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Life by the Book: Finding God's Plan for Wholeness
Episode 5911th March 2024 • CROWD Church Livestream • Crowd Church
00:00:00 01:02:04

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In this thought-provoking talk, we invite you on a journey to discover the transformative power of scripture in our quest for a fulfilling and whole life. Delving into the essence of the Bible, we address the timeless question: Why should we turn to scripture in a world brimming with self-help resources?

In This Talk:

  1. Scripture as a Comprehensive Guide: The Bible's role as a comprehensive manual for living a fulfilling life.
  2. Why Scripture?: Delving into the reasons scripture stands out amidst a plethora of self-help materials.
  3. Unlocking Scripture's Secrets: Strategies for effectively engaging with, understanding, and applying scripture in our lives.
  4. The Transformative Journey: How scripture guides us from knowledge to action, under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Join us as we shed light on "Life by the Book: Finding God's Plan for Wholeness," and how we can navigate the pursuit of a meaningful life through the wisdom of scripture. This talk is an invitation to both newcomers and seasoned believers to re-examine the role of the Bible in our lives.

Transcripts

Matt Edmundson:

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 is to you.

Matt Edmundson:

This will last about an hour, and in a few seconds you'll meet our hosts for our

Matt Edmundson:

service who will introduce today's talk.

Matt Edmundson:

After the talk, we will have a time of worship and reflection, after which

Matt Edmundson:

we head into Conversation Street where we look at your stories and questions

Matt Edmundson:

that you've posted in the comments.

Matt Edmundson:

Now we want to invite you to connect with us here at Crowd Church and we've got a

Matt Edmundson:

few ways in which 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, Why not invite a few friends over and

Matt Edmundson:

experience the service together?

Matt Edmundson:

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 join one of our

Matt Edmundson:

mid week groups where we Online together to catch up and discover

Matt Edmundson:

more about the amazingness of Christ.

Matt Edmundson:

You can also subscribe to our fairly new podcast called What's The Story,

Matt Edmundson:

where we deep dive into stories of faith and courage from everyday people.

Matt Edmundson:

More information about all of these things can be found on our website at www.

Matt Edmundson:

crowd.

Matt Edmundson:

church or you can reach out to us on social media at crowd.

Matt Edmundson:

church.

Matt Edmundson:

If you are new to crowd or new to the Christian faith and would like to know

Matt Edmundson:

what your next steps to take are, why not head over to our website crowd.

Matt Edmundson:

church forward slash church.

Matt Edmundson:

Next, for more details, and

Matt Edmundson:

now,

Matt Edmundson:

the moment you've been waiting for is here at Online Church Service starts right now.

Matt Edmundson:

Good evening and welcome to Crowd Church.

Matt Edmundson:

My name's Matt.

Matt Edmundson:

Beside me, this beautiful lady here is the very talented, the very lovely,

Matt Edmundson:

suave, debonair, charming, and all round good egg that is Jan Burch.

Matt Edmundson:

Jan, how we doing?

Jan Burch:

Alright, thank you very much.

Matt Edmundson:

Did that coffee do the trick?

Jan Burch:

It's very nice coffee.

Jan Burch:

Phew.

Jan Burch:

It took long enough to make it, but it is

Matt Edmundson:

nice.

Matt Edmundson:

Jen came in and I said, would you like a drink?

Matt Edmundson:

And she's yeah, let's have a coffee.

Matt Edmundson:

And we've got one of these pod machines downstairs, haven't we?

Matt Edmundson:

And you watched me do it.

Matt Edmundson:

And it just took about 10 minutes for me to figure it out.

Matt Edmundson:

I can work all the livestream tech.

Matt Edmundson:

I just can't do a coffee machine.

Matt Edmundson:

What can I say?

Matt Edmundson:

That's what happens when you don't drink coffee.

Matt Edmundson:

But a very warm welcome to you.

Matt Edmundson:

Great to have you here at Crowd we are an online church, as we said in

Matt Edmundson:

the intro, if this is your first time with us, a very warm welcome to you.

Matt Edmundson:

We're going to have a fun night tonight.

Matt Edmundson:

We've got, who've we got talking?

Matt Edmundson:

Anna Kettle.

Matt Edmundson:

Do you know what she's talking about?

Jan Burch:

I don't know.

Jan Burch:

I hope she does.

Jan Burch:

We'll find out.

Jan Burch:

Just

Matt Edmundson:

consider, I don't know what I'm talking about.

Matt Edmundson:

I just don't know.

Matt Edmundson:

That's not an impression of Anna, by the way.

Matt Edmundson:

That's not what she sounds like.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, so Anna is talking to us about the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

Scripture.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, so we're in a series on what it means to become whole people.

Matt Edmundson:

What does biblical wholeness look like?

Matt Edmundson:

And we've started off with this idea of spiritual health.

Matt Edmundson:

And we're looking at how scripture helps us do that.

Matt Edmundson:

So that's going to be Anna's talk tonight.

Matt Edmundson:

So as we go through it, any questions, any thoughts, even if you just want to

Matt Edmundson:

say hello, whatever it is, write it in the comments, we would love to hear from you.

Matt Edmundson:

Peter, good evening, Peter.

Matt Edmundson:

I see he's in the comments.

Matt Edmundson:

What a legend.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, do say hi in the comments.

Matt Edmundson:

Be great to know where you're from.

Matt Edmundson:

Any questions, put them in the comments because Jen and I are

Matt Edmundson:

going to be chatting about all this stuff after Anna's talk on me.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, you ready for it?

Matt Edmundson:

Even though you don't know what Anna's talking about, bring it on.

Matt Edmundson:

We're gonna bring it on.

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, we are.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, that's what we're gonna do.

Matt Edmundson:

Now before we get into it, let me give you a quick heads up quick

Matt Edmundson:

notice for those of you who are listening to the livestream live.

Matt Edmundson:

Or even if you listen to it on catch up if you're watching on catch up or

Matt Edmundson:

listening to it on the podcast version.

Matt Edmundson:

Just to let you know we are starting a brand new alpha course this week.

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, we are.

Matt Edmundson:

Can we have a drumroll?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, let's go.

Matt Edmundson:

It's just professional.

Matt Edmundson:

It's what it is.

Matt Edmundson:

Ow.

Matt Edmundson:

Is that what you said?

Matt Edmundson:

Ow.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, we're going to start a brand new Alpha course this

Matt Edmundson:

Wednesday evening, UK time.

Matt Edmundson:

I can't remember if it's 7pm or 8.

Matt Edmundson:

30pm, which kind of interacts a little bit with some of the Zoom groups

Matt Edmundson:

possibly, which we're going to have to move around slightly, or at least

Matt Edmundson:

the ones that I'm involved with.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, we've got all of that coming up this Wednesday.

Matt Edmundson:

So if you'd like to join us in that Alpha, basically what it's going to be.

Matt Edmundson:

We're on Zoom.

Matt Edmundson:

We're going to watch.

Matt Edmundson:

So have you done alpha by the way?

Jan Burch:

Long time ago.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Long time ago.

Matt Edmundson:

Back when it was like in person.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

I think so.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So basically we watch a video about one element of Christianity.

Matt Edmundson:

It's I think 12, 14 weeks, something like that.

Matt Edmundson:

We watch it together on Zoom.

Matt Edmundson:

Then we just chat about that video a bit like what we're doing now on crowd, but

Matt Edmundson:

it's in Zoom a bit more in person ideal for those who are new to the Christian

Matt Edmundson:

faith or who want to understand the Christian faith a bit more, or maybe,

Matt Edmundson:

Those of you who are just exploring what Christianity means, not really a

Matt Edmundson:

Christian yet, but want to know more about it, want to find out more about

Matt Edmundson:

it, do come and join us for that online alpha, it'd be great to see you in there.

Matt Edmundson:

Sharon and I are going to head it up, so yeah, it'd be nice to meet you.

Matt Edmundson:

Come do that.

