Sean Green's Blog

Two days of solitude

2012-03-06T15:45:00.001Z

It's good to take time out to prayer and listen ...

The Gathering

2012-02-28T14:55:00.000Z

On 1st April the Reading Half marathon will snake it way through our town creating the now familiar challenge of getting to Reading Girls' School for 10am. For the last decade we have always managed to hold our meeting but this year we thought we would do something different.

The plan is to cheer on the runners from outside the church offices on London St in the morning (more on this in another blog). In the afternoon gather the South Reading and Town Centre congregations together.

The meeting will start at 4pm on 1st April at Reading Girls' School (i.e. no morning meeting) and finish around 5:30. Unfortunately, in order to make space for everyone, the children will have to go straight out to their groups from the start.

At this gathering, we plan to launch our new downloadable Worship EP (The band are recording it live this weekend), preview our new 'RFC Vision' video and hear testimonies about what God has been doing amongst both congregations.

Please put this date in your phone, tablet, PDA or diary and let's celebrate together.

Gecko Collective - the Winter Sessions

2012-02-21T11:20:00.002Z

The second instalment by our RFC friends at Gecko Collective ...

The Problem with Leaders

2012-02-17T12:40:00.000Z

On Sunday I shall be speaking on the tension of following leaders who are being used by God yet their mistakes having dire consequences on those who trust them.

It would be really helpful if you could read Judges 11 before Sunday and pray for me as I continue to prepare ...

Dad & lad in the Dales

2012-02-14T14:53:00.001Z

Joshua & I are spending a few days together in the Yorkshire Dales; we are staying with old friends of mine and venturing out for snowy walks in the beautiful countryside.

Today's walk included an epic icy scramble up onto Ingleborough ridge, i was really pleased Liz wasn't there to see it.

Creating Better Futures

2012-02-08T15:18:00.005Z

Creating Better Futures, which is led by Chris & Becca Poston and Mike & Dorothy Dix is being launched this Saturday at the church offices @ 3pm.

This is a non-profit organisation helping orphaned and vulnerable children through a long term commitment to support their education and welfare.

They shall be talking through their aims and ethos and it will be a great oppurtunity to find out more about their plans. We hope to visit the orphanage they support during the RFC mission trip to Zimbabwe later this year.

Follow the link here to see their website.

The Fat King is Dead

2012-02-07T16:42:00.000Z

Lifegroup Notes on my message last Sunday:

We all known what is it to make progress in life, to know breakthrough in our thinking or behavior. Yet somehow, over time, through our choices and circumstances, our gains can get whittled away. And then a day comes when we realize that we are back where we started, only its now much worse, we have no appetite or faith for change.

Read Judges 3:12-30 The Israelites had known incredible military success and were established in the good land … but sadly grew complacent, hardening their hearts towards their God. So the LORD strengthened a foreign King, Eglon, who built a summer palace in Jericho. This Fat King mocked God by rebuilding there (Josh6v26) and extracted tribute from God’s people. The Jews finally came to their senses after 18 years and cried out to God. He sent them a deliverer, Ehud, who killed the Fat King and sounded the trumpet to rally the people. They went on to defeat & subdue their enemies, but it was a partial deliverance, only 80 years.

All this pointed to one who is superior to Ehud ... when Jesus died & rose from the grave, he sounded a clear & loud trumpet call to all who would listen. At Calvary, Jesus defeated the ultimate ‘Fat Kings’ of Sin & Satan & Death and it was a complete deliverance, once for all time. His resurrection was the loud trumpet call proclaiming his very great victory; we now rally to Him, and He leads us out to firmly establish God’s kingdom.

Fat Kings no longer have dominion over us, it was for freedom that Christ has set us free (Eph 5v1). We don’t get to be Ehud; We don’t get to be Jesus; We get to be us, the people of God who need & have a great savior who kills Fat Kings. We can know hope, freedom, liberty and God’s delight for us, because Jesus killed the Fat King on our behalf.

Can you imagine what it would be like to regain an appetite for change & victory in certain areas of your life? It all starts with crying out to God and rallying to the finished work of the cross. Jesus has won it for us and given the Holy Spirit to empower & encourage us to life change for the glory of God.

Suggested questions for discussion:What caught your attention from the baptism stories on Sunday?What voices or circumstances in your life seem to mock what God has said?Where do you need to know the freedom & liberty that Jesus has won for you?What do you need to do this week to ‘capture the fords and rout the troops of the dead Fat King’?

A happy Monday

2012-02-06T14:34:00.000Z

the Cunning Man with Liz ...

2yrs Old & Baptisms

2012-02-03T13:47:00.003Z

This Sunday we are baptising 'inside' at both our morning & evening congregations - the very first time indoors at our normal venues! Scott has been busy ...

In the evening we shall also be celebrating the second anniversary of starting the evening congregation ... obviously there will be lots of birthday cake!

Do come along and join in the celebrations.

Cheering on church planters

2012-02-02T09:39:00.000Z

One of the things I enjoy about being part of newfrontiers is that I meet men & woman who feel called to start churches. Liz & I really 'get' that desire and we want to cheer them on with all our might.

On Sunday, family Green spent the day with Howard & Naze Kellett; it was so exciting to meet the faith filled community that are now gathering around them.

Yesterday I had a long chat with Dave Henson in St Petersburg; I am so stirred by his & Hanna's faith & joy as they plant Hope Church in challenging circumstances.

This Saturday Liz and I are spending the day with Colin & Ruth who are planting in Slough, Mark & Abi in Haringey, Howard & Naze in Cheltenham and Robin & Hanna in Swansea. Their stories & faith will leave a huge deposit in Liz and I ... its just how days like that work.

Zdenko & Ivana, who are planting in Varazdin, Croatia, won't be there on Saturday, but we hope to fly them in to hear Terry Virgo when he is with us in March.

Please do pray for these couples right now ... reread their names and lift them up to our Father in Heaven; there are unique challenges in church planting.

Terry Virgo @ RFC

2012-01-26T14:15:00.000Z

At the Members Meeting this week, Scott spoke about how we see Jesus as the head of RFC and He leads us through the Apostles & Prophets of the bible and the apostles & prophets of newfrontiers. So it is very exciting to not only have the prophetic gift of Julian Adams with us on April 22 but also the apostolic gift of Terry Virgo at our morning meeting on 18 March and our evening meeting on 25 March.

It's been 4 1/2 years since Terry spoke here and I am personally delighted he can come again. He was only able to offer one set of dates this year, the morning being on Mothers day. I realize that this may be tricky for those who need to travel but I really didn't want to wait until 2013.

Do put all these dates in your diary.

Radio Berkshire

2012-01-25T15:18:00.000Z

I have been asked to comment tomorrow morning on Radio Berkshire about the latest Church of England statistics showing a decline in Reading ...

To be honest, I'm clearly not qualified given we are a non-denominational church and we are seeing growth.

Tune in around 7:50am and hopefully I will say something sensible and not mention those swans of a past interview.

Beautiful things at RFC

2012-01-22T21:12:00.001Z

Cardboard Testimonies from Reading Family Church on Vimeo.

As mentioned in my sermon today - here are the suggestions as we together prayer through the 'Believeing for our tomorrow' booklet over this week.

Monday (p2-3): Write down a significant moment in your walk with Jesus. Pray about it.

Tuesday (p4-5): Write out a prayer, thanking God for past or present friendships.

Wednesday (p6-7): Which words of the RFC Vision most resonate with you? Write them out and pray into them.

Thursday (p8-9): Write down, and then thank God for some of the things that He is already doing amongst us.

Friday (p10-11): What amazing things would you like God do amongst or through RFC over the next decade? Write them out and pray into them.

Saturday (p12-13): It is Jesus who builds the church. Write out a prayer asking Him to release what is needed and your desire to co-labour with Him.

Sunday (14-15): Write down and pray into what your contribution to RFC could be: serving, giving, praying … or even faith filled resting!

Essential listening for this Sunday

2012-01-20T11:23:00.000Z

This Sunday we shall be reminding ourselves of what God has called us to as a church. To prepare I have spent time this week reviewing some of the prophetic words that are shaping us, in particular those from Julian Adams.

Please do listen to this 7 minute prophetic pre-amble to his sermon when he was with us 12 months ago.

Julian will be back with us in April: we are co-hosting a conference with him on Sat 21 April with our friends at Kerith Community Church. Julian will also be speaking at both our morning & evening meetings on Sunday 22nd April.

