17/11/09:
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors..."
Paul talking about the 'Ministry of Reconciliation' in his second letter to the Corinthian church. The ambassador is the direct representative of the King, "As though God were making His appeal through us".
God sees us as his representatives to the lost of this world and probably the 'lost' see it too. We, like most human beings, tend to judge the many from the one, to stereotype, pigeonhole and generalise. So Professional Footballers are like this, or X factor contestants are like that. We know about the one and we judge all that they represent.
I know that for most of you this won't be a revelation, but when people look at us and meet us and listen to us they are forming opinions about our faith and also its author and perfector. The ambassador does represent the King. No pressure!
This is a very tough call but of course it does not rely on you, 2 Cor 5:17 says that we are a new creation in Christ, the old has gone, the new has come! This new creation, you, are the ambassador, the representative and you can present your message of reconciliation to the world with confidence.
John Marsh <><
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03/1109
Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" Acts 8:30a-31
Well there you go. Of course who will understand if someone doesn't explain. You probably won't find people reading the Bible who aren't Christians anymore than you will find people riding along in chariots. However the likelihood is that you and the people in your Cluster will come across people struggling with some of the trickier questions of life; 'Why am I here', 'Why did that happen' etc. They may be dealing with those issues from a spiritual point of view or from a non-spiritual one but there will be people that you know dealing with them.
Philip came alongside the man in the chariot and received an invitation, a person of peace, he explained and the Ethiopian saw with the eyes of faith and responded. We need to be ready to hear the questions, see the people struggling and give our time to get alongside. We also need to be ready as Peter says "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15
Maybe there is scope for discussion about this at cell or in cluster?
John Marsh <><
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20/10/09
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb12:2
I suppose this is a bit like the thought a few weeks ago when I encouraged you not to look round but look up instead. If we do look around then sometimes we can be disheartened by what the problems are rather than being encouraged by the good things. Jesus did endure suffering for the prize. I am not so sure in our time and place we that we will endure like Him but in some ways in the Christian life endure we must.
Jesus is also the author and perfecter of our faith. As Cluster leaders we are given faith for a vision for our cluster, we believe, by Jesus. We must as part of our enduring believe also that He will perfect out faith, He will bring to a finish the vison he gave us and we will find our reward in a job complete.
John Marsh <><
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29/09/09
Mind the Gap 2
I wrote a few weeks ago about the gap between the 'inner life' and the 'outer life'. I have been thinking a little bit about another gap over the last few weeks. The gap, described by a good friend of mine, as, between the True and the Real. The promises in the Bible are True because they are made by the one who is himself True. We live however in the Real, the reality of our daily lives where those promises seem sometimes distant.
The simple and true theological answer is that we live in the 'Now and the Not Yet', the Kingdom is far off and near, is coming and has come, all at once. Theological truth however can seem cold comfort when in one way or another we are going through difficulties. Thats when the reality of community can make a difference. Clusters and cells can be the bridging of that gap.
If the community of faith we are part of can be the thing that pulls us through while we wait for the coming Kingdom then it can be the thing that pulls others through. Those currently outside the community of faith can receive the reality of God's love through us while they too wait for the Kingdom made manifest in their lives. Recognise the Other Gap but have the faith to stand in it.
John Marsh <><
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22/09/09
Sometimes the Kingdom of God comes in fire and might; Pentecost, parting the Red Sea, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, and we should expect it to. Sometimes it comes bit by bit, step by step; Philip and the Ethiopian, Peter and Cornelius, Paul before Felix. We should look for it.
The steady movement of the coming of the Kingdom can pass unnoticed but it will come. The slow trickle of stones comes before the rockslide.
What does this have to do with clusters? Well the many strokes, with a little axe is our meat and drink. Prayers in cell group, Bbqs, parties, Love Sheffield, Besom, conversations with friends. Festivals, Cluster Sundays and Healing on the streets. Slowly steadily the hardest timber’d oak is felled.
So be encouraged keep running the race, keep swinging the axe and wait patiently for a large crashing sound, that’s the fall of the enemy and the arrival of the Kingdom of God.
John Marsh <><
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15/09/09
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 2 Kings 6:16
When Elisha’s servant looked around he saw that an army had surrounded the city (2kings 6:15). When Elisha prayed for his eyes to be open he saw the heavenly army of fiery chariots.
