family member! Kings Church London Thu, 17 Sep 2009 09:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#111 I was delighted to announce today that Malcolm and Cathy Kyte will be joining the Kings team from next April! Malcolm has led the Newfrontiers church in Wimbledon for the last 15 years, he is an extremely experienced leader and will add much needed strength to our team as we continue to grow and fulfil our vision. It was also exciting to inform the church that Robert Kwami will continue in his role here for another 3 years, when he and Valerie and the family plan to return to Ghana to plant a church. At the same time Nathan Prime and Shaun McElvaine join us for a year as interns specializing in worship and production. I'm extremely disappointed that we have not yet reached the stage where we can announce the location of our proposed additional building, and as I said today, we will need to continue to move forward prayerfully, coping with the dynamics of time delay etc. Can I ask you to continue to prayerfully consider how much you will be able to pledge to the project, as and when we move to that stage? Gift Days are planned for the 11th and 18th October 2009. I am sure you agree that the pledge from the extended leaders is truly remarkable, totalling £700K over 3 and half years - let's follow their lead! Have you seen the billboard near Savacentre? And do invite friends and family to be with us next Sunday when Lex will be speaking. We shall also be giving out flyers at local rail stations between 7am and 8am each morning from Tuesday to Friday, then on Saturday morning (19th) please come along to King's at 10am to pray together before going out in teams into local shopping centres (Catford, Sydenham and Lewisham). All this will help to raise the profile of King's within the area! Prayer support for all this effort will be essential. We meet for prayer at King's at the following times - please join us! Tuesday 15th - 8pm, Wednesday 16th - 1pm and 8pm, Thursday 17th - 1pm and 8pm, Friday 18th - 10pm to midnight, Saturday 19th - 10am Kings Church London Sun, 13 Sep 2009 18:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#110 One of my regular speaking commitments is at a gathering of leaders of the Newfrontiers churches in London. Over the last few years I've used the opportunity to share leadership lessons learnt over the previous twelve months. Today, meeting with these leaders, I focused on what I had learnt from my visits to the US through last year - but you will appreciate that much of what I shared comes out of my experience of leading Kings! As churches and their leaders are asking about what happens here at King's and are learning from us, we are learning from the experience of other churches and their leaders from far and wide. It's not only common sense - it's wisdom! I am now looking forward to Vision Sunday this Sunday - please make every effort to attend one of our 3 meetings. As always I will take the opportunity that Vision Sunday provides to outline important news which will shape our future together. Then after Vision Sunday we have a major week to follow! Our Prayer & Mission Week will provide us with plenty of opportunities to reach out to our local communities and to invite people we meet - and our friends and neighbours - along to hear Lex Loizides who will be speaking at all three meetings on September 20th. There will be times for prayer and times for going out in teams to distribute leaflets at local rail stations (7am - 8am Tuesday to Friday) and also in local town centres on Saturday morning. Details are in the Kingsweek bulletin each Sunday. Lex is well worth hearing and God has always honoured his preaching and prayer for the sick with various healings and people saved. Please come and bring your friends and families! Kings Church London Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#109 It was great to back at King's today, following my study break and family holiday in France. The 6 weeks leading up to this break I would reckon as one of the most intense times in my working life, with all the work required to respond so quickly to the opportunity provided by the new building. I look forward to bringing the church up to speed with the latest developments next week, on Vision Sunday. My study break started with a couple of days off, I then spent the next few weeks preparing sermons, planning my 2010 dairy, preparing topics for the leadership blog and planning a possible leadership book - and of course, there was the on-going building project! The other major news in the Tibbert family was the sad but expected death of my Nanna, at the fine age of 97 and a half. Her funeral in Bedford in mid August was a gathering to remember her and give thanks for her life. We returned from France last night after a very enjoyable 2 weeks at the Braithwaite's place with my parents. We also enjoyed a day trip to Paris. So! Another church year beckons, with HUGE kingdom opportunities! We launch the year with Vision Sunday next week, followed by our Week of Prayer & Mission (Tuesday 15th to Saturday 19th). From Tuesday to Friday we will be handing out leaflets at local train stations each morning between 7am and 8am, all supported by our regular prayer meetings. Then on Saturday morning we will have teams in three town centres - Catford, Sydenham and Lewisham - raising awareness of the existence of King's and inviting those we meet to come and hear Lex Loizides the following Sunday 20th September when he will preach at all 3 meetings. Lex will preach the gospel and pray for the sick - invite your friends and family along! We know from his past visits that God has touched people's lives on such occasions. I look forward to seeing you next Sunday! (This year, look out for our huge poster on the billboard by Savacentre at Bell Green...)     Kings Church London Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2009#108 What does it really mean to be part of the local church? Is it just about turning up on Sunday? What about giving and serving? Surely these are important? The first thing that springs to mind may not be how much you know others and are known by them. It's all too easy for us to be anonymous in church. It's possible to arrive late, leave straight after the meeting and not have real, growing relationships at all. In Romans 12 verse 5, Paul writes: '... in Christ, we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others.' If we truly believe that the church is the body of Christ, we need to be connected to other believers, actively engaged in a community where we experience the life of God together and desire to share that life - both with other Christians and those who don't yet know Jesus. Do you have that? Do you have a small group of people who know the real you and who you really know? People who you can call at 3am in a crisis, people who you know will be praying for you, people who love you too much not to challenge you when you're being ridiculous. Those you can laugh with, celebrate with, cry with and walk through life alongside. This is the kind of church I think is achievable if we are committed to building relationships that are deep and significant and if our small groups are God-focussed and have a sense of mission and purpose to share the gospel with words and actions - there we can know the kind of life-changing community that we read about in the book of Acts. If you aren't currently in a small group - I'd like to challenge you to visit one! Not with the purpose of seeing whether it meets your needs, nor whether it has 'the right kind of people', but with a view to building relationships with those who - in all of their diversity, difference and funny little ways - will help make you more like Jesus. And just maybe, you (with your own funny little ways!) might help them to be more like Jesus too! Kings Church London Wed, 02 Sep 2009 07:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2009#107 There are many things I want to be better at. I would love to be fitter, cleverer, more musical and - if possible - slightly taller, with more hair. Recently in our family I came last in the "Who Has The Most Hair Competition" - a humbling moment! Sometimes I feel surrounded by hundreds of things which I know I should work harder at, give more time to and basically sort out my act about. Which way should I turn first - what should I give myself to? The more I ponder this, the more I have concluded learning to live everyday with God should be top of my priority list. I don't always get this right; in fact my fickle heart is easily distracted into pursuing a completely different order of priorities. But fundamentally I do believe this to be true for 2 main reasons. Firstly, I believe the Bible makes this a clear priority for me. Secondly, I believe that growth here leads to growth in other areas of my life. If you feel the same way as me, here are 3 things which I have learnt so far: Firstly, when you spend time with God you must understand that you score no points with Him. We are already accepted by God through Jesus - my performance makes no difference. We come to Him simply because we need Him. When I pray, read or simply sit with God, I am giving God access to my life - to help me, change me and grow me. Sometimes I walk away feeling 'reprogrammed' and reminded of what life is really all about. Secondly, I must trust God. I must trust Him enough to believe that 10 minutes of apparent inactivity with God will more than make up for any running around I could have done in that time. Bill Hybels sums it up well in the title of his book "Too Busy Not to Pray." Lastly, I need to find practical solutions to where, when and how to spend time with God. Personally, I find routine helps me - although I have also found that no routine lasts forever. Particularly I need a time and a place. Whatever it is that works for you - then do it. And remember - if you miss it today, don't give up, tomorrow is a new day. Kings Church London Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:07:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2009#106 The Jericho Road Project consists of 6 low support houses, a weekly outreach meeting for the homeless, a weekly support meeting and a money advice centre. There is also an AA group that meets in King's Church. I have been managing the project since 2001 but here are 3 things I have learned during the last year. 1. People are complicated - When the pressure comes on people's lives, I have watched the cracks, open wounds and fractured bodies of our contacts - it is a messy business. This means that managing a social action project has to be a longer term initiative rather than short term! 2. The Kingdom of God is bigger than one church. We play a part in seeing lives transformed but some will move onto other churches. 3. Never stop being a student. Over the summer we have been planning our next 5 year goals and this has involved researching on a number of issues and visiting other projects. Getting out and visiting other similar projects is a constant inspiration about what is good and what is not good. So in due course look out for our new five year goals! Other headlines The project and church were featured in an article in Inspire magazine. http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/news.aspx?action=view&id=3578   The JRP takes a group to ENCOUNTER CAMP from 17th -21st August. I am praying for significant breakthrough for many who attend. http://www.hope-church.org.uk/encounter.html  This year we are starting our first large scale fundraising project. But it is far more than just fundraising - it's called Caring Christmas Trees! http://www.caringchristmastrees.com/   You can keep up to date on a regular basis by reading the social action blog at http://socialactionjrp.blogspot.com/   Simon Kings Church London Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2009#105 This was my fourth time of attending this annual youth event run by Newfrontiers - and I wasn't disappointed! Over 100 members of 'ignite' camped on site this year, joining with around 7000 others from across the country at the Norfolk Showground near Norwich. The aim of the organisers is to produce a generation of world changers by exposing them to biblical truth and God's heart for the world! Apart from fantastic times of worship and great teaching, there was more! Sports... King's won both the 11 - 14s and 15 - 18s football tournaments! (The King's leaders' team were doing well too - until the quarter finals...!) Social action... organised teams went into the city to show the love of God in practical ways. They returned thrilled at the impact that fence painting and garden clearing can have in improving the living space of some of the Norwich residents. Such volunteering caught the attention of the local media, including BBC Norfolk, who covered the event. Positive press about young people? It left some people bemused - no bad thing! The heart of the event was meeting with God. To see thousands of teenagers worshipping God and engaging with excellent and accessible preaching from people like Joel Virgo, Stef Liston, Mike Pilavachi and Stu Gibbs was brilliant! One evening, time was given to invite the Holy Spirit to come and give gifts to those wanting to receive - there was a real sense of God in the marquee. I'm not one for hype - it was clear many encountered God that night. God is doing something amazing among this generation that has the potential to influence the world for great good. We need to encourage these young soldiers, supporting them as they reach for all that Christ has destined them and so give hope to a hopeless world! To all who supported us during this hectically wonderful few days - 'Thank You!'. Your prayers and encouragement were an essential part of a great week. And a particular and HUGE vote of thanks to the youth team and all who worked long and hard in the kitchen to ensure no-one went hungry! Kings Church London Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:48:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2009#104 To my mind Training ought always to start with a Capital T - it's a vital tool in building an effective church! As well as my role heading up Teaching and Training at King's I oversee the Newfrontiers' London Training Base - this month I have been involved in interviewing applicants for three courses, ready to start the new Training year in September. It's been fantastic to hear from these potential trainees how God has brought them to this point! Of these three courses, Frontier Project Impact (known as FP Impact) is a year of discipleship and will have 35 trainees; Leadership Training - Foundations and Leadership Training - Advanced together will have at least 40 trainees. All of these will be 'raring to go' as they learn how to be more effective in Christian service - and this is just in and around London! So, much of August is preparation for the arrival of these trainees. Most of last week I spent living in the Book of Romans as I will be teaching a new four day module on this monumental book to some of them in the autumn. I was struck again by what Paul says happens when we share the gospel! 'A righteousness from God is unleashed!' (Romans 1:17) Most translations use the word 'revealed' - that's too tame! It's not just that people will understand what God has done, but a power is let loose. This power (God's power!) will undermine the forces that enslave them and divide them from Him and others. The sharing of the gospel is spiritual dynamite! Each time we share our faith we light a fuse on that dynamite - some fuses have long delays, but they are burning. Our job is to light as many as possible! Have a great summer! Please pray for Training and for all that goes into starting a new church year in September. And keep lighting fuses! While SteveTibbert is on study leave guest bloggers will be filling this blog spot! Kings Church London Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#103 Having the praise word 'Hallelujah' in a song doesn't make it a worship song - or we might be singing a Leonard Cohen number in our meetings (...or 'It's Raining Men'!)! Some spiritual songs might evoke warm feelings, but if we think about the words - what are they really saying? On Sundays over the summer, we're looking at the content of some of the songs we sing when we meet for worship. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul talks about 'singing with understanding', and this teaching series aims to help us to really think about what we're singing. As we look at the Scriptures behind the songs, we'll find our understanding enriched and this will lead us to appreciate God more as we consider who He is and what He's done for us. John and Charles Wesley were a great team - as John preached, Charles wrote hundreds of hymns that captured the truths of Scripture that his brother taught, and he communicated them in such a skilful and helpful way that his hymns are still loved and sung around the world today, over 200 years later. Truth set to music is powerful and can be an incredibly effective way of getting God's words into our hearts. If you're like me, you may sometimes hear a song and then find you can't get it out of your mind for days. Let's get some good songs in our heads over the next few weeks! Do check out the sermon downloads over the summer, and sing the songs on your own with God - as well as when we're together as a church. And if you're inspired by what you hear, how about picking a song and doing a bit of Bible study on it yourself? Kings Church London Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#102 As I reflect on this last church year it is defined by two events. The launch of our third meeting and the loss of Sue Linley. We are a missional community - we believe that God has called us impact this great city with the gospel, so continuing to see people saved regularly and to see our Sunday attendance grow at 15% is all very encouraging. But we are also a family; Sue's death was a timely reminder that each individual life is precious. Behind all the numerical growth, I am increasingly aware that many individual lives are in our care. It is a great privilege and responsibility to lead the team that cares for the King's Church community. The last few weeks have been dominated by the exciting opportunity of a new building - a place we trust will provide somewhere many will find Christ and a family to which they can belong. Keep strong in prayer - that God will release this building to us! This will be my last posting for the next 6 weeks as I will be on my annual study break and holidays - but do watch this space as 'guest bloggers' from the King's team will be writing from time to time through until September! Have a great summer! Steve   Kings Church London Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:22:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#101 The new location and arrangements for our church picnic today seem to have been well received if the feedback I received is any indication! It was good to see so many there. Our thanks to Andy Floyd and his helpers whose hard work and arrangements gave us all a great afternoon! The extra food facilities, the games and races arranged - all much enjoyed. And the weather was kind! Brilliant! Today has been my last Sunday at Kings for a few weeks as I start my annual study break on Friday. Looking back on this last church year we have seen continued growth and blessing - it's hard to believe that we didn't have a 5.30pm meeting on Sundays this time last year, when today at that time just under 180 attended our baptism service for 3 people. The difference a year makes! We continue to wait patiently and prayerfully for more news about our proposed new building - I am overwhelmed with the positive response from so many of you. My thanks to you all, it is a remarkable privilege to serve this great church! Please continue to pray that the building will be released to us and also for the Elders and Trustees over the summer. I will give some more reflections on the church year in my blog this Thursday - which will be my last for 6 weeks. (Even bloggers need to apply the principle of rest!) I'm looking forward to a time to reflect on where we are as a church and to pray and plan for the coming year. Join me in praising God for all He has done with us in the last twelve months and ask Him to do even more in the coming year! And meanwhile, pray for our youth and their leaders as they prepare to go to NewDay on 1st August. This is often a significant time when God takes hold of young lives and begins to direct their future paths in clear and positive ways. Some of them will be future church leaders; others will influence their generation and contribute to national and international life - one day! Pray for them! Kings Church London Sun, 19 Jul 2009 19:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#100 I've been reflecting on the messages that Lex and Bones preached over the last two Sundays and believe that they are prophetic words for us at King's. Both in their content and timing these words are highly significant in the light of the proposed building project. Lex's word of 'not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord', reminds us that this is God's work. Bones' emphasis on the church reminds us that we are about a great work. His humorous story about the chicken and the pig and their contribution to breakfast was very funny and powerful! He asked us - are you committed or just involved? A major building project and the giving required to achieve all God has before us - this will answer the above! Am I a chicken or a pig? This question will stay with us as we all consider our involvement at King's! If you missed either of the last two Sundays please download the podcast - the talks are well worth hearing and we believe these men brought God's word to us! And thank you for your response to the call to prayer last night! It is so encouraging to lead a responsive people and to sense the rising levels of faith that God is building into us in these days! We have made a good start - with higher and further to go! See you on Sunday and at the picnic - keep praying for good weather!! Kings Church London Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#99 It was fantastic to have Mbonisi Malaba ('Bones') preaching at our three meetings today! If you were at King's you had a chance to receive some of what we enjoyed this week at the Newfrontiers leadership conference in Brighton. 'Bones' is part of the church leadership in Zimbabwe and was one of the gifted preachers that we appreciated during four days which also included great times of worship, prayer and God giving direction about the future of our church movement. Terry Virgo spoke about our past, our present (and our presence!) and our future as Newfrontiers. It was a great time and we were so encouraged hearing all that God is doing in our churches worldwide. This was a helpful context to be in when we are 'on the brink' of a new phase in the life of our church. If God provides us with the new site that we are praying for then we will definitely feel the change of gear! One of the speakers - P J Smyth from South Africa - spoke about the need for 'juggernaut churches', churches with greater capacity who can go further, carry more and have power and momentum in God. I long that we should fulfil that picture more and more! We have received much from God as a people. We know that from those who have been given much, much is asked. Within His grace we look to Him to provide all we need in the coming days - both spiritually and financially. If you call King's 'your' church then I strongly urge you to come along to the Family Meeting on Wednesday evening (15th) at 7.45. Come prepared to hear what we believe God has for us as a church - and come to pray! Our dependence on God is our certainty! The elders have called the church to fast and pray that day - please join us. And next Sunday lunchtime is the church picnic! Elm Lane recreation ground is near to the church and we have made arrangements for a barbeque, Caribbean food stall and an ice-cream van - or please feel free to bring your own food! There will be games of football, cricket, various races, a bouncy castle, face painting, a kids' entertainer and a gladiator duel! Come along from 1.30 to 4pm... and pray for fine weather! Kings Church London Sun, 12 Jul 2009 18:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#98 A very English resort is where we gathered this week for the Newfrontiers Leadership Conference. We may have been in Brighton - but our perspective has been the whole world! Time and again in the preaching and in the worship, God has turned our eyes to His plan for the nations - and our part in that Plan. And there were representatives there from churches all around the globe! The clear biblical teaching and the uplifting worship have done us good. We've heard stirring preaching from Terry Virgo, Dave Stroud, Steve van Rhyn and Mbonisi Malaba (Bones). And there's still tomorrow to go! Don't miss this coming Sunday when Bones will be preaching at King's - he's a great speaker and I know we will be blessed by what he brings. We've also heard powerful prophetic words from God about our movement of churches, confirming that our life and work is to and for the nations. The great cities of the world feature strongly - there will be church plants into more 'new' cities in coming days. Tonight Terry led us in prayer and introduced various leaders from different parts of the globe (Africa, India, Central Europe and the Pacific Rim) who told us about the needs of their regions and also about the things that God is doing in their spheres of influence. We prayed for them and gave our money to support this world-wide work and to enable new projects to be launched. We called on God to send out more workers and asked Him to empower us all in greater effectiveness for him. As a movement we aim to raise £1.5 million at this year's conference - we added our contribution from King's! While I've been here I've still been thinking about our own church and serving South-East London! Central to that at the moment is the decision that will soon be made regarding the new site and our bid to buy it. Please continue to pray that the owners will decide in our favour.We do not presume on God's goodness to us as a church but trust that He will provide what we need to enable the work at King's to go forward! Everything I'm seeing and hearing here, including hearing from other church leaders,  tells me that we are part of an amazing work of God. It gives me tremendous encouragement for our part in the story at King's. I'm looking forward to being with you at King's on Sunday - also to gathering as many of us as we can on Weds 15th July for our prayer evening specifically about the building. If you can, please join the elders and those who have committed themselves to fast and pray on that day! Our God is a wonder-working God - let's come to Him in love and faith! Kings Church London Thu, 09 Jul 2009 21:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#96 It's been great to have our good friends Lex and Jo Loizides from Capetown, South Africa, visiting this weekend, and Lex's message to us is very timely in the context of all that God is opening up. 'Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit' says the Lord... This coming week I'll be attending the Newfrontiers leadership conference (Together on a Mission) in Brighton, along with about half of the staff team from Kings and several thousands from the UK and across the globe! It's a time to meet up with friends and be equipped in our leadership. This year I am also speaking at a seminar on diversity and Deb and I are speaking at another seminar on 'Leadership, Life and Love' to the members of Mobilise (that's older youth and students). Please pray for us! Next Sunday we look forward to 'Bones' (Mbonisi Malaba) from Zimbabwe being with us and preaching at our meetings. Please remember we have an important Family Meeting on Weds 15th July and we have called the church to pray and fast on that day. Please be there if you can! Kings Church London Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=July 2009#95 Not long before I began my time set aside for jury service, the other elders and I were made aware of a building that could be suitable for our growing congregation and the increasing need we have at King's for space! As I was not needed at court every day of the two weeks it seemed like God's provision that I was able to give time and attention to this major issue when I had expected to be listening to legal cases. As a result of much prayer and discussion with the Trustees and other leaders at King's, last night I presented the exciting opportunity of this new building to the church. It was great to meet with over 240 people to look at the proposals and the challenges this opportunity brings. It was also great to sense the rise of faith in the room - so encouraging! Let's continue to pray that God opens the door. We will meet again on the 15th July to pray and hope to be able to see further drawings of all the new building would provide. If you were unable to make last night can I ask you to prioritise that meeting on the evening of Wednesday 15th July. This Sunday our friend Lex Loizides will be speaking at all three meetings. We know from previous visits that God works in people's lives when Lex speaks - do invite your friends! Kings Church London Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#94 Steve's blog will return on Thursday 2nd July Prayer meeting 1st JulyMarriage Enrichment Seminar 4th July - pre-booking essential   Kings Church London Sun, 28 Jun 2009 19:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#93 Steve Tibbert is on Jury Service for the time being - normal service will be resumed as soon as possible! NewDay begins Fri 26th JuneAlpha tonightPhil Varley preaching at the morning meetings this Sunday and Martin Alley preaching at the 5.30 meeting Kings Church London Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#92 Steve Tibbert is on Jury Service for the time being - normal service will be resumed as soon as possible! Women's breakfast - Sat 27th June - now fully booked Kings Church London Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#91 Steve Tibbert is on Jury Service for the time being - normal service will be resumed as soon as possible Half-night of prayer Fri 19th June. Marriage Enrichment Seminar - Sat 4th July - pre-booking essential. Alpha tonight: Sun 21st June - Steve Tibbert preaching on the Old Testament Challenge. Kings Church London Thu, 18 Jun 2009 07:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#90 The next couple of weeks will definitely be different - I'm doing jury service! I'm intrigued to see how the justice system works, though losing up to 2 weeks of work time will have implications for the rest of life! While I hope that some of the time will be exciting, people who have been through this experience tell me that in reality you spend a lot of time sitting around waiting for things to happen... - not a strength of mine! And if anything interesting did unfold, I won't be able to share the details of any court case that I may hear - they have to remain confidential. So... the blog will continue to appear during this time, but will feature King's events rather my own news and comments. I had a great time this morning at our Membership Morning, meeting those who are thinking of becoming members of our church. Telling the story of Kings and sharing our vision and values leads me to thank God for all He's done - and all He's yet to do with us! I hope you enjoyed hearing the next in our Old Testament Challenge series. It was great to be at ChristChurch London this afternoon and see their progress, although it meant that I was unable to be at the baptismal service at King's. I consider it a real privilege to be able to visit other Newfrontiers churches from time to time and am glad to be able to share with you how encouraged I am by the life they show and the work that God is doing in them.   Kings Church London Sun, 14 Jun 2009 19:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#89 Today I am spending a day with Newfrontiers leaders in Leicestershire, tomorrow will be final preparation for a busy weekend. This includes Saturday morning when I am hosting and speaking at an event for full-time church leaders who have a heart to plant churches in London. In the last 8 years Newfrontiers has planted 8 new churches in the capital - we realise that it is an important means of reaching those who would never travel out of their locality to find a church. It will be exciting to meet up, pray and discuss future church planting opportunities with those who come along. Please pray for those who God is drawing to this vital task and ask that He will bring many more to join them! On Sunday, while the rest of the church will be continuing with the Old Testament Challenge series, I will be hosting our Membership Morning at Kings, and in the afternoon I am speaking at ChristChurch London. Meanwhile, there will be baptisms at our 5.30 meeting - please come along and hear their stories of how they came to faith and give them your support and prayers. Kings Church London Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#88 Having just returned from a break with the family, this week I've been settling back into a schedule of meetings, including visits on Thursday to the elders at Bournemouth and at Cardiff, while Friday was set aside as preparation time for today's preaching. I'm pleased to tell you that Andy Davies - the pastor at the Newfrontiers church in Cardiff - has made good progress since Mick and I last visited and is feeling much better. That's great news! I enjoyed hearing Andrew Wilson this evening. I'd like to recommend his book to you - it's called Incomparable - it's an excellent book and will excite you about the wonderful God that we worship! Copies are available from the Wesley Owen bookshops and any good Christian bookstore. If you like to take a book or two on holiday - this one is well worth considering! In the coming week I have a day with our Elders here at King's. Among other things, we will be looking at some of the issues that I spoke about at the Vision Evening last Wednesday. Please pray for us! I will also be meeting with Newfrontiers leaders this week and next Sunday morning (12th) I will be taking the Membership Morning here at King's. I always look forward to these! I get the chance to meet all those who are taking a further step towards us and possible greater involvement in King's, as well as sharing our vision and values with them. Then in the afternoon I'll be preaching at ChristChurch, London. This will give me the opportunity to see how God continues to bless that church!   Kings Church London Sun, 07 Jun 2009 19:17:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=June 2009#87 Each time we meet for one of our regular 'Vision Nights' there is something new to report and consider! For those who missed last night - here are some of the highlights... Our growth is still on the increase! We are seeing a 15% Sunday attendance growth on this time last year, with particularly high Sundays being Easter Sunday (30% up on 2008) and last week's late May Bank Holiday (20% up on 08). Easter Sunday was particularly notable with 1093 people attending over the three meetings and we had 33 responses (3 first time commitments, 10 baptism requests, 11 signing up for Alpha and 9 Like To Know More forms handed in). On the topic of LTKM forms - we have received a total of 142 in the period from Jan to May 09. That's a 77% increase on the same period last year! The extra space we have made with the creation of our third meeting is obviously being effective in reaching more people. As we move towards 2000 attending our meetings Sunday by Sunday we need to re-examine the outworking of our vision. It would be possible to reach the stage where we are holding 6 meetings each Sunday and we could also continue to seek for a 1000-seater facility in the area. Such growth would demand that we carefully examine how we develop and expand our excellent staff and leadership team. It would also necessarily impact our budget, which we also looked at last night. We proceed in all this things, with faith - confident in our God, who gave us this work to do! All this is amazing and exciting! Please continue to pray that God will speak and show us the way to follow. Meanwhile, we have some important things happening this weekend! This Saturday (6th June) is Newfrontiers China Day here at King's. We want to support our Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ and those who work among them to make Jesus known, both in the UK and wherever communities of Chinese people are found. Ian & Angela Moor are overseeing this day and would be glad to see you at 10am at King's on Saturday. This Sunday morning (7th) I will be continuing with the Old Testament Challenge series which many of you are appreciating. Sunday evening we will be taking a break from the series - we have a guest preacher. Andrew Wilson is a gifted writer and speaker and part of the leadership at the Newfrontiers church at Eastbourne. Come along morning and evening if you can! