🌟 Ever felt life's journey could use a little more purpose? Ever wondered if there's a deeper connection between your heart, mind, and actions? Delve into "Inside Out: The Faith In Action" and unravel the captivating dance between inner beliefs and outer behaviours. 🌟
This transformative talk shines a refreshing light on how the Christian faith isn't just confined within chapel walls. Whether you're a steadfast believer, a curious seeker, or somewhere in between, this talk resonates with the soul's desire for a meaningful and authentic life.
🔍 In this enlightening session, you'll uncover:
Welcome to this week's Crowd Church service.
Matt Edmundson:We are a digital church on a quest to discover how Jesus helps
Matt Edmundson:us live a more meaningful life.
Matt Edmundson:We are a community, a space to explore the Christian faith, and a place
Matt Edmundson:where you can contribute and grow.
Matt Edmundson:Our service will last about an hour, and in a few seconds we
Matt Edmundson:will start with a time of worship, after which you will meet Jesus.
Matt Edmundson:Our hosts for our service who will introduce today's talk.
Matt Edmundson:After the talk, we head into Conversation Street, where we look at your stories
Matt Edmundson:and questions that you've posted in the comments throughout the live stream.
Matt Edmundson:I want to invite you to connect with us here at Crowd Church, and there are
Matt Edmundson:a few ways that you can do just that.
Matt Edmundson:Firstly, you can engage with Crowd from any device during our live
Matt Edmundson:stream, and if you're up for it.
Matt Edmundson:Why not invite a few friends over and experience the service together?
Matt Edmundson:You see, church is all about connecting with God and connecting with others.
Matt Edmundson:And one of the easiest ways for you to do that is to also join one of our
Matt Edmundson:mid week groups, where we meet up.
Matt Edmundson:Online together to catch up and discover more about the amazingness of Christ.
Matt Edmundson:You can also subscribe to our podcast called What's the Story, where we
Matt Edmundson:deep dive into stories of faith and courage from everyday people.
Matt Edmundson:More information about all of these things that I've mentioned can
Matt Edmundson:be found on our website at www.
Matt Edmundson:crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church.
Matt Edmundson:www.
Matt Edmundson:crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church or you can reach us on social media at crowdchurch if you're new
Matt Edmundson:to crowd or new to the christian faith and would like to know what
Matt Edmundson:your next steps to take are well why not head over to our website crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church forward slash next for more details
Matt Edmundson:and now the moment you've been waiting for is here our online church service
Matt Edmundson:starts right now Now, well, hello and welcome to Crowd Online Church.
Matt Edmundson:Great to see you.
Matt Edmundson:Great that you're here with us.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, for those of you don't know me, my name is Matt Edmundson.
Matt Edmundson:I get to be part of the team here and beside me, probably more importantly,
Matt Edmundson:uh, is Jan, Jan Birch and Jan, your first time hosting Crowd.
Matt Edmundson:Welcome.
Matt Edmundson:Thank you.
Matt Edmundson:You're in the driving.
Matt Edmundson:Well, I'm in the driving seat.
Matt Edmundson:You're in the passenger seat.
Matt Edmundson:How does it feel?
Jan Burch:Yeah, scary.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, well, when you've got people like Matt Crew in
Matt Edmundson:the comments, there's plenty to be scared about, isn't there, really?
Matt Edmundson:So, uh, very warm welcome to you.
Matt Edmundson:Do say hi to Jan, uh, if you're in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, if you're watching us live, do come say hi in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:It'd be great to hear from you.
Matt Edmundson:Um, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:And it's also Remembrance Sunday.
Matt Edmundson:We were just saying that, weren't we?
Matt Edmundson:Uh, yes.
Matt Edmundson:Um, I've not had, uh, I'm a little bit rushed tonight, uh,
Matt Edmundson:getting the live stream ready.
Matt Edmundson:For reasons which I won't bore you with, but, uh, we're a little
Matt Edmundson:bit rushed and so I've not had a chance to get everything sorted out.
Matt Edmundson:One of which is...
Matt Edmundson:The minute silence that we normally do on crowd.
Matt Edmundson:So I will try and resolve that whilst the talk is going on.
Matt Edmundson:Um, but yes, Remembrance Sunday.
Matt Edmundson:We're going to talk about that probably after the talk a little bit more.
Matt Edmundson:So just to acknowledge that it is Remembrance Sunday, pop your Sunday today.
Matt Edmundson:For those of you outside of the UK, uh, Remembrance Sunday is
Matt Edmundson:like, um, uh, Memorial Sunday, what do they call it in the States?
Matt Edmundson:Memorial Day?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:I think it's Memorial Day, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, we call it Remembrance Sunday.
Matt Edmundson:It's where we remember the.
Matt Edmundson:The ones that have gone before us and, you know, uh, sort of fought in wars
Matt Edmundson:and all that kind of stuff so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have.
Matt Edmundson:Um, so yeah, Remembrance Sunday, we've got Nicola in the comments, evening
Matt Edmundson:Nicola or evening Lala, as we like to say.
Matt Edmundson:Hi Nicola.
Matt Edmundson:I've got Matt Crew in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:Hi Matt.
Matt Edmundson:Matt's saying here, look, I can add this to the broadcast saying, uh,
Matt Edmundson:welcome to the Crowd Church family, Jen.
Matt Edmundson:Oh, thank you.
Matt Edmundson:Thank you very much.
Matt Edmundson:And Denny's actually, he's, he's, he's trying to, he's,
Matt Edmundson:look, he's put Jan Birch, legend.
Jan Burch:Yeah, don't know how he knows that.
Jan Burch:Is it not true?
Jan Burch:Don't think so,
Matt Edmundson:no.
Matt Edmundson:I'm sure it is.
Matt Edmundson:I'm sure it is, Jen.
Matt Edmundson:But yes, do say hi in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:So tonight, I've not prepped you for this actually, but
Matt Edmundson:you do know what's coming up.
Matt Edmundson:I do.
Matt Edmundson:What's coming up?
Matt Edmundson:It's Chris Holcombe.
Matt Edmundson:The Right Reverend, Chris Holcombe, say Right Reverend,
Matt Edmundson:he's not a Right Reverend at all.
Matt Edmundson:Doctor Chris, in fact he's gone beyond Doctor now, isn't he?
Matt Edmundson:Oh, is he a professor?
Matt Edmundson:I've no idea, but you don't call him Doctor Holcombe, you call him Mr Holcombe.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:So in the UK, if you're watching outside of the UK, the way this works
Matt Edmundson:is when you're a doctor, you're a doctor, you can call yourself a doctor.
Matt Edmundson:But then you, and you know this because you're in the medical field, after
Matt Edmundson:a while you stop being a doctor and you become a mister again, don't you?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah,
Jan Burch:the more senior you are, yeah.
Jan Burch:Which
Matt Edmundson:is bizarre.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:It's mainly to do with surgeon, surgery.
Jan Burch:Okay.
Jan Burch:Um, medical doctors tend to be doctor, but, um, surgeons are Mr.
Jan Burch:or Miss.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:So you, you work really hard and go back to your original title of
Jan Burch:Mr.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:All that hard work.
Matt Edmundson:It's generally how it works.
Matt Edmundson:Um, so yeah, Jenny's in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:Hey Jenny, how you doing?
Matt Edmundson:Good to see you.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, always nice to see you.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:So, uh, we've got Mr.
Matt Edmundson:Chris Holcombe because he has, he's gone through the doctor bit and he's like, he's
Matt Edmundson:a very good, he's a very good surgeon.
Matt Edmundson:He is, I believe
Jan Burch:he
Matt Edmundson:is.
