Receiving Model

 A. Vision

My dream is to have a church bring us closer to love, peace, hope.

B. Background

The current church model is Giving Model. 

Under this model, the believers are expected to demonstrate their commitment to God.

Believers are expected to

give 1/10 of their income
evangelize to people about Christ
expect to involve in weekly family fellowship
expect to involve in a ministry
expect to involve in Bible study and prayer meeting

They expect to GIVE and God will bless them in return

The results are burn out and tiredness. They lose the joy and the intimacy with God


C. New Approach : Receiving Model

Receiving Model is to let the believers to receive the blessing from God before they give their talent, finance and time to Christian community

Receiving Model emphasis of joy, miracle and freedom and experience the presence of God.

Blessing and joy first. Service secondary. God own the Universe, He does not need our services to enrich the world. The world mission will be fulfilled according to His time His way and His methods.

John 10:10
Prater of Jazbes.


D. Methodology
1-24 months

God - learn the presence of God (Trinity), learn to listen to God;s voice, visualization
Fellowship - Experience the love of brothers and sisters. Zero Expectation
Love offering - Give only after God's financial blessing according to your faith
Evangelism - No need until God instruct you specifically
Ministry - Serve only when God tell you. Usually it is when the love of God overflow in your life
Rules - Only two from Jesus - love God and  love ourselves
Administration - Seek the direction from God. Let God makes the plan

  



 

 

My quest in life is to lead a rich life with focus on getting closer to Holy Spirit and transfer this experience to others

First book I gain this experiec is Letters from Brother Lawrence in his book "The Practice of the present of God".

 His quotes:

Let us think often that our only business in this life is to please God. Perhaps all besides is but folly and vanity.

 In order to know God, we must often think of Him; and when we come to love Him, we shall then also think of Him often, for our heart will be with our treasure.

 I wish you could convince yourself that GOD is often (in some sense) nearer to us, and more effectually present with us, in sickness than in health.

 We ought to act with God in the greatest simplicity, speak to Him frankly and plainly, and implore His assistance in our affairs.


Background of Brother Lawrence

 
Brother Lawrence, born Nicholas Herman, a lowly and unlearned man, who, after having been a footman and soldier, was admitted a Lay Brother among the barefooted Carmelites at Paris in 1666, and was afterwards known as "Brother Lawrence."
      
       His conversion, which took place when he was about eighteen years old, was the result, under God, of the mere sight in midwinter, of a dry and leafless tree, and of the reflections it stirred respecting the change the coming spring would bring. From that time he grew eminently in the knowledge and love of GOD, endeavoring constantly to walk "as in His presence." No wilderness wanderings seem to have intervened between the Red Sea and the Jordan of his experience. A wholly consecrated man, he lived his Christian life through as a pilgrim--as a steward and not as an owner, and died at the age of eighty, leaving a name which has been as "ointment poured forth."
      
       Nicholas entered the priory in Paris as a lay brother, not having the education necessary to become a cleric, and took the religious name, "Lawrence of the Resurrection". He spent almost all of the rest of his life within the walls of the priory, working in the kitchen for most of his life and as a repairer of sandals in his later years.
      
       Despite his lowly position in life and the priory, his character attracted many to him. He had a reputation for experiencing profound peace and visitors came to seek spiritual guidance from him. The wisdom he passed on to them, in conversations and in letters, would later become the basis for the book, The Practice of the Presence of God. Father Joseph de Beaufort, later vicar general to the Archbishop of Paris, compiled this work after Brother Lawrence died. It became popular among Catholics and Protestants alike, with John Wesley and A. W. Tozer recommending it to others.
      
       He found a peace in reconciling himself to the thought that this struggle and longing was his destiny. He said his soul "had come to its own home and place of rest." His death in 1691 occurred in relative obscurity, but his teachings lived on in the compilation of his words.
 
My focus with me on Holy Spirit. The third person of the Trinity.

Building Fellowship Effortlessly  - Part 1

I had led a fellowship beofe. It grew from 4-5 people to 12-15 people in less than few months. The results are not great, but the process led us there was joyful and effortless. I feel the sense of utmost freedom there.

If you want to learn the secret and the process.

The secret is let Holy Sprit lead and let God centered. 

I will unfold my experience little by little.

The receiving and God Centric model of congregation

- receive the blessing of Gid in all aspect
- Listen to God
- Let HS lead you in evangelisme
- Reverse the tactics of evangelism and tithe
- Lead congregation to experience God

After talking the andre of my experience of growing a fellowship, it dawn on me that I am using a receiving model than growing model. 1. Context The fellowship grew from few people to 15 people without much effort. The fellowship enjoy love, joy, faith and healing. what is the secret? The relying on holy spirit in growing the fellowship. Let me unfold the changes more in the following stories 2. Background I decided to reverse the usual fellowship method and look into the first century Christian. What did they do? I found in the book of acts that the believers shared things. This is heaven like. Not so. Uch of the materials and food, but the trust and care they extend to each other. Receiving model Curre growing model The role ofnholy spirit Experience Challenges to fellowship leaders

Understand Holy Spirit

Personality
1. HS is a person with full personality of God.
2. HS is our comforter, protector, strategist and also mentor
3. HS is on earth. Jesus and God is in heaven. We rely on HS for victorious life.He will bring us to the Father

Characteristics
1. Ommipresent - exist in our dream, thinking,subconscious and conscious, and God can talk to you
2. Omnipotent - to heal, cast out demon, move mountain and nature, to love
3. Omnitime - can dwell in our future, past and present. Therefore we shall ask his guidance

Practice the Present
1. Believe that HS is real and can interact like us. Give HS an image you can relate but remember it is not HS but a door to reach HS.
2. Visualize in your mind - walk in the Garden with HS, river side
3. Have Conversation with HS
4. Receive images, interpretation, signs, feelings of love and hope, Bible verses
5. Act on the experience and miracle by faith

Law of Attraction

(Prayer of Jebez)

1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain." Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. (NIV)

1. Ask - Ask you shall be given - Ask clearly and visually
2. Believe - You shall be given according to your faith - Believe God is moving the Universe to make it possible for you. (If God is with yoiu, who can against you - Psalm 122). Believe that God always wants to bless us to have good life (John 10 10)
3. Act - Rely on Holy Spirit to act on it. (You shall have power if the Holy Spirit come upon you Acts 1:8). Have constant conversation with God
4. Gratitude - Appreciate what you have now. Roman 8:13. All things work for those who love God
5. Acceptance - Accept you new being. New wine with new bag

Holy Spirit is a person. A living God. The third person in the Trinity of Chrsitian World.

The misconception of most people on Holy Spirit, as far as my encountered in the church as I was growing up in Asia is taking Holy Spirit as "IT" and as "POWER SOURCE".