New Life Church Rugby - Home

a video walk through

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:35:00 +0000

Here's a video walk through of the ground floor of Temple Buildings. It was taking on 6th December 2008. Its also posted on www.templebuildings.com along with many other photos.

new building photos

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:10:00 +0000

Just a quick one to let you know that new photos have been posted on TempleBuildings.com. Work started last week and things are already starting to look a lot different. Check out the new pics and leave a comment or two. ~ Daniel

temple buildings

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:50:00 +0000

By now nearly everyone will be aware that New Life Church has officially purchased Temple Buildings on Railway Terrace in the Rugby town centre. We're excited to say that building work has begun and we project a completion date sometime in the summer of 2009.

To keep everyone up to date on how this work is progressing, we have established a dedicated blog website which will have regular updates complete with photos and video clips. Go check it out at www.templebuildings.com.

We look forward to all that God has in store for us in the coming year and ask Him to bless the work as it goes ahead. Daniel

tongues & interpretation download

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 12:26:00 +0000

So I decided to short-circuit the blog postings on tongues and go straight for the whole writeup download. In my recent study of tongues and interpretation in 1 Corinthians 12-14, I have come across a lot of very helpful material, but far too much to be presented in a single preach. So I have committed it to writing and hope that it is helpful to more people out there. I hope at some point to expand this (currently 5-page) study to cover tongues in the whole of scripture.

The current study is organized under the headings What is Tongues and Interpretation?, Who Are These Gifts For?, Tongues in Personal Prayer, Tongues and Interpretation in Public Worship, and The Benefits of Tongues/Interpretation. These are roughly the headings used in the sermon I presented a few weeks ago, but for the most part contain more detailed explanations.

Click here to download the PDF file. ~ Daniel J. Story S.D.G.

tongues in personal prayer

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:35:00 +0000

This is the first installment of some more detailed notes from my studies on the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues. The entire writeup will be available as a PDF download later in the week. For now, let's start out by looking again at the gift of tongues in personal prayer.

Paul makes several (exclusively) positive statements regarding the use of tongues in private prayer (as opposed to public worship) in 1 Corinthians 14:

1) It is between you and God (14:2, 28) – This may seem obvious, but it is important here to note that Paul sees this aspect as a positive use of tongues. He has emphasized the importance of the communal aspect of the gifts and particularly the concern that when in the context of a corporate gathering they be used to build up the whole body, but this does not mean that tongues as “self-edification” is not good in a personal context. On the contrary, the idea is that of a personal and intimate connection with God as the Holy Spirit enables your spirit to pray with and through Him.

2) Your spirit will pray, though your mind may not understand (14:14) – Paul also indicates that when tongues is used in personal prayer, your spirit prays though your mind does not understand. While this would be negative in public worship, it seems perfectly acceptable in private prayer and praise. It should also be noted, however, that Paul’s reference to praying with his spirit and his mind may also indicate that he desired private tongues also to lead to some level of understanding for the tongues speaker (14:15).

3) It will build you up (14:4) – Though he does not specify how, Paul is clear that personal tongues (seemingly even apart from any mental understanding) will build up the tongues speaker. While one can speculate as to what this may mean, it seems ultimately best simply to take God at His word.

4) Be thankful to God for it (14:18) – In line with the promise that we will be built up by private praying in tongues, Paul expresses his own thankfulness for his own moving in the gift and thus sets an example for us to also be thankful for this precious gift from God.

5) It’s a good thing to do often (14:18) – Paul also indicates that he prays personally in tongues very often and again sets the example for us to desire to do the same.

list of the fruit and the gifts

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:31:00 +0000

For those who would like it, the list of the fruit and gifts of the Spirit along with the New Testament passages where they can be found can be download here. Check the downloads/resource page for more resources upcoming.

love and the spiritual gifts

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:35:00 +0000

This past Sunday (7 Sept) we introduced the new preaching series entitled PNEUMA which will be looking at the fruit and the gifts of God the Holy Spirit. Over the next 8 weeks or so we will be highlighting either a gift or an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit each week in alternation. This week I look at love and the spiritual gifts based on 1 Corinthians 13. This served both as a look at the love, the king of the fruit, as well as an introduction to the whole series as the fruit of love was seen in comparison to the spiritual gifts.