Matt Edmundson:Yep.
Matt Edmundson:Yep.
Matt Edmundson:So, we've got Chris Holcombe tonight to carry us on in our, in our journey.
Matt Edmundson:I was going to say story.
Matt Edmundson:It's not a story.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, in our journey through the book of Acts, uh, he is taking us forward.
Matt Edmundson:Um, Evening, Matt, still feeling good about your new decade.
Matt Edmundson:Now, I'm assuming, Jenny, I'm going to put this on the broadcast because I can.
Matt Edmundson:I'm assuming you're talking to Matt Crew.
Matt Edmundson:Because Matt Crew, who is always in the comments every week, turned 40.
Matt Edmundson:I want you to know he is now officially ancient.
Matt Edmundson:The man who is constantly ragging me and teasing me about my
Matt Edmundson:age is now officially ancient.
Matt Edmundson:He's now into his 40s.
Jan Burch:Life
Matt Edmundson:begins then.
Matt Edmundson:Apparently so, apparently so.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, but yes, uh, I won't put back in the comments yet.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, but yes, happy birthday to Matt Crew, uh, from all of us
Matt Edmundson:here at Crowd Church, obviously.
Matt Edmundson:Now, without further ado, let's get into, uh, Chris Holcombe.
Matt Edmundson:So we're going to have a talk.
Matt Edmundson:Chris is going to, uh, talk to us from the Book of Acts.
Matt Edmundson:We've been working our way through the Book of Acts.
Matt Edmundson:We are very near the end now.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, we're going to end the end of Jan, Jan.
Matt Edmundson:Oh, okay, Matt.
Matt Edmundson:So at the end of Jan, we've got, so we're almost there.
Matt Edmundson:So Chris is going to take us on the next chapter.
Matt Edmundson:Jan and I will then be back for Conversation Street after
Matt Edmundson:Chris has done his talk.
Matt Edmundson:So don't go anywhere.
Matt Edmundson:Do join us in the comments, write any questions that you have.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, any stories, anything you want to share, put it in the comments.
Matt Edmundson:We'd love to see it.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, Jan and I will see you in there, but for now, here's Chris.
Chris Holcombe:Hello, it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak briefly on.
Matt Edmundson:Oh, sorry about that.
Matt Edmundson:We're going to try Chris again, see how we get on.
Chris Holcombe:Hello, it's a pleasure to have the opportunity to speak briefly on.
Chris Holcombe:Acts chapter 19, a chapter full of action in the, in the early church
Chris Holcombe:and Paul's missionary journeys.
Chris Holcombe:Let's start reading from the message of the first couple of verses.
Chris Holcombe:Paul made his way down through the mountains, came to Ephesus and
Chris Holcombe:happened on some disciples there.
Chris Holcombe:First thing he said was, did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
Chris Holcombe:Did you take God into your mind only?
Chris Holcombe:Or did you also embrace him with your heart?
Chris Holcombe:Did he get inside you?
Chris Holcombe:And, it's absolutely key this, the whole business of mind and heart.
Chris Holcombe:So, faith, Christianity, is not just about head knowledge.
Chris Holcombe:It's not something that's theoretical, that's nice, that's interesting.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just...
Chris Holcombe:A nice philosophy, but rather this is something about your heart, it gets inside
Chris Holcombe:you, this is something that's going to make a difference, something that I'm
Chris Holcombe:going to pursue, something that will change what I do, change my behaviour.
Chris Holcombe:We go on and read in verse 4, that explains it said Paul.
Chris Holcombe:Preached a baptism of radical life change, so that people would be
Chris Holcombe:ready to receive the one coming after him, who turned out to be Jesus.
Chris Holcombe:If you've been baptised in John's baptism, you're ready now for the real thing.
Chris Holcombe:You're ready for Jesus.
Chris Holcombe:And, it's that readiness now of, actually, your head says yes.
Chris Holcombe:Now it's your heart.
Chris Holcombe:Now, now you're ready for Jesus to take all of you and take your heart.
Chris Holcombe:But it's even more than that because what comes with that is the Holy Spirit.
Chris Holcombe:When Jesus was still on earth, Jesus promised to leave us with the Holy Spirit
Chris Holcombe:and in John 14 Uh, verse 25 in the Gospel of John, we read the Friend, the Holy
Chris Holcombe:Spirit, whom the Father will send at my request, I'm going to leave him with you.
Chris Holcombe:And it's that same Holy Spirit that changed a bunch of scared disciples that
Chris Holcombe:we read about at the beginning of Acts, a bunch of scared disciples in the upper
Chris Holcombe:room, into a bunch of people who changed.
Chris Holcombe:The world as we know it.
Chris Holcombe:So a Holy Spirit that gives boldness, but a Holy Spirit who gives gifts,
Chris Holcombe:and again reading from the message, a Holy Spirit who gives wise
Chris Holcombe:counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous
Chris Holcombe:acts, proclamation, distinguishing spirits, speaking in tongues.
Chris Holcombe:Gives us those gifts, gives us fruit, as we read in Galatians where it
Chris Holcombe:says again from the message, the Holy Spirit gives us affection for others,
Chris Holcombe:exuberance for life, willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion
Chris Holcombe:in the heart, a loyal commitment.
Chris Holcombe:And if we know God, if we've been baptised in the Holy Spirit, if
Chris Holcombe:we've taken the Holy Spirit into our.
Chris Holcombe:It's that same Holy Spirit who we take with us into work when we go
Chris Holcombe:along there on a Monday morning.
Chris Holcombe:It's the same Holy Spirit who we take down the pub with us when we go for a drink
Chris Holcombe:with our friends, to the football, to that family gathering, because we are filled
Chris Holcombe:with the Spirit whether we like it or not.
Chris Holcombe:This is the Spirit.
Chris Holcombe:Given when Paul laid hands on the disciples in Ephesus.
Chris Holcombe:And Christianity isn't just about head knowledge.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just a nice philosophy, but about the whole, our whole lives, our heart, our
Chris Holcombe:mind, our soul, driven by the Holy Spirit.
Chris Holcombe:And that what, that's what makes a difference.
Chris Holcombe:To who we are, what we do and, and it's that difference that makes people curious.
Chris Holcombe:So going down the chapter a little bit to verse 18 we read, curiosity,
Chris Holcombe:curiosity about Paul developed into reverence for the Master.
Chris Holcombe:And I find this a challenge.
Chris Holcombe:How do we make that link, or how do we show to others that link between who I
Chris Holcombe:am, what I do and why I do it, to Jesus?
Chris Holcombe:So people might like me, they might think what I do is good,
Chris Holcombe:they might be curious about me, but how does that point to Jesus?
Chris Holcombe:How does that lead to reverence?
Chris Holcombe:For the Master Jesus.
Chris Holcombe:I think in many ways this is a two parter.
Chris Holcombe:First is who we are, how we behave.
Chris Holcombe:We will all be familiar with the phrase, actions speak louder than words.
Chris Holcombe:And so it is.
Chris Holcombe:And this is the very foundation of Being able to say anything
Chris Holcombe:because people are watching.
Chris Holcombe:Friends, colleagues, they're all watching.
Chris Holcombe:They're watching what we do, how we behave, the people
Chris Holcombe:at work, our neighbours.
Chris Holcombe:Are you honest?
Chris Holcombe:Do you gossip?
Chris Holcombe:Do you do what you say you will?
Chris Holcombe:Do you care, really care?
Chris Holcombe:Do you demonstrate grace and, and what we read here in Acts 19 is that Paul's
Chris Holcombe:actions lay the foundation of his words.
