Here's part 2 of our series from Advance's UK conference last month. The encouragement and lessons from the conference weren't just for attendees - they were for every member of Cornerstone. We hope this short series of articles helps Cornerstone feel more connected to what God is doing through Advance - and benefit from what the Holy Spirit got up to at the conference. If you missed part 1 check it out here.
Donnie provided practical advice on how to help each other live this temporary life well, while we wait for our true home with Jesus.
We are God's exiles
An exile is someone who lives in a strange, unfamiliar place. Most of us are used to the saying “There’s no place like home”; but what if, for now, Christians didn’t have a true home on earth?
Hebrews 11:13 talks of faithful men and women who died without finding their true home, acknowledging and trusting that God's kingdom, which is yet to fully arrive, was their true home - not the kingdoms and places they resided in.
With God’s help, we can learn to follow this example. In 1 Peter 1, Peter refers to his audience as “elect exiles.” This tells us two things about us and the Christians Peter was writing to. Firstly, we are not exiles by accident – we are exiles by God’s choice. We are where God wants us to be.
When financial, social and all other kinds of difficulties arise, they aren’t a symptom of our poor choices or misfortune – they are a symptom of being exiles in a land that is not our own (disclaimer – poor choices can also result in financial, social and all other kinds of difficulties).
Second, when we feel anxiety, pressure, tension, even despair because of the state of our lives and the world, God is reminding us to yearn for our true home: His Kingdom. That is yet to fully arrive, so for now we live in a strange land – where there is friction between what we long for, and what we experience. We do not need to despair - we need to hope (2 Cor 4:18).
A birthright citizen, a spiritual exile
Because we are exiles, we should feel out-of-place in this world to some degree - but we should not separate ourselves from it. We are to be active exiles. Active in culture, society - wherever we can put God’s kingdom on display. We are missionaries in a foreign land, no matter where we were born or what our passport says.
In Jeremiah 29, God has Jeremiah prophesy to His people after they were violently torn away from the promised land, their home. They are exiles spiritually and physically. Through Jeremiah, God called them to embrace their identity as exiles, but also to care for the cities they lived in. The same is true of us.
Newcastle is not our home. Nor are the cities or towns we came from before. We are chosen by God to live as exiles in North East England, advancing the gospel as much as we can while we're here. But what does that look like day to day?
Rather than a how-to guide or checklist, Andrew provided 4 characteristics that he and his church have found essential to leading others as, exemplified in the life and ministry of Jeremiah:
As exiles in Newcastle, our danger is not the elements, but succumbing to the culture we find ourselves in. If we are not prepared to deal with the pressure to prioritise self over community, receiving over giving, and being led by the Holy Spirit over our own desires, we will succumb to culture and cease to behave as exiles – and therefore effective for the gospel.
Leaders equipped for exile recognise their situation of exile.
In Jeremiah 25:3, Jeremiah speaks of how he has faithfully shared what God put on his heart for His people. During that time, Jeremiah was ignored and neglected at best, abused and beaten at worst. Jeremiah was acutely aware that he wasn't conforming to the culture of those he prophesied to.
He was not at home - but he was were God wanted him.
Just as Jeremiah knew his ministry separated him from the people of Judah, our identity as Christians should recognisably separate us in some ways from the people of Newcastle. If nothing in our lives creates friction with those opposed or indifferent to the gospel, we need to ask if we have becomes slaves to culture instead of slaves to God.
Leaders equipped for exile recognise their areas of compromise with culture.
In Jeremiah 12, the prophet struggled with self-pity - much like the people he prophesied to. Jeremiah had succumbed to the culture over his identity from God; even as a prophet he was not immune to cultures effects.
We need to recognise which parts of western culture we are compromise most in. Sexuality? Love of comfort, convenience or money? Prioritising personal autonomy over community?
Leaders equipped for exile recognise the critical need for a deep walk with God.
7 times in the book of Jeremiah, the narrative switches from Jeremiah’s prophetic words to Jeremiah’s prayers. He prayed often, deeply, and honestly. He prayed his hurt and anger.
We cannot live or lead well in exile without a deep relationship with God. Our lives should follow Jeremiah’s example, frequently and passionately speaking to and pressing into God.
Leaders equipped for exile dig deep into orthodoxy to find a message that carries deep resonance.
