The Welsh Revival Pt 5: A River Runs Through It

This account comes from Lester Sumrall's book - Pioneers of Faith. Sumrall relates how he met Smith Wigglesworth during the dark days of World War II and gives the following account about a vision of Revival Wigglesworth was given by God:

"... Shutting his eyes again, he said, 'I see the greatest revival in the history of mankind coming to Planet earth, maybe as never before. And I see every form of disease healed. I see whole hospitals emptied with no one there. Even the doctors are running down the streets shouting.'

"He told me that there would be untold numbers of uncountable multitudes that would be saved. No man will say 'so many, so many,' because nobody will be able to count those who come to Jesus. No disease will be able to stand before God's people... 'It will be a worldwide situation, not local,' he said, 'a worldwide thrust of God's power and God's anointing upon mankind.'

"Then he opened his eyes and looked at me and said, 'I will not see it, but you shall see it. The Lord says that I must go on to my reward, but that you will see the mighty works that He will do upon the earth in the last days.'

"... The idea that I would get to see this revival was almost overwhelming. And in the last decade or so, I believe we have seen this revival begin to sweep the earth. We have seen amazing moves of God in Africa... Recently, I was in China and met with the underground church. I was told there are at least forty-five million Full Gospel Christians in China. I discovered a depth of prayer and integrity there that I have not felt anywhere else in the world... So I believe we are seeing Wigglesworth's prophecy begin to be fulfilled. We are seeing the first stages of it."

Or as my welsh friend so aptly put...

"No matter how bleak it looks, when the time is right, the tide HAS to come back in. It is inevitable..."

The Welsh Revival Pt 4: The Tide Is Turning

"I see the greatest revival in the history of mankind coming to Planet earth, maybe as never before.." Smith Wigglesworth

The River Loughor sits just behind Loughor village and next to the Pits where Evan Roberts regularly worked as a child.

This area of the Bristol Channel has the second highest tidal range in the world (the first is in New Foundland). However when the tide is out, the picture of barreness is striking. The lack of water leaves vast areas of rocky, muddy desolation, with nothing but a few quiet streams trying desperately not to dry up in the bleakness.

As we looked out over this river, with revival and restoration on my mind, I was reminded of the desolation I see in my generation today. Millions of hurting, lost, broken people, desperate for an answer and escape from their dry lives. Thousands of children growing up in broken homes, with no hope of an answer. Myriads of teenagers left barren and empty due to alcohol, drugs and abuse. The list of problems is endless and the scale of the bleakness overwhelming. Nations oppressed by a Devil they no longer believe exists.

It was whilst looking at this bereft but beautiful coastal scene that our guide began to share a vision he had of the turning tide in Britain. He said something like this...

"This tidal range in Loughor is the second highest tidal range in the world. And so too was the Welsh Revival, part of the second highest wave of God to hit the nations in the 20th Century. But look again at the desolation you see around you.. Because the tide that is to come will be bigger and greater than the all the ones that have gone before. The tide will sweep away the barreness and restore life to the wasteland. For no matter how bleak it looks, when the time is right, the tide HAS to come back in. It is inevitable..."

The greatest challenge of the aspiring revivalist is choosing what we focus on. Do we look to the desolation or do we begin to wait expectantly for the river to flow afresh... Look at the small stream in the middle of the desert land... are you ready for it to burst out? Isaiah 35 puts it like this...

"Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert."

The Welsh Revival Pt 3: The End Of The Affair?

This Visitor's Book from Moriah Chapel unexpectedly held one of the most exciting secrets of the Welsh Revival and perhaps the most enduring image of my personal visit to Loughor... You will soon see why.

The Revival storm that hit the hills and valleys of Wales in the dying months of 1904 soon became a hurricane that affected the world. Visitors from France, Turkey, the U.S, to name but a few came to visit and as they caught the flame they passed it on to new countries. Welsh communities throughout the world felt the effects and news of God’s powerful work soon had many other churches praying that God would visit then as well – the Khasia Hills in India being a perfect example of prayer answered. The public excitement of the local Revival had died down by 1906 - Evan Roberts went to Leicester to recuperate – the newspapers went back to politics and other things but for many, the honeymoon of these 2 years developed into a lasting and loving relationship with a risen Christ that continued a lifetime.

"When someone asked one elderly Revival convert some years ago as to whether the Revival stopped in 1906, she answered – it is still burning within my heart – it’s never been extinguished – it had burned for over 70 years..."

Herein lies the great secret of the Welsh Revival, which was revealed to me afresh as I scoured the pages of the latest jam packed Chapel Visitors Book. All over the pages were personal hand written prayers of hope and fire, written in almost every language ... from Chinese to Arabic, these words expressed an ongoing burning desire and passionate prayer of Christians, crying out for God to move afresh today.

What is the secret? It never stopped. It never stopped. IT NEVER STOPPED!!! Millions of hearts are still burning today because of what happened in 1904. Yes, the chapels of South Wales grew cold and the light of Roberts was forgotten across the valleys. But yes it will return again. Because across the nations... the light was just beginning to shine. From Khasia Hills to Beverley Hills, the ongoing fire of God's spirit has burnt brightly ever since.

The simple truth is that it was PENTECOST that gave us the Welsh Revival not Evan Roberts. It was PENTECOST that gave us Asuza Street in 1906, and PENTECOST that has sparked the seeds of the greatest revival the world has ever known brewing throughout the 20th Century. It began with Pentecost and it will end with Christ's return... And maybe, just maybe, you and I will be graciously allowed to see it in our lifetime. Maybe we can be part of the river. If we are willing to get ourselves wet. The Welsh Revival was a snapshot... the best is yet to come... and indeed, if you are willing to flick through the pages of an insignificant visitors book, in a cold empty chapel, at the edge of the valleys, you may just find it has already begun...

The Welsh Revival Pt 2: Beyond The Chapel...

Real people were changed in so many ways during the Welsh Revival.

