Do You Choose Glitz And Glitter Or The Sun And The Moon?

Did you know that here at Menai Anglican we have only about 60% of our members [not those in our data base but those who attend] in church each weekend? And 25% of our members only come at the most once every three weeks.

Some people reckon that we’re mad to aim at having 1100 regularly in church by the end of 2016 http://www.menaianglican.org/information/vision/, but if everyone turned up we would have just under 1000 in attendance!

I’m not saying that there aren’t good reasons from time to time for missing church, but the truth is, it’s often just too much effort or other things seem more attractive.

I make that point because I think the book of Revelation does.  John paints this picture of our culture as the “Great prostitute” [Revelation 17:3-5] and it looks very attractive, but it’s a shallow beauty. This woman is the “material woman”.  She is all glitz and glitter but no substance. In fact, she is full of filth and decay [17:4]. That is our world; our culture. [1 John 2:15-16].  In contrast remember John’s description of the church in chapter 12.  He describes her as a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet and who has a crown of 12 stars on her head. There is something of real substance!

The church is the heavenly woman, and as we’ll see in chapter 19, she is the bride of Jesus. John gives us these two pictures and encourages us to compare them, and there is no comparison! Why would we align ourselves with the culture and not God’s people? Why would we not make every effort to meet with those who comprise the bride of Christ?



Bruce Dingwall

 

Sermon Series – The Vision. Yet Again?

Well friends, at our services we've been taking a look at our vision for the next five years (“Again?” you ask!) 

At one point we really don’t even need to say it, because it’s what every church should be doing, and we already know it, but at another point we need to keep being reminded that that is what we are on about. It’s all too easy to get side-tracked. 

We’re on about introducing Jesus, not running an organisation. We want to focus on changing lives, not making people comfortable.  Focus loses its clarity, doesn’t it? Vision leaks! 

It really doesn’t get any simpler than “Introducing Jesus; Changing Lives.”  If you need a reminder on the whole vision check out http://www.menaianglican.org/information/vision/ on our website.

“Introducing Jesus” puts it well because it’s about a friendship, not a philosophy or a set of values.  We want people to find the peace,forgiveness, love,challenge and adventure that comes with walking through life with Jesus. We don’t want to win them to our cause, or adopt a philosophy.  It’s about a person.

And changing lives?  Walking with Jesus is all about change. It’s bringing people out of the darkness. It’s bringing lost people home to God. It’s helping people grow more to be the way He made us to be. It’s all about starting again. It’s about growing a big heart and a wise mind. It’sa bout broken people being put back together.

It’s not necessarily about becoming a TV evangelist or knocking on people’s doors. It’s about doing all we can do to  make introductions and help people make the next step. We can all do that. It’s often all about being a link in the chain, even one small link. 

So what are YOU PERSONALLY  doing to introduce Jesus and help Him change lives? Or how have you been helped to know Jesus or had your life changed. Let us know.  Add your comments here and tell us your stories.  It’d be a great encouragement.  I look forward to reading your comments. 

Bruce Dingwall- Senior Minister