SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

SANCTIFIED RANT.

Dai Hankey is an evangelist, youth communicator, church planter, passionate Welshman and an integral part of the Ignite team. He's just launched a blog called Sanctified Rant which is well worth a read.

CHOICE No. 4- Pursuing the presence of the Holy Spirit.

 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.  John 14.7

Having grown up in a distinctly non-charismatic, even non-evangelical church, I was amazed and attracted by the Christians I met at university who seemed to be living life much more faithfully and powerfully than I. That set me on a course of discovery- into books, churches, events, people-about the Holy Spirit. Suffice to say that 30 year journey has now seen me become a pastor in a pentecostal denomination.

Early experiences of the Holy Spirit saw me desperate to speak in tongues, and applying some crazy strategies to do so, seeing people 'filled' in charismatic meetings, and occasionally having some 'carpet-time' myself- slain in the Spirit flat out on the floor. Most memorably was the first time I was prayed for to that end, on a Christians in Sport cricket tour to Zimbabwe believe it or not!

Nowadays I'm still pursuing the Spirit-specifically a greater biblical understanding of Him through a Master's degree in Pentecostal and Charismatic Theology, and also daily and experientially as I learn to trust Him more as counsellor, comforter and guide. It's worrying how many Christians have a 'binitarian' faith- aware of God the Father and Jesus the Son, but unaware of the presence and power of the Spirit in their lives.

NEW AUDIO SERMONS UPLOADED.

At last I've uploaded three new audio sermons preached at City Temple, Cardiff over the last few months.

You can find them in the 'Some of my Sermons' list, and the new ones are:

The Holy Spirit-Our director of missions: examining how the church in Acts responded to the prompting of the Spirit, and how we should be doing the same today.

Burden bearers or burden makers?: from a series on 'Doing the things Jesus did' this sermon examines how Jesus lifts our burdens and shows that we have a choice in the way we treat others-making life lighter or heavier for them.

Why should I be baptized?: delivered at a baptismal service this is a message about Philip and the Ethiopian and was intended to challenge the people being baptized, Christians who hadn't yet been baptized, and those present who hadn't yet put their faith in Christ.