One of the wonderful things about my job, is the fact that I get each Friday off. I usually spend them in and around Wandsworth, doing a bit of admin for the Boiler Room, or filling in where I’m needed. The pattern has been more random since the Boiler Room building was knocked down in August, but today has been the most productive and inspiring Friday in a while.
We spent a lot of the day planning for the weeks and months ahead. In three weeks we will be celebrating three years since we launched as a Boiler Room. I can’t quite believe it has been that long. So much has happened since those heady days. I feel older, wiser, more tired but in the same breath more alive and excited and expectant. Back then we were all caught up in the buzz of starting something new, these days we realise we have ridden out some tough roads in the past three years, but, in it all, God has done, and is still doing, some awesome things. We scribbled out how we’re going to celebrate the 3rd birthday, how to cast the boiler room vision again for new people, and how to recommit ourselves for the next 3 years!
After that we spent some time thrashing out ideas for next weekend. On Saturday 10th Nov at Notting Hill Salvation Army, we’re going to be holding the first of 6 sessions in a ‘divisional prayer school’. The day is open to all and will cover lots of different aspects of prayer. Next week we’ll be looking at our identity in Christ, how that makes a difference and how God can heal us in this area. I’m going to be speaking, because it’s a bit of a pet subject of mine, and we put some ‘meat on the bones’ – planning responses and activities etc. It’s really exciting to be mixing my work/prayer stuff with Wandsworth and London stuff. I can’t wait to see who comes and how it all works out.
After that we did some general planning for next year, and bought lots of Fairtrade goodies, as we are going to become a ‘Fairtrade Church’ on Nov 25th, the same day as we celebrate our birthday. The most exciting purchase was 24 fairtrade advent calendars… hurrah!
After a flying birthday visit to one of our friends (a very enjoyable flying visit), we headed to one of the ladies in church’s house for the inaugaral ‘leadership cell’. We watched a dvd from Willow Creek, and then discussed how it impacted the way we do church at Wandsworth.
The key message of the dvd was about owning vision. Bill Hybels said that there is a direct correlation between the level to which a vision is owned and that to which it is implented by the main congregation etc. He talked about the story in John 10, where Jesus talks of the difference between owners of the sheep and hired helps. Hirelings will run away when the going gets tough and things are dangerous, whereas owners have a responsibility and commitment to their sheep, and will even lay down their lives for the sheep. He encouraged us to look at the areas in which God has given us vision, and consider whether we are hirelings or owners in those areas. Very challenging stuff, and useful as we go forward and walk into our fourth year as a Boiler Room.