Back to a prophetic word

2012-01-18T10:39:00.000Z

On 13 March 2011, Chris Hall from Brickhill Baptist Church, gave the following prophetic word to us at RFC:

'He is pleased with the faithful way in which you haveserved those people He has already given you and He intends to give you 'agreat harvest of souls '. He wants you to earnestly seek Him for guidance as tohow you are to nurture, serve and disciple these new people. This is not tofind out how to reach them because He will bring them to you. I sensethat you will need to be prepared not only to think about buildings but alsoabout how you operate because this new group will not simply be an extension ofthe growth you have already seen but something quite different in numbers andkind. I believe this needs to happen before the 'harvest' will come.'

Over the past year our Sunday attendance has significantly grown, as has the breadth of our collective life-stories. This word encourages all of us to earnestly seek God for guidance as to how we nurture, serve & disciple these new people and those He is yet to bring us.

I hope to talk into this on Sunday as I speak about us 'believing for our tomorrow'.

New sermon series

2012-01-13T10:10:00.000Z

On the 5th of February will shall be starting our new series in Judges. This OT book records a season of extraordinary Holy Spirit activity amongst God's people.

We have much to learn from Ehud's, Deborah's, Jephthah's, Samson's & Gideon's successes and tragic failures. They were people like us: chosen by God, empowered by the Spirit and fully reliant of grace.

If you want to read ahead turn to Judges 3:12-30 and see how a moment of solitary courage changed everything.

Sermon Sunday

2012-01-11T09:53:00.001Z

Every so often it's helpful to do things differently. This Sunday we have asked six people to preach, 3 in the morning & 3 in the evening. We have been doing this off and on for a few years and I sense this is a good time to get back to it.

On Sunday morning Dorothy Dix, Peter Harley & Mark Amos will be preaching and in the evening it's Jonathan Fernandes, Glodine Munemo and Josh John.

This is more than just a 'good thing' to do at the start of the year (although it is that); I fully expect God to speak to us through each of them. Please do prayer for them as they finish off their preparation this week!

RFC Members Meeting

2012-01-10T11:48:00.001Z

One of the many great things about the people at RFC is theirfaith and generosity, expressed in their giving to support the church.

As pastors we rightly feel the weight of responsibility in stewardingthese liberal gifts of worship; and we want to endeavour to do what is right,not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men (2Cor8:20-21).

As such we would like to invite all church members (and thosewho want to become members) to a Members Meeting on Tuesday 24 January, 8pm @ church offices.

At this meeting the pastors will give an account of the lastfinancial year and also outline the Financial Plan for the next 3 years (andyes, it is ambitious!).

If you have any specific questions about this please feelfree to email me at the church offices.

Hope to see you there.

RFC - a church or a movement?

2012-01-05T14:41:00.001Z

This week I spent some time with the senior pastor of a vineyard church and I asked if I could read the thesis he wrote for his Masters degree.

In it he quotes research that suggests 'mostchurches operate on the 80/20 rule - with 20% of the church doing 80% of thework. Growing churches operate on a 50/50 rule, but to be movement you need 80%of the members mobilised'.

Pastors ponder these things.

I still dream that we could build a community who are 'mobilised' in their faith. By 'mobilised' I mean a growing relationship with God and are self-motivated / responsible for what Christ has entrusted to them. By this definition I want to be a pastor of a movement, not an 80/20 church. I suspect we at RFC are around 50/50, if only because of the demands of two Sunday set-ups and the size of our children's work.

Last night at my Tri club, one of my buddies was surprised to hear we don't have a building and I don't wear robes on Sunday. Although I do want the former, I really don't want the latter if that means only the special few do the 'God stuff'. One day I hope he'll know different because he will be part of a Jesus centred movement we call RFC.

A day of fasting & prayer

2012-01-03T12:02:00.003Z

For those who are around and want to be involved ...

This Thursday (5^th Jan) a number of us are goingto humble ourselves through fasting and then gather at the church offices @8pm to seek Gods face through worship & prayer.

Everyone is very welcome to join us as we set apart this dayat the beginning of a new year.

If you can’t make it, hopefully we will see you on Sundaymorning or evening.

2011 in 5 words

2011-12-31T10:03:00.003Z

Family - Anniversary - Friends - Adoption - Resolve

Family – I am sitting in our kitchen and looking at a large photo of family Green jumping into the air on our summer holiday. My, how they have changed this year: Joshua is now a teenager, Lucy started secondary school and Zoe has a considered opinion. I am becoming ever more aware of how short their time with us really is, 5 years from now Joshua could be leaving home. Finding time to be with each of them has been a worthy challenge; as has 'nurturing who they are' whilst 'training them in righteousness'. To be very honest, I can lose heart after those 'difficult days', but on balance I think Liz & I are doing a great job.

Anniversary – this year we celebrated 15 years of married life. Clearly that is long enough to know someone yet we both feel we're still doing that. We have a tendency to be more aware of our shortfalls than successes but even we have to admit God has done a great work in us. This year was also the 10th anniversary of launching RFC … a decade of proving God able & faithful. The highlight of that day was the cardboard testimonies, hearing what He has done in peoples lives makes it all the more worthwhile.

Friends – I have always been rich in friendships yet occasionally feel lonely in a crowd. I try to use those moment to reflect on the people God has put around me. I am deeply grateful that so many have opened their hearts to a Task-tastic, earnest, grey at the edges, middle aged Pompey boy. I have friends who ride bikes, blog, lead churches, fiddle with IT, do DIY, and joyfully co-labour for Jesus. I know I am a menace at times yet they seem to cope with that, even cheered me on in my 'specialness'.

Adoption – being from a broken home I have always found it hard to outwork the reality of God as my Father. I had a real breakthrough in 2010 in this and this year I have been applying it to my outlook. Namely, God is for me and not testing me; I am part of His household so can lean into His resources. Simple stuff but demanded adjustments in my thinking. This word 'adoption' has also helped me cope with my shortfalls in His family likeness. Scripture is clear, God has given us a spirit of adoption as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons (Rom 8:15, 23). Amen

Resolve – I turned 44 this year and feel like I have progressed in some important stuff like 'how I grow in Christ' and 'what I am about' ... 'a slower day is not coming' and 'no-one is going to invite me into the game'. So I need to be here now, full of faith & joy. I am rich in family, friends and focus. I am follower of Jesus, a husband to Liz and a father to Joshua, Lucy & Zoe. I'm a wannabe triathlete and a delighted pastor at RFC. And I am resolved to pursue all this for the glory of God in 2012!

Obsessive Compulsive Hoarder

2011-12-22T11:39:00.002Z

For those who missed it last night, this is a moving documentary, not just about the illness of one man, but also about how seeing a person and not a problem.

click here to view on 4OD

The hero of this story is a landscape gardener ... and his lessons to us are innumerable. This is far more than voyeuristic entertainment.

A Kitchen update

2011-12-20T14:11:00.002Z

For the last few weeks I have done little else in my 'spare' time but decorate and install our kitchen alongside Liz. It's going be a great room that will serve us really well as a family with teenage kids.

But to be honest, I've had a few internal meltdowns, notably on Saturday when having to relay the laminate floor because it wasn't quite right. I've also been very near to crying on a few occasions. For some reason I expect to be able to fit a kitchen like those in the showrooms, but I can't. It really is quite hard.

It has only been 8 weeks since the extension was started but it feels much longer ... and I'm not finished yet. This morning we learnt the worktops are not going to be fitted this side of Christmas, so I am going to have to re-install our old gas hob on a temporary worktop.

Why I am telling you all this? Firstly because its therapy for me. I have lived and breathed this jolly kitchen for some time now and its good for me to remind myself why I am putting myself through it all.

Secondly, because Karena's death last year has changed my outlook in many ways, one being I want to bless my family whilst I have breath in my body. Not that a new kitchen alone does that but it's an outworking of this desire. My wife will be delighted and the children will enjoy the 'bake offs' in the two ovens ... and we now have another TV.

Our Father in heaven has not just provided us with a superior saviour, He has also given us permission to enjoy being generous to those we deeply love.

Beechy & Willmott drive time show

2011-12-13T14:09:00.002Z

Gav Thomas aka 'techno dad' has put me on to this podcast - a blokey discussion on reputation. Brilliant!

click here to listen

Jesus the Superior Saviour

2011-11-28T10:28:00.001Z

Wanting or needing to be savedfrom something is a very common desire; a savior rescues people from harm ordelivers them from unwanted outcomes. The question we face is which savior willwe cry out to? Read Luke 2:10-11

Bethlehem was a town that heroes camefrom: Boaz saved a family, David a nation and now Jesus was to save the world.Jesus was a superior savior in every way:

· Jesus is God. (Jn1:1-5) In the beginning Jesus was with God and Jesus was God. Allthings were made through him and for him and without him nothing was made thathas been made.

· Jesus dwelt among us. (Jn1:14)Jesus was born as man, the perfect union of Creator & creature.He knows what it is to live our lives.

