Have a read and see if you are willing to pray and “amen” the dangerous heart of these words:

Disturb us, O Lord,
When we are too pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, O Lord,
When with the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst for the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, O Lord,
To dare more boldly,
To venture on wilder seas,
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.

We ask you to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push back the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

This we ask in the name of our Captain,
Who is Jesus Christ.

Prayer of Francis Drake, 1577

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!
My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honours of Thy name.

This morning as I sat at the piano for a short devotional time I picked up the hymn book and on turning a few pages in was once again drawn to read the following words of John Wesley as he lays out his Directions on Singing.

1. Learn these tunes before you learn any others; afterwards learn as many as you please.
2. Sing them exactly as they are printed here, without altering or mending them at all; and if you have learned to sing them otherwise, unlearn it as soon as you can.
3. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a single degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up, and you will find it a blessing.
4. Sing lustily and with good courage. Beware of singing as if you were half dead, or half asleep; but lift up your voice with strength. Be no more afraid of your voice now, nor more ashamed of its being heard, then when you sung the songs of Satan.
5. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, so as to be heard above or distinct from the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound.
6. Sing in time. Whatever time is sung be sure to keep with it. Do not run before nor stay behind it; but attend close to the leading voices, and move therewith as exactly as you can; and take care not to sing too slow. This drawling way naturally steals on all who are lazy; and it is high time to drive it out from us, and sing all our tunes just as quick as we did at first.
7. Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every word you sing. Aim at pleasing him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when he cometh in the clouds of heaven.

All these directions are really helpful, yet personally for me Wesley’s pinnacle, point 7, greatly provokes and stirs me. I truly believe that as we raise our voices in this way, with “an eye to God in every word we sing” that not only will the other points follow more naturally and our sung offering have an all the more beautiful and authentic ring about it, but more importantly the unheard sound of our hearts will be swelled to a mighty crescendo of uncontainable praise that will bubble over into the realms of the visible and audible.

As the current Chapel gathered family we have the backdrop of such rich heritage, yet many of us are carrying in our hearts and even regularly now saying that “the best days are yet to come”…

Dare I say that although the past has seen Westminster Chapel known and defined, in many way rightly so, by its preaching, I believe that, by God’s grace, right now and on into the future are days of a more visible multi-faceted church emerging. And a key part of our church family’s expression and witness will be the beautiful facet of our corporate worship. I believe we will see a fresh wave of authentic songs and sounds being released as we give ourselves all the more to honour and worship God in spirit and truth. Furthermore, I believe as we give ourselves to singing spiritually that there will be a fresh spirit of worship released amongst us that will see ‘ceilings’ that have long restricted us, broken through for good as we enter new land, venturing ways we have not been before. Want to join me in being a people who increasingly sing spiritually?

How would you personally respond to the question that Bob posed to Mark Dever and then further extends to you?

This morning we were greeted with our young boys coming into our bedroom and Josiah saying “Angry Birds” and Gideon shouting “iPad” followed by lots of clapping! (iPad is only his 7th word – arghh a geek in the making !!!). So, out came the iPad and a few levels of Angry Birds were played together. Great fun!

I don’t know about you but I have a love-hate relationship with such games. I always seem to be hitting “one” of those really frustrating levels – you know the one that keeps you there for ages and you just can’t seem to get through and just to top it off that final pig just ends up smirking at you time and time again. If you identify with this you will probably also know that it very quickly has you reaching for the retry button as you get caught up in striving to get through.

About a month back, my wife Charlotte got absolutely hooked on this fun little game and sat up late one night to complete all the levels. What has this meant for me? Well, now whenever I get stuck I have the option to continue on in my striving to topple those pigs or I can simply opt to hit the “skip forward” button and move to the next level. You see, Charlotte had gone before me and unlocked all the blocked levels – she had made a way where I could make no way.

Maybe this is a tenuous connection, but this got me thinking about how in a far superior and important way, Jesus has gone before us and opened up a way where there was no way. He has made it possible for us to be brought into restored and right relationship with our heavenly Father by the means of his perfect life, death and resurrection.

