When the Broken Walk in

Two years ago a mother walked into our church holding her baby called Lexi. Her baby had cancer and she had run out of options. Could we try praying? I remember this mum standing up the front asking Jesus to help her and our Elders calling us to pray. Cancer go away. Be healed.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)

Pray without ceasing. Two years went by. During this time of praying Lexi’s mum met Jesus. He turned her life upside down. You can see the difference. You can see the joy.

This mum first walked in clutching her baby with cancer and seeming to have no hope at all. Then she met Jesus and she changed from no hope to having every hope and expectancy.

The father of Lexi saw a change. Lexi’s mum was different. The hope and new life she has is infectious. The change is life changing and people notice. Lexi’s father met Jesus and Jesus changed him too. Welcome to the family.

This is almost like the story of the paralysed man. People bringing him in from the roof in desperation and Jesus saying “your sins are forgiven”… they and you cry – “But you missed the point Jesus, he wants to walk!”

But Jesus says – “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? (Mark 2v9)

Jesus says – which is more important? Healing of our body or of our heart? Jesus cleanses the heart through his blood and gives eternal life.

Jesus did that with Lexi’s mum and dad. He said to them – “Your sins are forgiven”. This is a beautiful miracle in itself. We rejoice in this!

The story could end here. It does for many people and there is still reason to rejoice at this point. Even though its painful. There can be an element of yearning and sorrow in our rejoicing. “Though I walk through the wilderness. Blessed Be Your name”

But the story doesn’t stop there. Not today.

We got told on Sunday that another miracle has happened. Lexi has been healed. At this point she hadn’t had any treatment however the cancer had gone. It is impossible. No more cancer. No more tumors. No more. Gone. Miracle.

The faith of the church was raised on that Sunday. My faith has risen too. Not because of the sign itself but because of who the sign points to. Jesus.

Thank you Jesus.

It is good to be church. It’s good to be a part of this family where broken, hopeless people are welcomed, they meet Jesus and their lives change. It’s good to cry together and rejoice together. The roof was raised on Sunday. Together we prayed, together we praised, together we felt a part of this. Faith was raised together in church.

Thank you Jesus for the church. Thank you for Lexi and her mum and dad. Thank you that you do heal, but more so thank you that you save.

“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” (Mark 2v11-12)

Serving without Sinking

Have you ever had that moment where you are just really fed up of serving? At first it was a joy but now it’s just boring and repetitive. It feels like you are the only one who is serving while everyone else has gone home. And no one praises you or encourages you. Day in and day out it you slog away and you’re tired. You’re tired of it all.

Does that sound familiar? If it does, can I recommend a book to you? I know, another book to read – but it has been one of the most helpful books I’ve read on serving.

Serving without Sinking – by John Hindley is a book that is Christ focused. In fact you spend over half the book looking at Jesus and how He serves you. This really makes you examine your heart and the motives of your heart towards serving. You could be like the person I described above where you are just fed up of serving and you feel very discouraged and tired of it all. Then this book will remind you how Christ serves you first and how he delights in you. It will melt your heart to see the love that Christ has for you. With this in mind it changes the way you think about serving from a “I should do” or a “I have to” turned to a “I want to” and “I delight to” Why? because every bit of service – making tea, printing music, washing tables, welcome team is all serving Jesus and we can do that because he first and foremost serves us.

Or perhaps you are someone who isn’t like the person above – maybe you only serve to get recognition or you just can’t be bothered to serve others. John Hindley reminds us what kind of master we have – He is good and kind and he calls us to serve him. Again he calls us to this only after he has first served us. He is a serving master who loves his servants, servants who are sons and daughters of his Father. He calls us to serve with a glad heart – looking to Christ and not for recognition from others. We can do this because we have the Lord who knows us and a Father who sees what we do in secret.

I found this book to be good news for my heart. It’s a short book but with a deep focus on Jesus. I feel like it is something we all need at the moment.

You can get the book at the Good Book Company.

Ali Bolton has read and reviewed the book here.

Jesus or Cheesus?

Reading the Guardian on my friends table last night I came across an article. An article entitled “I bang my head against the wall when evangelicals turn Jesus into Cheesus - No PR agency in the world could sell the disturbing message of a broken man on the cross. That’s why we get Jesus-lite” 

This caught my attention. Why is this in the paper? Giles Fraser writes about Evangelicals display Jesus and that it often turns into a Cheesus PR campaign.