The word Orthodoxy originates from two Greek words meaning belief, and right or true, respectively. We live in a culture that is offended or indifferent to Jesus and his message. To live and lead well in exile, we must translate this message to the culture we find ourselves in without compromise.
To do this without presenting an incomplete or false gospel we must know the gospel deeply – or else we risk adapting the gospel to culture, rather than vice versa. Only then can we find a way to share Jesus in a way that resounds with those around us, without compromising the truth.
There are times to pray, to wait on God, build up knowledge – but sometimes there is a time to just jump in. One Harbour Church found themselves in a time like this several years ago. One Harbour is based in a beautiful region, but one that also suffers from high rates of addiction and alcoholism.
The church quickly learned addiction is not a problem of its own; it’s a symptom of a deeper problem – most often identity. Those who battle addiction have forgotten, or never knew, who they are in Christ.
The problem of addiction
Addiction strips away identities; passions, talents, ambitions, relationships are rolled back until addiction is the only driving personal aspect left. Their identity is that of an addict. Not of a son, daughter, loved individual – simply an addict. As Jesus opened the way for us to be freed from sin and slaves to righteousness, the devil wants to make us slaves again, and ultimately destroy us.
Addiction usually arises from pain or trauma, either early or later life. The hurt causes people to turn to temporary or simple fixes; focusing on a career or romantic relationships, recreational drug use, binge drinking or individualistic forms of spiritualism. But these are either insufficient, dangerous fixes to a complex problem – and ultimately the individual turns to substances to manage their problems.
What may begin as a “one-off” becomes a regular crutch, and eventually becomes the strongest desire in life. At this point the chains become too heavy to break; the addicted person finds themselves at the worst, isolated from friends and family, mistrusted, far from love. This is when people often come to One Harbour – and also when God starts to turn them around.
The power of hope
The most important factor in recovery is hope. The battle is not primarily about resisting substances, but having hope and belief that there is something more to battle for; restoration of families; return to a ‘normal’ life – but most importantly, freedom and a new identity from Jesus.
Making a ministry to those struggling with addiction work
Travis kindly shared some of the main lessons the One Harbour team had learned as they sought to bring people out of addiction, and into a relationship with Jesus:
Donnie Griggs: Help those in your church live well in exile
Donnie is Lead Pastor at One Harbour Church, North Carolina, USA. Donnie visited us back in 2018 to provide us with some leadership training; hepreached the following Sunday on how we can make Cornerstone a place non-Christians can feel welcomed and comfortable in, too.Donnie provided practical advice on how to help each other live this temporary life well, while we wait for our true home with Jesus.
We are God's exiles
An exile is someone who lives in a strange, unfamiliar place. Most of us are used to the saying “There’s no place like home”; but what if, for now, Christians didn’t have a true home on earth?
Hebrews 11:13 talks of faithful men and women who died without finding their true home, acknowledging and trusting that God's kingdom, which is yet to fully arrive, was their true home - not the kingdoms and places they resided in.
With God’s help, we can learn to follow this example. In 1 Peter 1, Peter refers to his audience as “elect exiles.” This tells us two things about us and the Christians Peter was writing to. Firstly, we are not exiles by accident – we are exiles by God’s choice. We are where God wants us to be.
When financial, social and all other kinds of difficulties arise, they aren’t a symptom of our poor choices or misfortune – they are a symptom of being exiles in a land that is not our own (disclaimer – poor choices can also result in financial, social and all other kinds of difficulties).
Second, when we feel anxiety, pressure, tension, even despair because of the state of our lives and the world, God is reminding us to yearn for our true home: His Kingdom. That is yet to fully arrive, so for now we live in a strange land – where there is friction between what we long for, and what we experience. We do not need to despair - we need to hope (2 Cor 4:18).
A birthright citizen, a spiritual exile
Because we are exiles, we should feel out-of-place in this world to some degree - but we should not separate ourselves from it. We are to be active exiles. Active in culture, society - wherever we can put God’s kingdom on display. We are missionaries in a foreign land, no matter where we were born or what our passport says.
In Jeremiah 29, God has Jeremiah prophesy to His people after they were violently torn away from the promised land, their home. They are exiles spiritually and physically. Through Jeremiah, God called them to embrace their identity as exiles, but also to care for the cities they lived in. The same is true of us.