· Jesus is the only way. (Jn14v6) Jesus is a superior savior because access to God the Fatheris exclusively through him.

· Jesus saves many people.(Jn 3:16) Jesus is a superior savior because he saves people of all incomes & intellects,cultures & sexuality, the popular & rejected.

· Jesus saves from many things. Jesus is asuperior savior because he alone can rescue & deliver us from things like Sin,Death, Satan and God’s wrath.

The bible teaches us to choosethe Superior Savior Jesus; we are not to settle for lesser saviors that at bestare faint echoes, or at worst are demonic. Many Christians depend on inadequatesavior which can be exposed by finishing off these sentences:

· I am mostafraid of …

· When I needcomfort, I run to …

· The thingthat has made me most angry / disappointed with God is …

· The person whoseapproval I seek, or thing that most validates me, is …

· The personor thing I most sacrifice for is …

Inadequate saviors promise life to thefull but ultimately deliver death. Jesus is not like that. Although He promisedeternal life but He did not promise to deliver us from every undesirableoutcome. Rather he promised to give us His rest as we wait for our finalsalvation. He does not slumber or sleep; He intercedes and sustains us; We callout to him and He listens… and He gives us His peace & rest & hope.

Jesus is a SUPERIOR savior. Choose Him. Keep choosing Him.

Communicating for a change

2011-11-25T11:58:00.001Z

Whilst in Russia I read a short book that I found compelling.

For some time now I have been frustrated by my plateauing preaching skills; I don't feel I am improving. I am not talking about my desire to preach from bible passages rather that I need to hone my skills in communicating.

The book by Andy Stanley has given me a new framework in crafting a message that the Spirit can use to bring life change.

So this week I have followed a new methodology in my sermon prep, the fruit of which you should experience this Sunday when I continue our series back2basics:Jesus.

Its both good and scary to try new things, the worst that can happen is I look stupid & bore you ... at best, the Spirit can use it to bring life change.

Getting kids through church without them hating God

2011-11-24T10:15:00.001Z

Last night a crowd of us went along to hear Rob Parsons talk about stopping a generation of young people being lost to the church.

He spoke about the four stages of faith for a child in a Christian home: Experienced faith (in the home), Affiliative faith (copying those around them); Searching faith (asking their own questions) and Owned faith (believing for themselves). It was a helpful process to try to map my three in this way.

I found his comments on the importance of church youth groups creating a sense of belonging (which is highly valued by teenagers) very helpful. As was his five big killers of teenage faith: Christian over-busyness, Christian cynicism, Christian hypocrisy, Christian judgementalism, Christian over-familiarity with the beauty of the gospel (apparently Christians are the big killers not Jesus' radical lifestyle demands).

But I guess the most timely was he thoughts on preparing them for disappointment; be that with others, themselves or with God. In essence, getting them ready for life in a broken world.

He summed up this helpful evening with one of his one liner's "Catch them doing something right!".

An advert worth watching

2011-11-22T16:48:00.001Z

Dave Bish @ RFC

2011-11-18T15:50:00.001Z

On Sunday my good friend Dave Bish will be with us at both meeting. Some of the many things I like about him is that he is Gospel minded, has a passion for good coffee & enjoys crafting words (check out his blog here).

He has also authored two books based on the sermons of the puritan Richard Sibbes who was known as 'the heavenly doctor' and the 'sweet dropper'.

Dave leads the UCCF team in the South West of England and will be continuing our back2basics series looking at 'Jesus ascended'.

Hope to see you there.

An empty promise @ RFC

2011-11-18T09:45:00.001Z

Chuffed – a mystery big box of Thornton’s on my desk

Thrilled - a bonus Wispa bar was on top.

Gutted – the Thornton’s tray was empty!

Laughter – their 'jolly jape' had played out brilliantly.

RFC acoustic night

2011-11-17T14:34:00.001Z

In case you missed it - footage from the sound desk captured on a iphone 4

Hope Church & other stuff

2011-11-16T11:11:00.001Z

So my feet have finally been under my desk for two consecutive days... here are some of the highlights of the past two weeks

Hope Church St Petersburg: Things have really moved on since May: their new venue is in a hotel which is a central & visible, Hanse has gone full time as the pastor and several churches are looking to become part of the Hope Church 'sphere'. Dave & Hanna are at full stretch at home, their children have started a new school & Dave has new work patterns! Please do keep praying for their family in particular, they are under a lot of pressure and much is out of their control.

Time with Chris Wienand: Through my friendship with Sean & Nola Dooley at Thameside Church I have been able to hang out with Chris whenever he comes over to the UK. A number of UK & USA pastors spent a day with him talking through the book of Titus. Chris has remarkable insights into the intersect of leadership, culture & the Gospel. We also talked through charismatic gifts on Sunday meetings and how churches relate to 3rd generation apostles (Conversations I don't usually have!).

Newfrontiers Wider leaders: I spent two days with other leaders from the movement discussing the apostles of 1Cor4, the future shape of newfrontiers in the UK and lessons from William Booths successors. On the second day, Dave Smith from Kingsgate Community Church joined us and talked through his leadership lessons of growing from 20 to 1400 in 24 years. Again, a very insightful & helpful time.

A day with Ben Davies: Lastly, I spent Friday with Ben and 8 other pastors talking through leadership challenges. A Nigerian pastor from London had a stirring story of leasing a 10,000ft warehouse and favour from the local planning office for change of use. Just the story I needed to hear! Howard Kellet from Cheltenham was also there; he always lights up the room with his questions & comments!

So a delightful, but busy, 10 days and I now have lots of things to mull over in my mind. I am very grateful to God to have so many opportunities & time to learn from people who are ahead of me.

Gecko collective - winter sessions

2011-11-16T09:34:00.001Z

Check this out, a chilled video by our very own Abi, Joe & James ...
The Winter Sessions - Part One from Gecko Collective on Vimeo.

Gumboot dancing @ RFC

2011-11-01T13:23:00.001Z

Sunday's community lunch had an African theme and a traditional Miner's dance was taught. For those of us who missed it, here's a short video clip ...

...apparently some white men in wellies can dance.

Hope Church St Petersburg

2011-10-28T10:12:00.004+01:00

RFC have been supporting Dave & Hanna Henson and Hope Church for the last few years and next week Liz and I are travelling out there.

They've just had an outreach event at their new venue (which is in a hotel) and gathered around 270 people... 37 of whom made some form ofresponse!

Let's keep praying for our friends in Russia.

Why membership?

2011-10-26T15:34:00.001+01:00

It's never been about creating a crowd on a Sunday, it was always a desire to build authentic community.

It's not that we value names on a list, rather a way of meaningfully expressing our togetherness.

It's not so much about believing right doctrine, much more a commitment to lovingly relate to one another.

This Sunday Liz and I are hosting the RFC membership course. It runs in parallel with whichever meeting you attend (10:20 in the library or 18:30 @ South St).

Let Karen (at the offices) know if you're coming ... or you can just turn up!

back2basics - Jesus is God

2011-10-25T14:42:00.000+01:00

"We aregoing up to Jerusalem," Jesus said, "and the Son of Man will be betrayedto the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to deathand will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, floghim and kill him. Three days later he will rise." Mark 10:32-34

No army, nation or person has changed history to the degree that a homeless Nazarene who was executed amongst thieves 2000yrs ago. Why?

Jesus acted as God. The Bible reveals Jesus taught and demonstrated authority over sickness, creation & death; He miraculously fed people; He forgave people their sins & was transfigured before friends; He predicted his own demise, death & resurrection. Only God can do this.

Jesus spoke as God. He left no doubt about His own claims, he never intended to. He said he came down from heaven (Jn 3v38); He was more than just a good man (Mk 10v18); That He was God (Jn 8v58); That He was sinless (Jn 8v46); He was the Son of Man (Mt8v20); He told his disciples to pray to himself (Jn 14v13); and that He was the only way to heaven (Jn 14v6); that if they killed Him he would rise again (Mk 10v34)

Jesus was God. When you conclude that Jesus was the Son of God who rose from the dead, living ‘full on’ for Him makes sense. But do we? It has been said that the demons of the bible had a clearer understanding of who Jesus is than most Christian’s do today (Mk 1:24). We need to shape & align our lives in a way that declares Jesus is God. Many of us easily relate to the apostle Peter who made great declarations (Matt 16v16, Lk22v33) and spectacular mistakes (Mk14v68). But Peter was not written off, he was later graciously reinstated & commissioned by Jesus, a moment that carried him all the way to Rome and crucifixion (Jn21v15-19) .