Chris Holcombe:So, so we see him, uh, in the meeting place arguing and convincing, but
Chris Holcombe:that's backed up by his actions.
Chris Holcombe:We read in verse 11, God did powerful things through Paul,
Chris Holcombe:quite out of the ordinary.
Chris Holcombe:And he was healing the sick, and things that had been in
Chris Holcombe:his possession healed the sick.
Chris Holcombe:And we too can pray for those who are sick around us, pray for those in
Chris Holcombe:need, and see God move supernaturally.
Chris Holcombe:But actually it's not only that.
Chris Holcombe:Because what we might consider more mundane things are also
Chris Holcombe:quite out of the ordinary.
Chris Holcombe:And actually that's really important as we live out our faith, our everyday
Chris Holcombe:life, our whole life faith, at work, in the neighbourhood, with our friends.
Chris Holcombe:So actually showing grace to our colleagues when they
Chris Holcombe:fail is out of the ordinary.
Chris Holcombe:Forgiving relatives when they mess up.
Chris Holcombe:Demonstrating agape love, that love that we show without any expectation of
Chris Holcombe:return from those to whom we are loving.
Chris Holcombe:And at one level these things are very ordinary and yet at another level
Chris Holcombe:these are quite out of the ordinary, uncommon, almost unheard of in the
Chris Holcombe:secular world in which we live.
Chris Holcombe:And it is as we demonstrate being a Christian by our actions So we come to
Chris Holcombe:the second part, so we can, we can speak, we can share the good news of the gospel.
Chris Holcombe:Our actions, our behaviour opens the way to discussion of our faith, to sharing
Chris Holcombe:its joy, to sharing its hardships, its uncertainties, its pain on occasion.
Chris Holcombe:But without that foundation of behaviour.
Chris Holcombe:We simply will not be heard.
Chris Holcombe:And again, that's capsulated in the New Testament in 1 John chapter 3,
Chris Holcombe:in verse 18, we read, Dear children, let us not love with words or speech,
Chris Holcombe:but with actions and its truth.
Chris Holcombe:And it's as those two work together, hand in glove, that it's effective, that
Chris Holcombe:there's power, that there's reality.
Chris Holcombe:So, let's pause for a moment.
Chris Holcombe:Um, we've heard the good news of the gospel, we understand it in our
Chris Holcombe:mind, but it goes further than that.
Chris Holcombe:We're then filled with the Holy Spirit, our heart is changed, and when
Chris Holcombe:our heart is changed, our behaviour is changed, how we treat people is
Chris Holcombe:different, which gives us the opportunity to speak, to share the good news.
Chris Holcombe:And at least potentially to be heard.
Chris Holcombe:It's easy to portray the gospel as all good news, somehow warm
Chris Holcombe:and fluffy like a big, big hug.
Chris Holcombe:And there's elements undoubtedly of that.
Chris Holcombe:But, but it's also, but it's, it's all, it's not always that.
Chris Holcombe:For everyone, and for those, not always that, for those
Chris Holcombe:who hold power and influence.
Chris Holcombe:Changing how things are done might be great for the poor, for the less well
Chris Holcombe:paid, but that has the consequences, reduces the profits for those at the top.
Chris Holcombe:Being honest, exposing untruth, will not be welcomed by many.
Chris Holcombe:will not be welcomed by those who lose power, who lose
Chris Holcombe:influence, those who lose money.
Chris Holcombe:They're not going to be happy.
Chris Holcombe:And they're not going to go quietly.
Chris Holcombe:And so it is in Ephesus, where we read about a riot erupting.
Chris Holcombe:Demetrius is the local silversmith, he's got a good...
Chris Holcombe:So, business going on with the idols he's creating, and he sees Paul having
Chris Holcombe:this influence, but very quickly sees his business disappearing,
Chris Holcombe:sees his profits disappearing.
Chris Holcombe:So, so stirs everyone up.
Chris Holcombe:Um, we have to stop this.
Chris Holcombe:Everyone knows Artemis is our God, but you know, we...
Chris Holcombe:We have to stop it, but of course it's not about Artemis, it's about his prophets,
Chris Holcombe:and that's, that's very often the case.
Chris Holcombe:And, interesting reading this, uh, again, uh, looking at
Chris Holcombe:this account of the, the riot.
Chris Holcombe:I was struck how much the account in Acts sounds like a modern day Twitter storm.
Chris Holcombe:Everyone getting involved, everyone wading in.
Chris Holcombe:In verse 32, again in the message read, some were yelling one thing, some another.
Chris Holcombe:Most of them had no idea what was going on or why they were there.
Chris Holcombe:That, it sounds very much like that social media echo chamber in full swing.
Chris Holcombe:And those who are losing out, are going to kick that off, they're not
Chris Holcombe:going to go easily, and that can be difficult, that costs, but doing the
Chris Holcombe:right thing, is the right thing, and it's what God asks us to do, it's
Chris Holcombe:what God expects us to do, and there will be many, many around you at work.
Chris Holcombe:In your neighborhood who will be very grateful for that.
Chris Holcombe:But again, there are those who will not be grateful and who
Chris Holcombe:will kick up a storm in response.
Chris Holcombe:So in conclusion, we see faith.
Chris Holcombe:We see Christianity.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just this or that.
Chris Holcombe:It's about this and that.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just about your mind or your heart, it's about your mind.
Chris Holcombe:And your heart, working together.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just actions or words, but it's both.
Chris Holcombe:It's action and words, one built upon the other.
Chris Holcombe:It's not just about being nice and forgiving everyone, or
Chris Holcombe:calling out injustice, but both.
Chris Holcombe:It's about love and forgiveness and calling out injustice,
Chris Holcombe:all of that powered by God's Holy Spirit.
Chris Holcombe:Thank
Matt Edmundson:you.
Matt Edmundson:So, welcome back.
Matt Edmundson:Big thanks to Chris Holcombe for doing that talk.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, it's, um, it's, doing these talks always requires a bit of effort and a
Matt Edmundson:bit of time and a bit of forethought.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, and so super grateful that Chris took the time to do that.
Matt Edmundson:You, you took lots of notes.
Matt Edmundson:I did.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, lots and lots of notes.
Matt Edmundson:Now, what we're gonna do, before we get into Conversation Street,
Matt Edmundson:hopefully, uh, let me just do this.
Matt Edmundson:I am going to just queue up the video, he says.
Matt Edmundson:Hopefully this is going to work.
Matt Edmundson:I'm going to queue up the video for Remembrance Sunday,
Matt Edmundson:which is in here somewhere.
Matt Edmundson:So whilst I'm doing that, you just talk about one of the things
Matt Edmundson:that you enjoyed from the video.
Jan Burch:Okay.
Jan Burch:Um, I found, I found it very challenging.
Matt Edmundson:Chris is always challenging.
Jan Burch:It's like he is.
Jan Burch:You know, very calm manner, but packs a punch, you know, in the, so
Jan Burch:I found, I found it challenging from the very beginning about, is God,
Jan Burch:have you taken God into your mind only or is he in your heart also?
Jan Burch:It's like.
Jan Burch:Okay, yeah, you're like,
Matt Edmundson:thanks.
Jan Burch:Thanks, Chris.
Jan Burch:Yeah, it's just
Matt Edmundson:challenging.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, yeah, we'll get into that.
Matt Edmundson:So what I want to do now, let me go back to this scene here and back to live mode.
Matt Edmundson:So hopefully those changes, you didn't see me playing around with the system.
Matt Edmundson:Hopefully that was all fine day.
