home@bIssue #20 September 2010 Church has changed - Check i t ou t !

The Way I See It...

An Evening with Bill WilsonCome and join us for an evening with Bill Wilson who founded Metro Ministries in Bedford-Stuyvesant (Brooklyn), the largest Sunday school program in America, reaching more than 20,000 children aged 12 and under each week. The curriculum that Wilson designed is used in over 1,000

cities around the world... Bill Wilson is a popular speaker who travels extensively around the world to share Gods heart for the rising generation and he has seen thousands of children’s lives changed for Christ. Location: e@b city church, 3/15 Jamaica Street, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS2 8JP. Time: 19.00. FREE

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A Mission to Help Hurting Children

News & Events

Tuesday 12th October

e@b’s Extra Mile Awards will give honour to and celebrate those who serve selflessly in the life of the church to see the Kingdom of God extended. Nominations must be made using the form found in reception. Only one nomination per person can be made and completed forms need to be placed in the box.

The Award Categories are:1. Long Service

2. Faithful

3. Cheerful

4. Practical

5. Dedicated

6. Encouraging

7. Funniest

The top 3 nominees in each catorgory will be announced at an awards dinner, with a presentation to the winners. Also, on the night there will be an Outstanding Contribution Award, decided by the Leadership Team. The closing date for nominations is the 21st October 2010. Look out in Octobers’ Magazine for details of the Extra Mile Awards Ball, coming up in November 2010.

The Extra Mile Awards 2010: you decide

New to church, interested in learning about Who Jesus is and what He can mean to you, or just want to learn some of the basics again? Discover is an eight week course run on Friday evenings, and though we cover the basics

of walking the Christian life, we also discuss many other subjects which people come with.You wouldn’t believe what those have included ..! The evenings are fun, interactive and great for learning, getting to know other people -

Discovering the Evidence!Friday 17th September

and doing so each week over a fantastic meal. The course is free, but we do require those attending to commit themselves to the whole 8 weeks. To sign-up complete the form found in the reception area or speak to one of the pastoral team asap.

Write to be heard

How many people do you know who “used to go” to church, but just don’t anymore? Back to Church Sunday is designed to be that opportunity—a special service dedicated to people who do not regularly attend church, a time when those who have left the church are encouraged to return and give it another try. Maybe its your ‘one plus one’, your neighbour, work, college or family member. Dont miss this fantastic opportunity to invite someone to God’s house for their divine appointment with him.

Do you have any unwanted items, clean and ironed clothes, bric a brac, household paints, working TVs, stereos? Whatever it might be, Bristol’s Free Shop located along Stokes Croft (about 3 mins away from the church) would welcome donations, and enable it to become a blessing to others. The shop is run by a collective of volunteers who believe that one mans rubbish is a next mans treasure. The shop is open, Thurs - Sat 13.00 - 17.00 and items can be dropped off during these times. If you are interested in helping out in the shop, please talk to Jackie Bath for ffi.

A very sincere thank you to those of you at e@b who support our elim missionaries by giving through the globe collection boxes. If you have one at home which is getting full, please hand it to the person on duty at reception or to Robert Barfoot; please don’t just leave it on the desk. You are entitled to a receipt for your gift, so please see Robert if you haven’t had your receipt yet. Elim missionaries need more support, so we welcome new givers. Just ask Robert for a Globe.

Free Bristol

Elim Missions

We are taught to sit back, encouraged to relaxTold to enjoy the rideSo naturally we think were too spiritual for the mundane,Ignorance is in the face of prideGoliaths’ continue to challenge GodLike consumerism, whose goal is to deceive.What you want, you can have, it’s your right to be servedIs what generations are made to believe. Now after David was anointed to become KingHe was sent on a food carrying jobHe was angry to hear a philistine defy the army of the Living God,Now, this army felt intimidated, by the size of the giantBut David looked beyond the manAnd upon Gods’ strength he was totally reliantIn submitting to his Fathers’ authorityDavid stepped into his royal destiny It was a little rock, placed in a sling that brought Goliath downThe revelation of who Christ isWill have spirits and principalities boundThe greatest in the Kingdom is the servant of allSo to serve is what disciples of Love have been calledAh,So to serve is what disciples of Love have been called

Sow to ServeSunday 12th September

Back to Church

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Transformational School 2010

God is real and the evidence of his presence in our lives is that we change. Check out below details of our Transformational Courses for Autum 2010. To sign up for any of the courses complete a form in reception or email office@elimbristol.org.