Jesus knows we are human. And His grace is sufficient for us. If you have made a mess of following Jesus then confess your sins (1Jn 1:9), turn from that way (2Tim2:19), remind yourself Jesus is God (1Pet 3v15) and ask the Holy Spirit for help (2Ti1:14). The bible teaches that Jesus is God, but who do you say He is? And will you align your life to your convictions?

RFC awkward moment of the week

2011-10-25T13:15:00.000+01:00

The nights are drawing in so we broke out the traffic wands for the evening venue car parking team on Sunday. Justin was very enthusiatic about this and inadvertently took control of all local traffic at the corner of East St & South St (apparently cars stopped and waited until waved on by Justin).

I'm guessing there's a fine line between awkward & illegal.

RFC typo of the month

2011-10-18T14:46:00.000+01:00

Karen is out of the office this week and Josh is dealing with some of her responsibilities. Below is an extract from this weeks Lifegroup notes he sent using her email account to over 240 recipients:

• Community Lunch: On the 30th October after the morning meeting (12.45-3pm) we will be holding a community lunch at the church offices. There will be an African theme to the event with bring & share food, fellowship and the opportunity to learn some traditional “Gumboot” dancing, so bring your willies.

RFC website 'mobile' optimised!

2011-10-12T09:58:00.000+01:00

One of the things we need to keep working on is our communication. Given the number of smart phones in RFC we thought it made sense to optimise our website for iphones & android devices. This should make it easier for RFCers to get to the dynamic content of our website (What's on, blogs & sermons).

Do take the time to check out www.readingfamilychurch.org.uk on your phone and bookmark it on your home screen. If you do that it will look like an standard app and make it easier to use.

The next time you see James Keith, do thank him for putting in the volunteer hours in to make this happen!

RFC on Radio Berkshire this Sunday

2011-10-07T13:15:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I got a phone call from BBC Radio Berkshire asking me to be a guest on their Faith Show this Sunday from 7-8am.

Mary Green (the presenter) did a story on us in April and now they want to talk about our 10th anniversary and the growth we have seen.

Please pray that I represent us well and enjoy the experience!

Glory or Demise? Back to Basics.

2011-10-06T11:03:00.000+01:00

Have you ever thought about the stark contrasts of Jesus' earthly life? His close friends Peter, James & John saw His glorious transfiguration, whilst Mary, Mary & other women witnessed his brutal demise. The same Jesus who spent time with the 'wrong crowd' also amazed religious teachers with his understanding and answers.

The Jesus of the bible can not be captured in a 3 second sound bite rather he needs to pursued. Sometime the best way of doing this is to go back to basics.

Over the next few months we plan to centre our preaching fully on who Jesus is and how we are to relate to Him.

We will be having two guest speakers in this sermon series Adrian Birks, a teaching pastor at Coign Church (Sunday 16 Oct) and Dave Bish, UCCF team leader in South West, will also be with us (Sunday 20 Nov).

Giving for our tomorrow

2011-10-05T09:24:00.000+01:00

This Sunday we shall be gathering at the Town Hall (10:15 for coffee & cupcakes!) and towards the end of the meeting we shall be taking up an offering for our Vision Fund.

We hope to raise at least £125,000 over the next 12 months to help us grow into the costs of leasing a warehouse, start new ministries, employ additional staff, etc. We also plan to give 10% of this away to local charities.

Here's how you can financially invest in our tomorrow:

Please pray! Pray that the required finances are released.

Please give! Either by cash, cheque or bank transfer; Or by making a pledge to give a specific amount over the next 12 months; Or a combination of both!

Please be free not to give! If you dont want to, or unable to ...but do join in celebrating with those who want & are able to give.

We are believing God for an amazing tomorrow, so let's gather together in the centre of our town and tangibly express our love, gratitude and trust in Him.

Church offices update

2011-09-28T09:51:00.000+01:00

Just to let you know why we need more space midweek, a 7 day snapshot:

Sunday - the Newcomers lunch was almost at full capacity

Monday - the Marriage Course was at capacity!

Tuesday - Alpha Course, 31 in total but we can always squeeze in more!

Today - Band practice for 10th anniversary celebration.

Thursday - Toddler group is now at capacity (it has a waiting list); Lifegroup in the evening.

Friday - Band practice; our growing youth group meets upstairs!

Saturday - Women's coffee & pastries - expected to be at capacity!

More potential venues?

2011-09-27T15:04:00.003+01:00

We looked at four more buildings today...

We all sense that finding a building to lease will be a lot easier than getting planning consent to use it for church... but we do need to first find a building!

Please do keep praying about how much you can give to the vision fund ...

RFC group ride

2011-09-22T09:51:00.001+01:00

On saturday we've planned a group ride for those of us who like the feel of smooth tarmac under our bike wheels ...

James has planned a route of approx 20 miles taking us to the north of Reading, check it out here. I suspect the pace will be around 15mph but we will slow down to look after everyone who rides out.

We are meeting at the Shell garage on Shinfield Rd, for a 9am prompt start, whatever the weather.

Hope to see you there!

Essential reading for all @ RFC

2011-09-20T15:25:00.000+01:00

My outline of Sunday's sermon is below (listen to it here)

They were called by God (Josh 1v1-5) God had called His people out of Egypt and into a promised land; As God was with Moses, so he promised to be with Joshua... Incredibly we live in greater days than these!!! We are called by the same God yet His Spirit dwells within us! And we have a different calling as a people: to become a growing, Jesus-centred community; serving the town of Reading and beyond. We are a community with a God-given destiny, set apart to herald hope & usher in the kingdom of God.

They were rallied by Men (Josh 1v10-11) Joshua sent officers through the camp to rally God’s people and they resolved to follow… But we don’t rally to a mere man (albeit Joshua) rather we follow one greater, the God-Man Jesus! We rally to His banner, we march under His orders, to extend His kingdom. Jesus has sent His officers (Julian Adams & Chris Hall) through our camp preparing us for ‘suddenlies’ of a building & new people. As pastors we sense that Jesus is rallying us through prophecy to ‘get our supplies ready, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you’.

They responded as One (Josh1v16-17) The entire Israelite community prepared & positioned themselves to come into a good land; it required faith & trust, courage & unity to move forward as ONE people… 10 years ago we were 30 people with a sense of unity & destiny. Now we are 300. Our history teaches us that in the next decade we could double the amount of people we gather. Very soon our Sunday venues will start to tell new-comers we don’t need them because most seats are taken. We need to seriously explore leasing a building so that we can do everything from under one big roof. One of the ways we can get our supplies ready as a community is with a ‘Vision Fund’ – a fund we all give to, over & above our regular giving, to seed things like a bigger venue, new staff & ministries.

They dedicated themselves (Josh 3v5). God’s people under Joshua dedicated themselves to God and prepared for an amazing tomorrow... How much more so should we who follow Christ?! Let’s believe God has an amazing tomorrow for us as we become a growing, Jesus-centred community; serving the town of Reading and beyond. Let’s start this next season by setting ourselves apart, to pray, give, serve, love and worship our great God.

Homework for Vision Sunday

2011-09-16T17:11:00.000+01:00

For those who are around on Sunday could you please read Joshua 1v1-18 and 3v1-5. It would also be helpful for you to pray through these two prophetic words:

Julian Adams on Sunday 16th Jan 2011: “I really believe God is suddenly going to open up even things like land and building for you very quickly, suddenly there’s going to be a opening, suddenly there’s going to be favour even at a council level and where there’s been closed doors suddenly things are going to break open for you because there’s going to be a residential anointing almost in the building that when people come into places like this they’ll come under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and I believe we’re in that season where the unusual is going to happen”

Chris Hall on Sunday 13th March 2011: “I sense that you will need to be prepared not only to think about buildings but also about how you operate because this new group (of people I am adding) will not simply be an extension of the growth you have already seen but something quite different in numbers and kind. I believe this needs to happen before the 'harvest' will come”.

Getting our supplies ready

2011-09-14T09:45:00.000+01:00

In a few weeks time will shall be celebrating our 10th anniversary at the Town Hall. It will be a great moment to remember all that God has done amongst us. But the context of that morning is not just 'remembering' but also one of 'getting supplies ready' for our future.

This Sunday I hope to paint a compelling picture of what God has called us to as a growing, Jesus-centred community. We shall be revisiting Joshua 3 and recent prophetic words; daring to believe that God would continue to use us.

Please pray that Sunday would be a key day for us in this next season of Kingdom adventure & advancement.

Hope to see you there!

Theology Matters

2011-09-13T13:15:00.001+01:00

Mark Amos, who is a member of RFC, has made his first contribution to the newfrontiers 'Theology Matters' website.

He asks the question "How far do we create for ourselves our own personal Jesus - a version of Jesus that makes us feel comfortable and self-satisfied? Or are we genuinely seeking the real Jesus?"

To read the article click here.