Matt Edmundson:So what we're going to do, because it is Remembrance Sunday, So what we're Uh, we
Matt Edmundson:are just going to take a few moments to remember those that have gone before us,
Matt Edmundson:and to do that, we're going to play the video, uh, called The Last Post, which
Matt Edmundson:is the theme, I only explained it on the video, so we're going to play that, we're
Matt Edmundson:going to have a minute's silence, um, then we're going to have the rails, then Jan
Matt Edmundson:and I will be back after this, Uh, it is Remembrance Sunday here in the UK, a few
Matt Edmundson:seconds, a few minutes to remember those who have given the, well given a lot,
Matt Edmundson:uh, whether it's their life, uh, whether, uh, it's just been a little part of their
Matt Edmundson:soul, you know, uh, and they've come back very different people in modern times, um,
Matt Edmundson:but a lot of people are doing, fighting a lot of conflicts around the world for our
Matt Edmundson:freedom and so, uh, it's time to remember those, especially with all the wars that
Matt Edmundson:are going on in, um, Israel, Gaza, we've got Russia, Ukraine, we've got, um, Sudan.
Matt Edmundson:I mean, there's crazy stuff, uh, going off around the world.
Matt Edmundson:So let's spend some time remembering those that have gone.
Matt Edmundson:Let's spend some time remembering those who have, who are in conflict
Matt Edmundson:at the moment and pray for peace.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and then John and I will be back after this.
Matt Edmundson:Hopefully this works fine.
Matt Edmundson:Everyone's president is me.
Matt Edmundson:Okay, welcome back.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, hopefully that works, uh, from a technical point of view.
Matt Edmundson:Sorry again for not checking that.
Matt Edmundson:Now I just want to read this.
Matt Edmundson:On this Remembrance Sunday, we stand in a solemn congregation, bridging the past
Matt Edmundson:and present in our collective memory.
Matt Edmundson:We remember not only the brave souls of a bygone era, but also our
Matt Edmundson:contemporary heroes who have faced the harrowing crucibles of conflict.
Matt Edmundson:Many did not return, leaving a part of themselves on distant battlefields.
Matt Edmundson:Others came back forever changed, carrying invisible yet indelible marks of war.
Matt Edmundson:Today we honour their courage, their resilience and their immense sacrifices.
Matt Edmundson:We remember those who stood valiantly in the face of adversity, fighting for
Matt Edmundson:the freedoms we so clearly cherish.
Matt Edmundson:And we acknowledge the profound cost of such bravery, not just in lives lost, but
Matt Edmundson:in futures altered and in dreams deferred.
Matt Edmundson:We will remember them, not just as a phrase, but as a solemn
Matt Edmundson:pledge to recognize all who have given so much for so many.
Matt Edmundson:On this day, our gratitude is deep and our remembrance resolute, spanning
Matt Edmundson:across all generations of heroes.
Matt Edmundson:And so it is, I, I am, a fan is the wrong phrase, Jen.
Matt Edmundson:I do like to take a bit of time on remembrance and date,
Matt Edmundson:um, just to remember those.
Matt Edmundson:And so, shall we pray and then we'll get into Conversation Street.
Matt Edmundson:Do me to pray?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, you pray.
Matt Edmundson:It's your first Sunday after all, don't want to throw you in the deep end.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, Father, thank you for those who have given so much, whether it was
Matt Edmundson:their life, whether it was just they've left part of them on the battlefield.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and Father, thank you for those that have fought for our freedoms.
Matt Edmundson:You know, many wars are unjust and some of them are just, and People are always hurt.
Matt Edmundson:People are always scarred on both sides of the fence.
Matt Edmundson:And Lord, we pray for peace at this time.
Matt Edmundson:We remember the conflicts that are going on around the world.
Matt Edmundson:And as we remember some of the wars from the past, we also remember the
Matt Edmundson:wars that are going on at the moment.
Matt Edmundson:And Lord, we pray for your intervention.
Matt Edmundson:We pray you would intervene.
Matt Edmundson:We pray for wisdom, for leaders.
Matt Edmundson:We pray for bravery for those who are involved.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, encouraged to do what is right and just.
Matt Edmundson:Amen.
Matt Edmundson:Amen.
Matt Edmundson:Very good.
Matt Edmundson:And on that note, we will get into Conversation Street.
Matt Edmundson:So.
Matt Edmundson:Are you singing Coronation Street?
Matt Edmundson:I was
Jan Burch:because it's very similar.
Matt Edmundson:Yes, it is very similar.
Matt Edmundson:And for those of you don't know what Coronation Street is, you might
Matt Edmundson:as well, you might have to explain
Jan Burch:that.
Jan Burch:Coronation Street is a soap opera, um, a show in the UK,
Jan Burch:which has been going for Years.
Jan Burch:All of my life.
Jan Burch:At least 21 years.
Jan Burch:I
Matt Edmundson:think Noah was in the Coronation Street.
Matt Edmundson:Some of the early, some of the early episodes.
Matt Edmundson:Enid Sharples.
Matt Edmundson:Well, so yes, uh, Coronation Street.
Matt Edmundson:I don't recommend you watch it.
Matt Edmundson:Nah,
Jan Burch:it's a bit depressing.
Matt Edmundson:It's a little bit like most soap operas to be fair.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, fair enough.
Matt Edmundson:That was a bit random, Singing Coronation Street.
Matt Edmundson:I've not had that before, but that's awesome.
Matt Edmundson:Okay.
Matt Edmundson:So, we definitely need a theme tune for Conversation Street.
Matt Edmundson:It's got to be that.
Matt Edmundson:I'll get Josh to write one.
Matt Edmundson:We used to have one, um, what was that theme tune we used for Catch It?
Matt Edmundson:Maybe we could use that.
Matt Edmundson:I'll find it.
Matt Edmundson:We'll find that out.
Matt Edmundson:I'll get Josh to sort it out.
Matt Edmundson:So yes, Conversation Street.
Matt Edmundson:So, what did you think to Chris's talk?
Matt Edmundson:Uh, you started off by saying that you thought it was very challenging.
Matt Edmundson:It was
Jan Burch:very challenging and I thought you did, you know, it was excellent.
Jan Burch:Um, yeah, just the whole thing to start with, you know, that we have to.
Jan Burch:It's not just a one off thing when you first become a Christian, um, but our
Jan Burch:minds sometimes can take over our hearts, you know, that our heart can disengage.
Jan Burch:Um, I will, I know that for me, um, some, some things are head
Jan Burch:knowledge and, you know, you have to push through for the heart.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:It's interesting, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:The longest distance is from here to here, so I can't remember who said it,
Matt Edmundson:but somebody said the longest distance is from your head to your heart.
Matt Edmundson:And actually getting something in here, versus just here,
Matt Edmundson:is really hard to do, right?
Matt Edmundson:Um, but it's where the challenge, it's where the life changes, right?
Matt Edmundson:This is, this is where God dwells.
Matt Edmundson:Um, God also dwells in our minds, he helps us, you know, we have We have the mind
Matt Edmundson:of Christ, we have the wisdom of Christ, it's not like we take God out of our
Matt Edmundson:thinking, but there is something about a heart change in Christianity, isn't there?
Matt Edmundson:Absolutely, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:That is, that is quite extraordinary, and that's where the Holy Spirit,
Matt Edmundson:it seems, uh, operates most effectively is in our hearts.
Matt Edmundson:What heart changes have you experienced?
Jan Burch:Yeah, a lot, lots over the years, I would say.
Jan Burch:Um, I think...
Jan Burch:I think when I first got married, um, I was, I was challenged, uh, quite a lot.
