A morning congregation grows unexpectedly in a church plant. 124

 Imagine... you have been faithfully planting a church and praying that God would increase your number in an area notoriously hard to reach with the gospel. This is the heartland of orthodoxy, where evangelicals are historically despised, shunned or discounted. However, all of a sudden you are a place of refuge the whole region appreciates. Overnight you accept a big influx of people from KYIV, they have travelled many hours, but now they sit amongst believers in a home of love, well fed and well cared for.  Now believers gather for worship,  they talk ... and amongst it all are the new congregational members. It will be a long day, especially for those who care. Immediately following morning worship ...the plan is to mobilise the whole church to distribute homemade cookies and hot drinks to the soldiers guarding the district, The church of God shines brightest in the darkest of times. Pray for blessing and increase  to be upon this eternal family today. 

Extraordinary times, Extraordinary Measures UPDATE 123

For many this is no ordinary Sunday. In this place (many know) a normal Sunday is a full congregation of several hundred, the downstairs room packed with young children learning and singing about Christ. The building is always immaculate, and gleaming clean, full of light through the high windows. Yet this is the scene in this area which has been under such heavy attack. Not so many weeks ago we were there preaching to a full congregation. This morning ...it is a refuge for those who have lost their homes and seeking safety. Children and Youth rooms are emergency bedrooms. Pray for this church and many like it ministering in the name of Christ as normal, but through extraordinary new ways,

In dark times, the people of God shine brightest. 

A Special Sunday in Ukraine - 4 Things to pray for the Ukrainian church this Sunday

 

As the clock ticks over midnight the city has long been dark... "blacked out" in fact, without electricity and with many hunkered down. There is no night time traffic. However not all is still in the night sky. GOD reminded Abraham to lift his eyes to the bigger picture, to see above his impossibilities (on the horizontal and immediate level) and see the vastness of our GOD mirrored in his creation, painted with a word. Can you see it today? See the vastness of his purposes and ultimate congregation of his people. This night the stars are hard to perceive... there is the smog of multiple missiles and the burning plumes which go on and on, but non of these can defy the existence of the stars, or are bigger than GOD and his purposes. 

This Sunday in Ukraine  timeless truths remain the same as every other day. Ukrainian believers have taught me so much about real prayer, and dependence on the eternal unchanging GOD. This DNA comes from a church long underground. Until 1995 and the fall of communism God's people looked weak and marginalised, but they were growing in persecution, and a day came when many marched down the high street of KYIV to the river... to be baptised, thousands of them. A moment came when the clouds parted and God poured out his SPIRIT and many unreached ran to the arms of grace. This church knew as they prayed, that they were praying for a day yet to be, to a timeless and unchanging God, who longs to shower blessing,  a God who always hears the cries of his people.

This is what tough times do for God's people, it sharpens their experiential knowledge of him, their humble dependance on him in the darkest of times. It means that when the clouds lift we see the glory of what God has done...and all the glory is his. The day will come; the day of multi blessing displaying God's manifold grace in great multicolour, his purposes in reaching out to all peoples with his mercy as many prayers will be answered within a single day of blessing and sunshine.

As the sun rises this morning, please pray with me these 4 things for the precious believers of Ukraine.

1. That GOD will continue to deepen their experience of his presence in sufferring. Despite all the practical obstacles today - the centre focus of many friends will be the same as all week, dependance on God as they share eternal truth with those who have no certainty.

2. That GOD will bring many into church buildings under the sound of the gospel, and into his eternal family of grace. Widespread anecdotal evidence of today is widespread. Many have sought to come to church as a safe place and engaged with those whose hope is in Christ not man. After a period where many avoided church through covid, Putin has only succeeded in filling gospel churches with hungry listeners for the truth.

3. Pray that love will overflow in God's people as the gospel is preached and authenticate the truth (John 13:35) before the eyes of many.

4. Pray for many pastors who have not only led their own churches through the last dark days, but "taken in" many for refuge in the name of Christ. Pastors, theologians, leaders, have served, cooked, cleaned and found generators, fuel, food, bibles, sleeping bags/ blankets/ soft toys for many. Humanitarian heroes without sleep will be preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ. Pray for supernatural energy. May God fill their hearts and guide their mouths. May the Ruach energy of God breath life. 