Matt Edmundson:

Is there anything else we can say about Alpha?

Matt Edmundson:

Just

Jan Burch:

that it's so informative, so easy to understand and it

Jan Burch:

will answer your questions.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, definitely.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, so come do it.

Matt Edmundson:

If you want to know more about that, reach out to us at Crowd Church.

Matt Edmundson:

I'll press this button over here.

Matt Edmundson:

Actually, I should have moved this.

Matt Edmundson:

Sorry.

Matt Edmundson:

So there we go.

Matt Edmundson:

The website is on the screen.

Matt Edmundson:

If you're watching the video, www.

Matt Edmundson:

crowd.

Matt Edmundson:

church, or you can reach out to us on social media at Crowd Church.

Matt Edmundson:

Let us know if you're interested in doing the Alpha.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And I will send you the information through and you can come join us on Zoom.

Matt Edmundson:

It'd be great to meet you.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, it's gonna be about, like I say, it's either 7:00 PM or 8:30 PM a little

Matt Edmundson:

bit of ambiguity about that at the moment.

Matt Edmundson:

UK time, which is if you're in the States 2:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, isn't it?

Matt Edmundson:

About that.

Matt Edmundson:

If it's seven o'clock, yeah, I think you're about five hours behind.

Matt Edmundson:

No.

Matt Edmundson:

These come five hours behind.

Matt Edmundson:

No.

Matt Edmundson:

Isn't it?

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, but no, because in America, their clocks change.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, they don't hear in England until the end of March, but in

Matt Edmundson:

the States, they go forward.

Matt Edmundson:

So I think, actually, it might be a little bit later.

Matt Edmundson:

I think you're four hours behind because I think they changed this weekend.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, exactly.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, it might be a little bit, it might be four hours, four hours behind us rather

Matt Edmundson:

than five hours, but yeah, check it out.

Matt Edmundson:

We're, whatever the time is in London, it's going to be like I said, 7 but

Matt Edmundson:

we'd love to hear from you if you want to do it off or do let us know.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, that's my little notice.

Matt Edmundson:

I'll probably repeat it after the talk for those that join crowd during the talk.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, that was hard to say.

Matt Edmundson:

I don't know.

Matt Edmundson:

I don't know.

Matt Edmundson:

Let what am I looking for?

Matt Edmundson:

I'm looking for the talk button.

Matt Edmundson:

There it is.

Matt Edmundson:

So in fact, I'm just going to do it with my mouse.

Matt Edmundson:

There we go.

Matt Edmundson:

Let's bring Anna onto the screen.

Matt Edmundson:

We are going to listen to Anna.

Matt Edmundson:

Do

Matt Edmundson:

you ever do that when I talk?

Matt Edmundson:

Sometimes.

Matt Edmundson:

Okay, fair enough.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, here's Anna's talk, and then Jan and I will be back after this.

Matt Edmundson:

Get busy in the comments, we'll see you in a sec.

Anna Kettle:

Hi there.

Anna Kettle:

So this talk is called Life by the Book: Finding God's Plan for Wholeness.

Anna Kettle:

Now, I guess when we're talking about Scripture and the Bible, then I suppose

Anna Kettle:

we should start by addressing the question that people often ask about the Bible.

Anna Kettle:

And that's why read the Bible?

Anna Kettle:

Why study it?

Anna Kettle:

Isn't it just an outdated historical document, really?

Anna Kettle:

It was written in a different time, a very long time ago, a different culture.

Anna Kettle:

How can it possibly have any real bearing or relevance for our lives today?

Anna Kettle:

It's just a world apart, isn't it?

Anna Kettle:

As Christians, we believe that the Bible is not just a book of ancient

Anna Kettle:

stories, although it is that, but it's also a comprehensive guide to

Anna Kettle:

living a whole and fulfilling life.

Anna Kettle:

And that is something that we all want, isn't it?

Anna Kettle:

It's something that we're exploring as part of this the coming whole series.

Anna Kettle:

And so it's still very much relevant for our modern world because it's all

Anna Kettle:

about that thing that we're all after, which is that wholeness, fullness life.

Anna Kettle:

At the same time we're in this world which is just filled with endless advice and

Anna Kettle:

self help guides and, arguably you could say, where does the Bible fit into that?

Anna Kettle:

Why choose to read the Bible over any other number of self help

Anna Kettle:

books that there are out there?

Anna Kettle:

And there are a lot.

Anna Kettle:

There's so much good advice to choose from, there's so much

Anna Kettle:

psychology and clever thinking, why go back to an ancient text?

Anna Kettle:

And, there's nothing wrong with self help at all.

Anna Kettle:

Look at my bookshelf behind me here.

Anna Kettle:

I've got stacks of good books on all kinds of subjects.

Anna Kettle:

But it's not just self help.

Anna Kettle:

And as Christians, we believe that the Bible is not just a useful guide with

Anna Kettle:

helpful, timeless wisdom and filled with good principles for living well,

Anna Kettle:

although it does offer all of that.

Anna Kettle:

We also believe that the Bible is God breathed or inspired by God.

Anna Kettle:

And in fact, the Bible itself actually says this as well,

Anna Kettle:

it actually makes that claim.

Anna Kettle:

In 2 Timothy, chapter 3, it says this, All scripture is God breathed

Anna Kettle:

and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

Anna Kettle:

And the idea that Scripture is actually breathed by God, you might

Anna Kettle:

hear some people actually talk about the Bible as the Word of God

Anna Kettle:

and they call it the Word of God.

Anna Kettle:

And it's that idea behind that, that those who wrote the Bible were

Anna Kettle:

inspired with wisdom and help the living whole by God himself, that

Anna Kettle:

the Holy Spirit inspired them while they were writing it, with wisdom and

Anna Kettle:

knowledge and equipping the living whole in the way that God wants us to.

Anna Kettle:

And that really is the thing that differentiates the Bible from every

Anna Kettle:

other good self help book that's out there, like all of those behind me,

Anna Kettle:

lots of good stuff out there, but that is the thing that differentiates the

Anna Kettle:

Bible, makes it completely unique.

Anna Kettle:

It's the only book that's ever been written that's fully inspired

Anna Kettle:

by a collective of different people who were all inspired by

Anna Kettle:

God, telling a part of his story.

Anna Kettle:

So you see, self help is no bad thing, and there's nothing wrong at all

Anna Kettle:

with wanting to improve yourself and become a better version of yourself.

Anna Kettle:

Fitter, kinder, more educated on certain subjects, or whatever it is that you want.

Anna Kettle:

None of those things are bad, and I wouldn't discourage anyone

Anna Kettle:

from trying to self improve.

Anna Kettle:

There's nothing wrong with that at all, but it's just that kind of self

Anna Kettle:

effort can only take you so far in life.

Anna Kettle:

Because although there are all these other kind of resources that can provide

Anna Kettle:

useful insights and strategies and helpful advice and insights, and all of that

Anna Kettle:

can help us improve our lives, the only temporary sort of fixed solutions, they

Anna Kettle:

don't, they're not eternal solutions.

Anna Kettle:

They don't solve our core problem at the very core of ourselves,

Anna Kettle:

which is how do I become whole?

Anna Kettle:

How do I become right with God?

Anna Kettle:

And there's a huge difference between human wisdom and God's wisdom.

Anna Kettle:

There's also a huge difference between self help, which essentially relies on

Anna Kettle:

self effort, and what the Bible teaches, which is encouraging us to rely on

Anna Kettle:

God's empowerment to live differently.

Anna Kettle:

Those two things are leagues apart, and so I want to explore a bit

Anna Kettle:

more about that, and the difference between the two in this talk.

Anna Kettle:

Hebrews 4 verse 12 says that scripture, the Bible, is living and

Anna Kettle:

active in nature, but it penetrates our thoughts and attitudes, and

Anna Kettle:

guides us towards wholeness.

