Another person rescued - Treasure in St Petersburg!

It has been a couple of weeks since we last went out Treasure Hunting - Saturday 26th March being that date. I didn't write up about it because honestly I didn't think much had really happened. I personally had very few conversations and certainly didn't find the people I believe I'd been looking for.

And yet yesterday, at Hope Church, Alexander, a Russian man in his late 50's comes along with Lena. Lena had been with us on the 26th, her first time doing a hunt. She herself is new to the church, not even yet a member. We'd had her around for dinner the weekend before and I'd talked all about why we go out onto the streets and was therefore encouraged to see her turn up that following week.

But there were not many of us then. In fact, the truth be told, the best conversation had by anyone was Lena's with a man by his front door. They talked for about 20 minutes. And it was this man, Alexander, that came with Lena to church yesterday - and after the meeting, prayed the prayer of repentance! Praise God.

The gospel of the salvation and grace of Jesus Christ is still at work, so powerfully, today!

We will now pray for this man that we can help grow him in his faith - we are starting an Alpha course in a couple of weeks so will encourage him to go on that too. Because salvation is not the end of things, it's the beginning. Saved & Added is how the New Testament church counted things and that is how we need to view things as well.

And yet I am still amazed that we have seen this much fruit already. Alexander is the fourth person to have responded to the gospel in the last six months through the street work alone. I know many far more faith-filled groups going out regularly, seeing healing's and having amazing words of knowledge, longing for salvation.

But it's the 'added' bit that I'm praying about - our first three treasures quickly disappeared (one guy, who prayed on the streets for salvation, didn't actually come to church!). Now we need to start praying for Alexander, the latest man to find his way to Jesus, that the word takes root in his life, that there is good soil, and that we see a rich harvest of grace and love in his heart.

I'm such a novice - if the truth be told, I felt after the last time like it would be my last time. I've still yet to have any real encounters in English, so am always struggling through language, as well as needing to sometimes keep my distance from things (due to visa regulations).

And yet I see where we are going. I see in my mind the church on the streets of the cities, healing the sick, casting out demons, bringing freedom where there are captives, life where there is only death. This is the power of the gospel - power to take us, once dead, but now made alive in and only through the life & victory of Jesus Christ - the one true Lord and Saviour of all - God himself.

So we will press through - we will face hardships and disappointments. We will face mockers and those that run from us. Because only through the church pressing forward can we take ground from the enemy. Only through the church can we see people set free from fears as we declare the gospel, the life of Jesus. Only through Him can the dead be brought back to life.

So we will not stop. We will go - and whatever it takes, whatever the cost, we will go!

Life of a Church Plant leader (cont...)

Usually I come onto my blog, when I find a spare few moments, with something already on my mind to share.....this time, I have some time, it's been a while since I wrote anything here, but I don't particularly have anything specific pressing on my mind to share.

Church life in Russia, especially here in one of the biggest cities, certainly seems to have it's extra busy months. Reflected by the seasons (New Year and the long summer) when things seemingly go quiet. That makes the key months all the more important. So these are really in two sections - mid/end of September until around the middle/maybe end of December, and then the end of January until the end of May. So we are in the middle of that second period, highlighted even more by spending most of the summer in the UK this year. We want to make these months count!

With city life always demanding (everything just takes so much time!!), it is hard not to go too crazy and burn out, but you also want to make these times count, when you have people with you, wanting to be fed.

We took the church away the other week for our first 'weekend' away - in reality it was Friday night and all day Saturday. There were 57 people who came away with a few last minute withdrawals. So that was very encouraging. We largely just had fun together. We plan to do another one in the middle of September to help us get back into things after the summer.

Sunday's are also seeing numbers swelling. Our hall, small but such a provision, is starting to feel very cramped! We were 66 last week - if everyone came the same week, I don't think we'd fit. But that is part of life here - no one ever can come every week. Work patterns, trips away, sickness and visiting friends and family usually keep a small handful away on any one Sunday. We are looking for a bigger venue, but feel we can make it through until October before switching as we have just 8 more Sunday's until the end of May....when things start to wind down.

That said - God did a lot with us last summer, adding in new people and bringing in a very surprising August offering for the month, when we thought no one was around!

Stuff within the region is also starting to get even more encouraging. Dave Henson has been key in bringing these people together, and it's exciting to be meeting together monthly now with leaders from about 10 churches who are looking to work with us, and wanting a deeper relationship with New Frontiers.

