We often use the word “radical” not to make Christianity or the Christian life something more than the bible says it is, but to raise it up over what it has become! Andy ponders the life the Bible calls us to, what the Bible considers the “Normal Christian Life” and concludes it is nothing like the inheritance previous generations have left us. The bible teaches of a normal Christian life that when compared to what we have allowed Christianity to become can only be described as RADICAL!

Andy looks in Acts 15 to examine an internal conflict in the church in Antioch and looks to see what lessons we can learn from it. How did they resolve this confrontation? How did they arrive at the “Right Answer” (Doctrinal Unity) and how did they implement it (Relational Unity). Andy looks particularly at how the church, and us as members of it, stands up and fights for Doctrinal Truth first and foremost and having done that how then, and only then, we strive for relational unity.

This is a seminar at the NewDay Youth Leaders Conference at Centre Parcs at Longleat. The seminar looks at how we have stumbled across various things that has helped us see young people saved and added to the church but also serving in the church. Of the 4 young people we have serving on year teams 3 of them were not Christians a year or two ago.

Andy looks at the Acts 11:19-21 and asked was the murder of Stephen and the persecution of the church a surprise to God which the expansion of the Gospel to the rest of the world was a fortunate by-product? Or was this Gods plan as he had revealed to his prophets? Although uncomfortable to consider Andy looks at the fact that BOTH good and bad comes from God (Lam 3:38). Disaster comes to a city because God causes it (Amos 3:6). Andy tells us how this is great news as it allows us to trust in Jesus

Andy spoke about how our response to the gospel should be more than a secret inward response and should involve a demonstration of our faith. He looked at the whole area of water baptism and how this is central to a demonstration of our faith in Jesus Christ.

He also talked about some common objections to full water baptism such as Infant Baptism and Salvation not being dependant on Baptism

Andy looks at the result of the Supernatural Outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the early pasts of Acts and discusses how that shaped the early church. He looks how their radical attitudes, actions, trust & sacrifice resulted in their being no needy person among them. He suggests that this is a model that as a Radical Spirit Filled Community we should be adopting today challenging us to give generously.

Andy starts this sermon by praying for the sick demonstrating the passage he preaches from. Healing is a common model in the New Testament for introducing people to Jesus and one Andy challenges us to implement in our own lives. Andy encourages us to be BOLD and pray for friends, family and colleagues for healing whenever we can. Andy also challenges us to take seriously what, as Christians, we have been saved from challenging us not to remain silent with those who don’t yet know Jesus.

It is essential that we hold both WORD & SPIRIT together. We need to be a people who love the word of God and for it to be the plumb line of all we do. However, we are not to neglect the power of the spirit and the “experiential” element of operating in the power of the Holy Spirit. Andy looks at Peters sermon after the baptism of the Holy Spirit and examines how we experience this same power, how we release the prophetic gift to build up the church and how we might prepare ourselves in prayer.

Andy looks at the parable of the wise and foolish builders asking what is the foundation that we are building on. Is it a foundation of the finished work of Christ on the cross or one of our own good works. Andy also looks at how we wait for the promises of God. Are we waiting passively or are we actively working towards seeing the promises of God come about.

Andy looks at the calling of Matthew as Jesus’ disciple. Matthew’s call was simple: ‘Follow Me’ but the result was stunning… mission. Matthew threw a party and invited all his friends to meet Jesus. Jesus said he came to “Seek & Save the Lost”, he told his disciples “As the father sent me, so I send you” Jesus wants us to actively seek those who are far from God in order that we might introduce them to Jesus!

Andy looks at the value of human life and asks what is your life worth? He looks at how Jesus paid the ultimate price for you when he died on the cross, absorbing the wrath of God on your behalf, paying the price for your sin so that you might have life!

Andy looks at this Old Testament story seeing how Phinehas made a difference because of his decisive action under the authority of God and the authority of leadership when he killed an unmarried couple having sex and saved a nation from the punishment of God. Andy concludes by looking at Jesus and His once and for all act receiving the judgment of God on our behalf and releasing us from receiving (or having to implement) the kind of judgment we see in this Old Testament passage.

Andy examines the reasons for God excluding the use of blood for anything other than the atonement of sins. Andy then goes on to examine how Jesus made a once and for all sacrifice for us, for the forgiveness of our sins.

Examining the story of Exodus 32 & 33 to see how Moses rejects Gods offer of personal success and looking at his desire for the success of the entire community of Gods people. His ability to do this was firmly rooted in his disciplined, frequent and deep personal relationship with God – “He met with God face to face as a man does with a friend”

Andy talks about cheerful giving under grace.

Personal Holiness