The Bible teaches that due to sin, man is born into a state of alienation from God. This broken relationship basically spells death for us and unlike a hard level in Angry Birds, there is no chance of us ever getting through and restoring that relationship with our Father by ourselves. It isn’t just a case of keep trying and trying and eventually we will get it, then everything will be alright. No, the Bible speaks of how it is impossible for us to restore this relationship. Jesus himself in response to the question “Who then can be saved?” answered “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matt 19:26)

Sounds dire, right?! But there is amazingly good news: today we can celebrate that Jesus went on to teach, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He then went on to live out the making of that way, “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:8)

All we need do to benefit from this way that Jesus has made for us is to simply accept that we cannot do it, turn around from our striving and efforts to save ourselves, and acknowledge that the solution to our dire problem is Jesus and Jesus alone. Then just see what happens!

Fed up of striving whilst trying to break through to that place of inner peace and rest that you so desire?

Tired of trying to bind up your own brokenness to no avail?

I’d invite you to come along and join us on a Sunday and meet with the person of Jesus and hear how He has changed the lives of many Londoners. He is our only hope, the one true Healer, Redeemer and Saviour. He has made a way where there was no way: He is the only way that we might know our heavenly Father and be transformed by His love and power.

Life change could be just around the corner for you!

So I urge you to take a few moments out from the distraction of Angry Birds and come find out more and you’ll find healing, wholeness, peace with God, a new destiny and your purpose for living – Life in all it’s fullness!

Mr Cow - Julia Plaut

With so many little ones being born and on the way at the Chapel, I just wanted to take a few words to recommend a resource that new and young families might want to use with their tots for times of family worship.

We first came to know of this CD when it was used by the excellent toddlers group that was put on during the mornings at the Grapevine International Celebration last year.

“Mr Cow”, from Julia Plaut, includes wonderful arrangements with beautiful classical instrumentation. The songs are really fun and ideally written for pre-school kids to clap, dance, sing along to – Mum and Dad will even find themselves walking around with the songs in their head all day!

Why not browse over to the Kingsway Shop and listen to some of the sample tracks right now.

Does the phrase “family worship” fill you with dread? It certainly did me, and all the more so as we have, rather sporadically I must admit, set out on a journey to purposefully spend time together as a family to not only pray but also read scripture out loud and enjoy singing songs together.

At times I must say that I have found myself asking if it is worth all the effort with the boys being so young, yet at heart I am convinced that as a family we need to set a pattern for worshipping God together and it is here that I am so thankful for such great resources as “Mr Cow”.

For us times of family worship have not meant our little lads sitting around quietly meditating on the word of God, or like little angels singing in perfect harmony, memorising the Psalms or reciting creeds – far from it!

A typical session might include Daddy being whacked around the face by a shaker or repeatedly assaulted with a beater from a drum that was put out to encourage the boys in musical expression of their praise, Gideon trying to play a cookie in the DVD player, Josiah deciding to bring a shout offering in the form of “No Cow! No Cow! Noooooooooooooo Cow!”, Mummy left as the only one dancing in the middle of the room whilst “no rules” wrestling breaks out with toddlers flying in from all directions to see just how bouncy Daddy’s head actually is!

How different this looks to our times of corporate worship on a Sunday morning! But this is all fun and that is what our worship is to be as we come as children of God to enjoy his presence. Still amidst the chaos – there are times when the boys do want to engage, to dance, clap or even join in with the singing, even join in saying thank you to Jesus for various people and things….with “Atcho Jeees, Uncle Chris” being a favourite of Josiah’s. And those times are well worth pushing through to – even at the expense of a broken DVD player – they are so precious!

So for those of us with young families and with children on the way, I’d thoroughly recommend that we look to increasingly get into the habit of spending time in worship as families – although a lot of effort early on, I am convinced these times will create important memories for our children and at the same time help them to see that worshipping God is fun whilst teaching them the language of gratitude for all the blessings that have been poured out on us.

So yep, “Mr Cow”; great fun! It comes with a Thorneycroft household seal of approval despite the cries of “No Cow! No Cow! Noooooooooooooo Cow!”

“When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.”
1 Corinthians 14:26

In the run up to Christmas we often find that our diaries get booked out with parties. Like myself, I am sure when you are invited around to a friend’s house party you might ask “Is there anything I can bring?”, as you want to play your part in making the celebration one to be remembered.

