When I first went in, I thought, man, this is small. It fitted about 250 people and for all services it accomodated 500 pentecostal charismatics. I mean, it's pretty big for an English church, but I was just expecting it to be massive.
When we were told what this church was doing, I was quite humbled and was left wondering why other churches weren't doing the same.
Now, you have to take into account that these people aren't your upper class rich Christians, but average earning Northern Joe's who attended a church 'that was given no hope' of surviving.
So they've grown from a congregation of 20 to 500 in the last few years;
Built a huge Bible College in India;
Recently built and planted 43 churches in India;
Just built 30 housed there for some Tsunami refugees;
Built a huge Adoption centre in Romania;
Built homes and churches in Romania, etc, etc...
Now, how does a church of this size do all this and have a turnover of £750,000 (that's USD $1.32m or CAD $1.55m)? Well, it started off creating it's own charity shops (thrift stores) and now has four, of which God seems to bless too. But the thing that bugs me, is that this church is making more of a difference in the lives of non-believers and believers internationally as well as locally, than some of our churches.
Hmm, do we lack the energy to go all out on planned out projects like the aforementioned? The pastor of this church said it was the people that mattered, and not the projects or premises, but the latter two seemed to be quite actively enlarging.
So why aren't even larger churches doing even greater things? Now you would say that this is not the idea of your church, and that's why it doesn't happen? Or that this church was just a one-off phenomenal church? To be honest, it didn't seem like it was. Only that people were actively doing stuff.
Just a thought.
Next Friday I go on my second trip. That is to a church in Leeds, where I was born, and apparently that one is really big. I'll let you know how that one goes.
This is a pic of me taken today by the way. It has no relation to the post, but thought you like seeing photos of me. Ha. J slash K. But I'm posting it anyway cos I thought it made me look cool.
2 comments:
the only reason you look cool is cuz Jesus is on your chest
Dude, thas close. Thas definitely close.
Jesus is in my heart. He's in me and He's not coming out.
Right at this moment I have a burning inside me to share Him with all that don't know Him. I mean, what are we doing people?? Are we serious about this or not? Is this or is this not, the single most important facet of our existences here on earth?
Can we afford to look back at this and say we were in a bit of a spiritual funk?
No way man! Whether this is a valley or a mountaintop in your spiritual walk, do something! Get on top of it and act!
Frick, this is too good to be a comment. I'm making a post.
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