Slaves of all - Jesus Army

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content n ts INTO UNCHARTED TERRAIN Deb Stockley’s journey into celibacy 25-26 JESUS CENTRES London Jesus Centre opening THE JESUS FEL LOW SHIP CHURCH, which is also known as the Jesus Army and in cludes the New Cre a tion Chris tian Commu ni ty, up holds the his tor ic Chris tian faith, be ing re formed, evan gel i cal and char is mat ic. It practises believer’s bap tism and the New Tes ta ment reality of Christ’s Church; be liev ing in Al mighty God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit; in the full divinity, aton ing death and bodily res ur rec tion of the Lord Jesus Christ; in the Bible as God’s word, fully in spired by the Holy Spirit. This Church desires to wit ness to the Lord ship of Je sus Christ over and in His Church; and, by holy char ac ter, righteous society and evan gel i cal tes ti mo ny to de clare that Je sus Christ, Son of God, the only Saviour, is the way, the truth and the life, and through Him alone can we find and enter the king dom of God. This church proclaims free grace, jus ti fi ca tion by faith in Christ and the sealing and sanc ti fy ing baptism in the Holy Spir it. © 2007 Jesus Fellowship Church, Nether Heyford, Northampton NN7 3LB, UK. Editor James Stacey. Reproduction in any form requires written permission. The Jesus Fellowship does not necessarily agree with all the views expressed in articles and interviews printed in this magazine. Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, a member of the Hodder headline Plc Group. All rights reserved. Photographs in this magazine are copyright Jesus Fellowship Church unless otherwise noted. The Jesus Fellowship is part of Multiply Christian Network. Both the Jesus Fellowship and Multiply Christian Network are members of the Evangelical Alliance UK. Jesus Fellowship Life Trust Registered Charity number 1107952. con ten t s 5-7 THE PROPHETIC WORD Apostolic Church PASSION FROM THE PAST Aidan and Alopen: Apostles RANT AND RAVE - mJa members speak out! 3-4 Church Alive 8 Electronic Postbag 14-16 Jesus In The Capital 17-21 Multiply Christian Network 22-23 Spiritual Search - Carmino 27-28 Inside Story 29 Radical Bites 30-31 Rant & Rave Jesus Life One/2007 Page 2 www.jesus.org.uk
Comments from Noel Stanton and members of the Apostolic Team, Jesus Fellowship UK/mJa ALIVE ALIVE church ALIVE Slaves of all Noel Stanton THE NEW TESTAMENT warns of the danger of having spiritual gifts without love. Charismatic Christians can be guilty of this. The gifts are there, but where is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Among the virtues produced through the fullness of the Spirit is meekness or humility. Jesus says “I am meek and lowly in heart.” He came to “serve” and to “give His life”. He made it clear that only the meek will “inherit the earth”. Humility, Jesus said, must be the character of His followers. The humble would be lifted, the proud would be humiliated. The first would be the last, and the last first. The poor would rise, the rich would fade. www.jesus.org.uk The strength of meekness His was a radical revolutionary word which overturns the norms of society. And He showed this by the poverty and humility of His own life and lifestyle. So meekness is not weakness. Meekness is spiritual character, spiritual strength. The meek have nothing to prove. They are relaxed and confident, able to take their place and play their part in the service of Jesus. They can be very gifted but have learned that to be effective they must be meek, servant-hearted. The meek are never over-sensitive or defensive. They are always of a teachable spirit. They never grumble, never complain. They live “crucified with Christ”, with Christ living through them. YES, SLAVES and servants of all! And that means servants of those who are with us in the church and servants of those around us in society, who need the good news that Jesus saves. The New Testament tells us to be servant-hearted, slaves of all. Jesus said it! Paul said it! And Jesus demonstrated servanthood in His compassion for people and in the way He washed the feet of His disciples. Our cover picture shows the washing of feet at a recent mJa event. For us it symbolises our desire to serve, and to show love. Jesus said we must imitate Him by loving one another as He loves: His new commandment. This love must be shown in our servanthearted willingness to share our lives with one another. And as Jesus said, They show the new spirit and new heart which became theirs through new birth. Long ago George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, put it like this: “I knew Jesus, and He was very precious to my soul: but I found something in me that would not keep sweet and patient and kind. I did what I could to keep it down but it was there. I besought Jesus those who are first (as leaders) in His church can only be genuine leaders if they are the best slaves or servants. You don’t have to be upper class, wealthy, top in your profession, or to have a good education, to be “great” in serving Jesus in the church. Those with little to show in human achievement can become alive in the Holy Spirit, with a servant-heartedness and love for people which gives them authority for leadership. The call of Jesus is always to selfdenial, to take up our cross with Him. We are to die to the “old self” with all its pride, deceit, envy and jealousy. And this “old self” death, followed by our “rising with Him” is made real in our baptism in water (burial) and our baptism in the Spirit (rising). And at the same time the Holy Spirit baptises us into Christ’s body, His Church. And so churches become energised with God’s love in a powerful, committed brotherhood displaying real, sharing servanthood. “Slaves of all” means friendship evangelism among people of all ages and all kinds we meet in streets, homes, pubs and clubs. The Jesuslike serving heart empathises with the needs of people and shows them how their guilt can be removed, their hurts healed and their loneliness replaced by real love and friendship. Yes, let’s be like Jesus, full of compassion toward people, letting them know that Christianity is not dogma but living, servanthearted love. to do something for me, and when I gave Him my will, He came to my heart and took out all that would not be sweet, all that would not be kind, all that would not be patient, and then He shut the door.” Noel Stanton heads up the Jesus Fellowship’s apostolic team. He lives in a New Creation Christian Community house in Northamptonshire. more overleaf Jesus Life Three/2007 Page 3
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