Prayer for Sierra Leone Mission September & October

Sunday: Pray that the breakthrough in finding a successful inoculation for ebola might bring to an end the present epidemic and prevent further outbreaks.  Also pray that the price of this drug might not be prohibitive to the poor.

Monday: It is almost a year since Daniel Koroma lost his wife to cancer.  Please pray for him and his daughter. It is also a year since he became our agent, pray for him and his added responsibilities.

Tuesday: Please pray that everyone worshipping in a Connexional Church in England will realise the responsibility that we accepted at Conference 2015.  It was agreed that there needed to be an increase in giving to continue the work effectively in S.L.

Wednesday: Thank God that the owner of the building – Bethesda has agreed that the children may remain there for a further 7 months – rent free!

Thursday: Thank God that £23,000 has been given specifically for the new Bethesda. Trust and pray for a further £9,000 to complete the interior.

Friday:As we continue to send out ‘rice money’ pray that those people receiving this gift might realise the true’ giver’ as Jesus.

Saturday: Our main concern in S.L. is the furtherance of the gospel. Please pray that in the wake of ebola there might be a mighty awakening in the churches of the Connexion. That Christians will be inspired tobe a great witness where they live.

Sierra Leone Mission Day of Prayer

Sunday May 10th is the day of prayer for Sierra Leone, and here are the prayer points:

Please pray for...

The building work of the new Bethesda, that the money needed to finish the work would be given and that having, at conference, taken the Bethesda project into the mission’s work the ongoing finances needed will be supplied.

For Rev Daniel Koroma, as the S.L.M. agent, that he will be able to fulfil his role, and along with Rev Magnus Bendu, they would be able to distribute the rice to those who need it.

For those in the connexion in Sierra Leone, that they would be kept safe from the Ebola virus.

For Francis Charley and his workers. One of his workers has died from Ebola and there is concern among the other workers, who are staying away from work at the moment.

For Rev Sallu Koroma, who comes to the end of his 6 year term as Chairman and General Superintendent. With their conference having been postponed in February until July, pray that the right person will be elected to that position.

That the finances needed to support the mission will continue to be provided on a regular basis.

Charity No. 232674

Getting to grips with: Being a Worshipping Church

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Getting to grips with: Being a Worshipping Church


Reading: 1 Chronicles 16:8-36

1. Describe worship.
2. In this reading, the worship stems from the arrival of the Ark of the Covenant in Jerusalem. What is that and why was it so important?
3. Take time to go through this 'psalm' it is a call to worship - talk about the various commands: what they mean and why they are important.
4. Corporate worship (worship together is important. How can we encourage each other in worship and in which ways might we disturb other people from worshipping?
5. In your closing prayers spend some time giving thanks and praise in prayer before moving to intercession.

For Christians Only!

How do we approach our Worship Services?

• Are we expecting to meet with the Living God?
• Are our hearts and heads “in the right place”?
• Do we come in good time?
• As we gather are we focussed and quietly waiting and thinking on God?

or

• Are we expecting to catch up with our friends for a chat?
• Are our heads and hearts befuddled and full of all of the stuff of life (and maybe the stuff of the night before)?
• Do we arrive “by the skin of our teeth” and then decide grabbing a coffee is a priority over grabbing a seat?
• As we gather do we shout across the sanctuary and talk over the worship group?

There are times when The Lord brings us up sharp and reminds us that we are His: to glorify Him, to worship Him, to be amazed, astounded and in awe of Him to relish Him, to revere Him, and I believe that the Lord is bringing us as a fellowship to that point, He is saying to us, “it is great that you are a welcoming, loving caring church – it is great, and I will have it no other way. But I AM The Lord and I want to be welcomed over and above others, for the purpose of my glory, and that in worshipping me and coming close to me in obedience, you will be blessed as I desire to bless you.”

Will there be times we:

• need to quietly welcome someone new?
• find our children are a bit chatty?
• we are a bit late, because things happen?
• it just all goes a bit pear shaped?

Yes of course there will be those times, and God knows all about it, stuff happens, but He is reminding us where our focus should be. Our God is no tyrant, but He is a God of loving discipline and He calls us to be disciples.

 

So you see, this really is a message for Christians only…

Some Study Questions for HouseGroups and Individuals

1. Do you feel offended by this issue being raised? Explore why that might be?
2. Why does our attitude to approaching worship matter?
3. How does the behaviour of Christians in Church affect the behaviour of those new to faith or searching?
4. What practical things can we do to help each other in this respect?
5. Why is God’s grace key to how we encourage one another in our discipleship?
   

Scripture is full of incredible descriptions of how awesome and wonderful our God is. Be encouraged!

Isaiah 6:3

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!

    The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

 
Psalm 33:8

“Let everyone in all the world

—men, women, and children—

fear the Lord and stand in awe of him.”

 
Psalm 46:10

 “Be still, and know that I am God!

    I will be honoured by every nation.

    I will be honoured throughout the world.”

 
Matthew 5:23-24

“If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.

 

The Lie We Tell Ourselves: I want to change but...