Anna Kettle:

And in Romans 12:2, it talks about transformation through the renewal

Anna Kettle:

of the mind, and it highlights how scripture can actually reshape our

Anna Kettle:

thinking and our whole approach to life.

Anna Kettle:

But what are those secrets to wholeness that the Bible actually reveals, and

Anna Kettle:

how do we begin to actually unlock them and to live into them in our every day?

Anna Kettle:

I have a few.

Anna Kettle:

Different thoughts on this, and a few different tips that I'll lead us

Anna Kettle:

through over the next few minutes.

Anna Kettle:

The first one is this.

Anna Kettle:

I think that in order to really unlock the wisdom and the secrets to wholeness

Anna Kettle:

that the Bible reveals to us, we have to really spend time reading the Bible.

Anna Kettle:

In order to fully realise its benefits, we have to spend time reading it.

Anna Kettle:

There's no shortcuts, you can't read a quick summary, you can't by a sort of

Anna Kettle:

guide that gives you the key, five key points and just learn them, you have

Anna Kettle:

to really actually spend time reading scripture, there's no shortcut, and many

Anna Kettle:

Christians do this even as a daily thing.

Anna Kettle:

Quite often I hear Christians talking about doing this first thing in the

Anna Kettle:

morning, sometimes it's a quiet time, but actually I don't think it really

Anna Kettle:

matters how or when you read scripture, or even how often you're doing it,

Anna Kettle:

I don't think it has to be daily.

Anna Kettle:

But it's just good to get into that regular rhythm of doing it

Anna Kettle:

regularly and recognising that you're getting this regular diet

Anna Kettle:

of scripture that's challenging you and changing the way you think.

Anna Kettle:

And, so it doesn't matter how or exactly when you do it, only that you do it,

Anna Kettle:

and that you do what works for you.

Anna Kettle:

So some people I know would do it first thing in the morning, other

Anna Kettle:

people on night hours and maybe do it just before they go to sleep.

Anna Kettle:

Some people might do it with audio and do it while they go

Anna Kettle:

for a run, all of us different.

Anna Kettle:

And so I just really encourage everyone to find their kind of zone in this,

Anna Kettle:

to find their lane and, to not worry about how often you're doing it, but

Anna Kettle:

at the same time realise that the more you do it, the more you get out of it.

Anna Kettle:

Now, I also know that the Bible is a really big book.

Anna Kettle:

In fact, there's actually lots of smaller books that are written into

Anna Kettle:

one big sort of book, of books.

Anna Kettle:

There's quite a lot of books in the Bible.

Anna Kettle:

And, so it's written by multiple different authors about all of their

Anna Kettle:

different encounters with God over hundreds and hundreds of years.

Anna Kettle:

I think the Bible spans about 700 years, and so it can seem a little

Anna Kettle:

bit overwhelming at first, especially when it's written in such a different

Anna Kettle:

culture and context to our world today.

Anna Kettle:

It's written by mainly people, authors in the Middle East about 2000 years ago,

Anna Kettle:

longer in some of the Old Testament.

Anna Kettle:

So yeah, it can be quite a challenge to overcome that cultural barrier at

Anna Kettle:

first, but I think that as you begin to study it, you begin to see it's

Anna Kettle:

trees bearing fruit and it pays off.

Anna Kettle:

And the Bible actually says this, it says that as you begin to read the Word

Anna Kettle:

of God, you fall in love with it, and that love for the Word of God grows.

Anna Kettle:

So I really want to encourage you to just have a go and to press in and to just Give

Anna Kettle:

it a chance, even if it seems difficult at first, in Psalm 119, for example,

Anna Kettle:

David says that he delights in and loves the Word of God and its commandments.

Anna Kettle:

And in Psalm 1, it also talks about the one who delights in the law of the Lord

Anna Kettle:

and meditates on it day by day and night.

Anna Kettle:

So who reads the law, which was the Old Testament scriptures.

Anna Kettle:

Now that person is like a fruitful tree that's planted by streams of water and

Anna Kettle:

does it wither when the heat comes.

Anna Kettle:

And I think that's a beautiful analogy of what I'm describing here,

Anna Kettle:

but that scripture has that ability to be life to us and to make our

Anna Kettle:

lives more fruitful and more whole.

Anna Kettle:

The second point, though, that I wanna make is that it's not just

Anna Kettle:

about reading scripture, it's about learning to read it properly.

Anna Kettle:

An understanding in its full context, looking at the totality of what

Anna Kettle:

Scripture says, not just picking out convenient verses that maybe

Anna Kettle:

justify what we already think.

Anna Kettle:

You can, you don't have to go too far to meet Christians who will take

Anna Kettle:

one verse and twist it or justify it to prove anything that they

Anna Kettle:

want to pretty much within reason.

Anna Kettle:

And there's other people who might just dip in and out and pick and choose the

Anna Kettle:

bits that they like, that sound nice maybe perhaps ignore the rest of it, where it

Anna Kettle:

gets a bit more challenging, or difficult.

Anna Kettle:

And actually, we need to look at scripture with a bit more reverence

Anna Kettle:

than that, so we need to understand it properly in its cultural context, and

Anna Kettle:

we need to understand it in its totality what's the whole picture of what God's

Anna Kettle:

saying from Genesis to Revelations from the beginning to the end, and not

Anna Kettle:

just pick out odd verses that suit us.

Anna Kettle:

That's something that comes with time and it, we can learn to

Anna Kettle:

study scripture properly, how do you actually do that practically?

Anna Kettle:

I think several really practical, simple things that

Anna Kettle:

I'd encourage you to start with.

Anna Kettle:

So some Bibles come with notes in the margins, which help the readers to

Anna Kettle:

actually understand the historical context of that particular story

Anna Kettle:

and passage, like who's writing it?

Anna Kettle:

Why was it written?

Anna Kettle:

What was happening?

Anna Kettle:

politically or socially at the time and it gives some of that context which

Anna Kettle:

is really hard to know if you're not a historian or you don't have a lot of

Anna Kettle:

time to spend digging deeper into it.

Anna Kettle:

So it's really handy when there's bible notes in the margins of your

Anna Kettle:

Bible where someone else has already done all that hard work for you and

Anna Kettle:

you can just get the context and put it in that frame of what it all means.

Anna Kettle:

And then there's also lots of good Bible reading apps and guides that

Anna Kettle:

you can buy or download for free even that can really help you with this.

Anna Kettle:

There's lots of Bible plans where you can read a bit of scripture

Anna Kettle:

each day and it'll give you a bit of a thought around it or some ideas

Anna Kettle:

or questions to dig deeper into.

Anna Kettle:

So there's all kinds of resources around that are really good at this.

Anna Kettle:

And if you want any recommendations with where to start, please do just drop us

Anna Kettle:

a line at Crowd Church and we can point you in the direction of a few good ones.

Anna Kettle:

And I think the third thing I'd say that really helps with getting

Anna Kettle:

to grips with reading scripture is to read it with others and study

Anna Kettle:

it together with other Christians.

Anna Kettle:

And this is actually why so many Christians go to church and listen to

Anna Kettle:

sermons on a Sunday or perhaps attend a midweek small group because it often

Anna Kettle:

helps to study scripture and passages of scripture with other Christians and

Anna Kettle:

only get the perspective of other people on a mess because other people might.

Anna Kettle:

understand and see things slightly differently to how you do.

Anna Kettle:

So it gives you that benefit of other people's wisdom and insights and make

Anna Kettle:

sure that there's kind of consensus there.

Anna Kettle:

So that can be really helpful as well.

Anna Kettle:

But the third thing that I want to say about scripture is, so it's not just

Anna Kettle:

about reading it, and it's not even about reading it in context and in totality.

Anna Kettle:

It's also about reading it and applying it into our own lives.

Anna Kettle:

James 1 verse 22 says that we should not only hear the Word of

Anna Kettle:

God, but also do what it says.

Anna Kettle:

So it's that idea of applying the principles and the ideas that we

Anna Kettle:

read in the Bible into our own lives.

