Vision Series - Family for Everyone

Week One, 22nd October 2023

As we start a new series, Tools To Go, Jim talks in depth about what it means to go and share the good news of Jesus.

(16:37) TOOL: The 15-second story model

Introduce your story with at least two words or things how you were doing/feeling before your encounter with Jesus > close with at least two words or things to describe the difference Jesus made after your encounter with him.

Jim's example: There was a time in my life where I was confused and disappointed > but then I encountered Jesus and found hope, love and forgiveness and that gave me a purpose for my life and a desire to serve for others.

Ben talks about how we can pause and find space to be open and receive the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Jim talks about what Jesus is doing now and why it matters. There are four reasons why we can have confidence in his Ascension.

In this episode Rev. Ben talks about what it means to be a disciple and how we can learn to hear and recognise the voice of Jesus.

In this episode Rev. Jim talks about recognising Jesus and his presence, even when our eyes are closed. The disciples did not recognise Jesus after his death until he broke bread with them, and their hearts were burning as Jesus discussed scripture. We can experience the same burning as we read the scriptures and talk about it with others.

This week we pause from our main Lent series to celebrate Mothering Sunday. This week we will be focussing on what it means to be a church family and in particular it is an opportunity to encourage people in our worship for everyone model and the theology, model and practice of this. Mads talks about what Jesus says about being brother and sisters is countercultural- the unity of connection with one another points to the unit of heaven.

In the third week of our Lent series, Jim talks about how to handle temptation and doubts that happen in our journey in faith. We can bring our doubts to Jesus and seek prayer from others. 

The devil tempts Jesus by appealing to human lust and desire. Yet Jesus overcomes the temptation by hungering for Gods righteousness and finding satisfaction in God rather than in satisfying the needs of his physical body. How do we fill our lives with eternal nourishment that comes from Gods word and Christian community rather than temporary pleasures that only satisfy us temporality?

Ben concludes the 5 Marks of Mission series and talks about how we can allow space to see what God is up to during this season of Lent.