Thank you for praying with us. Early morning prayer meetings are the norm in Ukrainian culture not the extraordinary... it takes something mammoth to get a Brit out of their beds, maybe sleep is overvalued. But for us this morning, it is time to pray and maybe... just maybe...  being driven humbly to our knees is not such a bad thing after all.

In dark times, the people of God shine brightest. 

With love 

BLOGSKI

PRAYER UPDATE 121

 

COURAGE AND STRENGTH IN GOD IS DIFFERENT

As Boris unusually timed his excursion to Ukraine this week, a myriad of thoughts sprung to mind.

BORIS THE LEADER OF STRENGTH ?

What was the prime reason for the timing of this trip? I have read enough (from those close to Boris) to suspect that the timing presented an opportunity to deflect from present troubles at home. Recount Boris' own growing positional and political weakness through lack of leadership influence, comments about him being a liability due to his character (historic "lack of judgement",  "lack of self control", "insensitivity to how he is seen" etc.). I really hate to sound cynical on such an important issue in such a cynical world, but I can't help thinking Boris and No.10 were perversely glad of this opportunity presented, even though the door opened through the prospect of "devastation" (his own words). Ironically our leader "stepped" himself into another country, to grasp and seize the moment to look more like an assertive leader. 

Asked in Ukraine why he was heightening the rhetoric with Putin (his command for Putin  to "step back" with his sizeable boot from the frontline),  commentators applauded his approach... because "Putin and Russia will only respond to strength not weakness". 

I say all this, not as political comment but as a reflection on often arising discussions (and the kind of questions I'm asked) at pastors and leadership conferences...

What does "real" strong (biblical) leadership  look like (especially in a crisis) ?

Answer : It looks humanly weak as we get on our knees before God,  follow Christ in sacrifice, repent of ego, and depend on his sovereign victory.  

2 CORINTHIANS 3 (especially verses 4-6)

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit.

 For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

THE DIFFERENCES IN GODLY LEADERSHIP

1) WE KNOW THE END GAME: 

INVESTING IN THE ETERNAL KINGDOM IS THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS.

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, 

and all these things will be added to you.

Matt 6:33

Whilst Boris was busy trying to "look like" a leader for a day, the truth behind the veil was that the primary reasons for his trip were reactionary and longer term. (i.e. The actions of Putin, the problems of his own making and lack of leadership influence ("partygate" etc). Ultimately (from what his aides have said) Boris was driven into overdrive this week, by a desire to stay in power himself, and he was therefore increasingly egotistical. 

In contrast... the biblical instruction for spiritual leadership to be "strong and courageous" comes from the living sovereign God who outlasts all kingdoms, whose missional plan is ahead of all things, and who works all things "together" for "all peoples" (Psalm 67, 1 Tim 2:1, Titus 2:11-14)  in redemptions plan (Romans 8:18-37). He does all this as sovereign not reactor. When GOD instructs Joshua, it is in the context of seasonal (passing) human leadership (Joshua 1:1-2 Moses), in his timing and under his control. Permeating this seasonal transition is the constant reminder of eternal inheritance for God's faithful people in GOD himself.  

2) INNER STRENGTH NOT FROM OURSELVES:

JOSHUA 1:7 & 1:9

"Be strong and very courageous... 

For...

THE LORD your GOD is with you wherever you go"

Our strength then is in him, not ourselves. Whilst our motivation to look strong in ourselves is driven by ego, we will always be veiling weakness. As we submit to God in humility (Phil 2) we will always be building our lives on the foundation of the immovable sacrifice of Christ. There is no stronger or secure basis to lead God's people than comprehension of our unworthiness, and his surpassing grace and power. Strength is being grasped (and totally constrained) by his grip of grace. In his death there is ultimate victory (Col 2:15), in his  resurrection there is immovable certainty (1 Cor 15:54-58). Ultimately, every knee will bow before Christ and confess his undeniable glory, regardless of our presenting situation (behaviour or experience) today. Non of us deserves to stand in his presence. Christ and his resurrection grace changes everything. Any and every human leadership will come to an end...however long we can protract it. Our mini kingdoms will fall without fail, whether "kingdom of Boris", "Putin", "egotistic pastor.com", "Sir ancient local community figurehead" or YouTube "influencer". Wise leadership therefore builds on what cannot be changed, by humbly asking God to change our hearts to fit in with his. (Prov 9:10). 

