I have had people ask me - what’s Twitter? (You may’ve seen it on my facebook profile status). So what is twitter?

Twitter is sort of like blogging, but on a micro scale. 140 characters is all you get in each post.

So how does it work?

I post something short and sweet either via the web or sms.

Then, friends of mine (fellow twitterers) who subscribe to my Twitter page receive an instant update on their Twitter page.

And here’s where it starts getting fun….

When you read a Tweet (Twitter post) you like, you can reply to it and comment back, which makes it a bit like community instant messaging.

Twittering can be a bit addictive BUT it’s GREAT if you’re a bit ADD and it’s a pretty amazing way to communicate quickly with a whole lot of people.

To give twitter a go or to subscribe to my Tweets, go to my Twitter page: www.twitter.com/hismethod and click on “Join Today.” Basic!

Twitter Explained – watch this brilliant video for a visual description.

Twhirl is a great desktop app which keeps you updated on what your twitter friends are up to with out you needing to refresh the twitter.com page. You can also post, reply and direct message from this app. Really handy.

So what are waiting for - get twittering!

Any one can start a church service. A space, some music, a voice.

But leading people into a place of growth and daily encounter with our Father God takes skill.

More than that, it takes a heart that is prepared to do it first for themselves, and then is able take others along with them.

Pushing your way through virgin bush and marking out a new path takes courage, conviction and a strength that is not natural. It might be hard, but the joys it rewards you with are always well worth it.

The apostle Paul said of some in the 1st century church (2 Cor 9:2, NKJV):

“…your zeal has stirred up the majority”

This reveals to me the simple truth that people hungry for God - even though they may be small in number - can have a profound effect on the crowd around them. The minority impacts the majority. How does this happen? Zeal or enthusiasm which is literally derived from two words “in-God”.

Enthusiasm is not merely an emotion or a disposition. To be a true enthusiast is to live our lives “in-God”. To be “in-God” is to live with our thoughts, intentions, motives all brought into line with the rule of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

This produces a hunger for God, a longing for His presence in our lives and a dissatisfaction with any other alternative. Our appetites change from the everyday to the eternal. And in the midst of this passionate pursuit something happens; this enthusiasm within us begins to spill out and spread like a virus infecting those around us!

Deuteronomy 1:8 says

“See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land that the LORD swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.”

I hope in your heart and life there are things you are believing for, trusting God for and praying for to see come to pass. As Christians there should always be promises in our hearts from God that we are holding onto to provide us with hope and a vision for the future God has for us.

What I love in this passage is the picture of how these promises of God come about;

“See I have given you this land, go in and possess it”.

In one sense it seems paradoxical – has it been given to us? Or do we need to go and get it for ourselves? The answer is YES.

God works hand in hand with us. It is easy for us to err one of two ways – to consider that it’s all me and I will make it happen without regard to the leading and plans of our Father. Or, I consider I will sit back and wait for God to do it all whilst I practice wearing in the seat of my couch. Both ways are full of pride, and cannot carry God’s favour.

Like the left and right legs pushing a bicycle pedal, as God pushes down on his side, so too we need to respond to Him in faithful obedience for the bike to move forward. One legged cycling is difficult at best and the never the way God intends us to move forward.

Instead we need to take a hold of the promises God has for us – in life, in ministry, in business, in relationships – and knowing He has given them to us out of His goodness and grace we then need to respond in faith, obeying His word to us and possess the land God has for us.

In Exodus 17:4, Moses cries out to God:

“What am I to do with these people?”

Any leader in Christian ministry can relate to these words. Leading can be hard particularly when you feel your vision and direction is being met with less than full enthusiasm. Am I the only one hearing from God? Have I got it wrong? Am I expecting too much? Is the church totally apostate?!

In some ways it’s comforting to know Moses - yes, Moses - had the same leadership woes as you and I. What’s more comforting, is to hear how God answered his prayer (Exodus 17:5-6):

The LORD answered Moses, “Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

“Go Ahead of the People” - Look on from where your people are. Stand in their shoes and survey where you need to go. Mark a path on ahead for them to follow. It is true that you can’t lead others where you haven’t gone.
“Take with you some of the elders” - Never go alone. Gather a team and take capable leaders on the journey with you.
“Take in your hand the staff” - What is in your hand? Don’t focus on what you don’t have, but what you do have. God’s given it and God will bless and will use it.
“I will stand there before you” - God is with you! Remember this is not for you, or about you - it is for God and is about God. And so it’s only going to happen because of God.
“Strike the Rock” - Go to Jesus the rock. Go to Jesus, hungry, humble and in prayer. Go to Jesus and from Jesus you will find the living water you need.

