BrianIngraham.com | ASPIRE

“The most influential book I have ever read.”

Those words always capture my attention especially coming from a person I esteem. Add to that, the book referenced being a biography of a godly man and I become intensely interested. Add to that, a book written about a man who lived in an era much like today, a preacher in the SAME CITY I preach in, and a person used by God to change his times, and I am ready… Amazon, here I come.

There are several biographies on GEORGE WHITEFIELD, but the one which has influenced so many is a 2 volume work entitled George Whitefield: The life and times of the great evangelist of the 18th century revival by Arnold Dallimore. I was tempted to get his condensed and much cheeper volume of 224 pages, but in the end I decided to go for the big dogs.

Chapter one ends with the author hoping someday for a new generation of young people who will transform their generation as completely as George Whitefield and his companions did in the 1700’s.

When speculating about the future people who will transform their days, Dallimore asks, “And what manner of men will they be?”

• “Men mighty in the Scriptures.”
• “Lives dominated by a sense of the greatness, the majesty, and the holiness of .
• “Their minds and hearts aglow with the great truths of the doctrines of grace.”
• “Who have learned to die to self, to human aims and personal ambitions.”
• “Men willing to be fools for Christ’s sake.”
• “Who will bear reproach and falsehood.”
• “Who will labour and suffer.”
• “Whose supreme desire will be, not to win the earth’s accolades, but to win the Master’s approbation when they appear before His awesome judgment seat.”
• “Who preach with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes.”
• “Whose ministries God will grant an extraordinary effusion of the Holy Spirit.”
• “Who will witness ‘signs and wonders following’ in the transformation of multitudes of human lives.”

This is our task, to become, and to spur one another to become, men and women who are ever increasing in these above things. Reawakening begins with us. It begins as we return to the Word, as we return to an uncompromising pursuit of personal integrity and holiness, and as we choose to walk away from our human ambitions and become consumed with the great “Well done” when we stand before God someday.

Father, Reawaken our land.  Reawaken our generation.  Reawaken us.  For the renown of your Name in our generation. Amen.

I must confess I am thoroughly enjoying my time in the States. The first week we arrived we spent a few days recovering from jetlag and then we were off to Portland for the weekend followed by a week at the ocean. Several rounds of golf, and playing at the beach, as well as important times with supporters, future teammates, and the in-laws made those days fantastic.

Week three found us at my favorite place on earth, Lakeside Bible Camp. The week was perfect. I had tons of fun with my kids and tons of great Spiritual input. Not only did I ski, but I was able to sit under excellent teaching by Dr. Arturo Azurdia III, author of Spirit Empowered Preaching. I was able to spend some extra time with him asking a wide rage of questions that I have pondered and wrestled with these past three years leading and teaching at Re:Hope. I left that week encouraged and pleasantly worn out from all the fun.

Week four I spent in New Mexico with my mother. Yes, it is true, I am now a mighty scorpion slayer…

Sunday, just before 5 in the morning, I left her weeping at the airport as we flew back to Seattle. The night before leaving I lay in bed thinking that it will be a few years before I see her again. It definitely doesn’t get easier to say good bye. The first time you leave your family there is sadness but it is also a time of facing the exciting unknown. Five years later I know how long a two years feel like, I know all the changes that take place with the kids and in life. The one consolation, the thing that keeps me going is the certainty that I am doing exactly what God wants me to be doing, where he wants me to be doing it, even though the cost feels high at moments like that. I realize I am not the only one to pay a high cost for us serving as missionaries in Scotland. Moms, dads, and grandparents all pay the high price of grief every time we board the airplane.

Now, near the beginning of week five, I have been doing some CRM stuff and writing a message to preach this Sunday. It has been a while since I spoke last, and the message writing time had me thinking a bunch about Glasgow and my church there. I am definitely going to enjoy every moment in the States but I also now feel that tug of excitement when I think about all God has done in these past few years in Glasgow. I find myself pondering what obstacles will need to be overcome, what breakthroughs will we experience… who knows? What I do know is that I have a fantastic church, a fantastic team, and a God who is still intervening and calling our church into existence.

What is God going to use us all to accomplish for His Kingdom this next year? I am just thrilled to be apart of it.

Andy Ashworth, our worship leader at Re:Hope Next Generation Bible Church, has finished recording his first EP (it is four songs.) You can purchase and download the songs HERE.

I know all you who go to Re:Hope have been excited about this and are anxious to download these great songs. They turned out great!!!

For all you who follow our church from afar, this is a great way to support what is taking place at our church and to get a further flavour of what God is bringing together in Scotland.

We are so fortunate to have Andy as our worship leader. God has been so good to us by entrusting us with such a highly gifted worship leader and song writer. Enjoy the songs and spread the word getting others to purchase a copy.

Which is your favourite?

Most days I spend time walking around the University of Glasgow praying, essentially, for revelation. For God to reveal himself, to open eyes so many may see, ears, so that many may hear and believe in Jesus Christ.

I was thinking about Dan Ward this week, how he as a student at the university, a die hard atheist was sitting in an evolution lecture when all the sudden God revealed himself to him and he looked for a church and gave his life to Jesus.