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:18:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#86 Steve Tibbert is having a holiday - below is an example of material posted on one of his recent Leadership blogs... I am passionately committed to broad theological thinking. The following on the creation/evolution debate is drawn from a paper put together by a theological research team - I asked them to look at this issue with reference to this year's Darwin anniversaries - 200 years since his birth and 150 years since the first publication of his book The Origin of Species... 'In complete contrast to the creation stories from the ancient Near East, Genesis reveals there is only one God, who is unique and without equal. He is all powerful and completely holy. God creates everything out of nothing and all that He makes is good. Creation has an order and purpose because God made it; life therefore is not pointless but meaningful and humanity's role and destiny is unique. We are the only creature made the subject of divine deliberation, "let us make him in our own image" (Gen 1:26), and though made out of the dust of the earth and so linked with all creation, we are the only one to receive the breath of God (Gen 2:7). Adam and Eve are made in His image and given the role of stewards of creation. (Gen 1:27-28) So, far from being an also-ran, men and women are seen to be the climax of God's creative activity. The simplicity of Genesis is deceptive for, though briefly told, the account of creation undermines alternative religions and philosophies - ancient and modern. The Bible leaves no room for polytheism, pantheism, dualism, fatalism or materialism or any other 'ism' which dethrones the one true God or robs human life of dignity or purpose. On this all Christians should agree.' To go to Steve's Leadership blog click on this address: http://stibbertleadership.blogspot.com/   Kings Church London Sun, 31 May 2009 19:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#85 Steve Tibbert is having a holiday - below is an example of material posted on one of his recent Leadership blogs... I wholeheartedly believe that the strength of a marriage is directly related to the ability of that marriage to carry increased responsibility. It must follow that we make the nurturing and strengthening of our marriages a priority. One way in which Deb and I try to do this is to regularly read marriage books together - over the years I have amassed quite a library on the subject! Recently Deb and I read two new books, For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn, and For Men Only which she co-wrote with her husband Jeff, both of which we found extremely helpful. Even after nearly twenty years of marriage it is always possible to find new insights! The importance of good communication seems to be the key building block for a great marriage and communication will be enhanced if we have a clear understanding of our spouses and how they think. What these books give is an insight into the inner workings of the minds of men and women - by understanding one another better, by appreciating our basic differences - then we will find it easier to love and support each other more effectively. I would recommend 'For Men Only' and 'For Women Only' as essential reading for every married couple! To go to Steve's Leadership blog click on this address: http://stibbertleadership.blogspot.com/   Kings Church London Thu, 28 May 2009 07:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#84 Steve Tibbert is having a holiday - below is an example of material posted on one of his recent Leadership blogs... Developing the Leader within You by John Maxwell is the most helpful leadership book I have ever read when it comes to self leadership. Here's one of my favourite quotes. 'A few years ago when I turned forty, I began to review my life. I made a list of all the things I was doing at that time. My list included: Senior pastor of a congregation of 3,500 attenders; oversight and development of thirteen pastors; President of Injoy, Inc., a company that develops resource materials for thousands of people; a national and international speaking schedule with over four hundred engagements annually; producing a monthly leadership tape for Injoy Life Club subscribers; writing a book every eighteen months; working on another education degree; and most important - taking enough time for my wife, Margaret, and our two children, Elizabeth and Joel Porter. After writing out my list my conclusion was twofold: I didn't have any more hours and therefore I couldn't work any harder; and my future growth in production would be determined by my ability to work through other people. These two realities enabled me to search for and find the most important leadership lesson I've ever learned: Those closest to the leader will determine the level of success for that leader.' To go to Steve's Leadership blog click on this address: http://stibbertleadership.blogspot.com/   Kings Church London Sun, 24 May 2009 18:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#83 News from the 35 churches that took part in the FrontEdge weekend has been really encouraging. I hear that the total response to the gospel amongst all the churches was 138, praise God! Lex will be back in the UK in July for the Brighton conference and I have invited him to speak on Sunday 5th July here at Kings - put that date in the diary! This week has been a little slower than the last few weeks which, to be honest, is a relief. On Tuesday I was in the office with the King's Team and in the evening I met with the Trustees. Their wisdom and insight, as well as their encouragement and prayers are a vital part of the governance of our church - it's a pleasure to work with them as we seek to establish King's on a sound legal and financial footing, as well as a spiritual one! Please make every effort to attend our Vision Night on Wednesday 3rd June, I will be sharing important news re our vision for King's and on the multi site issue; we will also present the budget. In preparation for all that is ahead we have the Half Night of Prayer this Friday - from 10pm to 2 am we will be calling on God together and asking Him to speak to us and guide our steps in the great ministry He has given us! On Wednesday I was with the church in High Wycombe and today I have been with the leaders from the Coign Church in Woking. Next week I am looking forward to a few days break from work spending time with Deb and the boys. But first there is this Sunday and the third of our Old Testament Challenge series. Wilben Short will be preaching - please pray God's blessing on him as he prepares. Kings Church London Thu, 21 May 2009 08:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#82 Our weekend began with nearly 300 of us enjoying the ministry of Lex Loizides and Adrian Holloway - speaking on the Authority of Christ, the Authority of the Believer and the Authority of the Gospel. Excellent preparation, not only for today, but also for our own ongoing individual mission to reach those of our friends and family who don't know Jesus yet! Today 35 Newfrontiers churches hosted gospel and healing meetings across south east England. At our own three meetings at Kings, 12 people responded to the gospel. We look forward, in due course, to catching up on the stories of lives changed and bodies mended! If you are one of those for whom this is true, please let us know! We want to rejoice with you and be encouraged together. Please contact the King's office (office@kingscentre.org.uk) if you have a story of how God has saved or healed you! To those of you who served throughout the weekend, grateful thanks! Your service, whether on the day or behind the scenes, or even in the build-up to the conference, provided a platform for God to move and save! We rejoice in yet more lives touched by His love and changed by His power... and the Kingdom of God advances - one life at a time! (Bill Hybels) Kings Church London Sun, 17 May 2009 20:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#81 Spending two days at Prayer and Fasting in Peterborough with many other UK leaders from Newfrontiers is always encouraging. I love to hear what God is doing in other churches the length and breadth of the country - and also to be able to share what we are seeing Him do here at Kings. Then there are also those leaders who are under pressure and who feel strengthened by the prayer and fellowship they receive there. In the breaks between the prayer times there is lively discussion covering the varied issues of church life - I know that Mick Taylor met with some of the Newfrontiers leaders who work with him in the Theological Forum in this way. We can also catch up with friends from churches in other parts of the country, but the main reason we meet is to focus on God and receive direction from Him for our church movement and its life! Today I am spending time meeting with leaders nearer to home - within the Newfrontiers family of churches here in London. Amongst these, it's encouraging to hear news of progress from the leadership of ChristChurch. I'm looking forward to the arrival of Lex tomorrow morning and, of course, the FrontEdge conference on Saturday and the gospel meetings on Sunday. Preparations for this major event have been proceeding for weeks! It's not too late to book in, or to come along on Saturday morning to be part of the day. Don't miss this highlight as we will receive vision for effectively reaching those who do not yet know Jesus, the Life-Changer! Please pray for the 35 guest services over south-east England this Sunday - and please include our meetings at Kings in those prayers! I am praying for another massive weekend with gospel breakthrough and healings to accompany this! See you there - it will be a great weekend! Kings Church London Thu, 14 May 2009 08:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#80 I enjoyed preaching this morning at King's and hope that you're enjoying the Old Testament Challenge series. And it was great to welcome Joel Virgo at the 5.30 meeting! Those who came along will have been able to benefit from the message he brought and also to enjoy Phil and his band as they played for us in the coffee bar area afterwards. Now I'm looking forward to two days with leaders from within the Newfrontiers movement at Prayer and Fasting. Please pray that God will powerfully meet with us! There are always those at this gathering who take encouragement from what God is achieving through us here at Kings. I enjoy being able to share the ongoing story of our life in such a context where others are eager to hear! Later in the week I will have an afternoon with the Christchurch London leadership team and then a full weekend hosting the FrontEdge conference here at King's on Saturday and Sunday. It will be great to meet up with my friend Lex Loizides, who is our main speaker at this conference on the subject of evangelistic outreach. We aim to reach more people and with greater effectiveness - the reason for this conference! FrontEdge and events like it are part of the reason that other churches and leaders look to us - while we at King's will benefit from what we hear and learn in these contexts, we are also a resource for other churches around us who would not be able to arrange and host such an event. This is a key part of the role that we see God has given us within this part of London and the south-east! A big 'Thank You!' to those who have already been involved in planning and preparing for FrontEdge and also to those who will serve us and our visitors and ensure that everything is done to a high standard! And - there is still time to book your place at this important event!   Kings Church London Sun, 10 May 2009 18:58:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#79 I have been in Darlington for the day today, speaking on leadership to about 70 leaders from Newfrontiers churches across the north of England. Then an early evening meeting with the elders from Jubilee Church, Teesside before catching a train back home. Such visits don't give me the chance to do any sight-seeing but I do get the opportunity to see and hear what God is doing within our movement in other parts of the country apart from London! Very encouraging! Tomorrow morning I will be closer to home, spending some time with the elders at New Community Church, Sidcup before (hopefully!) an enjoyable game of golf in the afternoon. On Sunday I'm looking forward to preaching in the morning at King's - this will be the second in our series on the Old Testament Challenge, which Mick began so well last Sunday. Those who come along to our 5.30pm meeting will be able to hear Joel Virgo speaking and afterwards to enjoy a coffee at the coffee bar listening to live music from our own Phil Varley and band - well worth coming to both morning and evening meetings - if you can! Kings Church London Thu, 07 May 2009 16:57:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=May 2009#78 I hope you are enjoying your Bank Holiday weekend! I was really pleased to be at King's today - the first time in 3 weeks that I had been able to attend all three meetings. I heard good things from Thursday's Alpha Meal - 67 guests and a further 38 for Alpha plus! Apparently there was a lengthy queue to get into the auditorium - fantastic to have so many people wanting to hear the good new s of Jesus! I am looking forward to preaching next week and contributing to the Old Testament Challenge series. There will be occasional breaks during this series and one of those will be when Joel Virgo speaks at our evening meeting next Sunday, 10th May. I'm really looking forward to welcoming him on that day and I hope that many of you will put that date in your diary and come along to hear him. Joel is a gifted communicator in his own right! This week I will have two days at Kings, including the second session of leading the Marriage Course for Deb and I, and then a day in the north of England with about 60-70 leaders from that region. Much nearer to home, on Friday I will meet with the leaders at New Community Church in Sidcup. Have a great week! Keep praying that God will continue to lead us forward! Kings Church London Sun, 03 May 2009 18:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#77 This Sunday we begin a new teaching series called the Old Testament Challenge; do make every effort to be there - I know you will find it worthwhile! From now until the summer we will be systematically working our way through this important part of the Bible - the Usual Suspects will be preaching... but expect to see a new face behind the glass lectern, too! The Marriage Course made an excellent start last Tuesday with twenty-one couples - it was exciting to see so many who were keen to invest in their marriage. Good marriages take time and effort from both husband and wife - whatever stage of life/marriage we are at, those of us who are married need to bring our best efforts to bear in this crucial part of our lives! I have just returned from two days with the UK team and tomorrow Deb and I are spending a day in Bournemouth with our friends Guy and Heather Miller. And a Bank Holiday weekend to come...! Kings Church London Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:49:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#76 Deb and I have returned from a weekend with Terry and Wendy Virgo and Dave and Philippa Stroud. The purpose of the weekend is to pray for each other and provide pastoral support. This is one of the few occasions where Deb and I can be ministered to away from King's; we both highly appreciate this opportunity. The week is full as always, beginning with a day in the office with the team and then the first evening of the Marriage Course - at the last count there were 19 couples booked in for this series. Those who have done the course already will tell you how good it is! Then I am in Newfrontiers meetings for the following two days, before Deb and I travel down to Bournemouth to meet up with Guy and Heather Miller who lead that church. I am looking forward to being at Kings next Sunday as the holiday and my Newfrontiers responsibilities have meant I have missed the last few weeks. See you there! Kings Church London Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#75 Since returning from Sidmouth, I've had a brilliant two days with the team here - really enjoyable and very encouraging! The news from the meetings on Easter Sunday has been a highlight - after baptising 12 people on the day, we had 3 people saved, 10 more request baptism, 11 sign up for Alpha and 9 'Like to Know More' forms handed in! What an amazing response! Our week away on holiday in Sidmouth was a great time - good weather, too! Thanks for your prayers for my visit to Cardiff last Sunday, Mick and I had a very fruitful time. God gave me a particular Bible passage to share with the church there and I felt the message I brought was well received. Please continue to pray for Andrew and Liz Davies and the church in this difficult season. This weekend Deb and I will be away with the Newfrontiers national team including Terry and Wendy Virgo and Dave and Philippa Stroud. It's always a great privilege to gather with our friends and to pray for each other - these are important times as we spend time together and work out our continuing vision to reach a nation.   