We've also been reminded, and are lifting our heads, to the future church plants that will come out of Hope Church - especially in the cities of Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga. At our last regional meeting there was a leader from a church just outside Helsinki, there for the first time. That alone was encouraging. What was also encouraging was the fact that he was a Russian from Tallinn.

I'm looking at ways of getting over to see him and meet his team - Dave & I both felt there was more to things and want to open up a relationship. Whether I get over before this summer now depends on our visa renewal issues.

Living in Russia as a foreigner does continue to have it's challenges. Just before the last time I wrote an entry here, a new law was passed that makes it harder to live here. The registration for all internationals now can only be done by the landlords of the flats they each live in. Many, if not most, landlords currently rent their flats out without declaring that they do so - this saves them the 13% tax. Registering people therefore puts them on the 'map' that they are renting out their properties. That is not the main issue with our flat however - our issue was the fact that our landlord does not live in Russia. She does seem to want to make it possible, as she doesn't want to lose us - so that is hopeful, even if we still don't know what she will do.

So both within the church, within the wider region (and nations around us) as well as personally in my own life (I've not even mentioned our ceiling, which again threatens to fall in!), there is a lot going on.

I must remember to enjoy these times. I recently read on Colin Baron's blog that he said you should enjoy these moments and not complain about them, because you are only at this stage once (in each church!), and soon reflect back on the 'early' day's once you have got a little bigger. And I do enjoy them! I do.

It's only when I let my head drop, and I think about how I am doing, how I am 'feeling' that those lies start to come in, and the thoughts about how tired I am and can't possibly keep up with this pace, start to come in.

I will not let them!

It's been a little over 30 months since we moved here. Today there is Hope Church, a church of around 60 people every Sunday. There is strong relationships with about a dozen 'local' churches. There are links and plans with Helsinki, Tallinn and Riga. There are people within Hope Church looking to plant out - one with a people group within St Petersburg. This will be starting soon. Another couple have a longer term desire to plant into Alaska.

It's been an amazing period of time. We are very excited by the next year....for us this starts with our trip to the UK (mainly looking to see new 'Investors' getting involved), and then there will be a big nations focus once we get back here in August. (I was planning my preach today for the churches I am speaking to this summer!)

And this is just the beginning, we keep reminding ourselves....

For I Know the Plans I have for You....

Jeremiah 29:11

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

I was reflecting on this verse today as I sat at my desk, working remotely from St Petersburg, my mind wondering for a moment (as it tends to do in these times). How true it is that generally in hindsight God gets the most credit, but in the here and now we can too easily think He is having zero input into our lives.

Take the word prosper. So often is it just defined as financial wealth, but its more than that. So much more. God would have us prosper in every way - to thrive, to succeed, to be successful people - in every way too.

Take my life, as an example. Looking back just ten years ago I was doing the year team, in Stockport, having moved up about six months before. So I was about half way through that year. I had met Rachel, we were together now, probably just about bought the rings, though we are a few weeks of our engagement in March and 6 months from our wedding.

The move itself had been a step of faith. God had said Russia and Salvation, and then seemed to show me that Manchester was the next step in this process. So I'd left my career in London, in the financial word. I'm now about the same age as the guys I worked for. Then, the world would have said "Why are you leaving? Don't you want to get rich?" I guess the world would have expected me to be earning now the kind of salaries they were earning then....six and usually high seven digit amounts. Millions.

And then I think of stock market crashes and global melt-downs, and I wonder....would there even have been much of a career? Are they even still in business?

And what of my life since? Ten years ago today I was unmarried, not yet engaged. I had no job. I lived with a family from the church in Stockport. My worldly possessions could fit in the boot of my car.

I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD

Then I had little idea of the wonders that God had in store - my beautiful wife who just is a rock for me. My two beautiful daughters who bring me so much joy. They have really completed our family. Moving to Russia, living in St Petersburg. Learning to speak Russian, raising our girls here. Being part of a great church. Working into many more nations.....

When God say's things like that recorded in Jeremiah, we really need to listen in the present, and not just reflect on the past. God say's to you today that He has great plans for you these coming years, and they are plans to make you thrive, to be successful and to bring you fulfillment. Isn't that exciting!

I'm amazed when I look back on these last ten years - I regret none of it, as hard as it was at times, because it has made me into someone I would never have been if I'd done it my own way. I'm a different person to back then - yes older, certainly wiser and a little more experienced, but I'm different because God has allowed me to thrive by leading me into seasons, however good or bad they are at the time, where I'd grow in those times and come out stronger on the other side.