It can be very daunting leading a cluster. Looking around can present you with more apparent difficulties than encouragements. How are we to bring this vision about? How am I going to look after all these people? Where are new leaders going to come from? How will I find the time? Etc
These problems are often real but not the only reality. There is a loving God whose cluster it is, there is a counselling Holy Spirit who provides help and guidance and an Incarnational saviour who walks with you. When you lose perspective get someone to pray for you as Elisha prayed for his servant, to see the reality of God.
John Marsh <><
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08/09/09
There is something about early Autumn that I love. The quality of light is different, there are mists and mellow fruitfulness. There is that chill freshness in the air and the changing colours of the trees. I think the thing I like most is the chance of a new start, new beginnings. Having for most of my life been tied into education this time of year is the start of a new year for me. Not only schools and universities begin now but the church here at St Thomas' following the academic cycle also sees September as a new year. I love the possibilites and the potential, the feeling that the journey restarts here.
I think that for the Cluster and cell communities its time to regather the flocks. Time to phone round see who's part of it again, recast the vision, get organised, shoulder the packs ready to set off.
Not only is it time to welcome people back but welcome the newcomers as well. Church is already awash with new people, please make time after the gatherings to welcome them and invite them into community, your community.
2 Cor 5:18 'All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them.'
John Marsh <><
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21/07/09
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
When I was praying about what God might be wanting to say to you as cluster leaders this week, I got the word encouragement. Encouragement is all about giving people courage. A kind word, an affirming conversation, an act of kindness can all bolster our courage. To know there are people on our side, rooting for us gives us courage to press on. The writer to Hebrews knew this "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses...", Heb 12:1a.
In the passage from Joshua, God himself commands courage because he will be with us wherever we go, in the Message Translation, 'every step of the way'.
Why encouragement at the beginning of abiding? I think that to face up to difficulty and danger before the events actually comes allows you to gird yourself and think and pray through the promises which will sustain you. Abiding is a good time to rest in the promises of God, to hear again the encouragement of God and to ready yourself mentally and spiritually for the battle to come.
John Marsh <><
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14/07/09
We all have an Inner Life and an Outer Life. The Outer Life does things; works, relates to people, has hobbies etc. The Inner Life does different things; processes thoughts and emotions, conducts a relationship with God. Of course our Outer Life is the outworking of our Inner Life especially in our Christian discipleship.
Sometimes however a gap appears, especially when we are busy. Our Outer Life continues to increase its capacity and our Inner Life gets pushed aside. We become imbalanced and so we suffer. Perhaps abiding time is a time to assess what we might need to do less of on the outside in order to give our Inner Life with God a chance to catch up.
If you think that this sounds a bit Zen or Ying / Yang then in St Thomas terms its about our UP getting back in balance with IN and OUT. Its about Jesus going to the quiet places to pray before he chooses the disciples or after he ministers to the crowds. Jesus had a perfect Inner / Outer Life balance we need to work onours as well.
John Marsh <><
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07/07/09
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread... 1Cor 11:23
In these famous words Paul reveals the entrustment he has receveid from God concerning remembering Jesus in Holy Communion. In his letter to Timothy he counsels the young leader 'Do not neglect your gift...' 1 Tim 4:14
What has God given you as an entrustment? Perhaps the Vision for your Cluster perhaps other responsibilities. Abiding time is a good space to re-examine these things and recommit yourself to run the race, '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.' Heb 12:1b
John Marsh <><
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30/06/09
Part of the rhythm at St Toms is that we have a period of abiding in the summer. The pattern of church life is deliberately scaled back both in terms of Sunday gatherings and mid week meetings. Now I know that most people cannot simply find more time in the summer by doing less work, most people have 9-5 jobs and 4-6 weeks holiday a year so how do we abide?
Abiding is really a state of mind and a particular focus. The key abiding passage is John 15 especially v1-8. God wants us to abide in Him so that we can be made more fruitful through pruning. Jn 15:2 "He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. "
Abiding is about prayer, persistence in prayer in three areas, yourself, your oikos (circle of friends) and your calling (see last week). Being open to God to prune you for bearing fruit in the autumn.
So this summer my encouragement to you is to reflect on previous attempts at abiding and then plan to have a go this year. Make a plan, make yourself accountable to someone and go for it.
John Marsh <><
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23/06/09
We were reminded in Staff Huddle today about the Five -Fold ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evagelists, Pastors and Teachers from Ephesians 4. Understanding of your calling helps you to focus on those things which will make you fruitful for God and satisfied in your own life.
