SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

AM I THE ONLY ONE?

Sitting in the lounge of the Elim College in Nantwich taking a short break from the sessions at the Ministers in Training Conference. I get ordained as an Elim pastor next April. Most of the input at these conferences is refreshingly honest and vulnerable, rather than trying to build 'Superpastor'.
I have to admit that on a few instances I feel as strong and anointed as Elijah in 1 Kings 18 when he calls down fire from heaven and shows the prophets of Baal that "The Lord is God" but often I feel like Elijah in 1 Kings 19 when he's hiding in a cave and cries out to God 'I alone am left'. Even more frequently though, I wonder if I'm the only person who thinks a certain way, has certain fears, and it's those things that I'll try to articulate now.

Am I the only one....

Who thinks they’re a failure?
Who feels guilty?
Who wants everybody to like me?
Who gets afraid?
Who compares themselves to other people?
Who still feels like a little kid inside?
Who wishes they looked a bit different?
Who always has crazy hopes and dreams?
Who keeps on making the same mistakes?
Whose spirit is willing but whose flesh is weak?
Who desperately wants to serve God?
Who sometimes feels like giving up?
Who is amazed that God should choose me to accomplish his purposes?
Who is so thankful for God's love and grace?

Surely it's not just me is it?

FATHER'S DAY

"Relax on Father's Day.." says the card from my daughter Bethan. It's the day when I can laze around and read the paper, eat loads of chocolate, and have control of the TV remote- sounds like any other day in our house! Father's Day reminds me that of all the ministries, projects, events that God has called me to be a part of that my first and most important responsibilities are to be a husband and a father. I don't mind admitting that they are my biggest challenges as well.
My Mum and Dad are around for the weekend- which means my Dad has been able to do some odd jobs around the house and my Mum has been doing some gardening- I'm not exactly Mr. DIY or Mr. Greenfingers!
I thank God that He wants to father us all, and wants to reveal to us all the perfect attributes of a Heavenly Father.

PENTECOST 2006 MEETING

We've just got back from an incredible day at the world famous St. David's Hall in the centre of Cardiff.
Our church, City Temple, hired the Hall for a worship service this morning and evening- with Reinhard Bonnke the preacher tonight. Reinhard, through his ministry Christ for All Nations, has preached to millions of people all over Africa- often preaching to crowds of over a million, and once seeing a million people come to faith in Jesus in one meeting alone! This evening many people came to Jesus, many were healed and many were filled with the Holy Spirit.
Here are a selection of soundbites from Reinhard Bonnke's sermon tonight:
* If you want to see your nation saved and all you do is pray you are walking on one leg. If you want to see your nation saved and you only preach you are walking on one leg. God has given us 2 legs- so pray and preach, pray and preach, pray and preach.
* In Genesis 1 we see the Holy Spirit hovering over the earth, He only moves into action when He hears the word of God spoken out.
*If you want to see the original results then preach the original message.
*In Acts 2 tongues of fire come into contact with tongues of flesh- each one a perfect and deliberate match. Then Heavens and Earth meet, the supernatural and the natural become one.
* If you have a head on your body then Jesus has a flame for you. Your name is on your flame-do you desire the fire?
*He tried once to be restrained and dignified in his preaching instead of loud and excited. A friend came up afterwards and said 'dignity isn't a fruit of the spirit, but joy is!' He's been loud and excited ever since... because the joy of the Lord is our strength.
* God wants to baptise you in the Holy Spirit just like ancient weavers dipped cloth in dye -to give your personality a complete soaking.
* The Gospel of Jesus isn't just an alternative for today's society it's an ultimatum.

VAL AND VINOD

One of the great things about the life I lead is the opportunity to meet people from different countries and cultures. It's even more special when we welcome overseas visitors to our home. At the moment we have two young people staying with us- 21 year-old Valerie Goode from Texas, USA and 17 year-old Vinod Vijjeswarpu from Rajahmundry in India. Valerie is a student at Abilene Christian University and is spending her vacation working over here with Ignite. She's been over to the UK before, but never to Wales. Vinod, on the other hand, has never been out of India. Val has been comparing US and British TV, and Vinod has had one new experience after another- he's eaten pork and beef for the first time!
Val heard about Ignite on her trip to the UK last year and heard me speak at her college back in March.
I met Vinod on my trip to India last year, he lives with his older cousin Pastor Prasad -you can see some pictures of my mission trip to India in my photo albums.

NEW GENERATION LEADERS

Back at work today from my Sabbatical, and spent most of the day in Newport at a Church Leaders Lunch for the New Generation Leaders Project with Evangelical Alliance Wales. Elfed Godding from EA Wales has been the instigator and we've been running this initiative in Wales for the past three years. Our aim is to envision as many church leaders as possible with the following Core Values:
1. Releasing young people into leadership in the church is biblical.
2. Young people are the church of today, not just the church of the future.
3. Today's young people belong to things actively not passively.
4. The church needs the energy, dynamism and passion of young people.
5. It is the responsibility of older Christian leaders to encourage and enable younger people into leadership.
Becky Williams, a young student who has been a volunteer with Ignite for ages, made this comment at one of these recent leaders lunches:
"To have an older person believe in me is a sign that God believes in me.