Anna Kettle:

And that is where the real kind of rubber hits the road, and where

Anna Kettle:

it really comes into its own.

Anna Kettle:

For example, if I read a passage about being generous, Then, I

Anna Kettle:

shouldn't just go away and think, oh yeah, that's a nice idea.

Anna Kettle:

Everyone, you know what, everyone should be more generous.

Anna Kettle:

That person should be more generous.

Anna Kettle:

The thing that's wrong with life is that we're not all more generous.

Anna Kettle:

We should all be more generous.

Anna Kettle:

That may be true, but in order for change to happen, I also need to think about

Anna Kettle:

applying it to myself, my own life.

Anna Kettle:

So I need to think about how I can become more generous in my

Anna Kettle:

own life, perhaps with my money.

Anna Kettle:

with how I share my possessions with others, with my time, with

Anna Kettle:

how I share my time with others.

Anna Kettle:

And not only that, not only should I think about how to do it, I should

Anna Kettle:

also start to move into action.

Anna Kettle:

Because that's what happens when we read the Words of God, that's what it does.

Anna Kettle:

It inspires us to think differently, but it also inspires us into action,

Anna Kettle:

into living differently, into wanting to become more like the Christ

Anna Kettle:

that we read about in the Bible.

Anna Kettle:

And the fourth point that I really want to make is that.

Anna Kettle:

We also need to ask the Holy Spirit's empowerment to live differently

Anna Kettle:

and to live into that wholeness.

Anna Kettle:

When we begin to take the Bible seriously, when it says things like, love your

Anna Kettle:

neighbour as your friend, or forgive those who wrong you, or look after the orphan,

Anna Kettle:

the widow and the foreigner, these big ideas that the Bible offers, these have

Anna Kettle:

big repercussions in terms of how we think about our own lives, how we care

Anna Kettle:

for others around us, how we socialise mainly.How we do family together, how we

Anna Kettle:

serve God with our time, how we care for our planet, and dare I even say it in

Anna Kettle:

this election year, how we choose to vote.

Anna Kettle:

I'd be lying if I said that as a Christian, even as someone who's been

Anna Kettle:

a Christian for many years, that I always find it easy to put the word of

Anna Kettle:

God into practice because some of these teachings are really challenging and

Anna Kettle:

really tough, and you know what, we can't just become more Christ like on our own.

Anna Kettle:

We actually need the Holy Spirit to come and empower us and

Anna Kettle:

to help us do what we can't.

Anna Kettle:

And that is the difference between self help, which is all about self

Anna Kettle:

effort, and the Bible, which inspires us to lean into the Holy Spirit, to

Anna Kettle:

lean into God, for his empowerment to make the transformation inside us

Anna Kettle:

that we can't just do for ourselves.

Anna Kettle:

My ultimate advice on the Bible and how to dig deep into scripture is

Anna Kettle:

this, don't just read the Word of God.

Anna Kettle:

Don't even just read the Word of God and try to put it into practice,

Anna Kettle:

although that's not a bad thing.

Anna Kettle:

But really what you need to do is read the Word of God, ask God to empower

Anna Kettle:

you and transform you as you begin to try and put it into practice in your

Anna Kettle:

life, to inspire you and to transform you from the inside out as you begin to

Anna Kettle:

read it and lean into what it teaches.

Anna Kettle:

So I actually want to finish this talk a bit differently tonight.

Anna Kettle:

I want to end it by reading a bit of scripture, which I suppose is topical as

Anna Kettle:

we're talking about scripture tonight.

Anna Kettle:

But this bit of scripture is actually a prayer which Paul prayed for spiritual

Anna Kettle:

growth of the Christians in the early Ephesian church, which he's supporting.

Anna Kettle:

And it's also one of my favourite passages in scripture.

Anna Kettle:

It's from Ephesians 3 and it's verses 14 to 19.

Anna Kettle:

And I'll read it.

Anna Kettle:

It says this.

Anna Kettle:

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator

Anna Kettle:

of everything in heaven and on earth.

Anna Kettle:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources, he will empower you with

Anna Kettle:

inner strength through his Spirit.

Anna Kettle:

Then, Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him.

Anna Kettle:

Your roots will grow deep down into God's love, and will keep you strong.

Anna Kettle:

And may you have power to understand as all God's people should, how wide,

Anna Kettle:

how long, how high and how deep his love is, may you experience the love

Anna Kettle:

of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand, and then you will be

Anna Kettle:

made complete with all of the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Anna Kettle:

Isn't that a beautiful prayer?

Anna Kettle:

And I also think it just so perfectly sums up what we've been talking about

Anna Kettle:

this evening, about how leaning into scripture isn't about self effort.

Anna Kettle:

It's about Empowerment through the Holy Spirit, to live that

Anna Kettle:

fullness and wholeness of life, and that power only comes from God.

Anna Kettle:

And if you think that it might be helpful for you, I guess I'd encourage you to

Anna Kettle:

take some of these principles I've been talking with or talking about tonight,

Anna Kettle:

but also to take this specific passage from Ephesians 3, and perhaps consider

Anna Kettle:

turning to it again throughout the week, and praying it yourself, reading through

Anna Kettle:

it again, praying it over yourself again, because I think this just sum

Anna Kettle:

summarizes, would be my prayer for everyone in the crowd church community.

Anna Kettle:

It's also my prayer for myself, and I think it's, if you're grappling with

Anna Kettle:

scripture and how to live in wholeness as a called design duty, then this

Anna Kettle:

is a great prayer to start with.

Anna Kettle:

And it's a great passage of scripture to look at.

Anna Kettle:

So yeah, take it away.

Anna Kettle:

Look at Ephesians three through the week.

Anna Kettle:

Keep returning to it.

Anna Kettle:

Keep praying it over yourself.

Anna Kettle:

Enjoy.

Matt Edmundson:

Welcome back.

Matt Edmundson:

Welcome back from Anna's talk.

Matt Edmundson:

Great talk.

Matt Edmundson:

Did you enjoy that?

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, I did.

Matt Edmundson:

Just said, yes, I did.

Matt Edmundson:

No, I did.

Matt Edmundson:

Now, Anna's great, isn't she, when she talks?

Matt Edmundson:

And Anna's been a Christian for a while.

Matt Edmundson:

And you can tell that actually, there's a lot of good stuff

Matt Edmundson:

that comes out when she talks.

Matt Edmundson:

Been through a lot too, eh?

Matt Edmundson:

Yes.

Matt Edmundson:

She's been through a lot.

Matt Edmundson:

And if you actually, if you haven't yet listened to Anna's full story,

Matt Edmundson:

we have a podcast, in case you don't know, called What's the Story?

Matt Edmundson:

And Anna and I talked through her whole story and the journey, her

Matt Edmundson:

and her husband have been on with miscarriage and all kinds of stuff.

Matt Edmundson:

And it's definitely worth a listen to.

Matt Edmundson:

Because Anna walks a walk, right?

Matt Edmundson:

And she just does.

Matt Edmundson:

And definitely worth checking that out.

Matt Edmundson:

You can find out more information about that at whatsthestorypodcast.

Matt Edmundson:

com which would actually just take you to the Crowd Church website

Matt Edmundson:

where the What's The Story stuff is featured, but just check out her story.

Matt Edmundson:

Really powerful stuff, but yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Great.

Matt Edmundson:

So we're talking about scripture and how it helps us live a whole life.

Matt Edmundson:

You're all right there.

Jan Burch:

Got a cough?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

So that's fine.

Jan Burch:

Don't

Matt Edmundson:

panic.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Peter says, Can you please advise on a Bible app or plan that can help

Matt Edmundson:

give a better understanding of the Bible, as Anna suggested, please?

Matt Edmundson:

Absolutely.

Matt Edmundson:

Are there any apps that you use?

Matt Edmundson:

No.

Matt Edmundson:

Do you not do the app thing?

Matt Edmundson:

Do you actually just read the paper version of the Bible?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Old school.