Course Title: House of PrayerLeader: Pastor Simon FosterDate: Thursday 30th September 2010 Time: 19:00 - 21.00Session Dates 30/09, 07/10, 14/10, 21/10, 04/11, 11/11Duration: 6 weeks

As believers we are all called to pray and ‘Prayer is the slender nerve that moves the muscles of omnipotence.’ Charles Spurgeon

This is a course of both teaching and doing, so come and be prepared to be taken into a deeper knowledge of how to engage with God.

Course Title: PartnershipLeader: Pastor Steve ElleringtonStart Date: 30 September 2010,Time: 19:00 – 21:00Duration: 4 WeeksSession Dates: 30/09, 07/10, 14/10, 21/10

The bible encourages us to be rooted and established in love. This is only possible when we are in relationship with God and fellowship with other believers, Eph 3:17. This course is valuable to those who seek to discover what this looks like.

Course Title: Godly ParentingLeader: Dr Sharon JohnsonDates: Friday 22nd of October 19.00 - 21.00pm Saturday 23rd October 10.30 - 15.30 (with lunch) Cost £10.00 (for refreshments) (bursaries available)

Ever thought about what God’s perspective is on parenting or, ever wanted to know what the real role of a parent is. The Godly Parenting course is delivered by Dr Sharon R.M. Johnson, who lectures at Elim Bible College in Malvern and tours the UK speaking on women’s issues and family matters.

The course will cover:1. Understanding Yourself as a Parent2. Understanding Your Child’s Development3. Discipline Which Develops Responsibility4. How to Encourage and Build Confidence5. Parent and Child Relationships

“I see the events of life and works of art through the wisdom of the Bible.” Marc Chagall

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Transformational School 2010

Course Title: Way, Truth, Life: Living with Real PurposeLeader: Neil HudsonDate: Saturday 27 NovemberTime: 10.30 - 16.00 (with Lunch)Cost: £10.00 (for refreshments) (bursaries available)

Sessions: 10.30 - 12.30 This is the World we LIVE in 13.30 -14.30 This is the Story we LIVE in 15.00 - 16.00 This is the Way we can LIVE

The day will be a mixture of presentation, discussion and question times as we think through all the implications of what it means to follow Jesus as the Way, the Truth, the Life in the realities of our everyday lives. Neil Hudson is the Director of Imagine, part of the work that is undertaken by London Institute for Contemporary Christianity (www.licc.org.uk) His special concern is that we live as whole-life disciples, that our life together as church enables us to live well for Christ wherever we may be. Before working for LICC, Neil was Vice Principal of Regents Theological College. He is an Elim minister, and co-leads the Salford Elim Church. Neil was with us earlier this year, and is looking forward to coming to Bristol again - though he will be a bit more wary this time since, on his last visit, someone helped themselves to his phone. So if he struggles to shake hands this time, it’s only because he’s holding on to his possessions!

Course Title: Prophetic ArtLeader; Christine HalesDate: 7/10, 14/10, 21/10, 4/11Time: 19:00 – 21:00Cost: £40.00 plus £10.00 materials (bursaires available)

When the church releases its prophetic artists to “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets: that he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2, we will see more activation of God’s Kingdom here on earth.

Prophetic art is a vehicle for making God’s Word visual, it’s an amazing way to worship and hear from God, and it can be used as a powerful aid to intercessory prayer.

In this course you will learn to paint your visions, explore healing through art, experience art making as worship and intercessory prayer. Christine gives drawing/painting/and prophetic exercises, demonstrates use of different kinds of materials, and creates an environment of encouragement and exploration of God’s creativity. The class is open to complete beginners and experienced artists alike.

Christine Hales recently moved to Bristol from New York to help pray in the coming Revival. She is licensed by Randy Clark’s ministry “Global Awakening” which is part of the Revival Alliance with Randy, Bill Johnson, Che Ahn, Georgian and Winnie Banov and Tom Jones. Last year Christine taught Prophetic Art at Randy Clark’s Global School of Supernatural Ministry, in Mechanicsburg, Christine has published two books: “Prophetic Art, Expressions of the Holy Spirit”, and “The New Renaissance, Revival in Christian Art”.