A day with friends

2011-09-10T20:11:00.000+01:00

Liz and I spent today with RFCs elders & deacons - Our community is well served by them and they are great fun to be with!

Viewing buildings

2011-09-09T14:51:00.001+01:00

Tomorrow we are gathering the elders & deacons together. To help fuel my own faith & vision tanks, I tagged along with the RFC Facilities team as they viewed two properties at lunchtime.

The first property was a warehouse of 10, 000 sq ft subdivided into two main spaces of 6,500sqft and 3,500sqft; the carpark had space for 80 cars. It was a basic shell with offices and very easy to see how we could use this site.

The second was an industrial unit of 18,000sqft over two floors, with parking for 100 cars. It was a much more complex building to understand how we would use it ... but was thrilling to consider given all the space it offered.

We won't be making any quick building decisions but am looking forward to bringing my unique contribution to the team tommorrow!

Some dates for your diary

2011-09-06T14:39:00.001+01:00

All these people can be contacted via the church office:

This Sunday 11th September we’ll be having BAPTISMS. If you would like to be baptised or would like to explore this as the next step for you, please contact Scott Taylor.

On Saturday 17th September there will be a QUIZ NIGHT with a meal from 7-9:30pm @ Church Offices. Tickets cost £3, please contact Roy Avis or Lesley Holland asap.

On Sunday 25th September there is a NEWCOMERS LUNCH from 12:30-3pm @ Church Office. If you are new to the church or don’t feel connected yet, we’d love you to join the pastors for lunch. Please contact Karen to book in.

On Monday 26th September the MARRIAGE COURSE will be starting, and will run over 7 Mondays from 7:30-10pm @ Church Offices. The cost for the course is £70 per couple. For more information or to sign up, please contact Lucy Thomas.

ALPHA will be starting on Tuesday 27th September. If you’d like to come or have a friend who is interested in joining the course, or would like more information, please contact Scott Taylor.

On Saturday 1st October we will be having a WOMEN'S COFFEE & PASTRIES MORNING from 8:30-10:30am @ Church Offices. Cost will be £2, booking details to follow soon!

The next MEMBERSHIP SUNDAY is on Sunday 2nd October during the morning and evening meetings. This is an opportunity for you to find out more about the vision & values of the Church. To book your place, please contact Karen.

RUGBY WORLD CUP, Join us for a big screen viewing of what will hopefully be England’s quarter final match on Saturday 8th October at 8:30am. Bring your own snacks, teas & coffees will be provided.

If you're not a member of RFC but would like a letter about our 10th ANNIVERSARY MEETING @ Town Hall on October 9th, please let church office know your home address.

Bournemouth pier to pier 2011

2011-09-05T15:28:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I swam the 1.4miles between the piers at Bournemouth and Boscombe. It was a charity swim for British Heart Foundation, thank you to all those who sponsored me

A mass start of 1200 people is always going to be chaotic, so I decided to get towards the front and swim hard to avoid this. A good plan ... I was involved in very few collisions of note.

I still get really nervous waiting at the start signal ... but it's also exciting when we all head off. There was a collective cheer as we entered the water!

It was ideal swimming conditions, flat calm with the wind & current behind us. The water was clear and at one point I was able to follow a submerged cable, so even swam straight for quite a distance!

I ended up tracking the guy below most of the way, he was easy to spot being one of the few swimmers not in a wetsuit. We sprinted to the finish together and he wanted to know our time.

I guess the question remains, what swim challenge do I attempt next year?

Introducing ...

2011-09-01T14:31:00.000+01:00

Kathy Bond has started working in the church offices today as an Intern, her project being Youth & Children's work. She graduated this year having studied Food Science at Reading and also celebrates her first wedding anniversary this Sunday (Steve plays guitar in an RFC worship band).

Josh John has now finished his internship with us and today starts as a full time church worker with responsibility for worship & media. Next month Josh will marry Claire, who also did an internship with us!

I am so looking forward to seeing how God uses the staff team over the coming year ...

What's your RFC story?

2011-08-31T15:13:00.000+01:00

As part of our 10th Anniversary celebration on 9th October @ Town Hall we plan to take a brief look at our history. We would love some stories of what church has meant to you over your time at RFC.

They don’t have to be just happy stories – we want stories of us laughing and weeping together – doing life together. Obviously we’ll have limited time to reflect on our history, as we have lots to pack in on the morning, but we’d like to share a few of the stories that have brought us this far.

Please could you email them to Kerry Cowieson at churchoffice@readingfamilychurch.org.uk to read and collate.

1st Thursday

2011-08-31T14:02:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow is the next '1st Thursday' - a day we set aside for prayer & fasting. We plan to gather at 8pm at the church offices to worship Jesus, seek God's council & encouraged each other.

If you are able, please try to fast, if only for one meal - it can be so helpful to let your hunger remind you of our dependence on Him ...

I hope to see you there!

Come ride with us

2011-08-27T11:43:00.000+01:00

This mornings ride (as planned by James) was a gentle 30+ miles on quiet roads north of Reading. All was very pleasant until we arrived at Streatley Hill, near Goring. Apparently it is a well known 'lung buster' a sharp incline that snakes up the side of the valley by the Thames. I can't remember the last time a hill hurt that much, I literally couldn't talk when I reached the top.

Anyway, the point of this posting: there are a growing number of road cyclists in RFC and we thought it fun to have a group ride once a month on a Saturday over the winter. The idea being we ride 30-40 miles at a pace the slowest can comfortable hold whilst sitting within the group. James is thinking of starting around 8am, maybe later in deepest winter.

Next year we could also ride the circular Isle of Wight route (a classic) and have a few other days out on our bikes.

It will primarily be a social ride to help like minded people connect, NOT a hard training ride. If you are interested contact James Keith via church office or let me know your details to pass on to him.

Henry Olonga @ RFC

2011-08-25T16:52:00.000+01:00

On Saturday 10th September Henry Olonga will be joining us for breakfast!

Henry was the first black player to play test cricket for Zimbabwe. He wore a black armband in a Cricket World Cup match to protest against the policies of his government. This act led to a warrant issued in Zimbabwe for Henry's arrest on charges of treason and forced him to retire from international cricket and temporarily go into hiding.

He is a gifted singer and has recorded CDs and about a year ago released his biography entitled Blood, Sweat & Treason.

The cost of the breakfast is £5 so please contact Josh John to book your place early.

Tears in a big tent

2011-08-24T20:00:00.001+01:00

Today I travelled with Pete Horne and my son to visit the camp that some of the children of RFC are attending this week.

The activities on offer were superb: archery, high & low ropes, BMX track, wood working, kayaking etc.

But my highlight was the afternoon main meeting where 190 children gathered to worship Jesus. The speaker gave a clear gospel presentation and many young hearts responded.

Tears came to my eyes as I watched children from RFC stay behind after the meeting to linger in the atmosphere of worship. To see Sarah Horne talk with them and encourage them to pray for each other was inspiring.

I am so grateful to the team of 71 helpers/leaders who have been making this happen.

We shall hear more from our children themselves this Sunday morning.

Anne says 'Thank you'

2011-08-22T21:08:00.000+01:00

I know we are not perfect as a church ... but let me tell you about my day.

Six weeks ago Anne first came along to RFC and told her story. Her husband had just been diagnosed with cancer and the outlook was bleak. Two weeks ago he died (aged 59) and today I led the service at the Crematorium.

Miranda, Josh J & Kat led us musically and a good number from RFC managed to be there to show our support for Anne and her bereaved family.

Afterwards we hosted a wake at the church offices - Josh B had swapped his working week around to come in, set up and be available. By 6:30pm the family & friends had left and Josh B was hoovering, Kinga was washing up.

Anne's family were hugely touched by the church's big heartedness towards them. I realize that we can't all be at everything, yet I know any would have served if asked.

Every so often we get glimpses of what God has been doing in our hearts, and it is thrilling.

I am so thankful to be part of a community that endeavours to embrace relative strangers in their darkest moments ... surely the gospel is bearing fruit amongst us.

And Anne says thank you.

beautiful & inspiring

2011-08-16T15:23:00.007+01:00

probably the closest you can get to 'creating art' with a bike & video camera .....

one highlight from the leadership summit

2011-08-13T13:46:00.004+01:00

A hugely instructional moment for me - Bill Hybels gracious response to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultze' withdrawal from speaking at the Leadership Summit.

Let's try to make a bigger impact

2011-08-10T10:36:00.010+01:00

Like many I am still trying to process the violence on the streets of our country.

It is hard to reconcile the anger felt by a community in Tottenham because of a shooting, with the appalling copy cats acts of looting across our nation. Homes and business' have been destroyed and replaced with loss, fear & anger. Is this really a true reflection of the nation we live in? I think not (at least I hope not).