My guess is that he hates this falseness. Perhaps he sees a hypocrisy in contrast to the Jesus he has read about? It’s interesting to see how he feels Christians come across to the world and the Jesus they are presenting.

So who is the Jesus he has read about? This is what he says:

“The disciples run away, unable to cope with the impossible demands placed upon them. The hero they gave up everything to follow is exposed to public ridicule and handed over to Roman execution. And the broken man on the cross begins to fear that God is no longer present.

The fact that this is not the end of the story does not take away from the fact that tragedy will always be folded into the experience of faith. Even the resurrected Jesus bears the scars of his suffering. A man who has been through something like that will never smile that cheesy smile or think of faith as some sunny suburban upspeak.”

The suffering Christ is devastating, its weak, it brings about judgement, darkness, the weight of sin suffering placed upon his shoulders. Jesus doesnt bare a cheesy smile. Jesus cries out in pain. This isn’t a bumper sticker moment.
This moment should make us weep.

But it also gives us great joy. This is what Giles Fraser is missing. He says:

“Which is why, for the worst sort of Cheesus-loving evangelicals, the cross of Good Friday is actually celebrated as a moment of triumph. This is theologically illiterate. Next week, in the run up to Easter, Christianity goes into existential crisis. It fails.”

The cross looks like failure to the world. It looks weak and pathetic. But it IS a moment of triumph. Those evangelical cheesus Christians have it right – it’s a place of victory.

It is finished - Jesus cries.(John 19v30)

A wave of hope washes over me. My sin is dealt with. The punishment has been paid for in full. The blood shed is covering me.

At first glance the cross looks like a massive fail. But then look again. There is no failure here. My sin is being dealt with. The Father is showing how much he loves us by sending his Son to die for us. (John 3v16) Come and look at the cross again. 

Giles Fraser concludes with:

“But the problem with PR Christianity is that it can easily transform Jesus into Cheesus, which is a form of Jesus-lite, a romantic infatuation, a Mills & Boon theology that makes you feel all warm inside. The Gospels, however, tell an altogether more disturbing story. And there is no PR agency in the world that could sell the message of a man who told his followers that they too would have to go the way of the cross. That’s the problem with Cheesus. He won’t really suffer and he doesn’t ever die.”

In some sense he is right – we don’t want a Cheesus. We don’t want Jesus-lit or a mills and boons theology. But we DO want the cross and we most certainly want the resurrection. Thats what puts a smile across our face – Jesus is alive. Giles Fraser is right, a cheesus wont ever suffer or die. And we don’t want that Cheesus. But we want a Jesus that suffers, dies and rises again!! That is the good news of the Gospel.

And who is this PR agency that he believes could never sell this message? The message that we all must die to ourselves and carry our cross? Who possible could be this PR agency? Well, for the last 2000 years the PR agency has been the bride of Christ – the Church. The church is the one that beckons people to come and see Christ, come and die to yourself, come and find comfort in this suffering servant who deals with your sin and come and rejoice in the resurrection. Sometimes we get that wrong and it can look like a cheesus. But we as the church are the ones to display Christ to the world – a suffering christ, a weak but triumphant Cross and a glorious resurrection.

6 Questions for Christian Leaders

Recently I have been thinking about what it means to be a good leader. There are many good books about leadership, lots about vision and authority. We need those books to motivate us. But I was thinking the other day about the weak things of leadership that God works through, the humble things, the things that people don’t always see. I have been thinking about my time as a leader in doing student work and I have gathered some of my thoughts together onto this blog post. I am going to ask 6 questions. Mostly asking 6 questions of myself, but I hope it will help you too.

1. Are you on your knees in prayer?

Leaders who don’t think they need to pray are probably not leading well. When I don’t pray I know I am not leading well and I am consumed with the worries of the world.

Prayer is the Christians vital breath. If you are a leader of CU or small group then the best place you can be is daily on your knees in prayer. Pray for your committee, for the CU, for your small group, for your church and for yourself. When you feel discouraged, sad, unmotivated then come and prayer to our Father who knows we are weary and can fill us with His Spirit. Come to the throne room of God and seek the Father through His Son, come and enjoy Him, come and cast your anxieties on him, come and rejoice when things are going well, come and weep into his bosom when things are hard. As a leader why would you not settle your gaze on Christ through prayer? There is no better place to be. You don’t always have to pray on your own, although its good for your soul if you do spend some time doing that. But prayer in community is encouraging. So come and bid for others to join you.

