Life Between the [Brackets]

PAXnorth has begun a series in EPHESIANS: REALITY CHECK
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus; Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 1:1,2

Canada 21st Century REAL LIFE
Influential- Globe and Mail stated in 2006 that there were some 500,000 intentional legal immigrants on a waiting list to enter the country (300,000 annually will be granted permission to enter).
Wealthy- Almost 3 billion people in our world today are eke out a life on less then $2 a day; 5% of the worlds population consume 80% of the worlds resources. In 2006, according to Stats Canada, the average Canadian household spent over 200 dollars annually on lotto tickets; while the average Canadian household giving to ALL charities was on average $250; the median total income of Canadian families (this is before taxes) in 2006 was $60,600. That means that the average Canadian home gives approx. 2.4% of their income towards charitable causes; Studies show that at the height of the Great Depression in North America the average household giving was 3.3% of income. Apparently having a greater capacity for wealth doesn’t lead us to greater generosity.
Celebrity/Entertainment Driven- In what other culture is a movie star, sports star, rock star’s opinion on any given issue (from parenting to politics to global warming) able to make front page news or sway votes or start billion dollar trends? We are celebrity obsessed!
Diverse Ideologies/ Philosophies – Postmodern dictum is a splintering of beliefs within one’s own life. The morals/values that might work for one moment might not work for another. The ethic that is believed by the high ideals of religions might be fine for the religious moments but there are moments when you just have to do what YOU feel is right. You are the authority over God or what ever gods there might be.
Sexually Inundated World View- If you take all of the annual salaries of all of the North American professional sports teams (CFL, NFL, MBL, NBA, etc) add them all together, they still would not total the amount of money spent in North America on pornography in one year. As a nation we hold a cultic pre-occupation with sexual images and messages.

EPHESUS 1st Century REAL WORLD
Influential – major ‘hub’ trade center (both by land and marine). It was called “the Jewel City of Asia Minor”. One of the first great metropolis of it’s time.
Wealthy- There was a treasury in the great Temple of Diana, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world, in Ephesus. The temple was furnished by the finest marble quarries of its day, the greatest artisans of the day were responsible for the ornate carvings in the temple as well as on its one hundred and twenty-seven graceful columns, each column was a gift from a king. Here there has been discovered currency from all over the known ancient world. Mark Antony once demanded a 9 year back tax from the great city which was completely paid in only two years.
Celebrity/Entertainment Driven- It was the site of pagan Roman games and a great theatre, which was the largest in the world, capable of containing 50,000 spectators. It was, like all ancient theatres, open to the sky. Here were exhibited the fights of wild beasts and of men with beasts. Also Ephesus hosted festivities here as part of month long celebration of the fertility goddess Diana.
Diverse Ideologies/ Philosophies – One of the great philosophers and mathematicians of the city was a man named Alexander, his philosophy was so influential that they nicknamed him the Light. Yet his teachings were to look inside your self to connect with the light spark inside, to self realizations- all of which could be interpreted to make us all better people. A well known poet of the day, who was born in Ephesus was Hipponax, the Bitter. One of his popular ideologies is expressed in his writings, “There are two happy days in a man’s life: the one when he gets his wife, and the other when he buries her.” A famous painter who lived here was Parrharius, who believed that his paintings were inspired by the spirit world and used this as an opportunity to exploit others, live a conceited and indulgent life. The school of Tyrannus was also a place of higher learning in the city. Where all philosophies and arguments of philosophies were discussed, disciples of various philosophies were created, a sense of political correctness, and a climate of equal validity was given to all and every ideology.
Sexually Inundated Worldview- A place where part of their devotion and acts of worship was to engage in sexual activities with temple prostitutes/ or any others who came to the temple for an super natural experience of worship with the spirits, humans and goddesses of nature, and fertility- in month long orgies of perversion- all in the name of seeking experience. Ephesus was a culture that was bombarded with the worship of sexual figures, to the point of occultist devotion; A devotion that was lived out in the giving of their resources, their complete energy, their time and effort focused on self- gratification to the point of worship.

