The Wonder Years - March 2006 "It's Time" Media Clip

When we started Westlife Church we did monthly preview or "entree" services ... to give people a "taste" of what the church would look like.

This is one of the first media clips we did - a combo of inspirational and arial footage of Greater Springfield and a good dose of Shannon Noll. Some people were so moved that they believed the song was written for the launch of Westlife.

I had a teary moment watching it recently... when I thought about how many lives have been touched in 4 years!

Click below.

A Different Kind of Sunday - This Sunday

The Wonder Years - Meet our Urban Pioneers - August 2004

I came across this great newspaper article recently while filing some materials.

What a blast from the past.

And here we are 5 years later... with a foundation laid, lives changed, and community influence.

Night of Honour - 13 More Days

The family and I are really looking forward to the Night of Honour that is planned for Sunday 11 October - 6pm

We are hearing whispering and muffled planning and being told "mind your own bees wax."

We are becoming more aware of the power of influence and connection and life change as we are slowly withdrawing and "transitioning."

It is healthy... but painful.

Hope you can make it if you are close.

Baby Dedication and Parent Commitment - "Off to a Good Start!"

Today at Westlife some people are bringing their children to be dedicated to God.

This is a great thing!

“Children are a gift from God” Psalm 127:3

Westlife Church dedicates children because we read in Luke 2:22-25 that as a baby, his parents dedicated Jesus.
In Mark 10:16 we see Jesus bestowing blessings on the children.
The Dedication ceremony is a time to publicly make that commitment to pray for the child, love the child and guide the child toward a personal relationship with Christ.

The child dedication is truly a parent commitment service.

At Westlife Church Our Goal Is To:

* Help parents recognize that children are a gift from God
* Facilitate the parent's verbal commitment to raise their child in a Christian
environment.
* Challenge parents to be examples in service and worship for their children.
* Assist parents in laying a firm foundation of learning about God and an
example of the power of salvation for their child.

Parents cannot decide their child’s salvation. Each person must make the decision to have a personal relationship with Christ.
When children are old enough to understand the concept of sin and responsibility for that sin, then they are ready to make the decision to accept Christ as their personal saviour and assure eternal salvation.

Parents must however, lay a foundation through teaching and example that will help children to make that decision at the right time. The same is true of marriage.
We cannot decide when or if our children will marry and we cannot guarantee them a happy marriage.
But through positive example, we can lay a foundation for making good decisions when the time comes.


“..., then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, ……
but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
Joshua 24:15—NIV

Testimonials - Bruce Sullivan - Red Hot Relationships

Bruce, Bruce, Bruce... it's all about Bruce!


Really, it's all about quality relationships!


Here are what some people have said about Bruce after they listened to his presentation. These things are called "testimonials"........



You can check out the lists of satisfied customers over the last decade.... here goes!


http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/testimonials/testimonials2009.html

http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/testimonials/testimonials2008.html


Bruce is visiting Greater Springfield on Saturday AM 10 October for 2 sessions.

Tickets are $15 each for the 2 sessions.

Call 07 3381 9988 or email redhot@westlife.org.au.


Remember, great relationships just don't happen automatically!


You need to get intentional - so book a ticket today!

The Many Faces of Bruce Sullivan - Red Hot Relationships

Bruce Sullivan is a great guy. I have a friend who knows him too. He says great things about Bruce.

In addition, Bruce is one of the world’s leading authorities on relationships and personal motivation.


Here are some of the many faces of Bruce Sullivan.

Bruce is visiting Greater Springfield on Saturday AM 10 October for 2 sessions.

Tickets are $15 each for the 2 sessions.
Call 07 3381 9988 or email redhot@westlife.org.au.

Remember, great relationships just don't happen automatically!

You need to get intentional - so book a ticket today!


Check out more about Bruce at his website - http://www.brucesullivan.com.au/ - you'll be impressed!

My Region Greater Springfield Has a Soul!

It has been an interesting few days in my community. Our local state MP made some interesting comments in state parliament about the progress of community infrastructure.

