When conversations come around to numbers some of us get a little uncomfortable.
I’m not especially a fan of stats, as a recovering pessimist I’m naturally a little suspicious & its seems all to common & all to easy to manipulate numbers to create an illusion or spin.
But there are some numbers I am interested in.
Numbers like those that represent each young person who have invited Jesus to be part of their lives in one of our school environments over the last 9 months of our 2015/16 apprenticeship year. 124 so far.
Similarly hundreds more young people have given their lives to Jesus in our gathered partner Church environments this year.
These numbers excite me because they represent destinies changed. They represent individuals who we believe are desperately loved by God who have chosen to explore what that looks like in their lives. They represent individuals who have begun the greatest adventure of all.
As at least a second generation Christian I am enormously grateful for the moment that changed my parents lives & subsequently mine forever. Not only do these numbers represent individuals whose destinies have dramatically changed but potentially generations who now have an increased chance of walking in rhythm with the Creator of the Universe following their forefathers footsteps.
In a few weeks our local schools finish for the summer & our teams also finish their year with us. Some will be back, some will lead teams elsewhere and some are onto different adventures but as they are finishing my reflection very simply is 2 things have been incredibly important for the last few years: Building intentional relationships and creating space for encounters with Jesus. If you ever come visit Causeway Coast Vineyard Church where our staff team is based, you’ll be likely to hear this phrase, “ the big is in the small.” The breakthroughs of eternal value for us this year have very much been in these 2 small, or simple principles: Build intentional relationships and create space for encounters with Jesus.
If you would like to find out more about how we put legs on these principles, you can do so via our site www.becauseyoureloved.com.