Kings Church London Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:45:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#74 Now that the Easter break is over, we swing back into action this week with a two-day meeting with the elders of Kings. This is an important time when we will be looking to God for guidance  on a number of key issues - we will spend time praying together in the mornings and then one of our major areas of discussion will be around what it means to be a multi-site church - and the possibility of us becoming such a church. King's continues to grow and we want to pray and think through thoroughly how we continue to provide space for all the people God wants us to reach. The implications of such a move upon every aspect of our church life are considerable - the elders and I would value your continued prayers. I trust you have all had a good Easter and are full of faith for the new term. I'm excited by what we've achieved so far and by the considerable challenges that lie ahead for us! I look forward to seeing many of you at the Extended Leaders' evening on Tuesday (21st) - come along at 7.45pm to chat together over a hot drink ready for an 8pm start! Kings Church London Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:32:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#73 Please can I ask you to pray for my visit to the Newfrontiers church in Cardiff on this coming Sunday? Andy Davies, the leader of that church, has been seriously unwell for a number of months and I am visiting to preach in the morning to encourage the church. In the afternoon I will be meeting with the church leaders. This is a key church for our vision to bless Wales and see many churches planted, please pray that Andy will be restored to full health and that the work in Cardiff and into Wales will not be held back. This Friday (17th) sees our Half Night of Prayer taking place. With all that is going on and all that is to come (only some of which we are aware of!) it is essential that we come before God and seek Him! Please come along and join with us in prayer from 10pm until 2am - for all of the time or just part of it. Phil Varley will be preaching at Kings this Sunday - I know he will value our prayers too! Kings Church London Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#72 It was great to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ today with 12 baptisms at Kings! What more fitting way can there be to remember this world-changing event than to have yet more new Christians witnessing to their new-found faith in the Saviour of the World? It's a good thing to retain that sense of wonder at baptisms - they are a powerful witness to the love and grace of God in the lives of new Christians. Our King's Kids stayed in this morning to watch and listen - please pray for them (and the splendid team who work with them week by week!) that we will, in time, see many of them come to faith! This coming Saturday (April 18th) Simon Allen, who heads up our Social Action ministry here at King's, will be leading a Newfrontiers national day conference at Milton Keynes. Entitled 'Remember the Poor', the aim of the day is to continue to raise the profile of the need to work with and for those in great need within our society - those who God says are close to His heart. And beyond that - to explore how this can be done effectively. Please pray for Simon and all those who will be there on Saturday. Kings Church London Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:16:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#71 Many of you will be unaware that I have an American aunt! On many occasions I've benefitted from a warm welcome at her home in Crofton, a town near Baltimore, USA, so it's been a real highlight to have her visit us today and to return the hospitality. This week I have also enjoyed the opportunity to take some time to read, to pray and to reflect on all that's happening at King's and also beyond in Newfrontiers. My study week is a good time to catch breath after a particularly busy period; now I'm looking forward to a holiday with the family and to returning next week, refreshed and ready for action! This Sunday we will remember the first Easter and will celebrate with baptisms taking place at all three of our meetings. As you listen to the testimonies of God's mercy and grace in the lives of others, be encouraged that we are continuing to see God-given fruit in our mission to reach the people of south-east London! Have a great Easter break! Kings Church London Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#70 One of the joys of being in a large church is having a growing team of preachers who are developing their gifts. So, today I have enjoyed being at King's and being able to hear Robert Kwami preach again! Robert has joined the staff at King's this year so that we can be part of his preparation for a future return to Ghana to church plant there. He is a valued member of the team and is involved in various areas of church life, but especially with pastoral care and also with our youth work under Nicholas Ferguson's leadership. Please encourage Robert and Valerie during this important time with us! Apart from the experience he is gaining while on the team, we are benefitting from his insights as we seek to be a truly diverse community of God's people! I was also delighted to announce that we reached our target at our recent Gift Days. In fact we surpassed it, reaching a magnificent £26700 including the tax reclaim! If you missed the chance to contribute to this amount and would like to help increase that figure - please do participate. It is really encouraging in the present world economic situation to have this clear proof of God's faithful provision! We can all take heart from that! I am looking forward to the coming week - an opportunity to do some reading, to pray, time to walk in the countryside and to do some study and prepare for the summer term. Who knows what God has in store for us beyond Easter! Kings Church London Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:41:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=April 2009#69 Over the last couple of days I have been in Leicester, meeting with a number of key leaders from Newfrontiers. Following meetings tonight, I will then be looking forward to being at King's on Sunday. I then have a study week followed by a week of holiday. The study week will give me time and space to prepare future talks and to think about coming events and issues at King's. The holiday gives me time and space to rest and relax and have the renewed energy for all that's ahead! The last six weeks have been particularly demanding - I'm looking forward to catching my breath and spending time with Deb and the boys! See you at King's on Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 02 Apr 2009 10:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#68 As a part of the teaching today on prophecy, I read out again the prophetic word which was given to the church 14 years ago and which has shaped us as a community ever since. It provides the prophetic foundation to all we believe God for together and is an essential part of our vision. If you have ever doubted the importance of prophecy, hopefully this word will remind you of the scriptural exhortation to 'eagerly desire the gift of prophecy'. And 1 Thess 5:20-21 says, 'Do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good'. It is good to know that all we are striving for together is rooted in God's word spoken over us as a people. This week includes another day with the team here at King's and then 2 days in Leicester with key leaders from Newfrontiers churches across the UK. As always, I am grateful for your prayers! Have a great week!   Kings Church London Sun, 29 Mar 2009 18:26:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#67 If you enjoy the King's blog you might like to look at my Leadership Blog as well. (See the link to the right of this posting). Currently I'm posting a paper on Creation produced by a theological research team from within King's. The anniversary of the death of Charles Darwin and also of the publication of his book on evolutionary theory makes this a highly relevant topic for us to look at. In coming weeks on the Leadership Blog, Deb and I will be reviewing Women Only and Men Only, parallel books written by the husband and wife team of Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn, Christians from Georgia, USA - of special interest if you are married. While on the topic of marriage - we are now taking bookings for the coming Marriage Course, a practical course designed to help and encourage couples to get the most out of their marriage. This course originated at Holy Trinity, Brompton (where the Alpha Course also came from!) and runs for eight Tuesday evening sessions from Tuesday 28th April. It also includes a Saturday morning seminar on 4th July. Booking is essential and the cost (£60 per couple), covers a meal for both of you each Tuesday and all the course materials. To reassure you - there are no group discussions! Each couple sits at their own table enabling private conversations as you go through the material together. It's a great course - guaranteed to be profitable, whether you've been married for a few years or for many and has been enjoyed by lots of our members! I have just spent 2 days at King's, coaching Lead Elders from larger churches within Newfrontiers and I am now looking forward to speaking at our 3 Sunday meetings at King's on the important topic of Prophecy. With the first week of our Special Offering last Sunday we made a reasonable start but I am praying we will have a really strong second week and look forward to announcing the total the following Sunday. Earlier this week I heard that two more people have been saved at Alpha and that there are now 18 attending our baptismal training. Amazing! Praise God.   Kings Church London Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#66 Today I have been preaching at King's Church, High Wycombe. This is a vibrant church, which joined Newfrontiers a couple of years ago. It was exciting to see their progress following the launch of a second morning meeting. Being there meant I only preached twice this week! This coming week I will be meeting with the elders here at our very own King's church - to download some of the lessons from my recent trip to the States. After a busy couple of weeks and thousands of miles covered, spending some time at King's and talking with the elders and the other staff about the future of our church excites and encourages me! I look forward to sharing some of my thoughts on what I saw and heard while I was in the USA with you all in due course. I'm also looking forward to our second Gift Day next week and to announcing the total given the following week - it will be fantastic to bless Owen and the church plant at Beacon from what is given and also to clear the outstanding amount due on the crèche extension! Please continue to pray and consider your regular giving to King's. The elders and I value and appreciate your partnership in the great work that we are involved in here in south east London. Kings Church London Sun, 22 Mar 2009 20:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#65 Wasn't David Devenish great last weekend? If you were unable to attend the conference, the talks can be downloaded from our website and are well worth listening to. This week has seen me travelling to Cardiff, Winchester, Camberley and Bedford to visit church leadership teams. Fortunately, though this is a busy week, it is nothing compared to the challenges faced by the apostle Paul at various times in his ministry. Have a quick look at 2 Corinthians 11 if you are in doubt! Tomorrow I have a full day teaching church leaders at our London Training Base here at King's. Don't forget the half-night of prayer on Friday - 10pm - 2am where we will wait on God and bring to Him all that we believe He is calling us to do in these days! You probably don't need reminding that it's Mothers' Day on Sunday - Phil will be preaching at King's on this occasion. We will be taking up the first of our two special offerings - we want to raise £25,000, part of which will be given to Owen Hylton and Beacon Church (our church plant in Tulse Hill) and the rest will go to pay off the balance of the costs incurred when we extended the crèche rooms last year. Please pray about how much you should give to this extra offering and come on Sunday (or the week after) prepared to be a cheerful giver! I would also ask those of you who are members and committed financial supporters of King's to seriously consider how to respond to my request to review your regular giving. Where you are able, please give - and in faith! And where you are experiencing financial pressures, give accordingly, but also in faith! We know God is faithful and our faith comes from Him! Kings Church London Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:04:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#64 It's great to be home with the family again! I really enjoyed my time in the US and look forward in the coming weeks to downloading the things I learned while visiting two great churches at Redeemer, New York and Mars Hill, Seattle. As soon as I was back the conference was upon us! A big 'Thank You' to all who made the day work so well and who provided for the 250 people who came along to hear Dave Devenish share from his experience and wisdom on this important topic. We listened fascinated to his stories of encountering other cultures and there was lots of laughter as those who came from various cultures agreed with him on the impressions that a white westerner can make when he is far from home and trying to sort out how life works in this new country! For those who could not be there the talks will be available via the website in due course and I shall also discuss some of the issues that were raised at the conference in future leadership blogs. And Saturday wasn't the end of it as we were able to have Dave with us at our three meetings today! Out of the story of the woman at the well from John 4, Dave spoke on the need for humility in serving - and in being served; dealing with prejudice and finally - living in the power of the Spirit! Let's keep learning, growing and building a diverse community to the glory of God!   Kings Church London Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#63 I'm probably somewhere over the Atlantic as you read this! I've spent the last few days at the 'Acts 29' Church Planting Conference in Seattle which included the opportunity of spending a brilliant couple of days seeing Mars Hill Church led by Mark Driscoll. Another amazing church and another inspirational leader! While I have been away I've kept up to date with developments at Kings, including the fantastic news that over last weekend the number of people who have become Christians on this latest Alpha course has risen to 16. Praise God! I've had a great time in the US and now I'm looking forward to arriving home and seeing Deb and the boys! I am praying we will have an outstanding weekend together with David Devenish - please make every effort to be there on Saturday. Failing that I'll see you on Sunday! Invite your friends to one of our Sunday meetings, it will be a powerful day together - come ready to worship and celebrate that in Christ we are building one amazingly diverse family. Kings Church London Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#62 Spending my birthday away from Deb and the boys wasn't my ideal! But, in the circumstances, spending time at the Redeemer Church in Manhattan, lead by Tim Keller, has been a bit of a consolation! There's lots to learn from this church which started in 1989 with 15 people and now has over 5000 attending on Sundays. New York has a population of 19 million and is the 3rd biggest city in the world; it is loud, brash and full of energy. Redeemer Church operates a multi site strategy as well as multiple meetings, all of which has been interesting to see, and should prove extremely helpful to us as we consider possible next steps at King's. In between all the stimulating things I have seen at the church, I've been able to go up to the top of the Empire State Building, to walk down Wall Street and to stand in Time Square - good fun to do tourist stuff! I also visited Ground Zero - very moving... When you read this I will probably be in the air, or adjusting to another bout of jet lag as I arrive for the church planting conference in Seattle, 3000 miles west of New York. Keep praying for me! I want to make the most of this trip. I am looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday at our Diversity conference with Dave Devenish. Being here can't help but confirm my commitment to all we are doing at King's to reach the people of our own city! Kings Church London Mon, 09 Mar 2009 03:39:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#61 We arrived in New York yesterday and have spent the first day with a number of the staff at Tim Keller's church here in Manhattan. Tonight Dave Stroud has promised to take us out to celebrate my birthday - should be fun! It is a great privilege to be here and we are looking forward to another day with the leaders from Redeemer church tomorrow before flying on to Seattle on Saturday. Please pray for Debs and the Boys as they continue with their busy lives in my absence! Meanwhile, back at Kings, Alpha Saturday will be taking place this weekend and those on the Alpha course will be hearing about the Holy Spirit. This is often a significant day for all involved - please continue to pray for them and also for Annie and the team who are leading the day. And please do book in for the Diversity conference on the following Saturday (14th). We want as many Kings people to attend as possible and so have decided to offer 50 free places for those who cannot afford the £10 conference fee. In the current economic climate extra expenses may be an issue - if you can pay please do so, if you can't, don't let that prevent you from being part of this important day.  