Travelblog 2 Sunday PM

A wonderful day. The church here  is doing well despite many challenges.

There are a number of features immediately apparent:

1) This Church attracts all nations. This is both a blessing and a complex conundrum for leadership, 

It was good to see greet Kazak, Russian, Ukrainian, Dutch, Serbian, Slevenian friends as well as locals and several other nations. The big prayer always from our hearts is for more locals to be mobilised with the love and truth of Christ. 

a) Each nation brings its own culture:

Sometimes we like to think of Christianity as a monoculture (that the church is made up of people who think like us0, that we are all the same, In reality the eternal church was always designed with dynamic diversity in mind, a reflection and expression of the manifold grace of God. Each people group come with their own habits, preferences and expectations /  ambitions. It is a supernatural work to see all one in united praise and witness, all one in Christ Jesus

b) Each nation brings its own language. 

Post Babel the complexity of language demands for  numerous translations and technologies to make a gathering helpful in communication. We listened to headphones speaking English. The Leader spoke Serbian, the young translator (aged 17) spoke Russian, the voice at the back was translating to local language. The bible spoke to all with power and clarity. Praise God for S's clear preach full of love, grace, sensitivity and wisdom from God. We face an enemy who sows discouragement, disunity and isolation. We have a God in whom we stand, firmly rooted in Jesus His victory, His presence and His word. His voice is clear and comes with a love which penetrates all made in His image, comforts all who are weary, feeds all who are hungry, satisfies all who are thirsty, 

What can we pray for ?

That the church will  follow through / respond in the way expressed this morning.  That individuals will take responsibility to be prepared for the seriousness of the spiritual battle and what is coming. 

That there will be true unity and faithfulness to each other in prayer for the spiritual battle. Like the armies of old, guarding the one to our left, together we stand. 

That they will be strong in Christ not attempting the battle or to try fixing problems in their own strength EPH 6:10

That their hearts will be protected as they put on His armour.

That the church will not fight each other (flesh and blood) but be alert to the enemy who loves us to fight against each other. 

That we will be alert to the enemies plan to cause relational pain (Gen 3) from sinful selfish passion,

That the church will be one in Christ Jesus and enjoy His purposes outworked amongst them. 

Pray for good relationships in church not division. 

Good relationships ( between husbands and wives, children parents, worker and  bosses)

• Thank God that He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.
• Thank God that Christ intercedes for us our unity with Him and each other, as He and the Father are one. (John 17) 
• Praise God that His word drenches our shields for the extinguishing of the fire of the evil one. 
• Praise God whose word is steady and true. 
• Praise God that in defence He stands with us and provides, in attack His word is so powerful,
• The church is an army fighting together. 

Praying for you as you stand in the battle. in His strength and pray for church amongst the unreached by praying for the fledgling church here.