3) CHRISTLIKE LEADERSHIP WILL ALWAYS BE MISUNDERSTOOD:

The thing which struck me most about Boris' Ukraine trip, (and 2 Cor 3) was that there are many who lead the church in that country who may  look weak, but because they are in Christ they are doing extraordinary exploits for Christ's growing kingdom. I remember meeting with frontline pastors not so long ago as we looked at those early chapters of 2 Cor. Since then the church has increasingly grown as have the trouble and hardships they face.  

I'm often asked why the church is in decline in some contexts and growing (on steroids) in others. I would put this issue as No.1 - authentic Christlike leadership demonstrated under pressure. In "sophisticated" ego driven contexts, man makes himself so big that he presents himself (however unintentionally) as standing in front of the very one he preaches. Those who stand behind Christ, whose treasure is only in Christ, are not seen, but Christ is. It is easy to create a mirage of strength when your life is easy, but impossible when invaders persecute you. 

The church (in several global conflict areas where the church is humbled and under pressure), continues to  grow. It does so as numbers, character and influence all bulge to overspilling because it is God not man. This is especially in the context of human devastation on a frontline, whether physical or spiritual battle rage, God is victorious.  

Any who rule though the weapons of ego and brutal force, would view the Donbass and Ukrainian church as "weak" at this moment - but in their obedience and authenticity, they have never been stronger or more influential. The same is true across Asia, the Balkans, the Middle East, and Africa, in any "closed countries". Just because the statistic says 0.01% christianity does not mean that God is absent from his people who are there, or not with the precious underground church. My experience is that especially in those contexts God is WITH his people in a way we have not witnessed or dreamt about in the UK for generations. 

 2 Corinthians reminds us that Christlike leadership will always look weak in the temporary short term view, but we build for eternity, and see life through the spectacles of faith (2 Cor 4:18  Heb 11:1). Our lives are lived in the context of this unshakeable mission of GOD.  I am alarmed by the breed of UK "super churches" whose planting technique is to flex their big budget, and repeatedly flash their own (imagined/ self publicised) reputation of success for short term growth.  The Bible unmistakably says that Conversion is God's work (not the preachers)(2 Cor 3:16), building the kingdom is dependent on God's increase (not ours) (1 Cor 3:6-9),(John 3:30). The apostle Paul and the growing Ukrainian or underground global church do not care what men might think of them, (scars and all  2 Cor 11:25, Acts 16:22.) their simple desire is to please their commanding officer. They are faithful ambassadors of Christ (2 Cor 5:20) who never take off the uniform, and always follow orders not make them, and this is why the church is growing. They are marching on the winning side, and sing the song of victory with their commanding officer (Psalm 47). Continue to pray with us that the joy of the Lord will be their strength, in the reality of daily hardship, persecution, poverty and provocation. 

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove

The glories of His righteousness and wonders of His love 

APPLICATIONS TO NON LEADERS: 

A) Don't misunderstand or misinterpret humility in Godly leaders. Follow those who depend on God not themselves. Those who look weak, whose knees wobble in full dependance on God are exactly the ones you need the courage to follow (Caleb Numbers 13-14, Joshua 4:6-15) . 

If you are a UK believer tempted to leave a small faithful countercultural (community based) fellowship, (led by a humble, faithful, biblical, humanly unimpressive leader) for a flashy (corporate style) new one... DON'T ! Consider long and hard before you take a step of  foolishness into human leadership which will reap human rewards. Weakness masquerading as strength (through the veneer of very loud music / exceptional stage lighting/ and ultra HD super projection)  is not worth following. Scratch the veneer before you are increasingly disappointed by content. Meditate on the fact that eternal fruitfulness is too critical a thing to be wrong about. 

B) Pray for a growing army of spiritual leaders across the world and at every missional checkpoint and border line, who step forward in their weakness wearing the boots of faith (Eph 6:15). Pray for those who reject the confines of their own power, safety and comfort, and instead   go to the marginalised and oppressed, who run towards the lost, who visit the place of death with message of eternal life. Pray that as they do so (knowing they look weak), Christ will be seen, and (as is happening across the world) many will continue to sing the song of the only true KING whose kingdom outlasts the years. 

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

    O death, where is your sting?”

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Praying for you, Ukraine, our leaders, our nation, other nations, church leaders, and the glory of the only true leader and King of all nations.

Love Blogski