The proper context, so we saw, for the spiritual gifts, and indeed the whole Christian life, is style love. This is an unconditional, other-focused, self-sacrificing love. It can be defined with words, but really finds its true meaning in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is not that agape exists on its on and God dipped into to it in a major way when He went to the cross. It is that agape owes its very existence to the nature of God. The cross is agape. It does not simply show it. All other loves and all other examples of great sacrifice in all of human history are merely echoes or parodies of the real thing.

It is this sort of love that G.K. Chesterton referred to when he wrote about proper love of a particular city (in his book Orthodoxy, which I highly recommend). To paraphrase his thought with reference to Rugby, if I despise Rugby I will either slit my throat or move somewhere else. If I love Rugby just the way it is, then it will always remain as it is. If, however, I love Rugby for no earthly reason at all and simply because God loves it and God has put me in it, then perhaps one day Rugby will become the place that God intends it to be.

So it is with all instances of agape. Through the power and example of Jesus, we love for no earthly reason at all, but merely because God first loved us and he has put us where we are.

This is the kind of love which we must have as our foundation. The example I used on Sunday was that if I went to the store to buy ingredients to make a home pizza, bought all of the best toppings, cheeses and sauce, but forgot to buy the pizza base. All the toppings, etc. are great, but they are pointless without the base. The base is what makes the pizza work. In the same way, we may move powerfully in all the spiritual gifts, but if we do not have character that exemplifies agape, everything else is useless.

So, may God bless the coming series. Please check out the sermon audio by clicking 'latest audio' above or by clicking here.

philemon and the myth of individualism

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:13:00 +0000

We had a wonderful time in our Sunday gathering yesterday. Because of the way the Holy Spirit was guiding us, I had to deliver a slightly shorter version of the teaching I had prepared on Philemon. That, of course, was perfectly fine with me. Nevertheless, one of the nice things about this blog is that I can add in things I didn't have time for in my speaking.

One of the things I emphasized yesterday was the fact that God cares about even the most obscure of situations. The kingdom does not expand merely with broad strokes, but with individuals won for the gospel. The story of Onesimus is an example of such a thing and I suggested that perhaps one way of explaining why it was included in the New Testament is to teach us just this lesson.

If you stop there (which I had to yesterday), you might go away thinking that it is all just about individuals and that's it. But scripture has much more to say. Our culture praises the individual as the main arena for all of life: happiness is about what I want, truth can only be what's true for me, and even in the church we can think that living a Christian life is about me and Jesus and the church is optional.

All of this, however, is the spirit of the age. It is not however true to the Kingdom of God. In God's design, individuals are extremely valuable, but we are not saved merely so that we can individually be happy and some day go to heaven. Instead, we are saved to belong to the body of Christ, the Church. It is the Church that Jesus died for. It is the Church that has been told to go and make disciples. And it is for the sake of the new heavens and the new earth that we are being transformed into the likeness of Christ. And all of this is not to the glory of me, but of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

We see this in Philemon as well. Onesimus was saved, but in the context of his relationship with Paul, Philemon, and no doubt many others. Paul, a prisoner for Christ, was surround by fellow prisoners for Christ and other fellow workers. Philemon was leader of a house church and the letter itself (concerning the somewhat personal matter of Philemon and Onesimus) was addressed not merely to Philemon and his family, but to the whole church in his house, apparently suggesting that Paul expected Philemon to be held accountable by the community of believers.

All of this is simply to press the point that, while I do believe that the Kingdom advances as individuals are saved and transformed, this transformation has its fulfillment both in the Church community and as the Church affects the broader culture to the glory of God.

Eucharist in Action

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:15:00 +0000

Many of you will be aware of my recent studies on the Eucharist practice of the early church. I first did some masters work on it, then some blogging about it, and then some preaching/teaching on it both here in the UK and in the states when I was there. This Sunday was my first back at New Life Church and I had the privilege of leading in a celebration of the Eucharist and I must say that I was amazingly blessed by the experience.

I have been scheming about practical ways of implementing some of things I have been learning in my studies. In particular I have been looking for ways of encouraging the communal aspect of the Eucharist where celebrating it as a full meal is not really an option. So today I had the thought of taking one of the octagonal tables we have in our meeting room and moving it to the front/center with the bread and wine placed on all sides. The idea was to have the congregation come forward (orderly, but not too orderly) to receive the elements and, as there was room, come around the table. This way as they took the bread and wine they were also given the chance to look others in the eye, reminding them that they are joined not just to Christ, but to each other. (It should be noted that we were a small enough group that one table was sufficient. The same idea could be implemented for a larger group by having more than one table in different parts of the room.)

