This last week I’ve been away with some of my fellow leaders in the church in Harrogate at the New Wine Leaders Conference. Bill Johnson was the main speaker at the event. It was a good time away and we were all blessed by the ministry that we received whilst there. Here are a few things that God personally really blessed me with.

Bill Johnson spoke on different aspects of the Kingdom of God in his four sessions but his main emphasis was on healing & miracles, and signs & wonders. He spoke about how miracles release the glory and manifestation of Christ into a city. Miracles change the whole atmosphere of a city as God moves in this way. Bill spoke from the life of Jesus about how He always brought heaven to earth because that was the world He was most aware of in His life and ministry.

He challenged the 2,000 leaders at the conference to remember that the Holy Spirit in us is not a pond or a lake but a river. He wants to move through us not just fill us. God the Holy Spirit wants to flow from within us with streams of living water that touch the lives of those around us with the presence and life of Jesus Christ.

Bill spoke on many more exciting truths from the life of Jesus. He also led some significant times of ministry with his team where 100’s of people were healed by Jesus Christ.

Bill Johnson has written some excellent books in recent years. So far I’ve read ‘When Heaven Invades Earth’ and ‘The Supernatural Power of a Transformed Mind’. These are excellent books to read to build your faith and increase your expectation for how God wants to heal the sick, release the oppresed and save the lost through you and through me. These books are available from the church bookstall on Sundays at King’s House.

I am passionate about pursuing this Kingdom Vision in all that I do.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.”
(Galatians 6:7,8 ESV)

As those who passionately love the Lord Jesus we must each take responsibility for what we choose to read, watch and look at. It’s not that we’re frightened of the world. We live in this world with confidence as we boldly proclaim and demonstrate the truth of the Kingdom of God. But we are aware that whatever we sow into our lives will produce a harvest at some point. If we choose to take pleasure in that which is unwholesome or impure, we should not be surprised if we often find ourselves struggling with unrighteous thoughts and temptations. If we fill our hearts and minds with ideas that undermine the truth of who God is and what He will do in our world, we should not be surprised if we struggle to believe God for the miraculous.

You’ve probably seen the adverts for the forthcoming film, “The Golden Compass” due for release on 7th December. If you’ve got children they’ll almost certainly be aware of it as all their friends are likely to be talking about it. On the surface it seems a harmless family film. In fact, you might even watch it and think there’s nothing much wrong with it. But beneath the surface, it seems there is a hidden agenda.

“The Golden Compass” is based on the first book in a trilogy known as “His Dark Materials” written by Philip Pullman. Pullman is avowedly anti-Christian. He’s not just a non-believer but someone who intends to, in his own words, “kill God in the minds of children.” The first book in the series (called “Northern Lights” in the UK and “The Golden Compass” in the US) is reportedly the mildest of the three and the film is understood to have been slightly adapted to avoid offending the more conservative American audience. But the film will introduce children to the trilogy, encouraging them to buy the books and watch the other two films if they’re made.

We don’t have space to go into all the details of the stories here and admittedly I have not read them. (You can read a much more in-depth article by visiting http://www.licc.org.uk/articles/pullmans-purpose on the internet). Philip Pullman has said, “All stories teach, whether the storyteller intends them to or not. They teach the world we create. They teach the morality we live by.” In a 2003 interview with the Sydney Morning Herald he said, “My books are about killing God.” We’ve got every confidence in the overcoming power of the gospel we represent but we feel that every member of the church, and indeed the general population, should be aware of this agenda when deciding whether to watch the film or read the books. Judith and I have had an open and honest conversation with our children to explain why, despite all the hype, we’ve decided not to watch the latest blockbuster movie.

I had the great opportunity on Sunday 28th October to go on the Mike Shaft show on BBC Radio Manchester. I was asked to go on and talk about our ‘Superhero Party’ that we are holding on the 31st of October as an evangelistic alternative for 5-11 year olds instead of Halloween.

I was pushed in the interview about where I stood on Halloween. I was asked whether it was evil or whether it was just ‘harmless fun’. I was able to answer this, but I really wanted to get across on the Radio that we’re not doing this party to tell Manchester how bad Halloween is, we’re doing it to tell them how amazing and good Jesus is. Yes, we don’t agree with Halloween and all that associated with it. It is bad. But the life changing message of Jesus is so, so good. That’s what we want to focus on and give all our energies towards. Making Jesus Famous in all that we do is our focus, it’s our passion and it’s our vision for Greater Manchester and beyond. I believe that this life changing gospel message will change the face of Manchester and beyond!

To listen to the full interview, then click here – (forward the Mike Shaft show onto about 1 hour 25 minutes and you can listen to the interview with me!)

For more information on the Superhero Party this Wednesday Night at King’s House for 5-11 year olds then contact Rachel and Judah Cole on 0161 273 2168.