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Feature

Everyday, like you, I meet all kinds of people. Some I know well, others

are just bystanders in the conversation of life.Just people, people on a journey trying to discover - some consciously, others subconsciously - how to live their lives. Lives that have both already been shaped, and are being shaped by all kinds of influences.. These influences are called world-

views. Clarifying world-views is not an academic exercise, intellectual theory, or a philosophical concept. A worldview is an integral part of the lives of those we all meet on a weekly basis. It determines their relationships. It determines their successes and failure. It determines their goals and motivations. If you want to see someone change their live, they’ll have to change how they look at the world first. Every week as you live out loud before the people you share your life with they’re bringing different world-views into the room. What are some of these world-views?1. The one with the most toys wins.This is the worldview of materialism - and it can be summed up with one world, more. Materialism says that the only thing that really matters in life is acquiring things. Those who subscribe to this worldview live mostly

to collect things. The Bible’s answer: Jesus said this in Luke 12, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (NIV). He tells us not to judge our lives by how much we’ve got. The greatest things in life aren’t things.2. I’ve got to think of mefirst.We live in a “me first,” serve-yourself world that says it’s all about you.

Commercial slogans cater to this viewpoint. Slogans like, “have it your way,” “we do it all for you,” “obey your thirst,” “you’ve got to think of what’s best for yourself,” and “You deserve it.” For the last 40 years, the Baby Boomer generation has been called the “Me Generation.” This “me first” idea has infected entire communities. It has torn up marriages (“I don’t care how divorce impacts my spouse or children; it’s all about me”), destroyed workplaces (“I don’t care how my laziness impacts my co-workers; it’s all about me”) and even ruined churches (“Serve my needs first, forget about the lost”).It’s a self-centered, individualistic way of life that says we should ignore the community and other people.The Bible’s answer: Jesus says, “If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life” (Matt.

16:25 NLT). Jesus says you only begin to live when you give your life away. Significance in life does not come from serving yourself; it comes from serving God and others.3. Do what feels good.This is hedonism - the belief that the most important thing in life is how we feel. The number one goal of a hedonist is to feel good, be comfortable, and have fun.It’s the worldview that Hugh Hefner founded Playboy

magazine on. He willingly acknowledges he is a hedonist. It’s not just playboys who are hedonists, though. In fact, someone who lives for the goal of retirement is a hedonist. If the whole goal of a person’s life is to simply do nothing, live a self centered life, and make no contribution to the world, that’s hedonism.The Bible’s answer: “Are you addicted to thrills? What an empty life! The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied” (Prov 21:17 Msg). Mick Jagger’s been singing: “I can’t get no satisfaction” for 40 years. Why? The pursuit of pleasure is never satisfied.4. Whatever works for you.This worldview says it doesn’t matter if it’s right or wrong. It doesn’t matter if it hurts anybody or not. If it works for you, fine. As that great theologian Sly Stone says, “Different strokes for different folks.” In our multi-cultural,

The Way I See It...

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pluralistic world, this is a very popular worldview. Nobody wants to tell someone else that what they are doing is wrong. In fact that’s the only way you can be wrong in our society today - if you tell someone else they’re wrong.The Bible’s answer: The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 14:12 NIV). Our ideas may seem right, but in the end our ideas lead to death. “Whatever works for you” leads to death. You don’t break God’s universal laws; they break you.5. God doesn’t exist.This worldview is naturalism or atheism. Naturalists believe that everything in life is a result of random chance. We’re all accidents of nature. There is no grand creator or grand design. God either doesn’t exist or he doesn’t matter. If there is no God, there’s no plan or purpose for life. If there is no purpose, than your life doesn’t really matter. Your only value comes from the fact that God loves you, created you, and thought you up. For naturalists, life has no value, meaning, or purpose.It takes more faith to be an atheist than it does to believe in God. When you look at creation and how the world is set on an axis, it proves the existence of God to me. If it were one degree one way, we’d freeze up. If it were one degree the other way, we’d burn up. The Bible’s answer: Paul says in Romans 1:25 (NIV),

“From the beginning of creation, God has shown what he is like by all he has made. That’s why those people don’t have any excuse. They know about God, but they don’t honor him or even thank him...They claim to be wise, but they are fools.” In other words, we can look at nature and see a lot about God. We know God is creative, powerful, organized, and likes diversity. There are lots of things we know about God just by looking at nature.6. You are your own God. This worldview, otherwise known as humanism, is very popular in the Western world. It says we are the mastermind of our own fate, the determiner of our destiny. You’ll hear this in the new age movement as well: “You’re divine. You’re a god.” It’s ironic. God wired us to worship something. And if we don’t worship God, we end up worshipping ourselves. The self-made man usually worships his maker. The Bible’s answer: Paul says in Rom. 1:25 (NIV): “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped created things rather than the Creator.” You can go all around the world and find people worshipping little idols that they made - stone idols, rock idols, crystals, and wooden idols. They’re worshipping something that they created themselves or somebody else created. In America we have our own idols - they’re called cars, homes, and status symbols. The Bible is clear that God is

