Church Planting

I spent this weekend at a little conference centre and hotel somewhere in Berkshire (when I say somewhere, I really mean it. It was so remote I couldn't get a phone signal in my hotel room and am only sending this post thanks to the hotel's wifi).

The weekend conference was all about church planting, a subject that has been on my heart for a long while but it has also been something that I haven't really had the confidence to really think about let alone do.

So, having studied theology (and comprehensively failed to finished my MA), I realise that the gospel mission is still on my heart and, who knows, maybe God will forgive my tardiness and use me.

It was a great opportunity to meet people who have been planting churches for a while and who are working with others who are currently planting churches. I learned a lot. So much, in fact, I'm a quite likely to forget it all before I leave here later today so wanted to make a few notes here for future reference and as a note for others who are also interested in church planting.

Mother Church

It is important for each new church plant to have a mother church to support and nurture it. That said, the mother church takes no active part in the decisions of the church plant.

A church plant must have a mother church for the following reasons:

1. Co-operation v competition - the mother church should work co-operatively with the church plant and not in competition.
2. Support with people resources - when needed, the mother church can offer support when there are not enough people to help with ministry.
3. Shared activities and outreach endeavours
4. Financial accountability
5. Healthier DNA for the church plant - church plants are the result of a break away, will carry those tensions with them
6. Quick recovery for mother church
7. Positive future fr additional church plants

Basic Strategy to Prepare Your Church for Church Planting

1. Emphasis on church health
2. Preach sermons on church planting
3. Make evangelism the first business of the church
4. Create a sense of urgency for reaching those who don't know Christ. Share relevant demographics to emphasise need.
5. Expose leaders to church planting (have boarding read, "Rekindling A Lost Passion".
6. Spend a significant time with key leaders who have broad influence. Attend a Seeds or Metro Impact event

Steps to Planting a Church

• Find a target eg young families, single moms, former adventists, refugees, needy, immigrants, blue collar workers etc.
• Location - a great place to start is your neighbourhood particularly for the unchurched who are unlikely to travel long distances for church
• Know the demographics - check resources such as local authority borough profile or ONS website.

Set up a Core Group to work on Church Plant Strategy

There are 4 qualities for core group members. They are:

1. Shared passion/vision
2. Individuals who put mission first
3. Individuals who are a magnet to others
4. Individuals who match the demographic to be reached - the most important quality of all 4 qualities. If you don't match your target group, you won't reach them and you'll struggle to be effective.

Church Plant Should have an Incubation Period

1. The incubation period should last for 6-9 months.
2. Meet in someone's home once a week. Note, there should be no Sabbath meeting UNTIL the incubation is completed
3. Create a community by getting to know one another
4. Pray and fast together
5. Study the book of Acts and read Rekindling A Lost Passion
6. Write out:

• core values - for example, excellence, unconditional acceptance, belonging before believing etc
• strategic evangelistic plan (based on your target demographic) - during the incubation period plan an evangelistic meeting that will take place within the first year of the plant. What are the methods that will be most effective in the community you are targeting. Plan for it. How? When? Who?
• ministry assignments - Evangelistic, administration, worship, children, social etc. Be sure to create a clear job description for all assignments.

Coach

The church plant must have a coach and they should have the following qualities:

• Proven soul-winner
• Excellent listener
• Empowering (will not take over church plant)
• Familiar with technique of coaching and self-discovery
• Willing to commit (but is a voluntary role)

Useful Church Planting Resources

• Rekindling a Lost Passion
• Natural Church Development
• Metro Impact
• Why I'm Passionate about Church Planting
• Texas SDA Conference Resources

Pauline Laville Bindra, 8th Dan, BD, MA

Today we buried a friend and classmate, Pauline Laville Bindra, 8th Dan, BD, MA.

She was a beautiful woman, a great inspiration, a inspiring classmate, a wonderful example, a great mother, and loving wife and a world-class karate expert who gave it all up to serve her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Pauline was given beautiful resting place in the grounds of her family home where she will remain close to her husband and her children.

Pauline, I never told you just how much you meant to me when you were here with us so I am writing this tribute to you to say thank you for being all that you were.

