Category : Christ & Culture

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, Leadership, Revival

Has my destiny been derailed?

Destiny has become another one of those christianese buzz words that lacks Biblical definition and consequently is a vague, mystical subject that we usher to the dark zone so as not to answer it. Yet destiny understood becomes a powerful ally. Destiny motivates us to move forward; it endues our lives with hope that God has a future for us that is better than the drudgery of crunching through the menial and mundane.

The Bible teaches us that God has a plan, purpose and pursuit for every one of us. It is written within the DNA of our hearts. As believers it is from this place that the indwelling Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfil our destiny by inviting us on a highly personalised mission with Him.

Even though we don’t understand the concept of destiny we all refuse to accept that our life has no meaning or purpose or value.

The question is, “Has my destiny been derailed because I made a mistake or some-one wronged me?” Continue Reading

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, The River Church, Tools

You’re Going To Do It Anyway

You’re going to do it anyway so why not do it with enthusiasm, with excellence, with WOW! Create as many wins out of the experience as possible. Maximise the moment. Create an experience that makes as many wins as possible. You’re going to do it anyway.

Whether it’s personal, in the workplace, in your relationships or church you’re going to do it anyway.

I visited a C3 church recently in Amsterdam because they presented a Dutch/English service. And promised coffee on arrival. I sent an email on ahead to the pastors to say hi and that we were coming.

No reply. Yet recently writing an email to Apple CEO Tim Cook took 6 hours for him to reply to me.  Continue Reading

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, Leadership, The River Church

Why Empty Churches?

There’s still an old mindset that’s very prevalent today that says Christians should know that they need to belong to a church and go to church. This old mindset of obligation that smacks of control and manipulation is out of touch with our post-modern world that has rejected that religious spirit.

The question is why Christians go to one church and yet their shadow will never darken the threshold of another goes to one differentiator they all have in common: their quality of customer service. Continue Reading

in Christ & Culture

Four Prophecies Given to The River

On Sunday I spoke about the ancient Church of Philadelphia, the only church Jesus Christ had no rebuke for, and a city whose foundation was based on the concept of brotherly love.

I also spoke about the capacity for each one of us to grab hold of the prophetic words spoken over The River, taking them in and working them out as God leads us-individually and as a church family-to perform His word in Devon.

Read the City on a Hill Prophecy here.

Read the No Limits Prophecy here.

Read the New Season Prophecy here.

Read the Favour and Fruitfulness Prophecy here.

You can watch the message and the series ‘The Essentials and the Incidentals‘ in its entirety, online here for free.

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, Leadership

Care In Action: Do You Really?

Love. Care. Value. You matter.

The mantra goes no-one cares how much we know until they know how much we care. God cares. God the Son decided to come to earth in human form to pay the price for you. Me. The world. We’re supposed to care like Jesus did which means caring beyond the level that we’d really want to. Care beyond other’s expectations and more than anyone else.

It’s difficult to ‘like’ leaders who demand high levels of performance bordering on the impossible of sinless perfection, yet the service they provide is packed full of care. Ministry leaders care about the message they preach, the environment it is delivered in and how the entire presentation will be received. Their care is not the average mediocre pastor’s ‘care that says they care deeply yet never deliver. Beyond the smiling face and pleasantries the really caring ministry leader delivers no matter what the challenges set before them. Continue Reading

in Christ & Culture, Leadership, Tools

Understanding This Decades Teenager

Although American research I believe that the digital world teenagers live in today do not differ that much. Communicating with teenagers has it’s challenges, and if you’re not dialed in to the digital universe, talking to your plants will get more response.

OnlineSchools.com has combined research from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Pew Research Center and Common Sense Media, to name a few, to provide a snapshot of the digital habits of Millenials and how it may be impacting their lives for better or worse.