And believe it or not, I'm still quite young - there's so much more to come. I look with excitement to these next ten years. Where ever you lead me Lord, I will go. I know your plans are to bless me. So into your plans I commit myself, what ever they look like.

Why don't you pray the same....and then, some time down the line, drop me a line to tell me how things worked out. That would be nice.

Blessings, and thanks for reading.

Treasure Hunting Update - 5th Feb 2011

So, I've just got back from Hope Churches latest hunting session.

It was a much smaller group this time - just the three of us - but God's works well in three, doesn't He!

Time was a little limited as well for one team member, so we hit the streets quickly. I had written down 'Brokenness', and also that 'we'd need compassion'. So I was looking for lots of broken people, be they emotional hurts or physical.

Janna & Johan then got speaking to a homeless man. I hung back, watching for others and praying. Speaking three onto one would be too overwhelming. This was all around the 'Metro', another of our clues.

I tried to speak to two people in the mean time - one guy reading a book in the midst of a wet snow storm. I said to him the book must be really good to be standing outside reading it. He seemed less amused. End of conversation. Another guy with a strong limp walked past, maybe it was a broken leg. He didn't want to talk either when I caught up with him.

A lady selling phone SIM's, with a stick, did allow us to pray, though not over her, just as we were walking around.

Back to the homeless man. They spoke with him for about 10 minutes, maybe more. I learnt after the hunt that he clearly was emotionally - broken. He cried as Janna shared God's love with him. Janna even then prayed a prayer of repentance with him, which he prayed also. So praise God! Johan said though that he seemed less impressed to find out we were from a pentecostal style church....but that's over to God now.

Another guy would have nothing to do with us....smoking and drinking as he was....stating he was Christian because he was Russian and Orthordox...

While hanging around that area some more, clearly one old Russian lady had been watching me.....not really talking to me, she was walking off saying I was an American agent - eg a spy. I've been asked if we were terrorists before as well.

In response this time, though she wasn't going to listen to an American spy, whatever he had to say, I just said I'm not American.....funny how my first reaction was to state I wasn't American as to state I wasn't either a spy!

Janna recognised a lady in a food stand that she'd spoken to on a previous hunt - she now had a copy of a tract in Kazac, so was able to give it to her.

So God alone knows who we were and weren't to speak too. We didn't find our Slava's, or Paul's, or Lena or Fred or Clark. Maybe they walked past us. Maybe we were just in the wrong place.

I long for the day's when we have dozens of people going out on these times, not because they have to but because they get the chance to! I long for the days of seeing proper miracles happening through these teams, and people giving their lives totally to Jesus on the streets. I long to see future church planters found, worship leaders and pastors, found on the streets in our hunts and having their lives radically transformed through the power and life that is ONLY found in Jesus.

So 3 or 33 people, this is why we go out. We need to start somewhere. Better to start today while we are still learning, than in a tomorrow that will never come.

We go out next in 4 weeks - 5th March. Lord, I pray for a great crowd to join us then and that you would prepare now those people that we'll meet and speak to, those miracles that we will pray for and those souls that you will save.

Amen!

Treasure Hunting Update

We kicked of this year of growth by taking teams out last Saturday Treasure Hunting once again. There had been a bit of a gap since last going out onto the streets, so on one level it did feel like some momentum was lost. Could we have the fun of the first or third time's we went out...

What was really exciting for me was to see a good crowd turn up - 11 in all, and six of these were here for the first time.

We went out in three teams - mixed languages and level's of 'experience' at this, though as I've learned, it's usually those doing it for the first time that have the best encounters!!

So there was an element for me personally, taking three first-timers with me, of training and explaining 'how it works' - a concept I'm still getting my head around myself! And once again, I've still never done a Treasure Hunt in English, nor properly met some Treasure who speaks English. But my Russian is improving as a result, I guess!

Walking to the session, I felt God give me the verses about the kings banquet, but the invited guests not turning up. I had Highway's & Byways in mind, so searched my Bible for those words...finding in fact that my NIV version uses Street Corners in stead. I shared how sometimes people find there own way to church, and some times, like this passage, we need to go out and find them. I said it might be that Corners are important today. I wrote it down on my list anyway, to be sure!

Just up from our office is a junction known as 5 Corners. So I think it figured in all the teams journeys.

Another interesting thing was that in all three teams, we learnt AFTER the event, we had the same clue - Orange Jacket.