Furthermore, I encouraged the group to see this not just as a time to focus on Christ, but also as a time of fellowship with one another in the presence of Christ. Along that line I suggested that it could be a time to greet one another and chat, or to pray with one another, especially offering prayer for those who may have particular needs.

I could see it all in my head beforehand, but I was a little unsure as to whether or not I would be able to sufficiently communicate the idea to the people. But let me tell you, it all happen just as I had envisioned (I'm sure that God had something to do with the thinking beforehand and the implementing!). People were coming forward in stages, smallish groups were forming around the room as people prayed together, others seemed to be saying hello and catching up. Some people were not actually able to get up to approach the table (my wife included since she was taking care of our two small children) so various ones took it upon themselves to go and bring back bread and wine for them. I was leading the music band so was able to join them around the table when we put down our instruments and then prayed for them. There was a very cool buzz around the room as if to suggest we were taking part in something very holy and still had the audacity to enjoy it.

Overall it was an overwhelming experience. It was beautifully focused on Christ not just in the taking of the bread and wine, but in the way it was taken, with respect, consideration and love for each other. I don't mean to idealize it too much really, but there was something very special about it for me. I'm writing this partly just to share my joy, but also for any who would want to know of a practical way of celebrating the Eucharist that seems to embrace the richness of the biblical witness. No doubt there are many other ways that also do this, but this is the closest I have experienced it yet.

I welcome any and all comments, especially from those who were there participating in it. - Daniel

don't waste your life

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:13:00 +0000

As many know, I have been away for the past two weeks for the masters I am doing. It is a part time course in applied theology (MTh), but I have to do a total of four weeks of classes on site at Regents Theological College. These past two weeks were the last of the four which means I now I have the next year to complete two 6,000 word essays and one 20,000 word dissertation. I know it sounds like a lot of work (and it is), but I really enjoy the study and learning.

These last two weeks I looked at the Spirit in Paul's letters and then at Communicating the Gospel in Contemporary Society. They were both very good and have really challenged me to digger deeper. As we were concluding the final session this week, we prayed together and God gave me a vision. The vision was of me standing with my hands stretched open and God slapped a wad of cash into my hand. As I reflected and prayed about it, it seemed clear that God was telling me that He had invested something new in me these few weeks and that I must seek to be faithful to re-invest it for His kingdom.

It was a fairly simple image, but it was, for me, a powerful reminder that our King does indeed invest in us and expects us to live out of that investment in ways that glorify Him and extend His kingdom. In other words, don't waste your life. Whatever God has given you or me, whether we see it as much or little, we are emphatically called not to waste it or neglect it, but to engage it in the life of the kingdom.

So let me conclude this reflective sort of entry by challenging myself and my readers to (re)consider what it is that God has and is investing in us (individually and as a church). Are we wasting or our we investing? Are we neglecting or are we engaging? For instance, has God given you the ability to encourage people? If so, use that gift. Has God given you more money and resources than you need? If so, use the excess in a way that expresses His heart for the poor and oppressed. The list could go on, but I think we get the picture.

Thanks, Jesus, for taking the time to invest in us. Now please grant that we would make the most of it ~ Daniel.

kingdom community

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:29:00 +0000

I spoke yesterday on the title 'Kingdom Community.' The truth that I believe we must all walk in is that to embrace a Kingdom life is to embrace community with both God and with fellow believers. It is an impossibility to live a fully committed life of Jesus-following in isolation from a local expression of church and the Christian community it provides. I argued that we are called, empowered, discipled, and sent all in the context of Kingdom relationships.

You can listen to the audio of the message sometime in the next few days by clicking on 'latest audio' or checking the audio page. In my message I also mentioned that some of my inspiration came from a brilliant message by Malcolm Magee on the Church which he preached in Rugby almost a year ago. You can listen to that message now by clicking here. ~ Daniel

eucharist part 2: remembrance of a richer sort

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 08:25:00 +0000

My experience tells me that this is the dominating notion amongst evangelicals concerning what the Eucharist is really all about: remembering Christ’s death. This focus can likely be traced back to the words of Christ Himself at the Last Supper, though we must consult with Paul and then Luke to learn of it. Mentioned once by Luke (Luke 22:19) and twice by Paul (1 Cor. 11:24-25) is the well known phrase, “Do this in remembrance of me.” If my memory serves me correctly, this was carved into the large wooden communion table at the front of the Baptist church that I grew up attending. But what, I now ask, are we supposed to “do” and further still, what effect are we to expect this remembering to have?