Jan Burch:

Or a lesson.

Matt Edmundson:

Ah, audio.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah,

Jan Burch:

audio,

Matt Edmundson:

yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, that's a good thing these days.

Matt Edmundson:

There's so many ways you can take it in.

Matt Edmundson:

My preferred Bible app?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

is you version which is just called the Bible app by you version,

Matt Edmundson:

which is run by Life Church based in the States is this unbelievable

Matt Edmundson:

the story behind the Bible app.

Matt Edmundson:

What does it look like?

Matt Edmundson:

Hang on, because I just normally type Bible app on my phone and it comes up.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, the Bible app, not that it helps you, but that's what it looks

Matt Edmundson:

like once you're in it, if you have dark mode enabled but the Bible app is

Matt Edmundson:

great and I, I strongly recommend and start in there is what I would suggest

Matt Edmundson:

you do Peter, so yeah, the Bible app is the new version, it's free, all the

Matt Edmundson:

translations are on there, they have got a whole bunch of devotionals as well on

Matt Edmundson:

that app, which you can follow and use.

Matt Edmundson:

And then as you start to get into the meat of the Bible, there's

Matt Edmundson:

lots of things that you can do.

Matt Edmundson:

I remember one of the things that I did actually, when I first became a

Matt Edmundson:

Christian, I really wanted to get my head around some of the topics in the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

I bought, because back then this is what you did, you bought a book.

Matt Edmundson:

And it was about this thick.

Matt Edmundson:

It was massive.

Matt Edmundson:

It's called the Strong's Concordance.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Have you seen it?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And basically what it does, if you, if there was a word in the Bible

Matt Edmundson:

say forgiveness, you could go into Strong's Concordance to where it

Matt Edmundson:

said forgiveness, and it will give you every single reference in the

Matt Edmundson:

Bible where that word's mentioned.

Matt Edmundson:

Old school paper right now, you can just type it into a search

Matt Edmundson:

browser and it'll bring it all up.

Matt Edmundson:

But that really helped me the Bible concordance, because I could just

Matt Edmundson:

take different themes and I could see whereabouts it's mentioned in the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

And I can just see some of the different topics that were mentioned.

Matt Edmundson:

Strongly recommend something like that getting a good concordance.

Matt Edmundson:

And then the other thing that I would strongly recommend

Matt Edmundson:

is getting a good commentary.

Matt Edmundson:

So a good basic commentary on the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

So something like Matthew Henry has got a really good commentary,

Matt Edmundson:

basic commentary on the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

And this is just where theologians will talk around the stuff that you're reading

Matt Edmundson:

and give what Anna was talking about in terms of context, from a cultural point of

Matt Edmundson:

view, from the story of God point of view.

Matt Edmundson:

And some of those can be really good, really helpful, really insightful,

Matt Edmundson:

just a really good commentary.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think as long as you've got those few things and the rest of

Matt Edmundson:

it's all pretty straightforward.

Matt Edmundson:

I would probably avoid asking ChatGPT because, it will give you an, it will

Matt Edmundson:

give you, don't get me wrong, ChatGPT will give you an interpretation.

Matt Edmundson:

But how can I put this delicately?

Matt Edmundson:

ChatGPT is probably quite liberal in its interpretation.

Matt Edmundson:

Who says there's no bias?

Matt Edmundson:

There's total bias in these things.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah not that I have an issue with liberal interpretations, but

Matt Edmundson:

I think you need to understand.

Matt Edmundson:

And again, when it comes to the Bible I was listening to someone talk about

Matt Edmundson:

this earlier, actually said, evangelical Christians versus those who say are

Matt Edmundson:

deacon those who are progressives, right?

Matt Edmundson:

So you've got two types of Christian.

Matt Edmundson:

One is a lot more liberal.

Matt Edmundson:

One is a lot more conservative, right?

Matt Edmundson:

And for the liberal, No piece of theology really is that important for

Matt Edmundson:

the evangelical or the conservative.

Matt Edmundson:

Every piece of scripture, every theology, every idea becomes important.

Matt Edmundson:

And it becomes dogmatic, right?

Matt Edmundson:

About the clothes you wear, about makeup and all this kind of stuff

Matt Edmundson:

and how you can take some of those scriptures out of context.

Matt Edmundson:

And actually there's, I think there's a wealth of wisdom in understanding

Matt Edmundson:

both point of views because often you find, I think for me, the

Matt Edmundson:

truth is somewhere in the middle.

Matt Edmundson:

Do you see what I mean?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So I hope that helps Peter.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Great.

Matt Edmundson:

Give them a try.

Matt Edmundson:

No problem.

Matt Edmundson:

See how you get on with those, but I would definitely start there.

Matt Edmundson:

And then

Jan Burch:

there's books

Matt Edmundson:

It's what we're here for, isn't it?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

There's a good book actually by Derek Prince.

Matt Edmundson:

He's done, I can't remember what it's called.

Matt Edmundson:

I'll try and find out the title.

Matt Edmundson:

But he did a book on the fundamentals of scripture and he was a great theologian,

Matt Edmundson:

passed away, unfortunately, but great stuff, really liked Derek Prince's stuff.

Matt Edmundson:

And you can get into some of that.

Matt Edmundson:

Dig Deep.

Matt Edmundson:

So that's all we did when we got started out.

Matt Edmundson:

And then I went to Bible school.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

I learned more about the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

What do you use?

Jan Burch:

I just, I've got different what do you call them?

Jan Burch:

Brains.

Jan Burch:

Different types of Bible, yeah.

Jan Burch:

NIV, I've got New Living, I've got the Word, I've got different things.

Jan Burch:

Different translations.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, that's really good.

Jan Burch:

That's one of the

Matt Edmundson:

things actually you can do with the You Version.

Matt Edmundson:

You can see what the different translations of the verse are.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And so that again is helpful because You've got some versions, just to bring

Matt Edmundson:

some clarity around this, you've got some versions of the Bible which have,

Matt Edmundson:

which are quite literal translations.

Matt Edmundson:

And whenever you try and translate a language literally, there's

Matt Edmundson:

often things that don't make sense.

Matt Edmundson:

And, but there are some scripture, there are some Bibles out there

Matt Edmundson:

like New King James, American Standard Version, which are quite

Matt Edmundson:

literal translations of the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

Then you have got people that try and give you an interpretation

Matt Edmundson:

rather than a translation.

Matt Edmundson:

In other words, when the people were writing this is what we think that they

Matt Edmundson:

were actually meaning when they wrote it.

Matt Edmundson:

To give you a more of a context of it and probably the one which people

Matt Edmundson:

use the most, which is the most interpretive, I think is a version

Matt Edmundson:

called the message, which is actually quite, it's quite a lovely interpretation

Matt Edmundson:

of the Bible in a lot of ways.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think as long as you read all these things together, it's super helpful.

Jan Burch:

I've got a lot of Americanisms, which, what, the message?

Jan Burch:

Yeah, which maybe, sounds a bit.

Jan Burch:

Odd to us at times.

Jan Burch:

They did with me initially.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Hey man, what's happening?

Jan Burch:

That's, it's fine.

Jan Burch:

It's just but it, the rest of it, I think explains things very clearly.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

It's an everyday language, doesn't it?

Matt Edmundson:

It does, which is very helpful.

Matt Edmundson:

Not going to lie.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, try the different translations as well.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

That's very good.

Matt Edmundson:

What's your do you have a set routine for scripture?

Matt Edmundson:

I

Jan Burch:

listen to a lot in my car when I'm driving to and from,

Jan Burch:

I, I find that sort of space is, there's no interruptions apart from

Jan Burch:

obviously it's just me in there.

Jan Burch:

So I have a clear head space.

Jan Burch:

And I find that I remember things a lot when I'm driving.

Jan Burch:

Driving, I don't know how, I just do.

Jan Burch:

And so that's probably my favourite space.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, the car space.