Today I had a vision of heaven. I had a vision of seeing you in the earth made new when Christ will return and raise you with an incorruptible body. Until then my friend, rest in Christ Jesus.

Je Suis en France

Peche Plate - a variety of French Peach

A Room with a view

Berney in Normandie

Centre Pompidou

I love France. I wish that I came here more frequently. Unfortunately, however, work commitments, life and a lack of finances don't allow me to travel nearly as frequently as I would like. They certainly don't allow me the time to to a thirty-day African adventure.

Here are just a few snaps of my last opportunity this summer to have a bit of rest before the onslaught of a busy autumn at work.

From Glamour Modelling to Ministry

A few years ago I read of a church somewhere in America that did outreach work among sex workers. My heart did a little leap to know that there are some people who think everyone is important no matter what someone might choose for their lives. They are thought of as important enough to spend time with, ministering to their needs.

I still pray that I might have the opportunity to reach the hearts of those working in the sex industry and, you never know, one day that prayer might just be answered. Right now, however, my heart taken another leap to read the story of one women who has left glamour modelling behind because she was no longer happy with taking her clothes off for other people and because Christianity was had become a growing part of her life.

Teresa Carey came from a non-Christian family and got into glamour modelling when she was 17. Then, in 1999 she had a spiritual experience which would eventually lead her to turning her back on her career. In 2003 she had another experience and this time she decided to share it with other people. She continued modelling by day and, by night, she wrote verses and poems.

Now she has left glamour modelling altogether and has published her verses and poems in the book, Rhapsody! In the name of Jesus. She has also written, God's Plan For My Life - What is It?

I wish Teresa all the best. I know that there will be many other people like her. Unlike us, God isn't limited to the kind of people who have never made regretable choices for their lives.

Ministry Sister Daily

Today I came across the paper.li. It seems like an interesting app. It allows a mash-up of tweets that I like to read as well as tweets covering particular topics. So, have set up and my own daily newspaper and it will automatically publish every day and show in the side bar of this blog.

I don't know how long I might use it for or how useful if really is but here goes.

Have a read.

Does God Have a Role to Play in Football?

I don't know that God does or doesn't have a role to play in football. That's not the point. The point is, that on prime time TV that question was asked. The result is a series of shorts including this one by the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin.

Good Bye Pauline

It has been a fortnight of bad and sad news and I hope that it all comes to an end soon.

This evening I learned of the death of one of my classmates, Pauline Bindra.

Pauline was a wonderful woman with a clear missionary vision. She had a wonderful sense of humour, a cheeky grin, a heart for helping others and an intense love for her husband and family.

I met Pauline at Newbold College in 2005 when I was studying theology but it wasn't until the following year, when sitting next to her in class that I really got to know her. I learned that she first enrolled at Newbold back in the 1960s when food was grown in the school's own farms and when there were very strict rules about relationships between men and women and when everyone had to be in their dorms at an hour that would not be tolerated in the modern world.

Back then Pauline didn't have the stomach for it and, from what she said to me, toleration for that kind of rule keeping never changed. She was a free spirit but she also loved God dearly.

Sadly, after she graduated, our lives drifted apart and she continued her business, supported her family and worked on her ministry.

In the last few months, she cropped into my mind on more than one occasion. In fact, she was frequently on my mind.

I guess that, with a more acute sense of God, I might have understood that he was prompting me to pray for her or even to contact her.

I understand that Pauline had been ill and that, while having surgery she suffered a fatal brain haemorrhage.

Pauline's memory will remain with me and the impact that her life has had on mine, will continue to influence me.

I am grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Pauline and to get to know her.

I pray that one day we will meet again.

Facts about Ordination

There seems to be increasing amounts of chatter about the role of women in the church in both the Adventist church as well as in the church of England, which recently held its general synod.

While at GC 2010, the Adventist Women's Centre distributed some very useful information and which I wanted to share here.

The term 'ordination' does not come from the Bible but from the word 'ordo' used in Roman law to define a special status, or to set in order.

