DAY 364 - Church Growth Should Be So Easy! (請按此處收聼廣東話Cantonese podcast click here)

Please continue to pray for Leslie!

Ignatius and I went to Vancouver Children's Hospital to pray for him after I landed in the airport yesterday afternoon. I was shock to see how serious he is.

Leslie is the 11 years old son of Kenny and Nevia, a family of our church. He nearly died last Saturday because of two normal fever virus that went into his lung and heart. He is making some progress but do not know whether he can make it. 

 He needs your prayers!

Today's Reading: Acts 2:42-47

** If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from my Devotion on Fire blog:

http://bishopsilas.blogspot.ca/2009/08/count-down-5-subject-shifting-devotion.html .

To use this simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link:

 Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.

Please click this link to read Acts 2:42-47

• English(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 2&version=ESV
• Chinese: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts 2&version=CUV

Bible Study

     After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the first Evangelistic meeting on earth and the three thousand being baptized, Luke puts before us what is being called the four marks of the church:

Teaching, Fellowship, Worship and Prayers.

     Any church or Christian who can live out these four marks, growth comes along naturally. The reality is that lots of churches are not growing. Why?

Because these four marks are not happening!

1. Teaching: Lots of Christians are not teachable. They might want to learn lots of things they want but they are not teachable and do not want to learn more about Jesus.

2. Fellowship:Lots of  Christians tends to become isolated and not connected. They want to get what they want but not give what they have to build up and live out what fellowship really means.

3. Worship: Lots of Christians do not have a worshiping heart. They go to worship as a habit or just like going to a show but do not feel the presence of God and do not enjoy worshiping God.

4. Prayers: Lots of Christians do not know how to pray or do not have an urge to pray. Most of them do not have a daily intimate personal relationship with Jesus. 

N.T. Wright says (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._T._Wright):

     When Jesus' followers behave like this, they sometimes find, to their surprise, that they have a new spring in their step.  There is an attractiveness, an energy about a life in which we stop clinging on to everything we can get and start sharing it, giving it away, celebrating God's generosity by being generous ourselves.  And that attractiveness is one of the things that draws other people in...

     Where the church today finds itself stagnant, unattractive, humdrum and shrinking - and , sadly, there are many churches, in the Western world at least, of which that has to be admitted - it's time to read Acts 2:42-47 again, get down on our knees, and ask what isn't happening that should be happening. The gospel hasn't changed.  God's power hasn't diminished.  People still need rescuing.  What are we doing about it? 

N.T. Wright. Acts for Everyone, Part 1. Louisville,KY:Westminster John Knox Press, 2008, p.47.

    So, what are you doing about It? What have you heard from Jesus today?

                 

Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmax47l2hLU

Spiritual Journal

     What I heard from Jesus today is: Church growth should be so easy!

     What I got from Jesus today is an invitation as well as a confirmation that church growth should be very, very easy. It is the natural result of living out that four marks of the church. If we can live that out, then people are pouring in to our church.

     The past eight days in London is again another opportunity for me as well as our Anglican Mission team to see how people pouring in Holy Trinity Brompton to become saved and to live out that "Teaching, Fellowship, Worship and Prayers" life. All four characteristics are so clear for the people of HTB.

     How can we learn from them, being connected to all those kinds of good examples around the world that the Church is amazingly growing. If your church is not growing, that's your problem and you have a part to deal with that problem and make it works again.

     It states here very clearly that it is not your thinking of all kinds of program to attract people but people are being attracted by you if you and your church can live out that four marks.  

Dear Lord Jesus,

Lead us to live out that four marks that we can experience that church growth is so easy and natural. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Photos I took yesterday(May 16 Thur.) in Rev. Nicky Gumbel's home. It was a powerful and meaning time that we prayed for each others. I was freshly anointed by the laying on of hands by Nicky, Pippa, Phlip Jones, Claudia Jones and Paul Sorenson. 

Please click this link to worship with us - 

Holy Spirit Rain Down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-SI_HRWooA&feature=related

Chinese praise song - 

聖靈請你來 Come, Holy Spirit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjufasfZ9hE

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