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, Revival, The River Church

As A Missionary

Marion and I, together with our two children arrived at Heathrow on 5 August 1994 as missionaries – sent ones – to Britain. The Words of Jesus initially spoken to the early disciples are branded in the very footprints and DNA of our lives:

“As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” John 20:21

Jesus is of course the greatest Sent One and our finest example to model as a missionary sent with a purpose. His sending us has imprinted motivations within us that go to the core of everything we are and do here.

  1. Jesus sends you into a particular setting, place and culture, in all likelihood unlike what you are familiar with as your own. Jesus left Heaven and came to earth – we left South Africa and came to the UK, and Exeter in particular. As Jesus participated fully in the context He was sent to [except the immorality] so we have immersed ourselves into the cultural context so as to bring Christ into the culture. Continue Reading
in Christ & Culture, Events, The River Church
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Easter Sunday: Rolling Stones and Dedicating Babies

Easter should never be a dull service so this year we had a blast and welcomed our community into our building as we held a specially crafted Easter Service, aptly called “Rolling Stones.” Also, how about rolling two baby dedications into it too? So how about making Rolling Stones a family service? So that’s what we did!

And what a fabulous time we had. The Explorers discovered the nations at International Nite but this Easter they went on a far more exciting and profound adventure: discovering the empty tomb.

Continue Reading

in Christ & Culture, The River Church
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International Nite: O What a Nite!

International Nite 2012 again was a wonderful evening where we celebrated the diversity of Exeter. Each performance was astounding, every worker who put their talent and time into the event did it with great joy, and most of all we would like to say a big THANK YOU for responding to the call and inviting so many friends and family!

Cecile (who came both nights!) said, ‘Thank you ever so much River Church for organizing and hosting two superb International nights in the heart of Exeter! A fund-raising event at its best.‘

Gilda, who was involved in the Indonesian dance, said ‘Thank you for giving us an opportunity to share our culture with River Family – hope next year’s will be even greater!‘

Jean who comes from France said he enjoyed himself so much he is even coming back for our Easter service on April 8 – and bringing the same friends with him! We were delighted to see some people had invited more than 5 friends to share the experience!

There is plenty of video from the event that you can link to below, but perhaps the performance that sums up the event best is this one:

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZULvIki3bo

It was wonderful to start the night altogether by joining Sir Geoffrey and Baldrick on their quest to Finding the Nations. We saw the Japanese kagemusha taiko-style drummers, beautiful traditional Indonesian dancing, heard Welsh folksongs and The River Church worship team’s spin on a Michael Jackson classic, to name just a few.

You can watch the whole show on our websites, or on our Youtube channel.

All donations go to a chosen charity that is very dear to our Pastors, Michael and Marion, and The River Family – Kondanani Children’s Village in Malawi, which is a home to the orphaned young. We are honoured to be a small part of it!

Here are some shots capturing our celebration together, you can check out the whole album too. Add us as a friend on Facebook, and you can also tag the photos you and your friends are in!

Were you at International Nite this year? Share with us your thoughts and experiences and stories of new friends you made!

More Photos

Indonesian Act

The River Church Worship Team

Pastor Scott presenting the girls at Kondanani Children's Village in Malawi

Storytime with the little kiddies

Homecooked food from every corner of the world!

More Videos

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KKzASmG1ds

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJGrIYRn5IE&

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfMrejBc6oE

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhueqMDtCFA

in 5Fold Ministry, Christ & Culture, Good Life, Revival

Prosperity 07: Blessing V Reward

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Rev 5:12

The offence or awkwardness of ‘prosperity’ to some people I believe is based on some stinking thinking about the difference between blessing and rewards. Some people believe that because they are faithful believers that they deserve or are entitled to be rewarded for that here on earth. Yet it’s not really reward they are looking for, rather it’s blessing. Our reward is in Heaven. As believers we are empowered to prosper and through: the exercise of your faith; operating in line with God’s principles; employing, utilising and sharpening your abilities, gifts and talents and building great people skills we will be blessed. This blessing may be any number of things so that our life here on earth will be more effective, more productive, less stressful and more comfortable. Continue Reading