I’m equally sure you’d recognise the usual responses to that question might include “No problem we have everything covered, just bring yourself!” or “Thanks for asking, could you possibly bring….(fill in the blank)”

Likewise, and as Paul exhorts the believers in 1 Cor 14:26, when we gather together each week for the corporate expression of our worship in response to the divine invitation to “Taste and see that the LORD is good” we each have something to bring, an important part to play. This cannot be separated from the very health and life of the church.

With this in mind, I want to stir you with three short thoughts that might help you to prepare to join in the corporate celebration each week and that I believe could see our times of corporate worship come all the more alive with the voice and “suddenly” of God.

Is there anything I can bring?

In the first place I would encourage us to start by always asking God what He wants us to bring. This in itself expresses our dependency upon God, that we are hungry for the life and ministry of the Holy Spirit in our midst and need Him to speak and communicate the very heart of God to save us ‘going through the motions’ of dead religion. You see, God is a speaking God and He is looking for those who are available to be used to express His love, to bless and build up the church family and further to communicate His truth and love to the hurting people of our city. On our part, this is about humbling ourselves, having a heart attitude of making ourselves available and being willing to be used as instruments of God’s grace. How exciting does that sound? Does that put a fresh view on coming to church on Sunday?

As you sincerely ask this question of God I know that you will certainly hear one if not both of the following responses:

Just bring yourself

I truly believe this short phrase is foundational to being authentic in our Christian worship. I believe God asks us always to “just bring yourself”. In that I mean not to come with a mask on, not to act as we think we should or other people might expect us to act. Not to leave our troubles, the realities of life at the door and enter a time of ‘unreality’ as a form of escapism. Rather, I believe God primarily asks that we live out our worship, including these corporate celebrations, in the reality of everything that is going on in our lives. He is seeking those who worship in Spirit and in truth, those who will praise him when all is bright and cheerful and also when there is ‘pain in the offering’, when the storms of life seem overwhelming.

It certainly can be a challenge to come as you are, ‘warts and all’, as it is easy to fear rejection or criticism. Yet if we come with open honest hearts then God can far more easily minister to us and even minister through us to others, often without us realising how. It is difficult to make yourself vulnerable before people, but if we do so the rewards will be great.

If we want to see more breakthrough in our corporate worship, more release of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, I would firstly encourage us to come ‘as we are’ before our God!

The important thing to remember is that even if God’s response is to ask you to bring a gift, it is always implied that you are coming as yourself!

Could you please bring…..

You might find in response to your question that God asks you to bring something for the building up of the church family. From 1 Corinthians 14:26 we find a list of gifts that are often exercised in corporate settings, and I would encourage you to be bold in seeking and asking God to give you gifts that will minister to the body. Further to this list He might ask you to do other things as we gather, maybe to look out for the stranger and make them feel welcome, to see a need and give in faith to meet that need, to bring a personal word of encouragement, to get alongside someone and to affirm them, even to give a warm smile and friendly hug!

So if God asks me to bring something what should I do? It is quite simple really, our part is to be faithful and bring whatever is asked of us, in the same way we would if asked by the hosts of a party.

The challenge to us here is not to limit what we could possibly bring. Maybe you are the person who would be completely fine with being asked to ‘bring a bottle’ but if asked to ‘bring a dessert’ would find yourself in a panic. Maybe you’d be concerned about people comparing your offering with the usual star dessert maker who never fails to create the most wonderful dishes for everyone’s enjoyment.

Is it the same for you with the bringing of spiritual gifts at church? Do thoughts such as ‘Who am I to bring this?’, ‘I can’t do that!’, ‘How will that be a blessing?’ run through your head? Well let me take this opportunity to encourage you that the pressure is off! If we come with love in our hearts and an attitude of true humility, being true to what God is asking us to bring, then we play our part and bring honour to God.

Of course we are all human and can make mistakes by bringing something corporately that is wrongly timed, that we have not fully heard or understood, or may just be way off the mark. However, my personal approach to this is that in the loving and safe environment of the church family, any such mistakes are ultimately an opportunity to learn.

Therefore, I would encourage you with all my heart to press on, and with a holy fear of God in your heart and with an ever increasing love for your brothers and sisters seek to make yourself available to be a channel of blessing to the church.

So let’s celebrate….