Jan Burch:I think I had prejudices that I wasn't aware of, um, and was frightened of maybe
Jan Burch:certain, certain people groups or not, not traveling or anything, but there was some
Jan Burch:things or looking into other religions, you know, I was, I was quite sceptical.
Jan Burch:I was very...
Jan Burch:Um, but I'm not, I'm not advocating it, but I'm just saying, it's
Jan Burch:okay, we're safe, it's okay to, to ask questions and, you know,
Matt Edmundson:so that's an interesting one, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:Because I think a lot of people struggle with that aspect of
Matt Edmundson:the ability to question and the ability to search as a Christian.
Matt Edmundson:It's like, well, surely I should know what it is.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and people really struggle to.
Matt Edmundson:To have that sort of freedom, uh, you know, almost like God's going to get them.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Do you know what I mean?
Matt Edmundson:And it's, uh, it's not healthy at all, is it?
Matt Edmundson:No.
Matt Edmundson:And
Jan Burch:if God doesn't, if someone in church will, you know, it's,
Jan Burch:it's legalistic, it's fear based.
Jan Burch:And I think God is, you know, it's God who gives us our minds, our
Jan Burch:spirits, our personalities, and he knows, he's, and he's secure.
Jan Burch:With us asking questions.
Jan Burch:You know, he'd rather that than us do things without fully understanding
Jan Burch:or embracing it, you know, properly.
Jan Burch:Yeah,
Matt Edmundson:yeah.
Matt Edmundson:It's in, you read through the book of Psalms and there's David just asking
Matt Edmundson:thousands and thousands of questions.
Matt Edmundson:Mm-Hmm, God seems okay with that.
Matt Edmundson:You know, uh, church sometimes isn't, um.
Matt Edmundson:But God on the whole is, uh, and I think asking those questions
Matt Edmundson:is, um, is totally fine.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, what's Matt put here, please don't sing, we can't afford the royalties.
Matt Edmundson:Okay.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, head knowledge of God is quite easy, but, uh, having God
Matt Edmundson:in your, uh, I'm guessing that's heart, uh, is coming up there.
Matt Edmundson:So yeah, let's put that on the broadcast.
Matt Edmundson:Had knowledge of God is quite easy, but I, uh, I find, but having God
Matt Edmundson:in your heart, I'm imagining is what Nicola is going to say there, um,
Matt Edmundson:is not always as straightforward.
Matt Edmundson:Have you found that?
Jan Burch:I have found that, um, I think, I think we, you know,
Jan Burch:we're very, um, professional about being Christians sometimes.
Jan Burch:I love that, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Jan Burch:That we can go through the motions, can't we, without really...
Jan Burch:You know, it's just a decision.
Jan Burch:It's just something we have to do.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Um, but we can remain untouched by by things.
Jan Burch:And yeah, so I don't think that's, that's how it should be.
Jan Burch:I'm not saying that we should be emotional.
Jan Burch:You know, wrecks every day or
Matt Edmundson:that's good.
Matt Edmundson:Because I don't think I
Jan Burch:could do that.
Jan Burch:But yeah, that's it.
Jan Burch:I think it takes, you know, we're, we're one person, but
Jan Burch:we're made up of different parts.
Jan Burch:And it's, it's opening the door to all of that, isn't it?
Jan Burch:Yeah,
Matt Edmundson:it is.
Matt Edmundson:I love that so many people are professional Christians.
Jan Burch:It is,
Matt Edmundson:isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Have you seen that a lot?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:So how do you, if head knowledge is easy, which is something Chris was
Matt Edmundson:talking about, Um, but heart knowledge, uh, having God in your heart is because
Matt Edmundson:it's, it's, it, like you say, it's easy to go, yeah, well, you know, I can
Matt Edmundson:mentally ascend to God doing dot dot dot.
Matt Edmundson:But when there's a heart change required, that's where we wrestle.
Matt Edmundson:So how, how do you get it from here to here?
Matt Edmundson:Have you done that?
Jan Burch:I think, I think it's got to be, um, trusting God
Jan Burch:and, um, you know, spending time with him when you know someone.
Jan Burch:You're more likely to trust them and be prepared to take that next step.
Jan Burch:Yeah, um, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:No, very true.
Matt Edmundson:When you know someone, you're more prepared to trust them.
Matt Edmundson:And, uh, here we go.
Matt Edmundson:Let's read the rest of what Nicola's put here, so, uh, had knowledge
Matt Edmundson:of God is quite easy, but having God in your heart is a completely
Matt Edmundson:different thing and place to be.
Matt Edmundson:Yes, that's true, I can put that on there.
Matt Edmundson:Um, yes it is, and I think, um, it's worth the time and investment to
Matt Edmundson:do that, and, um, allowing the Holy Spirit to do that transforming work.
Matt Edmundson:And so this is where, uh, we get back to what Chris was talking about, because
Matt Edmundson:actually he was, he was bringing up those scriptures, like 1 John 3, 18, about Um,
Matt Edmundson:uh, Christian faith, not just being words only, but actually also based on action.
Matt Edmundson:So there's, there's what we say and there's what we do and those
Matt Edmundson:two things have to marry up.
Matt Edmundson:Right.
Matt Edmundson:And this is where I think your comment, coming back to it, the professional
Matt Edmundson:Christians, this is where professional Christians struggle is because what
Matt Edmundson:they say and what they do don't.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Marry up.
Matt Edmundson:Don't marry up.
Matt Edmundson:Do they?
Matt Edmundson:Whereas, um.
Matt Edmundson:What we do and how we act has got to tie into our words.
Matt Edmundson:So, um, and this is, this is probably the hardest thing because this is,
Matt Edmundson:and this is where Christians get called hypocrites a lot, right?
Matt Edmundson:So, we may profess to be a Christian and I think the example that Chris
Matt Edmundson:gave, was, uh, giving grace to people when they, when they mess up.
Matt Edmundson:And you leaned over to me and said, Oh, you don't do that.
Jan Burch:No, I didn't, Matt.
Matt Edmundson:In a jokey kind of way, I was going to say.
Matt Edmundson:But it is, it is one of those things, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:It's like, yes, we are Christians.
Matt Edmundson:Yes, we believe God, but, um, I also have my right to.
Matt Edmundson:Have my pound of flesh from that person over there if they didn't
Matt Edmundson:do what I said, um, and so it's, uh, that's where head knowledge
Matt Edmundson:and heart start to wrestle, right?
Jan Burch:Definitely, and, um, I think it's called integrity.
Jan Burch:That's true.
Jan Burch:You know, it's, it's okay being one thing, but you, you know, you've got to be that
Jan Burch:when the, you know, when you're paying your You know, window cleaning bill, um,
Jan Burch:whatever's going on, you know, when you're in the car and the person in front of you
Jan Burch:didn't indicate and, you know, things like that bug me, but we should be the same
Matt Edmundson:person.
Matt Edmundson:We should.
Matt Edmundson:We should.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, I really need to make note of that because I'm definitely not the
Matt Edmundson:same person when I drive sometimes.
Matt Edmundson:Okay, well that's just
Jan Burch:not good enough.
Matt Edmundson:It's so true.
Matt Edmundson:My daughter looks at me sometimes and questions whether I'm
Matt Edmundson:actually a Christian when I drive.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, which is not, I mean, it, you know, it's not great.
Matt Edmundson:I joke about it, but, um, uh, you know, it's, it is one of those things where.
Matt Edmundson:You're right, the way we are in every aspect of our life, we
Matt Edmundson:want it to mirror the gospel.
Matt Edmundson:I do think sometimes if Jesus was driving a car, he would have a, he
Matt Edmundson:would have a word with a few people.
Matt Edmundson:Of course,
Jan Burch:there's righteous anger.