Whether you are paying the £10 fee or taking a free place, we need you to complete a booking form. Further details will be in the Kingsweek leaflet on Sunday. Kings Church London Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=March 2009#60 On Friday and Saturday, Deb and I spent time with the pastoral staff and their spouses for fellowship and prayer. While we do get together at other times, this particular event is an annual thing - we enjoy our times together and there's always lots of laughter! It's also an opportunity for Deb and me to provide some teaching and input into our remarkable team. I give thanks that we have a highly gifted and committed team who love God and His church and who serve us all so well. Please continue to pray for me as I visit Redeemer Church in New York this week, where Tim Keller is the leader. I fly out on Wednesday and then go on to Seattle on Sunday 8th to visit Mark Driscoll's church at Mars Hill. I return to the UK late on Thursday 12th in time for a day with Dave Devenish and the team before our conference on Saturday 14th March. Have you booked your place? This valuable day will help us to continue on the path to building a truly diverse church. We have the chance to hear from a major figure within the Newfrontiers movement and gain from his experience which is second to none. I am full of anticipation as to what God will do as a result of this significant day - please book now to be a part of this national event! Kings Church London Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#59 Our series on spiritual gifts is now well under way! I've heard that those of you who recently received individual prophetic words have found them encouraging - which has further encouraged me and the team! Already we can see that spiritual gifts are fulfilling their purpose of building up the body and bringing thanks and praise to Jesus! I'd encourage you to each press on with what we are learning in this series and be open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit when we are in worship on Sunday, or in our various small groups. We should be always asking God if He wants us to use the gift He has given to us. If we believe (as we do!) that God gives such gifts to His church then let our worship reflect that fact! I do hope you are enjoying this series - see you here on Sunday, when I will be speaking out of 1 Corinthians 13 on 'Love is...'  Kings Church London Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#58 Monday - Sam wins Monopoly, Tuesday - a great day's bird-watching with Josh and Sam in Kent. Avocet and snipe top sightings. Wednesday - win golf, shoot 87, a good first round of the year! In the evening Deb and I watch Slumdog Millionaire - a gripping and enjoyable film. Thursday - car in garage again, friends round for dinner in the evening. Friday - Josh's 14th birthday, Pizza Express celebration meal in the evening, Ben completes his Lifeguard training course. Saturday - house full of teenagers for Josh's party, Sunday - worship at Kings. The next six weeks are fun-packed! The highlights include a half-weekend away with King's full-time team and spouses, a 9-day trip to the US including a visit to Tim Keller's church in New York and a conference in Seattle, fly back in time for our own conference with David Devenish, visits to Cardiff, Winchester, Camberley, High Wycombe, hosting coaching of lead elders and preaching at Kings - and my 46th birthday! Kings Church London Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:46:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#57 Simon Allen, who heads up our social action ministry here at King's, tells me that they have now opened the sixth house for the Jericho Road Project, housing another 4 guys! This is fantastic news and means that we have now provided housing for 26 people (21 men and 5 women) and have reached one of our five-year goals! If you want to read more about this important part of our work at King's then go to www.socialactionjrp.blogspot.com where Simon's blog will keep you well informed with all that is happening in that great work. Our Diversity conference is now fast approaching and I want to encourage you to book in. It's on Saturday 14th March and is entitled 'Understanding Worldviews and Cultural Strongholds'. We are really privileged to have David Devenish with us - he will not only be speaking on the Saturday, but also at our three Sunday meetings on the 15th. Further details are on the website and booking forms are available. We expect increased interest in this conference from beyond King's - it will be a great day! This will be my only posting this week as I have a week on holiday. I always enjoy a week at home - this time it includes Ben doing a week's lifeguard training and Josh's 14th birthday. If you also have a break this week I hope you'll enjoy your time away from the workplace! Kings Church London Sun, 15 Feb 2009 20:11:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#56 Hope your plans for Valentine's Day are well in hand! Deb and I intend to go out for a romantic meal together. This leads me to think about next Marriage Course at Kings, starting Tuesday 28th April and running for 8 Tuesday evenings. Deb and I lead this course, and would highly recommend it to you all. If you haven't already done the course look out for further details next month when booking forms will be available. Book early to avoid disappointment! This Sunday I will be speaking on Spiritual Gifts from I Corinthians, I look forward to seeing you at King's! Kings Church London Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:54:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#55 I always enjoy the Membership morning; it was great to have 37 Interested people there this morning, investigating what it means to become a committed part of the community at Kings. This coming week I will be at the Church of Christ the King in Brighton on Tuesday and then on Wednesday I'll be in Norwich, speaking to leaders from Newfrontiers churches on our Leadership Training courses. (Mick Taylor will also be there!) Thursday and Friday we are hosting a mini conference here entitled How King's Works. We regularly get people asking to visit the church to see how we do things! Interest in our church from outside the area has increased over recent years so we felt we could best serve this growing interest by offering a 2 day conference. Do pray for the 15 leaders attending. It's satisfying to be able to do this - and another step toward fulfilling one of our goals - that of increasingly being a means of resourcing other churches, nationally and internationally! STOP PRESS! There were 87 - yes 87! - at the Alpha course on Thursday... keep praying! Kings Church London Sun, 08 Feb 2009 19:24:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#54 Any excitement at seeing the snow earlier this week was overshadowed by my first cold of the winter... 'man flu' has struck! (Poor Deb!) The car needed repairing again and then I should have been at two days of Prayer & Fasting with Newfrontiers leaders from all over the UK, but this important event had to be cancelled because of the difficult travel conditions. Sometimes the challenges of life (whether expected or not) and the demands of our daily routine can work to deflect us from pursuing God. As my cold has become worse and plans have had to be changed I have endeavoured to keep my focus on Him. We need to press on in God - whatever our circumstances! I was sorry that because I was unwell I could not be at last night's prayer meeting but I was glad to hear that it went well. It is important that we meet to call on God together in order to achieve the task He has set before us! Please continue to pray that we won't lose the momentum that we have gained. And please pray for the good health of all the team who serve us so well throughout the year. There's nothing like feeling unwell yourself to help you to appreciate how much we take good health for granted! This Sunday morning I shall be leading our regular Membership morning. Explaining our vision and values to those who are thinking about committing themselves to sharing in that God-given task always helps me to keep on track and not become distracted by incidental things. I'm looking forward to being there and meeting everyone!   Kings Church London Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=February 2009#53 Another amazing day at Kings, the baptisms in the evening were brilliant! As someone who has been a follower of Jesus for some time, I always find the testimonies of those who have come to know Him recently so encouraging. Their passion for Jesus stirs my own once more and reinforces my determination that many more people in our locality should be able given the chance to hear the Good News. If you share such a determination then I look forward to seeing you at the prayer meeting on Weds 4th Feb (7.45pm) where, amongst other things, we will call on God to bring yet more people to hear the salvation message! I will be travelling back from having spent two days of Prayer and Fasting with leaders from other Newfrontiers churches in the UK, another event which encourages me and confirms that God is blessing what we do. Next Sunday (8th Feb) I will be leading our Membership morning. This is another opportunity for those who want to respond to the recent 'Partners - come and help!' message. If you have been coming to Kings for a while and sense that this is the time to become more involved, then come along and hear me share our vision for King's. If you have any questions - come and ask them and I will do my best to give you an answer! If you intend to come, it would help us to prepare for the right number of people if you would sign up at the Info Desk on Sunday, or call the King's office and let the admin staff know! And a big 'Thank You' to those who signed up to serve at the Volunteers' Fair this morning! Your contribution to the life of the church will be invaluable in moving toward reaching the goals and aims we believe God has given us. Kings Church London Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:53:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#52 I have just returned from my planned two days with Terry Virgo and Dave Stroud and the Newfrontiers UK Team - there is so much going on the length and breadth of the country, it's very encouraging! It was also great to hear news of Terry's time in Australasia and to realise that God's world-wide plan is progressing! After a parents' evening at school last night Deb and I are spending today with Phil and Sarah Varley. I hear the Alpha course had a great start with over 70 attending! Please continue to pray for the Alpha team and the guests who have signed up for the course. And this Sunday we will be having our Volunteers' Fair at each of our three meetings where those of you who have been thinking over the call, 'Partner - come and help!' can respond in a practical way and become involved as part of a serving team. Apart from being a help with a particular ministry, this is an excellent way to help you feel part of King's - there's nothing like working together to get to know people and make friends! I am looking forward to being with you all on Sunday! Kings Church London Fri, 30 Jan 2009 09:48:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#51 I have just returned from our Newfrontiers 'Together' weekend! It was an amazing experience to join with so many Christians worshipping God together and to reflect that at one time the whole of our church movement would have been able to fit into such a venue! Now each region from Britain can gather for a similar event - not to mention countries worldwide where Newfrontiers conferences continue to attract growing numbers. It was great to see King's people chatting, laughing and eating together as we walked around the Butlins site at Bognor. In the sessions, Phil and the worship band - ably assisted by our choir - did a fantastic job! And we were well fed - the messages from Dave Stroud and Terry Virgo were encouraging and inspiring. I hope that all of those who went had a great time. I have yet to hear how things went for you all who met at Kings today, but I am sure Mick was great! Now - it's back to business! This week I will be meeting with Terry Virgo and Dave Stroud and the UK Team for one of many important times of prayer and planning as we serve the Newfrontiers churches here in the UK. And whether you were at King's today, or at the 'Together' event, I hope you have a great week! Kings Church London Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:25:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#50 Following a week which involved a lot of travel, I've been glad to spend this week around Kings; this included the well-attended Stewardship seminar on Tuesday evening and two really profitable days with the elders. I give thanks to God for this excellent team. I will spend today praying and making final preparations for the Together at Butlins weekend. Much prayer and planning has been put into this event, not only by us at King's - and now we're ready to go! I am really excited about all God wants to achieve during our time together - an anticipation which I hope you all share! I'm looking forward to speaking at the opening session on Friday evening, please pray that God helps me and that we can quickly settle in to the weekend and enjoy all the benefits - those that come from being away from our normal routine and those that come from being with God's people and spending time together in His presence! And it won't only be the young people who enjoy the sports and leisure facilities...! This coming Sunday, while over 300 from our church will be in Bognor, even more of you will be gathering to worship at the King's Centre - we will be praying that God will meet with you! Mick Taylor is travelling back to be with you at the Sunday meetings and will be preaching. I know you will give him your full support! Remember! King's meetings this coming Sunday are 10.30 and 5.30 only. Kings Church London Thu, 22 Jan 2009 09:15:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#49 I am meeting with the elders for two days this week to cover a range of topics - all relevant to life at King's. Top of our agenda will be planning towards a 4th Sunday meeting. Please pray for us as we consider this and other important issues that will impact the future of our church. If you have missed either of the last two Sundays at King's, can I encourage you to download the talks from the web site? They are important messages for exciting and challenging times. The titles are 'Partners - come and help!' and 'a Christian response to the economic downturn'. Yesterday, following a busy week, I went to watch Crystal Palace play Ipswich (although the score was very disappointing!) and then had an evening in with the family. We are now only five days away from our Together at Butlins weekend, please pray for Phil as he leads worship and for me as I speak and host the weekend. It will be great to meet with over 3500 others representing Newfrontiers churches from around London and Surrey and to wait on God together! Remember! Next Sunday at Kings - 10.30 and 5.30 meetings ONLY! Kings Church London Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:23:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#48 Following a break-in to our car my planned visit to the Canterbury church didn't happen. Instead, two of their elders came over to Kings to enable our meeting to take place. It was good to hear of continued progress in their church. I then travelled to Cardiff yesterday afternoon - please join me in praying for the pastor of the Newfrontiers church there. Andrew Davies has been suffering with cluster headaches for the last 6 weeks. Try to imagine a chain of migraines and you will appreciate something of the pain and misery involved; as well as Andrew, please remember his wife Liz, and their 5 young children... I encouraged the Cardiff elders to continue to press on in God. Today I am at the Newfrontiers church in Wimbledon and tomorrow I will be speaking all day to Leadership Trainees at the Brighton training base. On Sunday I will be preaching at Kings on the subject of a Christian Response to the Global Economic Downturn. See you there! Kings Church London Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:00:15 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#47 Yesterday I announced we are beginning to plan towards a 4th Sunday meeting! If you missed my talk, please download the podcast (available elsewhere on this website). As we reviewed our 5 year goals, I trust you were encouraged by the fact that God is doing an amazing work in our midst! Life after life is being transformed by the grace and power of God - and we get to share in this work and in the joy that follows! In Luke 5 we saw that in obedience to Jesus' request to cast their nets over the side again, the catch was so large that Simon Peter called to his partners to come and help! I believe we have thrown out the nets again and God has given us an amazing catch - we need all of us to be partners together in order to reach all that God has for us. I ask you to please take the next step! In my talk, I listed the steps as - pray, give, serve, connect and join. This week, following a day in the office with the King's team, I will travel to Canterbury and then to Cardiff on the same day! I meet up for final planning for Butlins on Thursday, then spend Friday in Brighton. Next Sunday I will be speaking on 'a Christian Response to the Global Economic Downturn'. Is there someone you know who you could invite to hear this very relevant message? Have good week. Kings Church London Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:05:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#46 I have been reflecting