Deeper

Deeper: Renovation March 2010 “Approval”

grayza — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 10:48:13 +0000

This was the last in the Renovation series covering some deep and difficult subjects. Here we summarized what had gone before and spoke about the how we seek and gain approval from others and from God.

An mp3 of the talk is available

And photos here….

Deeper: Renovation Feb 2010 “Rhythm”

grayza — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:53:15 +0000

Opening with a video taking people from the business of everyday life through scripture to rest and calm. Then JJ led people through a meditation on a bible passage (Luke 8:40-53).

After some worship, some pre-recorded testimonies were shown of people sharing stories of how God had spoken to them or led them in certain situations.

“God doesn’t reveal his will to us for our consideration but for our participation.” Andy Stanley

listen to the talk here

Deeper: Renovation Jan 2010 “Projection”

grayza — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:36:09 +0000

Continuing Renovation theme this covered some very tricky ground. Many of us don’t feel that God loves us.

Our life experience is not that we’re loved with an everlasting love. We don’t feel lavished upon. We don’t feel like the apple of anyone’s eye – let alone God’s.

But the scriptures say: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But often we don’t believe this. Listen to it all here.

Deeper: Renovation Nov 2009 “Ungodly Beliefs”

grayza — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:14:14 +0000

The premise for tonight’s theme of Ungodly Beliefs was that “Things appear to be true based on the facts of our experience but are false based on the word of God”, for example

there is something wrong with me
god doesn’t love me
knowing likes me
I’m a failure
I can’t trust anyone

Listen to the full podcast for why these are false beliefs and how to tackle these things!

The format of the meeting was to give people plenty of time to think about these things, write some thoughts and feelings and then try to address these through prayer, meditative worship and receiving prayer ministry from others.

download this month’s handout

Orphaned…and restored

jennyjack — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:09:21 +0000

As you reflect on this months deeper service, what do you notice rising up in your own heart? Spend some time with the following questions…ask them as a prayer to God and see if anything stands out to you. Spend some time resting in the grace of God, which is greater than all of our running, all of our sin, all of our confession.

Where do you find control in your own life? In what ways have you thought, “I would rather be an orphan?”

How have you found yourself at the end of your rope? In what ways are you afraid to go back to your Father?

What do you know about the character of God that might give you courage to turn back to him?

When in your life have you experienced the Father running to you? What does this say about who you are in him?

Following on…

jennyjack — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:39:00 +0000

You were given some questions to take away and think about from the last Deeper. Here are a few more to continue your thought process.

1. Read Ezekiel 36
2. What is God saying to the Israelites in this passage? What is the main point of his message?
3. What might God say to the Church (the body of Christ around the world) today, in light of this passage?
4. What might he want to say to St. Silas?
5. How can we be more open to his softening of our hearts together?

Questions for your thoughts and discussion

jennyjack — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:39:12 +0000

1. Do I feel as though I’ve been dwelling in a foreign land? Exiled?
What are the circumstances that have caused this feeling? What does this feel like?
Take some time to talk with God about these circumstances, to tell him how you feel.

2. In what ways is my heart currently hardened to the love of God?

3. Is there some way that God is using my circumstances to soften my heart?
Take some time to ask this question of God, stop and listen to God’s answer to you.

This may be a frustrating time. You may feel resistance to what he speaks, or you may not hear anything at all just now. Keep your eyes and ears open throughout the next week for God to answer these questions in his time.

Deeper: Renovation Sept 2009

grayza — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:14:49 +0000

Start of a new season under the title Renovation. During this season of six meetings we will be looking at ways of renovating our heart, our life and our spirit. We must desire our heavenly Father to shape our hearts and mould them to be after him; to take our lives and rebuild them into wholeness; to gather up our broken fragments and, like the artist who pieces together a mosaic, make them into something that is beautiful.

Tonight was the start of this process of looking at what is going on inside us so that we can better resemble Jesus. Using a number of passages from the old and new testament Gordon and Jenny demonstrated ways in which God wants to change our hearts, our inmost being, from stone to flesh and how Jesus brought these promises to us and it wasn’t just promises for ancient Israel.

Download MP3 Here

During the service a heart shape was tiled onto a board at the front. During the worship set that followed the talky bit everyone had the opportunity to take a tile, write on it and smash the tile as a symbolic step of getting rid of the hardened heart we all have. There was also an opportunity for prayer ministry.

Resources:

Deeper – Renovation, starting this Sunday

grayza — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:38:32 +0000

Deeper Returns for a new season this weekend!

From September 2009 – March 2010 we will be looking at the theme of Renovation more details here.

see you Sunday.

“Monsters: Greed” June 2009

grayza — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:30:03 +0000

Last in the theme of Monsters – looking at the inner monsters of Envy, Anger and Greed. This months meeting was also moved forward a week to make way for the West End Festival event next week.

Before the start of each of these we have been using playlists of related music, someone asked me for a track name, so here is this month’s Greed related tracks: Money (In God We Trust) by Extreme; Material Girl by Madonna; Money by Pink Floyd; If I Had $1000000 by Barenaked Ladies; Gold Digger by Kanye West Feat. Jamie Foxx; Mercedes Benz by Mercedes Benz; and Money (That’s What I Want) by The Beatles.

For a change, after a short welcome from Jenny we started with a worship set of the following songs: Indescribable, O taste and see, Amazing grace (my chains are gone). Then Gordon told a story about a Hamish the Hamster – this is where the mp3 recording starts – this was followed by this video looking at forms of Greed in the media…

Most of the core team that organizes Deeper then gave some examples of Greed in their own life, then asked people to share in groups what they thought their own greed was…

Jenny and Gordon both then taught on the topic of Greed – mp3 recording – then there was an opportunity for ministry and worship (the second set included: The splendour of the king; This is my desire; Jesus we enthrone you; I’m giving you my heart and God in my living. Finishing off with Be Thou My Vision.

There is no Deeper service in July, have a good summer.