Though some have suggested reciting the Last Supper account (as Paul does in 1 Cor. 11:23-26) is the thing we are to “do,” it seems much more probable that Jesus was simply instructing them to “do” the meal. For us today it is simply the bread and wine, but it could be easily argued that Jesus’ instruction was to observe the full meal (note the often overlooked “after supper” remark in 1 Cor. 11:25), but reinterpreted to focus on the imagery of His body and blood. Either way, for now we are concerned to note that Paul and Luke both seem to be presenting an extremely early Eucharist tradition of remembering the death of the Lord, specifically His body and His blood.

But now I ask, what is the meaning of remembrance? Our modern conception is usually that of a simple mental recollection of a past event or piece of information. This, I would argue, is the usual explanation of most evangelical and charismatic Christians of the act of remembrance in the Eucharist. Through the act of bread and wine we mentally recall the death of Christ. Notice that this approach suggests that whatever is recalled (i.e. the cross) stays very much in the past. But does the word “remembrance” let us get away with such a tidy past/present distinction?

The Jewish understanding of remembrance, however, seems to have been richer than a simple mental exercise. According to McCormick, it could better be described as a “bringing up into the present the effects of something done in the past.”[1] This conception could be seen in God’s hearing of the Israelites’ groaning in Egypt and remembering of His covenant with Abraham (Exodus 2:24). As the LORD says in Exodus 6:5, “…I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.” YHWH’s remembering was not limited to a mental exercise, but brought the effects of the Abrahamic Covenant into the present through actions of deliverance. In other words, to be biblically remembered by the LORD is for Him act on your behalf. Similarly, for God’s people to biblically remember His commands is for them to actually do them in the present. Could this richer form of remembrance have any bearing on our celebration of the Eucharist?

I believe yes. In some of the earliest post-canonical Eucharists (Justin Martyr, 66; Apostolic Tradition 4:11-13), it is already clear that there was believed to be some present benefit from participation. I must be clear that these documents (and certainly the New Testament) do not suggest the idea that salvation is to be found in observing the Eucharist (as was later developed within Catholicism), but they do suggest that there is spiritual blessing to be received. This would seem to fit well with the above mentioned understanding of remembrance. Could it not be accepted that as we remember the Lord’s death in this way, we are positioned to receive a fresh blessing of the benefits of salvation (though the salvation itself has been accomplished once, for all in the event of the cross)? As we recall the past event of the cross, it does not stay in the past, but its effects, through the Holy Spirit, are applied in a fresh way to our present condition. This is not to imply that we are insufficiently saved or that Christ’s sacrifice is somehow incomplete. It is simply to say that we may receive ongoing grace through remembrance of the cross in the Eucharist.

In concluding this section, let me point out that this richer form of remembering Christ’s death attaches a unique importance to the Eucharist. Its observance is not only a command of the Lord, but also presents actual spiritual blessing that is not meant to be substituted for another means. In reaction to the Catholic belief that salvation is to be found in the sacraments (Eucharist included), evangelicals, I believe, have swung too far in the other direction to the stance that there is no sacramental quality at all in the Eucharist (many use the designation “ordinance” rather than “sacrament”). This minimalistic view, according to some, has contributed, in part, to the marginalization of the Eucharist in modern evangelical/charismatic worship. For instance, it could be reasoned that spiritual blessing could be received through extended congregational singing just as easily as participation in the Eucharist. My contention is that, though spiritual blessing may be found in many expressions of worship and obedience, the Eucharist has and should have a unique place in the life and worship of the church.

[1] Quoted in Biddy, Wesley Scott, "Re-envisioning the Pentecostal Understanding of the Eucharist." Pneuma, (2006) 234.

kingdom living is radical

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:55:00 +0000

The word ‘radical’ is today often associated with terrorists or the extreme Christian right and with all of that baggage, its generally negative connotation is no surprise. But the word itself is not bad at all and simply means to go to the root or origin of something. So, for example, I’ve just been radical with the word ‘radical’ by not simply taking the popular notions of its meaning, but digging down to find the accurate, dictionary definition of the word. And this digging down to the root of things is another major aspect of Kingdom living as presented in the Sermon.