A culture that is continually bombarding its citizens with new ideas, philosophies and ‘entertainment’; violence, sexual images, twisted values about relationships and self indulgence! Get’s ticked off at the mention that there is a WAY (read Acts 19)! And that this Way changes the patterns of behavior, priorities, morals, spending habits, life styles of those who have entered into Him! REAL LIFE IN A REAL WORLD!

What’s the point of all this INFORMATION?! Despair? Hate? Pity? Wish for the ‘good ol days? Gather in our holy huddles and think of heaven while we close our eyes to a needy world? Grab your bull horns meet me down town on Saturday night so we can scream how righteous ‘we’ are and how unrighteous ‘they’ are?

“to the saints who are IN EPHESUS…and…IN CHRIST.”
This is the point of this amazing book- you have everything you need in Christ Jesus to live out a courageously attractive grace and a recklessly sure peace within YOUR world.
In my Greek New Testament Ephesus is in [brackets]. It is suspected that this book was circulated to all the churches in Asia Minor, then the city's name was inserted in the brackets.

Real Life IN CHRIST .....IN [insert name of your community]!

"Whoever gives a casserole in My name..."

On December 30, 2007 we hosted a community pre-New Year’s supper.

I watched as our volunteers arrived… 30 plus from two great churches. Both very different then each other. Fall River Baptist- a great established church who chose to set their own church Christmas supper aside in order to invest and serve at ours; Deep Water Church another church plant in Halifax’s Southend, who are striving to be missional. Both came to invest time, energy, resources and of course casseroles and desserts for us to host a community supper.
The idea was to put on a fun, relaxed, supper and party for many who live streetlevel in our northend community. Create a space for us to have conversations and for the community to get comfortable with what PAXnorth ‘looks like’ in our worship space- the Marquee Club. In order to do this we needed for our core team to be free from programming, planning and serving so they could just relax and interact with those who came.

Fall River Baptist and Deep Water Church were outstanding in cleaning up glass, setting up, serving, leading kids programs, security, bringing more food than we all could possibly eat, interacting with the community, and just doing anything that needed to be done!

SO what’s the results?
Here’s the beginnings of results from PAXnorth conversations (names have been removed to protect the innocent, mostly)

Yep, Sunday was so much fun! Are there plans in the works to do that kind of thing periodically? Hope so, we'd definitely be willing to help in any way with it!
The people we spoke with were really happy about the potluck; the amount, variety, and especially it being after Christmas when you don't see that kind of thing often, made a great impression on them. Three street level friends I talked with had nice Christmases with their families. Could pray that jobs come along for them that use their skills; they seem like talented, able people.
It was cool how easily they shared their stories; the atmosphere, people, location, etc, were great - you could see God was there!! Great job!

Great Supper!
I talked to a guy who was so full, it hurt, and so thankful. He said he knows he really needs to keep his life straight and the people from PAXnorth really help. He said he wants to keep coming to the church.

Fun Supper:
I don’t know what if any impact I had on two guys and a girl who spoke very little English but they seemed to really be enjoying the evening. We spoke about the church (PaxNorth) and I invited them to come and they said they would. I'm sorry I don't know their names as a matter of fact I saw one of them at Brunswick Mission this morning and he saw the Dr who comes apparently every Wed. morning.

Loved the atmosphere of supper @the Marquee!
I was amazed by how long many of the people just wanted to hang around after everything was over. As I looked around I could see lots of people from PAXnorth and the other churches in little groups of people from our community, laughing, talking, and enjoying being here.


Can’t wait to read about the conversations others had at the supper.
My conversations were mostly just listening to people talk about their kids and family. I offered to pray for people and everyone seemed genuinely grateful for that offer.