Jan Burch:Yeah, I don't think that's what you're talking about
Chris Holcombe:then.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, probably is, but it's fair play really, it's fair play.
Matt Edmundson:That is fair play.
Matt Edmundson:But it's interesting, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:This, I think it's, there's this really interesting analogy that I
Matt Edmundson:heard once, which I think is so true.
Matt Edmundson:And that is, when the pressure is applied to us, what's on
Matt Edmundson:the inside comes out, right?
Matt Edmundson:So The analogy was a squeezy ketchup bottle, right?
Matt Edmundson:It's not until you turn it upside down and squeeze it that you find
Matt Edmundson:out what's really on the inside.
Matt Edmundson:You could have, you know, a ketchup label on the outside, but it's not
Matt Edmundson:until the pressures applied that you find out what's really on the inside.
Matt Edmundson:And with Christians, I find it's the same.
Matt Edmundson:We, we say we are Christians that, you know, blah, blah,
Matt Edmundson:blah, and all of this stuff.
Matt Edmundson:But when the pressures applied to us.
Matt Edmundson:When we get squeezed a little bit, what's really in us starts to come out and
Matt Edmundson:quite often what's in us is not ketchup, it's, um, it's, and it's really not
Matt Edmundson:good, and it's, and we know what comes out of us because of what we say, right?
Matt Edmundson:So, um, out of the abundance of the hearts, the mouth speaks,
Matt Edmundson:Bible tells us in Proverbs, and so it's in those precious situations.
Matt Edmundson:It's how you talk that you kind of go.
Matt Edmundson:That's a real indicator of maybe something inside that needs to change.
Matt Edmundson:So if, um, you know, I might moan when somebody cuts me up, but I,
Matt Edmundson:I'm, what I am really aware of is if anything slightly hateful or hurtful
Matt Edmundson:starts to come out of my mouth.
Matt Edmundson:That's when I'm kind of going, God, I, there's something in here
Matt Edmundson:that needs to change inside me because that's a heart thing.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and so when the pressures are applied, uh, that's when we find
Matt Edmundson:out what really, really makes us.
Matt Edmundson:And this is where behavior, um, has to match what we believe, right?
Matt Edmundson:So, um, what we say and how we act is super, super important.
Matt Edmundson:Of course.
Jan Burch:I, I think, um, you know, what Chris said as well with that.
Jan Burch:Whether we like it or not, when we, you know, when we profess to be Christians,
Jan Burch:when people that we work with know that we're Christians, they are watching
Jan Burch:us, and your neighbours are watching, and your family who aren't Christians
Jan Burch:are watching you, and it seems a bit unfair, but that's the way it is, and
Jan Burch:um, I used to really struggle with this at work, um, I've never with it.
Jan Burch:I've never been someone who's swore a lot or anything, it wasn't that, but it
Jan Burch:was some days, you know, work is just tough, it's tough, but I, when I was a
Jan Burch:young Christian, I kind of felt that I, I didn't want to be a bad witness, so I felt
Jan Burch:like I had to always be happy, always be.
Jan Burch:Um, on things always, you know, on time or blah, blah, blah, all good things,
Jan Burch:but actually there, you are a human being and I think we will all get it wrong.
Jan Burch:We will lose our temper.
Jan Burch:We will get impatient.
Jan Burch:We will be sarcastic, um, or gossip, you know, uh, okay, but I think it's.
Jan Burch:Then recognizing that and saying I messed up there.
Jan Burch:Yeah, and I've sometimes apologized to work colleagues for being impatient
Jan Burch:Not saying, you know, it happens all the time, but I think it's okay.
Jan Burch:We are human.
Jan Burch:Yeah, we are gonna blow it You know, yeah, um, but I think it's also important to be
Jan Burch:humble enough to say I'm really sorry You
Matt Edmundson:know, totally totally agree.
Matt Edmundson:It's really powerful, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:That I think sometimes it's when I've gone back to people and apologised, that
Matt Edmundson:actually becomes the most powerful words.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Because people go, well, yes, you are human, no, you're not perfect, but
Matt Edmundson:the fact that you're big enough to come and apologise, that says a lot.
Matt Edmundson:Absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Do you know what I mean?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and I, I think, again, What was it Chris said, the right, you do the right
Matt Edmundson:thing because it's the right thing to do.
Matt Edmundson:That's right.
Matt Edmundson:Right.
Matt Edmundson:And, um, and yeah, I, I think we, we, so I, it's interesting how you put it,
Matt Edmundson:because you talked about how you felt like you needed to act and be a certain
Matt Edmundson:way to be a good witness, like trying to act and be something that we're not.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:It's a big pressure.
Matt Edmundson:It's a massive pressure, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:And actually, um, And I was, I think I was the same way for a long
Matt Edmundson:time and it's, it's almost like I had to protect God's reputation
Jan Burch:somehow.
Jan Burch:Yeah, I mean?
Jan Burch:Yeah, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:And, um, and actually as the older I've got,
Matt Edmundson:the more I've realized that I'm not sure I was protecting anything.
Matt Edmundson:To be fair, I think that probably I was doing slightly more damage because
Matt Edmundson:people, because this again comes back to the comment you made earlier about
Matt Edmundson:professional Christians, you know.
Matt Edmundson:Um, but I think.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and people, the other thing is people look at it and go, well,
Matt Edmundson:you know, if I need to become a Christian, I've got to live like
Matt Edmundson:that, I've got to be totally perfect.
Matt Edmundson:I can't, you know, I can't do drink, I can't do drugs, I can't, I can't
Matt Edmundson:even take an aspirin, I can't sniff alcohol, you know, I can only wear
Matt Edmundson:white, whatever it is, you know, whatever those beliefs are, um, which are not.
Matt Edmundson:I mean, don't do drugs, obviously, but the rest of it we could
Matt Edmundson:probably have a conversation about.
Matt Edmundson:Um, but it's one of those where I think we give this impression to
Matt Edmundson:people that they have to be something that they're not to be a Christian.
Matt Edmundson:And actually, God just wants you, authentic
Jan Burch:you, right?
Jan Burch:Yeah, because I think if we continue down that road, we're setting people
Jan Burch:up to fail and it's very unattractive.
Jan Burch:Yeah, it's very unrealistic.
Jan Burch:Um, you know, I, I, you are what you are.
Jan Burch:Yes, we, I think we do have a, um.
Jan Burch:We do have a responsibility in how, what language we use and, you know,
Jan Burch:if we're kind to people and that's a choice that we make every day.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Um, you know, but those things are really important, but we, you know,
Jan Burch:God, there's grace, isn't there?
Jan Burch:There is.
Jan Burch:God shows us grace.
Jan Burch:We can show it to other people and ourselves.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:I think.
Jan Burch:Someone once said, um, you know, if you treat yourself
Jan Burch:like you would your best friend.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Because we can all be so hard on ourselves.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Um, I, um, particularly struggle with that.
Jan Burch:Are you your worst enemy?
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:You're our worst enemy.
Jan Burch:Oh yeah, absolutely.
Jan Burch:Mm.
Jan Burch:You know, call yourself stupid, don't you?
Jan Burch:Oh, what a flippid idiot.
Jan Burch:And, um, we just have a, need a bit more grace for, for ourselves.
Jan Burch:Mm.
Jan Burch:Um, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:I think that's one of the works that the Holy Spirit does
Matt Edmundson:in you, isn't it, is actually you, it's really interesting that you, in
Matt Edmundson:Christianity, one of the things that I, one of the transforming works I think
Matt Edmundson:of the Holy Spirit is you start to see yourself the way the Holy Spirit sees you.