Jan Burch:

Even if I'm not going anywhere else, I can sometimes sit in my car.

Jan Burch:

And it's like I've locked the door somewhere.

Jan Burch:

That's my little space.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And don't anyone invade it, ever.

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, no.

Matt Edmundson:

Don't knock on the window.

Matt Edmundson:

Don't call.

Matt Edmundson:

Don't do anything.

Matt Edmundson:

Just leave her alone until she gets out of the car.

Matt Edmundson:

That's my advice.

Jan Burch:

Absolutely, thank you, Matt.

Matt Edmundson:

That's interesting.

Jan Burch:

What about you, what's your sort of routine?

Matt Edmundson:

I have, I don't know if I have a set routine.

Matt Edmundson:

Which is maybe goes against the grain.

Matt Edmundson:

I have different things that I do, right?

Matt Edmundson:

I, for example, if it's a weekday, like a Monday through Friday, Sharon and I

Matt Edmundson:

will get up we'll pray together and then I will sit either in our, we've got this

Matt Edmundson:

sort of swing out door on the outside of our house where I'll just go and sit

Matt Edmundson:

and I'll just read scripture, usually on the Bible app, the YouVersion Just

Matt Edmundson:

sometimes I read without aim without just want to read it to see what happens.

Matt Edmundson:

Sometimes I'll study it depending on different things that are going on.

Matt Edmundson:

And when study, I'm like, I want to know what this has got to say, there's

Matt Edmundson:

reading it, which is casual reading it and there's studying it, isn't there really?

Matt Edmundson:

And so I would, depending on where I'm up to, if I've got to talk for a crowd to

Matt Edmundson:

prep, maybe I'll study a little bit more.

Matt Edmundson:

I've just finished prepping the talk on serving, which is

Matt Edmundson:

coming up in a couple of weeks.

Matt Edmundson:

I've been studying that which has been deeply challenging.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So I will do that if I go to the gym if I'm in the gym, cause we

Matt Edmundson:

converted our garage to a gym at the bottom of our garden.

Matt Edmundson:

I will watch I'll have a a podcast on a biblical podcast.

Matt Edmundson:

And so I'll watch that.

Matt Edmundson:

Or listen to it more.

Matt Edmundson:

Listen to it when I'm in the gym which I also do in the mornings.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

In the car.

Matt Edmundson:

More of a van for me.

Matt Edmundson:

I don't have a car.

Matt Edmundson:

I've got Van.

Matt Edmundson:

Van man.

Matt Edmundson:

But again, just in the van, just listening to podcasts.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm a big podcast fan.

Matt Edmundson:

There's a lot of great podcasts out there.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, I like Rick Warren.

Jan Burch:

I'm not sure what other people think of him, but I find.

Jan Burch:

His teaching to be just really practical and really clear.

Jan Burch:

I think he communicates very clearly and he just says it as it is.

Jan Burch:

There's no frills.

Jan Burch:

But that's, I need that but what he says, he's tried and tested, he's been he's

Jan Burch:

been a faithful servant of the word, bringing the word I, I like him he's,

Jan Burch:

maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but

Matt Edmundson:

that's such a British thing to say, maybe

Matt Edmundson:

he's not your cup of tea.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

No, yeah, I think it's interesting.

Matt Edmundson:

I think,

Matt Edmundson:

Out of every Christian I know, everyone's got their favorites

Matt Edmundson:

who they listen to, who they,

Jan Burch:

who's your favorite, would you say?

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, that's a very good question.

Matt Edmundson:

Derek Prince really likes some of his, not all of his teaching, but most of

Matt Edmundson:

his teaching, I think is quite good.

Matt Edmundson:

John Harding, I think is a great Bible teacher.

Matt Edmundson:

So I like listening to him.

Matt Edmundson:

My wife,

Jan Burch:

yes,

Matt Edmundson:

obviously, it's brilliant.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

What a legend.

Matt Edmundson:

But now I like people like Rick Warren, like you say, I listen to.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm listening to, oh, what's his name, John Mark Comer a lot at the moment, who's

Matt Edmundson:

just done the book called Practicing the Way so yes, what Sadaf put here in the

Matt Edmundson:

comments, I'm late to the party, but just a response to what you're saying about the

Matt Edmundson:

message and other such Bibles, let me add this, because this is just Sadaf to a T

Matt Edmundson:

the message and other such Bibles, I think it's important, Matthew, to point out

Matt Edmundson:

that it's not a translation of the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

I agree, Sadaf.

Matt Edmundson:

And that's why I said it's an interpretation.

Jan Burch:

Expiratory, expos Oh, you're reading ahead.

Jan Burch:

Here we go.

Jan Burch:

I find

Matt Edmundson:

expiratory teaching, reading of the Bible in a really good

Matt Edmundson:

way to better understand Scripture.

Matt Edmundson:

So doing an expiratory teaching on Scripture.

Matt Edmundson:

So in other words let's say you wanted to study the subject of I love that.

Matt Edmundson:

I love that.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm just going to go through it and I'm gonna pick a topic,

Matt Edmundson:

say healing, for example.

Matt Edmundson:

So just going in and studying everywhere in the Bible where it talks about healing.

Matt Edmundson:

Or you could do like we did with the book of Acts, just verse by verse, just

Matt Edmundson:

going through what does that verse mean?

Matt Edmundson:

What's going on, going in deep and you could spend a year, two years

Matt Edmundson:

to study in one book of the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

But it's line upon line, precept upon precept, it's that kind of thing.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, it's a really great way.

Matt Edmundson:

Very meaty, very Sadaf.

Jan Burch:

Sadaf

Matt Edmundson:

loves to go deep.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Loves to go deep.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, no, you could totally do that.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think it's here's the thing, right?

Matt Edmundson:

We've talked a lot about reading the scripture, the different

Matt Edmundson:

translations of the Bible etc.

Matt Edmundson:

But there's a point that Anna said that I want to come back to.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And that is That you can read it, you can understand scripture contextually, you

Matt Edmundson:

can go and get the concordances, you can get the commentaries, you can do all of

Matt Edmundson:

that sort of stuff, but fundamentally,

Matt Edmundson:

if you think about some of the biggest cults that have been around I'm

Matt Edmundson:

thinking people, I think from memory, David Koresh, I'm showing my age a

Matt Edmundson:

little bit, if you know who he is.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

I think he'd memorize scripture.

Matt Edmundson:

Really?

Matt Edmundson:

I think he had one of those brains where he'd memorize the whole Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

So you can read it, you can know it, you can understand it, but it

Matt Edmundson:

can still not change your life.

Matt Edmundson:

And that's the fundamental thing, right?

Matt Edmundson:

Absolutely.

Matt Edmundson:

It's the power I think in, as we're talking about becoming whole, the power

Matt Edmundson:

is allowing scripture to transform your life, to change your thinking.

Matt Edmundson:

How's it done that for you?

Jan Burch:

I suppose in, in, in lots of ways, really, I think certainly

Jan Burch:

through tougher times when I've prayed, and I've just asked God to speak

Jan Burch:

to me, or to make something clear.

Jan Burch:

And then, he's led me to a certain verse, or whatever.

Jan Burch:

It's just been exactly what I, it's been the light that we needed.

Jan Burch:

to shine on a dark area or some confusion or so I just think some sometimes

Jan Burch:

it's been like it jumps out at me.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

What Dave Connolly calls a zoom word.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, definitely.

Jan Burch:

It just leaps off the page and zooms around.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, you just think, wow, how have I never seen this before?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

And I think it, I've found, I've been a Christian a long time like you.

Jan Burch:

There's certain parts of the Bible or what I'm reading, I've probably read it before.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

But at different stages or seasons in your life it, It means something different

Jan Burch:

or it's like God can make it fresh.

Jan Burch:

So I love that, that it's never out, it never loses its effect.

Jan Burch:

So true.

Jan Burch:

Yeah,

Matt Edmundson:

so true.