I sat with a lady who thought that if she had to call me 'DJ' that it was only right that I referred to her as 'EG' for the evening:)

This lady considers herself an atheist and came only to the dinner because she thought it was just something the Marquee was hosting and had no idea it was with a "church group". She was quite happy with the food however and seemed to be making a point to tune out any "religious talk" that happened throughout the evening. She shared with me her travels to over 20 different countries where she either worked or studied. She has 8 children to several different men, and is a proud grandmother even though she seems to have no real relationship with any of her children these days. She lives somewhere near the Marquee Club and told me she was "probably born somewhere in or near Halifax but not sure". She was full of stories about her life and the adventures she's had although none really seemed to connect. She seemed to come alive as she realized I was truly listening and enjoying what she had to say. God directed our conversation and she asked a few questions giving me brief opportunities to share with her a bit about Paxnorth and about His heart for the city. She was listening while trying hard to appear disinterested.
As she was walking away she came back for a few seconds to share a few pieces of advice about raising children. I can still see her huge smile as she said "Nice to meet you... and Thank you". As I have thought about 'EG' and prayed for her these past few days God has impressed on my heart how deep His love for her and how He longs for her to know Him. I know He has revealed Himself to her. I know it was no 'mistake' that she came to a dinner by a 'religious group'. I pray that she sees Him clearly and that He brings her back to His family whether it be ours at Paxnorth or another.
On a funny note she is apparently a rapper and composed and performed a rap about me over dinner. It was quite long and I wish I had it in writing to give you all a good laugh! What a great evening!

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT GOD WILL DO WITH OUR FEEBLE EFFORTS!
Big thanks to everyone who particapated that night!
We have some video of the night that we will post on Facebook in the next week or so!
Face book search Brad Somers

Blog-olutions

My new year blog-olution is to update our PAXblog weekly.
Thanks for everyone who keeps encouraging me to do so.

So weekly you can read about unique happenings and/or spiritual developments in and around PAXnorth!
ENJOY!
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Bradley Somers
Lead
PAXnorth Church

What happens when you take 150 backpacks into schools?

Wanna find out what the reputation of the church is in your neighbourhood? Try this...
Take 150 backpacks or something else that will meet some of the needs of under resourced families, at risk kids or just will meet direct felt needs in your neighbourhood, and try to give them away.

Thanks to KidsFest Canada, and a few sponsoring churches, we had the opportunity to take 150 fully loaded backpacks into our schools last week to give them away. Really it wasn't as easy as you might think.
First when we went in the spring to talk to the school principles we got a reserved, 'that sounds good' response. Apparently there has been a lot of promises made to help in the community by 'groups' that never really happen. Seems this is true even though we are told to behave wisely as salt with grace, so that we will know how we should answer those who are not a part of the Church. (Col 4:5,6)

When we followed up this fall with a direct face to face meeting and a sample of the packs that we want to put in the hands of the students we received a better reply. There was a lot of interesting comments and questions though...like what's the catch? What do you want to get out of it? Who have you asked permission to do this with? Apparently there is some 'groups' out there that only seek to meet the needs of the needy if they are going to get something out of it or with a hidden agenda- not just because caring for the needs of our community is true religion (Jms. 1:27)

When I assured the principals that we were hoping to build a community of mentors from Law Officers, Naval Soldiers, Church members, local business owners, and down the road musicians and artists; All of whom we would help to train and do background checks on so they could invest their lives into mentoring at risk-kids at the local schools the question was: "Are you going to have to talk about Jesus?" Apparently there are those 'groups' out there who have parachuted into a community to shout at people in Jesus' name, never really earning a hearing or thinking that their absents of actions spoke so loudly about their faith that the community could not hear what they were saying about their Jesus. (Eph. 5:1,2; Matt. 25:31-46)
Shelby and our five kids (affectionately known as the Fab5); came with us on the first Monday back to school, to hand out these packs. Can't tell you what impact it has made on our kids, on us and on those who partnered with us to deliver these packs.... HERE IS ONE STORY from Shelby's vantage point; there is many more to be told...
One highlight for me on the day we handed out the back packs on behalf of KidsFest was at the very last school. That school is about a block and a half up the road from our home.