How often does a Pastor hear the words, "I want to change but..."
Oswald Chambers says in these few sentences below some straightforward words that many a Pastor would do well to replicate in such situations:


The first thing I must be willing to admit when I begin to examine what controls and dominates me is that I am the one responsible for having yielded myself to whatever it may be.
If I am a slave to myself, I am to blame because somewhere in the past I yielded to myself. Likewise, if I obey God I do so because at some point in my life I yielded myself to Him.
If a child gives in to selfishness, he will find it to be the most enslaving tyranny on earth.
There is no power within the human soul itself that is capable of breaking the bondage of the nature created by yielding. For example, yield for one second to anything in the nature of lust, and although you may hate yourself for having yielded, you become enslaved to that thing. (Remember what lust is— “I must have it now,” whether it is the lust of the flesh or the lust of the mind.) No release or escape from it will ever come from any human power, but only through the power of redemption. You must yield yourself in utter humiliation to the only One who can break the dominating power in your life, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ. “. . . He has anointed Me . . . to proclaim liberty to the captives . . .” (Luke 4:18 and Isaiah 61:1).
When you yield to something, you will soon realise the tremendous control it has over you. Even though you say, “Oh, I can give up that habit whenever I like,” you will know you can’t. You will find that the habit absolutely dominates you because you willingly yielded to it. It is easy to sing, “He will break every fetter,” while at the same time living a life of obvious slavery to yourself. But yielding to Jesus will break every kind of slavery in any person’s life.


We must take responsibility here, who really is your master?

Study Questions: Is your life a success?

Reading: John 3:22-36

If you missed it, here's a link to the Sermon: Is your life a success? 

1. How would you define a successful life?
2. Who is being referred to in verse 26?
3. Discuss what verse 27 means.
4. Talk through how John the Baptist dealt with this situation; is there anything we can learn from this?
5. The sermon picked up on 4points concerning a successful life, what were they? Talk about how we perhaps fail in them and what we can practically do to improve.
6. Use verse 30 as a lead into prayer.

So What's the deal with deacons?

A brief study on the role of a Deacon

Deacons are found in various parts of the New Testament. Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:8 and 12 contain the Greek word diakonos which translates to the English deacon meaning servant or a person who gives service and help to others.

The first place that we find deacons is in the book of Acts. Though the word diakonos isn’t used there is a definite selection process which placed men into a servant position. Acts 6:1-2, But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.” So the first thing that we can take away from this is that the deacon is a selected position. It isn’t about whether you would like to be a deacon because if you notice the apostles told the people to find others that were among them (verse 3,”And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility”). The other piece of information that we can take from this passage is that the role of the deacon was to serve the people.

In verse one of Acts 6 we see that the Christian church had grown to the point where the apostles were unable to meet all of the needs of the people. The Greek speakers were murmuring and complaining against the Hebrew speakers because some of the people felt they were being treated differently. To deal with this the apostles called for the church to select seven people would support the apostles; people who would be responsible for serving the people (verse 2).

So here we find that the carefully chosen seven would meet the practical needs of the church. The practical needs would have been things such as organising the supplies, support, and finances, visiting those in need and the sick. And the whole reason for this was to ensure  that the apostles/elders would be able to continue in their calling of preaching, teaching and prayer. Acts 6:4, “Then we can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

And so we need to recognise that the role of the deacon then is the same as it is for us today. There is no difference. God has given His holy perfect word to guide us. Deacons are to be the servant to the people in order that the Pastor/Elders can stay focused on prayer and teaching the word. However, this does not mean that all in church aren’t called to serve and care for one another and help out in the seen and unseen things as all Christians are called to a life of worship and service, but it does mean that those with specific gifts should willingly serve.

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An Excerpt from New Connexions Free Church’s Constitution relating to the office of Deacon

2.2.1     Practical Administration and Leadership

The practical and administrative details of Church life shall be the responsibility of Deacons (see section 4.2 for details of qualifications, appointment and responsibilities).

Deacons will work alongside the Eldership to enable the Elders to carry out their work, being men and women selected from and by the Church meeting the Scriptural qualifications for Deacons and having their gifts recognised and affirmed by the Eldership.

A Deacon will be appointed as Treasurer and be responsible for the keeping of accounts and for the financial administration of the Church including any specific ministries which might, for good reason, hold separate funds.

A Deacon will be appointed as Secretary and be responsible for the keeping of minutes of Church Members Meetings, for supporting the Pastor in correspondence and general administration.
 

Other Deacons and Leaders for other Church activities shall be appointed as positions requiring practical and administrative responsibility might emerge. Such positions and their responsibilities are defined in later sections of this document.

 

4.2  Deacons

4.2.1     The Definition and Responsibilities of Deacons

a.    Up to seven Deacons shall be appointed, elected from among the members of the Church after nomination by Church members and meeting the biblical qualifications for Deacons, their gifts recognised and affirmed by the Eldership. Any member wishing to stand for election must have been a member for a minimum of six months.

b.    Once selected and appointed, a Deacon’s service will continue for a period of three years, after which they may be re-elected by the members of the Church, at a Quarterly Church Meeting.

c.    The function of a Deacon is to work alongside the Eldership, enabling the Elders to carry out their work without being concerned with the practical and administrative details of Church life, in such areas as finance, fabric, pastoral administration, plus others, as they might emerge.