Here is a sample of what hit the media:

Satellite city in a soulless orbit: MP
Natasha Bita September 18, 2009

SPRINGFIELD Lakes is an award-winning prototype for a 21st-century city -- but does it have soul?
A half-hour's drive west of Brisbane, the city-under-construction offers its 18,000 residents every convenience. The shopping centre will be the biggest in the southern hemisphere; it has a university campus, golf course and man-made lake; and bulldozers are clearing bushland to build a medical precinct to be known as Health City.

But local member Jo-Ann Miller reckons the satellite city in suburbia has "no soul". The Labor Bundamba MP's tirade on developer "greed" has triggered a debate on the future of low-density development in the 'burbs......

I knew something was "on the go" Thursday morning... an ABC twitter entry used the 2 words "Springfield" and "soulless" - and then I turned on my mobile phone and there were 3 messages - one from Ipswich City Mayor Paul Pisasale, one from Channel 7 TV reporter Neil Warren and another from ABC TV reporter, Josh Beavis.

Here are some TV media clips (below) about the story.

This one is from ABC TV - I get to appear in this one with a snappy quote about "new options" as pastor of Westlife Church.

Here is another from Channel 7

It was great to see and hear how vocal my community is about it's value - powerful stuff!

I'll write some more soon about my thoughts on community infrastructure and social capital development. All this means that my community is continuing to grow and mature.

(if you are viewing this post in my Facebook "notes" section click the link below somewhere called "view original post" - it will redirect you to my blog page with the media links)

Special thanks again to Peter Williams for his great HDD work!

Here is what was on the front page of the Queensland Times on Thursday.

Leadership Vision Night - Something New!

Transition brings change ... and the leadership gathering format changes too.

Westlife is trying something new about the way we gather as “build-our-housers.” We have reworked the scheduled Saturday AM 26 September Build our House gathering into a new opportunity called….


Check out the date (above) and mark your diaries!

Red Hot Relationships - Bruce Sullivan - Saturday AM 10 October

Good intentions are not enough!!

That's why I am really looking forward to this relationships and personal development opportunity.

Bruce is a world class speaker.

So Jill and I have booked our tickets and we will be there. We are getting intentional.

Because great relationships don't just happen by accident!

Here is what Bruce says....

"My goal is to provide you with a genuine understanding of how you can practically apply what I teach, quickly and easily to your own relationships."

Night of Honour - Sunday PM - 11 October 09

We have just found out what Westlife is starting plan for our farewell.

Here are some images of the artwork below. Nice one!

Saturday Night LIVE - The Photos

We had a blast at Saturday Night LIVE! There were a lot of guests on the night... and a lot of laughter.

Here are some of the photos that Peta M took and put up on Facebook. Great work Peta!

Subscribe to a Podcast - Westlife Church

Shane has cracked the final part of the podcast code and we are good to go with podcast subscriptions.

For example in iTunes you click the "podcast" option in the column on the LH menu.

Then go to the "advanced" tab on the top menu.

Then choose the "subscribe to a podcast" option.

And then enter this address

http://podcast.westlifechurch.org.au/rss.xml

The link is RSS 2.0 compliant.

Once the subsciption is confirmed iTunes will automaticlaly search for new updates when you are connected to the internet.

So even when you don't get to church the message will be auto downloaded for you.

You will also be able to download previous editions of teaching and series.

Enjoy!!

"Let us go over to the other side." - Transitions

I have become very aware recently that life is full of change... and transitions.

If we don't change we die, some have said.

This is what I have been collecting.........

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."
Mark 4:35 (NIV)

“Not in his goals but in his transitions is man great”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist, 1803-1882)

“Disenchantment, whether it is a minor disappointment or a major shock, is the signal that things are moving into transition in our lives.”
William Bridges

“When our first parents were driven out of Paradise, Adam is believed to have remarked to Eve: "My dear, we live in an age of transition."”
Dean Inge (Dean of St Paul's, London, 1860-1954)

Afterwards Paul felt impelled by the Holy Spirit to go ... he said, "I must go....!"
Acts 19:21 (TLB)

I am starting a new teaching series soon to talk about transitons and how we can understand them. The Bible gives us great wisdom about navigating life's changes.

Part 1 is Sunday 13 September at 10am.

Build the Anointing in You and LIFT!

I had the privilege of preaching yesterday as we closed the current teaching series. I did a message with a great story from Tracy Skellern-Smith.


The message was called Build the Anointing in You and LIFT!

