BH Bulletin - Tuesday 9 February 2021

Thought for the Day by Ben Martin (Curate)

My wife Morag loves baking… and I love her baking, indeed her Brownies are a celebration in each mouthful. They are amazing. She is able to bring the right ingredients together to create something special (whereas my best bakes come in a plastic packet from Tesco).
 
But why do I start like that? Well if you had to create a recipe not for cake but for growing as a Christian, what would you include?
 
We would probably put God’s Spirit working through his word at the top of the list… we need to hear the Bible in order to grow, both together at church but also on our own… but what else?
 
Our situation certainly plays a part. We are formed by the world around us and the circumstances of life is the stage into which we play out our faith.
 
But today I want to focus on something else…
 
For me to grow as a Christian I need you. (Read that line again).
 
Listen to these words from Paul…
 
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
 
Here Paul is saying, the role of a vicar is to equip the church so that THEY can help mature each other.
 
Because as Christians we need each other, I need you to help me grow up in faith. I need you to encourage me with the promises that we all as Christians have. I need you to share with me the hope you have so that it spurs that hope on in me. I need you to do all you can to point my eyes back to Jesus the one who loves me more than any other.
 
Tim Keller has put it much better than me when he writes:
 
The Gospel creates community… Accordingly, the chief way in which we should disciple people is through community. Growth in grace, wisdom, and character does not happen primarily in classes and instruction, through large worship gatherings, or even in solitude. Most often, growth happens through deep relationships and in communities where the implications of the gospel are worked out cognitively and worked in practically. (Center Church, p311)
 
If that is true, what might that look like today in our Covid Restricted world? How might we rub shoulders?
 
How might that impact your Small Group Meeting next week?
 
And how might it impact church when we can be back and we can stay and chat with coffee (other beverages are available) with each other?
 
For me to grow as a Christian I need you.
Ben

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Faith in Sussex - Issue 29 out now

The latest issue of the diocesan magazine, Faith in Sussex, is now available as a PDF to download or read online by clicking here.

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