The waves of reviving power reached way beyond the walls of the chapel... There were hard to reach, tough nosed locals impacted by Jesus. Men from the pits who did not take lightly to religion, brought to tears and repentance by the surprising presence of God.

There was a landslide of "goodness" all across the valleys because of the prayer, worship and evangelism of those who were gripped by God. Colliers and tin-men of the working classes expressed their joy in so many ways – so many original prayers. The coal pits themselves became chapels of Grace.

The crime rate dropped, drunkards were reformed, and pubs reported losses in trade. Bad language disappeared and never returned to the lips of many – it was reported that the pit ponies failed to understand their born again colliers who seemed to speak the new language of Zion – without curse and blasphemy – even football and rugby became uninteresting in the light of new joy and direction received by the Converts.

"Families were made whole again as fathers, who were once more concerned with drinking and violence, returned to take their place at the family table."

Why not take a minute to think about what Revival would look like in your town, in your workplace and in your family. How will the hard to reach people in your land, be transformed forever? How can the darkest of places, become chapels of Grace?

What will the landslide of Goodness look like for you?

The Welsh Revival Pt 1: A Short History That Could Change Our Future

THE FOLLOWING POSTS HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE HISTORY, IMPACT, LESSONS AND INSPIRATION FROM THE 1904 WELSH REVIVAL, INCLUDING A PERSONAL REFLECTION OF MY RECENT VISIT TO ITS BIRTHPLACE IN LOUGHOR, SOUTH WALES.

A BRIEF HISTORY...

(Thanks to 1904revival.com for the inspiration)

A century ago Wales experienced the last National Religious Revival, a revival that brought in an extra 100,000 new converts according to the estimates of the time, and a movement that quickly spread to the 4 corners of the World.

This was a move of God marked by the influence of ordinary men and women – especially young people. For example, a young girl from Cardigan called Florrie Evans, was in a youth meeting in February 1904, when she bravely declared publicly that she loved the Lord Jesus with all her heart. With these words the Spirit seemed to fall on the meeting and the fire quickly spread to other young people in the Cardiganshire area.

In September of the 1904, an Evangelist Seth Joshua, was addressing a Convention which included groups of young people just 5 miles north of Cardigan. Seth himself had been praying for years that God would raise up a young man from the pits to revive the churches – little did he know that on Thursday September 29th 1904 his prayer was to be answered in a life changing experience for one 26 year old student, Evan Roberts. Evan Roberts was born in 1878 in the small town of Loughor in Glamorgan, just 7 miles away from Swansea. Having left school at 11, he worked with his father at the colliery until he was in his early 20s – he then for a short time became a Blacksmith’s apprentice with his uncle.

For years Evan had been a faithful member of Moriah Calvinistic Methodist church at Loughor and during that time he had been praying for revival for over 11 years. Having been converted as a young teenager, he continued to pray regularly that God would visit again the nation in Revival Power. Determined to do his part, he felt compelled to go into the Calvinistic Methodist Ministry and on September 13th 1904 he became a pupil at a local Theological College.

It was only 2½ weeks after arriving that he found himself at a crossroads in his spiritual experience. An experience which would lead him back to the young people of his own church Moriah Loughor where he shared his experience and encouraged them to be open to God’s Spirit. Within two weeks the Welsh Revival was national news and before long, Evan Roberts and his brother Dan and his best friend Sidney were travelling the country conducting Revival Meetings and they were meetings with a difference. Meetings which broke the conventional and bi-passed the traditional – often the ministers just sat down unable to preach or even to understand what storm had arrived in their usually sedate temples.

This was a Revival with youth on fire – young men, yes and women. After the first stirrings amongst the young women of New Quay, young women continued to play a part in the Revival work – young Florrie went on a team to North Wales with her friend Maud – others used their voices as instruments of God’s message.

Yes a storm had hit the churches yet for so many it was a storm of love and power which completely transformed their lives...

And if we are willing to look back in history, this storm might just show us a vision of the future...

Making an Impact in the Workplace!

In the past I have been struck how many young people I have met in the church (including myself) whose main aspiration was to ‘be someone’ in the traditional church set up. Of course, by ‘someone’ that usually meant the preacher up the front, the trendy worship leader or the ‘full time’ minister.

Nowadays however, I can see a shift is taking place across the Church, meaning we can no longer easily use phrases like ‘full time’ as if ministry is something for the exclusive and privileged chosen few. Maybe there is a generation arising that have transitioned their thinking from a Ministry or Work mentality to a Ministry in Work pattern or even dare we say it... the idea that Work IS Ministry.

The bottom line for Christians is this: At the beginning of time our work was seen as part of the curse. The power of the Cross means that our work can be seen as part of the redemptive solution.

Most of us believe this in principle, but we still find it hard to compare equally someone who sells widgets all day over the phone, with someone who is on stage healing the sick in front of thousands. However, both expressions of ministry can be valid contributions to God’s Kingdom, and the challenge for us all is to begin to see our whole lives (not just the so called spiritual parts) as integrally set apart and holy for God. As one writer puts it:

“Most of us are Christians and something else; i.e.: A Christian and a Doctor or a Christian and a Manager. We do not engage in our daily tasks integrally as Christians ... Well-meaning Christians are merely adding faith to their vocation rather than letting faith transform their vocation."

Can our faith transform our vocation? Whether you are a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker, I believe it can. Your 9 till 5 can be a place to serve and glorify the God who lives in us 24/7. Beyond any type of human activity, it is our heart attitude, our character and our contribution that makes the difference. It is who we are that makes an impact, whether getting on the stage, or getting on with a task list. True ministry is simply service to God no matter what shape it takes.

The worlds of work and ministry can fit together. For every elder, priest, prophet and apostle we find in the Bible, there was a shepherd, potter, carpenter, teacher or a physician. More importantly these two worlds often collide (whoever heard of the carpenter prophet? Can you imagine a tentmaker apostle?) Each character in the Bible was given a special purpose and part to play in God’s big unfolding story – just like you. Today, the walls are breaking down and the boundaries are being blurred. We are not defined by job titles; we are defined by our life in the spirit.

