If you are fed up with the ‘System’ and want to experiment with a different way of life, then look no further! This section on getting involved is being developed to give you a better understanding of what we do, why we do it, and how we go about doing so.
We are here to freely share our experience with anyone who is sincere about making the world a better place. We are also serious about responsibly preparing people to count the cost of what it means to be a committed disciple of Jesus, rather than just a lukewarm pew-warmer.
Our aim is to provide information and resources to give you a clearer idea about what getting involved looks like … and whether you may be up to the challenge!
Unlike most churches, we take passages like Luke 12:33 and Acts 2:44-45 seriously – we are a community of people where there is no private ownership, as we forsake all our personal wealth and share everything in common. Jesus and his disciples lived as a community and he prayed that all his followers would be ONE. Living in community provides people with a great way to find unity with our spiritual family and a platform for reaching out to the rest of the world.
Governments have tried to control people for centuries using “Divide and rule”, which ends up in communities and families fragmenting. Various trends in society are leading to less interaction between humans, with technology often being used to stifle relationships rather than enhance them. Living and working together full-time, in a community of idealistic people who have chosen to let love rule their lives rather than money, is what we believe we were created for. Developing meaningful relationships and collaborating with others to change our environment for the better, fulfils a very basic human need.
If this is sounding interesting to you, then please read on…
(2) STUDY & PRAYER
Each day we try to set aside some time for personal and group study (2 Timothy 2:13). This can involve anything from reading chapters of the bible; to spiritual articles, memory cards and inspiring literature.
Keeping ourselves refreshed with the truth and renewing our minds spiritually is a fundamental ingredient in reminding us what we believe and how we should put this into practice (Romans 12:2). It is also helpful to know what we are talking about when communicating with other people who are seeking (1 Peter 3:15).
Each person is encouraged to make time for personal study and prayer, where it’s just us and God. However, we also recognize the benefit of studying and praying together, which gives people the opportunity to contribute thoughts and lessons.
We recognise that God can speak to anyone at any time. Most of our prayer is spent in silent worship, stilling the mind and listening to God’s spirit. Usually we finish a group prayer session by giving people the opportunity to share anything they feel they may have received which can influence directions, day-to-day plans etc.
Jesus sent his disciples into the whole world, instructing them to teach people the things he taught (Matthew 28:20). In light of this, we try to make time most days to witness to people when we are not involved in some other kind of activity or project. By going out and teaching others, this enables others to go out and do the same! (2 Timothy 2:2)
In the affluent West in particular, people’s obsession with materialism has led to a corresponding spiritual impoverishment, which is felt by many. Making ourselves available to people – whether rich or poor – and listening to them, sharing with them, looking for ways to encourage them… and providing them with a lifestyle alternative, is hugely beneficial.
Our witnessing takes many forms – from just approaching people on the street and striking up conversations… to distributing Christian materials, like books & DVDs… to making cardboard signs with meaningful sayings on them… to holding workshops or seminars to share our vision with others…or simply offering people free hugs.
Paul said that bodily exercise profits little, but Godliness is profitable in all things (1 Timothy 4:8). In light of this, we seek to discipline ourselves on a spiritual level first, and then physically. After all, a disciple is one who is disciplined!
Our time is our life, and if we use our time well, then we are using our life well. It is also very important when working together with others, that we are mindful of all that we do and why we are doing it. The spiritual life is one of simplicity and order. God is not a God of confusion (1Corinthians 14:33). When we are disciplined with our thoughts, speech, and actions, there is a greater chance of us working together in unity, and showing the Kingdom in what we do.
As you would have read, we take time to study and share our message with others. However, our discipline can also take the form of keeping accurate budgets, job lists and using schedules to organize our time. We also hold a weekly running competition, and we encourage people to empower themselves with personal challenges and disciplines to inspire growth.
(5) MEETING NEEDS
This can take many forms, including taking time to resolve our conflicts, playing games for relaxation, and having singing/worship sessions together. But relationship-building doesn’t have to stop with those in our immediate circle. We also follow up those whom we meet while witnessing (e.g. through email, phone calls or house visits), and just generally look for ways to build bridges with our ever-expanding network of contacts and friends.
The Christian life is about laying down our lives for others in love and service (John 15:13). In order for us to realize this in our lives, we have to take the time for relationships. For people to be inspired and work together in unity, seeking reconciliation is of utmost importance (Matthew 5:23-24). It’s also important for us to learn to be sensitive to the needs of others, and to respond accordingly.
When disagreements arise, we implement Jesus’ instructions on how to deal with grievances (Matthew 18:15-17). It’s not always easy working through tensions, but if we want genuine, deep relationships with those whom we love, then this is the only way.
