A Watershed Year

Recently in a seminar I attended, a man spoke of the year 2011 being a watershed year. This meaning that in 2011 there was a dramatic change not just culturally but for the church. We keep hearing how we need to “see the lost saved” and “bring people to Jesus”. But the question is “how” and “why”? We are soo lucky to be alive now in 2012, where the world is massively changing and YES we do get to be apart of it because we already are. You are the change!!

This year there has been a 7% rise in church attendance, that’s 2.7 million more people going to church than 2010. This is the largest rise in church attendance ever and it is only the beginning, this year hopes to bring people into God’s church even more so. Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all the nations” and God told Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3
“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you;
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those you bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse;
And all peoples on the earth will be blessed through you”.

What an amazing call on Abraham’s life, so already in Genesis 12 God is calling Abraham bless the nations. Israel was the chosen nation and even though they didn’t deserve it God blessed them and kept his covenant with his people. Gods call was that all of Abraham’s descendents will continue this promise to bless the nations through his name and that lead to Jesus.

So how does that relate to us? What are we called to do? Well throughout the New Testament we follow Paul and Peter on their journey to spread the word of God. In Acts we hear of them going from town to town performing miracles, healing the sick and the blind, praying for all kinds of people and preaching the word of God (Acts 3, read it as it is amazing). Peter was on his way to Church and in front of him was a crippled beggar who was asking them for money for food but Peter replied “Look at us, Silver or Gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ Nazareth, walk”. The beggar then and there got up and starting praising and worshipping God in the temple.

How amazing is that, already in the New Testament we are seeing miracles that Jesus performed, the spreading of the gospel us more than just talking about God. It’s about praying for people, having the desire to pray for the sick and injured and seeing them healed. If we want this to be another Watershed year then we want to be stepping out in faith, boldness and courage. Relying on Gods strength in stead of our own and knowing that God is with us even when sometimes other people aren’t. If we want to be involved in change then we need to get involved, invite people to Alpha, pray for people, and tell them you’re praying for them! Let’s get excited about what God can do this year 