2. Do you weep for the lost and the broken?

I was astounded when looking at Acts 20:17-38 about how much Paul cries. Paul is filled with tears, tears through sharing the Gospel, tears through correcting others, tears over other Christians and churches. Paul weeps. As leaders we can be full of tears. As leaders we can weep over the lost and the broken. A few times I have seen an elder in my church stand up and through tears he speaks about the Gospel or speaks about the lost. Its powerful. It shows great sincerity and shows what you care for from the heart. Are you a leader that weeps for the lost? Imagine if you stood up in front of your friends and had tears in your eyes because your coursemates don’t know Jesus. Or because your friend is suffering. I want to be a leader who isn’t afraid to cry.

3. Do you admit you are weak?

Most the time as leaders we think we have to be strong all the time. We feel like we have to live up to expectations that are just not realistic and if we carry on with this superman approach we will just burn out. Leaders need to admit their weak, they need to admit that they get weary and they need rest. When as leaders we admit that we are weak then we will rely on God more, we will allow him to minister to our hearts, we will come to him in humbleness and weakness, we will be far more patient with those around us who are weak also. Remember Moses was weak and the Lord used him. Don’t be afraid to show your weakness or that you are dependant. The world tells us that we should be individual, but we know that as Christians we are utterly dependant on Jesus and on each other (the church).

4. Do you tell the Gospel to yourself daily?

Whats the first thing we must do with the Gospel? Believe it. Daily we need to minister the Gospel to ourselves. We have to get into scripture and read about Jesus. We are a forgetful people and it’s the reminder of what Jesus has done for us and who we are in Christ that will warm and remind our hearts again. Do you tell yourself the good news of Jesus Christ everyday? Do you joyfully seek read the scriptures and drink deeply from the well of God? When the devil tells you lies, do you tell yourself the truth? You need to. As a leader you need to tell the Gospel to yourself.

5. Do you have a friend telling you the Gospel daily?

Church community is so important. We need to tell each other the Gospel daily. As a leader you will spend most your time pouring out all you have and its easy to get proud or discouraged. So you need to have other Christians telling you about Jesus. Do you have friends pointing you to the cross? You need them. You need honest friends who won’t be afraid to rebuke you and then minister the balm of the Gospel to your wounds. Do you have a friend telling you the Gospel daily? I have a group of friends that do this and I need them to do that for my sanity and growth in Jesus. Find friends who wont flatter you, but will be honest and speak of Christ to you.

6. Do you care about numbers or people?

It’s tempting to mark your success by numbers. I get sucked into this often. If your success is based on the number of people coming to events or the number of people who you have shared the Gospel with then you will be discouraged quickly. Let your ministry not be about numbers. Let it be about people. Who cares how many people came to an event? Lets work with who came and minister to them. Lets love people not numbers. Your ministry will be more enjoyable.

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Those are just some of my thoughts. I know there are probably lots more and there are loads I have missed out on. But these are the things I have been thinking about. I would love to hear what you think and any more questions you would add to this!

Collection of Webs: February

Here is a monthly collection of webs where I share with you what I have been reading on blogs, articles, books and what I have been watching or listening to.

Blogs Posts from friends:

Elli posts on Defining Terms and she remarks: “So, here’s the deal. I’m giving myself a new label, one that to some is going to sound the epitome of oxymoronic, but I don’t care. I’m a Complementarian Feminist.”

The Importance of Adam written by Glen: “You might ask, “What on earth should we say to our scientifically minded friends who laugh at an historic Adam?”  Well I’d simply ask them about their belief in Christ. With 1 Corinthians 15 open I’ll say, “Here’s the bible’s logic: if Christ rose, Adam fell. Let’s ask whether Christ rose…”

Matt Herring has posted some fantastic photo’s up from the street. He is a really good photographer, so please do check the rest of his blog out!

Tanya writes about how she became a feminist: “A feminist is someone who believes in the equal worth of women and men and also sees a world where women aren’t valued equally. I have always been the former; now I am becoming the latter.”