In the Sermon we are told that it is not enough to simply avoid murdering anyone, but that we must also not harbor anger. In the area of sexuality, it is not enough to simply avoid adultery, but we must also not even look at a woman with lustful intent. Again with marriage, we are not merely to abide by the looseness of what the law permits about divorce, but to have the higher standard of the kingdom in the seriousness of marriage commitment. These are all instances where Jesus takes a known law and radicalizes or internalizes it.

So what is He really getting at? He seems to be saying that it’s not about show, but about substance. It is not merely who you say you are, but who you really are. The inward stuff counts and it could easily be argued that it is what really counts. At least one reason for this is just what Jesus says in 7:17 about the telltale signs of a false prophet, “…every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.” In other words, the reality is that whatever you truly are in your heart will eventually and always come out in your actions. The Pharisees’ attempt to cheat this principle is what caused Jesus to come down so hard on them by saying they were like a cup that was shiny on the outside, but dirty on the inside. They were totally hypocritical; putting on an act. This, Jesus says, is simply not possible. It may be possible to fool people for a time or even for your whole life. It may even be possible to fool yourself. But God is not fooled for a moment and He sees the heart even before He sees the fruit that comes from it. But either way, this disconnect is an impossibility to live with.

And this is really a very merciful thing that Jesus is doing, because He lets us know that every tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. If we follow the argument back, He is saying that those who are not truly changed in their hearts will not be able to live changed lives either and their end is not at all happy. The opposite, however, would also be true. But the real emphasis is the heart. Actions are important, as we will soon discuss, but they are the wrong starting point. Jesus is saying you can’t win on a technicality when your heart’s intention all along was sinful.

This means that Kingdom people are not shallow people. They’re good deeds are not a show. They are very interested in asking questions of themselves about motives, inward thoughts, etc. They are self-examiners (in a right sense) and they are far quicker to find faults in themselves than those that are in others. This is the radical life of the Kingdom

kingdom living is distinct

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:41:00 +0000

The word distinct simply means that something is different in nature or quality and because of this is clear to the senses, unmistakable, or obvious. Jesus is clear on this point of the kingdom when He tells His followers that they are like a city on a hill which cannot be hidden. It doesn’t get much more distinct than that. Those who live a kingdom life are simply out there (in the sense that they are there for the world to see).

But being distinct in a generic sense is not itself a virtue. There are plenty of people in the world who are different to cultural norms in one way or another and could therefore be described as distinct, but that does not even remotely guarantee that they are living Kingdom lives. In fact, often times, just the opposite.

Within the kingdom of God, however, distinctness comes due specifically to the fact that your life is in step with God’s life and is therefore out of step with the patterns of the world. We are distinct because we are submitted to the rule of Jesus when the dominant spirit of this age is not. It is important here to note that it is not that we are abnormal while the rest of the world goes on doing all of the normal things and living life in the normal way. In fact it is just the opposite. This universe was originally designed to flow with the life of God. It is, therefore, those who are actually living out this original design that are the normal ones. It is those who rebel against the very thing they were made for that are abnormal. To say it another way, though we may be flowing against the grain of a fallen world system that is in rebellion against God, we are actually flowing with the even greater current of the good and awesome rule of our Creator (which, by the way, will long out last this evil age of rebellion).

With this in mind, I can also ask the intriguing question, should a local church be visible or invisible? I think most of us would immediately say visible, and rightly so. But in what way should this be? Often it has been thought that a large building with a flashy sign will do the trick. Or perhaps extensive programs, large events, and loud music will do. Maybe even a touch of advertising will make the church visible. Though all of these things have a visibility factor to them (and are in themselves mostly reasonable options to explore), I do not believe they are what Jesus has in mind when He compares His disciples to a city set on a hill. Rather, it is the kingdom life that makes them distinct; lives that are lived in submission to His rule and that reflect his righteousness and glory. According to the Sermon, kingdom distinctiveness is tied to things like loving your enemies, rejoicing in persecution, not harboring anger, keeping your thought life sexually pure, keeping your word, giving with right motives, not hording earthly possessions…and I could go on. In a world that more often than not operates in the opposite of these values, kingdom people are different because they live these things out of heart obedience to Jesus.

