Opawa Baptist Church :: a resting place

Another Opawa blogger

Another Opawa blogger; here.

Opawa staff mystery tour

Ie staff training

The church office will be closed on Tuesday, August 30, from 10-11:30 am, for staff training. Please feel free to ask any staff person on Sunday, What was the most interesting thing you noticed at staff training?

We went to Christchurch Elim (This is not an endorsement of their theology or ministry style. Don’t go home and say "Steve wants Opawa to become more Pentecostal." Rather, the contrasts ensure differences and help us reflect on what best practice means for us at Opawa.)

10 am : Share cars, leave Opawa.
10:15-50 am : Guided tour. Ask yourself "What was different?" and "Why was it different?"
10:50-11:20 : Coffee at nearest café. (Paid for by the Board Budget, as expression of their commitment to staff training.) Discuss what we observed.

for sunday newsletter 28 august

Lynne and I have spent part of this weekend in Hanmer Springs, cooking for the youth leaders (Warwick Tomlinson, Steve Jaegar, Logan Matthews, Kate Diggs, Summer Stewart, Adelle Dixon, Aliesha Brown and Amy Hay). It was our way of practically serving and honouring them as they took a weekend to retreat, pray, play and plan together.

These youth leaders work hard and well. Together they provide Saturday night socials, Wednesday night cell groups and a monthly youth worship experience called Xplosion. They function as a team, with Amy and Logan taking greater responsibility.

They have a strong commitment to training and together they have been to a 5 week Leading Small Groups at Bible College of New Zealand and a 7 week Youth Leadership course with Baptist Youth Train. I have seen them handle some difficult pastoral issues this year. I am impressed with the active mentoring of younger leaders that I see occurring among OBY. They have some dreams for a more pro-active outreach ministry. Please take a moment to pray for them, for their dreams and for their future.

The church as God’s temple; we are builders

Discussion questions for sermon on 21 August 2005

1. Read 1 Corinthians 3:9b - 17. If possible, use several different versions of the Bible.
2. Ezra and Nehemiah are parallel books in the Old Testament. They describe re-building two parts of Jerusalem after years of neglect. Skim read these passages and discuss the two different areas of rebuilding that are described:
a. Ezra 3:1 - 6
b. Ezra 3:7 - 13
c. Nehemiah 2:17 - 3:32
3. It may be said that Nehemiah was one of the first “DIY” builders. What did he need to be able to successfully rebuild?
4. “Leaders are builders.” Think of leaders you know who are ‘builders’. In what ways do you think they are building?
5. Discuss the relation between “builders” and “architects” in the church. In what ways are both necessary?
6. Look at Steve’s question: “How was your DIY week?” (or fortnight)? What values are you emphasising as you build into your life, or the lives of others in your group or community?
7. Describe a situation in which your leadership (or that of someone you have observed) has been tested.
8. Steve said, “Church is not about the I, the me; it’s about the we.” Do you agree with this? Discuss the implications for you as a group, or our church as a whole. How does our church vision statement state this?
9. Review the sermon points. Is there anything you want to question or discuss?
a. Build on Christ foundation.
b. Honour other builders.
c. All building work tested.
d. We, not me.
e. Eye on the goal.

This is a nice visual mixing from Sunday's worship.

Photo taken by Jason King.

discipleship and growth

I just had an email asking me what Opawa was doing in the way of missional discipleship. Over the last year I have developed a programme called Growth coaching; which offers one on one; whole of life coaching. A person meets with a coach, together they set a programme, and the coach holds them accountable.

This was what started the idea , and the realisation that most discipling programmes are content based, not people based. They impart information and have set starting and ending points. How to be more flexible?

It was also important to see growth as whole of life and at all life stage, not just for "new" Christians. So this is some research I did as part of a sermon series.

This is our finished publicity product, which is given out to interested people. And this is an article from a New Zealand Christian newspaper about the concept.

We trained 10 growth coaches toward the end of last year. They met last week for support and prayer and feedback. They are quietly working away, behind the scenes, connecting with people, quietly changing lives.

newcomers

Neat story on Amy's blog of a newcomer (6.99 years old), gently circling around Opawa over the last few weeks.

It's this that really energises me about church, knowing that week by week, amid the crowd, amid all the activity, people are quietly testing us, checking out if our talk about being God and love and mission actually translate into what they experience.

baptism resources

Shannon, who was with us for some months recently as an art intern, was asked to design a postcard - fresh and appealing - that we could give to people being baptised, to pass onto their friends. Just something physical that if you're being baptised, you can give to friends and say "hey, this is special to me, please come along." All part of us trying to make connections easier between life and faith.

