I was sitting at the church AGM the other night, munching on my Subway (roast beef with ranch sauce, not bad, I’m usually a pizza-sub), when I felt a growing sense of excitement about our 30,000-vision: that God would save 30,000 people for Jesus in Newcastle, for a start. It’s being spoken of a lot, and I reckon people are starting to jump on board with it, like it’s something we can practically work towards.

Greg spoke about the nature of a gospel. Implicit in the word is a sense of outward propulsion. Such good news can’t help but spread. A gospel message can’t possibly be insular. Greg reckons we are grasping this for the first time as a church and it is changing our direction.

Later, Dave Moore discussed some numbers projecting our church growth, under Christ, in thinking about our need for a church building. At the going rate, it looks like we could be up over a thousand pretty soon.

I started to think: “Wouldn’t it be great to be with Hunter Bible Church in a few years time when this goal is really taking shape, when we have seen thousands in Newcastle come to know Jesus because of God’s work through us.”

Such an exciting thought. Something to be on-board with huh?!

But why not now?

Why is it not as exciting to be part of this mission today as it will be in three years time? I stopped, I was making a mistake.

The step up now towards 1,000 people is just as important as the step from 1,000 to 2,000 or from 29,000 to 30,000. It’s at this current step that we prepare and build the resources that will enable us to take the next steps, and so on. They’re steps in sequence, not random jumps!

I forget that every moment is a part of God’s plan. The endpoint of all our goals should always be our hope in Christ’s return when every one of his people is rescued, since we know that the time we have is meant for more to be saved.

This is why it is so important that our goal includes the words for a start. I notice that our senior staff have been making sure they emphasize this.

Every day is part of God’s plan and is crucial in reaching the Day of the Lord. The people accepting Jesus gift now will be the ones preaching about it in the future.

The difference between then and now is a number saved; this can only possibly change how we work. It’s true that we can be excited about how we can work differently to reach even more people when we are larger, but it makes no difference to the attitude or goal of our work. We should be fully honoring God at both points – either way we should be found acting faithfully with what we have, and getting stuck in to our little bit.

It’s so hard not to be proud, wanting a grand number so we can feel big and important.

If it’s a grand number we want to reach for our own sake we will never be pleased, because the number can always be greater – there will always be an apparently more exciting time ahead – it’s the great trap of the material world! But, if it’s a grand number we want to reach for Christ’s sake, we will always be pleased, for the joy we have doing His work and seeing His grace save many! As long as we are faithful, we will never stop, and God will keep saving!

We often sing: Now is the moment, the day of salvation, this is the hour to be serving our King! If you’re waiting for the time to jump on board with our goal of changing Newcastle, now is the moment.

This Easter join HBC as we celebrate the victory Jesus won over sin and death through his death and resurrection on the cross almost 2000 years ago.

Join us for breakfast - 9am Broadmeadow McDonlads

Then our Big Friday combined church service - 10am Lambton High School

Followed by time spent together at the beach, each others houses, wherever!

Unichurch is running a 20:20 cricket match between the infamous ‘Jeso House’ and the rest of Unichurch. It’s starting at about 1pm at Smith Park in Hamilton (opposite the entertainment centre). There will be a BBQ with sausage sandwiches and drinks to purchase. We’d love you to join us for some relaxing spectator sport. There’s also plenty of room and play equipment for the kids.

See you tomorrow!

photo credit: RaeA

Hey Unichurchers,

Check this out…

YouTube page:  100m relay world record

Passing the Baton is a training course to get you started reading the Bible with another person. If you’ve ever benefited form 1 to 1 Bible reading, why not get trained to start meeting with someone else? Passing the Baton is good for first-timers and a great refresher for old-timers. I hope to see you there!

Here’s the skinny

Sunday 11th and 18th April

1-3pm

17 Turana Parade North Lambton

Register with Josh: 0431747370

p_reddy_03@hotmail.com

This is the routine we’re settling in to. I arrive at Richard’s place, he offers me a hot drink (I generally decline – cold water is more my thing) and we chat about life and ministry for a bit. Sam Budden then arrives and joins us, the three of us open up to Amos and we get stuck in.

I thought it would be weird reading the Bible with two other guys, but it’s not. It’s hardly any different. We’re relaxed, we enjoy each other’s company, and there are always a few good laughs.

We generally start off trying to remember what we read about last week, what we’ve learnt so far and what we know about the context of Amos. Then we read the next chunk of scripture and try and figure out what it’s saying together.

Here are some gold questions that help us get into the passage:

• What is the structure of this passage?
• What questions do you have about this passage?
• What is this verse saying? What else is it saying? What else is it saying? (no seriously, just keep asking)
• How does this verse relate to the verses either side?
• What do we learn about God/people?
• How do we see these ideas in the New Testament?
• How does this affect us?

Here’s some things I learnt last week.

Amos is preaching to Israel while they are experiencing peace and prosperity. But they have turned away from the true worship of God, their religion is false and hollow, their judgment is imminent and this is their last chance to repent (5:1-27).

The nation even looks forward to the Day of the Lord, not realizing that this is a day of darkness and destruction (5:15). They think they’re fine, but this judgment is inescapable “It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear”… their exile is just around the corner.

What a warning to us when everything is going well. I need to make sure I’m right with God if I’m going to sing “Bring on the Day” or “We belong to the day”. I can’t fake it with God and I can’t be complacent about judgment! Thanks Jesus for rescuing me from the coming wrath!

photo credit: ground.zero