Picture if you will an assembly full of children, a stage full of back packs and a vice principal full of enthusiasm.

He was calling out names as though they were the next contestant on The Price is Right and when the students heard their name they were to stand. Luke (a partner with Aerobics First) would run to them and hand them a certificate for a professionally fitted sports shoe and one of the PAXnorth team would run to them with a back pack FULL of school supplies.

The place was nearly vibrating with excitement as they waited for the next name to be called.

Then the name of a little girl was called and no one stood. The principal and VP scanned the crowd for her or her student mentor. Then someone pointed and I looked to see who she was. The mentor was saying, "That's YOU!!" to a little girl with Down's Syndrome who was sitting beside her. The little girl mouthed, "That's ME!" and put her face in her hands and started to cry. Her mentor was crying. I was crying. Luke was nearly losing it himself as he approached her and was gently saying, "Look what you got!"

She was equal. She had as much a chance of having her name drawn as any other student in the room. Everyone was cheering for her. She belonged.

And that was the WHOLE point for me. These children all belong to our community and need to be treated equally. By presenting these four schools with 38 back backs each we gave the kids more a level playing field to belong.

When a child shows up to school and doesn't have the proper supplies with which to do their work they feel that they aren't as good as other kids who do have all those things. The back pack itself is a small part of the gift we give these students. By just having those basic needs, they now are an equal. That does so much for a child's confidence.

I will never forget that one little girl. No matter how many times we are ambassadors for KidsFest that will stand out in my mind. It'll be pretty tough to top.

Prayer Pursues the Prodigal

"The prayers of the righteous are powerful tools"

A street worker friend of mine called me late one afternoon to see if I could go across town and pick up a young lady who was in desperate need of a drive to detox. I made my way across the city, in the middle of rush hour, to meet her and her boyfriend- I put her suitcase into the back of my van and watched as she said good bye to her boyfriend.

As we made our way through the traffic and to pick up my street worker friend- she, little by little unfolded her story. Her and her boyfriend had come into the city from Christian homes, and had soon gotten involved with some very insidious elements. Elements that deliver death instead of the promised high.

She came into the city to be with him. He came into the city to find freedom. Both found addictions and their very life being taken from them.

I don't know how long they have been in the middle of this 'pig pen' but both have had the prayers of parents calling out to God to pursue them by His Spirit and awaken their hearts. A month ago God led me to them. The very same day I emailed Christ followers in four different continents and simply shared the need for prayer. Over the last few weeks I have received phone calls, emails and questions every week asking what was happening with this young couple. My answer has been, "Keep praying, the cycle of darkness continues".

I sat yesterday at a cafe with a man who I serve alongside of in some streetlevel focuses. He joined into several of these only a few months ago. We were meeting to share java and like spiritual passion, to see the church make a greater impact by living out the gospel among 'the least of these.'

In the midst of conversation I asked him about his family. He told me of his wife, and two boys- one 29 the other 21. With a voice strained with the pain of heartbreak he said his son was an addict in the city. Then he told me the unknown details of the story of two young people who 'escaped' to the city. Yeah the same story that I have just written above.

I waited for him to continue to pour out the pursuit of God's love on these two prodigals. Last week the parents met with the two young people- discovering that they were holed up in a crack house. They were besides themselves with what to do? They prayed, and you were praying with them. Last weekend the ex-hell's angel who owned the crack house over dosed and died; the police came in, closed the house down, putting those hanging out there onto the streets. After a day of being without drugs the couple was hurting physically, mentally and spiritually- they called home. The parents came to the city to find them on the streets and in the rain. My friend told his son that they could come home only if they got help- God's pursuit of us is relentless! He disciplines us because He loves us...yes He loves us. That day on the streets of H-fax two prodigals began the journey of being found!

Both are in separate detoxes out side the city. Both are enrolled in separate follow up programs in Christian recovery organizations. As I shared with this dad my side of the story and that God had used you to pursue this couple in prayer- he and I just sat in amazment. God loves and seeks the prodigal. We were so moved to witness the Hound of Heaven chasing hard after His lost sheep.