Matt Edmundson:

It's one of those things where I think if you're to ask Sharon, because Sharon's

Matt Edmundson:

big on this, when in the Old Testament, where God's talking to Joshua, about

Matt Edmundson:

taking the promised land, he said to him, meditate in my word day and night.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And you'll have good strength.

Matt Edmundson:

And I can't remember that phrase.

Matt Edmundson:

Anyway, It's this whole phrase of meditating my word day and

Matt Edmundson:

night and then basically things will start to go better for you.

Matt Edmundson:

And it's this phrase meditate, right?

Matt Edmundson:

So for the longest time Christians have been afraid to use the word meditate

Matt Edmundson:

because it all felt a bit new agey.

Matt Edmundson:

But actually when scripture uses the word meditate, it just means to ponder, to

Matt Edmundson:

think about, to chew over in your mind.

Matt Edmundson:

It doesn't mean to empty your mind.

Matt Edmundson:

Scripture never tells you to do that.

Matt Edmundson:

It tells you to renew your mind.

Matt Edmundson:

Just want to point that out.

Matt Edmundson:

But it's Paul said it, he said, whatever things are low, noble, just, lovely, pure

Matt Edmundson:

think about those things, fix your mind on them, weigh your mind up, ruminate on

Matt Edmundson:

them, think about them, mull them over.

Matt Edmundson:

And when you do that with scripture, which is pure, lovely et cetera, et

Matt Edmundson:

cetera, and you fix your mind on it, that's what it means by meditating.

Matt Edmundson:

And this is when you start doing it.

Matt Edmundson:

You stop reading just for the sake of reading and that's, I think, when

Matt Edmundson:

those words just slap you about the face, the zoom words that just jump

Matt Edmundson:

off the page and they change your life.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think what happens is actually when you do that, when you read Scripture

Matt Edmundson:

like that and you get that sort of revelation, you've been meditating on it.

Matt Edmundson:

I remember doing this with the Bible verse, where it says, I can do all

Matt Edmundson:

things through Christ who strengthens me.

Matt Edmundson:

And I remember writing it out and I just wrote it out lots and lots like, I can

Matt Edmundson:

do all things, I'm, I can do all things.

Matt Edmundson:

I can do all things.

Matt Edmundson:

I can do all things.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And I'm just meditating on I'm thinking about what does this mean?

Matt Edmundson:

I can do all things through Christ.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So I can't do all things without him.

Matt Edmundson:

Back to the self help thing that Anna was talking about.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

But with him, the world needs to watch out, right?

Matt Edmundson:

Because Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Hang on, if I've, if God's got a plan and he said it, then let's go.

Matt Edmundson:

And so I remember thinking about that a lot and just going around what that

Matt Edmundson:

meant, rather than it just being a, a nice Christian platitude that you stick

Matt Edmundson:

on the fridge or whatever, but actually what, and getting that deep down into

Matt Edmundson:

my spirit and how that changed my life, just meditating on it, thinking

Matt Edmundson:

about it and that, when that happens, I think that's when faith is born.

Matt Edmundson:

So the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and by hearing of the Word of

Matt Edmundson:

God in Romans, that's what Paul says.

Matt Edmundson:

And when that Word of God, it's not just about hearing it, like we said,

Matt Edmundson:

David Koresh heard it, remembered it, didn't do a blind bit of good for him.

Matt Edmundson:

But it's when we hear it with our heart, with our soul, when it's deep down in

Matt Edmundson:

us and we can believe it and we can go hang on a minute, life can be now.

Matt Edmundson:

That's what Very different.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think as we're talking about wholeness on this journey to

Matt Edmundson:

wholeness, there is a challenge here, which is going to keep coming up.

Matt Edmundson:

You can't avoid it.

Matt Edmundson:

It's this is what the world says.

Matt Edmundson:

This is what I say.

Matt Edmundson:

This is what the Bible says.

Matt Edmundson:

And it's there are three different things.

Matt Edmundson:

And it's what do I believe here?

Matt Edmundson:

And fundamentally wholeness comes, I think.

Matt Edmundson:

When we as people can take the Word of God and put our trust

Matt Edmundson:

and faith into what it says.

Matt Edmundson:

Does that make sense?

Matt Edmundson:

And when we can do that, amazing things can happen and faith is born and built and

Matt Edmundson:

I think that's a really powerful thing.

Jan Burch:

I just think it's so important to ask ourselves, who am I listening to?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Who has the biggest influence on my behavior?

Jan Burch:

My actions and if it isn't God, if it isn't the Words of God, then

Jan Burch:

I think there needs to be a, some sort of re, reshift, readjustment.

Jan Burch:

I think we live in a, particularly in a world right now where

Jan Burch:

there's lots of advice.

Jan Burch:

There's lots of suggestions.

Jan Burch:

There's lots of opinions on everything.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

And it can be confusing.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

And I think it's so vital.

Jan Burch:

And I think it's it is finding that quiet place.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Even if you have to get into a cupboard and yeah, shut the door.

Jan Burch:

I think we live in such a noisy world.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Where your brain can't, you can't think straight.

Jan Burch:

There's a lot of interference, a lot of I think it's vital.

Jan Burch:

That we find that quiet space just to listen to God, switch

Jan Burch:

the everything else off.

Jan Burch:

And just have one line coming in.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, just focus on that.

Jan Burch:

So true, Jen.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

That's a mic.

Matt Edmundson:

If I had a mic that I could hold and drop, I'd do it right there.

Matt Edmundson:

Very good.

Matt Edmundson:

Mic drop moment.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, I think the challenge then for this week, like Anna said, pray the prayer

Matt Edmundson:

from Ephesians 3, 14 over you all week.

Matt Edmundson:

See what God says in reverse.

Matt Edmundson:

Yes.

Matt Edmundson:

Great prayer.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Just keep praying that prayer of you this week.

Matt Edmundson:

And just find some space in the quiet zone, out the noise.

Matt Edmundson:

And just read scripture, meditate on it, think about it.

Matt Edmundson:

And ask the simple question, God, what are you trying to say to me here?

Matt Edmundson:

And Holy Spirit, help me live out what it is that I'm saying, right?

Matt Edmundson:

Dangerous prayers, if I'm honest with you.

Matt Edmundson:

Very dangerous.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah don't pray them half heartedly, because when God answers them,

Matt Edmundson:

it's a beauty.

Matt Edmundson:

And so yeah, that would be, I think, challenge of the week, but

Matt Edmundson:

I think it's a great conversation about the Bible with Scripture.

Matt Edmundson:

Especially in the context of wholeness, because I think our wholeness, our

Matt Edmundson:

identity, who we are, how we think about ourselves, how we feel about

Matt Edmundson:

ourselves, that is so guided and informed by our understanding of the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

Because like you say, who do you listen to?

Matt Edmundson:

If you're not listening to the scripture, you're listening to something else.

Jan Burch:

And just to I thought that just how blessed, how fortunate we are to

Jan Burch:

have the Word of God at our fingertips.

Jan Burch:

When you think about throughout the world, the people in communities that

Jan Burch:

haven't still got the Bible translated, no, they're getting less and fewer

Jan Burch:

thankfully, but we have access to the actual inspired Word of God.

Jan Burch:

And we put YouTube on or.

Jan Burch:

It's I think there is a place for absolutely having a reverence.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, there is Anna, a real seeing it as a sacred book.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

And I think that's really important.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, because

Matt Edmundson:

I think it's easy to forget that.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, because it is so available to us.

Matt Edmundson:

Almost take it for granted.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And, you hear stories of people Who would almost die because they were just

Matt Edmundson:

trying to get hold of a copy of one of the Gospels or one of the pages from

Matt Edmundson:

someone's Bible or something, it became like their best possession in life in a

Matt Edmundson:

lot of ways and you just, but we take it so for granted just because of the ease

Matt Edmundson:

at which all this stuff is available.

Matt Edmundson:

That's right.

Matt Edmundson:

But I think you're right.

