Ordinary
Christians in the Hands of the Extra-Ordinary God.
Part 1:
Ephesians
3:10-12 &; 20 &; 21 ESVUK
10 so that through
the Church the manifold wisdom of God
might now be made known to the rulers and
authorities in the heavenly
places 11. This was according to the
eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord 12, in whom we
have boldness and access with confidence
through our faith in
him…………………20 Now to him who is able
to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power
at work within us 21, to him be glory in
the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever.
Amen.
I love the Church, I think
it’s amazing, I love Jesus more and more each day and love looking at, reading and
studying His written Word the Bible. and I love being a part of His amazing
Church, When you think about it That the Church belongs to Jesus and His
written Word the Bible explains to us how to live our lives as Christians who
are the people who make up the Church, it can revolutionise your love for the
Church and our Saviour.
I was raised in a Christian
Home and both my dad and my late mum, with my late grandparents give me a love
for Scripture, the Church and our Lord and Saviour Jesus, I was * saved or *
born again or * accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour (*depends on your
theological viewpoint!) when I was 11 in a Children’s Meeting, Easter Monday
1981.
I was raised in a little
church in Resolven, which is near Neath, South Wales called The Apostolic church, which is
part of a larger grouping also called the Apostolic church which are part of
the Pentecostal Movement here in the UK the others are The Assemblies of God
and Elim, both of which are a real blessing to know. I spent the first 13 years of the Christian
Life with The Apostolic’s. I thank the Lord for the privilege of being raised
in that denomination and the grounding and foundation I had there, and the
friends I have there today.
Those who know me know I love
reading and one of the things I love reading about is the Church. I devour
books at the best of times, but I’m always drawn to books about the Church.
I’ve been inspired by many godly writers such as Alan Roxburgh, Neil Cole,
Floyd McClung, Bill Johnson and Kris Vallotton amongst others and have been
challenged by what God has said through them.
I’ve also been inspired by some great Church Leaders like Keri Jones,
Arnallt Morgan, Mark Davies, Roger Aubrey, Mick Walford, Mike & John
Sutton-Smith, Geoff Grice and Steve Smith who have through the last 18
years have inspired and challenged me to go on with the things of God, and go
deeper with God. I would like this
opportunity to say thank you and to Arnallt diolch yn fawr.
When you think about it,
there are various models of Church and different perspectives on what the
Church is, and what it should or could be. My Spiritual grounding and heritage
has been and still is the Pentecostal/Charismatic/ Restoration stream/s which are part of the
broader Evangelical Spectrum although I admire and respect those who’s
Christian path has been or is different from mine.
My background is of someone
growing up in the Welsh Valleys Physical Building Spiritual Building Spiritual Building
There are
countless ways or models of doing and being the Church such as Missional
church, Simple church etc ,etc there are large churches, small churches, medium
churches, full churches, half full churches, empty churches, traditional
churches, free churches, Baptist churches, Anglican churches, Pentecostal churches the list can
go on and on If you look in your
Telephone Directory or search online, how many churches are listed in your
City, Town or Village ?, * Note I use
the word Church to describe the Church in general and the word church to describe
churches, that is in the local church or the church grouping You or I are part
of, and isn’t meant to diminish any one
church or group of churches *
I don’t believe that there should only
be model or type of church, I believe that each model or type of church is
equally valid and has an important and relevant part to play in our role to
Evangelise those who yet don’t know the Lord, The Lord has called us to work
alongside in a sense of co-operation not to compete against each other in
attracting unbelievers those who yet don’t know the Lord or have a relationship
with Him.
I believe that different models or ways
of doing and being the church can reach different types of people. For one
person may feel comfortable in for example a more traditional type of church
and for another person may feel more comfortable in a more lively church, then
some one else may like a more simple way of doing church for example in a
smaller setting, then someone may feel more comfortable being amongst a crowd.
Our
Lord, Saviour & Redeemer Jesus Christ says in Matthew 16:18b ESVUK.
“I will build my church, and the gates of hell[b] shall not prevail against it.”
The Apostle Paul, says in Ephesians 4:1-7 ESVUK
I therefore, a prisoner
for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility
and gentleness, with patience, bearing
with one another in love, 3 eager to
maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond
of peace.4 There is one body
and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that
belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one
baptism, 6 one God
and Father of all, who is
over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was
given to each one of us according
to the measure of Christ's gift
Our Lord, Saviour and
Redeemer give his life for One Church and He’s coming back for One Church, regardless of what part of the Church You or
I belong to we are One Church.
In
part 2 onwards I will look in more depth into the Book of Ephesians mostly and
other books of the Bible to see what it means to be the Church and how we go
about being The Church, I’m hoping to expand in more depth at a later point Ordinary Christians in the Hands of the
Extra –Ordinary God.
Yours in His Grace
Blair Humphreys