Blog Posts Out There:

3 reasons I’ll be reading Rob Bell’s new book: A rather interesting article from the Gospel Coalition:” I expect Rob’s book will prod me toward better and more beautiful ways of presenting the truth.”

Are you worshipping the idol of open options?: As I stood in line, I actually started to think, Maybe I want 140-degree coffee too. Maybe, I thought to myself, my choice of milk temperature up to this point has been catastrophically naive. Suddenly, his choices made me unhappier about my own. I began to covet. I wasn’t sure what I wanted anymore. I became anxious and indecisive. I wasn’t sure I was ready to commit—either to my kind of coffee or to his. Was this really freedom of choice, or slavery to it?

Books:

I finished reading Game of Thrones book 3 part 1, which was very enjoyable. I am now reading Miranda’s book: Is It just me? I love it. It’s so funny and so Miranda!

I have also read a booklet on how to deliver a TED talk to help me shape my own talks and ministry. It’s a good little book with helpful ideas. Bish wrote a review here.

Watching:

Been watching a bit of Black Mirror on channel 4. It’s quite Sci-fi and dark, but very interesting to watch. I hope to write some reviews of that soon.

Watching TED talks has been a lot of fun, some inspiring stuff on there.

Posts on my blog:

1. Out of the Heart and onto the blog

2. The Glory of God

3. Guest Post on God and Suffering

4. The Spirit of Sonship

Well that’s me. What have you enjoyed this month?

The Biggest Problem in Church

There is a problem in church. People look at the church and see faults, they see blemishes, they see imperfection. The church isn’t as loving, it isn’t as serving, it doesn’t do as much sharing the Gospel as it’s meant to.

I know why. I know the biggest problem in my church.

The biggest problem in my church is me.

Let me tell you the truth: I am lazy and selfish. I am proud and arrogant. I don’t love as much, I don’t serve as much, my heart is often cold and dull towards people and towards Jesus. I need help.

I have realized it is really easy to complain about other people and what other people are or aren’t doing, but when I look in the mirror I have to say that I am the biggest problem in the church before I start looking at other people.

Calvin was right when he said: ” For we always seem to ourselves righteous & upright & wise & holy-this pride is innate in all of us.”

It is so easy for me to pick out faults in others and see myself as upright and wise compared to everyone else. But the answer cannot be to will myself to love and serve more because that would come out of a sense of guilt and a comparison. My answer must be one of seeking Christ and asking for forgiveness – to bear lovingly with one another as Christ bears with me. But this takes time.

We all need to bear with one another. Not point the finger at each other or even at other churches, because we are all in the same boat. We are all the cause of the problem in the church. And we are also the solution.

So I must ask you to bear with me – to be quick to forgive and slow to rebuke. When I don’t serve enough please don’t whip me with the law but draw me to Christ. When I don’t love you, please remind me of the love of Christ. When I sin, please forgive me and bring me to Christ. And I will do the same to you. For we are all a work in progress and the bride of Christ is in her time of preparation, waiting for the wedding day.

The problem starts with me and I know I am a work in progress – being transformed everyday into the likeness of Christ. Sometimes that’s painful, its slow, there are peaks and troughs and sometimes its joyous, more evident and uplifting. We are all the same. We must bear with one another because church is messy because we are messy people. And I am a messy person.

But I know Jesus loves me. And Jesus loves the church. He loves his bride. So lets love one another.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. – 1John 4v7

Christian Leadership

Michael Green who is an author and evangelist did an interview two years ago about Christian leadership. He shares some of his story in this and encourages the next generation to be bold and take risks. Do take time to listen to the interview, it is rather inspiring.

We have much to learn from our older generation, they have much wisdom to teach us. And here are just a few things that Michael Green says about the marks of a Christian leader.

Firstly a leader is born, not made. It’s in their DNA! When looking for CU leaders we are looking for people who can lead, that can set an example and shine, that can gather people around them and set the vision. But leaders don’t have to be loud or in your face, instead there needs to be:

1. Servant Leadership: Not pushing people around but instead serve them. Being the first to serve, the first to put the towel around the waist and wash others feet. Often we see leadership as the one sthat makes all the decisions, the one with authority and in charge. But actually good leadership is the serving kind. The one that puts others before yourself, the one who loves first and forgives quickly.