THANK YOU!! On behalf of these families, these kids....THANK YOU for praying! Your prayers were a part of the protection and pursuit of God on our streets. These two young people still have a long way to go...don't stop praying now.

"I fled Him, down the nights and down the days;
I fled Him, down the arches of the years;
I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways
Of my own mind; and in the mist of tears
I hid from Him,...
My thirsting mouth.
Nigh and nigh draws the chase,
With unperturbèd pace,
Deliberate speed, majestic instancy ;
And past those noisèd Feet
A Voice comes yet more fleet --
"Lo ! naught contents thee, who content'st not Me." ....

"And human love needs human meriting :
How hast thou merited --
Of all man's clotted clay the dingiest clot ?
Alack, thou knowest not
How little worthy of any love thou art !
Whom wilt thou find to love ignoble thee,
Save Me, save only Me ?
All which I took from thee I did but take,
Not for thy harms,
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.
All which thy child's mistake
Fancies as lost, I have stored for thee at home :
Rise, clasp My hand, and come !" "- from The Hound of Heaven

PRAYER:: Why Start? Why Continue? What's the Point?

We have decided for PAXnorth blog we would begin to write weekly.

The topic of the Blog will revolve around what is being taught at PAXworship that week, or the developing focus of the church that week. We hope that this way we will enhance the interaction of our community both at home and away.

The month of August PAXnorth is being called to PRAY and FAST at least one day a week all month long! The fast can be in a variety of ways...food, T.V., Internet, media, music while driving, music while running, etc, etc. Then replace that time, or when thinking of the discipline, to pray.

PRAYER:: WHY START? WHY CONTINUE? WHAT'S THE POINT?

"If you say God is Sovereign (knows all things, controls all things, etc) then why do I need to pray? Doesn't He know everything already?"

Matthew 6:8 "Your Father knows what you need before you ask."
Often the only time we cry out to God in true need is when we are IN true need. "Help me God this circumstance is beyond me, this illness is overcoming me, this relationship is so beyond my help...Help me God"
We don't pray to God because He doesn't know what we need, or want. We seek God in prayer because it gives definite expression to our trust and surrender to the truth- we cannot control our lives, we NEED God. We pray because we, the creation, need God the Creator. Prayer expresses and continuing to pray increases our trust in Him.
We don't pray so that we will finally be known by God. God knows you. He created you and delights in your trust and seeking of Him. He is fully a good Father. The best you have ever known or can imagine. Compared to Him even the greatest of Father's is wicked.

"Which of you fathers, if your child asks for a fish, you will give him a snake instead?... If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your kids, how much
more will your Father in heaven give...?" Luke 11:11-13

When you bow in honest prayer to God, seeking Him in full trust, He delights that you, as a whole person, are trusting yourself to Him, as a whole Person. He delights in your trust of Him- His love, His power, His mercy, His grace, His creativity; After all it is through the interchange of trust that relationship is begun. We pray so that we might enter into the knowing of God in our life. We continue in prayer because we continue to find delight in knowing Him more fully.

We don't pray because it is a 'good luck charm', a 'magic incantation', a 'mantra' or as a means to finally make God hear.
“Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name I will do it” -John 14:13-14

Did you know there is NO prayer recorded in the Bible that ends with the words, "in Jesus name, Amen?" These words cannot be used to invoke God to greater response, or to make sure exactly what you prayed gets done. Praying in Jesus' name means you pray this prayer because this is what is consistent with the mission and will of Christ, in my life, work place, relationships, debt struggles, need for new things, etc, etc.

We don't stop praying because, 'I tried that and it didn't work', or 'I'm getting no answer on this so God must not care'.