Newcastle is not our home. Nor are the cities or towns we came from before. We are chosen by God to live as exiles in North East England, advancing the gospel as much as we can while we're here. But what does that look like day to day?
- Talking about it. When our brothers and sisters at Cornerstone struggle with life in Newcastle, remind them this isn’t their true home; we can look forward to our true home with Jesus.
- Praying. During our sermon series in Acts, we’ve seen how earnestly the early church prayed together; they prioritised seeking God together over their own devotionals. There is power in us coming together and asking God to remind us we don’t belong in Newcastle, and to yearn for God’s Kingdom over a perfect Newcastle.
- Seeking the welfare of Newcastle. Looking for opportunities to bless the people of Newcastle (Christians and unbelievers equally) and make the city align more to values of God's Kingdom.
Takeaways for Cornerstone Church
- When brothers and sisters in your Gospel Community are discouraged, how do you encourage them? Do you remind them they may be disheartened because they are away from their true home, but God has prepared a room for them?
- Apart from Sunday and Gospel Community attendance, what sets you apart as an exile in Newcastle? We are exiles from a Kingdom of a different culture and values – how visible are those values in our everyday choices?
- God is calling you to bring His values to Newcastle as long as you are here – to seek Newcastle’s welfare. What steps are you taking right now on Newcastle’s behalf? What steps could you take?
Andrew Sampson: Raising leaders equipped for exile
Andrew leads Grace Church Truro, which he planted with Laura back in 2010. Grace Church Truro are active members of Advance and the New Frontiers family of churches, which he also supports through his writing and speaking.Rather than a how-to guide or checklist, Andrew provided 4 characteristics that he and his church have found essential to leading others as, exemplified in the life and ministry of Jeremiah:
- Leaders equipped for exile recognise their situation of being in exile
- Leaders equipped for exile recognise their areas of compromise with culture
- Leaders equipped for exile recognise the critical need for a deep walk with God
- Leaders equipped for exile dig deep into orthodoxy to find a message that carries deep resonance
As exiles in Newcastle, our danger is not the elements, but succumbing to the culture we find ourselves in. If we are not prepared to deal with the pressure to prioritise self over community, receiving over giving, and being led by the Holy Spirit over our own desires, we will succumb to culture and cease to behave as exiles – and therefore effective for the gospel.
Leaders equipped for exile recognise their situation of exile.
In Jeremiah 25:3, Jeremiah speaks of how he has faithfully shared what God put on his heart for His people. During that time, Jeremiah was ignored and neglected at best, abused and beaten at worst. Jeremiah was acutely aware that he wasn't conforming to the culture of those he prophesied to.
He was not at home - but he was were God wanted him.
Just as Jeremiah knew his ministry separated him from the people of Judah, our identity as Christians should recognisably separate us in some ways from the people of Newcastle. If nothing in our lives creates friction with those opposed or indifferent to the gospel, we need to ask if we have becomes slaves to culture instead of slaves to God.
Leaders equipped for exile recognise their areas of compromise with culture.
In Jeremiah 12, the prophet struggled with self-pity - much like the people he prophesied to. Jeremiah had succumbed to the culture over his identity from God; even as a prophet he was not immune to cultures effects.
We need to recognise which parts of western culture we are compromise most in. Sexuality? Love of comfort, convenience or money? Prioritising personal autonomy over community?
Leaders equipped for exile recognise the critical need for a deep walk with God.
7 times in the book of Jeremiah, the narrative switches from Jeremiah’s prophetic words to Jeremiah’s prayers. He prayed often, deeply, and honestly. He prayed his hurt and anger.
We cannot live or lead well in exile without a deep relationship with God. Our lives should follow Jeremiah’s example, frequently and passionately speaking to and pressing into God.
Leaders equipped for exile dig deep into orthodoxy to find a message that carries deep resonance.
The word Orthodoxy originates from two Greek words meaning belief, and right or true, respectively. We live in a culture that is offended or indifferent to Jesus and his message. To live and lead well in exile, we must translate this message to the culture we find ourselves in without compromise.
To do this without presenting an incomplete or false gospel we must know the gospel deeply – or else we risk adapting the gospel to culture, rather than vice versa. Only then can we find a way to share Jesus in a way that resounds with those around us, without compromising the truth.
Takeaways for Cornerstone Church
- How often do you acknowledge Newcastle is not your true home – and do your decisions prioritise making the most of temporary things (our houses, careers, hobbies) or eternal things (Jesus, His people)?