In the Old Testament, the 'laying on of hands' refers to blessng (Gen 48:14), appointment or consecration (Numbers 27:23), sacrifice (Leviticus 1:4), or installation of priest, king or prophet (Numbers 8:11)

In the New Testament, laying on of hands never refers directly to pastoral ministry but is more commonly used in reference to an appointment to a certain function or job (Mark 3:14,16; Acts 14:23; 2 Timothy 1:11) or, most commonly, to vote one into office (Acts 14:28; 2 Cor 8:19). The actual combination of Greek words most often translated 'to ordain' could literally be read as 'to stretch out the hand,' such as in a democratic vote! it is also used in reference to 'becoming' a disciple (Acts 1:22), wich all people, men and women, are called to do.

In contrast to the Roman definition of ordination, Jesus clearly did not establish roles with special status. In fact, when one mother was asking for such a role for her sons, Jesus rebuked her (Matt 20:21-28).

Jesus took on the priestly role of mediation himself (Heb 6:20; 8:3; 9:7), then called for a priesthood of all believers to serve one another and to preach the gospel (1 Peter 2:5,9; Rev 1:6; 5:10): "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost" (Matt 28:19).

She

She was gentle and kind, never speaking a harsh word to anyone or about anyone.

She was giving and loving, working as though there were no tomorrow, giving to her church and her community.

She was the sort of friend we all long for, the wife men desire and the daughter we could all be proud off.

She loved God and her church, she sang in the choir, taught music and gave as though she had endless stream from which to give.

She was tireless and fearless, running her own consultancy and starting her own catering business.

She was intelligent, articulate and the sort of person you'd always want on your team.

She opened you up and whole new world you never knew existed.

She wasn't arrogant.

She wasn't full of pride.

She didn't flaunt her abilities in the face of others.

She didn't make a show of her wealth.

She didn't even pander to stereotypes or let cultural barriers to get in her way.

She was a wonderful.

She was beautiful.

She was a fearless woman.

She loved God and God loved her.

She will be missed.

The image in the post was created by @billysu

Remembering My Friend

Today I received a shocking call from my friend's husband. I knew it wasn't good news when he introduced himself. After all, it couldn't have been good if he was calling and not my friend.

I remember thinking that the only news could be bad news but as I wanted to put that thought out of my mind, I replaced it with the more welcome thoughts of her being ill in hospital.

The next few moments are a bit of a blur. I don't know if I screamed. I don't know if I was coherent. I don't really know what I said. But I do remember crying. I also remember my colleagues comforting me.

I won't write her name on this blog as I wouldn't want to betray the trust of her or that of her family or husband.

My friend was one of the most wonderful human beings that I have ever come across. She was warm, giving, kind, talent and intelligent. She was also pretty damned amazing. She wrote for a national newspaper, she baked professionally, had her own catering business, she was a consultant and she drafted much government legislation that now has an impact on all of our daily lives. And, I had the pleasure of knowing her.

She was a wife, a daughter, a friend, a chorister, an employee and a business woman.

She will also be greatly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Tackling Pornography

A few weeks ago I was present for a short discussion on pornography. Unfortunately the conversation quickly turned to women's clothing with an association being made between the two. My protestations seemed to fall on deaf ears with talk of jeggings, bikinis and immodest clothing.

Pornography is a problem and there are increasing levels of addiction and, it is increasingly accepted that there are problems within the church as well as outside the church.

I don't think that anyone would challenge the opinion that pornography is in direct opposition to Christian principals but, what I want to know is should is pornography be addressed? What sanctions, if any, should be called on? What help should be offered and what is the best way for a church to support those with porn addictions? Finally, will the local church come to a place when they can disassociate women's clothing with pornography no matter how they might feel with changing modesty levels?

A Prayer for Adventist Women

2010 was the year of the 59th Adventist General Conference Session. The Georgia International Convention Centre was the home of Adventism for nearly two weeks. There was representation from all over the world, North America, Canada, France, Spain, Italy, Guam, Thailand, Mauritius, Australia, Jamaica, India, Russia, you name a country and it was probably there.

For some, the 59th General Conference session will be remembered as the time that the church did not address the issue of women's ordination, leaving it off the agenda. It will also be remembered as a missed opportunity. However, it was also a session that will be remembered for the effort that the Adventist Women's Centre in raising the issue among delegates and visitors.

After it was announced that women's ordination would not be on the agenda, they spent the months running up to the session planning how to get their message out. They would design, make and distribute buttons (badges) to attendees.