Here's the result. View image What do you think?

women in leadership: sunday evenings sermon

For the last few months, at Digestion, our evening service, I've stumbled on a bit of a winner in terms of participation. Early in August, I did a sermon called my favourite Biblical hero is …

To my surprise, a number of people told me they had a different hero and could they share. So far 5 different people have shared and 2 more are waiting in the wings. There’s been something about the mixing of two stories; the preacher and the hero, that has been rich and interesting.

But it had become a bit male focused, men talking about male biblical heros. So to break things up a bit, on Sunday I talked a second time, about my favourite female Biblical hero. She also happens to be an apostle, and thus for me continued some of my thinking about gender and leadership. I drew heavily on Richard Bauckham’s book Gospel Woman.

After the sermon all the women in the congregation were invited to stand, and two of our current women in leadership prayed for them. If you’re interested, here’s the sermon: my favourite female Bibical hero.

My biblical hero who is a woman first appears is Luke 8:1-3. After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others.

When I was growing up I had this picture of Jesus traveling around with 12 male disciples. You know, 13 men. Doing what 13 men do together – making a mess, farting, eating too much red meat.

That was until I met Joanna and her friends. And this sudden realization that around Jesus were a large group of people, men and women.

Jesus traveling, he’s on the road, he’s with men and women. And to be a disciple is to be with him.

I like that. It makes Christianity so simple. To be with Jesus; to hang, watch, listen, appreciate, learn.

You can be arrested by the Police for "loitering with intent." Joanna, along with the other disciples is "loitering with intent" – intent to a disciple, intent to be with Jesus - hanging, watch, listen, appreciate, to learn to preach, to heal, to love and to challenge.

This is the first reason Joanna is my favourite female Biblical hero; she's with Jesus – loitering with intent.

The 2nd reason she’s my hero is that she’s using her gifts. Her primary role is to loiter with intent – to be with Jesus. But this strange thing happens, when you are with Jesus, you get to use your gifts. Look at Luke 8:3. Mary (called Magdalene); Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Now this is not men around the barbeque, farting, making a mess, while the women are inside doing the dishes. This is not women barefoot and in the kitchen.

The word "support" – "women were helping to support" - appears in Acts 11:29. There was a famine and the disciples, as each one was able, decided to support the believers in Judea. The same word appears in Acts 6:1, apostles were supporting the poor, which included distributing food.

So Joanna is not washing dishes. She’s got the gift of organizing; of being fair and just and making sure the resources for the mission.

Joanna is a reminder that following Jesus isn’t just spiritual. It’s not just about coming to church and enjoying some music. Joanna joins a long list of people who realise that following Jesus must include our time, talents, our financial resources.

Joseph of Arimathea, who has land and uses it to bury Jesus body; Zacchues, who upon meeting Jesus gives 50% of his bank balance and repays 400% anyone he’s ripped off; For Joanna, to be with Jesus, to loiter with intent, will mean using her gifts and her financial resources.

The 3rd reason Joanna is my favourite Biblical hero requires a bit of a jump.

Romans 16:7 Greet Junia, my relative who has been in prison with me … outstanding among the apostles, and in Christ before I was. When I first read this verse, it blew my mind. The original Greek language is feminine. Junia is a woman. "Greet a woman, Junia, who was outstanding among the apostles." A woman apostle, who preached and who led and who started churches.

When I was grewing up, people use to point to 1 or 2 Bible verses and tell me women couldn’t speak in church. That’s why Junia blows my mind. Junia tells me that using the Bible isn’t that simple. Junia is a NT woman apostle. Who speaks. Who teaches.

There are too many blokes speaking in this church. Where are our Junia’s?

Consider this: Joanna is a Jewish name. And Joanna is very hard to pronounce in Greek, the language spoken of Rome and in Romans. But Joanna has a nickname in Greek. And that nickname is Junia. Junia in the Greek, means Joanna.

Romans 16:7 - Greet Joanna …. outstanding among the apostles, in Christ before I [Paul] was. So this woman apostle could also be named Joanna. And this Junia/Joanna was following Christ before Paul was.

Consider this: Back in Luke 8, Joanna is a manager in the house of a King. King Herod. Joanna’s got connections. Joanna’s used to high Roman society. So if you’re sending a person to start in church on Rome, wouldn’t it make a lots of sense to send someone who’s got connections?

