Church Awayday - Holton Lee - 16th April 2005

Our Speaker: Reverend Julie Shimizu – from Life Community Baptist Church in Horsham, Sussex.  She trained at Spurgeon’s College at the same time as Robert, doing the church-based Church Planting and Evangelism course.  Julie says she is passionate about Jesus and wants to share that passion with others.

About 50 people from the church, including four children, met at Holton Lee, which is between Poole and Wareham.  Whilst the musicians were in the main room tuning their instruments, the rest of us had tea, coffee and a chat.

Whilst the children went over to the Farmhouse, to be shown how to manipulate puppets by the Wacky Puppet team from Bournemouth, the majority of the group went into the main room and took our seats.There followed a time of worship and prayer, led by Helen and Mark.

Introduction:

Julie said that we needed to be reminded of our foundations before we go out and minister. Being a Christian involves becoming more like Jesus.  He is our role model – our example. We need to acknowledge our differences. Julie then read verses from a poem – The Living Christ.

Session 1:  More Like Jesus – In Devotion

Julie asked what our image of Jesus was?    Hers was an overriding image of Jesus on his own, on his knees praying to his Father.  He was one with his father – complete unity. We then read from John 17 v. 4-6; 9-10; 20 & 24. In those verses, it describes, Jesus’ devotion, passion and love for his father.  
He was so passionate about his father here on earth.
Julie asked the question – Where is our passion for God?
Did we remember how we felt when we first came to know God or had our love for him dimmed over the years?  The Holy Spirit is calling us to find that passion again. Where are we with God ?  Do you love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength?  This is the first commandment, the second commandment is to love your neighbours as yourself.

If we are out of fellowship with God – we end up being miserable. If we try and live in 2 worlds – we end up miserable. It is only when we are close to God – that life is sweetness itself.

How are you when you are alone?  Do you spend time in worship? We may find it easy to worship when we are at church or at home group – but does the business of every day life get in the way during the rest of the week. God is longing for a relationship with us.  How intimate do you want to be with God?  Are you close to him, on fire for him or are you holding him at arms length?  Not willing to listen to what he is saying to you or finding some excuse not to do what he is asking of you.

We then read Psalm 63.

David is hiding in the desert from his son Absalom.  He is seeking/searching for God – he is praying but he is not asking for anything. When we pray, are we asking for this to be done or we need this or that.  Please heal this person or that we need a job or are we seeking God, putting him first.  We need to pursue him, be proactive in deepening our relationship with him. We need to turn away from other things of life and actively seek him,  then we will get to know God better.   The more steps towards God you take the more you will find him.
Stop and wait on the Lord – give him time.  Julie told us what she does – she lies down on the floor and just waits for God.  

Julie spoke about Spiritual Thirst and how England is in a spiritual desert and that we need to ask God to pour out his rain on this thirsty land.  We need to be powerful about worship, to praise God until the Spirit of Worship comes.
In worship if we are touching God’s heart – the glory will come. We need to linger in his presence, cling to him. Remember that God is holding onto us all the time- he will never let us go. Now is the time to get right with God and ask him for that passion again.  If we have that passion we need to ask for more of it.


Julie then played 2 tracks from Heaven’s Whisper by Kelly Warren.

There was a break for refreshments. When we returned we had another time of worship – Mark prayed for there to be a cleansing exercise in us today.

Before the next session Julie asked if anyone had anything to say.  Had God spoken to anyone? G.... said that during the first song she felt that she was at Jesus’ feet and he had asked to get higher – so that she was holding his hands very firmly. M.... told us that it was a very emotional day for her as 30 years ago she had given her life to the Lord in one of the fields here at Holton Heath and that she had not been back since that day.

Session 2 – More Like Jesus – In Character

Jesus was perfect in holiness, compassionate.  Love is the foundation of the Fruits of the Spirit.
He is our example and he had all the Fruit of the Spirit. We must have this love for others – as he loves us, without it we would be ministering in self. Jesus said we must love others as we love ourselves. Our love for God is not a private affair it must be shown in our love for other people. We cannot go out and minister without the love of God.
It is not the romantic form of love – it is agape love (brotherly love) – Christian Fellowship.

How can we do it?  We cannot on our own but with God’s love in us we can. Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be our teacher. The Holy Spirit is God with us.

We then read 1 Corinthians 13.

Julie went to say that we all have gifts but they are nothing without love. Love is supreme. Imagine a row of noughts – they are nothing, but if you put a 1 in front it then gives it a value. The same is with love – without the gift of love everything is worthless. God knows everyone one of us and it does not matter how hard we try we cannot fool him. Any giving has to be based on a heart of love. Love is costly – remember the price Jesus paid. Jesus told us ‘to love one another as I have loved you’. We need to be a community of people loving one another – it is very difficult but important.