This distinctive kingdom living, Jesus says, will illicit two types of responses (often from the same person I would add): giving glory to the Father and persecution. Either people will find their hearts respond with wonder and awe and a tendency toward worship of God or people will turn on you with any and every manner of evil…or both. Either way, Jesus encourages us to keep on going. And in the case of persecution, we are even told that we are blessed and that we should rejoice in the knowledge that we are obtaining an eternal reward.

the seed kingdom and the immediacy of opportunity

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 10:06:00 +0000

Dave spoke very well yesterday (30 March) on the Kingdom parable of the mustard seed as part of our current preaching series, Jesus and the Kingdom. His central message was simply that small things can grow to make a big impact. What really struck me was his application of this idea in the realm of individual gifts/talent and opportunities. We may think we have little to offer in the mission of Jesus, but that fact is enough to make us qualified in the order of the mustard seed. Give, however little it is, and see how God will make something great out of something that seemed so small.

I think of this in how it applies to me personally. There is always a danger that I will spend my life day dreaming about "someday" when I will be old enough, wise enough, confident enough, or educated enough to finally do something great. But by putting too much of an emphasis on future significance, I may be unwittingly despising the gifts and resources God has given me now. I need to refresh my determination to sow whatever seeds I do have.

Furthermore, there is the element of convenience. I may not be waiting on future wisdom, but perhaps simply on a time when my kids aren't so young, my house not so in need of work, my car more dependable, my bank account more fat, etc. There is also time considerations. Maybe I am waiting until my schedule is not so packed, work is not so hectic, there seems to be more free evenings, etc. All of these are reasonable things to consider and there is much to be said for perceiving the seasons of life and what is and is not appropriate at a given time. What we must be careful of, however, is mistakingly thinking that there will one day come a time when involvement and deep commitment to the cause of the Kingdom will not be costly. Rather than writing involvement off completely with the hope of a more convenient time, perhaps the better move is to honestly ask God what are the appropriate sacrifices to be made in the here and now for the sake of the eternal things of His Kingdom.

Of course all of these things have much application to us as a church as well, but I think I will save that for another blog. I now welcome your comments. [Daniel]

looking forward to the ordinary

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:56:00 +0000

Well I, along with several twenty-somethings from Rugby, was away this weekend past at Life 08, a national Lifelink conference for the previously mentioned age group. For the first time in a while I was just an attender without any speaking or music responsibilities. As for a summary in one phrase: righteous, dude!

The theme of the conference was 'Living the Life,' a focus on living faithfully for God in the midst of everyday, mundane life. Too many Christians seem to live for the next emotional/spiritual boost in the form of a conference, retreat, concert, etc. Life 08's purpose was to tackle that problem and encourage and equip us to expect God to move in the ordinary experiences of life.

I give a standing ovation to such a goal. I agree that living peak to peak is a trap that far too many of us fall into (myself included). It is far easier (and less personally costly) to expect God to move somewhere else, through someone else's speaking, in the context of a bigger, louder, and more technologically dazzling experience. It is a different thing to take that level of faith when approaching life in my town, in my friendships, in my local church where things are not nearly so polished. Actually, I think the here and now is where God is far more interested in moving and seeing us give our focus and commitment.

God, save us from superficiality! Lead us into the deep, rich stuff of commitment, godly character, getting our hands dirty, and not being ruled by our emotions. Let us grip reality knowing that You are the really real and we'll no doubt find You there.

Cholocate, Friendship & Zimbabwe

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:01:00 +0000

Forty-two women and an unending supply of chocolate, am I dreaming or is this my idea of Heaven on earth!! Well that is what we ladies did this last Saturday evening: a three course meal of chocolate soup, followed by several savoury dishes in which the addition of chocolate gave a depth of flavour and colour but the high cocoa solids meant that it was not sweet. Blind chocolate tasting quiz followed - chocolate flavoured with geranium, pepper, paprika to name but a few. It was amazing how hard it is to distinguish flavours when you don’t have the packet in front of you, it was great fun and Katie was the proud winner of a large Easter egg. And even though we were all chocolated out we still found room for yet more chocolate in various sweet forms including a lush chocolate fountain.