If you were not at the Celebration here is the link to the audio clip.

The track will be on the Westlife Church website podcast section soon.
http://podcast.westlifechurch.org.au/



In relation to speaking in tongues for an extended period and the benefits, check out these 2 previous posts about books from Joyce Meyer and Oral Roberts. Well worth a read!

Here are few quick phrases from the message:

Learning to live strong with God is not about opening a can of LIFT and shoving it down quick
It’s about cultivating a healthy, ongoing relationship with God through Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit lives in you – he dwells there.
To borrow from a great local real estate mogul –Holy Spirit has His Abode – in you!
God says, “your life is My Abode”

But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 2:27 (NKJV)

Every time you obey is like making a deposit into the bank of inner strength
Every act of submission is a kiss to your relationship with Jesus
Every time you say, “not my will but Yours, LORD” is an investment in your now and your future and the presence of God in and around your life.

Resignation Audio

It's been a very emotional season. And yesterday was no exception.

Pastor Steve Dixon from Hillsong Brisbane introduced our resignation section at the end of the Celebration. He was very generous about the launch, health and growth of Westlife Church.

If you were not at the Celebration here is a link the audio clip. Goes for about 30 minutes and Steve and Van pray for us at the end.

We closed with the Hillsong track, Stronger. I am glad the focus was on Jesus as we closed.

The track will be on the Westlife Church website podcast section soon.

That's here.... http://podcast.westlifechurch.org.au/

Important News - We Have Resigned

We have announced this morning to the great people at Westlife Church that we have resigned as Lead Pastors.

Our last Sunday will be Sunday 11 October 2009.

Pastor Steve Dixon from Hillsong Brisbane Campus this morning addressed the church and outlined the launch, growth and health of the church. That was very honouring.

Jillian and I have been overwelmed by the love and gratitude that people have expressed. Thanks.

Here is a bit of what we said this morning:

This has been a very tough decision – probably the toughest decision we have made so far in our lives. Yet it is also a relatively simply one.

When your values are clear, decisions become clearer.
We value our family, marriage and health – we value our children.
So these important things always come first....
We have sought prayed and read God’s Word – we have spent time with wise counsel – we have spoken to key people – we have looked at a lot of options – we have searched our hearts
– and we have come to this very difficult decision.
Parts of this decision are very sad – extremely sad
This decision will be very sad, even hurtful to some of you – we apologise for that.

Our family, marriage and health have been under a relentless pressure – and there is a deep weariness. Another family holiday will not fix this. 3 months off will not fix this.
We believe that resigning as Founding and Lead Pastors is the best choice for our family and for the church.

We are confident of a strong God – who is the head of this Church. This strong God knew this decision was coming – and He is not surprised.

We are confident of the God at work in you – some of you will be shaken for a season –but that will turn into a kingdom resolve that will fuel the next level of health and growth at Westlife
We love you all – we have prayed for you in advance – we have some good people around us and our church - we have set some things in motion that will position you for a great new leader or leaders.

We are thankful for this opportunity and privilege to lead you – it is coming up 4 years for some of you. These have truly been the Wonder Years for us – the establishment of a vibrant local church in a growth corridor.

Thank you for the privilege of leading you and being your pastors.

The team are planning a Farewell Celebration for Sunday PM 11 October 2009 - probably at about 6pm.

Transitions - New Teaching Series - Spring 2009

The Bible says that there is a time for everything...... and there is a time for change... and transitions.

I am really looking forward to this new Sunday morning teaching series.

I believe that it will really help people in all areas of their life... and how to understand and prepare for life's changes.

See you for part 1 - Sunday 13 September 2009 10am.

Steve Dixon This Sunday 10am

I am looking forward to Steve Dixon visiting this Sunday at Westlife.

He is helping Tracy and I bring a BIG finish to our current LIFT! teaching series.

Steve is a great man and leader - please make sure if you are close that you get on along.

The Ticket - An "Open for Business" Tool

It's time to "reach out" with a ticket and invite people to the upcoming Saturday Night LIVE (Dad's Edition).

I got the idea recently while praying. Something as simple as a "free" ticket can be an "Open for Business" tool.

Get from the HUB or Connect Table on a Sunday.

I am really looking forward to this opportunity to honour the men and dads this Father's Day Weekend.