Matt Edmundson:Right.
Matt Edmundson:Now for me, this is what humility is.
Matt Edmundson:Right.
Matt Edmundson:So, uh, I've heard people talk about humility in a way that is basically
Matt Edmundson:them talking down about themselves.
Matt Edmundson:So for me to be humble, I have to say negative or bad things about myself,
Matt Edmundson:but I'm not convinced that's what humility is, um, on any kind of level.
Matt Edmundson:Now I'm not, you know, the Bible says we should think, think of ourselves, uh,
Matt Edmundson:soberly, not more highly than we ought to, but think of ourselves soberly,
Matt Edmundson:which is probably a great expression.
Matt Edmundson:But humility is not me saying I'm rubbish.
Matt Edmundson:Um, humility is me saying, I feel this way about myself, but
Matt Edmundson:that's not the way God sees me.
Matt Edmundson:So humility is seeing something not as you want to see it,
Matt Edmundson:but seeing it as God sees it.
Matt Edmundson:Absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:You know, the example of going back to the co worker, co worker, God would ask for
Matt Edmundson:you to give grace to that co worker, even though you might want your pound of flesh.
Matt Edmundson:Well, humility is saying, not my will, but your will be done, right?
Matt Edmundson:It's saying, God, I'll do it your way.
Matt Edmundson:But conversely, when it comes to yourself, humility is not necessarily...
Matt Edmundson:Saying negative things or bad things about you.
Matt Edmundson:Humility is saying what God says about you.
Matt Edmundson:That's right.
Jan Burch:Do you know what I mean?
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:And I, I much prefer that I actually annoys me when people
Jan Burch:are self-deprecating at times.
Jan Burch:Mm.
Jan Burch:And I, I can do it.
Jan Burch:That's what annoys me about myself.
Jan Burch:It's actually, you know, it, it just doesn't.
Jan Burch:The atmosphere is not great when people are saying, Oh, I'm so
Jan Burch:rubbish, um, I failed again, um, you know, I can't do anything.
Jan Burch:Well, you know, it's, it's almost like you've got to nip that in the bud.
Jan Burch:What you did wasn't the greatest thing, but let's move on.
Jan Burch:You are actually great.
Jan Burch:You know, most of the time you are kind, you're loving, you're,
Jan Burch:you know, you're very respectful.
Jan Burch:So it's getting it into perspective.
Jan Burch:And, you know, God, God doesn't wash his hands of us, does he?
Jan Burch:When we, you know, very grateful that he doesn't.
Jan Burch:Me too.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:We wouldn't be here, would we?
Matt Edmundson:The thing about forgiveness is, you know, when God
Matt Edmundson:forgives you of your sin, one could argue that God did that 2, 000 years ago, right?
Matt Edmundson:So you've already been forgiven of the sin that you are asking
Matt Edmundson:God for forgiveness for.
Matt Edmundson:You know, I appreciate the semantics and there's different
Matt Edmundson:ways theologically to look at this.
Matt Edmundson:But one of the things that happens is when you go to God to confess
Matt Edmundson:your sin, And he forgives you.
Matt Edmundson:The question always then is, do you receive that in the sense that if
Matt Edmundson:he forgives you, you're no longer worthless, you're no longer a failure.
Matt Edmundson:Do you know what I mean?
Matt Edmundson:This is all the self talk that we bring to it.
Matt Edmundson:Actually, what God says is, no, you're righteous.
Matt Edmundson:You're made whole in Christ, you know, you are a new creation, all
Matt Edmundson:things possible to him who believes.
Matt Edmundson:We're not, you know, in him we're more than conquerors, you know, by
Matt Edmundson:grace you are saved and we could just go on and on and talk about
Matt Edmundson:all the things that God says.
Matt Edmundson:And so forgiveness often for me is the reconciling back of my
Matt Edmundson:vision or my understanding of my own self in relation to God.
Matt Edmundson:Now I appreciate that there is sin and that sin is evil, evil.
Matt Edmundson:And in sin, no good thing can dwell, right?
Matt Edmundson:Um, and I'm not justifying or excusing any kind of sin in me, but I'm also
Matt Edmundson:aware of God's reconciliation, um, and his ability to, uh, to change my
Matt Edmundson:life, you know, and bring around that.
Matt Edmundson:I think when we get to heaven.
Matt Edmundson:Um, you know, we pray the Lord's Prayer, don't we?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Quite often I find myself wondering what it's like in heaven.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, I do.
Matt Edmundson:Um, because if I'm praying, you know, your kingdom come, your will
Matt Edmundson:be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Matt Edmundson:It's like I'm praying for that now.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:To experience that now here on earth.
Matt Edmundson:I don't know what heaven's actually like.
Matt Edmundson:No.
Matt Edmundson:And I don't, I don't think there's a lot of complaining in heaven.
Matt Edmundson:I think there's a lot of rejoicing.
Matt Edmundson:I think there's a lot of praise.
Matt Edmundson:I
Jan Burch:think, I think it's going to be.
Jan Burch:Absolutely amazing.
Jan Burch:I think, um, you know, it's just going to be everything and more, you know.
Jan Burch:Um, I've no idea what that really looks like.
Jan Burch:I know there'll be people singing and it'll be peaceful and I
Jan Burch:think there'll be beautiful.
Jan Burch:Water and you know what?
Jan Burch:I think what I'd like is, no, is wild animals roaming around, you know, like,
Jan Burch:like we see cats and dogs in the street.
Jan Burch:I think there'll be lions and things, tigers, that absolutely thrills
Jan Burch:me, but then they won't kill me or, you know, cause I'll already
Jan Burch:be dead, but there'll be tame.
Jan Burch:If you know what I mean.
Matt Edmundson:Well, yeah, absolutely, it'd be like heaven on a big safari park.
Jan Burch:That's what I'm looking forward to.
Matt Edmundson:All I know, Jan, is I'm going to slide down those
Matt Edmundson:streets of gold in my socks.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:And I'm just going to keep on going.
Matt Edmundson:And we're going to have a sliding contest.
Matt Edmundson:I think
Jan Burch:it's going to be great
Matt Edmundson:fun.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Nicola said here, when I was up last week, which she was in Liverpool, she was with
Matt Edmundson:Sharon, and I put myself down quite badly.
Matt Edmundson:Oh, here we go.
Matt Edmundson:And Sharon said, don't talk about my friend like that.
Matt Edmundson:That's right.
Matt Edmundson:And since then I've been a bit more careful about how I talk about me.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, absolutely, Nicola.
Matt Edmundson:Don't talk about my friend like that.
Matt Edmundson:Love that though.
Matt Edmundson:Sharon's got on this.
Matt Edmundson:Sharon's my wife, by the way.
Matt Edmundson:Go on, Shazza.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, she won't let you talk to herself like that.
Matt Edmundson:No, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:She's not a fan of it.
Matt Edmundson:So, what time is it?
Matt Edmundson:Goodness me.
Matt Edmundson:Time is flying by at a million miles an hour.
Matt Edmundson:Anything else in your notes in the closing minutes?
Jan Burch:Um, I just think, um, what Chris said, our actions and our
Jan Burch:behaviours then open up the doorway for us to be able to share our faith.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Um, there's, I think, so many people saying, oh, I really...
Jan Burch:I really struggle to tell, they know I'm a Christian at work on
Jan Burch:my neighbours, but I find it hard to, um, to go the step further.
Jan Burch:Um, but I, I just think it's about spending time with people.
Jan Burch:Um, yeah, where, you know, in work, you might only have 10 minutes
Jan Burch:here and there or on your break or, but I think I think it's okay to.