As the evening was a fund raiser I thought it would be good to see what we were actually raising money for and so we watched a recently filmed video of the orphanage in Nyanga. I don’t think anyone of us could fail to be moved when you see just how others are living and we realise our affluence.

It was a great evening. Forty-two women delighting in chocolate, conversations flowing across a wide age group and we raised £400. Many thanks to all who generously donated their time and ingredients. I was personally so very pleased to see so many non church people there, in fact half, and thought that this sort of bridge building is something we do well and we can do more of with our friends and family. What other ideas do we have? There is something special about the times we as ladies meet together and I know from speaking to my friends that can that they really enjoyed themselves. Lets pool our ideas, look to God to show us how to think outside the box and see our friends draw to us but ultimately Christ in us.

Why Church X Shouldn’t Give Up Their Weekly Fellowship Meal

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:11:00 +0000

In the rural Midwest of America there is a small charismatic church that is struggling. Through various circumstances they are dealing with some difficult decisions regarding their future together. The strain of the times is noticeable not least in the context of their weekly communal
meal. For nearly all of their ten year existence they have met on Sundays at 4pm and concluded their time together with a fellowship meal. Even when they reached around 120, the practical detail of the meal did not stop them. Now fellowship is strained and so are the meal times. Should they continue? If people don’t seem to want to be there, it might seem most simple to close this long chapter and move in another direction. But perhaps more is at stake. Perhaps this point of struggle could also be the context for turning things around by the grace of God.

The importance of the meal begins to take shape when one places along side it a much wider and more particularized challenge across western evangelicalism, namely the decline of the Lord’s Supper in the worship practice of local churches. My recent study of the Eucharist in the early
church has drawn my attention to the disparity between their practice and ours. The earliest Christians celebrated the Lord’s Supper weekly; we celebrate it more akin to monthly. For them it was a central feature of the worship gathering; for us it is often limited to a few short moments, usually dwarfed by the much greater focus of music. For them it included a wide and rich range of theological emphases; for us it is usually focused strictly on remembering Christ’s death. For them it was a full meal; for us it is a pinch of bread and a sip of wine. I could
continue, but suffice it to say there is a difference. And I would tend to agree with the many theologians and church leaders who feel the need to re-emphasize the Eucharist in
our worship practice today.

Over the coming weeks I will explore three extremely important theological features of the Eucharist which we find in the early church and then show how this re-centering project could well collide squarely with the fellowship meal about which Church X is deliberating. :: Daniel_Story

This series will be continued at newlifechurchrugby.com.

book now for celebration

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 10:28:00 +0000

This is just a reminder that now is the time to book for Celebration2008. It won't be long until the early booking discount is expired, so please let me implore you to jump on this one. K and I don't plan to be having any babies around this years Celebration so we expect to join you all down there in Swansea. I think it will be another great (dare I say even better) year.

For our church, Lynne C is the one to talk to for getting booking forms as well as turning them in. You can also check out www.lifelinkinternational.org.uk for more info on the event as well as video from previous years. For '08, I say we overwhelm them with a flood of Rugbians!

the kingdom and fast food spirituality

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 10:59:00 +0000

Alan spoke yesterday on the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Much of what he said centred on Jesus' use of parables in his teaching. Part of what Matthew wants us to see is that Jesus' use of parables is in direct fulfillment of prophecy and therefore a further confirmation that He is truly the Messiah.

But moving beyond this point, Alan brought out the fact that the parables were also meant to challenge. Those who were superficial and did not really want to know the truth would not understand them, but those who had a deep hunger and commitment to knowing and being changed by the truth would find out the meaning. The beauty of the kingdom was not for swine to trample on, but for those who were really willing to lay down their lives and follow.

I say these things simply to draw our attention back to the message that Alan brought and also toward our own intentions toward Jesus and the Kingdom. I ask myself, am I willing to follow or simply wanting some religious entertainment? Am I willing to sacrifice and think deeply, or am I only willing to accept fast food style spirituality? This week I want to take some time out of my busy schedule and really breath in the life of Christ. To think deeper. To live with passion for eternal things. To be willing to be changed by Truth. I want to have ears for what God is saying (Matthew 13:9). :: Daniel

the kingdom of God and political power

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:27:00 +0000

Two things that have grabbed some of my attention lately are my study of the book of Daniel for my lectures at Bible College of Wales and the happenings in the American presidential primaries. These two areas of interest collide in the concepts of power and control. Who will be in control in America after the next presidential election? Will it be Obama? Will it be Hillary? Will it be John McCain? Or will it be someone else?