As for playing games, well that one’s pretty easy! Having fun is a fundamental part of the Christian life. It’s important for us to down tools from time to time and just relax. We also enjoy playing music and having sing-alongs together. Many of us enjoy writing music, painting or drawing. Having a creative outlet can be a great source of relaxation and inspiration, in addition to providing us with tools to reach out to others, through music, literature and art. (Check out our Media section for a taster of some of our creative work, which we hope to add to over time.)
Our needs are many – spiritual, physical, mental and social. By taking time to respond to each of these, we will have a good balance and our lives will be more full.
We like to get involved in projects! God grants us a lot of freedom to choose what we do, and how we go about doing so. Other ministerial activities have ranged from such things as visiting people in prisons and hospitals, to using creative media to share our message with others, to getting involved in campaigns & protests, to offering free work to people. If you’re feeling like testing your attachments you could always join us on one of our “Faith Outreaches” – see below (Matthew 10:7-13). We are also passionate about being resourceful and recycling, one example of which is making use of perfectly edible food and other resources, wasted by society on an insane level every day.
Jesus said that he came to give us life in all its fullness, which we have found to be true (John 10:10). By experimenting with different ministries/projects, we keep ourselves inspired and flexible for whatever God wants us to do (Mark 2:22).
If we feel a personal burden for a project, it’s important that we raise it with those whom we are living and working with. It may or may not be the right time for the project, but getting our thoughts and interests out in the open gives us the best chance of seeing our burdens and visions realised. Projects do take co-ordination, organization, and time, so it’s important we are willing to put in the effort to achieve whatever it is that we want to do.
Faith Outreaches are a more extreme form of what we seek to do each day – namely, live-by-faith.
The term “Faith Outreach” is used to describe times when we put everything down and leave where we are staying (whether a camper van, or shared accommodation) for a period of time, stretching from as little as a few days to a few weeks, and sometimes for a month or more. Often we head off with just the clothes on our backs and possibly a few items in a backpack. On other occasions it has included taking a tent or sleeping bag, and possibly some tracts to distribute. Faith Outreaches can be in urban or rural settings, and sometimes they can include a mixture of both.
Usually we set guidelines, like not using money, although we try to stay open to God’s direction with such things, which can lead to us sometimes softening or hardening an initial position we take.
The main aim of a Faith Outreach is to place ourselves in a completely dependent relationship on God and to do whatever He says – whether this is making time for personal relationships, reaching out into local communities through volunteer work, or getting the message out in various ways. We find that when we make good use of our time in service of God and others, our basic needs (like food and clothing) are repeatedly looked after in often amazing ways. This strengthens our faith in God. Faith Outreaches are a wonderful way to get back to the simplicity of Christ and a deeper appreciation for God’s meticulous care for our smallest needs.
Many professing Christians steer away from bible prophecy, especially “end time prophecy”, and sometimes go to the extreme of condemning other believers for their attempts to better understand it. Why is this? Prophecy about the return of Jesus and the establishment of his Kingdom here on earth forces us to question just about everything, including how ready we are for this! If we are not looking forward to Jesus’ return (and getting ready for it, whether it happens in our lifetime, or if we die first and meet him), then it is quite likely that something is wrong. Perhaps we have become too comfortable here on earth, and have stopped seeking our heavenly country instead (Hebrews 11:16). Is there anything we don’t want to let go of, or change about how we are living? It is important that we ask ourselves these kinds of questions sincerely.
In a nutshell, the testimony (life and teachings) of Jesus IS the spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10). There are over 350 prophecies in the O.T. about Jesus and there are scores more in the N.T. about his return and what we should expect to happen in the run up to this. A part of Jesus’ love is his preparation of his bride/church. He calls us to follow his example, which begs the question of why are there not more leaders within the Church preparing their followers for what is already visible in terms of world events lining up with prophecy? Is it because many professing Christians are not actually following Christ?
We believe that if someone is sincere about wanting to understand and practice what Jesus taught, this will naturally lead them to want to understand prophecy and act on what they learn. From our perspective, the two are interlinked.
It says in Hebrews 10:25, that we should not stop living together, especially as we “see the day approaching”. It doesn’t take a degree from Oxford to see that the world is in a very volatile and precarious state: Discipleship in community with other sincere truth-seekers is a helpful means of preparation for the times in which we live and the challenges we are all increasingly likely to face.
We have uploaded various materials onto our website with the aim of enhancing people’s understanding of prophecy and its implications. Check out the book, Not For Everyone, a detailed study of The Book of Revelation and other prophecies, in our Freesources section… or our documentary, The Mark, about the cashless