God is Good

God is Good! (Nahum 1:7). We have to begin there in each and every situation. The problem is that we so often fail to tap into the goodness of God for lack of trust. One dictionary definition says that trust is ‘confidence in’ and ‘reliance on’ and secondly that it is a position of obligation. Eph 1:3 lets us know that the entire Christian life is learning to access what God in Christ has already provided for us. But in the learning we often meet with failure and disappointment. If God works in everything for our good (Rom 8:28), by implication we will fail in some things when first we try. We are wrong to limit this verse to the bad things that happen to us which are beyond our control. It also has to have reference to the things we do! And believe me this is a hugely positive thing. If you are succeeding at everything, you’re not trying hard enough! You’re not risking enough!

My kayaking club are going to award a trophy at the end of the year to the person who has had to bail out of their kayaks and swim the most. All that has accomplished is stopping many club members from having a go at a stretch of river that is a bit beyond them and this means improvement is hampered. We need to risk, we need to go out on a limb, we need as Will Carey said, to “attempt great things for God”. We have after all an assignment from God to see to it that His Kingdom comes, His will is done. Trusting a God that is good and always works good gives us the confidence to keep at it, to pursue those things that are beyond us naturally. It is how we grow. Learning and growing through failure Keeps us tethered to the goodness of God.

Father and Son bonding

Just had a great weekend white water kayaking on the river Dart, Father and Son bonding and all that! It’s the reason we took up kayaking. The trouble is I absolutely love it where as my son, Lewis, has not been quite that enamoured with it. As many of you who came to the Roadshows would have heard, my son’s thing is def metal and he’s a drummer! (Pray for me). So in the summer I went to Sonisphere festival at Knebworth and discovered there is an advantage to going deaf in old age. Actually we had a great time together and even though some lyrics were far from wholesome they were a great launching pad for conversation with my son. It did strike me that if the command on God’s people is to make disciples of all people groups (Mt 28:19) who’s doing it amongst this tribe? If you are aware, I would love to know. What I truly loved about being there was seeing my son energised. It seems both of us want to live life to the full and I know that Jesus himself said that was why he came. I am praying that my son will discover that for himself, even that he would be one Jesus would use to reach that culture.

You will find this email and the previous two on the South Wales Baptists Blog
http://southwalesbaptists.blogspot.com/
Have a look and join in the conversations on this blog!

By the way, the dart was so good this weekend he’s decided that Kayaking really is fun so I’m sorry but we are praying for rain this half term week so we can get on another river!

Rest in Him (19th Oct)

It’s been an incredibly busy few weeks and looking at the diary over the next few weeks it’s only going to get worse. And so it was such a blessing to get away for a 24 hour retreat last week with some other regional ministers. We need these occasions not simply to recharge but to recalibrate and as the Lord graciously did for me last week, reiterate his call upon my life. Whether it be a full blown retreat or the valuable moments we take each day, to listen to the Lord, allowing the Holy Spirit to regulate our heart beat with the Father’s is vital to our ongoing walk and fruitfulness in his service. It is the learning to rest, remain, abide in Christ so that we are able to bear the fruit he produces in us. We find our place in God and he finds his place in us. We become a hospitable place for him to dwell in us. Strange that we still insist on rushing around so much!?! But on that note hope to see some of you at the last of our Roadshows this week; Wednesday at Monmouth, Thursday at Woodville Cardiff.

first weekly email 12th Oct

I have had in mind for quite some time to email all of you as ministers within the association on a regular basis, say every Monday morning, simply to encourage you in what the Lord has called you to. It is after all an easy way to communicate quickly in the world we now live in. Paul tells us to make the most of every opportunity (Eph 5:16). And there are many opportunities. What about taking opportunities to help one another? As disciples of Christ we are ever learning from his word, by his Spirit and from each other.

I wonder if we can commit ourselves to taking the opportunity to sharpen one another (Prov 27:17). For encouragement, challenge and enabling each other. This can be done in twos and threes, in small groups, using our monthly ministers gatherings, then there are the bigger gatherings like Mainstream and the Ministers Conference. Andy and I are currently running missional roadshows focusing on change and transition. Tonight at 7pm we are at Jerusalem Pentrebach, tomorrow Ebbw Bridge. There are many opportunities to develop our gifts and understanding of what the Lord has called us to.

Perhaps begin by giving another minister a ring today and plan to meet up!

CREDO: An affirmation of Christian faith

Life after Festivals

So the summer is over and the canvas festival season of Leading Edge, Keswick, Greenbelt and others is done for another while. But what is it that we come back to and have our trips away helped us with what is to come?

I'm reading George MacDonald's Fairy Tales at the moment and in one called The Shadows after a mortal has returned from a mysterious journey to the Shadow Church, he offers these few lines:

This made it the more likely that he had seen a true vision; for instead of making common things look commonplace, as a false vision would have done, it had made common things disclose the wonderful that was in them.

Have a wonder full day ... and may your vision be beauty full.

MAINSTREAM WALES announces that
Revd. Kwame Adzam will be the guest speaker on
Thursday 24th September 2009
at Carmel Baptist Church, Pontlliw (Nr. Swansea)10.00am Coffee, 10.30am Start, 3.30pm Finish
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN
* Cost: £7 : Buffet lunch will be provided
* Directions: Exit Junction 47 of M4; take the A48 (Swansea Road) heading towards Pontardulais.
* Open to all those in church leadership position.
PLEASE REGISTER BEFOREHAND by contacting Mark Thomas at the SWBA Office on either 029 2049 1366 or mark@swbabugb.org.uk