There were two designs and I wish that I had one of each to share with you. Unfortunately I don't have one to show you. They were so very popular that the entire stock of one design was distributed on the very first day of the session. The second design quickly ran out too and they had to resort to printed paper versions to pin onto people's lapels.

The Adventist Women's Centre knew that this would be an issue that there would be great support for and, they weren't wrong.

In the absence of a badge, I want to leave you with a prayer that was printed on the back page of the spring 2010 addition of Spectrum Magazine;

Roll back the Stone

When we are all despairing;

When the world is full of grief;

When we see no way ahead;

And hope has gone away:

Roll back the stone

Although we fear change;

Although we are not ready for change;

Although we'd rather weep and run away

Roll back the stone

Because we're coming with the women;

Because we hope where hope seems vain;

Because you call us fro the grave

And show the way:

Roll back the stone

- Janet Morely, Methodist Church

Mixing Church and Politics

There are some who believe that the church and politics make for bad bed fellows. Well, in a quiet corner of England there have been individuals who have been convicted that they have been called by God to work in politics. They identify with Biblical characters such as Joseph, Esther, Nehemiah and Daniel and their work is their mission in the same way that pastors might see their role as their ministry.

This week is another programme of activity, not only for Christians currently in politics, but it will also be an opportunity to tell others why it's a Christian vocations.

Methodist Central Hall will host, Mixing Church and Politics, on Tuesday morning from 10.30 am to 2pm.

I hope that I can make it but work commitments might prevent me. If I am able to get there, I will post what I learned on this blog.

Reviving Ministry Sister

Ministry Sister was started in back in May 2007. I remember it well. Classmates had been speaking as a group of women and wanted a way of keeping in contact as well as addressing issues that affect women in ministry and women seminarians.

I wasn't at that initial discussion as I didn't live on campus and only spent scant time there (it took 2.5 hours to travel there and 2.5 hours to travel back home so those time was precious indeed).

I was, however, told about the plans and I embraced it because my travelling meant that I was really out of touch with classmates (not just women seminarians), I missed events on campus, and I really wanted to keep in touch and this offered a means of doing that. It even offered me a way of sharing resources that I used for studying, reading lists and conversation.

Three years later and some of my classmates have graduated. Others have travelled back to their home countries on the other side of the world and ministry sister has been sitting dormant behind password protection for the past two years.

In the interim, I have been blogging elsewhere. I have used my other site to say the things that I might not be able to say at church or even to family and friends. I have also used it as a way of making contact with other women in ministry from other denominations. I have enjoyed blogging there but, I think that the time has come to stop blogging anonymously and start addressing some of the issues that arise in this Seventh-day Adventist church that I am a part of.

This blog will therefore arise like phoenix out of the ashes. Instead of acting like some sort of notice board for fellow students, it will instead become a place where I publicly tell the story of my continuing journey of faith, where I address matters of theology and even a place where I share resources that I have found helpful. Over time, ministry sister might become even more than that.

Future Pastor

Sometimes labels help. Some times not so much. I saw these t-shirts and thought it a shame that they are not made in adult sizes as the label might help me realise my future vocation!

Book Sale on Amazon

This is another top tip to raising a bit of spare cash to buy reading material. I have opened an store front account on Amazon and am selling old reading material there. From the proceeds, I can buy books for course reading.

It is really easy to set up an account and you only pay a fee to Amazon if you sell something. Unfortunately however, when you open an account, you are in competition with some sellers who push thousands of books a day. That means that you can be scuppered by their 0.01p selling price! The good news is that the fixed mail fee which Aamzon have on all book sales, is usually just a little more than cost so you do end up making something on postage.

Books stay on the site for 60 days before automatically being removed from the list.

I tend to check the prices which other sellers are listing books at before deciding how much I would like to sell my books for. If books are selling for less than I would like, I can decide not to list them or to only put them up as the prices improve.

Just for information, I have sold 5 books in as many days which may not be the sort of numbers which Amazon, Eden or Waterstones might be proud of, but for my own personal collection it ain't half bad and so long as it covers the next book on my reading list, I'm happy.

Also, for quick and easy reference I have added links to Amazon for some course reading materials. Keep an eye out for reading lists from each year of the undergraduate and post graduate courses.

Top Tip

Buying books for college is just one of the many expenses that is a drain on my resources. If I lived on campus there would be more of an option to use the library resources. Unfortunately the core reading for courses is available only on a 3 day loan and, as I am only in once a week, it is a major (as well as expensive) task to borrow college books. What I might otherwise spend on train fare to return books within the borrowing period, I therefore spend on buying the most essential reading (but wish that I could buy more).

One helpful tip I have for anyone else in the same position is to set up an account on Amazon where you can create a wish list. Once you do so, you can then send it out to everyone in my address book who may want to support your through your training. It's an idea you may want to consider.

In addition to wish list, you can also get a 5% discount on books but only if you have an NUS card - so it is worth investing in one if you buy online regularly or even semi-regularly!

Merry Christmas

All the women at Newbold would like to wish everyone all the best for the Christmas Season and we pray that God will continue to lead your lives, to guide you and bless you.

Top Tip

As a ministerial student I have been wondering how to do ministry before I get into paid ministry. This weekend I was fortunate enough to meet a wonderfully vibrant woman who is church planting in a part of Lincolnshire where there are no Adventist Churches. Among some other wonderful things, she has taken advantage of the free business cards available at vistaprint.co.uk which she gives to people she meets in her ministry.

I would recommend the site. From time to time they have other free offers so if you sign up for newsletters.

Annual Beach Lecture with Dr Gunnar Stålsett

The scheduled lecture by Dr Gunnar Stålsett took place in Moore Close Chapel last night. Dr Gunnar Stålsett was a member of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, and had previously been the Bishop of Oslo, and the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation. He is currently serving as the Vice President for the International Religious Liberty Association as well as the International President for the World Councils for Religion and Peace.

This 2007 Beach Lecture was on Peace and Religion and, as you would expect covered all the three Abrahamic religions and questioned their contributions to peace or its lack of contribution! He started by paying tribute to the inter-Christian dialogue which he sees as having contributed to the success of the ecumenical movement. Historically we have been skeptical about the movement but Dr Stålsett was careful to point out that the ecumenicalism does not imply unity of all religions but rather, says that unity is based on one world and one humanity and not one church.

The speaker describe the age in which we are living as World War III which, on the surface seems like a bizarre and far fetched statement until you dig deeper and undertand that he was referring to genocide, continued oppression, marginalisation, extended poverty, HIV/AIDS, international terrorism and the breakdown of human rights as well as civil liberties. This is a civil war, he says, which makes previous strategies for peace obsolete - the media, governements and non-govermental organisations the world over have all drawn the same conclusion.

So, where do we find solutions to end poverty and to stop the endless and mindless killings which we all too often hear about and read about? Dr Stålsett believes critics of religion have some validity when they say that religion has not left obvious footprints in history but rather it has laid confusion and ambiguity. He concludes that the natural solution to these ills can only be religion itself. It's a solution which will challenge any of us whose eschatology drives our theology - why try to fix something if it is all going to burn anyway? If it all has to get worse before Christ can return, leave it alone and give the clarion call for Christ's second coming. But we can't sit idly by. Can we?

It is in finding a way forward that we will throw off the mantel of ambiguity. Then we will be able see through the fog of tradition and admit that there are aspects of every religion that serve to debase humanity. It is then that we will be able to see those things which we promote in the name of God which really aren't from God. Then we will be able to check ourselves to see whether our teachings are based on cultural, ethnic and tribal divisions and to change them where identified.

Is it true that religion will find its way out of extremism through the reinterpretation of its teachings? What benefit is there in seeing out teachings through the eyes of others? Any such steps will be both difficult and painful but its rewards will bring a new richness to our interpretation which will it be worth it

The night was an interesting one. Challenges were thrown down which will call us to question ourselves on all levels. How, for example do we even begin to discuss open dialogue with other other religions considering our own historical developments and eschatology? How do we even begin to address how culture and traditional practices have shaped our understanding of Adventism? And to what extent should this be a personal journey as compared to a corporate one? And, where do we start?

The lecture has left me with many questions which I don't know how to begin to answer.