on the remarkable testimonies from Sunday evening's baptisms and the privilege of hearing people testifying to the amazing grace of God and how He transforms lives! This inspires me even more as we approach Sunday when we will be looking together at the vision we have for our church. Behind the amazing growth curve we are experiencing, individual lives are being changed and those lives are impacting others. As Bill Hybels says, 'The kingdom of God advances one life at a time!' My week has been spent preparing for the term ahead. During the next 3 weeks I will be speaking on five occasions, including spending a day at our London Newfrontiers Leadership Training where I will be teaching on leadership to 30+ young church leaders. Tomorrow I am travelling to Center Parcs near Thetford where 130+ Newfrontiers FP Impact trainees from all over the country have come together for five days of worship and teaching and where I will teach again. Please pray that these times will be significant for those who hear the teaching and that everyone will be encouraged and built up in the faith! After that all my focus will be on our Vision Sunday weekend. Please make every effort be with us this weekend - on Saturday night we will be having the Farewell Party for the Hyltons as they begin a new phase of ministry with Beacon Church. Owen and Pauline have been significant people for many here at Kings and Owen's contribution in the eldership will continue to be felt for years to come. Although we will miss them, we know that this is God's timing for them. Owen has helped to shape our church and we know he will bring vision and leadership to the community that meets in and around Tulse Hill. Come and celebrate together and give them a great send off! Pray for them and pray for us on Sunday as we come together to consider what the future holds for us at King's. God has much blessing in store for us - that's certain! Kings Church London Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:38:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=January 2009#45 Christmas has come and gone once again - for the Tibberts this involved a wonderful Christmas lunch at Deb's parent's home and then a fun day with my parents on Boxing Day. The annual RISK game was a great disappointment, as I was taken out early by my brother who eventually won - a real low point... ... However! These disappointments are quickly put behind us as we look forward to the challenges and opportunities of 2009. Our church stands at the entrance to 2009 with greater momentum than ever before but with a backdrop of gloom and doom as the economic downturn works itself out. We need to lift our eyes to things above - I believe we are moving into days of great opportunity for the gospel, and I will be outlining some of the exciting challenges before us at our Vision Sunday on 11th January. Please make every effort to join us to hear where I believe God is leading us in these critical times - our wonderful God in whom we can have every confidence! On the following Sunday, January 18th, I will be speaking on a Christian response to the global downturn. I see this as part of our preparation for speaking to a lost world - many have put their trust in financial security and the foundations of their world are now being shaken. Some will begin to ask deep questions about their lives. We have deeper answers! 2009 - here we go!!   Kings Church London Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#44 Another remarkable weekend, with just under 2000 attending our four Christmas Carol Services! Well done to everyone for making this another high point in our year! And thank you, too, for your gifts for the disadvantaged in the offerings. We will announce the full amount of this offering - including that given on Christmas Day - in the New Year. The money will be used to make a difference in the lives of those in Catford and Zimbabwe who need our support and love at this time. I hope your final preparations for the season are going well - I encourage you all to stay within budget so there will be no cause for regret when January comes!On Christmas Day we will meet at 10.00am only. This will be one of the few chances for us all to meet together in one place and although it might be a bit of a tight fit, I hope to see you there! On Sunday 28th December we will be meeting at 9.30 and 11.30 am only (NO 5.30pm meeting!). After that we return to our usual pattern of three Sunday meetings on January 4th. This will be my last posting for a couple of weeks as we enjoy a break for the Christmas holidays. We look forward to another year of God's blessing in 2009. I wish you all a great Christmas and a Happy New Year!   Kings Church London Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#43 Following a day with the elders' team here at Kings, a day with the team at Sidcup and then early this morning a meeting with the Newfrontiers UK team, my focus is now on our Sunday Carol Services. I had the privilege of hearing and seeing most of the content on Tuesday evening, it looks and sounds fantastic! An amazing amount of work has gone into the preparation for these four meetings. As usual Phil Varley and his team have brought together a programme that is designed to reach out to our visitors with the wonderful message of God's love for them. It will also be a blessing to those of us who know and love our amazing Saviour! My grateful thanks to everyone who has already given time, skill and effort to make the coming weekend the success that I know it will be. Musicians, singers, drama team, welcomers, car park attendants, refreshment team and those in the admin office who help to make all these things happen - you are all invaluable and your work is really appreciated! Please join with me in praying that many will be touched by God over the weekend. Kings Church London Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:47:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#42 Sam is 9 tomorrow. What happened to all those years? Deb and I used to be parents with young children!! Now we spend our spare time as a taxi service to ensure our children have a full social life. In between these commitments I have the privilege of leading King's church. Church leadership has its challenges, but it is also a huge joy to be serving God and his people. This week I will spend a day with our elders here at Kings, a day with Sidcup elders and then a day with the Newfrontiers UK team, before our carol services at the weekend. Please pray that throughout all of these services we will provide a creative and powerful explanation to our theme 'Why Christmas?' During each Christmas service we will be taking an offering to give to the disadvantaged. As we planned, 50% will go to our work here at Kings and 50% will be given away - we want to send a generous gift to our brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe. While we wonder what impact the global downturn will have on us, they live in such horrendous conditions that, as we watch the TV news, we wonder how people can survive. While we pray that God will bring them the help they need, let's also give generously to those who, at this Christmas, have so much less than we do. Kings Church London Sun, 14 Dec 2008 20:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#41 Preparations for Christmas are in full swing in the Tibbert household - the tree is up, cards are being sent, most of the presents have been bought and this evening we are attending Sam's school Carol Service. All part of the festive season. 'Why Christmas?' is our theme for our Christmas services this year. The work Phil and the team are putting into this year's event is amazing. Let's pray that many will be exposed to the wonderful truth that God took on flesh and of His plan of salvation for mankind! 'Why Christmas?' is a good follow-on to our 'Ask God' series as we try to provoke people to think beyond the popular view of the season and to ask what it's all about. We cannot assume these days that people know the Christmas story but we do know that there is often a willingness to come along to a Carol Service at this time of year - if they are given the opportunity! So, please do invite someone to come along to one of the four Carol Services (Saturday 20th December at 5.00 and 7.30pm and Sunday 21st December, also at 5.00 and 7.30pm) and please pick up your tickets this Sunday.   Kings Church London Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#40 I always enjoy being able to visit places like Willow Creek where God is working and gaining from their experience but I'm very happy to be home. There's a lot going on at King's for us all this month and it's going to take me a number of weeks to think through what I've seen and heard at Willow. Please join with me in praying that God will help me to discern what is really key for us here at Kings! Included in another full week, on Wednesday and Thursday I will be hosting two days of coaching for about 15 leaders of Newfrontiers churches from around the UK. These leaders appreciate that we make such training available to them and I am glad that this is part of the wider King's vision for being a resource church within Newfrontiers and giving to other churches. Then I shall be preaching at Kings next Sunday and look forward to showing you some photos from my time in the US! And Christmas will soon be upon us! The next two weeks provide us with the best opportunity of the year to invite friends, family, neighbours to Kings. Let's all participate in this! Our commitment to the disadvantaged continues with our growing awareness of the level of need in our world. This has spurred us to take up an offering at our Christmas events to go to support our mercy ministry at Kings and to give 50% to similar work outside the church. I ask you to give serious consideration to this offering and to come prepared to bless those who have so much less than we do. We can never forget how much we have received! Kings Church London Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:27:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=December 2008#39 My week in Chicago began on Sunday with the 9am meeting at Willow Creek church. Walking in to their 7000-seater auditorium was awe-inspiring! I heard Bill Hybels speak from Luke 3 on John the Baptist's ministry of preparation for the Messiah - a good pre-Christmas theme. During the meeting they announced their 12 (yes, twelve!) Carol Services, which makes us look like part-timers... they expect to have over 80,000 in attendance for those meetings. Wow! Waking up to 4 inches of snow on the ground on Monday morning was a great bonus. Look out for a picture next week! I met with Bill Hybels on Monday evening and am looking forward to hearing him speak on Friday at a Willow conference called 'Partnering to Prevail'. Tuesday's session by Gordon McDonald was extremely helpful - on leading a balanced life. After only a few days at this conference I'm feeling refreshed and challenged to press on in God and into all that he has for us as a church in the coming years. Away from Willow and the conference, I'm enjoying catching up on American sport on TV and also picking up on the latest developments as Barack Obama prepares for office. The appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State wasn't a complete surprise but has caused lots of discussion here in the media. On Friday it's Bill Hybels all day, then Steve Nicholson in the evening and David Anderson on Saturday morning before flying home. Please continue to pray that God will use this time to equip me for all that is before us! Hope you've had a good week! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:33:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#38 A week's visit to Willow Creek Community Church here in Chicago is a real privilege; I will enjoy hearing Gordon McDonald on Tuesday (the writer of books such as 'Ordering Your Private World') and at the end of the week meeting Bill Hybels, after which I have an evening with our old friend Steve Nicholson before going on to Baltimore and spending Saturday morning with David Anderson who visited us last year during our Diversity Conference. It feels like I'm having a very full US-style week! As I prepare for our Vision Sunday on 11th January and the exciting challenges that I will outline to you on that day, I'm looking forward to the opportunity of talking the issues through with these great leaders during the next few days. I'm hoping that my jet lag will be such that on my return I shall be able to join you to listen to Tom Shaw as he speaks at the evening meeting next Sunday (December 7th). I know that Phil has asked today for at least 20 willing volunteers to move from one of the morning meetings to help establish the 5.30 meeting with an even stronger base - I'm looking forward to seeing you then! I'm very grateful to those who will make this move and support the continued growth of our church in this way. And Christmas is still on my mind! Can I recommend a great book, either for you or as a gift for someone else? 'The Reason for God' by Tim Keller - well worth reading and then giving to anyone who has questions about Christianity. Tim leads an exciting church in New York and is a great writer and thinker. Don't forget to 'Walk Across the Room' this month - I'm praying for approaching 2000 to attend our Christmas services! Wow! Kings Church London Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:10:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#37 Having returned from the Leaders and Wives' conference at Milton Keynes last weekend I am now trying to finish off a number of things before I go to the US for a week. Thank you for your continued prayers for me - my session on 'Rest' at the conference was well received and I had some positive feedback which is always encouraging. While my thoughts are on all that the coming trip to the States will involve and bring my way, I am really disappointed to be missing the 12 baptisms this coming Sunday at Kings, I hear many of the testimonies are amazing! Don't miss the chance to encourage these new believers as they profess their faith in the Lord Jesus and commit themselves to serving Him! Support them in this important step on their Christian journey. It's the beginning of a new phase of life for them - and who knows how many of them will become future leaders in our church? And please pray for the Deb and the boys while I am away - we all appreciate your support in this way. Finally - how are your Christmas preparations going? Lots of practical stuff to think about, I know - don't forget to 'walk across the room' and invite some one to our Christmas Carol services, which will be upon us sooner than we think! (Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st December at 5.00pm and 7.30pm on both days.) Flyers are available at various points around the Kings building - admission will be by free ticket, in order to help us with catering for all the guests we are praying will attend!   Kings Church London Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:08:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#36 As always - the week ahead is full! On Tuesday the Eldership teams from both Kings and CCK Brighton have a morning together - this will be a good time of learning from each other. Then on Wednesday I will be in Bournemouth all day, meeting with the leaders of the Newfrontiers church. Next week I will be visiting Willow Creek - the church that Bill Hybels leads in Barrington, Illinois, near Chicago. On previous trips to this dynamic church I have always received some new insight that has helped me in leading, both at Kings and within the Newfrontiers movement. Those involved in the church at Willow Creek are intentionally thoughtful about all they do to reach lost people and to help them to become devoted followers of Christ, so I travel with a real sense of anticipation as to what God will say to me on this occasion! Preparations are already in hand for our four Christmas Carol services! These are major events in our church calendar and I would ask you to step forward to serve where needed and ensure that our guests and visitors are looked after to the best of our ability. I know that you understand how much we value your involvement in the success of these events which are a real showcase for us as a church. Through them we provide a shop window for those who may never have been to a church before. They learn more about us through these events than we realise!! Everything is important - the quality of the items on the programme, the warm greeting they receive as they come through the door, the way our refreshments are offered to them ... and so on! All this is apart from the vital message that they will hear of God's plan of salvation for a lost world! While on the subject of Christmas - we have decided that this year we shall be taking an offering for the disadvantaged at our Christmas services. 