Over these past weeks, as we’ve worked our way through the letter of 1 Peter, we’ve spent some time looking at the concept of the “priesthood of all believers”. We’ve seen how God gave and anointed prophets, priests and kings to serve and lead His Old Testament people, Israel. We’ve seen how these three roles…
Have you ever have caught yourself thinking “The church really should be doing X..” John Wimber once encountered such a situation. He recounts a time when he was approached by a member of his congregation who had met somebody in great need. After the service this man told Wimber of his frustration. “This man needed…
Do you remember those little desk toys with the hanging balls – Newton’s Cradles. There was something about them that made them utterly irresistible – you just had to pick up a ball from one end and let it go, and watch as the perpetual motion kept the end balls tick-tock-ticking back and forth, never…
It’s a question which many of us have asked or answered at some time or other. The premise behind the question is that church is something – a service, a building, a meeting – that you attend. You show up, as if to a performance, sit through the designated time slot, then return home to…
I was chatting in church this week with someone who is looking for work, and finding the constant rejections frustrating. “I send off my resume, but I don’t have the specific qualifications or experience they’re looking for, so they dismiss me. I know I’m perfectly able to do their jobs, if they’d just meet me.”…
At Trinity Central church this past Sunday we made a start on our series in the letter of 1 Peter, and I’m really looking forward to working our way through this letter together. Peter writes to believers in churches spread around what would now be Northern Turkey, quite possibly churches planted by people who he…
At Trinity Central we are starting a new series, looking together through the letter of 1 Peter. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an…
This past Sunday I spoke about the importance of us being a Spirit empowered people and gave opportunity for people to receive the Spirit. Had we have had more time I would have given more attention to demonstrating from scripture all the New Testament occurrences of receiving the Spirit. I thought it might be useful…
I’m a “men’s weekend” junkie. There’s something about going away together as men that I have found hugely helpful in my (long, sometimes painful) maturing process as a Christian man, my Father’s son. So when Rhys mentioned that he would be speaking at a men’s conference in Oregon this past weekend, and that anybody who…
On Sunday 2nd February we marked our two year anniversary as a church in Vancouver with a wonderful celebration together! It is breathtaking to stand at this vantage point and survey the landscape of where we’ve come from. What started as a prayer meeting in a front room is growing into an increasingly vibrant community.…