Professor John Attia - The Problem of Suffering - 29th August 2019 by The Grainery Church

Peter speaks of his own life story - one of the harshness of life growing up as an indigenous man in a remote community afflicted with poverty. In the midst of this, Peter’s grandfather was a leader, his grandmother a strong Christian who cared for her family and led them to Christ. She gave Peter a vision for being a leader for his people. Losing his mum at an early age, being mistreated by his dad, and being sent away to boarding school, Peter felt an intense loneliness and brokenness. This is a story of pain, of loss, of overcoming great adversity. Of sinking to the depths of alcoholic self- medication, and finally of finding the saving love of Jesus Christ. This is one of the most moving and powerful testimonies you will ever hear.

In 2016 God will Kay and her husband John to northern Nigeria to join John's parents in mission there. After outlining the physical and social geography of this violent pat of Nigeria, Kay shares how the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram created chaos all around their region and how people in their Bible College ministry had died at the hands of these Muslim fundamentalists.

God has shown the local Christians how to bring peace, how to love and cooperate with their Muslim neighbours, and how to plant churches in this volatile society. Don't build taller walls but build longer tables

Do you have need of a miracle? When God does a miracle it is for our benefit and for his glory. Brian brilliantly expounds the story of Jesus feeding the 5000. When we get to the end of our extremities God can do a miracle. Those who had experienced being fed had first made themselves totally available to Jesus by following him right around the Sea of Galilee. The disciples obeyed Jesus in finding the food and then distributing the food - being radically obedient to him. These two groups, by doing that, put themselves in the place where they could experience a miracle. In sharing his own testimony, Brian explains his radical life change from a budget centered banker to a person living by faith on the road less traveled. He calls for us to live a life totally available and radically obedient.

The “founder” of the church is Jesus according to Hebrews 12:2. Ever since the fall the human “spirit” has been dead and dominated by the human body and soul. Jesus came to reverse this order, giving our revived spirit dominance in our lives. A growing church needs people who are Spirit led and spirit led in order to set and achieve faith steps to reaching the goal of a growing, thriving church. Graeme discusses how an insurgent mission, a front-line obsession and an owner’s mindset are critical to achieving this big goal. He expounds Philippians 2, explaining how Christ is our model in humbling our selves and obediently serving God in life, from a strong spirit which is connected to God.

Josh Irwin - 17th August 2019 by The Grainery Church

Cultural shifts. Post-Modernism. Post-Christian world-views. The marginalisation of the church. Church scandals. Spiritual opposition. Personal opposition. Social rejection. Evangelism shame. Church forms which are stuck in the past culturally. Theological opposition- people who claim to represent Christ but don’t hold to the historical creeds.

How on earth can we successfully share our faith in this day and age?

We need a theology, a model and a practice which will produce fruit in this hostile environment. Ger outlines how we can be an empowered people who reach our culture with the love of God, message of the gospel and person of Jesus. Acts 16 provides the material for Ger’s outline of being:

Led by the Holy Spirit - by responding to his nudges

Burdened by the Holy Spirit - for the needs of others to experience the gospel

Empowered by the Holy Spirit - through words, wonders and works to reach others

In this introduction to the fourth “challenge “ of the year, Pastor Sue talks to us about discipleship- passing on a mature faith to others - especially to the next generation. Beginning with who Jesus is and a personal relationship with him, Sue expounds the centrality of forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven. The “Kingdom of Fair” is contrasted with the “Kingdom of Grace”. One is a place of torment, the other a place of peace within ourselves and with others as we live both receiving and giving the gift of forgiveness. This requires laying down our life which brings endless blessings.

Why do we sometimes stop the flow of the Holy Spirit?

Firstly why do we over complicate our relationship with God? Many Christians hear lots of sermons and Bible-based podcasts, but don’t let these things transform their lives. Often this is because our Christianity has become a habit, legalistic, based on a feeling that we need to know a lot but not to grow a lot!

The Pharisees of Jesus had a masters degree in this form of “religion”, but where was love? For God and for “neighbour”.

Secondly, why are we so often tempted away from the fountain of life? Jesus himself was tempted - this is not a sin. Temptation targets some basic hungers and desires that all humans share. Jesus is able to demolish the power of temptation in us and Matt explains how.

Following God is more like a dance based on faithfulness to God and selflessness to others, than preparation for an exam. This is Matt’s conclusion for us.

When you pass away will it take some time before you know it? Will your identity and nature be so connected with God and filled with him and his love and joy and peace that the wall between time and eternity is virtually non-existent at that point?

We can draw a fearful identity from our sinful nature or be led by a peaceful identity drawn from the Holy Spirit in us. Pastor Sue leads us to a relationship with God resulting in a transformed nature which overcomes any power of our fallen human nature to turn us into fearful slaves to sin. Quoting such great people as Dallas Willard and Abraham Lincoln, Sue proclaims the freedom of grace and salvation which makes us new and gives us a fresh start, making us sons and daughters of the living God and breaking the slavery mentality. God can be your eternal Father and your identity can be that of a son, not a slave. Listen to this message and find out how.