So from this time on let’s all be provoked to seek God for His gifts to bless and build up the church, making ourselves fully available and willing to act and share as directed. As we commit to love one another in this way, and in doing so honour God, He alone knows what could happen in our midst!

I invite you to join me as I briefly visit such a memory…

Authentic worship

Allow me to take you back some 20 years to a school hall in Faversham, Kent on a Sunday morning. I was aged around 10 and attending a church meeting with the rest of my family: a weekly event.

A good 100-150 people were joined together in raising their voices in singing praise to God and I was somewhat involved, usually when the tune caught my attention, but also somewhat distracted looking forward to getting out to play footie with my mates once the service had finished.

All of a sudden, I became aware of something that stopped me in my tracks, completely arrested my attention, and began to shake me to the very core, leaving me completely undone inside.

From what I remember, the church were singing a song about the cross and in one of my partly engaged glances around the room I became aware that my Father, in the row behind me, was on his knees with arms raised, stretched out to God with tears streaming down his face as he wept. He was obviously deeply moved.

As a young lad, this shook me! Here was my Daddy, my tower of strength, my hero; a man who to me had it all together; my giver of wisdom, my provider, my protector, suddenly here on his knees, humbling himself; visibly undone as he had something of a fresh encounter with the person of Jesus Christ at the foot of the cross.

Daddy becoming undone started to undo me. The undeniably real expression of worship that I was not only witnessing but being caught up in at that moment began to underline, highlight, ring around with a red pen, set in bold typeface, that all the things my parents were teaching me were more real and important than I had ever realised. I saw that this life of worship was more than just a matter of a salvation decision, rather something that, in the words of Issac Watts, “demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Although I know not the detail of what dealings God was having with my Dad that day, I know that I came in touch with authentic worship. That worship left an indelible mark on my life: it shook me, it undid me before God and has shaped me ever since.

Why do I share this personal memory with you?

I want to encourage you all that whether we are living out our faith and lives of worship at home, in the workplace, or as we gather together for corporate worship, that when we are authentic, there is always a release that comes to others. It begins to shake up those who have found themselves ‘going through the motions’ or who have not to this day encountered Christ.

If I may make a short appeal to our men and fathers, not that this does not apply to our precious women, but as writing I feel a strong burden for our men. As men, we have a responsibility and important part to play in setting the culture and environment of worship in our families and church family. Like me, I am sure that you long for your children, wives, girlfriends and wider family to encounter God in fresh and real ways.

We must each ask the question of ourselves: are we truly leading in authentic worship? When was the last time that we gave ourselves in full abandonment in worship to God?

Please understand me: I am not saying we should all be weeping or jumping around for joy all the time – after all we should not be measuring things on mere externals alone. I do, however, pose a serious question: are our lives lived out in authentic worship where we don’t switch on the limiting breaks of respectability and reservedness in our responses to God?

As we give ourselves fully in worship to God, not only will he undo us inside, but increasingly we will find that this bubbles up into external expression. We may find tears flowing and joy uncontainable welling up within us. This may well find its expression in dancing, the desire to shout aloud, the time to be completely still and quiet, the need to get on our knees or even our faces to lay prostrate before our awesome God.

I truly believe that as we give ourselves in the authentic worship of God in all aspects of our lives, that we will find not only our current church family shaken and shaped, but we will see a legacy of a white hot generation of authentic worshippers rise up from our midst. These worshippers will carry the gospel forward to see our nation and the nations won for Christ.

I believe this can flow from our personal heart response to God, starting right now!

Will you join me in being, by the grace of God, courageous to lay aside our cultural constraints and reservedness to live and model lives of authentic worship?

For a good week and a half I had been driving our car back and forth with the low petrol light on. I was fully aware that the more I drove I would be getting close to empty, and yet I kept driving on. I was feeling the pressure of being busy and needing to be at my next appointment – so I did not make or take the opportunity to get filled up.

On Monday evening the inevitable happened and 5 minutes away from home the engine sputtered a couple of times and then cut out, leaving me stranded and unable to continue on my journey.

What can only be described as foolishness left me stranded in the middle of the road, in a dangerous spot. In something of a panic I got out of the car and starting trying to push it to a safer position – yet it wasn’t possible to move it alone in my own strength.