Jesus showed us how to live holistically, seeing everything as spiritual and walking in humble service whilst operating in mission focussed power. By the power of the Holy Spirit, why can’t we do the same?

24/7 ministers, like you and me, see their workplace as a place to serve others. When we serve with excellence, go the extra mile, and generously give of ourselves to customers and co-workers, we genuinely let our lights shine. Show me a gossip free person, who lives by their convictions, doesn’t moan or complain, forgives mistakes quickly, admits their own even quicker, and works hard in any circumstances and I will show you someone who stands out from the crowd, revealing Christ and his Kingdom to the world. Show me a Christian who stands steadfast, secure and free from fear, in the midst of job losses and credit crunches, and I will show you someone who is sounding a prophetic voice to the nations.

24/7 ministers like you and me, see their workplace as a place to reach out to others. Most jobs have regular contact with people – human beings - and because of this we can see ourselves as missionaries every day. The gospel can be displayed through our caring actions, our listening ear, and that big report that gets delivered on time. People need Jesus, and where you are, Jesus is there too.

Through our jobs, we have a unique opportunity to show creative expressions of what our God is like through our daily work tasks. Our God is like a composer, a potter, a gardener, a farmer, a shepherd, a builder and an architect. Is it worth taking a minute to prophetically envision ways could God be expressed through what you do as a job?

When we get a revelation of being a minister in the workplace, we will quickly find that not everyone will be pleased with us all the time. When people encounter the upside down kingdom of Jesus Christ they can sometimes paradoxically perceive our humility as arrogance or our love as judgement. If you want to make an impact in the workplace, we must heed Jesus’ words of “Woe to you when all men speak well of you”. Church Planter, Neil Cole, says that people are either like Moths or Cockroaches when it comes to our God-given light – they are either attracted to it or they scarper! If we are caught up with gaining approval from others then we won’t be able to make the most of every opportunity God gives us.

In the midst of disapproval, uncertainty, stress and difficulty, we can draw on the support of fellow Christians, soak in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit and use the power of the Sabbath to help us persevere. As people see our righteousness, they hear a message as powerful as any preached word.

Whilst the world is saying Thank God it’s Friday and the church of the past said Thank God it’s Sunday, what a joy to be part of a rising generation that is able to Thank God it’s Monday too...

A Prayer of Blessing

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain in to joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

A Life of Worship Quote

"A life of worship does not occur when we are told how to feel about God but instead naturally occurs when we begin to comprehend who God is."

Praying to Dad!

Becoming CREDEMPTIVE...

This extract from an article about redeeming culture makes very interesting food for thought...

Instead of simply condemning, critiquing, consuming, and copying culture, the way forward is to create a good alternative. Otherwise, we are simply left at square one, with very little Christian progress in various cultures. So, instead of bemoaning bad movies, make better ones. Instead of copying contemporary music and inserting Christian lyrics, create new music and contribute to cultural change through innovation and creativity. Draw attention to your Creator through superior or innovative cultural action.

I suggest that we engage culture redemptively and creatively (“credemptively”?). Instead of choosing between the two, what would it look like for you to bring a redemptive worldview into your workplace, where you bring a gospel perspective upon a problem or person, while also working well to generate new solutions and answers? When you gain success, redemptive engagement calls you to make much of God, not of yourself. Instead of bemoaning the failing copier, you take the time to fix it and then use it to make copies of your new ideas to better your company! Instead of bragging that you fixed the seemingly unfixable copier, you remain humble and rejoice in the fact that it is working! Instead of just making new innovative music, make music that gives proceeds to relieve poverty and rest in Christ for your significance, not in your notoriety. Be credemptive!

Visit the full article here...

http://www.theresurgence.com/series/Redefining_Culture_and_Engagement

"Do you know what an idol is? An idol is anything you have to check with before you say YES to God" Kris Vallotton

No Matter What Is Going On For You.....

Mark 5:25-29 (The Message)

"A woman who had suffered a condition of hemorrhaging for twelve years, a long succession of physicians had treated her, and treated her badly, taking all her money and leaving her worse off than before had heard about Jesus. She slipped in from behind and touched his robe. She was thinking to herself, "If I can put a finger on his robe, I can get well." The moment she did it, the flow of blood dried up. She could feel the change and knew her plague was over and done with. "

Watch this here... Nicole C. Mullen One Touch [Press]

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THE LIFE OF THE LEGACY LEAVER

When I was at school we all had the opportunity to receive "misplaced" careers advice from a so called "qualified" professional who spent her days keying random bits of info into a computer and calculating a useless list of careers that we would all be most suited to. I kid you not that my biggest job choices came out as hairdresser and flower arranger. This vital conclusion was reached after asking me a series of inane questions such as "do you enjoy stacking things such as shelves?" and "what kind of meat would you not be willing to pack in a warehouse?" and so on...

Aside from the fact that I would make a terrible daffodil arranger, there are at least three jobs I am quite positive I would never be recommended to try out.

I mean can you imagine what it would be like? Being sleep deprived for days. Being woken up at 5am by the sound of a man in uniform shouting at you. Eating leftovers from the bin as a main meal and running aimlessly for miles without a clue where you are going. Before you ask, I am not talking about freshers week at uni as a student. I am thinking of what it must be like to be in the army.

In all honestly, being some hot shot SAS soldier is probably one of the things I am least suited in the world. I sort of share the army's motto to BE THE BEST, but my "best" doesn't stretch to doing 1000 press ups naked because I forgot to shine my shoes before my potato peeling shift.

Another career I would be certain to underperform at is that of the professional athlete (how to state the obvious I hear you say). One famous basketball coach once said "For an athlete to function properly, he must be intent. If you are not intent about what you are doing, you aren't able to resist the temptation to do something else that might be more fun at the moment.” The reason I would be rubbish is that I am too caught up with doing the fun things in the moment. I sometimes think I would rather have a short term kitkat break than a long term gold medal plan.