Many experts will now comment on these events; hopefully looters will be brought to justice; and I trust lessons will be learnt.

But we at RFC can play our part, at the very least through prayer. Let's pray for 'Law & order' to be established; for the families coping with upheaval and fear; for livelihoods & businesses to be quickly returned to 'normal'; for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation in the communities affected; and that it doesn't happen in our town.

Lets make an impact at work, over lunches or coffee by bringing a Christ centred contribution into the public conversation. Let's try to use this time to make a bigger impact than hooded opportunistic rioters.

Readifood @ RFC this Sunday

2011-08-02T15:27:00.009+01:00

For those who have been around for a while, you'll know that we have green 'Readifood' boxes at our Sunday meetings each week. Readifood provide emergency food parcels for people in need across the town of Reading and we have been partnering with them for a while. Thank you to all you who put food in these boxes.

Malcolm Pierce, who leads the project, will be with us this Sunday to let us know more about what they do. So please buy a few non perishable food items this week so that we can send him off with an even bigger smile on his face!

Zdenko & Ivana

2011-07-29T09:21:00.004+01:00

Yesterday afternoon, Scott and I pick up Zdenko and Ivana from Gatwick airport and they had dinner with family Green.

I first met them when I travelled with Martyn Dunsford to Croatia in march. Zdenko had invited Martyn over to speak in his church plant so that he could explore who newfrontiers are and what is means to be part of it (See post here).

I subsequently invited them over for a long weekend so they can visit London, be with us on Sunday and catch something of our heart.

So if you see them, introduce yourself, they speak good English and are very friendly. One of the things I enjoy about being part of God's family is the sense of unity you can quickly establish with total strangers!

A day on our bikes

2011-07-26T12:59:00.005+01:00

Yesterday, James, Richard and I returned to the Isle of Wight to ride the circular route again. There is something very exciting about getting on the ferry at Southampton with a 60mile+ route ahead of you.

Within 7 miles Richard had his first puncture, followed by the second at 11miles. It transpired that his rear wheel had no rim tape, hence the punctures. James and I were detailed off to find a bike shop whilst Richard languished in the sunshine. After a 10 mile round trip we returned triumphant, having also purchased two additional inner tubes as a precaution.

The rest of the day continued as expected - HILLS. The islanders are keen on their hills (they don't seem to build flat roads) and you have to work hard for every mile you ride. The big hills on the south coast provide gruelling climbs but are rewarded with fast descents on smooth tarmac.

We finally arrived back at Cowes by 4:30pm, after 75 miles of undulating but glorious riding.

Already looking forward to next years return visit ...

Impromptu RFC picnic

2011-07-24T14:44:00.004+01:00

Great time hanging out with the guys here!

the silver rocket

2011-07-23T12:07:00.004+01:00

This morning was a steady ride with Craig, Richard and newboy Samuel. It was a very pleasant jaunt in the sunshine, and Richards puncture was a welcome banter moment.

On Monday, a few of us are cycling around the Isle of Wight so I have been tweeking the silver rocket. I get a worrying amount of pleasure cleaning each component.

Richard has been dispatched to AW Cycles to purchase multiple new inner tubes ... with my good friend it's more of a question of 'when' not 'if'.

Preaching styles

2011-07-22T09:34:00.030+01:00

So often in life we do things and we're not really sure why, or whether we should make changes. I like thinking about these sort of things.

In this context, I have been giving some thought to our preaching style here at RFC. If I had to describe our style I would probably say that 'we try to let the bible speak for itself (allow the Bible to shape our message) whilst also trying to connect to people through openness'.

I do have great faith and confidence in the Holy Spirit changing lives as the Bible is read & explained. I highly value expository preaching (a form of preaching that throws light upon the meaning of a particular text or passage of Scripture). I think this is one way of expressing confidence in God's word as being sufficient for salvation & right living.

Systematically working through extended passages or books of the bible also forces preachers to teach the whole counsel of God, not just proof texting their ideas for that message (I know that pressure!).

That said we should also value one-off more 'Prophetic / Holy Spirit prompted' messages and also thematic preaching series that address 'felt needs' within the church. Not everyone can endure 9 weeks systematically working through 1John with ease!

The Apostles seemed to use this style of preaching, pulling together strands from the OT to bring understanding to the gospel and the new covenant. Shockingly, at times they even misquoted or went beyond the natural reading of the text and applied it to Christ (In Mark 1v3, Is 40v3 is misquoted and God is replaced with Jesus; In Eph 4v8, Ps 68v18 is misquoted & and applied to Christ). All good food for thought to keep us humble and not overly critical of the preferences of others.

I guess the area of preaching style that I am still journeying on in all this is how we preach in a way that is clearly relevant to the life outside of our gatherings. I don't think we are terrible at that, just that we have a way to go yet ...

... happy to hear your thoughts on this

The gospel begins

2011-07-20T09:24:00.016+01:00

I have always enjoyed the fast moving nature of Mark's account of the life of Jesus. This is reflected in the opening verse 'the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God'. No reason, no genealogy, no nativity - just good news.

Mark clearly shows Jesus as both the 'Messenger' and the 'Message' of good news. Over the next weeks we shall dig into this account and hopefully gain a better understanding of this 'Godspel' and also why Mark arranged his material as he did.

It would be helpful to read ahead each week as we will be covering a lot of ground, so here's the series plan:

The Servant who rules
24 July: Mark 1v1-13 Forerunner, Baptism & Temptation
31 July: Mark 1v14-3v6 Disciples, Miracles & Controversy
07 Aug: Mark 4 – 6v6 Parables, Boats & Unbelief

The Ruler who serves
14 Aug: Mark 9v33 – 10v52 The Teaching of Jesus
21 Aug: Mark 11-15 - The Passion of Jesus
28 Aug: Mark 16 - The Resurrection of Jesus

Together on a Mission 2011

2011-07-19T12:06:00.011+01:00

Last week about 20 of us from RFC attended the Newfrontiers leadership conference in Brighton. We joined with thousands of other leaders from across the world as Newfrontiers multiples from one apostolic leader (Terry Virgo) to approx 20 apostolic spheres. Much of the week was framing this significant and courageous step ... the movement has fundamentally changed and come of age. On Thursday night we prayed for the nations and the offering raised around £925,000, so thank you to all at RFC who gave.

Do try to download some of the messages, particularly Terry’s messages and PJ Smythe on 'Sickness & Suffering' here. The seminars were also varied, click here for those.

My initial reflections on the week are as follows:

We at RFC are privileged to be part of something that is demonstrably advancing the kingdom of God. Churches are being planted, leaders are being raised up, the Gospel is being preached and the needs of the poor are being met.

I was reminded again of why I love the emphasis of the Bible and the Holy Spirit that Newfrontiers brings so clearly.

I so appreciate the opportunity to catch up with friends or seeing their face across a crowded room – I deeply love many people in this movement and highly value their friendship.

I much prefer change that comes from growth. Whilst the principles & framework for the apostolic spheres is now in place, much of the detail that affects RFC is still to be worked out over the coming years. I am quite happy for us to live with this lack of clarity, we have enough strong links around us to keep us moving forward with great faith and expectancy.

I do enjoy running along Brighton seafront in the early mornings and swimming from pier to pier – a great location for a triathlon summer training camp!

Finally on twitter

2011-07-15T18:31:00.009+01:00

Following advice from Simon Allen that my 'Tour de France' experience will be greatly enhanced by the tweets of Bradley Wiggens and Mark Cavendish, I have finally signed up to twitter.

Follow on @green_sean

1st baptism at South St

2011-07-11T06:21:00.007+01:00

The town centre congregation has now been meeting for 16 months and last night we did our first baptism.

Shashi's testimony was this "I knew God as my provider .... now I know Jesus as my saviour"

Justin, who flimed this on his iphone, said "I love the contrast of the gritty urban background and right in the middle of everything is a beautiful Baptism taking place".

15 years of marriage - my poem to Liz

2011-07-06T19:09:00.002+01:00

It started with a phone call from China or Hong Kong,

And who would have guessed we’d last so long?

Your thoughts turned quickly to matrimony,

But sadly all that changed the moment you saw me!

But I captured your heart with my wit & style,

And it wasn’t too long and we were walking an aisle.

Sadly the date of our wedding you often forget,

But the weight of the vows you never neglect.

You looked so beautiful, that I think I cried,

I clearly remember wiping a tear from my eye.

The only regret we have from that day,

Is ‘why on earth did we hurry to get away?’

Two years did pass and along came our son,

And we are so proud of who he has become.

Our joy was filled out with the arrival of our first daughter

She looked just like her mum, although quite a bit shorter.

