Breakthrough

One thing I love about Redeemer is the friendship and brotherhood I experience in my interaction with the blokes there.  I say ‘blokes’ because when we meet up there’s no pretence – there’s no divide between everyday life and seeking to live as sons of the Father.  Its’ all on the table.

On Saturday morning, we also had on the table (see what I did there) bacon, sausage, beans, eggs, as well as the token pieces of fruit.  We met at 8 for 2 hours of chat, testimony and prayer.  Every 2 months we meet under the banner ‘Breakthrough’ and share our stories of challenge and breakthrough as we follow Jesus.  

This month Noble Laryea told us a little of his family’s story - from coming to the UK as refugees from Ghana in the 70’s, to growing up in council housing with two parents holding down multiple jobs and his experience of church and coping with the death of his father as a teen.  I won’t try and do his story justice here – I suggest that you offer to buy him a coffee and you can get it first-hand. [Just be sure to clear your diary for a few hours.]  Instead here’s some second-hand wisdom from what I heard and took away to ponder.

1. Taking the knee. [Ephesians 3:14-19] At decision points in our lives, at each new twist of the road, we do well to pause and seek God’s face in prayer and to submit to His will. Taking the knee (actually both knees) is a physical reminder of our position under the kingship of Christ. Submitting to Him and trusting Him is key.

2. Seeking the kingdom. Matthew 6:33 tells us to seek first His kingdom. That can be daunting sometimes. Noble made it more personal for me by asking: right now, where you are – what does the kingdom of God look like? The point is that God’s priorities for us will change over time – so while you’re on our knees, ask: “What does Your kingdom look like for me right now? What adjustments do I need to make? What presumptions have I made based on the past? What does road ahead look like for me and mine from Your perspective?”

3. But God chose the foolish… And lastly, Noble didn’t spend much time on this, but referred us to 1 Corinthians 1: 25-29. Will you give Him your foolishness? Because God chose you for your foolishness – and He’ll take that and build His kingdom.

I love the brotherhood I’ve found at Redeemer – expressed through WhatsApp groups, over coffee, at breakfast and while on our knees.  That’s a Breakthrough. 

Breakthrough - Men's Prayer Brunch

The 9th of February marked the first Men’s brunch meetup. A new ministry from Redeemer with a vision to bring men together to discuss one simple but important question; what breakthrough are we waiting for God to do in our lives? He is a God who can do anything, and often we simply need to hold onto faith and trust that He will provide what we need at the right time.

The first meetup saw twenty-two men from Redeemer church devour an insatiable amount of eggs, sausages, bacon and coffee whilst catching up for those with those we haven’t seen in a while. But the event also provided a friendly atmosphere for new people to make new friends. It was great to see the coffee pouring and the conversations flowing with outbreaks of laughter from one end of the table to the other.

After the mighty-meaty brunch, we all gathered around in the spacious living room to listen to our very own Francois share his testimony – a vulnerable and honest account of how he grappled with an addiction to pornography, and the way it affected his marriage. It was so encouraging to hear that despite the bondage to sin that only seemed to tighten with the passage of time, Francois learnt to lean on God and His abundant grace. God has set him free from this; providing the much needed breakthrough that Francois required, as he was able to bring himself, his marriage and his family unilaterally out of difficulty under God’s light.

The session concluded as we broke into small groups to discuss addictions that we wrestle with but focus on a real and tangible way out – by lifting our voices in prayer, and beginning to lean on God; trusting Him for the breakthrough that he ultimately provided for Francois.

Chris Sutton was then given some time to discuss the ministry he is putting together called ‘caring for ex-offenders’ before the day ended in a final prayer.

The men’s ministry will be running these brunches every two to three months and we would love to see you at the next one on 13th April. Come along and please do bring any men you know who would benefit from the fruits of this ministry (inside or outside of Redeemer).

Details of the next meetup will be given nearer the time. – Please speak to Barny, Francois or Sunny for more info.

Review by Sunny Gill