God does this…

Father, may you open many hearts and minds to see you and desire to dedicate their lives to you, coming to faith through Jesus Christ!

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.” (Ex 23:14) The first is the “Feast of Unleavened Bread,” the Third is the “Feast of Ingathering.” This Sunday begins the middle celebration, which our English Bibles call, “The Feast of Weeks (Shavuot).”

One of the central features of the ‘Feast of Weeks’ is the remembering of the receiving of the 10 Commandments, which is expanded in celebration to including the receiving of the Torah (first five books of the bible.)

Christians remember this holiday by its Greek name, Pentecost, when the believers of Jesus received the Holy Spirit, which was for them and all whom the Lord will call (Acts 2:39.)

Part of the ‘Feast of Weeks’ is a reaffirming of our commitment to the received words of God. And so, this week we have set aside, as a church, to read through the entire bible, cover to cover, in one hour shifts. This morning I began with the words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” And sometime Friday evening we will end with the words, “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all God’s people. Amen.”

I find myself earnestly praying that the Holy Spirit will unveil (2 Cor 13) hearts and minds so that this generation can respond to the words of God and the great news about Jesus Christ.

Father, I thank you for the Bible and I thank your for Your Spirit. Make us a people of Your Word. Fill us with Your Spirit. Make us a generation who love you. Revive! Reawaken! Our eyes are on you, our only hope is in your Sprits working. Reveal and intervene, rescue and redeem because of your great love and for the sake of your great name. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

I have two recurring nightmares that pop up from time to time, both of them I find quite ironic. One of my reoccurring nightmares has to do with public speaking. Usually I find myself, the day of a message having not yet prepared. Sometimes it is a Sunday message but more often it is a one-off event like a wedding, funeral, or speaking at a different group. The second of my reoccurring nightmares deals with missing an airline flight, either showing up with out my passport or being delayed in some unusual way. These nightmares seem ironic because God has appointed me to be an international missionary church planter.

For the last month or more I have been plagued with an unusual amount of nightmares in these two themes. I would ask you to pray for me as I continue teaching and for spiritual protection for my family as we prepare to fly out to the states for a few weeks this summer.

I am asking for prayer because the only explanation I have for our family’s unusual health, and safety is the diligent prayer cover we have received from people around the world. Thank you for interceding on my/our behalf.

PS. Feel free to pray other prayers for us as well:-)

Our kids were invited to the neighbours birthday party this afternoon. The dress up theme was ‘Ancient Egypt’. Most of the girls looked like Cleopatra wanna-be’s…

Like good missionaries we sent our kids lightly dressed up as Hebrew Slaves…

(I thought it was funny…)

It has now been one year since we moved back into the old red church building on Great George Street. After planning and permission we spent all last week, from early in the mornings until late at night remodeling the front of the church building.

It looks amazing!!!

Tim Bailey lead the rebuilding efforts on our non-existent budget using whatever we already had or reusing the things which we tore apart. So many people gave time to pound nails, to tidy, to climb ladders, to demolish, to rebuild, to do whatever needed doing. I am so amazed by the enthusiasm and hard work of the people in our church.

To watch a time-lapse video of the week click HERE

These are some of the things I have been praying about these days.

• Thankful. After 5 years living in Scotland and praying over the University of Glasgow I was finally invited to speak at the Christian Union. It was a great honour to be asked to speak and God seems to really have blessed the time.
• Thankful. On Sunday our church had a feast. This time we also had an “open mic” for musicians and singers to play. Wade cooked up some fantastic food. Leah, Aimee, and Lesley pulled it off amazingly. (Stephen’s Blog Post)



• Fruit. God seems to have used the feast to intrigue people about Church and about Jesus. I am praying that God continues and nurtures this “interest” so that these people give their lives to him.



• Thankful. It has almost been 1 year since we have been back in our building. We do not own it yet, but in the mean time God has been so good to us. We perpetually live with the understanding we could be kicked out with the shortest of notice and yet one year later God still allows us to meet here. I do pray that we will be able to buy the building soon, but I am also thankful for this time of cheep rent.
• Re:Awakening. Next February begins the Re:Awakening conference; a conference targeting the Student population in Scotland. I have been invited to speak at it which completely lines up with my heart but I have been asking God, “Do You want me to speak?” and if so, “Will You powerfully move?” www.re-awakening.org.uk (site not completely ready yet)



• Revival and Awakening. One consistent message from our time in London two weeks ago was how Scotland is decades behind spiritually.  D.L. Moody in the late 1800’s was preaching and seeing a massive revival 1/4 of a mile from our church. For a while Scotland burned bright for God, but then generations grew up who knew nothing about what God did in the revival and who chose to reject God. I am praying for something I have never seen; a real reviving and awakening of the emerging generations here in Scotland. I invite you to join with me in praying for this until it happens.

God still hears prayers. God is still moving. I am so thankful for all of you who join with me in interceding for us and for Scotland.

Stephen Irwin has written two interesting blogs on the church.

The first is of our baptism and service yesterday which you can read HERE.

And the second, he found an old picture of our church that is nearly 60 years old which you can read about HERE.

Enjoy!