I eventually had to humble myself and call out the AA to come and fill me up with some fuel so I could make it to the nearest petrol station, as I wasn’t even carrying any reserve fuel in the boot.

I know we have often heard this, but I have once again been reminded that in the same way that I ran on fuel I had put in the tank a few weeks ago, we can so often be running on yesterday’s in-filling of the Holy Spirit. We rely on that filling to carry us through today, and even tomorrow, when it was only really intended for yesterday. There is a fresh empowering and grace available for today and again for tomorrow and the day after.

Even as I had driven back and forth between work and home, so many times I had passed petrol stations and yet had convinced myself each time that I didn’t need to fill up, that I had to be somewhere, that I would do it next time, only to find myself thinking exactly the same thing the very next time…. and then suddenly I ran out and came to a stand still.

In the same way I have increasingly become aware that when I don’t regularly come and have a fresh daily in-filling of the Holy Spirit, that I will end up stopping in the things of the Spirit, and just as with the car, end up getting out and pushing on in my journey relying on my own strength – and it just doesn’t work!

“…be filled with the Spirit.” – Ephesians 5:18

I am sure we have heard many times that as Paul exhorts the Ephesians to “be filled” the meaning of the original Greek means to “keep on being filled constantly and continually”. He is not talking about a one-time experience, of being filled every now and again, of reserving that in-filling for an annual Christian conference or even when your favourite guest preacher visits your church – you know the one who always seems to be accompanied by strong Holy Spirit activity. Paul is talking about today, about now!

In light of my foolish continual decisions to not fill up with fuel, I have this week been strongly reminded once again of the complete dependency I have on God each day. The utmost importance of coming before my Father, by my Saviour, and asking for a fresh in-filling of the Holy Spirit’s power to live and walk out my faith each day. And I know that as I do this, I will find myself not trying to push ahead and journey on in my strength, but instead will be able to trust that I am being carried along in God’s plans and purposes, guided and empowered by the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

I pray that my foolishness might be a provocation to you to come and drink deeply of all the resources of God that are available to us in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit.

One of my sons, Gideon, is currently in the early days of walking. This morning he toddled in rather a wobbly fashion towards me and held out his hands as he so often does at the moment. Of late this holding out of hands has been him wanting to take my hand or a finger so that he might walk more confidently with my support.

As he drew near I held out my hand expecting him to take hold and continue walking and yet today in this moment he pushed beyond, he pressed on and wanted more than my hand, he wanted his Daddy, he was after my embrace.

At times I find it is in the small things that God provokes us about our own daily living and walk with Him. Today I was clearly reminded that even though I am aware of the hand of God upon my life, blessing me, leading and guiding me, that I should not settle there. I was provoked to not just settle for the hand but to press in and know the embrace of my heavenly Father. Not to just experience the blessing of His guiding hand, but to all the more know the goodness of the one who pours such abundant blessing upon us.

I pray that sharing this simple thought would challenge you today to press in, to come close to the Father, not being content to simply know his Hand but rather to draw close with the confidence and boldness of a child to catch the sound of His heart, the beautiful melodies of delight that He is singing over you right now in Heaven.

It will be life changing!

Thud, the mail dropped through the letter box, and so began a surprise happy day in the Thorneycroft house…let me explain.

A number of years back I made a couple of foolish decisions that ended up in me committing a serious driving offence. I was stopped by the police, summoned to appear in court and punished with the loss of my licence and a very hefty fine.

But hasn’t the punishment been paid?
After I had paid the fine and served the time of the driving ban, I received my driving licence back and was keen to get behind the wheel again. However, I was quick to find out that I now had a record, that this offence that I so readily wanted to put in the past, forget and put down to experience, was constantly before me. It was even listed on my licence. This very record of wrong would start to affect me going about my life as freely as I had previously.

Affected by a record of wrong
Due to my driving ban I sold my car, and upon moving to London had decided I had no need for regular use of a car. When it came to occasionally needing a car I would find that because of the endorsement on my licence I couldn’t hire a vehicle, as I was seen as a major risk. I wouldn’t even be considered by insurance companies as a named driver on a friend’s insurance, etc. This record followed me around and restricted what I could do in many ways.