Since if you lead a cluster you will unconciously lead it in the style of your base ministry its probably worth stopping and thinking conciously for a moment about what that is. Once you have identified that within yourself it is a good exercise to identify the ministries of your co-leaders so that you can see the complemenatry gifts and identify any gaps.
It may be that in leading the cluster sometimes you need to conciously act like a Pastor even though you are an Apostle or act like a Prophet when you are a Teacher.
Knowing your calling can help, so if your not sure why not have a go at the Five Fold ministry questionnaire and then talk through the results through with someone you trust and off you go.
Five fold ministry questionnaire link
John Marsh <><
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16/06/09
If you were at St Toms a week last Sunday, 7th June, you would have heard the new Bishop of Sheffield, Steven Croft, speak. It was Cluster Sunday so if you weren't there shame! ;-)
He was saying that God is a community, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, this is the mystery of the Trinity. Not only that but this community has a purpose, the Father sends the Son and the Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit. God is therefore a community in mission.
Not only is God a community in mission but that mission is given to his people. Mission is part of the song of the Trinity and we hear it in Isaiah 6:8 'Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" '
God is community in mission and so must we be and the vehicle for it is Clusters.
John Marsh <><
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9/06/09
Visitors Week
02/06/09
Busy with Audit
26/05/09
Half Term Holiday
19/05/09
To be honest I can't remember how this anecdote fits with the Thought for the Week last time but here it is anyway.
This particular vineyard pastor had been an assistant pastor in a growing and thriving church. After a while he was given his own pastorate. He set about doing all the things he had seen his previous pastor do but the church didn’t grow or flourish. This situation persisted for quite some time and it didn’t seem to matter what he tried, nothing worked.
Finally in desperation he phoned his former pastor and asked his advice. The question came back, “Do you pray for the church? All the time you were assistant pastor I prayed and the church grew, now its your responsibility.”
He prayed the church grew.
Hope you think it was worth it anyway.
John Marsh <><
Please send any comments on this thought for the week, or suggestions for future topics, to John Marsh. Thank you.
12/05/09
Out of Office
05/05/09
A book in the Bible that is very hard to read, at least for me it is. I was thinking about Numbers recently and wondering what the point of it was. I concluded that although the book is called Numbers, it's actually lists of people, families. Their descendants can point to the book and say that’s my family, that’s my Great to the nth degree Granddad. There is a direct connection to what God was doing then and therefore a hope and confidence he will do the same with us. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb 13:8
Currently we are undertaking an audit of Cluster membership and it reminded me of Numbers but also of a story I heard from a vineyard pastor, many years ago, which I will relate next week for your encouragement and exhortation.
John Marsh <><
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28/04/09
Four fingers and a thumb as my dad says. The last four weeks have been about the task of mission. Its good to know the task and to focus on it but we must remember that ultimatley the task is people. Human Beings becoming more human as they know God better.
So take time to smile at people, chat, drink tea, listen, laugh, dream. Take time to be a Human Being and take a break from the role of Human Doing.
People are the task, if people aren't the task then you have misunderstood what the task is. You are a person, the people on your team are people and the field, focus and strategy are all aimed at individual people.
It's a "both/and" thing.
John Marsh <><
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21/04/09
Jesus is God and he had a team. Over the last few weeks we have looked at Mission field, focus and task, this week we look at team.
You can do a lot on your own but not everything. Its easier sometimes to do things on your own because you know what you mean and what you want to do. Its better to have other people along. So who do you pick?
I would suggest people who have caught the vision because you will need people already motivated and who can advocate for the vision. I would suggest servant hearted people because there is some element of going the extra mile. Beyond that I wouldn't worry too much because skills are quicker and easier to develop than character.
Hope that helps.
John Marsh <><
Please send any comments on this thought for the week, or suggestions for future topics, to John Marsh. Thank you.
ARCHIVE - if you would like to read earlier posts from John, have a look at the archive!
And WHO are you going to do it with?
On the Other Hand
Numbers
If you don't pray who will?
The Song of the Trinity
What's your calling?
Approaching Abiding
Entrustment
Mind the Gap
Be strong and courageous.
Welcome Back
Don’t look around, Look up!
"And many strokes, though with a little axe, Hew down and fell the hardest-timber'd oak" Henry VI part III, Act 2 scene 1
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus
