Pastor Andrew Owen
Dear Church and all our valued friends,
How are you?
We are doing everything possible to take care of the church, and churches and especially our most vulnerable people, our families with young children and at the same reach out to our community.
I am very grateful to all the pastors and growth group leaders along with team leaders who are facing the challenge head on with faith and joy, knowing our God is with us.
They are in constant contact with everyone.
Our media team are working overtime as they put so much online and continue to be a huge blessing to us all.
The situation in my view will continue to get worse for some time yet, so our approach to these days is hugely important.
I’ve shared with others early on, that I felt God say to me this would last 180 days taking us up to 12th September before any kind of normality returns, and even then, life will not be as we knew it.
The whole world is being reset.
But in it all we have unprecedented opportunities. We have several thousand people now connecting with us online each week. One online platform reports more than 40,000 commitments to Christ in the last four weeks across Europe.
We are praying and believing God that we won’t lose one person in the church family – extending ‘covenant covering’ over our daily walk.
And at the same time bring hope and healing into the world around us. They say 25 million people will lose their jobs around Europe – we are saying God will take of His people who trust Him.
Many are already saying God is blessing them in this season, it’s like Isaac who we spoke of recently, he sowed in a famine and reaped a hundredfold.
But each of you need to strongly establish this covenant faith walk in your own homes.
As well as observing government guidelines of washing hands often, keeping a safe distance from other and isolating if we think we have a problem, we must place ourselves clearly, confidently, and very purposefully under Gods care.
This is not a day to be casual with your faith but very focused. It does not need to be complicated – simpler the better.
But God made promises for days like these and He fully intends to keep them to all those who look to Him.
Psalm 91 is a case in point.
Breaking of bread reminds God and us of His covenant promises and raises a banner over our lives. You may want to anoint the gateway and doorways to your homes with oil – praying as you do so.
But then – reach out! People are stressed and fearful, everyone is open for a word of prayer.
We are OPEN as a church with our buildings open and the Destiny Angels and Hopeline team cooking hundreds of hot meals every week for those in need, so feel free to offer help even if you can’t personally make it happen – we as the church can.
Then remember how we would so often say invite people to church? Well now it’s just got easier!
We learned a neat trick from one of our pastors last week, when we are live online together why not invite your entire Facebook community by hosting a watch party? Sue did this last Sunday and had over 100 people ‘attend church’ with her in less than 15 minutes.
We are broadcasting on 3 platforms all at the same time at the moment:
- Church Online via our app and website
- YouTube
We are pooling resources and last week’s children’s programme frrom Destiny Church Edinburgh was outstanding. We are now putting worship, word, kids, youth and much more online and the list is growing on the website.
- Church is OPEN. All our buildings are open with a smaller rotating staff.
- We are ONLINE, come and invite others.
- WE are the church, let’s keep doing family together.
We are preparing to open up world-wide growth groups, adding to the ones we already have.
When we do get back to meet, we will be very surprised with what God has done.This e-news is also available by postal mail for anyone who finds tech a challenge – just let us know. We also phone these people every week and offer a DVD or CD of the meetings to those who can’t tech connect.
Join us this Saturday night for our 6.00pm ‘something different’ meeting.
Got a need or prayer request? Don’t hesitate in sending it topraying4u@destiny-church.com
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday.
Andrew & Sue