Finally, The Farmer is one role that I am in awe of and think is something that has been wildly undervalued over the last few years in Britain. I don't think I could ever do it. I have great respect for anyone who can have the resiliance and commitment to ensure that everyone has enough food on their table often at the expense of having it on their own.

Whilst the roles of soldier, athlete and farmer freak me out in the natural, I open my Bible to 2 Timothy and find my good friend Paul encouraging young Timothy to consider and copy the mindsets of these examples.

Like a soldier we must obey the commands of Jesus and not get caught up with affairs that are "civilian" or in other words "temporary not eternal" and not worth getting sidetracked by. These are the things that can hinder our lasting legacy. These affairs seem to be different for each one of us, but the challenge is always about heeding the call to longterm obedience rather than the draw to short term pleasure. I wonder what these things look like for you? This picture of the soldier is a stark reminder that we need to toughen up and realise that our walk with God may sometimes simply be downright difficult and hard. Something I rarely hear preached on a Sunday.

The key to not being caught up in "civilian things" is to take on the attitude of the athlete who learns to keep one eye on the rulebook and the other eye on the prize. It is about a disciplined approach of setting your sights on the eternal prize without letting go of knowing the right steps to take along the way. It is a form of earthly self control with heavenly vision that each of us must consider to ensure we win our race.

The great principle that we reap what we sow is of course correct in farming terms as well as in the spirit. It is simple justice that a farmer should be the one to taste the best of their crops, even though nowadays they rarely seem to do so. Not so in Pauls times, the farmer knew the season, knew the seed and expected to reap. So too in my life, I am to prepare for the season I am in, sow the right seed and live with fresh expectation for my share in the harvest. This is the attitude of the legacy leaver.

Lord, may we all live with the perseverance of the soldier, the vision of the Athlete and the wisdom of the Farmer. After all, these are three jobs I could never do, but three attitudes I am challenged to live by. Anyway, I am off to arrange some flowers and attempt to cut my wifes hair...

Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. And athletes cannot win the prize unless they follow the rules. And hardworking farmers should be the first to enjoy the fruit of their labor. Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things. 2 Timothy 2:3 - 7

How to leave a Legacy Part 4

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Timothy 2:1-2

I am quite sure that if Paul the Apostle was alive today then it is perfectly obvious (!) he would have used the examples of Paul Scholes, The NoroVirus and Pylons to demonstrate to Timothy the power of passing things on.

According to popular opinion, Paul Scholes is supposedly the greatest midfielder in the Premier League at the moment. His ability to pass the ball is legendary. The reason he is so effective in the field is that Paul Scholes knows how to pass it on.

Affectionately known as the "winter vomiting bug", the infectious Norovirus caused Heston Blumenthal a nightmare recently when it decided to infect 40 of his guests at the £130 a head Fat Duck restaurant. This badboy spreads faster than Anchor butter straight from the fridge. It knows how to pass it on.

According to pylons.org there is a Pylon Appreciation Society for people who "appreciate" electricity pylons. Before you laugh, heed the warning of the clubs creator who says "It's funny how many people accuse me of being mad or geeky - and then they send me photos or ask for more information!" I will give their fans one thing - these pylons really know how to pass electricity on. (You know you wanna join!)

When Paul writes to Timothy with a deep desire for him to create a lasting legacy with his life, one of the clearest points he wants to get across is that he must learn to pass things on to others. It is not just about having a sense of history, we must have a spirit of destiny as well.

The picture of four runners in a relay team is a really good one here. Paul (1) has the baton first, he passes it on to Timothy (2), who must pass it on to others (3). These men (4) must in turn be equipped to pass it on in order for the race to be won. There are four generations and beyond that must be able grasp hold of the baton of truth. It is almost as if Paul does not consider success until eternal truth has been passed down the line.


This makes me want to think ahead. Way ahead. It makes me question what I am sowing into now and wonder if it will last into the future. I often wonder about the church, project, people group or plans I am involved in right now, and if am I building in the capicity for it to flourish in four generations time. It makes me soberly assess the work of my hands and ask if truth in my life really is being passed onto the next generation. If this is how I win the race, then I'd better start passing the baton.

How to leave a Legacy Part 3

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6

A couple of days ago I decided to burn a pile of personal bills in order to prevent some dodgy bin rustler from stealing my identity. I put the papers into a large metal bin and set them alight. The resulting fire burned steadily for a couple of hours and then after a twilight rainfall the smoke died down and seemed no more. The next morning I went to clear out the ashes and with a large spade I stirred up the burnt papers. Instantly grey smoke began to rise from within the centre of the barrel followed seconds later by a fresh flicker of fire from within. I couldn't believe it was still burning!

A fire which I thought was dead was suddenly fanned back into flame. This is an almost perfect illustration of the words of wisdom sent to Timothy. Paul reminds us to keep stirring up what is inside and never let it die.The first thing he says is to remember the spiritual heritage he has had passed onto him by his Grandmother and mother. But the "passing on" was never meant to end there. "I want you to fan into flame the gift that is in you" says Paul with a passionate sense of urgency. The torch must be passed on by you too.

Who is responsible for the flame within you? It is not your grandmothers job. It is not your parents responsibility. It is not within your cutting edge youth groups remit. There are those around us in life that may give us flammable material, and may even light a match, but you have to stoke your own fire. That's what keeps you burning.

Each of us has been given a unique gift that can only be unwrapped by our own hands. Maybe it is time you stopped thinking someone else had to do it for you, and started stirring it up yourself.


One of the biggest things that stops us from using the amazing spiritual and natural gifts God has given us is fear. As one famous quote by Marrianne Wilson puts it “ Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." Most of us are not afraid of the dark, but we are scared that we might just be amazing.

As the quote goes on to say "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God." A spirit of timidity cannot survive the fanning of the flame. Why be left feeling as if we are useless and a failure when we have been given the gift of power? Why feel unlovely, unloved and unable to love others, when we have been given a gift of love? Why feel like things are out of control, and unable to control ourselves, when we have within us the gift of self control?

