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Looking Back to See Forward

Martin Taylor

{2Jan2022 Harlington BC}

English: Happy New Year. Welcome to Harlington Baptist Church.

Persian (Farsi): Sal new mebareke. Khoosh amedad bh kelasaa bapetaset Harelanegtoon.

Arabic: Sanat jadidat saeidatun. Marhaban bikum fi kanisat harlinghtun almiemadania.

Kurdish: Sersala ve Mibarek be. Hûn bi xêr hatin Dêra Baptist a Harlington.

Hindi: Navavarsh kee shubhakaamana. Haarlingatan baipatist charch mein aapaka svaagat hai

Spanish: Feliz año nuevo. Bienvenido a la Iglesia Bautista de Harlington.

Portugese: Feliz Ano Novo. Bem-vindo à Igreja Batista Harlington

Italian: Buon anno. Benvenuti nella chiesa battista di Harlington

Swahili: Heri ya mwaka mpya.. Karibu katika Kanisa la Harlington Baptist

Hausa: Barka da sabon shekara. Barka da zuwa Harlington Baptist Church

A New Year. A new opportunity. Perhaps a new start.

What are you looking for in 2022?

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What Happened in 2021?

In the World

COVID continues
Trump supporters stormed Capitol
Ever Given blocked Suez Canal
David Yonggi Cho died
Archbishop Tutu died

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What Happened in 2021

At Harlington Baptist

Attendance drops post 3^rd lockdown
Vitalia still off sick
Steps to Freedom in Christ
2017, 18, 29, 20 accounts approved
Teams
Maintenance Work

What Happened in 2021

Here at Harlington, we survived the 3^rd lockdown – but as lockdown eased, online attendance numbers fell – and were not matched by in-person attendance. There has been a similar effect on numbers at the various prayer meetings and at the Bible Study. Whilst some drop off is due to people moving house out of the area, some is not easily explained. Remember guys – you get the church you pray for. If you don’t like what is here, you are obviously not praying enough!

Vitalia is still off sick. Her health has improved, but is not yet back to where it was.

Most of the leaders have been through the Steps to Freedom in Christ and would recommend that others follow their example. Have you booked your Freedom Appointment?

2016, 17, 18, and 19 accounts were approved. Hooray!

Unfortunately, we were unable to complete the 2020 accounts by the end of 2021 so the AGM had to be slipped.

Teams

The Preaching Team worked well until late summer when team numbers dwindled. Either more people volunteer, or you get to hear me too often!

The Prophecy Team has started well and regular Practicing Prophecy sessions on Sunday mornings seem to have worked.

The Evangelism Team and the Shepherding Teams are not working so well. Welcome and Hospitality Teams have had to be closed for the time being.

Overall, we are woefully short of people willing to step up and lead. Without leaders, the Church cannot function – it doesn’t matter how many attenders come along. It will simply cease to operate.

Maintenance Work

The Chapel electrics have had a major (and expensive) overhaul. It needed to be done, and the place is safer as a result. The Lightning Conductor should now work, if needed.

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What Can We Look Forward To

In the World

More COVID
Increased persecution in India
Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
Severe weather
Revival?

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What Can We Look Forward To

At Harlington Baptist

New minister? - Church Profile
Baptismal classes
Listed Building Renovation Works
Eph 4:11 training
Prophecy Hub
Leadership changes

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What does this mean for You

World is changing
God does not change
Jesus died on the cross for you
Will you turn to Him today?

What does this mean for You?

The world is changing. It used to be the case that Christians were welcomed in most parts of the world. Their religion might not have been appreciated, but they did good things, provided education, built hospitals, provided food, expertise and practical assistance. Often at high personal cost.

Now, it is common to assume those things were done solely to gain converts.

It used to be the case that Christianity was in the majority in Western countries. Such that other religions believe that all Americans and Brits, and most Europeans are Christians. That was never the case, and it has been a long, long time since a majority in any of those countries had an active Christian faith.

But God does not change. He still loves you. He still reaches out to you waiting for you to respond to His call.

Jesus died on the cross for you. He took upon himself all your failures, all your shortcomings, everything you ever did wrong. Because He loves you.

Will you turn to Him today. Will you hand over your life into His hands?

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Discipleship

Called to be disciples
Called to make disciples
Baptised AFTER believing
Member not attender
Are you ready?

Christians are meant to be disciples. We do not become Christians in order to become rich. There are some rich Christians, but their wealth does not help their Christian life – rather it can hinder them. See Mk 10:17-27.

Look at Luke chapter 14:25-35 if you want to better understand what being a Christian is about. Jesus makes some extreme statement to emphasise his teaching. Being His disciple is so all-consuming that, by comparison, we might seem to hate everything else.

Being His disciple is so life changing that we count it better to die than to stop being a disciple.

Before you embark on this journey, make sure you count the cost – because it will cost you everything.

The word disciple can be defined as a student or follower who accepts and puts into practice the way of life, beliefs and values of their teacher. It is an intimate form of mentorship. Followers live their lives with their teacher, absorbing the teacher’s example in everyday life, not just in the classroom.

Christian disciples are engaged in that practice. They live their lives trying to imitate Jesu’s life.

In Matt 28:18-20 Jesus commands us to ‘go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’

Jesus expects us to follow His example so closely that we are able to disciple others through our lives as well as through our teaching.

I have said this before. This church, this group of believers, not the building, this group of believers is a Baptist church. We follow what is in the Bible.

Therefore we should be paying close attention to what it means to be a disciple. Are you a disciple of Jesus? Have you been baptised as a believer? That doesn’t mean, were you baptised as a child, and later confirmed in your faith. It means, after you came to understand what it means to be a disciple, have you been baptised?

Discipleship means commitment. It means covenanting with other believers in this place. A covenant is a one-sided legal declaration – ‘I will be a disciple of Jesus in this place, no matter what others might do’. That is what covenanting as a Baptist is all about. It is saying ‘I am committed to Jesus. I am committed to His church in this place. I will openly demonstrate that commitment by becoming a member of this church’.

The time for being a wishy washy Christian has passed. A Christian in 2022 must first count the cost, then nail their colours to the mast. ‘Come what may, I will follow Jesus in this place’. We have a few years left whilst it is relatively easy to be a Christian here. After that, the shutters will come down and persecution will ramp up.

Are you ready? Are you ready to give your all for Jesus?

Lord, have mercy upon us and take us forward in our faith. Draw us closer to you so that we experience your presence and the joy that brings.

Amen

Now back to the Worship Leader.