So we moved to Reading to start a great church,

And good people joined us, we didn’t have to search.

Our lives were so busy, and our house felt very full,

And still our marriage was very much on the ball.

To be honest, one time, we did get sore,

And uttered those words, which felt so raw...

“I’m bored of you” we said, and it sounded so sad,

But it brought us new life, and now we’re so glad.

Then Zoe arrived, after much stress in a car,

When we saw her face, we knew she’d go far!

So with our family now full and feeling complete,

Only one question remains “Who has dad’s feet?”

So as Joshua’s teen years unfold before us,

And Lucy’s pierced ears are no longer the fuss.

As Zoe grows tall and they all want to roam,

Let’s enjoy them now before they leave home.

And through all this, let’s remain best friends,

Even though, at times, my ways I must mend!

You’ve laughed when I’m funny and helped when I’m sad,

You’ve encouraged me greatly when I’ve failed as a dad.

You’ve loved me in spring, and all through the summer.

You’ve loved me in sickness, (although you found that a bummer!)

You’ve loved me in autumn, and in the chill of a winter,

No season, it seems, can make our love splinter.

And so I end this short ditty having said nothing new,

I simply thank God for the last 15 years with you.

You’re a fox and a babe and all of the rest,

When it comes to a wife, you’re simply the best!

First Thursday is tommorow!

2011-07-06T14:26:00.001+01:00

'First Thursday' is our monthly prayer day where we encourage all at RFC to set time aside to pray & fast. We then gather both congregations in the evening (8-10pm @ church offices) to worship and seek God together.

There is so much to thank God for and ask God to do through us. So much to celebrate and be encouraged about. So please stir yourself and get involved in this opportunity to experience the grace of God.

Hope to see you there!

The Hensons & newfrontiers giftday

2011-06-30T09:00:00.006+01:00

This Sunday, Dave & Hanna Henson and their children will be with us. RFC have been supporting them for the last few years as they plant a church into St Petersburg, Russia. I am hoping they give us an update on their a family and also on Hope Church.

We will also be taking up a special offering for the work of newfrontiers (as we have always done at this time of year). As I said on Sunday, it is a real privilege to be able to invest in other peoples lives through our giving. Please do prayerfully consider your part in this.

Turning printers into Tuna

2011-06-29T09:46:00.003+01:00

For some time now, Jess Del Rio has been selling obsolete bits of RFC kit on ebay and using the money to buy supplies for Readifood. I really like this creative way of transforming stuff on shelves into food for hungry mouths. Yesterday we got this email from her:

"Hi guys - those bits sold on ebay for £47 (Projector, Printer) below is the receipt from Morrisons for all the yummy bits we bought with the cash! Love, Jess"

Bournemouth Pier to Pier Swim 2011

2011-06-24T10:15:00.008+01:00

On Sunday 17 July I shall be swimming the 1.4 miles that separates the two piers at Bournemouth to help raise money for the British Heart Foundation.

I really enjoy & value being healthy enough to participate in events like this. I also like the idea of being able to give to something that helps other people enjoy a more active / longer life.

If your are able, please consider sponsoring me to help raise money for the British Heart Foundation - click here to view my fundraising page.

John Piper interviewing Rick Warren

2011-06-22T20:00:00.025+01:00

I have thoroughly enjoyed this interview between two very Godly men. Over the years I have read and listened to lots of Piper; this video has helped me catch catch something of Rick warren's heart and theology. Its long, so I watched it in instalments:
0:00 Introduction
3:29 The glory of God.
7:16 David Wells and the weight of God’s reality.
9:00 Would you write the book the same today?
12:00 The sovereignty of God.
18:47 How do you speak of God’s sovereignty in the presence of tragedy?22:01 How do all things work for bad for those who reject Christ?
24:14 Do you hedge on Larry King?
27:00 Unconditional election.
30:18 The importance of eternity.
34:42 How do you conceive of eternity: in heaven, on earth?
38:53 What is the Gospel?
42:00 What did Jesus achieve on the cross?
43:40 Repentance.
50:50 Why don’t you call yourself a Calvinist?
53:09 Propitiation.
54:39 Prevenient grace.
60:01 Total depravity.
61:03 Hell.
69:10 Eternal destiny of those who never heard.
72:40 The extent of the atonement.
77:00 Do unbelievers always do the devil’s bidding?
78:40 Your view of the Bible.
82:40 Expository preaching and doctrinal depth.
88:10 Rick Warren’s sacred trust.

Adrian Birks @ RFC this Sunday

2011-06-22T09:54:00.010+01:00

One of the things I enjoy about the gospel is discovering how Jesus' work at the cross is so much better than the Old Testament sacrificial system which foreshadowed him.

Over the next 12 months, my friend Adrian will be speaking 3 times at RFC to help us plumb new depths of our understanding of Jesus' death & resurrection.

Adrian is a teaching pastor at the Coign church, Woking and is also on the newfrontiers theology forum. But don't let that alarm you! He is a great communicator, with an easy and accessible style.

He will be preaching this Sunday from Hebrews 9 at both our morning and evening venues, so don't miss out!!!

Technology Dad

2011-06-21T15:19:00.006+01:00

On Sunday we heard from a number of types of dads that are part of our community: Motorbike dad, Weather dad (his website here), Impeccably Groomed dad, Quilting & Needlework dad, to name but a few.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was when Technology Dad (Gavin Thomas) used his smart phone 'text to speech' application to deliver his talk - in case you missed it, click here to listen.

8 rules for dating my daughter

2011-06-19T17:46:00.010+01:00

From my message today:

"I have two daughters, one of which is starting secondary school this September. As a ‘Protective dad’ I have begun working on various rules for anyone wishing to date one of my girls in the years to come:

Rule 1: If you pull onto my drive and beep, you’d better be delivering a package, because you’re certainly not picking up one of my girls.

Rule 2: You do not touch my daughter in front of me. You may glance at her, as long as you do not peer at anything below her neck. If you cannot keep your eyes or hands off my daughter’s body, I will remove them.

Rule 3: I am aware that it is considered fashionable for boys of your age to wear their trousers so loose it shows your underwear. You may come to my door dressed like this, I will not object. However, I will take my nail-gun and fasten your trousers securely in place at your waist.

Rule 4: I’m sure you’ve been told that having sex without utilizing a ‘barrier method’ of some kind can kill you. Let me elaborate: when it comes to sex, I am the barrier, and I will kill you.

Rule 5: You may feel that in order for us to get to know each other, we should talk about triathlon or Christian stuff. Please do not do this. The only information I require from you is an indication of when you expect to have my daughter safely back at my house, and the only word I need from you on the subject is ‘early’.

Rule 6: Once you have gone out on a date with my little girl, you will continue to date no-one but her, until she is finished with you. If you make her cry, I will make you cry.

Rule 7: Do not lie to me. I may appear to be a short, middle-aged, dawky dad. But on issues relating to my daughter, I am the all-knowing, merciless god of your universe. If I ask you where you are going and with whom, you have one chance to tell me the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I have access to a shotgun, a shovel and five acres forest. Do not mess with me.

Rule 8: Be afraid. Be very afraid. The voices in my head frequently tell me to clean my gun as I wait for you to bring my daughter home. As soon as you pull onto the drive you should exit your car with both hands in plain sight. Speak the perimeter password. Announce in a clear voice “Mr Green, I have brought your daughter home safely and early”, then return to your car. There is no need for you to come inside. The camouflaged face at the window is mine.

To be fair, I am still in discussion with my wife & daughters regarding some of the finer points of these rules, but it captures the heart of my approach …"

A question for Dads@RFC

2011-06-15T16:02:00.009+01:00

On Sunday we're gathering both congregations for a Fathers' Day Lunch at Reading Girls' School. We shall be having a BBQ, Tug of War, a Bouncy castle and 'Pillow Fight Jousting'. We will also be giving each dad a small but essential gift ;o)

To help me prepare for my message, I need the dads in the church to answer this question in one word 'What Kind of dad are you?'.

Dads: If you could take off your mask and honestly answerthis question, what would your answer be?

What kind of dad are you? ... I am a xxxx dad (insert answer as appropriate i.e. happy, tired ,inspired, content, worried, ambitious, disappointed, hands-on, absent ). Forexample: I am a tired dad, a skint dad, a step dad, etc etc.

Please email your answer and I will anonymouslyrefer to your response as part of my message. And it doesn't have to be too serious!!!

Back and blogging

2011-06-14T13:36:00.008+01:00

So after a fantastic family holiday in France (50km south of La Rochelle) I am back at my desk and nearly up to full speed, hence have gotten round to blogging again.

