SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

COMMUNICATION IN A YOUTH SETTING.

Last Monday I commenced my lecturing for this academic year at Elim's National Training College. I deliver a module called 'Communication in a Youth Setting' on the Youth Ministry course and for the first time this year am also delivering a level 2 module on the same subject. The level 2 module starts tomorrow and the 6 topics I'll be covering over the next 3 weeks will be:

1. Metanarrative and Major Biblical Themes
2. Parables
3. Story Telling Skills
4. Learning Styles/Teaching Styles
5. School Lessons/Assemblies
6. Telling a Story-practical experience.

Most of these are natural progressions from the level 1 module, and the seven students on Level 2 have all taken the level 1 module with me last year. On level 1 this year are 18 students, and I really enjoy the opportunity to give them some input.
Metanarrative may be a new word for some of you. Simply put it means BIG STORY.
The Bible may appear to be just a collection of random stories. On a higher level, though, a unity appears. What is God trying to say through all the individual stories and events recorded? The metanarrative of the Bible is its story about God. The Bible contains many stories, all woven together by the one grand theme of God's self-revelation to the world. This Story of God does not come to us in the neat packaging of systematic theology. It comes to us in the stories of a chosen people who experienced God.

The challenge is to be able to tell both the small and big stories of the Bible in a way that will engage, challenge and transform today's generation. As if to practice what I preach, this next couple of weeks I'm doing a lot of speaking- to a youth group in Abergavenny on Wednesday, preaching a sermon on a parable at City Temple next Sunday, Kingdom Academy at church this Tuesday on 'Developing the inner walk with God', and launching Ignite in Carmarthen a week on Friday - all this with a still dodgy voice and a cough!

THIRD DAY PORTRAIT.

An artist fan of Third Day has painted an awesome picture of the guys and is auctioning it to raise money for another Ignite India church. Go take a look and bid! Here's the link: THIRD DAY PORTRAIT

BLESSINGS FESTIVAL.

Safely home after an intense last few days in India- albeit still with a draining cough. Our last couple of days saw us visit another Ignite church-this one in the middle of rain sodden swamp land- to offcially open and attend the very first service, and then take part in the Blessings Festival- which Pastor Prasad will be holding each year at the Come Together Compound. Nearly 2,000 people from local villages attended, and despite a plague of flies, enjoyed a programme that included dancing from the youth group of the Gummuluru Ignite church, singing from a large group of pastors, presentations of garlands and floral head dresses to all the team, a gospel sermon from me, young people signing the Ignite declaration, a prayer tunnel and loads of prayer ministry led by Steve Ball and our team, and eventually a final dance including all the team!
I've put some new Ignite church pictures in the photo gallery, and also a new album of photos from this trip which should help you get some ides of what we got up to and the incredible things that God is doing through Ignite India, at the Come Together Compound, and with Prasad and his family at Gateway Ministries.

ANDARIKI VANDANALU.

"Greetings to everybody" in the Telegu language. I'm sitting in an internet cafe in Rajahmundry whilst the rest of my team are leading a conference for local pastors and their wives. Reflecting on the last couple of days I hardly know where to begin and what to tell you! Here's a quick summary:

Holding dedication services for 2 new ignite churches.

Visiting the Ignite church in Gummuluru one year after opening and seeing a flourishing church with many children and young people- they performed Indian dancing for us as an anniversary celebration.

Hearing that 4 members of one church our team visited had died that day due to fevers brought on by the rain and the mosquitos.

Seeing 12 new salvations after one service.

Travelling for an hour and a half into a remote village area to visit a small church and pray for many people.

Hearing the testimony of Sarah on our team- her Grandma wanted to come to India as a missionary 80 years ago but was turned down by a number of mission agencies. She died an old lady a few years ago, and never did visit India. Sarah heard me speak about this trip a few months ago and realised that her Gran wanted the opportunity to come but was refused, whilst Sarah herself had opportunities and wasn't taking them. She decided then to apply for our team and fulfill her Gran's dream!

RAJAHMUNDRY

The first ever Elim India conference finished well and after an overnight sleeper train from Bangalore to Chennai and a flight from Chennai, we are now in the home city, Rajahmundry, of my friend pastor Prasad. Last night we led a service in a remote village church, and after I'd preached Pastor Steve Ball from City Temple led an awesome prayer ministry time with salvations, healings and powerful encounters with the Holy Spirit. This morning we visited the COME TOGETHER compound and saw the great advancement in the building of the school there since I last saw it. The schol is taking shape, the grouns have been cultivated, trees have been planted, and space has been made for a cricket pitch! We then went on to the official dedication service of one of our IGNITE CHURCHES- this one in a village called Nidigatla. I presided over the opening, Diana from the Ignite office gave some gifst to the pastor, and then Steve Ball preached. The church has been holding services in the new building for over a month, and already is full of Hindu converts to Christ-including a few more today! Tonight I head off to a another remote village where they will not have seen a white man before.