Our Orange Jacket lady I first saw some way off and there wasn't the chance to talk. Getting back to 5 Corners I saw her a second time on the opposite corner walking away from us. I pointed this out to a couple with me, and said if (when!) we see her a third time, to go after her. I soon saw her coming our way again so sent this couple off. They spoke with her. She has 5 children. They invited her to church.

All in all I would say there were 15-20 conversations and invitations were given out in our 60 minute session. One team, as a clue, got the 'name' of one lady - this is something we were seeing happening increasing more last year - and we pray will happen again! It helps, so much!

I started chatting with a Russian man who was standing in an alley having a cigarette. I told him my name - Tim - and then he said his initials were the same - T.I.M - as my name. He knew a lot of history about England. I explained what we were doing and why I was in Russia and invited him along to church.

He didn't necessarily 'fit' any of our clues but God can work in any situation. We just need to give him space.

So it was a start - we didn't see anyone come to church last Sunday - lets pray that they come this week.

We next go out on the 5th February. Please pray with us for a growing momentum in words of knowledge and that God would use them to greatly open up situations for ministry into the Treasure's that surround us in St Petersburg.

Life of a Church Plant leader

Following on from my previous blog about investments, there is another type of investment that many people make all around the world - and these are Kingdom Investments. Usually this entails financial giving, though is by no means limited to that. But within this financial giving, we see further areas that money is invested - the local church, or organisations working with particular people both nationally & internationally, and also to workers overseas (to use the popular phrase - Missionaries).

Now I've been deliberate in using the word investment - and not charity or donations or anything else. Now investment demands a return. You want to see something come from the money you are putting in. If it's a gym membership, you hope your investment will return to you a fit, more in shape body, or a more relaxed mind. If it's some shares in a company, you want to see that the company is growing, that it's producing a profit. You want to see dividends coming back.

So too in Kingdom giving. I've started viewing our 'supporters' no longer as that, but as investors. In such a short time, there has already been a return on their investment. Things are happening on the ground, a church is started, people are getting saved, churches are looking for relationship. A base church is growing. At whatever point people decided to make their investment, I realised that through our communications they were surely already seeing a return. And this is not forgetting the 'treasure in heaven' the Bible so blatantly talks about as a return given to all Christians for any giving they do that's from the heart.

But how does actually giving to a church plant actually work? Where does the money go?

These things rarely get talked about and yet here I am bringing them up. I'm going to talk generally, so as to not 'blow' our own trumpet (if we even have one to blow!) But if its ever been a thought with you, and if you've ever given in the past to such people or are considering it in the future, it's important to think it through a little in detail - after all, when you hear, for example, that rents are really high, you don't want to think that your money is just going into the pockets of a landlord looking to get rich from their Western tenants.

So here goes.....Let's image there is a family moving to be part of a church plant in another country from your church. It's their sole purpose for going, they have no employment taking them there, so they are looking to investors to partner with them for the journey. To do something together, both getting blessed through the process.

Let's say that the church plant is outside of the EU and therefore a visa is required to stay within the country. And we'll also say that a foreign language is involved (which is surely going to be more and more relevant in the future with people coming from the UK or the US and moving to countries where English is not the first language - ie most of the rest of the world!!)

Yes, I know this is sounding a lot like St Petersburg, but bear with me....

Firstly, the family need a place to stay - and cities are expensive places to live. Renting will usually be the only option on two counts - firstly the cost of buying makes it very hard, and secondly it would be wrong on several levels to buy when brand new to the culture and city (but I won't go into detail here about this yet, but email me if you want to know more on this point).

So rent will usually be the highest monthly cost a church plant family would have. Even so, rent will only account for at most 20% of the total outlay of finance needed each month.

Then you have schooling costs for children. Initially the children will only get places in private (ie non state) schools and kindergartens. This is probably the second biggest regular monthly cost after rent. In time these might change (we have, for an example, managed to get Mia into the state system for these next two years. It's basically free, so we are glad of this as our income has dropped by about the same amount so we are no worse off!) In two years time we are likely to have the costs of two children in paid for education...!

Next, and if language and visa's are required, come these costs. They might be 10 or 15% of the monthly cost and you are seeing a bit of a return there, as language skills improve and/or the visa keeps them in the place you are investing into.

And then what? Well there are many more practical things. Food, clothes, medical supplies, electricity, gas, heating. Telephone & broadband. You have annual flights to consider, annual medical cover. The flights and medical covers would be about number 4 in the list of expenses.

Then you have transportation - either the running of a family car or use of the cities public transport. Some cities are much more expensive than others (mainly in the EU though, which I'm not referring to here). St Petersburg has at the moment a very reasonably price transport network, though it is also a very busy one at times!