I know people who get upset that they are not leaders, students that didn’t make committee or people who didn’t make elders. They think their ideas are better and they are better than those who are in leadership. But perhaps there is something to learn here, to humble yourself and to serve others without complaining will show greater marks of leadership than those who complain and speak louder than others.

2. Balance: Not pushing one theology or agenda over another. But keeping a balance. If you focus on one and go too far that way then it sets the agenda for everything you do which could distort your ministry and scripture. The point I think he is making is that there needs to be a balance, a balance of evangelism and feeding the poor, a balance of caring for widows and youth work. Not straying into one area and forgetting another. He says he prays for balance every day.

3. Risk: Be prepared to make mistakes. It’s ok to fail. It’s ok to be weak. Christians are weak and they fail often. A leader doesn’t hide away from opportunities because they are afraid to fail. A leader takes a opportunity, gives it a go and then if they fall over they will be picked up again and carry on. CU Leaders need to take risk and have space to fail – putting too much pressure on them to get it right first time seems very ungracious.

4.Shared: Your team has gifts and they need to share in your leadership. It’s very easy to think you can do it all and do it all by yourself. But a mark of a good leader is one that can share their leadership with others. They need to give opportunities to others to learn how to lead and to use their gifts.

Lastly nobody should minister without being ministered to. They need to be looked after. Get a mentor or get someone who will be honest with you. As a leader you need to be accountable to someone, you need honest conversations, you need to be cared for before you care for others so that you don’t burn out.

Obviously there are probably more areas, more areas of character for sure. But these are just a few that Michael Green spoke about which I found helpful.

Lets Encourage our Leaders

It’s always easier to give criticism.

It’s easy to find the error in what someone does or says.

It’s easy to find the wrong in situations.

It’s easier to break down then to build up. I can break you down and pull you apart from the comfort of my own chair or whispers to a friend or at the tips of my fingertips. I don’t have to give anything away in my discouraging words, I can just sit behind a wall and cast over grenades that will explode around you. I do this because you don’t meet my expectations, you don’t say the right words and I am not at the center of all your decisions. I don’t want this ministry to be easy for you and I want to keep you humble. It’s too much effort to give you praise. If its done my way, perhaps I will throw you a bone, a small dish of encouragement – but don’t expect too much.

A critical spirit is ugly and its rooted in bitterness and pride. It’s easy to elevate ourselves above others and cast our opinions like bullets that wound our leaders and our family. But our leaders need encouragement. I have come to realise that in my 4 or so years in “ministry” as a student worker the worst times for me are not when numbers are down or when there is a big issue, the worst times for me is when I hear people say discouraging things about the CU or people in the CU or about me – because I need encouragement not to be torn down and I know my co-workers/friends/students do as well. I don’t mean people giving correction, I mean people gossiping and constantly saying discouraging things. I know that the Lord often uses this to keep me humble, a reminder of my identity being in Christ and being wonderfully wrapped up with him. I am not fishing for encouragement but it has made me realise that words matter. What I say matters and how I speak about others matter. Do I approach people with a critical spirit or with encouraging words? I resolved in my heart to find and give encouragement the best I can (my critical spirit lurks around though, its a battle).

Through these last 4 years in ministry it made me realise that our leaders need encouragement. Our pastors and speakers, our small group leaders and children’s workers need encouragement. I don’t mean they need their identity in our praise, I mean they need encouraging, words that will uplift and help them, as Ephesians 4:29:

” Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

And Hebrews 3:13

But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Let our words give grace to those who hear! Let our words soften each others hearts.

When our leaders speak tell them what you found encouraging and lift their spirits because most often (from what I am told) they will feel a bit rubbish after speaking.

Encourage your elders, tell them that their care and love for you is invaluable and that the time they spend in study, praying and leading the church is so valuable for your walk with Christ.

Encourage your small group leader, tell them that they are leading you all well and opening their home to you is the most wonderful blessing.

Encourage your children/ youthworkers – the time they invest in your children is so important and a wonderful sacrifice.

Encourage your husband or wife who loves you, cares for you and gives themselves to you.