So can you imagine what a surprise and happy day it was when today, due to a recent address change, my re-issued licence arrived in the post, and the record of my offence was no longer recorded on it!

So now I am free to go about life, hire, insure as if this offence had never happened! Sure, it doesn’t remove the event, lessons learnt, but now that past wrong can no longer have impact on the here and now or my future.

A far superior “Happy Day”
But this happy day pales into comparison to a far superior “Happy Day”.

The bible tells us of how we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 2:23). My sinful nature and willful rebellion was an offence to God as I traded his glory for complete and utter non-glories. This sin did not just deserve a fine & ban, but punishment of death!

So why such a happy day? You see God, by giving Jesus to die in my place, provided a way that not only the penalty for my offence be paid, but that the offence also be removed completely! His precious blood that flowed not only purchased my pardon, appeasing God’s wrath and restoring me to right relationship with Him, but also washed my sin and shame away!

In psalm 103 the psalmist declares “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Now my life is free from any shame or hinderance from my past!

I don’t know about you, but why do we so often walk around as if this wasn’t true? We claim the truth that we are now of right standing with God in Christ, yet live life being affected by our wrongs and failings of yesterday. There’s no need!

So let’s be quick to remind one another, when we have come to God asking for forgiveness of our sin, trusting and leaning on our Saviour alone, we can be confident that God will “remember our sins and lawless deeds no more”. In light of this, let’s live every moment here on earth in the fullness of the freedom that has been given to us in Christ.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

Let’s worship!

As a church we are pregnant with the promises of God. We are expectant to see God move both in and through us, affecting the lives of our friends, family and colleagues in a way that we will see our church family grow as people come to faith in Jesus.

Here are a few thoughts out of my recent experience that I trust will stir us to ask God, by His grace, to enable us to honour Him in the way we prepare for and react to growth at Chapel; to receive grace for growth.

Preparations
Arriving a month earlier than expected, Gideon caught us somewhat off guard. We had fortunately spent the days leading up to his birth moving furniture, washing baby clothes and packing Charlotte’s hospital bag. The essentials were in place, but ideally we would have sorted many other things in advance.

At Chapel we have already experienced much change and there is a sense that this change is preparatory for the unfolding of the promises that God has spoken over us. God is leading us, establishing the things He wants to be in place, in His time, in order to fulfil His purposes. We may expand in ways that we don’t expect, or to a different time scale than we had thought. Yet God’s grace is readily available to us, that we might flow with His plans and trust Him to provide for all our needs.

Although there were initial concerns with Gideon’s early arrival, there was such peace with us in the labour suite. This was God’s perfect timing! At Chapel we need grace to know that same security as we see God’s promises outworked in our life together. There is grace for growth.

Expectations
Isn’t it strange how we often carry unspoken expectations. When Gideon was first handed to me by the midwife I was somewhat surprised that he looked different from our eldest, Josiah. It is not that I expected another Josiah, but somewhere in the mix my expectations had been shaped by previous experience.

As our church family grows we need to receive grace to welcome and love people who are different from the current family that we have grown to know and love. New converts, like babies, are likely to bring a level of mess and noise that we have not been accustomed to. Maybe the new additions might even include the “more demanding child”.  Whatever we think, we can be sure that God will move both beyond and outside our expectations. There is grace for growth.

Adjustments
As a family the biggest challenge has been to help our son, Josiah, adjust to having a new member of the family around. Josiah had grown used to our undivided attention, but now little bro is muscling in on the action.

We have had to pray for grace to understand how Josiah is feeling and to meet his need to know love and security, whilst at the same time establishing and embracing the changes that a new addition has brought to our family.

In the coming season at Chapel there will be adjustments for us all in our life together. We will need to draw more readily upon God’s grace to stay in the flow of His purposes. We may need grace to see others reap quickly where we have sown faithfully over decades, grace to sit next to and share our lives with different people, grace to know how to love new arrivals,  grace to see others lead where we have once led….

On into a new season
So as Charlotte, Josiah, Gideon and myself start out on a new season of life together, daily receiving grace from God to love and model Christ to one another, so I would urge us as a church family to readily receive grace from God; grace for change and growth in the coming months and years as we see the Gospel unleashed and Christ radically changing the lives of individuals and families, and so impacting our precious city of London.