Fanning the flame means it is time to step out in that gift again. Fanning the flame means it is time to revive the dream in you that died. Fanning the flame means it is time to explore that place in yourself which you were scared to go, because there is love and power yet to be released.... "You are a child of God."

It is time to Acknowledge what God has given you: Take some time to think about what God has put inside of you that you have either allowed to die down or have not yet put to use.

It is time to Believe that what you have is both a) real and from heaven and b) sufficient for the job you have been given to do... is his grace is enough? Is his power enough?

It is time to Change your behaviour in accordance with what you believe you have been given. When you act as if you have been filled with power, love as if you have experienced the deepest of love, and live as if you have learnt the strictest of self discipline, then this flame will make a difference to the way you live.

Paul is writing his final words of hope to his spiritual son, in confidence that his own flame would not be extinguished with time. Timothy is left with a decision to make sure that the torch he has been given will shine in the darkness for generations to come. The fatherly advice of 2 Timothy shows us all that we begin to leave a legacy, when we begin to believe what is within.

How to leave a Legacy Part 2

"I remember your true faith. That faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice, and I know you now have that same faith." 2 Tim 1:5

If you want to leave a legacy, you have to remember your history.

One of the biggest embarrassments to young Christians is often their testimony. Everyone dreads that moment in the youth group or that opportunity at school where you get to tell your story about how you became a Christian. I mean there is always one isn’t there! There is always one girl who was lost in sex, drugs and rock n roll before she was radically transformed after literally hearing the voice of God on the toilet. Or there was always that one guy who used to murder Christians and throw them to lions before he fell off a horse and saw a vision of Jesus glowing like a nuclear lightbulb. You know the type...

When it is your chance to tell your story to the world, your eyes slowly scan the floor, you shuffle awkwardly and beneath muffled hands, you splutter the immortal words “My parents were Christians and I was raised in a Christian home.” It is possibly the least dramatic statement in the universe. I mean you never did drugs, you never even touched a cigarette and the hardest time you ever had at home was when your parents decided to not to go to Disney World one summer (for once).

Yet when we flashback to Pauls letter of legacy to his spiritual son Timothy, we find him highlighting, above everything else, that there is power in this kind of “undramatic” testimony, there is power in multigenerational faithfulness. Whether you hear the message from your horse or your Grandma, the point was always that the baton was passed on. Paul tells it like this: “Your Gran had it. Your mum had it. And now you got it. So don’t forget it.”

Being part of a family of faith is not something to be embarrassed about; it is something to be celebrated. For many young people, if it wasn’t for their parents, they would not have found Jesus. All of us pick up on the characteristics of our family whether we like it or not. And far better than inheriting your Dads big nose or your mum’s eyebrows, is the inheritance of salvation itself. Millions of teenagers are happy to sing out the fact that they want to be a History Maker yet they run from embracing their own history. I trust you feel the challenge to reassess how you may feel about a key part of God’s kingdom plan: your spiritual heritage.

But what if my history is not full of Christians who have invested in me over the years? What if I don’t have Christian Parents? What if my background was actually full of sex, drugs and rock n roll? The answer may be found in Hebrews 11. For in that chapter of the Bible you may, like Paul the Apostle, suddenly find yourself connected to a family tree which you never even knew was yours. You may discover long lost brothers like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You find that history really is HIS STORY. The story of Jesus at work throughout the ages, leaving his legacy and getting you ready to leave yours. Whatever your background: Welcome to the family...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Romans 12

May we never forget that we did not begin our race alone. The baton was passed to us and so we too, one day, must pass that baton on. Whatever position we end up on the podium, we will only ever get there because we were standing on the shoulders of giants...

How to leave a Legacy Part 1

“I have fought the good fight. I have finished my race...”

These are the famous last words of a man who was chained up, hungry and alone a damp prison cell, yet was not uttering them with a sense of failure or misery, but with the smell of victory. Paul had reached the end of a monumental journey in a life that was radically transformed the day he fell off his horse and met with Jesus.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the spirit behind these words were that Paul knew it wasn’t over. The dream didn’t end with him. Although he was chained up, his message wasn’t. It was already spreading like wild fire across Ephesus, Corinth, the world. The bell had sounded at the end of his knockout fight, but the battle was destined to continue. A Baton was being passed onto to churches and cities across the nations, but more importantly to individuals. These individuals would take the baton and run harder than ever before for a God that they never even met in the flesh. They may not have fallen off a horse, but they had fallen in love.

Paul had learnt to “consider as rubbish” many of the things that people thought would help you leave a legacy. Paul had no time for monuments, birthrights or titles but instead he chose to invest into spiritual sons. This was the secret to making sure that his race could be so much more than a 100m sprint, it could become a marathon.

In the book of 2 Timothy we find Paul coaching one of his sons as a veteran pacemaker. Paul was at the end of his journey and Timothy was only just beginning his. And so a letter was written by a dying hero to his sidekick and as a consequence, the race marked out for the few, could become the race marked out for the many. The marathon continues...

The question of 2 Timothy is this: If you had one chance to pass on what you knew to someone else, what would you say to ensure that the fight continued into the next round?

Over the next few posts we will explore this question together.

Quote of The Week

"Fear is the dark room in which all our negatives are developed" Ian Jones

LOOKING IN THE LIONS DEN

What do Lions, Fires, Prisons and Broken Dreams have in common?

These were just some of the challenges Daniel faced from the day he was captured and thrust into a completely new environment with the Babylonians. But lions and fires and bears (hoorah) weren't all he had to deal with. More dangerous than hungry cats in a pit, this amazing teenager Daniel managed to face and overcome four of the biggest challenges you or I are ever likely to face:

• THe CHALLENGE of CHANGE: How do you deal with the transitions in your life?
• The CHALLENGE of CULTURE: How do you respond to the world you live in?
• The CHALLENGE of COMPROMISE: Where are you willing to take your stand and where are you willing to fall?
• The CHALLENGE of CONFLICT: How do cope with the pressure of clashing agendas?

