This past week I have been talking to everyone who cares to listen, about being on the move.  As a Church we are physically moving our Sunday services (on a 6-week trial basis) down to the  TSB Hub.  This is a significant step, however it’s only a small glimpse into the moving and shaking that God is doing right now among us.

There really are a lot of things moving at this time.  Over the past few weeks I have seen movement: in attitudes; in willingness to participate; in accepting Christian living; in opportunities; in friendships and relationships.

The truth is that God is moving in this place and the challenge for us is how we respond to it.  Are we going to go with what God is doing? Or are we going to stick our feet in the mud and hinder the Kingdom work that He is busy with in, around and through us?

We need to be prayerful!  Friends—we need to pray!

This weeks prayer and self denial focus is on prayer, and it’s significance for us and the world.  As we pray, we partner with God as He moves.  As we pray, we come alongside others who need to see God move in their lives.  As we pray, we see the resources of heaven poured out into the hearts and lives of the people God is at work in.  As we pray God deals with us too.

Movement is a funny thing...sometimes it gets you to a destination, other times it just feels like it causes nausiation!  But the kind of move of God that we desire to see, “5% Kingdom impact by 2020”, is a wonderful target for our progress as a community of faith.  Yes, there will be gut wrenching times, but God is here and he is on the move. 

Will we join Him? 

Although I’m certainly not the most traditional person out there, I would have to say that I am actually reasonably conservative!

Take my “looks” for example: 
· Nothing shouts “conservative” like consistently wearing black trousers and polo shirts (wooly jersey for winter).
· Check out my glasses—SOOO predictable!
· As for my haircut—it’s the same one I’ve had my whole life!

And it’s not just looks:
· I have a reasonably conservative evangelical theology (although I prefer to call it orthodox because it sounds cooler!)
· With regard to marriage, I believe it is between one man and one woman, and that it is a life-long commitment—that’s seen as quite conservative these days.
· 1 wife, 3 kids, 1 mortgage, 1 Nissan (how terribly unimaginative!)

However, when I probe a little deeper I find this external conservatism actually disguises my true nature—I’m a Christian radical.

Now you have to be careful using a label like “radical”, however it’s actually quite a good description of the Gospel and the life that Jesus calls us to live.  Far from being predictable and conservative, at the core we are called to be radically transformed and to live lives that put it all on the line for the Kingdom of God.

The Christian life is actually very challenging! Frankly, it’s risky!
Here’s an anonymous quote that resonates deeply with the radical in me:

Let’s take some risks and find the freedom God has for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!