A woman, called Junia and Joanna, who was a very early Jesus follower (before Paul), and who’s got the connections in Rome to help start a church.

Hmm. I wonder what happened to Joanna (nickname Junia) in Greek after Luke 8? I wonder what happened to a woman who’d been on the road with Jesus; hanging, watching, listening, learning, how to preach and minister to people. I wonder what happened to Joanna after she met Jesus after the resurrection, after she received the great commission? I wonder what she did with Matthew 28:19?

Joanna, nickname Junia is my favourite female biblical hero.
1 - She’s a disciple, loitering with intent.
2- She’s a disciple who uses her gifts and her resources.
3- She could well have become an apostle, a female apostle, an outstanding female apostle.

another opawa pastor is blogging

Another Opawa blogger, Jason, the Community Development Pastor, let slip today the fact that he has started blogging.

A leader is a servant and a servant is a leader

Sermon: 7 August 2005. Full text (of what is an oral presentation) is here. Download file

Sermon discussion questions:

1. Read Acts 18:23 - 28. What were some of Apollos’s leadership qualities?
Give a brief description of Apollos as a person.

2. Read Acts 26:4 - 29 and Philippians 3:2 - 11. As a group, give a brief
word-picture describing Paul. What qualities of leadership did he
demonstrate?

3. "Leaders are servants." Do you know leaders (not just in the church,
but also city and community) who are (or have been) servants? How did you
make this evaluation?

4. "Servants are leaders." Discuss if you think this should be contrasted
with #4 or if the two should be taken together. Discuss if this is "pie in
the sky" or realistically possible.

5. Peter Cammock said: "Leaders are…people who listen and serve." What
does this add to your view of a leader?

6. If you have seen the film "Mother Teresa", what impressed you about her life? Discuss her statement: "…all I have done with my life is serve."

7. Discuss serving in your home, with neighbours, your work place, with
social contacts - and in politics. Pray together for the Spirit to lead
you to people you can serve/lead or lead/serve that will help them move
toward God’s Kingdom.

prayers of encouragement

This has worked well the last two Sunday evenings, and we've used it to bless Shannon as she left for the US, Aliesha as she was baptised, Amy and Logan as youth ministry leaders. Invite people to stand with their backs to the audience. Give out post-it stickers and invite the rest of the congregation to write "thanks God for" prayers on the post-it's, and place them on people's backs.

Its a fun and interactive way to pray. It uses gifts of encouragement. For it's impact, on Amy, read her blog here.

espresso worship

Espresso worship (with explanation here).

more Opawa blogging

Another Opawa blogger has started: Warwick Tomlinson. And Garry Fox is done a first dummy run of what he's dreaming of for the Opawa Baptist Youth website.

From the Tuesday Board meeting

1. Numbers: July, being winter and with school holidays, can often affect church attendances. Yet in the last 3 weeks at Opawa we have averaged 170 people at our Sunday morning services. This compares with 120 in July last year. At the same time, this has increased the pressure on the pastoral team, and the Board had a prayerful discussion of ways forward.

2. Cafe coffee. We are seriously considering the purchase of an espresso machine, to supplement the tea and coffee already provided. Feedback from the trial we had in May was positive. This week we phoned churches with coffee machines asking them what are the upsides and downsides. Again the feedback was positive. To have a coffee machine, we would need 10-15 people willing to learn to make coffee and commit to being on a regular roster for church services and an irregular roster for socials and fundraisers. If you would like free training, and to be on the roster, please give your name to Deirdre at the office.

3. Pews: The observant among you will notice the removal of some pews at the back of the church. Board members did this on Saturday in order to
a) make it easier to move around the auditorium without having to go through the doors.
b) over years, as the church declined, pews were taken out of the front. This affected the sound and heating balance in the auditorium. We hope that a rearranging of pews, and thus bodies, could improve heating and sound.
c) Worship has been described as all of us responding to all that God is. Thus worship at Opawa includes ways for people to physically respond. For some, going to the front is not easy. Removing some back pews allows space for response at both back and front.
d) As we grow, it has started to become more crowded for responses at the front of the church. So allowing for responses at both front and back might encourage a less congested and more worshipful response.
As a Board, it is our hope and prayer that this change only serves to enhance our worshipping life together.

4. Finances: At the start of this financial year, the church AGM voted for a 10% increase in offerings. 6 months into the year, we are doing really well financially. So we are thanking you and praising God. Offerings - Year to date 81,556.88. (Budget was 79,801).