Day 1: Birmingham

OFF TO ENGLAND...

I am sitting here between experiences and have decided to blog as I am able about each day to help those who sent us here so that they might be challenged as

we are in our faith. Be forewarned, I want to blog each day but with the schedule that may not be possible. I also hope you would consider asking me questions once we return for we know when we experience things, part of that experience and learning is digesting and looking back on what happened. we ask ourselves; "What God is saying to me (trying to show me) and what we will do with what He is showing us". 

I have never been to England. It is different here in many ways. No washcloths in the hotel. No cover sheet between the base sheet and the comforter. Guinness is popular, but it is an Irish beer. Toilets have two buttons- one for "solids" and one for "liquids". It reminds me of the movie "Meet The Focker's" but with a system of buttons!

We arrived late in the afternoon in Birmingham after a full day of flights getting us here from the States. We hit the ground running. I snapped a few photos from our hotel room because we did not have time to walk around. As you can see it is a very different city than we may be accustom as we live in the States. Yet, much the same for it is filled with human beings loved and created by God and busy living life.  

Dinner consisted of fish and chips and mushy peas! The peas were great! Others in the group had a variety of items as the 10 of us sat down after a long travel day. Shortly after we sat, two others joined us from a local church we will visit later called Gas Street church. Josh and Katherine are a young couple in their mid 20's. Josh is pictured below speaking with Dr. Kent Hunter of Church Doctor Ministries. Dr. Hunter is a speaker, author and one who has a keen sense, honed by experience and the Holy Spirit that makes himself available to churches to come and evaluate where a particular church is at and what might need to be rethought and refocused. The church can do many things but not all of them are as profitable to GOD's kingdom work. Dr. Hunter is a great set of outside eyes that see clearer than those living in the system.

Josh and Katherine are extremely solid in their faith and very spiritually mature. They spoke about their role in their church and as leaders in Worship Central. https://www.worshipcentral.org

They work under the pastor and train up future worship leaders and musicians. They do it in large conference styles, small groups and emersion academies. They have set up hubs to teach in other countries as well as having the chance to come here and be immersed in the community of teaching and spiritual formation. They teach theology, the theology of worship as well as music theory. This was all great information but for me what struck had little to do with what they said about Worship Central. 

1. Josh was like any other kid in America as a pre-teen and teenager. He would come and sit in church and it was fine but really did not connect. He was given by the church, a chance to serve in a meaningful way to him...through his musical abilities. He said he was living a dual type of life. He went to church but his friends really did not know it. God challenged his heart to go have fun with his friends or really step up. One day as a teen instead of just playing, they put a mic in front of him. At 16 he was totally sold out for Jesus. Life changed for him. He now is part of the leadership in his mid 20's of Worship Central.  4:00am I am laying wide awake unable to sleep. I have tried to in almost every church to involve young people in worship. Involve them in something more than just holding an offering plate, lighting a candle or saying "hi" at the door. Involve them in something they were passionate about and where they not only have an opportunity to connect to the pastor but also connect to older people who have spiritual wisdom and maturity that can mentor them. We as a church, in every church I have been in suck at this. Josh was brought into and worked with others who poured into him. Sometimes it was the pastor. Sometimes it was other musicians but he was freed to use his gifts and for Josh, it was life changing. Josh, who is a twenty-something is so spiritually mature and God is using him in His kingdom work in wonderful ways as he does the same as was done for him now through Worship Central. We continue to loose our younger generations and bemoan the fact that the younger generations are not in the church. What do we expect when we have just wanted them to come in and sit down, be in youth group but be quiet until when... when we randomly decide it's time for them to be involved and expect them at 30 or 40 to step into leadership?
2. Healthy churches plan healthy churches. Gas Street church came from the church in London called Holy Trinity which is a key church in the Alpha program. Later in the week, we will visit this church. Josh came along with a very large group from Holy Trinity to bring that healthy DNA and plant at Gas Street. Initially, it hurt Trinity to send this group to Birmingham and Gas Street. I see two things happened. First, Trinity although initially was hurt, it opened up Trinty for new people to get involved in leadership and brought in new DNA (ideas and energy) to Trinity. Secondly, Gas Street was blessed and was given enough solid DNA to make a good start so that it could thrive with the Holy Spirit. 

So, my first 2 hours and this is my first takeaway. May God stir in you some Holy Discontent! More  later! God bless and God's peace in knowing He is the Lord of the church. 

Pastor Andy