Within the budget for a church plant family there will also need to be money put aside for a holiday as well as Christmas and birthday's.

It was one of the strangest things I had to do before coming here, which was work out our Expense Budget. Basically we had to cost up everything (including our tithing!) and then work it backwards to see how much money we needed to get us through the year! But it was important we did it like this because you can't just live in a city without the money needed to live there!

It's also a good idea to think about National Insurance contributions and pensions. By not working in the UK you are not earning your NI and this would effect your pension in the future. Many also already have private pensions in place which should be maintained. (We haven't included this yet....note to self! Do it soon!)

I know many people don't give thinking about what cost they are covering, they just believe in the people and want to see them blessed. But on the other hand, having looked at all the things above, there is a lot listed that are just the basics of life in a city - so where does the actual church building stuff go on, you may ask?

Well, of course, all the above is a huge part of church planting as without living in any given city, you aren't properly going to be able to plant a church.

But there is so much more that the church plant leaders do that is more obviously 'church' stuff. For example, church planters will of course tithe themselves - and taking generosity out, if we use the 10% amount, that means 10% of everything an investor gives to the family directly goes in tithes to the local church that has been planted. So that means you are helping hire a venue, provide drinks and food for the church, produce welcome packs etc etc...This is huge for the local church where maybe the small, new congregation couldn't in themselves fund the work.

A church plant family are also going to be hosting people all the time!! This will be 3 or even 4 times a week....sometimes for individuals, or couples, other times for groups and neighbours. Sometimes as whole church events. Most times this is just funded as part of the family opening up their homes. It takes a lot of hosting before people start thinking about bringing something along to help.

So all investors are also involved in this type of hospitality - hosting isn't cheap - to cook 3 or 4 bigger meals a week means much more food for the family but this is so important for building community, especially in big cities, which is where most new church plants are likely to focus. It's easy to feel lost in such a city - to find a family that opens their home to you and invites you to be a part of the church plant is huge and cannot be under-estimated. So investors too are involved at this point.

Because when it boils down to things, once in a place, it's hospitality that really builds people in - sharing your life with individuals, sharing vision, taking them along with you. With us, for example, and especially during specific seasons like New Year, we are having lots of people around - most days usually. And as things grow, visitors increase from other nations, some for the first time, others returning - all of which give opportunity for hospitality.

So I hope this helps you in thinking about Kingdom Investments - yes, giving to a church plant family has many practical issues, but looking past that there is so much more hands on stuff that you maybe didn't realise your money was reaching as well!

So look also for a return on your Kingdom Investments - of course in the 'age to come' but also now....are people getting saved, is the church established and growing, are disciples getting made and how are the poor and rejected being impacted. No one wants to just throw money away, but lets not be shy in investing where the Kingdom return is evident!

So go for it! Look at who God has put around you - bless them and see the return on your investment. And if you haven't anyone around you but want to invest in this way in the Kingdom, you only have to ask....:-)

Thanks for reading and following this blog. Until next time!

Talking Investments - Paper Loses

I think differently to most people, I know that, though rarely do I see it. One such time came talking with a friend & our teacher about 'paper loses'. You know the scene - the stock market crashes, and the doom bearers on TV and the newspapers state how many millions people have lost in one day. Fear rises. For the very wealthy, the loss of £500million may not effect them. But for the average person on the street, the thought of their £15,000 pension now worth £500 is a little more alarming....

And yet, it's obvious to me but maybe not all, no one has in fact at that moment lost anything!

Let me explain. Stocks & Shares go up and down (&up&down&up - crash and boom, crash and boom....) Yesterday you had 1000 shares worth £15 each - wow, that's £15,000 worth! Today they are only worth 50p each - oh no!...you've lost £14,500.....BUT, NO YOU HAVEN'T! It's what's called a paper debt. Only if you sold your 1000 shares TODAY would you receive the £500 they are worth...

So you keep the 1000 shares...and in time, things improve, and soon they are worth £15 again.

So when you hear them say how many millions of pounds have been lost in a stock market fall, don't panic (unless you are planning on selling your shares that same day!) - because like all things, some time later, they are likely to go up again, and back down and up many times. (It is of course another matter when a company goes bust - which is very sad for all effected, but I'm just referring to paper debts here).

So investments are confusing at times - everyone wants to know that the money they are putting into something is working for them. Usually this means financial gains, but many times it means much more....and that brings me to my next entry, which you can see here...