Youthleaders across the Highlands.........
Please take a few minutes to ponder this document.......
As you well know, we have put X-Stream into hibernation for a while. We sensed that things needed to change. Certainly behind the scenes, the model that had run from 1997 was getting stale. In the middle of the 2005-6 season we almost came to the point of moving to a straight forward closure, but God showed us otherwise through about six people speaking to us independently at the subsequent X-Stream event.
Hence, during the first half of 2006 we met with a number of local Inverness youth leaders to seek the way forward. Within that group, we chatted to Jonathan Keenan, leader of ROOTS, and that clarified some of our thinking. ROOTS would focus on discipleship; whatever emerged from X-Stream would be focussed on outreach, and especially outreach to those young people off the church radar.
Later one leader came to us with a burden of possibly using an Alpha group/content format evangelistically, meeting locally in small groups at times and in locations suitable to each group. She has tried, within the context of her own church, to run a group on a Sunday morning. Frustration ensued. The young people she really wanted to reach were usually indisposed at that time! Yet church thinking was frozen into that timing.
With discussion off the back of this experience, we spent some time chatting through the possibility of encouraging similar outreach groups (some may already be operating) in locations right across the Highlands & Islands. X-Stream … or whatever follows … could function in the role of bringing these groups together maybe four times a year for a larger 'happening' as a series of focal points in the life of each local outreach group. The form of this new ‘thing’ would be very much ‘up for grabs’, eg, why does it have to be presentational? How about social action or some other participatory project. Does it have to run in a church? Could it run over a whole day or a week-end?
It has to be repeated though that these happenings WILL NOT BE FOCUSSING ON DISCIPLESHIP. They will not be catering for the standard church youth group (whatever that is!). The emphasis will be very much on support for the local Alpha/outreach/youthclubs/etc groups.
A small number of leaders (see below) met in late February in Inverness and wish to take this concept forward by widening the discussion to as many youth leaders as possible. As a result we are suggesting that we meet together for an open discussion… (that can easily start over emails etc., before then if you wish…… YOUR MOVE!) to seek God’s will in all of this.
Dates... and here are a number.... how about one of the following Saturday afternoons, March31st, April 14th or April 21st? Saturday afternoon would allow folk from right across the Highlands & Islands to attend. Location would be Culduthel Christian Centre. If we meet at say 1300, we can have lunch together in the church cafe.
Would you like to be there? If so, could you tell us of your availability across these dates.
We would love to hear your take on this thinking. On the other hand, if you cannot manage, please ask one of your co-workers along. In fact, if they feel they would like to contribute to this discussion, bring then along anyway!
Or you could also use this blog and add some comments....
In seeking God’s will together.
Izi Prall, Lin Crossley, Dave Saunders, Iain Clyne, Tommy MacKay, Ross McLennan, Danny Muschate
RSVP!
Tel: 01463 783595; Mob: 0779 506 4635
While the world is rethinking its entire cultural formation, it is time to find new ways of being church that are true to the postmodern context. It is time for a Postmodern Reformation.
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This blog is created for youth leaders across the Highlands & Islands of Scotland to get creative, the future of X-Stream. So let's bat some ideas around and see what God might be saying to us and what he is calling X-Stream to be across the Highlands & Islands.
Who we are?
- Dave Saunders
- Inverness, Highlands, United Kingdom
- i work for Inverness Methodist church and YFC with the challenge to build a relevant church for what i believe is a uncontianable generation.
1 comment:
no my friend it doesn't need a post modern reformation. It needs to repent and start being an uncompromising church as it was in the beginning.
It needs to become so holy that it gets up the nose of every self righteous self professing "Christian"
Now, these days you ask any one and they say I'm a Christian, I'm a believer. Even George Bush, that murdering, lying, Luciferian (skull and bones member. A man who for gain, has lied to the whole world and yet many so called Christians actually believe he is a Christian.
You need to go back to living as the true church lived. You know! the one in acts?
It was persecuted for its holiness, it's purity and unworldly practices.
you say roots, then that is where the roots are. The church of acts.
Your all looking to each others unscriptural views in order to win souls. The fact of that matter is not one of you can save a soul. Only God can save. He can save you from your sin ( not give you a new car and a life just like the people of the world.
Your not looking to God and His scriptures for advice. Your looking to feelings and seducing spirits. The feel good generation, that runs when the heat of the furnace is turned up.
Men who act like women and women that act like men.
Your not fit to reach out to the world. your not in spirit or truth.
This world and this generation is lost and condemned already. It has rejected the truth and is believing a lie.
Jesus said only a few would find the way to heaven and you lot! you say that all can and will be saved. When Jesus and the word says few..... you say many.
When His word says repent you say "just try out our way of living, give it a chance". Try out God {like He is a pair of shoes}You lie. Jesus said repent, Paul said repent. John the Baptizer said repent. Stephen said repent and God says repent.
But if you repent and live a life pleasing to God, no one will like you. No one will want to follow you. No one will like the message you preach and follow you. You wont have any friends. You wont be able to have the things of this world. You will have to suffer. Maybe it will require you dying to "self" and picking up that heavy cross. You know! that big heavy lump of wood that puts splinters in your hands. That cuts into your flesh each day as you sling it over your shoulder. That slows you down and keeps you underneath its heavy weight.
"Strive to enter in" said Jesus. You say "all can come in"
Contrary to the words of Jesus, you lot just want to be blessed, and have the things of this world. To be loved by the world (trying to seduce the world, by your religious spirit).
Oh! I know! you don't have a religious spirit do you! no, your not legalistic. The laws been done away with right?
Wrong Jesus said He did not come to destroy the law. If He didn't destroy it, it still exists. He met the law. He did that which was required to meet the law. If the law now no longer exists then there is no sin.But we know that we sin by the law. So the law is still operating today.
This law tells all men that they are sinners. Jesus now says by His works and the conviction of the holy spirit; any person who truly repents can and will be saved from the curse of the law.
You people don't read your bible fully and trust in your feelings. Feelings can and have, led many astray. Feelings will not lead you in a straight and narrow way.
No! feelings will seduce you and deceive you. They will blow you to and fro with every form of doctrine.
You need to go back to the roots, but if you go back to the roots, no one will follow you. There will only be the few. Just as Jesus said.
Repent, Jesus is coming soon.
Maranatha.
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