The book of Daniel is all about answering these sorts of questions. It is set in the context of the Babylonian exile. King Nebuchadnezzar has overthrown the southern kingdom of Judah and taken the LORD's people into exile, people like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Yet right from the beginning we are pointed to the fact that it is not Nebuchadnezzar that is ultimately in control (nor the kings and leaders that followed him), but YHWH.

For instance, Daniel 1:2 states: "the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his [Nebuchadnezzar] hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God." So, this attack was not against the plans of God, but actually part of them. Babylon, along with every other empire that has ever or will ever exist, can only do what God allows. In fact, the whole message of the book of Daniel is live faithfully to YHWH even when things seem to be falling apart, because He is ultimately in control.

I find this extremely pertinent to my understanding of the US presidential elections. I will pay attention. I will probably even vote (I'm an American in case you were wondering). But most importantly I will pray knowing that whatever the outcome, the Kingdom is safe in the hands of God. And that goes for whatever might be happening in any country of the world. Our confidence should not be shaken, because we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken (Hebrews 12:28).

audio difficulties

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 10:42:00 +0000

This is a quick update to let people know that due to audio difficulties last Sunday, Alan's message was not recorded. This is, of course, a major bummer and we do apologize for the mishap.

On a positive note, this is a message which Alan says is very much on his heart and so he expects to preach it again in other churches around the UK. If that is the case, our plan is to get the audio from a future message and make it available here. So, check back often.

jesus and the kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:12:00 +0000

The first Sunday in February will be the kick off of a new preaching series on the book of Matthew which we've titled Jesus and the Kingdom. We'll be moving through Matthew with the questions who is this Jesus and what is the kingdom? This will partly be a revisiting of our roots, since the truth of the Kingdom (along with Covenant) has been so central to the wider church relationships we have been and continue to be a part of.

But more than that I believe this will be a powerful guide into our future. If we are to be a people who live and proclaim the Kingdom of God and if our aim is to see the Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven, we must be hungry ourselves to dig deeper into this amazing reality. We will no doubt re-investigate truths we're already learned and seek for a deeper understanding of them by the Holy Spirit. But we will also no doubt come across truth concerning Jesus and the Kingdom that we've not yet encountered before. And all of this to His glory...that we may know Him, love Him, live like Him, and be part of His purposes in our day.

So let me encourage you to begin now with looking through Matthew and start to ask those questions I mentioned above. Come to the meetings with questions about the Kingdom and if they don't get answered then ask someone at the end. Email questions. Post questions here on this blog. It would be great for all of us to start this series with some real hunger for God to meet us where we are searching.

vox

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 11:29:00 +0000

This Sunday we launched VOX, the trial version of our new monthly news letter. It seems to have been received quite well so far. It's broken down into sections: Community News, Teaching Article, Opportunities to Serve, Upcoming Events, and the Stewarding Rota. We think this will provide a straightforward and interesting way to keep everyone informed as to what is going on.

The word 'vox' simply means voice. That's just what we want this to be...a voice for what needs voicing, a resource toward connecting us to each other and to the mission that God has called us to. So, if you didn't get it yesterday or would simply like an electronic copy, CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST VOX.

Lastly, but not leastly...we'd love to hear what you think of VOX. Just click on the 'comment' to let us know.

new features

noreply@blogger.com (New Life Church) — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 11:10:00 +0000

Welcome to the new site. Thanks to Dave Story (Daniel's brother) for putting this together. We hope this will be a step forward in our ability to communicate within the church and with anyone else who might like to drop by and learn more. So what are some of the new features of this new site? I'm glad you asked.

First of all, you are reading one of them right now: the front page blog. Check back here regularly for news, articles, teachings, and reflections and please please please leave your comments. Second, the calendar of upcoming events is listed to the right on this page with more info if you visit the calendar page itself. Third, you can now listen to the latest message as you surf the web by click on the 'latest audio' button. You can also download messages on the audio page. And fourthly, you can subscribe to our site's RSS Feed or iTunes Podcast by clicking at the bottom of this page.

Overall, we hope this will be a more interactive and more frequently updated experience. More is soon to come.