BrianIngraham.com | ASPIRE

Stephen and I just got out of the meeting with the new owners. They would like to sell the building for a million pounds (aprox. 1.9million USD.) We told them we are very interested in purchasing the building but not for £1million. They don’t seem to have many options and none who can afford a million.

During the meeting several were outside praying and I know many around the world are praying. It was easy to walk away today being fully confident that God will either provide the money to purchase the building, or they will lower the price and God will provide the money, or God doesn’t want us to be there. It is a peaceful place to be.

I can’t wait to see what God does… keep praying!

I woke up yesterday morning having not heard anything about the Red Church building since our bid was rejected last October. All I knew when I woke up yesterday was that I still wanted God to let us be in that building. Around 2:15 yesterday I wrote this in my journal:

“Father, I am asking for a building I cannot afford. A building that is not for sale. A building whose owner has different plans for it.

Father, I ask for this building as a testimony to Yourself that…

1. You still hear prayer
2. You are still moving
3. You are the provider
4. You are powerfully at work with our church.

I am confident that as You lead us into this building, You will make yourself look amazing by…

1. Providing the funds that we don’t have to purchase/rent a building we can’t afford.
2. Leading the owners to entrust us with this building.
3. Not only provide the funds to be there for now but also to maintain the old building.

I will not doubt the ability of an infinitely rich God to provide for His Son’s bride.

Make Yourself shine though Your workings!
We trust in Your power and wisdom!
In Jesus Name, Amen.

90 minutes later, after not hearing anything for months, the new owner called to set up a meeting about us purchasing the building. She seems unimpressed with how much we have to spend. There is a business and a theatre group also interested. Yet, today I am filled with peace. Let God be God. Let God make a name for Himself or choose not to. I am not able to bring this together and everything should fall apart today, except for the single fact that God is aware of what is happening and who knows… maybe He is intervening on our behalf to make a name for Himself again! It is a good place to be. Keep praying with us I know He is hearing our prayers!

I just received the call about the Red Church Building. It is time to pray hard. Stephen and I will be meeting with the new owners on Friday 30th of March (tomorrow) to discuss purchasing the church building. They want much more than we can afford so… Pray that they will come down in price and that God will provide the funds necessary to purchase and maintain this building.

It is time to pray!

Friday morning at 9:15 I am going to have a prayer time at my flat for God to move on our behalf… please join me and intercede on behalf of our church!!!

Living and leading a church in the shadow of the University of Glasgow, I have felt challenged by divinity students of the university and a professor who attends Re:Hope to research ‘higher criticism’ and ‘biblical authorship’, especially with the first 5 books of the bible. The Universities in Glasgow are teaching the same as Harvard, Yale, Oxford, Cambridge, etc. namely, that Moses didn’t write the first 5 books of the bible, instead they were written by at least 4 different authors 500-800 years after Moses lived.

Knowing the calibre of universities teaching the higher criticism approach to the bible I was expecting a highly scholastic and tightly packaged theory and found myself shockingly disappointed. At times, in my study, it felt a bit like reading the Da Vinci Code, one part conspiracy, one part institutional cover up. It felt like the Da Vinci Code but with much larger holes and leaps than I ever imagined.

Although there are lots of little issues one could address pertaining aspects of the higher critical approach, ultimately it all boils down to one premise. Either God is who the bible says he is, or not. The Critical approach begins with the premise that God is not who the bible says he is, if he even exists at all. And all we have been told about God via the bible is merely the work of disgruntled, historical revisionists, re-slanting their history to forward their political interests hundreds of years later.

There is only need of such a theory if God is not who the bible says He is. There is only need of such theory if God cannot do supernatural things, if he cannot both lead people to prophecy and then see prophecy fulfilled. If God is not who the bible says He is, what was the deal with Jesus? Good thing God is.

I find myself asking two questions. Does it ever get easier? Do I really want it to?

Sometimes, especially at moments like this, I hope for that ever-elusive time where things will become easy. Since October, I have found myself at times overwhelmed by the enormity of the task of leading Re:Hope. Yet it is during this season I am also acutely aware of four precious realities that make times like this worth every stress and uncertainty. Remembering them is not only crucial for me to healthfully navigate this season, but to find joy when things aren’t perfect. I find my heart anchored in these four truths.

1. I am in way over my head but divinely appointed for this moment.
2. I must continually be attuned to hearing and obeying God’s voice.
3. God has surrounded me with the right people at the right time for this very moment.
4. The life of faith and obedience requires a crazy amount of courage.

There is something that feels so right about living on the razor’s edge with my only hope being God’s supernatural intervention.

Mark Jones has just blogged about his thoughts on our church, you can see what he thinks of Re:Hope HERE.

or at… http://jonesy24.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/rehope/

I love what God is doing in our church:-)

UPDATE:  You can also hear Mark’s story by clicking HERE.

Thank you all who were praying for our first ever Re:Hope retreat, God was there and moving! Below are some of my highlights as well as links to others who have blogged about it.

Highlights:
1. God was moving.
2. Stephen, Nate, and Evelyn’s planning and leadership was amazing. What impressed me is that no one asked me any questions about what was going on. They had a great plan, communicated clearly, and flowed with the surprises. What more could you ask?
3. Andy Ashworth and band. The worship was fantastic! Well planned, high quality, Spirit filled… I remember during the very first song of the retreat knowing this weekend was going to be special, I remember smiling as I knew God’s Spirit was there from the beginning.
4. Amy Robson and crew. I was floored by how fantastic the food was. I knew Amy was an experienced cook, but the quality level of the food was stunning.
5. 12 person ping-pong. I don’t want to explain exactly how that worked but it was really fun, running around the table and passing paddles… good times.
6. How many times was I overwhelmed by how much I love the people of Re:Hope? Time after time I found myself thinking God has been so good to me to surround me with people that energise me and refresh me, people I think of as my friends.
7. I am going have to give “Cow Trader” and honourable mention in honour of Tim and Rachel…

Here are some blogs of others who have posted about our retreat. Don’t take my word for it, see what others thought. (if you were on the retreat and blog about it add a comment so that I can link to you as well.)

Stephen Irwin.

Andy Ashworth.

Mark Jones.