- What are your greatest areas of struggle when it comes to western culture in Newcastle? How can you offer and receive greater support to fight those compromises today in Cornerstone?
- How can you facilitate a greater need for God in your life, and those in Cornerstone around you? Do you often find yourselves speaking to God, and increasingly recognising his daily, hourly, minute to minute kindnesses towards you?
- What aspects of the gospel do you feel the people of Newcastle need most? We can emphasise how the gospel affects different parts of life – loneliness, identity, purpose, without compromising the message.
Travis Evans: The poor and the addicted
Travis is a Site Pastor and Benevolence Coordinator at One Harbour Church, North Carolina, USA. As Site Pastor he cares for One Harbour’s congregation in Morehead City; as Benevolence Coordinator, Travis supports how One Harbour cares for the communities they are active in.There are times to pray, to wait on God, build up knowledge – but sometimes there is a time to just jump in. One Harbour Church found themselves in a time like this several years ago. One Harbour is based in a beautiful region, but one that also suffers from high rates of addiction and alcoholism.
The church quickly learned addiction is not a problem of its own; it’s a symptom of a deeper problem – most often identity. Those who battle addiction have forgotten, or never knew, who they are in Christ.
The problem of addiction
Addiction strips away identities; passions, talents, ambitions, relationships are rolled back until addiction is the only driving personal aspect left. Their identity is that of an addict. Not of a son, daughter, loved individual – simply an addict. As Jesus opened the way for us to be freed from sin and slaves to righteousness, the devil wants to make us slaves again, and ultimately destroy us.
Addiction usually arises from pain or trauma, either early or later life. The hurt causes people to turn to temporary or simple fixes; focusing on a career or romantic relationships, recreational drug use, binge drinking or individualistic forms of spiritualism. But these are either insufficient, dangerous fixes to a complex problem – and ultimately the individual turns to substances to manage their problems.
What may begin as a “one-off” becomes a regular crutch, and eventually becomes the strongest desire in life. At this point the chains become too heavy to break; the addicted person finds themselves at the worst, isolated from friends and family, mistrusted, far from love. This is when people often come to One Harbour – and also when God starts to turn them around.
The power of hope
The most important factor in recovery is hope. The battle is not primarily about resisting substances, but having hope and belief that there is something more to battle for; restoration of families; return to a ‘normal’ life – but most importantly, freedom and a new identity from Jesus.
Making a ministry to those struggling with addiction work
Travis kindly shared some of the main lessons the One Harbour team had learned as they sought to bring people out of addiction, and into a relationship with Jesus:
- Addiction ministries need well thought out, established ways to begin recovery that consider all the related problems; from finances to families, legal to housing.
- Recovery is complex, and all parties involved need lots of short term wins to begin the process well, and establish hope. • Celebrate every small win. Those in recovery are so used to living in darkness that they’ve forgotten how to celebrate; they need to learn to see light and hope in their lives again.
- Working in partnership with likeminded organisations can save time, and help the ministry have a greater impact. Don’t reinvent the wheel unnecessarily. • Set clear expectations right at the beginning, for the individual, those involved in the ministry, and the wider church.
- Commit to the family, not just the addict. Parents, spouses, siblings and children will need as much support while their relative goes through recovery, especially if they hope to be restored.
- What doesn’t get healed gets handed down. Those struggling with addiction often inherit issues their parents weren’t able to resolve, even if those issues weren’t addiction.
Takeaways for Cornerstone Church
- God may call some people to specific ministries that help people out of addiction – but we are all called to declare freedom to captives through Jesus. That means even if you do not feel called to start or join a ministry to battle addiction, if you have an opportunity to help an addicted individual, that is your call in Christ.
- We do not have a formal ministry for people struggling with addiction, but we have had many people visit Cornerstone, often at their lowest point, who are living in addiction. How can we as individuals, Gospel Communities, and a church, make sure that these individuals are welcomes as well as new students or families, and as likely to join our community?
- What doesn’t get healed gets handed down; we all have issues, struggles and pain in our lives –but there is hope, because God is willing to heal and restore us. Are there issues, such as anger, mistrust or lukewarm faith, that you could be in danger of passing onto your children, now or in the future? Trust in God, that he has put people around you in Cornerstone who love you, and want to help you heal.