Observations and Anticipations

Wow, what a whirlwind these last few months have been! I thought moving nation and house with little children was intense enough, but moving several hundred people 5 miles to a new home in SW London is another ball game altogether. From the logistics to the spiritual aspects, it is an altogether different kettle of fish. Ha, but Grace prevails in it all and here we are ... several weeks into our 'amazing space' with so many stories to tell already, still sane, and very much full of God and with 'great expectations' for what He has in store for us!

I would love to give you an inside track to some of my observations over this last while; some of the nuances I have noticed in captaining a team and a church through an historic move ...
I have seen how people are explosively unlocked by vision and purpose - a vision and purpose that terrifies people to the very inner parts. As we know "Without vision, people perish" and this is also true in its converse state ... people flourish when they have something huge and remarkable to live for. Now, there is nothing hugely adventurous about moving to a landmark building in SW London, is there!?!?! But more than bricks and mortar, the adventure is about what is behind the bricks ... people's lives! And I have seen young and old in the KingsGate family come alive to a new level as they have seen the vision of what Father has planned for us. People want to give their lives to something so inspiring that it rips them out of the cautious and conservative Christianity that plagues Churches throughout the world. This past season has been a breeding ground for such dangerous vision. It is dangerous in that all lesser, self satisfying, man-centred thrones now have targets on them ... and they are all getting blasted!!
I have also noticed that God has designed every one of us to dream, and dream big! When we dream in colour and ditch the mundanity of the various shades of grey we so often tend towards, we begin to step into the realm of faith and we know that faith pleases God. We can become overly theological about a statement like that in Hebrews, but I liken this to my son sitting me down and rambling passionately about all he wants to do even at his young age. There is never a moment where I walk away without a smile on my face and a greater determination in me to ensure that he remains bold, courageous and passionate about those little dreams that will become the stepping stones to him becoming a world changer. During this time, this God-given venue has given many people permission to dream like children. I love it!! and our desire as leaders is to facilitate these dreams as far as we possibly can. Keep dreaming!!
I have observed many more matters this last while from a willingness to serve, to an increased heart for outreach in our prime situation, but what inspires me and satisfies me most absolutely is that increasing numbers of people are getting that HIs Presence with us is what counts the most. We have a mind blowing new home, but this space without His defining and distinguishing Presence will soon become another monument to human effort that appeals to people in a humanistic way and we will no longer be a vessel of noble purpose living to usher in His life-transforming Kingdom Gospel!

I have many great expectations and anticipations for us as KingsGate going forward. I am so thankful that we have been gifted this brilliant facility to help administrate the dreams and vision that many people have been envisaging for ages. I look forward to us evidencing greater measures of Revival in many, many lives being radically saved and all of us in KingsGate becoming more and more passionate for our one true love, Jesus. I also look forward to significant bridges of contact and service being established within spheres of politics, business, social service, arts and media, sports, etc. in such a way that we can serve society for the sake of Reforming the way people think, live and behave. I cannot wait to see us plant and establish, both locally and internationally, new beach heads of Kingdom Life called churches, and various expressions of local church, that usher in the Kingdom, life by life.
But my all time greatest desire is that we will quickly become a house of such radical love for God and all people, where every person in KingsGate is deeply compelled by Christ's love that we all live beyond the crippling bounds of obligation, fear of man, and living for the plaudits of man, so that we become a church of dangerous, adventurous, courageous 'laid down lovers' where there is no one too difficult to love, no outsider too wicked to embrace, no nation too far to reach, no obstacle too fierce to overcome, no sickness and disease too advanced to see healed ... This is my passion, such an army of love raised up and released on a waiting world!!! As I write this, this army is already rising within KingsGate ... the dream is becoming a reality, fast.

Keep going for it people - keep living passionately and intentionally for Jesus ... He alone is worth everything we have to give!

Hugest love and blessings, and be sure to read my next update on our remarkable time in India ...