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Following Jesus @ Valley Vineyard

I’m really excited about next week Sunday, 1 July 2012.  Why? I begin preaching at Valley Vineyard, after fulfilling all my prior commitments to Sunday preaching at other churches.

Since my last blog explaining the important (and rather dramatic) shifts that have taken place in Gill and my life, here’s a brief update. In following Jesus to Valley Vineyard I’ve engaged with the leadership and staff and some members over the past two to three weeks, in response to the invitation to give leadership to a process for 2 to 3 months – in order to make firm decisions as to the way forward for Valley Vineyard, for Gill and I, and for our colleague (the current team leader). We are presently making final decisions as to budget cuts, among other things… and implementing them. So it’s all happening! Pray for us!!

But my purpose in communicating is to say I’m soooo looking forward to getting into the flow of preaching at Valley Vineyard. Sunday 1 July will be my first opportunity to give perspective and initial direction in a “family talk” to the church. Then Gill and I have a 10 day family holiday. And then I begin a series of teachings on Sunday 15 July, which will run for 9 consecutive Sundays, called “Restoration and Renewal”, based in the book of Isaiah. I cannot tell you how much I’ve missed – over the past four years – preaching and teaching sunday by sunday, pastoring and building up a community of faith through the regular exposition of God’s Word. The Word of God has a power of its own. When faithfully proclaimed under the anointing of the Spirit it penetrates and cuts like a two-edged sword, exposing all sorts of stuff, and working God’s sure progressive transformation on the inside. Continue reading Following Jesus @ Valley Vineyard

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Brief Report on Pakistan Conference

Although Zander and I did not go to Lahore, Pakistan, the pastor who organized the conference, etc, sent a brief report:

“It was very nice experience to serve the Lord with fellowship of brother Odd Ivar. He is very humble and simple man of God. Here all the pastors and church leaders missed you very much. We are praying that may God make possible your visit next time. Thanks God all the meetings done well. In conference there 200 pastors and church leaders came to attend the conference. All the pastors and church leaders learnt new things about God’s kingdom as bro. Odd Ivar taught from your book Doing Healing. So it was very inspiring and blessing. In our Evangelistic meetings and Sunday service in every meeting there were about 700 people came to hear the Word of God and in these evangelistic meetings all together more than 2500 people heard the voice of God. Many received Jesus Christ in their lives as their Saviour Lord and sick are healed through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Odd Ivar, an elder from a Vineyard church in Larvik, Norway, got his visa and spontaneously had to do all the teaching! He sent me a brief report: “The two evangelistic meetings were good I think, a lot of people wanted prayers. And in the last meeting many of them opened their eyes, lifted their head, and started to pray for the one next to them standing with the hand in the air. The pastor went around in the congregation and motivated the people he knew to start praying for the others. I remember especially an alcoholic bent down by the burdens in life, showing us the official permit letter to trade with alcohol. We prayed for him, and he tore the letter. Next day he came with his child and wife, all beaming with joy. The theme was to step into Kingdom reality instead of our own wiew on what is possible, and practical steps to help us open up for it. People seemed very receptive. The pastor will continue to teach about this, and practically how to pray for each other.”

Thanks for those of you who prayed so much for the conference.