After having had a good start to the year we have come into February with a great sense of anticipation.  This Sunday sees us welcoming in more new folk.  Wow so soon...  Its been wonderful to see such rapid expansion on all fronts.

The 'God Art People' (GAP) Moment was an absolute winner in terms of moving into a far more colourful style of worship.  Well done to Mike Edwards and his team.  Many of us felt that church worship would be like this in the future.  If anything our 'arty' types are fully pumped for the next one.  God has given NCCB amazingly gifted folk.

February also sees the start of work on our new restaurant 'Cafe 54' and Nadine is pulling out all the stops to see this thing 'Bling'.....  So lets prepare for a big opening sometime soon in March.  Its not too late to offer financial support towards this much needed initiative, so thanks for your generosity in this regard.

February also brings us the teaching series on 'What is a Base Church?'.  Over the month we will grow in our understanding of its many roles and functions.  Having already kicked off the month with Keir Tayler’s 'Foot Prints' has been so appropiate and also to see how well supported it has been is a real stoker for me.

GK Chesterton one of the great christian minds of the last century and of whom CS Lewis credited with 'baptising' his intellect', said 'They say travel broadens the mind but you must have the mind'...Brilliant comment as we cant do the translocal unless we have the heart to "go" and also the understanding of the reason we go.  No doubt after Keir's input we will have a fresh crop of keen saints ready to travel with greater revelation and appreciation of the commision at hand.  I love this quote by the same dude I’ve already referred a few lines up....  "The true soldier fights not because he hates whats in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him"...  This gives us a good perspective on why we keep the church mobilised to travel.

There are thousands God wants to send us and yes in a manner of speaking they are behind us.  What culture are they going to be saved into is then an import question to ask ourselves.Our culture is what we celebrate and it cant be exclusive to any one thing.  We are never going to be a teaching center where after generous helpings of good food we become passive and lethargic towards the lost around and about this planet.  So this months teaching is to keep us sharp and focused on those things that God almighty has a heart for.  Remember " People matter to God"

Looking forward to Sunday with the Murphys

Lots of Love

Ash