Four big challenges. Four big questions. At some point we will all face up to some of these tests that could leave us feeling hotter than one of Nebuchadnesser's firemen. Why not take some time to look into the lions mouth and see if you can hold your nerve as you consider which of these challenges you are facing right now? Read Daniel Chapter 1 and consider each of the above challenges in the context of his young life. As you identify them in Daniels life, see where they fit into your own.

The Importance of Roots

"Roots are important..." And so ends the last line of a poem my kids wrote today which coincidentally was all about roots. And this line about the importance of roots, turns out to be truer than my six year old may realise.

On a recent walk around our local abbey I noticed several trees that had been uprooted in the wind and literally blown over during harsh weather. It is a pretty sad sight to see something that should have been part of the landscape for years to come, lying uprooted and lifeless on the ground. Why did it lose its chance at life? Because its roots were not deep enough. Perhaps they should have listened my child's poem!

The Bible has a habit of describing people like trees. Psalm 1, for example, tells us that the man who does not listen to the wrong voices but delights in God's word is like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing great fruit. Thats a great example of good roots equalling good fruits. Now In the words of my old drama lessons " I AM A TREEEEE" and therefore I need to consider my roots as well.

Let's look at two types of shrubbery for a minute and see what we can learn from the way their roots grow. The first example is the IVY. Ivy tends to spread all over the place; over walls, up trees, under fences and across buildings, spreading its roots outwards and upwards above the ground. The Oak Tree however spreads it roots differently. They are much less visible. The roots of the oak go deep into the soil and spread in an exact mirror representation of that which is on the surface - as above, so below.

Many people are IVY Christians. They plant roots in things they can see, things they can get hold of and spread themselves thinly in the attempt to gain security from that which is around them. The problem with IVY Christians is that they are planting external roots that rely on external structures to survive. Take them away and they wither and die.

I have also met a few OAK Christians in my time as well. These are the ones who plant their roots deep into something they can't see. Their life mirrors on the outside, what is secure and steadfast beneath the surface. The OAK Christian plants interior roots into internal soils. To them it is what is on the inside that matters. They find their security in an invisible God.

So How do I make sure that I don't end up like that lifeless hunk of wood, shaken and uprooted by the wind?

Ephesians 3:17 urges us to allow our roots to go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love. God's love must be the biggest anchor point in our lives. If we don't cling onto love above everything else we can easily be uprooted. Colossians implores us to not only root ourselves in God's love, but in Christ himself.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7

If you want to know if your roots are in Christ then consider if you are two things: 1. Strong in truth and 2. Overflowing with thankfulness. These are just two little examples of mirrors that show us what is going on under the soil of our lives.

Having strong roots is not just flowerly talk (excuse the pun). "Roots are Important" and without them things could potentially get dangerous. In the parable of the sower and the seed we see the sad consequences of one who "has no root" lasting only a short time in the Kingdom. As soon as "harsh weather" comes in force, then those who have no roots in God's love and character end up blowing away.

The seed falling on rocky ground refers to people who hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Matthew 13:20-21

Many times I have heard people describe themselves as wanting to be a Radical Christian, without actually understanding what the word radical means. It literally means "getting to the root". Today, God is calling forth a radical generation who are willing to get to the root of issues in their lives and willing to put their roots deep into God's amazing and marvelous love.

Why not stop trying to be an Ivy Christian, frantically spreading yourself out, trying to place your security in something you can get hold of yourself. Simply dig your roots down deep into the safety of knowing God loves you for who you are. Be like the oak weathering the storms, safe in the knowledge that when the season changes, you may just have produced an acorn of hope, ready to be planted, for generations to come. Wouldn't that be the most radical thing you and I could do?

Every journey begins with a Question Mark?

"Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have" 1 Peter 3:15

Sometimes the questions are more important than the answers...

Today I had the privilege of spending time with some young people who were given the opportunity to ask any question about faith that was on their mind to myself and a fellow youth worker. The questions were both interesting, random and profound. Here are a few examples of what was asked in quick fire mode!

• Why are you a Christian?
• Why do you believe in God?
  
• Do you believe in the devil and ghosts and all that?
• Why did God make humans?
• How do we know that God loves us?
• Why did God make man eating beasts? (Closely followed by Why did God make woman eating beasts?)
  
• Do you believe in hell?
  
• Do aliens exist, is God sexist and what day was Jesus born? (all one question!)
• How has being a Christian affected your life style?
• Is there like another Jesus dying for our sins somewhere right now?
• Why is the Devil a fallen angel?
• If you were God and you could change one thing what would it be?

Each answer had to be given in around 30 seconds to one minute max and had to be said in a way that young people with no religious background would understand. At least one of the questions I answered "I Don't know" which can sometimes have as much power in it as an answer in itself. It shows you are vulnerable, it shows you don't have all the answers and it shows you are on a journey. The most important thing we can learn about helping people get to know God is that everyone is on a journey - even you. Everyone moves forward by the power of the questioning mind. Many times I deal with young people who are defiantly against God one minute and completely change their hearts towards him the next. Why? Because some of the simplist or deepest of questions can unlock new directions and destinies in people.

Brian McLaren once said "Discipleship is not about getting conversions. It is about starting conversations." Good questions are the ultimate conversation starters. Good questions are like signposts that point us in the right direction.

There are times when you have to read between the lines and ask yourself what they are really asking... This is perhaps one of the greatest spiritual keys to discipleship you could ever learn.

So let me leave you with two very simple questions: Who is asking you questions right now and how are you answering? What questions are you asking right now and how are you finding the answers? These two important questions form the basis of what we call our "spiritual journeys" and they determine which direction we are headed.

CHALLENGE: Why not practice answering some of the questions the young people asked above by commenting on this post in as short and as simple way as possible. You can also guess which question I said I don't know to if you like!

Like a Fish out of Water

"Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to people who are like these children. I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a child, or you will never enter it." Luke 18:16-17

Don't panic, this is not your cue to get back in nappies, start drawing on the walls and go out and throw a wobbly in a supermarket. Not yet anyway. If you want to get in God's Kingdom you have got to stop growing up and start acting like a child.