But if I close my eyes / quiet my mind, I can still hear the surf, feel the sand in my toes, taste the 'Pain au Chocolate' on my lips and see my children laughing in the sunshine. A great time had by all. I have banked these precious memories and will draw down on them time and again.

So far, Liz and I have fought the urge to plan the next 'France Vacance' ... life can be very good.

Intern wanted @ RFC!

2011-05-24T17:37:00.005+01:00

This is now the 4th year that we have been running RFC Internships: 11 months working for the church with a specific project focus.

Our program plugs into the theological & leadership training offered by newfrontiers. Our trainees get to spend 3 days a month with others from churches all around London & the home counties.

We already have one Intern confirmed to start this September, Kathy Bond. Her project will be Kids Church and Youth... but we still have a vacancy for one more.

If you're interested in finding out more, please contact Scott at the church office. He leads the Intern Program for us and will be able to go through the details and potential projects on offer.

Bike ride with TVT

2011-05-21T12:18:00.005+01:00

This morning, Richard and I joined the hills reps group on the TVT Saturday ride. It was 30 miles of quiet country lanes, chat, and of course plenty of hills.

Needless to say, I was last up the hill most of the time ... and my bike has a terrible squeak in the bottom gears which added to my shame ;o(

I really enjoyed cycling new routes with new people. They are a great bunch and you get to know people much more than on a swim night (obvious really).

As we finished, the ride leader suggested we come along to the Tuesday night ride, ominously called 'the chain gang'. Sounds brutal.

I now feel tired, hungry, and ready to do anything that doesn't involve too much activity...

10,000sq ft #2

2011-05-19T10:43:00.002+01:00

So I've have had a great response about potential new buildings. A warehouse on Arkwright Rd potentially looks great, see details here (thanks Shelley!) Having spoken to the agents and Reading Borough Council, it seems as though it's in a 'designated corridor' where RBC are highly unlikely to grant change of use.

So two things are now very clear to me: #1 This is going to take a lot of work to figure all this out. #2 We need a small team to help do this.

So if you like this kind of thing, are happy to do research / make phone calls, could you let me know! I now have more building details than time to look at them!

10,000 square feet?

2011-05-17T15:50:00.030+01:00

So far this year nine people have become Christians and we've baptised seven. Forty people have attended our membership course and our lifegroup attendance is at an all time high. On Saturday, the offices were at capacity for the quiz night, as is Toddler Group on Thursday morning's!

Our Sunday venues are also beginning to feel the squeeze ... if everyone turned up we'd be in trouble! (We've booked the Town Hall for our 10th anniversary celebration in October, it seats 700!).

Without a doubt, Jesus is building His church.

So my thoughts keep turning to a new venue in which we can do everything under one roof, giving us a base to better serve the communities of Reading.

Somewhere to gather youth and give them hope; rooms where we can equip people to get back into work/start a business; a safe space for children to play & interact with others; an environment where social barriers can be broken down; a place where the needs of the 'have-not' are met by the 'have'; a muster point for communities in our town; a space where people can gather to worship Jesus and love people.

I desire for us to have a building where we can do all this, and more. And so my eyes are once again scanning 'To Let' hoardings on buildings. I wonder if we might try to lease a warehouse for 5 years in order for us to grow to 450-500 people. But then we'd also need planning permission for 'Change of Use' which is very hard to get.

I am not even sure 10,000sq ft is the right amount, I just sense we need to start seriously looking & praying for a new venue.

So, lets keep scattering seed, expecting God to multiple it 30, 60 or even 100 times what was sown ... and if you see a suitable venue, let me know!

Another perfect Monday with Liz

2011-05-16T12:57:00.003+01:00

A Walk along the canal. The Cunning Man pub. Good books. Pint of Rev James. Lunch.

First lake swim of 2011

2011-05-13T17:57:00.006+01:00

So I finally got round to pulling on my wetsuit and swimming 3 laps of Copthorne Lake.

The water was warm (18C), clear, and the sun was shining. It was 60 minutes of Open-Water Swimming at it's very best - unhurried, sunny, and not too busy.

Richard went purist and didn't wear a wetsuit, hardcore stuff given it's so early in the season.

Sadly, Craig couldn't make tonight's inaugural session, so I had to make do with occasionally swimming into Richard.

Best of all, the wind was behind us as we cycled back into Reading. A top ending to a top swim.

Newfrontiers Prayer & Fasting

2011-05-10T16:54:00.003+01:00

So I am here for two days with Scott, Simon Benham and 500 other leaders from the family of churches we are part of. It's day one, I'm hungry and have the beginnings of a caffeine headache. But God is here, the worship is tender, the prophetic is inspiring.

So I am in the right place ... but a burger would be nice :0)

Hanging out with Church Planters

2011-05-07T08:00:00.018+01:00

Today, Liz and I are spending the day with 7 other couples who have a passion for planting churches.

It is always so stimulating to be around those who long to pioneer new works of God. I suspect a few tears will be shed (church planting can be brutal at times) and also some great 'suddenly God' stories be told.

A few of the couples are exploring their own calling, some are already planting their first church, two are planting their second.

Liz and I are hosting the day, but we both know we will learn lots and also make some new friends.

Michael Ross-Watson & Newcomers Lunch

2011-05-06T09:00:00.018+01:00

On Sunday we have a guest speaker, Michael Ross-Watson, and our Newcomers Lunch:

Converted to Christianity in 1963 from a family background of spiritism, Michael attended Cliff College and worked as a lay evangelist in the Methodist Church (UK) from 1966 to 1969. He served with WEC International (Worldwide Evangelisation for Christ) from 1969 until the present time. Ten years were spent in Indonesia, pioneering among various groups. He has been ministering internationally as an evangelist and teacher since 1982.

Michael will be speaking at both our morning and evening venues.

If you are new to RFC, I would like to invite you to lunch this Sunday, 12:30 at church offices. Hope to see you there!

Things to prayer about you don't normally see

2011-05-05T08:45:00.007+01:00

To help you today ... and yes it was filmed on my iphone ;o)

1st Thursday

2011-05-04T15:25:00.009+01:00

As the Israelites stood before the River Jordan which was in flood (an impossible barrier to cross on foot), Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3v5). The bible goes on to record that as they moved in faith, the water from upstream stopped flowing (v16).

As a church we also have obstacles to cross in order to come into all that God has for us. Tomorrow we start a season of prayer/fasting on the first Thursday of each month, to help us humble/consecrate ourselves for Jesus.

If you haven't fasted before, can I gently say that most people can skip a meal in order to create time to pray. That said, please be sensible and don't feel guilty if you choose not to.

We shall be gathering at the church offices 8-10pm to worship Jesus and call on His name. Hope to see you there!

Hope Church St Petersburg

2011-05-02T07:01:00.006+01:00

Josh and I had a really great time with Hope Church, they have clearly grown in so many ways. Josh led the worship which was bilingual, he coped really well with the language switching after each verse.

I felt so at home whilst preaching, its good fun having to reword phrases 'on the hoof' that are too complicated for translator. The church has such life and energy, the team here has done so well under Dave and Hanna's care.

Last night we had dinner with the leadership team, they are truly diverse: Russians, Brits, South African, even an Eskimo

It is a privelidge to partner with them in the gospel, I am so grateful to God for RFCs heart for the nations.

Traffic jams in St Petersburg

2011-04-30T12:22:00.003+01:00

So today we set out to visit a drug rehab centre which is 2hr drive from where we are staying.

Unfortunately most of the local population decided to use the same stretch of motorway resulting in traffic chaos. After 2 hr we were still on the outskirts of the city, next to Ikea.

Long story short, we turned round and had lunch in the vast Ikea complex ... and browsed the store. Not quite what we had in mind!

I am preaching tonight at a church but we are taking the Metro (the underground train) so should avoid the same fate!

Alpha in St Petersburg

2011-04-28T19:00:00.010+01:00

Tonight I spoke at the launch of Hope Church's first Alpha course. I really enjoyed being part of the evening.

It has been a very busy few days; I have taught on 'Election and Evangelism', seen their potential new Sunday venue, spoken on the changes in church life growing from 50 to 150 people, and had a long meeting on church finances.

Josh and I are really enjoying it but they are working us hard!

Off to St Petersburg

2011-04-26T09:00:00.017+01:00

Today, Josh John and I are flying out to spend a week with the Henson's and Hope Church St Petersburg. Dave has put together a full program for us, ranging from speaking to newfrontiers pastors, preaching at Hope, and hosting a seminar entitled 'Once saved, always saved?'.

Josh will be leading worship at church on Sunday which is in both Russian and English, so that should be fun. It will be good to see how much the church has progressed since Liz and I were with them in October.

We have some Easter eggs for the Henson children, and some big bars for mum & dad! I can't imagine living in a country and not easily being able to buy Cadbury's chocolate.