Matt Richards
Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
You know we are truly starting to see God move in Church on the Street both in Norwich and in Great Yarmouth.
Friday we were approached by the representatives from environmental health working for the council.
They said we couldn't meet (even though we were outside). They said the council would most probably not grant permission.
There is always this dichotomy with verses in the bible like 1 Peter 2:15 telling us to be subject to governing bodies and doing what God called us to do.
After much prayer and deliberation we have decided..to continue to meet, preach the Gospel, lift up Jesus and make Him famous, to do Church publicly.
Yes we will endeavour to be spaced apart, yes we will have risk assessments, yes we will be respectful.
[But the truth is nothing will be good enough if the agenda is to stop church meeting]
But we must obey God first. If people can protest a cause in public, with amplification, without repercussions; then how much more do we need to preach Christ and be Church at this time.
Notice the apostles here didn't pray not to be caught, not to offend the government, but prayed for boldness and that God would perform miracles.
If you don't agree with Peter and John here in Acts and feel they should have been sensitive to the governing bodies, or feel I am doing the wrong thing then bless you; do what you feel God has told you to do. No condemnation.
But I'm not ashamed to do what I feel God wants me to do. We will continue in the face of opposition.
People need Jesus.
Church on the street..no fear.
(P.S. I haven't got time to discuss with you why you're not meeting on the street, the field, the beach, the home and why I'm so wrong, all negative comments will be removed) Like Nehemiah can't stop, gonna continue to build.
Prayer:
Father thank You for all You are doing in Church on the Street. Lord look upon the threats we have received and grant us boldness to continue to speak Your Word. We pray You would stretch out Your hand to heal and that signs and wonders would be performed in Jesus' Name, Amen.
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