Jan Burch:You know, meet up with people for a coffee at work and just get to
Jan Burch:know them, let them get to know you.
Jan Burch:And then I think naturally then, you know, what did you do at the weekend?
Jan Burch:Um, what's going on in your family, you know, you know, just being real, being
Jan Burch:honest about sharing, letting people in.
Jan Burch:And I think, um, as we do that more, then the conversation will change.
Jan Burch:You know, it'll get a bit more, a bit deeper, it'll, it will be about God.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Jan Burch:Not all the time, you know, but I think, I think of, you know,
Jan Burch:it's like laying the foundation.
Jan Burch:Yeah, it is.
Jan Burch:Um, and then building those relationships.
Matt Edmundson:Absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:Very good.
Matt Edmundson:Well, how was your, uh, we've got a few minutes before I need to say
Matt Edmundson:goodbye, I'm just kind of curious.
Matt Edmundson:How was your first time?
Jan Burch:I really enjoyed it.
Jan Burch:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:It's amazing how quick it goes, isn't it?
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Thanks for coming to Crowd.
Matt Edmundson:Oh, thank you.
Matt Edmundson:And it says here in my notes, and correct me if I'm wrong, Jan,
Matt Edmundson:but you're hosting next week.
Matt Edmundson:I am, with you.
Jan Burch:Is it you again?
Jan Burch:Is it me and you again
Matt Edmundson:next week?
Matt Edmundson:I think so.
Matt Edmundson:Fab.
Matt Edmundson:This is just the warm up.
Matt Edmundson:Next week's going to be even better.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Got more jokes coming next week.
Matt Edmundson:It's John Harding next week.
Matt Edmundson:It is.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:It is.
Matt Edmundson:You're right.
Matt Edmundson:Look
Jan Burch:at that.
Jan Burch:I've done my homework.
Matt Edmundson:Showing me up now because I obviously clearly
Matt Edmundson:haven't done my homework.
Matt Edmundson:I do it on the fly as we're looking at these things now.
Matt Edmundson:Yes, that's it.
Matt Edmundson:Next week we have John Harding speaking, carrying on our book, carrying on
Matt Edmundson:our journey through the Book of Acts.
Matt Edmundson:We've got Paul's farewell speech next week.
Matt Edmundson:Then after that we've got Anna Kettle speaking.
Matt Edmundson:We've got, uh, I'm doing one, Sharon's doing one, we've got Pete
Matt Edmundson:Farrington, and then it's Christmas.
Matt Edmundson:Hooray!
Matt Edmundson:Christmas!
Matt Edmundson:I'm starting to feel, I'm starting to feel a little bit Christmassy now.
Matt Edmundson:Oh yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, I'm not getting, I'm not getting too into it just yet, but I'm starting to
Matt Edmundson:feel a little bit Christmassy, which is...
Matt Edmundson:Do you like Christmas, Matt?
Matt Edmundson:I proper love it.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah,
Jan Burch:I do as well.
Jan Burch:Proper love Christmas.
Jan Burch:I like the lights and music.
Matt Edmundson:The magic of it, the magic of Christmas.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Um, yeah, I, we, it's our, Josh's birthday late November, so we
Matt Edmundson:tend not to think about Christmas until we've got through that.
Matt Edmundson:Until that's done, yeah.
Matt Edmundson:So, in December we'll be, I'll be wearing the Christmas jumpers, no doubt.
Matt Edmundson:Of
Jan Burch:which you have, you've got a few, haven't you?
Jan Burch:I've got a fair few
Matt Edmundson:of the Christmas jumpers, yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Matt Edmundson:I've not bought one for a few years, um, it's sort of put a
Matt Edmundson:moratorium on me buying, uh, more Christmas jumpers because, you know,
Matt Edmundson:frankly, I've got 4, 000 of them.
Matt Edmundson:But yeah, so we've got all that coming up.
Matt Edmundson:So yeah, do come and join Jan and myself.
Matt Edmundson:Next week, uh, as we convert, uh, as we converse, uh, about John Harding's talk,
Matt Edmundson:I have no idea what I'm talking about.
Jan Burch:Yeah, I'll, I'll be here to, uh, just keep it all safe and
Jan Burch:running smoothly and watching, Matt.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah, keep the ship moving forward.
Matt Edmundson:That's, uh, that's what we have here.
Matt Edmundson:You're frightening me now.
Matt Edmundson:Yeah.
Matt Edmundson:Frightening myself, if I'm honest with you.
Matt Edmundson:That's okay.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, coming up next week, we've talked about Promote the Zoom.
Matt Edmundson:Yes, if you would like to join us.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, midweek, we have midweek groups online that do, uh, community online.
Matt Edmundson:If you'd like to know more about that, do get in touch with us.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, you can find out more information on the website, which
Matt Edmundson:has just come up on the screen.
Matt Edmundson:If you're watching the video, www.
Matt Edmundson:crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church, if you're listening to the audio, or you can reach out to us
Matt Edmundson:on social media at Crowd Church, uh, that's also on your screen.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, and we would love to hear from you.
Matt Edmundson:I'll let you know the zoom links and all that sort of stuff.
Matt Edmundson:Just get in touch with us.
Matt Edmundson:Um, and we would love to hear from you.
Matt Edmundson:You can also reach out to us, uh, if you have any prayer requests, we've had people
Matt Edmundson:emailing us this week, uh, and people can WhatsApp us, the WhatsApp number's on the
Matt Edmundson:website, we have people connecting with us via WhatsApp, uh, which is always great
Matt Edmundson:from around the world, always love getting those messages, uh, so yes, you can
Matt Edmundson:reach out to us through the website, www.
Matt Edmundson:crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church, or via social media, at Crowd Church, we would love to hear from you.
Matt Edmundson:Thank you.
Matt Edmundson:That's it from me.
Matt Edmundson:That's it from Jan.
Matt Edmundson:I'm just going through the comments.
Matt Edmundson:I think I've got them all.
Matt Edmundson:I think I have.
Matt Edmundson:Uh, so I'm gonna click this button on here.
Matt Edmundson:Anything else from you in closing?
Matt Edmundson:No,
Jan Burch:just thanks.
Jan Burch:Thanks for having me.
Jan Burch:It's
Matt Edmundson:been great.
Matt Edmundson:Show your love for Jan.
Matt Edmundson:All right.
Matt Edmundson:We'll see you later.
Matt Edmundson:Have a great week.
Matt Edmundson:Cheers, guys.
Matt Edmundson:Thank you so much for joining us here on Crowd Church.
Matt Edmundson:Now if you are watching on YouTube, make sure you hit the subscribe button as well
Matt Edmundson:as that little tiny bell notification to get notified the next time we are live.
Matt Edmundson:And of course, If you are listening to the podcast, uh, the live stream podcast,
Matt Edmundson:make sure you also hit the follow button.
Matt Edmundson:Now, by smashing the like button on YouTube or writing a review on your
Matt Edmundson:podcast platform, it helps us reach more people with the message that Jesus really
Matt Edmundson:does help us live a more meaningful.
Matt Edmundson:and Purposeful Life.
Matt Edmundson:So if you haven't done so already, be sure to check out our website www.
Matt Edmundson:crowd.
Matt Edmundson:church where you can learn more about us as a church, more about
Matt Edmundson:the Christian faith and also how to connect into our church community.
Matt Edmundson:It has been Awesome to connect with you and you are awesome.
Matt Edmundson:It's just a burden you have to bear and hopefully we'll see you next time.
Matt Edmundson:That's it from us.
Matt Edmundson:God bless you.
Matt Edmundson:Bye for now.