Lead well.

A week or so ago I came across this short list of some of the challenges facing the Church in 2008 and beyond. A lot of what is contained here really resonated strongly with me for the season we’re now in. In fact, reading much of it quickens my heart-rate and totally excites me for the future.

Sixty one key Charismatic/Pentecostal leaders in the American Church gathered recently to seek the face of God for 2008. They began their gathering by kneeling together to repent of the pride that has tainted the American church. At the end of their time together they made the following statement outlining the challenges they believe God had spoken to them about during their time in His presence.

1. We must open themselves to the experience of personal revival. We must rediscover the power of fasting. We must study the Word in order to hear from God more powerfully. We must get back to a simplicity of devotion to Jesus.

2. We must embrace humility by being genuine, touchable and accessible. God is raising up a new breed of leader today who will display “anointing without arrogance, boldness without brashness, and power without pride.”

3. We are experiencing gracious judgment. Gracious judgment, is where God corrects us but leads us to repentance and obedience. We must be men and women of character in a world of compromise.

4. We must balance the prosperity message. God is calling us to a higher standard of ethics, integrity and corporate governance. We must teach our people “to give extravagantly, not expecting anything in return” instead of suggesting that people should “give to get.”

5. It’s time to get back to evangelism. Our priorities must return to soul-winning and discipleship. While stressing the absolute importance of the presence and power of God in our churches, we must guard against an inordinate emphasis on manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We must get back to the core doctrines of the Bible, and test all things.

6. We must root out racism in the church. Unless we develop a true “kingdom DNA” in our churches-by welcoming and celebrating all ethnic groups-we will not successfully impact our culture or enact biblical justice on issues such as immigration policy.

7. Holiness is not an option. We must learn to restore those who fall but we also must focus on how to prevent moral failure - which will require a new emphasis on holy living.

8. God is calling us to transform society. Western culture is becoming increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. We must not run from our calling to transform culture but engage in a kingdom mission to effect change. We believe that Christians for too long have viewed politics, education and the financial realm as evil when we must see those arenas as mountains to claim for Christ.

[via: APN Newsletter]

What about you? Does anything in that list confirm in you something God’s been saying to you? Does anything stir your heart?

Matthew 28:18 & 19a says

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…”

The basis for fulfilling great commission is the authority of Jesus. Jesus says in Him is ALL authority, in heaven and on earth and that doesn’t leave any where else for any other authority to be. There is no other authority out there - Jesus has ALL authority, which means He’s it!

This is great news for you and me. Maybe a bad relationship with teachers or a boss or even a parent has given you have a suspicious view of authority figures. The truth is you needn’t be. Because all authority is Christ’s.

But more than that Jesus has given us HIS authority to GO and represent him in the earth with the gospel of the kingdom. It is authority with a purpose. It’s also like a traffic cop seeking to direct traffic - his authority is of no use to him unless he steps out onto the road.

In the same way, we will only begin to live in the full authority of God - in the power of God to overcome sickness, opposition, temptation etc - when we step out and realise our CALL is to go and step out for God in faith. Church, let’s embrace the TRUTH and live in the authority of Jesus. Our world is waiting…

Do you ever feel like something’s missing?

Following that sense of “hang on, there is something not 100% right here” is a massive part of leading God’s people.

To me, that is what makes ministry leadership primarily spiritual in nature. It is not just training or skills or abilities or personality that we do this thing. It’s got to be something more. We’re talking supernatural, revelatory stuff. Seeing ahead of the seasons and making the necessary adjustments to keep pace with the Spirit of God.

If I’m honest, I want spend much more of my life there. In the spirit-led zone. Because, when everything is said and done, I’m sick of my own carnality and God’s name deserves much more than just our limitations.

We’re starting something new here.

Nothing novel about a personal weblog, I know. So it’s what my typing fingers make of it that will count.

The aim is not to change the blogging world; but we are going to go for quality over quantity. It’s all about sifting the heart and sharpening mind.

At least that’s the plan. Thanks for joining me.