Virtual Church Consulting

We are in a series called Kingdom Revealed and looking deeply into the first two chapters of Genesis. We discussed the cosmic temple, imagers, trees, mountains, and rivers. This week, we will discuss the ‘Spirit of God’. After Jesus was raised from the dead, we read in John 7:37-39 that He sent the Spirit into his followers.

John 7:37–39 (NIV)
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Back in Genesis 1, we are introduced to the “Spirit of God” or “Holy Spirit”.

Genesis 1:1–2 (NIV)
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

On the first page of the Bible, the world before creation is presented as a realm of darkness and chaos. Yet, above this tumult, the Spirit of God is portrayed as hovering, poised to instill life, order, and beauty. This Spirit represents God’s personal presence, referred to in Hebrew as ‘ruakh’.

As the narrative of the Bible progresses, we observe that God’s ‘ruakh’ imparts unique empowerment to individuals for particular missions. Joseph is the first character in the Bible to experience this divine empowerment.

Genesis 41:38 (NIV)
38 So Pharaoh asked them, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God?”

God’s Spirit enables Joseph to understand and interpret dreams. In Exodus, we see this Spirit empowerment happen again.

Exodus 31:1–3 (NIV)
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2“See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills—

God’s Spirit empowers Bezalel to make the beautiful things in the tabernacle. We further learn that God’s ruakh endows the prophets with power. The prophets proclaimed that the Spirit would emerge to impose order out of chaos, similar to the events of Genesis 1. However, this time, its purpose is to transform the human heart, enabling people to love God and others genuinely.

Isaiah 11:1–3 (NIV)
1 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 3and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

Ezekiel 36:26–27 (NIV)
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

Ezekiel 37:14 (NIV)
14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’”

We will dig into all of this and how the Holy Spirit empowers believers today at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend. Please make plans to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

This week, we are returning to our series called “Kingdom Revealed,” where we look deeply into Genesis 1 and 2. This seemed like a good week for a little review, as we have spent the last six weeks in Advent.

Genesis 1:1–5 (NIV)
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.

We initially looked at this idea of the Kingdom Revealed in Sword Sharpening. We established that we needed to know about Creation, Heaven / Earth (cosmic temple), the human family (imagers), and the Elohim.

Genesis 1 introduces us to God’s ideal for creation. We looked at how Genesis 1 describes the creation of a cosmic temple. A place where heaven and earth connect. This Cosmic Temple is God’s heart for being with His human family on the planet He created.

Genesis 2 introduces the characters who will be given the chance to live out that ideal.

Genesis 2:4 (NIV)
4 This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the LORD God made the earth and the heavens.

We discussed that Genesis 2 does not follow chronologically with Chapter 1. There seems to be a different order of things. This is an excellent place to have a think. Some people believe Chapter 2 is building on Day 6; some think it is building out Day 3 or some combination of Day 3 and Day 6, but there are problems with all those ideas. Perhaps it is a more detailed description of what is actually happening in the garden. Perhaps Genesis 1 is the ideal, and Genesis 2 is more of the reality.

Then, we looked at the concept of Imagers.

Genesis 2:5–7 (NIV)
5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Another way to understand what it means to be an imager is that we are a royal priesthood. This is what the Apostle Peter was saying in 1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9 (NIV)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

The royal part is our vocation. God wants us to partner with Him to steward the creation, to make the planet like Eden. The priesthood part is us reflecting the image of God to one another and the world.

As part of our review, we will also be looking at the two trees, mountains, and rivers at Keys Vineyard Church this weekend, so make plans to join us in person or online.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.

At Church Consultant, we are looking for ideas to improve church attendance. Church attendance has been declining in many parts of the world, a trend that concerns religious communities and leaders. Addressing this issue requires innovative approaches and a deep understanding of the factors contributing to the decline. Here are five ways to improve declining attendance at church:

Embrace Technology and Social Media: In an era where technology is integral to daily life, churches can utilize these tools to reach a wider audience. Live streaming services, creating engaging content on social media, and having a user-friendly website can make church activities more accessible. This approach is particularly effective in attracting younger generations who are digital natives and may feel more comfortable engaging with the church online initially.

Community Engagement and Social Work: Churches have traditionally been centers for community support and social work. Churches can demonstrate their relevance and importance in the community by increasing involvement in local issues and providing services like food banks, counseling, and youth programs. This helps those in need and shows a practical application of faith, attracting those who want to make a tangible difference in their communities.

Inclusive and Diverse Practices: Inclusivity in worship can play a significant role in attracting a diverse congregation. This includes recognizing and celebrating the church community’s different cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Additionally, addressing contemporary issues and challenges people face and supporting various social causes can make the church more relevant to a broader audience.

Focus on Youth and Children’s Programs: Young people are the future of any community, which is valid for churches. Developing robust and engaging programs for children and youth can attract families and help nurture a new generation within the church. This can range from Sunday school enhancements to youth groups and fun and spiritually enriching activities.

Adapt Services and Sermons to Modern Life: Modern life is fast-paced and often stressful, and many people seek solace and guidance in their faith. By making sermons and services more relatable to contemporary life, addressing modern-day challenges, and offering practical spiritual advice, churches can become more relevant to people’s daily lives. This relevance can encourage regular attendance as people find value and support in the teachings and community.

Improving church attendance in a rapidly changing world requires a blend of traditional values and modern approaches. By embracing technology, engaging in community service, fostering inclusivity, focusing on youth, and adapting to everyday life, churches can increase attendance and strengthen their role as vital and relevant pillars in the community.

Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.