50% of the total will go toward our ministry to the poor based here at Kings and the other 50% will be given outside of the church. While we recognize that this is for many a time of financial constraint, we want to reach out to those who feel excluded from the basic necessities of life, let alone the good things of Christmas-time. Please think and pray about what you might give. Kings Church London Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#35 This week, following a day with our team here at Kings, including an evening discussing the opportunities of diversity with a number of people in the church, on Wednesday I have been with the Newfrontiers church in High Wycombe. Today has been set aside for my final preparation for the Newfrontiers Lead Elders and Wives' conference - please pray for me as I speak on the biblical principle of 'Rest'. As always, I aim to provide helpful practical pointers on this topic to go with the biblical teaching. This Sunday our 'Ask God' series has reached the topic of 'Heaven & Hell'. For some this is an issue on which their faith falters. How can our Loving God consign millions of people to an eternity of separation from Him? And hell-fire? Can we really deal with this as a reality? Come along and hear Phil address this topic from a Biblical standpoint and be strengthened in your faith and understanding! And don't forget the Half Night of Prayer this Friday evening (21st) 10pm - 2am Kings Church London Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:13:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#30 If you were at church today you would have heard the news that I have invited Andy Floyd to return from leading Beacon and to join the team here at King's for the next year, This has been a difficult time for Andy and the church plant - please pray that as Andy rejoins us at Kings he begins to flourish again. I preached at Beacon this morning - they were glad to know that Andy will have a place within the team at Kings and that we had given serious thought to the future of their church. This morning I also announced I have asked Owen Hylton to take on the leadership of the Beacon church plant. I have been aware for a while of Owen's desire to lead a church and therefore in light of the above developments I have asked him to take on this leadership role. I am excited for Owen as he goes to lead Beacon - he is an extremely able and experienced leader. However, my excitement is tempered with a real sense of loss as a good friend moves on to serve the purposes of God and God's call on his life. Owen, Pauline and the girls will go with our blessing and our prayers. We shall not lose close contact with them as Owen will continue to have an office base here at Kings for the time being. Owen will be greatly missed, however we trust that God will continue to prosper both the work of God here at Kings and at Beacon and we look forward to hearing all that God is doing in the Beacon church as a result of this important decision. As far as Kings is concerned, we are beginning to implement a plan to cover the loss of Owen from the staff team and I will talk more about this at our Vision Sunday at the beginning of January.   Kings Church London Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#29 I am still recovering after last Sunday's visit from Ben Davies and his exhortation to plan for more services and more sites! He communicated the gospel with much passion and conviction - a real example to all of us. This week I am spending time with the leaders of the Newfrontiers movement as we pray and discuss how we can continue to impact this nation for Jesus. Just as we at Kings are concerned to reach people in our area, the leaders of Newfrontiers want to provide every opportunity for people all over the country (and in other parts of the world!) to hear the message of salvation. Establishing and caring for new churches is very much a part of that! This means that I am away for a couple of days this week, a necessary part of my job, but I would always prefer to be at home with the family. Next Sunday (16th) I will at speaking at Beacon Church, looking forward to spending time with the people there and encouraging them in the good work they have begun. Please pray for me - and for them! Kings Church London Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:09:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#21 Ben Davies - the former senior pastor of the Newfrontiers church in Bracknell for over 40 years - is one of my heroes in the faith; it was a great privilege to have him as the preacher at our 3 Sunday meetings. If you missed it, do listen to the Podcast. My week ahead includes a day of preparation and a 3 day Newfrontiers conference where we gather about 70 leaders who are involved in caring for the 200 or so churches in the UK. I also have a key meeting in preparation for our regional weekend 'Together at Butlins' which takes place early next year. With Christmas rapidly approaching it's easy to forget this event. Please be praying that God will meet with us as we gather with other churches from our region in January. I hope you are finding the 'Ask God' series helpful. Mick got us off to a good start last week and I'm looking forward to when we pick up the series again on Nov 16th with the title 'Why did my Dad die?'. This series seeks to answer questions that concern many people. Some of us will have had conversations with those we know on these very topics - so, please invite your family, friends and neighbours to come along. Invitation cards are available at the various desks around the building! The talks also give us stimulating points to think about and ways to answer such questions when they crop up in the future.  The very practical 'Parenting Course' begins this week. If you are a parent and have not yet done this course, I thoroughly recommend it! Our children are a wonderful blessing and at the same time can stretch us beyond what we thought possible. We always need to be learning how to do better in this God-given task. Please pray for the leaders who are teaching this course and those who will attend. Finally, this Saturday (15th), our Small Group Leaders will be going to Mulberry House in Essex for an Awayday. Ben Welchman will be leading a day of training, discussion and prayer for this vital part of our church life. Please pray for them, too! Kings Church London Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:21:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=November 2008#19 Following an enjoyable 3 day break over half term, which included watching Palace lose to Notts Forest (not so enjoyable...), winning a game of golf on the 18th green and enjoying the musical West Side Story, this week has been extremely busy. A day with the King's team on Tuesday and the Bracknell elders in the evening, a day with the UK team and an evening with Beacon team (South Central), and today, a day in Bedford and then an evening with the Brickhill Eldership team. Tomorrow Deb and I have a day with leaders of the church in Bournemouth. A busy week! In fact I would value your prayers for the coming weeks up to Christmas, which include speaking at Beacon on the 16th Nov and speaking at the Newfrontiers Leaders and Wives' conference the following week, before flying to a Willow Creek conference in Chicago for a week. I will be able to spend an evening with my friend Steve Nicolson before continuing on down to Baltimore to meet up with David Anderson and preach at his church. I return to speak at Kings on the following two Sundays and complete this busy period with our four Christmas Carol Services. Finally, an encouragement to us all - I heard this week that over 40 people have responded to the gospel (first time commitments!) in the last 8 weeks. Praise God! Kings Church London Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:02:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#18 I'm looking forward to the start of the ASK GOD series on the 2nd Nov. I will be hosting the Membership Morning that first morning, but will be able catch up with the message on the podcast. Have you taken advantage of this facility yet? If you miss a Sunday for any reason - or even if you want to go over the content of a message again - it's readily available by clicking on 'podcast' elsewhere on this website. It's good to be able to use a blog like this to let you know what's happening in my world. Encouraged by comments from friends and colleagues I've decided to launch a Leadership blog to make available the lessons I have learned and am learning, with the aim of encouraging others to lead well. You can find it at stibbertleadership.blogspot.com Those who came along to the first of the Going Deeper seminars on Tuesday (just under 50 of you!) tell me that they appreciated being able to examine the important topic of Marriage. The issues covered in this short series will continue to impact us as we live as those who follow Christ in a world that does not. Some of us have personally struggled (and continue to do so) with these matters - all of us need to know what the Bible says about these topics if we are to be able to help those that we are reaching for Jesus both now and in the future. This will be my last posting for a week as I am on holiday for a few days - I shall enjoy spending time relaxing with Deb and the boys, playing some golf and then - the highlight of the week - a trip to see West Side Story as a family! For those who are having half-term - have a good break. I'll see you all soon! Kings Church London Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:48:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#17 This has been another remarkable half term in the life of the church here at Kings. Since September we have seen more people saved and more people show an interest in joining us than at any other time in our history.Our Sunday attendance is averaging over 200 more people than at this time last year. Wow!! It also has been an extremely busy time in the Tibbert Household - Ben starting 6th Form, Josh back at Secondary School and Sam doing well at Primary School. So, next week I am looking forward to a couple of days off to be with the family and hopefully enjoy a round of golf. I actually played 18 holes last Friday afternoon with my friend Ray Lowe, an excellent game, shot an 84 - an honourable draw on the 18th! I am delighted to tell you that our offering to clear the outstanding debt on the crèche extension and the new coffee bar came in at £42k, slightly short of our target of £55k, but still very encouraging. Do please add to this if you have yet to contribute. This Sunday I will be appointing an elder at Sidcup. Enjoy the last in the series of 'Just Walk Across the Room'! Kings Church London Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#16 The Alpha team tell me that we have made a great start to the year - 60 have signed up for the next Alpha course! This is our biggest course for some time - a real encouragement to the team and to us all. Our commitment is to make it as easy as possible for everyone to hear about the love of God for them and to draw them to love and serve Jesus in return - Alpha enables that to happen throughout the year. There are also a further 10 people registered for AlphaPlus, which is for those who want to further explore the Christian faith. This also reflects our commitment to enabling people to become informed disciples of Jesus, rooted into His church and serving Him and His people. This week sees the start of the 'Going Deeper' Bible studies, led by Mick Taylor and Martin Alley. In the series of three Tuesday evenings they will be looking at the vital topics of Marriage, Divorce and Remarriage and then finally, Homosexuality. These issues are regularly impacting our lives and the lives of those we care about - attending these studies will help you to be better informed as to what we believe the Bible says on these important topics. Also this week we will be starting our ministry to students and 20's. Ben Welchman will be overseeing 'CONNECTED' - a series of six Wednesday evenings focussed on this growing section of our church. We hope to see it growing even further! And for those of you who will be attending the first of this year's Small Group Leaders' training sessions on Thursday evening - have a great time together! The week ahead will see me in an important meeting with our Trustees. We are keen to continue to provide good stewardship of all God's provision. Please pray for us. I will also be meeting with John Hosier to discuss the future of training for leaders within Newfrontiers in the UK; I have an afternoon with Dave Stroud and then Deb and I will be having a meal with our friends Dave and Liz Holden. Then next Sunday I have the privilege of speaking at New Community Church in Sidcup. Have a good week! Kings Church London Sun, 19 Oct 2008 18:14:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#15 This week began with two days of Prayer and Fasting together with 600 leaders within the Newfrontiers network. Several of our leaders from Kings came too, while others remained here to cover the home base while we were away. For those who don't know, this event happens three times a year - on this occasion in Peterborough, where we meet in a fantastic church building (KingsGate Community Church - you can find out more about them at www.kingsgateuk.com). The day is divided into two-hour blocks, with breaks for drinks (no food provided!) and during the sessions we worship and pray together. Those with prophetic gifts will bring those gifts to encourage and envision us for the times ahead, others bring passages of Scripture. God speaks to us and we are there to listen! Often, we are able to discern something of the direction God wants us to take as a movement of churches and we will also benefit from the personal encouragement that we gain from these times. And we pray! We call on God for our churches and bring to Him our requests! It's an amazing privilege to be able to do this with fellow leaders as we bring ourselves to the continuous task of serving God and the churches well. We are also able, during the breaks, to meet with leaders from all over the country and sometimes beyond - renewing friendships and encouraging each other. Those of us from large churches can often take for granted the benefit we derive from being in a larger team. Leaders from smaller churches reflect back to us, on occasions, how much they enjoy these times and how encouraged they are to be a part of a larger context than their own church. The highlight for me this time was praying for the future of our movement of churches - for its leadership and direction - to build on the great foundation that Terry and others have laid down. Now we are back home and today I am meeting with the leadership team from Christchurch, London and this evening with the leaders from the Hillingdon church. Tomorrow, I go to Biggin Hill to meet their eldership - another busy week! Please remember the Half Night of Prayer tomorrow evening (Friday 17th) and be there if at all possible. Come for as along as you are able - any time between 10pm and 2am. I'm looking forward to speaking again on Sunday - my subject is 'The Power of a Story'. See you there! Kings Church London Thu, 16 Oct 2008 14:03:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#14 On Saturday Deb and I hosted an evening for all the staff team and their spouses. We have a remarkable team! I thank God for their hard work and their commitment to the church and to Christ. Can I encourage you to continue to encourage them as they serve the church at Kings? Have you taken the opportunity to dip into the evening meeting yet and sample the delights of the coffee bar afterwards? Do come along at 5.30 one Sunday and see what's on offer! And I trust that you are enjoying our latest series on Sundays (Just Walk Across the Room) and that you are continuing to look for God's Spirit prompting you to put the principles into action! The week ahead includes two days of praying and fasting together with around 600 leaders from Newfrontiers churches across the UK and of course, our own Half Night of Prayer on Friday! I have yet to hear the total for our offering today, but I will be praying that we will make our target of £55K. If you forgot, do come prepared for this coming Sunday. I value your partnership in supporting the vision we share for Kings with your time and energy and your generosity. Thank you! Kings Church London Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:29:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#13 I am spending today meeting with the Newfrontiers UK Team. It's always a privilege to be involved in leading and caring for the 200 Newfrontiers churches in the UK. The pattern for these days is to spend the mornings praying together after which we tackle what is usually a full agenda, where we discuss how we can best serve the movement and God's purposes in the nation. Tonight I am meeting the leadership team at Beacon Church. This church plant has just moved its meeting from Sunday afternoon to Sunday mornings and has found a great venue in St Martin's School hall, in Tulse Hill. I'm looking forward to finding out how this important transition has gone! Kings Church London Thu, 09 Oct 2008 12:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#12 Yet another amazing week at King's! 58 guests attended the Alpha meal and 48 of them signed up for the Alpha course which starts next week. A great start to the year! This will be the 37th course we have run in the 11+ years since we began Alpha, through which so many have come to know Jesus and have become part of Kings and ready to serve others. And this week saw the launch of the 5th house under the Jericho Rd Project. That's now 22 people who live comfortably in the safety of our houses. Praise God! Today, I spoke at our meetings on the first session of 'Just Walk Across the Room'. Since reading this book I have experienced an increased awareness of the Holy Spirit prompting me to share my faith. In the last two weeks this encouragement has lead me to pray with an estate agent for healing as he showed us around a possible office site and also to talk openly with a taxi driver. ASK GOD to lead you by the Holy Spirit through this week and walk across the room - possibly using the ASK GOD cards. Coming up: This week I'll be meeting up with the Newfrontiers UK Team - these are important times as we seek God together for the 200 churches in our care. Please - do pray for our time together! Kings Church London Sun, 05 Oct 2008 18:28:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=October 2008#11 This week it was great to meet up with John & Debby Wright, who lead the Trent Vineyard Church. Their church in Nottingham has grown from a handful of people to its present 1500+ in the last ten years. Deb and I enjoyed a meal together with John and Debby and they then spoke to the Extended Leadership Team. This great couple were full of energy and were keen to share what they have learned - and are still learning - we were challenged and encouraged by what we heard from them. We learned that from their first involvement with John Wimber and the Vineyard Movement they were gripped by the reality of the power of God to change lives and to build church - His way. I've just finished two days of coaching with 10 lead elders from some of our large churches within Newfrontiers. John & Debby were able to share some of their experience and insights at these sessions and so provoked some stimulating discussion. This coming Sunday sees the start of our series, 'Just Walk Across the Room'. It will be fantastic! See you on Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:40:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#10 (though not necessarily in that order!) Yet another great church day together, with 4 families giving thanks for their new babies this morning and committing themselves, with God's help, to the task of parenthood. Then, Stef Liston speaking at the 5.30 meeting tonight! As part of the series of articles on leadership issues, here is the next one - this time on Marriage in Ministry. This is a topic that I consider vital and which I regularly bring to leaders' groups wherever I go. I hope that you find this article helpful. Click here to download the article on Marriage, Sex and Leadership. Highlights of this week: - Tuesday 30th September - Extended Leaders meeting with John & Debbie Wright from Nottingham. 