The thing about Children is that they are completely and utterly dependent on their parents. They don't have any other option for their security. They listen to their instructions (well... most of the time) and they trust beyond doubt. Get the picture? Just like the hand of a son to a dad, so we must place our lives in the guidance of our father.

The other important thing about a child is that they need to know they are loved by the parents, it is in their nature. Youth speaker, Ron Luce describes four broken areas in our life we can find if we don't know we are loved. These are the same areas that psychologists say affect children who do not receive the correct loving nurture from a parent.

Just like a child, if you don’t know you are loved you will:

1. Fail to thrive... you won't grow and mature as you should

2. Be insecure... you will be try to someone you are not or you won't know who you are

3. Display attention seeking behaviour... you may be bold on the outside but scared inside

4. Try to earn approval... you will try to get love by being a success for yourself and others

I wonder if you can relate to any of these things for your own life?

Ron Luce says that the solution for God's children to thrive is to know the love of God for ourselves. He says "If you get close to God, you get close to love, you can't help it. GOD IS LOVE. We are like a fish out of water until we meet the guy who made love."

Fish flap around, gasping for air, trying all sorts of flips and flaps to solve their issues. But what they really need is to be deep in the water, just like we need to be deep in God's love. I pray that today you will stop gasping for approval, writhing for attention and reach out for God's Love. It is right there for you now. You are Completely accepted today. You are Completely empowered today. GOD LOVES YOU.

To become dependent on a Heavenly Father. To know we are loved by a Heavenly Father. Perhaps these are two most childish things we could ever do. And hey, while I am here, fetch me that crayon for the wall...

You can check out some more of Rons thoughts in this clip below (try to endure the american ad at the start!).

The World's Strongest Mullet

"My response is to get down on my knees before the Father, this magnificent Father who parcels out all heaven and earth. I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in." Ephesians 3:16

God wants you to be strong on the inside more than he wants you to appear strong on the outside. For over three decades the World’s Strongest Man has tested the limits of human strength, power, and endurance. The best strongmen on the planet take on the most demanding challenges like the Atlas Stones, the Fingal Fingers, and the Keg Toss. Yet even the mightiest brute force of one of the top competitors was no match for the Biblical powerhouse Samson.

Tonight I told the story of Samson's life ( found in Judges 13 - 16) to my three children as we sat in dim light on our king size bed, tucked up and enthralled at every twist and turn in his amazing life. I love that not all Biblical characters are heroes. I love that not all of our examples are perfect. For my children, it is such a great way to learn, by looking at others mistakes - and Samson made plenty!

Samson was a man of brute strength but not inner strength. Strong on the outside. Weak on the inside. His muscles were toned but his character was flabby. It reminded me of the prayer Paul prays for his people, one that focusses on them being filled with interior not just exterior power. In a media centred, image driven, consumer orientated world and in a media centred, image driven, consumer orientated church, we can so often miss the point that Samsons life makes to us. It is a point driven home by Paul's prayers and Jesus' teachings. The point is this: What you can't see is more important than what you can see.

There is a moment at the end of Samsons life where he is chained between two columns about to be executed by his enemies. No eyes. No strength. No hair. No escape. In the midst of this scene he reaches a point of repentance and he prays "Lord God, remember me. God, please give me strength one more time so I can pay these Philistines back for putting out my two eyes!"

Samson realised in huis dying moments that he was destined to be a brute force for God's Kingdom. Through his life he was given to God, but he had made some bad choices along the way including lying, deceitfulness and choosing terrible partners (sounds like an episode of Eastenders!) But get this:

ONLY WHEN HE COULDN'T SEE WITH HIS EYES DID SAMSON BEGIN TO SEE WITH HIS HEART.

It can be all too easy to rely on our natural strength, talent and ability at times. We want to seem strong to others. We want to test the limits of what "we" can do. We trust what we see. Why don't you close your eyes right now. Take away what you can see in the natural. See the world through the eyes of your heart. Take a moment to look into the spirit. Open the door of your heart and begin to find your inner strength in HIM today...

The Curse of Chesney Hawkes and The Call of God...

If for some reason you have been on another planet and you don’t know who Chesney Hawkes is or if you fancy a little dance down memory lane then take a minute to visit him here

Out of approximately 50,000 single releases, The One and Only was the twentieth most successful release of the nineties. It was the very definition of a ONE HIT WONDER! Chesney is still performing today and a few friends of mine recently went to a Student gig where the crowd spent the whole time shouting “sing the one and only” and then “sing the one and only” and then “sing the one and only”. Poor bloke... Imagine the proud moment when your single becomes a big hit around the globe and then imagine the humiliation of a life spent having to sing that blasted song over and over again!

Now I am not blaming Chesney for this (not exclusively anyway) but I think that the spirit of his song seems to influence us when it comes to thinking about the Call of God on our lives. So often we think about “me and my ministry” without considering other people or seeing our destiny outworked in the context of community. To put it bluntly Gods plans are not just about you.

Jesus spoke loads about the Kingdom and only a few times about church (now that’s a blog in itself!) but one of the key church verses is here...

And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18

The word "church" here is translated from the Greek ekklesia, meaning "called-out" or "assembly." The "church in the wilderness" consisted of those called out of physical Egypt and slavery; the New Testament church are those called out of the spiritual slavery into new life.

Once again if you are wondering if you are ever going to be “Called by God” for great things then I am pleased to say it is already in your name and nature.

You are a “CALLED OUT ONE”. You are part of a community of people who have been called by God to extend the kingdom. It is God's ministry we are going for, not yours. There is in God’s mind only one super star and one hero and that is Jesus Christ. Amazingly, we are part of his body. The church is the super star not you or me. God is raising up a nameless, faceless empowered generation who will fulfil the purpose for which we were all Called out for. And you are part of the team.

You may become a legend but you will still be a Leg - End, you are still part of the body.

