Getting Real!

I was going to begin by saying that it all started when I changed church... but the reality is the story started long before I was even born! I grew up in a Christian family. Dad was Principal of a Missionary training College from 1967 (the year i was born) until he retired. Mum was an Religious Educ. teacher for my formative years. So I'd been attending church for most of my 37 years - apart from my Uni years when I rebelled against my upbringing somewhat. For the 6 years following my marriage, in 1999, I had been attending a church that resembled most churches around the UK. Predominantly made up of an ageing congregation, liturgy, gowns and hymn sandwiches! 80 % of the work being done by 20% of the congregation - and burning out!

Then in 2004, some guys came along and set up a new church in the area... a different church... still CofE but it didn't look or sound like church. Bouncy Castle, Sunday Papers, Cafe-Style layout and a strong focus on the value and importance of relationships and getting to know each other. Yes! We were actually actively being drawn into talking and building relationships with other people! It wasn't like that awful thing that goes on in most churches where we "share the peace" and shake hands solemnly with near-strangers saying "Peace be with you". I actually found myself making conversation - which for an introverted man is something significant! It was such a contrast to the normal sitting , standing, sitting, standing, sitting silently throughout an hour-or-so of hymns, prayers and a ten minute talk! I very quickly saw that THIS was how the early church functioned. It was informal. It was focused on the people and God's part in their lives. It was attractive. It was REAL!

The Point (http://www.thepointchurch.co.uk/) saved my spiritual life, saved my marriage, saved my family and POINTed me in a direction that is bringing excitement, challenge, learning, growth and stimulation! The 'motto' or slogan of The Point is "Real Church, Real People".
The church stared in August 2004. Three and a half years later it has grown from less than 20 people to around 400 people. But the measure of a church is not in it's numbers! The Real measure of a church is in the transformed lives it produces. The Point has certainly done that! And not just with mine!

Before The Point, I was a pretty 'run-of-the-mill' church goer in many ways. I went to church on Sundays, struggled throughout the week to remember to pray and talk with God and share my faith with others around me. I attended a 'house group' on Wednesday evenings... but spiritually I was comatose! I worked hard and was working at building a comfortable life around me and my small/young family. Then I came to The Point. I found a church that actively sought to find a place for me, somewhere that I could use my strengths and gifts - initially I helped out with kids work. Seeing young kids (6 or 7 years old) praying for each other and hearing God speak to them, praying for healing and being healed and receiving prophetic words for one another REALLY challenged me! But I could also see that their faith was more powerful than my sceptical, tainted, grown-up, western-world outlook allowed me to have...for a time!

Almost three years after joining I can truly say that I am being transformed... from the inside out! I've been transformed from a typical 'Passive' male figure in church, to someone who is seeing the world in a different way, and has a strong desire to become more Christ-like in the way I live my life. I would have said I had that desire whilst at my old church... but it's different now. It's Real!

The aim of this Blog is to record my journey. Right now, although I feel like I've been transformed over the last year, I feel like I'm on the verge of some rather big stuff... good stuff.