Think for a minute of someone in your life who really seems to have a strong personal walk with God. They seem to radiate with trust and honest 'down to earth' believing faith. It is most likely that they are a person who prayers quite a bit. Is it possible to be a person who truly has a faith relationship with God- seeks after God in such a way that is constantly pressing in on Him, the loving Father- and then be spiritually shallow? A mature relationship with God means you are a person who is continuing, prevailing, constant in praying the prayers that you believe Jesus would pray, even if you don't get an answer with in the first 30 seconds, 30 days, 30 years. Prevailing in prayer means you are taking the present tense progressive actions of ASKING....SEEKING....KNOCKING...

LUKE 11:1-13 Unfolds for us a mature God centered, daily reality, continual, pressing in upon a gracious loving Father instruction on prayer!
You cannot lose out in your spiritual life by being devoted to prayer! It will not leave you with a shallow empty relationship with God. It will leave you asking for the Father to pour out His Holy Spirit into the situations, the circumstances and relationships of your life.

PRESS IN ON GOD IN PRAYER AND FIND DELIGHT IN KNOWING HIM.

Cultures of Repentance

Two weeks ago I was sitting with a bunch of guys over a slab of bacon, two over-easy eggs and about a pot of coffee each- talking about, "Why Evangelical Jesus followers don't repent very easily." This week I hung out with a great friend, who opened up his heart to me about a process of repentance that God brought him too and through that truly saved his life; Also this week our church plant network has been dealing with an issue of repentance that has threatened to kill a young pastor, his sweet wife, three young kids and the church God raised up around them.
I am so teeed off at the devastation of our own sinful behaviors, the power of addiction, and the deep scars that unrepentance can bring; that I probably shouldn't be writing;(BTW- by unrepentance I also mean 'incomplete half repentance') Yet in the midst of this, I am amazed at the beauty, new life, reclaimed love and new found freedom that honest repentance, ownership of sin and accountable recovery can bring by the grace of God!

I think we, churches in general, do a really sucky job at creating authentic environments for true repentance to happen, or want to happen. Why is it that usually the only time we hear about a guy who wants to repent is AFTER he has completely destroyed his own life and the lives of those he loves?! Don't go mis reading me now -I am not o.k.-ing the touchy, feely, mystic church environments that continually endorse that we just let it all hang out, our sin, our addiction, our struggles with deep temptation, repenting openly every Sunday at 'open mike' time, and then lets just see what happens..... Most time what happens is they describe their lust and struggle so powerfully and attractively that three or four other guys get hooked into the same deep sin. -'Watch in case you fall into the same sin'- Something Apostle Paul warned about in the midst of leading others in repentance.
But I do think we have made our faith so sterile in our church cultures that there is no room for the true authentic repentance that should be happening when Jesus followers are instructed to 'confess your sins one to another and bear one an others' burdens.' I do believe a sterile faith is an impotent faith. (Unwilling to engage in the messiness of authentic spiritual relationships in Christ, removes the opportunity for the power of God to press in on those areas of our life).
What is repentance for any way? So that the offender is so devastated and destroyed, bloodied and wounded while the rest of the soldiers shake their self righteous heads and say, "Yeah, I knew it, He was a 'poser- soldier' really anyway, lets all kick him on the way to the pot- luck mess hall called church after the battle." For many situations that I have witnessed and even been involved with, that seems to be the totality of the act of repentance. No wonder guys wait until their lives are completely destroyed, and then are forced to repent or at least to make part confessions.

Isn't the point of repentance so that we can make direct steps away from devastation and towards reconciliation? Isn't recovery and reconciliation- true peace, PAX, shalom- the whole point of repentance. I am not sure how but do believe if we can focus on creating environments of reconciliation, recovery, redemption there will be a natural outflow of relationships of repentance.

I love it when my kids come to me to confess their love for me and need of me to care for them, because they are worried something they said or did has possibly hurt my heart. I hate it when I have said or done something that has hurt the heart of my wife or my kids...I just can't let it go...I have to make it right by honest confession and repentance.....so that the love can be restored! Ahhhhhh the secure, joyous, safe place of reconciliation; Looks and smells like relationships of true love.

"Even while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" Ahhhhhhhh looks and smells like true love- "reconciling us to the Father."