7.45pm at Kings - 1st and 2nd October - Coaching for lead elders at Kings - 1st October - Prayer Meeting at Kings - Next Sunday (5th) - start of the 'Just Walk Across the Room' series Kings Church London Sun, 28 Sep 2008 18:44:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#9 I am really enjoying these few days away together with our Elders! our agenda is full and contains major issues - but our confidence is in God - we believe He will show us the way ahead! These few days are foundational for the coming months of church life, which is why we value them. Each day begins with prayer and worship as we acknowledge our dependence on Him and it's also good for us to spend time together strengthening our friendships and working relationships. Please continue to pray for us! The Thanksgiving Service for Sue Linley took place the day before we came away. It was good to see so many there - a reflection of the genuine affection in which Sue was held and of support for Simon. We affirmed our trust and faith in God and recognised again our reliance on Him in every circumstance of life. The worship was powerful - along with the words spoken - giving those who were not Christians pause for thought. Simon, Matt and Jon, along with Denise Storrs-Fox, shared affectionate memories of Sue. The Bible says, 'Whatever is true… noble… right… pure… lovely… admirable… - think about such things' (Phil. 4:8-9) and that's just what we did. We thank God for good memories of Sue. Kings Church London Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:52:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#8 Well, that's the first time I've preached the same message three times in one day! I guess I'll get used to it in the coming months! The personal stories from those who were baptised today were great - always encouraging hearing what God is doing in others. And, yet again, we have seen just under 1000 people come through the doors of our building today, with 3 responding to the call to become Christians and 7 saying that they want to be baptised. Has anyone else any news of what God has done as a result of Lex's visit last week? Don't hold back - we can all be encouraged and praise God together! This week the Elders are away together in France staying at Paul & Charlotte Braithwaite's place. To be honest, our agenda is long and important. Can I ask you to pray for us? While we are there we will look at the key challenges facing us over the next couple of years - these times together have become critical as we seek God away from the pressures of our daily routine. We seek God together for the future of our church family! Looking to next weekend, we will celebrate the precious gift of children with families as they come to thank God and commit themselves to the exacting task of parenting! In the evening Stef Liston, the lead elder from Revelation Church - a Newfrontiers church plant in North London, will be speaking. He's a great communicator and is always worth hearing. Have you made your booking for 'Together at Butlins' yet? Over 3000 are now booked in! January may seem a way off, but there is only a week left in which to get the best (cheapest!) price possible. September 30th is the cut off date. If you can't be at the Thanksgiving Service for Sue Linley here at Kings tomorrow (Monday 22nd) at 12.15pm, I know you will be praying for Simon, Matt and Jonathan - and also for the rest of us, as we meet to remember and give thanks. Kings Church London Sun, 21 Sep 2008 18:30:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#7 It's good to be able to tell you that as a result of last weekend we are following up 70 people - many have made first time commitments, while others have recommitted themselves to God or have asked for baptism. Some are making first enquiries about us by means of the 'Like To Know More' forms. That's 70 (yes, seventy!) people stepping toward God and us - please pray for them that they will quickly find their place amongst us. Now that all the official matters have been attended to, the arrangements for the Thanksgiving Service for Sue Linley have been confirmed. The service will be on Monday 22nd September at 12.15pm here at Kings. I know that many of you will want be there to support Simon, Matt and Jonathan and to thank God for Sue and all that she meant to us. When caught up in such momentous events, it can be difficult to continue with things that have been scheduled for some time but we recognise how important it is that we continue preparing for the future. So, today I have been in a planning meeting discussing means to improve the training of Newfrontiers' pastors so we can see our churches go from strength to strength. In the light of all this and so much more, I am looking forward to the Half Night of Prayer on Friday 19th (10pm - 2am). Do join us for these four hours, or for part of the time as your commitments allow - come for half and hour if that's all you can do. We will come together before God with greater urgency as we look to the future. We look forward to baptisms this Sunday. I always love hearing the personal stories, whether eloquent or stumbling - God's grace and compassion for people always comes through! Kings Church London Fri, 19 Sep 2008 08:35:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#6 I have just got in - exhausted but happy, what an amazing day! After months of prayer, planning and preparation we launched our third meeting. In all, over 1100 people attended through the 3 meetings - 300 at the 5.30 meeting - but more wonderful than that was to see 45 respond to the gospel appeal, 26 of which were first time commitments. God is good. All the time!!! Do you have a personal story of meeting with God this weekend? Have you heard any personal stories from others? Please let the office have them so we can pass them on to Lex and take encouragement ourselves. The coffee bar looked great - I thought the team handled the stream of people who flocked to the bar brilliantly. Let's hope they don't get head-hunted by Starbucks! A great start to our new church year! We're expecting God to continue to increase our capacity for all He has for us in the immediate future. We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and to mourn with those who mourn - this is no conflict, but the reality of our life on earth. He gives us the resources for all he calls us to do and his provision is perfect! Coming up: Sunday 21st: Baptisms Sunday 21st: Greenwich Church plant launches Kings Church London Sun, 14 Sep 2008 19:31:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#4 As I write, our week of outreach is in full flow! It's been good to see those of you who have helped with handing out flyers to commuters at local stations. In the middle of all this activity, don't forget to invite family, friends and neighbours to one of the Sunday meetings. In the past we have seen some of our highest numbers attending in September and I'm looking forward to seeing if we can break all previous records. The Olympics has had that effect on me! Lex has landed and even now will be preparing for being with us at the weekend. We want to see many won for Christ, prayed for and healed. In this way we can share the grace of God with people from all over our area. We want them to enjoy the blessings of knowing Him! Pray for Lex and for those who will come who have never heard the Good News before. Ask God to give you people to invite and pray for them earnestly! Saturday's day of outreach is important preparation for the success of the coming weekend - I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible when we meet at Kings at 10am to go into local shopping areas to distribute leaflets and invite people - lost people! - to come along on Sunday and meet our great God! When we gather as God's people on Sunday there will be a great sense of anticipation as to what God is going to do. We have prayed! We have invited our friends and neighbours! God in his grace will act! My time with the Home Counties' church leaders went well this afternoon - It's always a privilege to meet with those who oversee and care for our churches. The bookings for 'Together at Butlins' in January continue to flood in - don't miss the chance to book at the reduced rate - this opportunity ends on the 30th of this month and the way things are going we may have very few places beyond that date anyway! It's encouraging that so many from the region have already signed up! Here I am preaching on Vision Sunday - the last time we met in two meetings. I can't wait for Lex preaching three times this Sunday. Exciting times are ahead! Steve. Kings Church London Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:59:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#3 Our preparations for Vision Sunday and all that follows have been tragically interrupted with bad news. Many of you will have heard that Sue Linley collapsed while on holiday in the US. She and Simon were walking in the Grand Canyon with Jonathan, their younger son. Transferred to hospital by air ambulance, Sue was diagnosed with swelling on the brain and we understood that her condition was very serious. Just before the prayer meeting we had called for Thursday evening, Simon rang to say that Sue had been pronounced dead. Our own shock at this news can only be a faint reflection of that felt by Simon, Matt, Jonathan and the rest of their family. To them, we give our love, prayers and support – and to God, our grateful thanks for Sue and a life well-lived. Sue had a quiet confidence in God that came from years of relationship with Him. With Simon, she has served God in the church in many different ways – helping oversee small groups and being part of the worship band, amongst others. Her contribution and her warm smile will be greatly missed. Just before this sad event, Jo Cameron's mother died suddenly on returning from a missions trip. Our love, prayers and support go out to Jo and Peter on their loss and to Rachel, Nathan and Aaron, their children. In such situations, we grieve – and rightly. But we do not grieve without hope. And we do not lose heart! Sue's was a life committed to the vision of this church – she was a highly supportive leader and was right behind our desire to make a difference for God in this area. In the midst of all of this, I was reminded today of God's goodness and favour to us as a people as we lift our eyes to the challenges of a new term. You can listen again (or for the first time!) to the message from this morning's Vision Sunday by picking up the podcast, also available on the church website. So! Here we go! A week to spread the gospel! Have you seen the billboard yet? (Neither have I – it goes up sometime this week!) Have you heard us on Premier Radio? Or seen the King's 'ad' in Lewisham Life magazine? Have you invited someone to come to our third meeting? Or to hear Lex? I'm praying for an opportunity to invite someone this week. Have you forwarded the e-mail invitation to someone? I'm praying that thousands of people in the borough of Lewisham and beyond get an invitation to join us. This will only happen if we all choose to get involved, so can I ask and challenge each of us to make a contribution this week? There are three opportunities. We will be leafleting at local train stations in teams, between 7am and 8am, Tuesday to Friday. Please meet with us at these stations at the following times: Tues 9th – Honor Oak, Forest Hill and Sydenham Weds 10th – Hither Green and Lower Sydenham Thursday 11th – Lee, Bellingham and Ladywell Friday 12th – Catford, Catford Bridge and Lewisham (BR and DLR) During the week in the evenings members of our small groups will deliver leaflets in the roads where they meet. If you cannot make any of the above, then please join us and Lex Loizides at King's on Saturday 13th at 10am – we will be going into three local town centres (Catford, Forest Hill and Sydenham) handing out leaflets and asking people to complete a simple questionnaire.Do pray for Lex as he arrives on Thursday, speaks at our youth event on Friday, leads us on Saturday as we hit the streets and then speaks at the three meetings on Sunday (9.30, 11.30 and 5.30). Does anyone want to buy me a hot chocolate at the new coffee bar after the third meeting?Don't forget to get your copy of 'Just Walk Across the Room' – available from the bookstall on Sundays at a special price of £5.50 – elsewhere you will pay two or three pounds more! And don't miss the first cut off date (Sept 30th) to get the cheapest prices at Butlins for our Newfrontiers regional weekend next January. Coming up: This Thursday morning I'll be speaking to 50 Newfrontiers leaders from the Home Counties on 'Leading in a Time of Crisis'. Kings Church London Sun, 07 Sep 2008 21:36:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=September 2008#2 Just returned from speaking to some full-time leaders who head up our Newfrontiers churches in London. I spoke on 'Leading in a Time of Crisis', out of 2 Corinthians 4 - key phrase - 'We do not lose heart'. It's always good to meet up following the summer break and hear the news of all God is doing across the 25 churches in London. (over 2300 booked into 'Together at Butlins' – and counting!) The fish and chip lunch was also extremely enjoyable. Now my focus is all on our Vision Sunday! Kings Church London Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:22:00 http://www.kingschurchlondon.org/resources/blog.php?my=August 2008#1 This is a new venture for me - I hope you'll find it useful and informative. I intend it to be a way that you can find out about events coming up in church life and to keep in touch with my world. There will also be occasional news of any sporting achievements! While on holiday across the summer with Deb and the boys, I've been enjoying, amongst other things, playing cricket on the beach, golf, running and swimming. I love getting quality time with Deb and the boys and this year Team Ben & Josh won the Sporting Competition, narrowly beating Team Dad & Sam. I've also had time to think ahead - I am so excited about this coming year at King's! Can I encourage you to be there on 7th September for our Vision Sunday, when I will lay out in more detail our aims and goals for the year. Don't miss it - there's always a sense of expectancy as we depend on God to provide the means to achieve what He's laid on our hearts. And it's going to be a great year!! Planning for the third meeting, which we will launch on Sunday 14th September at 5.30pm, has been under way for some time. I am sure that yet again we will step up to the challenge of providing another time and place where the people of the communities of S E London can come and hear about Jesus - and meet the great God that we serve! Lex Loizides from Jubilee Church, Cape Town will be with us for that weekend, preaching at the Sunday meetings. It will be a great time! During the previous week (Tues 9th - Saturday 13th September) we will be publicising the third meeting in the locality - giving out flyers at local rail stations etc. Look out for the large (huge!) ad we have taken out on the display board by the bridge at the Catford Stations and take the opportunity this will provide to talk to your neighbours and friends about what's happening! There's a lot to tell you about in the coming months. My plan is that this blog will be a weekly event and that alongside it, on a monthly basis, will be an article giving a bit more depth on a particular topic of interest to church leaders. This month you can read about some of the lessons we and other churches have learned in going to a second Sunday meeting and those we anticipate will emerge as we go to a third. Click here to download this month's Article on multiple meetings. Coming up: Together at Butlins Don't forget that September 30th is the first cut off date for bookings for 'Together at Butlins' - our Newfrontiers regional weekend away (January 23rd - 25th 2009). After that the prices will go up, as they will again after 30th November. To get the best price - book now. Leaflets with all the details on how to book are in the reception area and at the Information Desk on a Sunday. If you want to see the range of accommodation available you can go to the Butlins website (www.butlinsonline.co.uk). Walk Across The Room In October we begin a new series at our Sunday meetings entitled 'Walk Across The Room'. This four week series is designed to equip and inspire us to reach out to others with the message of the grace of God. 'A simple walk across the room, leaving our circles of comfort and extending hands of care, compassion and inclusiveness to people who might need a touch of God's love today'. This series is based on work done by Bill Hybels and the church at Willow Creek, Chicago, USA. We have benefited from their experience in the past and I'm sure we shall gain much this time as well. Kings Church London Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:46:00