How is that Love to be channelled? Love never fails - God is so patient with us. We get wrapped up in other things and we don’t always listen to what he is saying to us. How patient are we?  Do we jump to conclusions?  Pre-judge people?  We need to be patient without it we cannot be loving.   We also need to show kindness – Jesus was kind to everyone. Julie went on to talk about envy and asked if any of us had been envious of others. We all have at some time or other wished that we had the gifts that others have, like being able to play a musical instrument, or play sports well. Envy can become a very bitter thing.  We need to be content with what has been given to you.  It’s not what you do but how you do it that matters.  Little things done well can grow into something bigger.  Boastfulness & Pride - we need to have the same attitude as Jesus – be humble.  Serving - do we serve with humility or are we proud, go around boasting about what we do?  If we need to boast about anything - boast about Jesus. If we are self-seeking this can lead to rudeness – we have all experienced the me, me, attitude of society today.  Love is not self-seeking.  Agape love excludes self-love. Love keeps no memory of wrongs. Love does not mean dragging up things from the past.  We need to forgive any wrongs against us.  With the grace of God we can forgive. Filled with his love – we can do anything – but we must learn to let go of the past first. The more we have the love of God within us.  We can then release that love freely. Love never fails – true love marches on & on.  This is the kind of love that lasts. People need to be loved – we also need to be loved.

How can we love like Jesus loves?   Jesus says we can, by being one with him. By being in his presence.
We need to spend time with others – the more we practice love the more it will mature.  We need the fellowship of the church so that we can grow.  We have to learn to love another.  But love is not love until we give it away.  We must express it openly. This ended the mornings’ sessions.

   Robert then prayed before we went to the Farmhouse to join the children who gave a demonstration of the skills that they had learnt that morning.  


 We enjoyed a good buffet lunch after which some of us went out for a walk and enjoyed the sunshine and beautiful scenery of Poole Harbour.

On our return we had a drink before assembling for the final session of the day.

We once again commenced with a time of worship before handing over to Julie.

Session 3: More like Jesus – In Ministry.

The Ministry of Jesus – he had a passion for what he was doing.  We need to minister like him.  Part of our discipleship is ministry. Julie went onto explain that there are two parts to Jesus’ ministry – Proclamation & Demonstration.

Jesus proclaimed the Good News to people and he went around healing the sick and gave freedom to the oppressed.
He chose 12 disciples to be with him.  He sent them out in pairs and gave them authority to cast out unclean spirits and cure every kind of ailment. He also told them to make disciples of all nations – teaching them and healing the sick. In Acts 14 v 3 the Lord confirmed the message of his grace by causing signs and miracles to be worked at their hands (Paul & Barnabas).  He confirmed and enabled them to heal the sick. We need to pray for the sick and needy.  We live in the "now and not yet" of the kingdom.

Julie went onto say that a healing ministry is absolutely essential.  Healing the sick is a big commission.   We need to be obedient to Jesus and ask for healing but we need to have more conviction and faith to do so. Julie encouraged us to be bold and brave – to pray for people.  We all have the same Holy Spirit within us.  Ask if you can pray for someone in need. Sometimes healing does not always happen for whatever reason and we need to accept this. Remember the 1st commandment – Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is to love your neighbours as yourself.

Julie then went onto to speak about Prophetic Evangelism.

Jesus said ‘my sheep hear my voice’. God can communicate with us, as long as we listen to what is being said and you work with him. We have lost the impetus to go out on mission with God.  Not going out for and on behalf of God – but going out with him.  We need to listen to God as we are going out serving and ministering. The more that you are open to hearing from God – the more that this will happen.  If you have a word for someone or a picture let them know.
God can speak to us in dreams.  Some of us are seers – regularly having dreams. We have to use our spiritual eyes – some people are given scripture verses. Julie had message for particular people during the day. As we go out we need to have the Holy Spirit walking with us.  People are hungry for the spiritual in this world. Julie said that God is calling us back to what is written in the bible – back to our foundations.  Do not be afraid of what is written in the bible about our supernatural God.

People today are nervous about mission – maybe they have been trying for years without much success – but that does not mean that they will continue to unsuccessful in the future.  We need to persevere and trust in the Lord. Jesus worked with his Father – listened to what was being said and he obeyed.  We need to do the same – listen to what God is saying to us. We need to encourage one another as we go out on mission.

Julie said that the biggest renewal in this country would be out on the streets – not by trying to get people to come to church.  We need to go out to them. Julie then asked if anyone would like to go forward for healing.
Several people went forward and whilst Julie prayed for them – the worship group played and sang.

People were truly blessed and healed during this time.

Robert thanked Julie and then closed in prayer.