I guess upon my return the biggest question that I have is "How do we take what we learnt in Ibiza and transfer some of the principles to the UK?"
Over the last years I feel that I have been on an intensive prayer and mission training school. Trying to live a life that is both intimately involved with God and actively involved with the world. We have tried hard to breath God in and breath God out, to have out hearts aligned with His and from this form a place of prayer that connects with the world.
Prayer rooms in the right places are a big one for me, I believe we need to see an increase of spaces where people can connect with God on a regular basis. For me that would mean seeing an increasing amount of permanent prayer spaces in situations were the general public can feel able to drop in and reflect on their maker! Shop front prayer rooms would be a great start with this. Creative spaces that give people the chance to pop in be it for a few minutes or a few hours and connect in a tranquil environment with God.
The UK's high streets are littered with empty shops, I would love to see a move within the church of hiring these shops and making them connecting points with the community.
"we need to position ourselves amongst need"
If shopping is the new religion we need to be there in the midst of it all, blessing the community by giving them the opportunity to sample a different way of being and have a connection point with God.
I have just spent an hour in the a prayer room in the town where I live, in that time had the opportunity to pray with a depressed guy who is living in a hostel and chat and pray with another guy who is working through some issues. It was life giving not just for them but also for me. The place of the church in the high street will inevitably lend itself to connection with broken and damaged humanity. We need more of this.
I want to develop a network of prayer rooms and spaces that are present in the high street and accessible to all.
I am curious as to whether this could work?
2 comments:
We feel the exact same way, with the exact same call in roughly the same location. If you ever want to connect & throw logs on those specific mission-fires, reach us at: 24-7prayerroom@charlotte24-7.com.
This is a great idea Brian. Its one we are aiming for in my home town. The church out in the community. We need to be canny about security, as well as available to public. WWJD? Be out in the high street every day!
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