If you have a specific spiritual gift it is for the benefit of the body of Christ. If you have a unique destiny it is to be outworked in community. If you have a purpose then it is for the benefit of the world. If you want to dream, dream bigger. If you want to see the Kingdom truly come, begin to seek God for your entire generation, not just for yourself. Begin to reach out to those around you who are still locked into a mindset that believes they are not yet special. And begin to empower others to empower others to empower others in the called out community.

Am I the ONE AND ONLY? No my friend you are not. And the quicker we see the bigger picture, the faster we will see what we were called out from and called out to as his church.

Hollywood Toilet Attendants and The Call of God...

I know that it is supposed to be one of the greatest places in the world but I actually think that Hollywood is potentially a really sad place. Every year thousands of young oscar hopefuls flock there to become the next Tom Cruise, but they always seem to end up bitter, frustrated and working in a bar on the edge of town along with all the other washed up actors, singers and musicians. Why else would you have so many good looking and amazingly talented toilet attendants in one city? Hollywood is a place full of people who missed their big break, people who didn’t get “the call” for the next big thing.

To be honest I think that some people see the church in the same way I see Tinsel Town (minus the attractive toilet attendants!)

Have you heard the Call of God yet? another young person asks me as they sit pondering what it is they are meant to do with their lives. THE CALL OF GOD is a much used phrase but sometimes it can leave you waiting for something to happen before you feel like you have made it. It can sometimes seem like you are amidst a whole generation who somehow missed the call to the next big thing.

The truth is that hearing the “Call of God” is much easier than we think. It is not necessarily a commissioning to a specific task that must be discovered, but rather a completely different way of life, that must be uncovered, in the context of friendship with God. In other words, our calling is not to do something but to be someone based on the knowledge that we are already called.

In fact, the Bible tells us we were CALLED BY GOD even before we became Christians and there are loads of scriptures which help give shape to the kind of calling we have already received. The NIV BIBLE tells us we are:

CALLED TO A LIFE WITH JESUS

• Called to belong to Jesus (Romans 1:5-6)
• Called into fellowship with Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:9)
• Called to become like Jesus (Romans 8:29)

CALLED TO A GODLY CHARACTER

• Called to live a worthy life (Ephesians 4:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:11)
• Called to be holy whilst connected in community (1 Corinthian 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:9)
• Called by God’s goodness after being given everything we need to serve God (2 Peter 1:5)
• Called to freedom (Galatians 5:13)
• Called to peace (Colossians 3:15)

CALLED TO A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE

• Called by heavenly, not human, standards (1 Corinthians 1:26)
• Called out of darkness (1 Peter 2:9)
• Called to win a heavenly prize (Philippians 3:14)



We are ALL called for great things, even YOU. If you are struggling to see why you are here, it is time to remember who you are here. We are each “God’s Workmanship” created to do the good works he has given each of us to do. There are no “has beens” “mismatches” or “misfits” in the Kingdom of God.

Heaven is not Hollywood.

Each of us has unique gifts, tasks, purposes and seasons we will discover along the journey of our life, but first and foremost we are CALLED to be with Jesus. Maybe we should stop worrying about what we are supposed to do with our lives and start enjoying him. Read this verse from Thessalonians:

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfil every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.
2 Thessalonians 1:11

The writer is implying that God’s power is ready to be outworked in any of our good plans and any of our faith filled acts right now. Why? Because of who God has ALREADY called you to be. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A EXTRAORDINARY SUPER STAR YOU JUST HAVE TO BE AN ORDINARY SERVANT! Sometimes I think that we are waiting for God, whilst in fact God may be waiting for us.

The time has come for us to stop waiting to hear the call and start living and acting as if we had heard it already... It might just be SHOW TIME!

Kung Fu Noodles and The Call of God...

I have recently been asked the age old Christian question "What am I called to do". This question has reminded me again of the concept of "the call of God" which is a phrase people often associate with super Christians who have somehow stepped over into some super form of super service for God. "Have you heard the call of God yet?" they say as they float out of church into the spiritual sunset.

It is almost as if there are two levels of Christians - those who are simply born again and then those who are "called by God". Its a funny idea but it can affect our thinking in a couple of potentially damaging ways. Firstly it can leave us feeling inadequate and unfulfilled and secondly it can prevent us from "ministry" (which means service to God) because we have not "heard the call" we are waiting for. It can almost be like we are hanging around for a phone call from God ( I just called to say I love you?) before we get on with his business.

I think I used to believe three things about God's Call which I have begun to have my doubts about:

1. The Call of God is Elusive: It is something that must be sought for, discovered and found through long hard discipline and self sacrifice.

2. The Call of God is Exclusive: It is usually reserved for the few who have special tasks for special times in special places and normally involves the phrase "full time for the Lord".

3. The Call of God is Explosive: It is always highly impactive, highly visible and amazing fruitful at all times.

What about you? Do you think these are myths or do you think they could be true? Over the next few posts we are going to look at what it means to be "called by God" and whether or not it is something reserved for the few. In a way, the whole point of what I want to bring out for us, reminds me a little of the moral in the story of the film Kung Fu Panda.

I love that bit in Kung Fu Panda when Po is finally awarded the scroll and he sees that it is blank. He leaves the temple, convinced that he is not the mystical Dragon Warrior after all, and that he will never achieve greatness. Darn it - he missed the call!

Back home Po's noodle vending father made a fortune off if his special dish called, “Secret Ingredient Soup.” Believing that his son is finally ready to take over the family business, his father shares the secret ingredient with him.

“The secret is nothing.” Says the father. “To make something special, you just have to believe it is special.” The Panda opens the scroll again and realizes that he can see his own reflection in the golden paper. The moral of the story: “The secret ingredient is YOU.”

When Jesus called the Twelve to him, and sent them out in pairs, he gave them authority and power to deal with the evil opposition. He sent them off with these instructions (the Message):

"Don't think you need a lot of extra equipment for this. You are the equipment."

In other words, you are the secret ingredient. Now that's just about all the "call of God" I need to motivate me to get on and minister... I don't have to be an elite Christian who has some unique purpose in life guranteed to make history forever. I simply have to be myself. .