Friday 16 March 2012

The Cry

Many of you who are from my home church NCLC will know that I have held little store in owning our own building as a base for our Sunday service venue. I could psychologise this as having moved around a fair bit as a child or just accept that maybe God wanted me to hold having a permanent base loosely in my heart.
That is up until now.
We have been moving around for the last six and half years. Last April we finally purchased our first piece of property- our offices in the centre of Newcastle. They are a very different setting from everything being run from what should have been our dining room.
We still have no home to base our Sunday services from and the many other ministries that I feel God has called us to impact our community with.
We have been looking for such a place.

Last week at our (too!) early prayer meeting we were praying for favour with the building and the local authorities in change of use. As we were praying I felt God impress on my heart the word "CRY". The building would be a place that evoke a cry.
The cry would be a cry from the broken.
A cry from those in anguish.
A cry from the desperate.

A cry that would change as people felt the presence of God in the building.

The cry would become a cry of release.
A cry of forgiveness.
A cry of wholeness.
A cry of gratitude.

How can a building illicit this?
Certainly not from a lick of paint or ambient lighting. A building can only see this response when it and the people who call it home are dedicated to welcoming home those in need and those who need to know the love, grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

NCLC, as a church will never be defined or confined by a building but a building that becomes a home can be an incredible tool. When we find a building that becomes our home, we will hear a cry that will resound across the North East.
Hope this helps you understand where we are heading as NCLC.
Love to hear your thoughts.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

9 comments:

  1. Awesome, Jon. Love that as a church we're building something significant - something that's not defined by where we are. But when we go somewhere, we take God with us and can have an impact. What a privilege to be part of.

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  2. Praying for ongoing success over all you do Jon. I love the North East and it's people with a passion and it's great to hear all that you are doing to bless the amazing folks who live and work there. Huge blessings and big love to you all from the ex-pats in deepest Surrey! Sx

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    1. Thanks Steve, I'm sure God has something further for you up here yet! :-)

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  3. So good. Love that before NCLC was established, the vision of 'changing mindsets' was there. Can't wait to see this fleshed out as mindsets change, cries change and lives change - wherever we are.

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  4. We must awaken to the cry of the aching hearts around us often almost drowned out by the din of frenetic pleasure seeking. Lord give me a heart that hears that cry. Then we will hear the cry of the forgiven and the prisoners released.

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  5. I love that the building is being defined already as a place where this cry will go up to God long before its defined in terms of location, architecture, spaces, etc. whatever building we eventually own, it's definition will neer be it's walls because God has given you a heart for something that goes far beyond that. Great blog, Jon.

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  6. Brilliant blog Jon. Loved hearing this at TVN and great to read it again. You have such an open heart for the North East. Praying now for this to come about quickly, for the people who are to come in and for us as a community to be ready to support those who CRY where ever God wants it to happen (continuing to pray for our permanent home).

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  7. The presence of God is the Word :))
    His presence that melts the hardened hearts like wax, His presence that sweeps us off our feet, His presence that brings tears of joy :)
    A cry that resounds as the Roar of the Lion of Judah in us!
    A cry that calls out to God as Abba Father! A revelation of His love for us - Galatians 4:6
    And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
    Psalm 61:2
    From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
    Psalm 84:2
    My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the LORD; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

    Looking forward to visiting your church this coming Sept :))

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  8. Wondering if the start of this was 18/3/12?

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