Encourage those who spend time-serving and loving you. Tell them that what they do is so valuable and such a blessing to you and without them there would be a real lack in the church and your life. Encourage until their hearts are filled with joy and smiles on their faces. It will mean giving something of yourself to them, it will mean making an effort but I tell you what, you will look more beautiful and know more of the heart of Christ the more you encourage. Because a critical and discouraging spirit is ugly and so un-Christ like.

Jesus came Eating and Drinking

I have had the pleasure of writing a guest blog post on our church’s blog about Jesus and his ministry of food and how we as a community can do the same thing – inviting people for food and to hear the Good News of Jesus!

Here is a snippet of the post, but please do read more here.

All throughout Luke’s Gospel Jesus seems to be eating or seems to be at parties. Jesus enjoyed meals with other people and often it’s during those times that he spoke parables, broke stereotypes, included the outcasts and ministered to the people. Tim Chester has written a book called “A meal with Jesus” and he quotes Robert karris saying that “In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal”. Jesus’ ministry in Luke’s Gospel revolves around food and he knows how to use meal times well to build relationships and to share his good news.

Grant then did a brilliant preach on how we are invited to the feast and how we invite others as well. Please do have a listen to this talk when you have some time to spare.

Also, on the subject of hospitality and inviting people in. Recently there was a great blog on the Fusion website where Miriam Swaffield and Pipa Elmes was given the task to host a dinner party and invite everyone and anyone in york to come and be fed and also a chance for them to chat to them about Jesus. Do watch the video below about it, I think its brilliant and check out the blog post to find out more!

The Numbers Game in Ministry

How many people are here? I count them and the numbers mean something. A decline means failure and a rise means success. The amount of people at this event reflects how the ministry is going, I look around and see a decline and my heart becomes disheartened and the questions start.

Why are the numbers down?

What am I doing wrong?

Is this a reflection on me?

Am I in the wrong job?

I bet someone else could do better.

Yeh they are pretty self-centered. Naturally I believe that my ministry revolves around me and my ability to draw people to an event or to make people commit to things. It’s all down to me right? Those numbers reflect how the ministry is going, they reflect how good I am at this job, they reflect how faithful I am to God!

Wait a second.

When did I ever have this secret wielding power to make people come to events and commit to things? Erm, never. And how could  numbers or the measure of success that I or others place be a marker of my faithfulness or relationship with God? Well it doesn’t.

But I play this game. I set a marker of what success is or I pick up what the mark of success is from those “higher up” in the organisation and place that pressure on myself and when it isn’t achieved then it must mean I am rubbish or I wasn’t faithful enough. What twaddle. And yet we all play this game. I was chatting with my lifegroup leader this week and he mentioned that numbers were never an issue for him until one particular time where he started to feel the pressure until he realised how stupid it was. I found myself agreeing and I realised how much I put my identity in those numbers or those commitments from people. I feel like this is what happens when we are in ministry (and possibly in your work place), we start off with all passion and vision to win hearts for Christ and after a while it begins to buckle under the weight of the measure of success. This happens in church as well – the numbers we have in church or at a church event or outreach.  That isn’t to say we don’t want growth, because we do. But my identity or your identity isn’t wrapped up in it.

I was chatting with an IFES worker in Europe the other week and he told me that they rejoice over 1 or 2 people a year becoming a Christian in the different countries. That would seem like a failure wouldn’t it? But it isn’t and it doesn’t mean that those workers out there are doing something wrong or being unfaithful. It’s just hard. And sometimes ministry is hard and sometimes there are no results. But it doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t working. And it doesn’t mean you are a failure.

So how do we get that passion back? Go to the source. Stop counting numbers and instead look to Christ. When numbers are down remind yourself the truth that they don’t reflect who you are in Christ. Because you are a child of God adopted, loved, cherished, cleansed and united to Christ and that isn’t dependant on how well this event goes, but its dependant on the blood of Christ. That is good news indeed. Stop playing the game, but rejoice in the good things that are happening. Remind and encourage those around you of what Christ has done. Pray and lift up the struggles to our Father and know that he hears and loves you. The Fathers measure of success is not in us or what we do, but it’s always in His Son and so we rest in Him.

If you are in ministry and feeling weary, overwhelmed, downcast, burdened – then come to Jesus, our champion, our comfort, our faithful one, our healer, our redeemer, our Joy, our Hope and our everlasting saviour.