HEALTH UPDATE- a number of us in the team are suffering from coughs. Mine is particularly severe still, although I'm refusing to be downcast about it. Your prayers, as always, will be appreciated.

ARRIVED IN BANGALORE.

After flights from London to Dubai and Dubai to Bangalore we have begun the first ever Elim All India Conference. One thousand pastors were expected but over 1,300 have registered! Amongst them is my good friend Prasad and 39 other pastors from the Rajahmundry area. Our team were amazed at the journey from Bangalore airport to the hotel- 12 people  squeezed in  a landrover with luggage from the 8 team members as well, a distance of 15 kilometres taking well over an hour due to the intense traffic- beeping horns and plenty of motorbikes. Prasad and I visited FEBA Christian radio station this morning to talk about future Ignite broadcasts.

CLUSTR MAP.

My Clustr Map to the right of the blog has just had it's yearly archive. 10,848 visits, from roughly 30 different countries, between 10th October 2006 and 9th October 2007 were logged to this site. Which means that the current map showing is a brand new one and makes me look like Billy NoMates! Frequent visits to this site will be greatly appreciated.
I've been advised that the name Nigel NoFriends might be more appropriate!

INDIA MISSION TRIP.

Here's the itinerary for the 8 of us who are heading off to India on a joint IGNITE/CITY TEMPLE mission.
I'm still feeling throaty with lots of coughing and spluttering, so prayer would be appreciated!
The team is:
Rev. Nigel James
Rev. Steve Ball
Mr. Bryon Castle
Mr. Richard Stanton
Mrs. Shikala Mansfield
Mrs. Diana Davies
Mrs. Pam Davies
Mrs. Sarah Rees.

I'll aim to get online in India and post some updates.

Sunday 14th -Depart Cardiff at 3pm. Arrive Gatwick 7.00pm. Depart Gatwick for Dubai on Emirates Airlines at 9.15pm

Monday 15th- Arrive Dubai at 7.10am, Depart Dubai at 11.45am. Arrive in Bangalore at 5.15pm.

Tuesday 16th- Elim India Conference.

Wednesday -17th Elim India Conference.

Thursday 18th- Elim India Conference. Depart at 10.30pm by train to Chennai.

Friday 19th -Arrive Chennai 5.30am. Flight to Rajahmundry departs 9.30am, arrives 11.30am. Settle in to Prasad’s house. Afternoon rest. Evening meeting at church.

Saturday 20th- Come Together Compound (School) visit. Nidigatla Church opening service. Evening – 2 outreach teams to different villages.

Sunday 21st- Tapeswaram Church dedication. Tatapudi Church construction visit. Leper Church visit. Evening- Gummuluru Church visit, one team goes onto another village for outreach.

Monday 22nd- Pastors and Wives Conference- 2 sessions. Evening- 2 outreach teams to different villages.

Tuesday 23rd -Ambajipeta Church dedication and visit to another village. Evening-Ignite India Youth Meeting.

Wednesday 24th – 5.30am return to airport for flight to Hyderabad. Arrive Hyderabad 8.30am

Thursday 25th – flight to Dubai departs Hyderabad 10.20am, arrives Dubai 12.20pm Depart Dubai 3.00pm, arrive Gatwick 7.35pm

OFFENSIVE.

Just found another audio talk from a session I did earlier in the year on Ignite's OFFENSIVE course. It's a full-on training series to equip young people for evangelism, organised by Dai Hankey..
Offensive has been running for two years and is one of the shining lights in the Ignite stable. A whole bunch of young people have discovered a passion and a priority in their lives for sharing Jesus with friends, families, folk they bump into, and Offensive promises to be bigger, better and even more strategic in 2008.
My session was called 'Fuel for the Flames- our motivation for evangelism. It's in the audio sermons list for you to listen to.

IGNITE LIBERIA.

Today was the monthly prayer morning for the Ignite team, and as well as praying for each other, for our forthcoming mission trip to India, we prayed for Ignite Liberia.
A young married couple, Emmanuel and Wintee, have been heading up the work of Ignite in the capital city of Monrovia, and recently another couple have started Ignite in the city of Gbarnga. We feel tremendously privileged to be connected with these folk, and have been sending resources and preaching material out regularly. Liberia has been a country decimated by civil war, corruption and extreme violence, so the ministry that Ignite Liberia is involved in is really frontline stuff. At some stage I know I'll be visiting them-just not sure how and when yet!
Here are some prayer requests from Emmanuel:

Pray that more young people will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ;

Pray for Reuben and Emmanuel Gray as they serve as Ignite coordinators in Gbarnga;

Pray for strength as we spread the Gospel and work with young people;

Pray for God's protection as we travel back and forth to spread God's word;

Pray for committed people to join us in spreading the vision;

If you have some time, please pray for the work of Ignite Liberia.