I believe a formative Sunday in Community Church Blackburn’s life was when Alastair Murdoch, from Re:ignite Church, came to preach at the beginning of 2016 and lobbed what I consider several prophetic hand grenades into our church.
It was a very raw, difficult time for us as a church and God real moved through him and I give God the Glory for his bravery and obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit that morning. One of those hand grenades thrown was asking us as a church ‘What tribe are we?’ This question, itself, assumes that we are not isolated as a church in Blackburn, we are just a small part of Gods plan in a larger people of God in the geographical area of Blackburn and then again in this nation and then further afield in the world. Theology, doctrine and teaching are very, very, very important and wrong teaching is extremely destructive and produces bad spiritual fruit in the church however, I’m 100% certain when I meet Jesus he won’t ask, did you get your theology right? He will ask me do you Love me? Therefore, if you believe in the Apostles Creed, love Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit you're good with me 😊 I believe strongly in the universal church of Jesus across the world comprised of faithful believers. I believe there is a people of God in Blackburn scatted among the churches with different worship styles, cultural background traditions, languages, with often different opinions about things. However if we want to see the rule and reign of Jesus in our city and nation, we need to advance the kingdom, as one people, together. RISE is unity a movement http://www.riseunitymovement.org/# which wants to bring more of Gods Kingdom into Blackburn through churches praying together, worshiping together, honouring each other and working together. I believe Community Church Blackburn should be at the heart of this. Please pray for the steering group as it meets. For Gods anointing, boldness and guidance. Also pray for other churches in our town. Pray for Reignite, The Beacon Church, Blackburn Baptist, Vineyard, The Methodist churches, The Catholic church, The CofE churches, Colin and Richards church on Shadsworth, The United Reform Churches, The Nigerian Churches and the list goes on and on.We’re all on the same side, which is Jesus and what we disagree about is infinitely less important than what we share. I want to see revival in Blackburn, Blackburn isn’t rubbish, God loves Blackburn so, so, so much. I want to fight a spiritual war of Love, not against people but against dark powers and authorities in Blackburn, like poverty, injustice, addiction and Hopelessness. That’s our promised land, that’s our fight. But we need, as a people of God, in Blackburn to fight it together. Helpful Bible Verses Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY. Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
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11/11/2020 07:32:09 am
Molding people to be followers of Jesus Christ is very crucially important. We must be accurate when it comes to teaching them because it will help them decide whether they will choose to follow the steps of Jesus Christ. We must never force people to believe in Jesus Christ. Rather, we must convince them in a way that they would understand His story. This way, we will be able to naturally form a bond between these people and Jesus Christ.
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