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Giving birth to something new

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As the church of Jesus Christ we have proved ourselves very adaptable at creating ministries to respond to the needs around us. Down through the ages the Church has been at the forefront of social need, starting schools, hospitals, social financing programmes. The church seeks out the homeless, the addicts and the lonely. The church runs events to connect together the elderly, singles, parents, families, youth, children and mother’s & toddlers. Christians are at the forefront of soup kitchens, homeless shelters and food banks. It works through its members in fostering, adoption, reconciliation programmes and so much more. From baby dedications to confirmations and from marriages to funerals the church is available at every stage of life and in every significant life event. The church speaks up for the unborn, for the family and for justice all over the world. We also preach the Gospel. We see the guilty find forgiveness, the disturbed find peace, the bound find freedom and the brok...
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The power of blessing

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One day I had a revelation: When Jesus blessed the children, they were blessed!    Okay, I know that sounds obvious, but bear with me a moment while I explain. If Jesus walked into a room, blessed two of the people there, then walked out again, we would expect those two people’s lives to take a turn for the better from that moment on, wouldn’t we?    In other words, when Jesus blessed people, it was not a case of wishing the best for them, or even speaking a few nice words to make them feel well. Nor was it a superstitious act or a magic spell. Instead, it was a divine declaration that had the power to change the direction of a life. In short, there was power in the blessing that Jesus spoke: when Jesus blessed the children, they were blessed!    This is the Jewish understanding of blessing: it invites God’s presence to come to that person or into a situation. As we pray blessings over our children, we are inviting God to fulfil His will for their lives. Yo...
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The forgotten age group

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Many churches appoint leaders to take care of the children, the youth, the singles, married couples, families, the elderly, the women and the men. Who will look out for the unborn and their parents? We want to encourage you to find an advocate in your church for the unborn. Parents who understand their spiritual responsibilities during pregnancy are better equipped to take their role as spiritual leaders and the primary disciplers of their children once the children are born. As the concept of family is underattack let's take this opportunity to strengthen and help prepare new families in the church. To help you we are offering 10 copies of Jesus, Your Baby and You for the price of 5, or £8.99 each. Helen and Olly show us from the Bible that God is interested in the life of each person before they are born. With many real-life experiences and practical ideas they empower us to prepare ourselves, our babies and our whole family for a life together with God. Discover the tools you n...
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Don't forget the unborn

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The day Helen fell pregnant I noticed that all the advertising boards seemed to be advertising baby products for the first time. Had they not done so before? How did they time it to coincide with our first pregnancy? The answer of course is not in the advertisers. When you are not pregnant you do not notice the bombardment of advertising targeting new parents. This subculture is hidden from the rest of society in plain view as our antennae are switched off to pregnancy and the unborn. So why should we give attention and invest time in those who are not yet born within our church communities, even if we ourselves are not pregnant? Here are four simple reasons: 1. God is interested in people from before they are born. God spoke to Jeremiah and said, before I formed you in the womb I knew you and set you apart. God knitted us together in our mother’s womb. God is interested in us and engages with us from before we are born. 2. The enemy wants to destroy the unborn. We know that the e...
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Helping young children to connect with God

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It’s Biblical Young children can connect with God. Jesus used a small child as a visual aid to show that the kingdom of God belongs to people who can be like the children. John the Baptist in the womb responded to the presence of Jesus in the womb (Luke 1). God points out to Jeremiah, the prophet, that before God formed him, He knew his future destiny (Jeremiah 1:6). When we work with the youngest of children we can have the great impact on their future lives. Moses and Samuel both grew up in less than perfect places, yet both had godly mothers who nurtured them in the first few years of their lives in preparation for their future destiny. When we work with children in our toddler groups, any opportunity we have to allow them to connect with God is a potential life-changing opportunity. So how can we help them to connect with God? The Word of God One Easter we taught some toddlers about how Jesus swapped everything at the cross. One person came on with a naughty sign around their neck....
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