God, and we’re not. All of these world-views have consequences. Every day we’re affected and influenced by them. We’re often not even aware of it. These world-views affect the happiness and success of the people to whom you connect with. They matter greatly. There’s only one worldview that is consistent with the Bible. The biblical worldview says God made us for his purposes. It says that we exist for his pleasure. It’s 180 degrees different from the other world-views. Want to change the hearts of those you come into contact with each week? lets start by changing our own minds. We are more affected by the culture around us than we realize. Our lives can so easily become caught up in any of the above world views and we do not even see it. Conformed by the patterns and principals of the world in which we live. But we can also choose to live differently. We have a choice between life and death, truth and deceit, light and darkness. Jesus bought back for us the right to choose, and the decisions we make determine our destiny. Be radical, be authentic, be who you were created to be. who you are created to be. Choose to live the alternative lifestyle that so many dream of. Cast off the vain imaginations that hinder the transformation of you. Don’t be conformed - but be transformed by letting the truth the Bible reveals direct your choices daily.

Feature

Sundays Simon Foster e@b’s Senior Minister Time: 9.00 & 11.00am.During services Crèche and Champions (children’s church) are available. Time: 9.00am & 11.00am

Tuesdays Elim TotsIt’s a great place for coffee and chat for adults – plus play, reading, crafts and a singsong for toddlers and babies too! (Ages 0 - Reception. Term time only) Time: 10.45am - 11.45amCost per family: £1.00.If you are interested in helping out in Elim Tots contact Brenda for more information: 0117 949 7020 or 0770 8067600

MoreSunday expanded, so that you can get More Worship, More Prayer, More CommunityTime: 7.45pm – 9.30pm e@b Youth ProjectsInspiring the next generation to live life, have fun, love God and impact their worlds with the revelation of Jesus Christ. F.f.i. see Pastor Steve ElleringtonTime: 7.45pm – 9.30pm

WednesdaysAwakeEarly Morning prayer at e@bTime: 7.00am to 8.00am

Coffee HouseThe Coffee House is a great way for e@b to touch its community, offering Toast, Toasted Sandwiches & Homemade Cakes, served with a warm welcome and it’s all FREE. F.f.i see: Jacquie BathTime: 10.30am - 12.20pm.

Soaking SessionA great time for being still and waiting on God.Time: 11.30am – 2.30pm

Prayer ClinicThis is open to anyone who wants prayer on a specific issue - just come along. Time: 11.30am - 2.30pm.

Creative Arts rehearsalSingers, Musicians, Dancers, Drama, Audio Visual & MediaTime: 7.30pm – 9.30pm

ThursdaysElim Tots(Term time only)Time: 10.45am – 11.45am

Young Adults Whether a student, single or married, if you are between the ages of 18 - 30 you will find this is right down your street. Time: 8.00pm F.f.i contact: pmillward@elimbristol.org

e@b Asian Fellowship3rd Saturday of the MonthExpect the unusual! Expect great things from God! Expect healing and deliverance! Expect a move of God in your life! The e@b Asian Fellowship meets on the 3rd Saturday of the month. F.f.i. contact Edwin Lawrance M: 07542083577E: edwin.lawrance@gmail.com

FridaysFriday Night Live!You are invited to the event of the week! Come along to have a great time with mates... and why not make some new mates whilst your at it? Don’t miss out on a truly unique night with main events each week at this brand

new youth club!Date: Friday NightsTime: 7.30pm - 9.00pmVenue: e@b city church, Age: 10-15. Cost: £1.00

Other Events Sacred AssemblyThree days of prayer and fasting; Sacred Assemblies take place the first Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of each month (days may vary because of Bank Holidays). We meet at the following times for corporate prayer: 7am - 8am, 12 noon - 1pm and 7 to 8pm. Wednesday; corporate worship and prayer - 7.30pm.

Other Events Back to Church Sunday 12th September 2010Sacred Assemblies 6,7,8 SeptemberPartners Night Tuesday, (Replaces ‘More’) 14th SeptemberDiscover: New course starts 17 SeptemberUnited Methodist Mens Night of Prayer 18:00 - 06:00am at e@bOne Thing 24 September 2010

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DATES What’s happening this month?

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e@b elim@bristol city church3/15 Jamaica Street, Stokes Croft, Bristol BS2 8JP. T: 0117 923 2847 E: office@elimbristol.org W: www.elimbristol.org

OCTOBER DEADLINE20th SEPTEMBERFor enquiries/submissionsPlease contact:office@elimbristol.org.

Ken Planter:kplanter@elimbristol.org