Man alive, I have been so so so blessed this weekend. John and Abi Elshaw were amazing, bringing nugget after nugget of Biblical thinking to get right inside your mind and change the way you look at the Lord, at grace, at money, at stuff, at life, at giving. They were the perfect couple to speak at this conference and they are coming back in February to do a marriage conference – seen as both of them were talking about their marriage anyway we thought that would be good.
And let’s not forget Dave Bilbrough. Sunday morning worship was phenomenal. What is amazing is not so much his technical ability, although the man can play!, but his obsession with the grace of God. And how much he likes us. The good news is he is coming back for our December Holy Spirit service (first Sunday of the month, 6.30pm, all welcome)
Until you bump into other Christians you forget how much legalism and manipulation are rife in the charismatic church. You honestly forget that what is normal for us is life changing for other people. The testimonies I have heard this week so far just through the weekend are awesome.
One lady went to work and was suddenly given full time hours. She has been believing for this for a while now. A gentleman was given a tax rebate that was more than enough to pay off his credit card. One man told me he wanted to scream on Saturday evening as I preached (a common reaction I know! ;0)) because God changed his thinking so radically in just one hour.
I personally am so blessed. Indeed the church finances this month were up 33% on last month, and it is not because people are giving more but because more people are giving, which is the way it should be. As we grow, the finances grow and the more money we can invest in the kingdom.
John Elshaw has given me all the mp3s of the messages so I will upload them onto the church website this afternoon. Hoping to catch a couple of people on visits this morning, then do website stuff all afternoon.
Grace and freedom,
Benjamin
