Commissioning Service

Sunday 7 August

New Horizon Chairman, Paul Coulter spoke at the Volunteers Commissioning Service on Sunday afternoon, encouraging the people behind the scenes without whom New Horizon could not happen. Here is a summary of what Paul shared from Colossians 3: 12 – 17:

Why are you here?

It is all about Jesus and for Him

For some of us, we are here because we come every year.  For some, it is your first time and maybe you’ve been roped in to help.  I want for all of us whether we are new or whether we are old hands, to think about the bigger purpose. We are all here because of the Lord Jesus.  There are two things that Paul talks about:

You are God’s chosen ones – although you might think that you just landed here. You are not here by accident. You are not on this earth by accident because God created you.  Whether you realise it or not God has a purpose for you.  He has something bigger for you this week because we are His chosen people.  This is part of what He has saved you for.

You are a body – just as our bodies have various parts that need to function together, all of us within this room are necessary within this body. The diversity of our teams is part of what we are. For some of you, what you are going to do this week has a lot to do with words. You are going to be teaching, leading singing, praying with people. For some of you what you will be doing has much more to do with actions – tightening ropes, taking photographs, etc.  Whatever you do whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus… it doesn’t matter if you are mainly an action person or whether you are words person… it all needs to add up and everything will be in the name of the Lord Jesus and that is done in a way that is consistent with who He is.  Giving glory to Him.

This is about Jesus.

What will you do this week?

Embody the word of Christ – the gospel.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. He is writing to a church.  The word of Christ should live in you richly.   Not just the bare minimum so that we all hold together. Not just what we preach. But the word of Christ is HOW we serve.  It is the gospel that shapes the way that we serve and the way in which we lead. Take every opportunity you have to talk to people about Jesus, this week.  Remind people about what they have been learning or what they have been singing.   Let us learn together from the word of Christ.  What matters is that His word dwells in our hearts. What does the gospel say to this issue? What best reflects who Jesus is?

One specific Paul points out is the need to forgive each other freely as the Lord forgave us.  If we are going to make it to the end of this week in one piece… someone will have to forgive someone else. When someone does something that hurts someone else sometimes unintentionally, sometimes deliberately… we will need to forgive freely and willingly.

How will you do it?

“The peace of Christ will rule in you so that you will put on kindness, compassion etc.”

It is not about skills and techniques.  I have no idea how to put a tent up or to take it down safely. You guys are the ones with the skills.   We can always improve techniques but the truth is, the people here are massively skilled.  It is not so much about our skills, our abilities or even our availability but it is attitudes, values and character that matter.  

Each morning can we stop and put on His compassion, kindness, humility weakness, patience and over it all LOVE? Make that your intentional thought each day. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. When you are at peace with God, trusting Him, these qualities will flow from the work that God is doing in you. He is producing the likeness of Christ in you by His spirit. It is the fruit of the spirit.  

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