Matt Edmundson:

Treat the word of God reverently.

Matt Edmundson:

Is such valuable advice.

Matt Edmundson:

Because don't just have a casual relationship with the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

It's probably another way to say it.

Matt Edmundson:

I thought, I think Christians that have casual relationships with scripture

Matt Edmundson:

really struggle in life because yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

You're neither in nor out.

Matt Edmundson:

Do you know what I mean?

Matt Edmundson:

It's one of those, I think when the storm, Jesus talked about it this way,

Matt Edmundson:

he said, when the storms come, and they're going to come, let's face it.

Matt Edmundson:

Absolutely.

Matt Edmundson:

Your house gets blown down because your foundations aren't deep and your

Matt Edmundson:

foundations aren't deep because you have a casual relationship with the Bible.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And I think you have to treat it reverently.

Matt Edmundson:

I think you have to study it.

Matt Edmundson:

You have to let it change your thinking.

Matt Edmundson:

You have to let it change your behavior.

Matt Edmundson:

And you have to be willing to put your faith in it when all

Matt Edmundson:

that's around you is just telling you the exact opposite, right?

Matt Edmundson:

It's what changes your life.

Matt Edmundson:

It's what brings wholeness, which is

Jan Burch:

You know what, Matt, as well, sometimes I think

Jan Burch:

I almost panic a little bit.

Jan Burch:

I think if I was ever in a position where I didn't have any, of my possessions.

Jan Burch:

Almost like being isolated somewhere, like in a shipwrecked island or.

Jan Burch:

In a prison in Thailand or whatever, I have got no ambition to be in either of

Jan Burch:

those places, but should any of those things happen, then I would think,

Jan Burch:

I would be like, what do I remember about the Bible, about the word of God?

Jan Burch:

What did God say about this?

Jan Burch:

And it's it's got to be in us.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

So that, when I'm 80 and I wanna, think something or it's there.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

It's it's got to be a part of who we are and Yeah.

Jan Burch:

It really has.

Jan Burch:

Yeah I totally agree.

Jan Burch:

Think about that,

Jan Burch:

. Matt Edmundson: It's gotta be, I think the answer to the question is now if you

Jan Burch:

get shipwrecked on an island, you can take one thing with you, what would it be?

Jan Burch:

There's got to be scripture.

Jan Burch:

It's got to be, I just want a copy of the Bible.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

in large print if I can't take my reading glasses.

Jan Burch:

Absolutely.

Matt Edmundson:

Peter says, Thanks, Jan.

Matt Edmundson:

That's a brilliant comment regarding us having the Word of God at our fingertips.

Matt Edmundson:

And we should try and understand what is being said and what is expected of us.

Matt Edmundson:

Great comment, Peter.

Matt Edmundson:

Thank you for that.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, all very true.

Matt Edmundson:

Brilliant.

Matt Edmundson:

That was a great Conversation Street.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, I enjoyed that.

Matt Edmundson:

Thank you.

Matt Edmundson:

I enjoyed that.

Matt Edmundson:

Just one more time.

Matt Edmundson:

Let me remind you, ladies and gentlemen, we have an Alpha

Matt Edmundson:

course starting this week.

Matt Edmundson:

If you'd like to know more about it, we'd like to come join us and find

Matt Edmundson:

out more about this Christian faith.

Matt Edmundson:

Whether you are new as a Christian, want to deepen your faith a little

Matt Edmundson:

bit, or whether you're just I don't know, exploring Christianity.

Matt Edmundson:

We would love to hear from you.

Matt Edmundson:

We're starting this Wednesday.

Matt Edmundson:

You can get in touch with us on the website, www.

Matt Edmundson:

crowd.

Matt Edmundson:

church or via social media at Crowd Church.

Matt Edmundson:

We would love to hear from you.

Matt Edmundson:

Come join us on a Wednesday evening.

Matt Edmundson:

Sharon and I will be heading up an Alpha starting this week.

Matt Edmundson:

So do come along.

Matt Edmundson:

Another thing to say to all you, especially all you British mums.

Matt Edmundson:

I suppose it's worldwide as well, but although it's only

Matt Edmundson:

in England, Happy Mother's Day.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, did you know that

Matt Edmundson:

there's a difference between this?

Matt Edmundson:

I didn't write so when I lived in America, because Mother's Day,

Matt Edmundson:

I think in the States is in May.

Matt Edmundson:

So if you're watching this from the States or listening, you'd like

Matt Edmundson:

what you're talking about Mother's Day, don't scare me like that.

Matt Edmundson:

And I remember when I lived in the States, my mom called me

Matt Edmundson:

and said thanks for the card.

Matt Edmundson:

I said, What are you talking about?

Matt Edmundson:

She says, Where's my Mother's Day card?

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, my Mother's Day two months away.

Matt Edmundson:

So you know, there's adverts starting to appear two months away.

Matt Edmundson:

She's no, it's today.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

I was like, it can't be.

Jan Burch:

And it used to be called Mothering Sunday, didn't it?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Now called Mother's Day, probably still is, but yeah.

Jan Burch:

Thank you.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, probably is.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

Happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

Thank you.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

You're a legend of a mum to all your mums out there, mom.

Matt Edmundson:

Say again, auntie your mum.

Matt Edmundson:

And to my mum, who is also a legend.

Matt Edmundson:

Happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

Yes, thank you.

Matt Edmundson:

And to my wife, happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

Just basically if you're a mum, happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

And even if you're a mum, do you know what I mean?

Matt Edmundson:

Not just a s sense.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

In the spiritual sense.

Matt Edmundson:

I know a few people like I know someone who sent Sharon a text message

Matt Edmundson:

earlier to saying Happy Mother's Day.

Matt Edmundson:

And because I think she's been a spiritual mom to that person.

Matt Edmundson:

I think all of you ladies that look out for other people, you're absolute

Matt Edmundson:

legends in every sense of the word.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

Matt Edmundson:

And then one of the better news.

Matt Edmundson:

Did you know Dan Orange, Dan, a couple of weeks ago, talked about prayer.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Okay.

Matt Edmundson:

And if you follow us on social media you'll see that we put out these

Matt Edmundson:

like 30 second video clips, just little clips from the talk, right?

Matt Edmundson:

There'll be some coming out from Anna's talk.

Matt Edmundson:

They'll be out next week, I have no doubt.

Matt Edmundson:

And we put out a clip on TikTok of Dan's talk on prayer.

Matt Edmundson:

And it got retweeted, not retweeted, reposted By Stormzy.

Matt Edmundson:

What?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

So Stormzy repost Dan's little thing on prayer and Dan went

Matt Edmundson:

a little bit viral on TikTok.

Matt Edmundson:

And you should have seen Dan when I told him it was just

Matt Edmundson:

like another three foot tall.

Matt Edmundson:

I bet.

Matt Edmundson:

It was like,

Jan Burch:

wow.

Matt Edmundson:

Stormzy, my man.

Matt Edmundson:

Thanks for the repost, Bro.

Matt Edmundson:

Appreciate it.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

That's brilliant.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, Dan's face was plastered all over the

Matt Edmundson:

internet last week, which is amazing.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, no, that's great.

Matt Edmundson:

That's great.

Matt Edmundson:

So what's coming up next week, Jen?

Jan Burch:

Same

Matt Edmundson:

again.

Matt Edmundson:

You have no idea.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm asking you cause I'm just buying a little bit of time while I find out of

Jan Burch:

it today in keeping up, I'm afraid.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, that's all right.

Matt Edmundson:

I didn't know either.

Matt Edmundson:

So let me grab my glasses.

Matt Edmundson:

So next week, we have Pete Farrington talking about

Matt Edmundson:

being led by the Holy Spirit.

Matt Edmundson:

Ah, it's me and Will hosting next week.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, nice.

Matt Edmundson:

It's good to know that ahead of time, which is great.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, Will and I will be back next week.

Matt Edmundson:

He's also a legend, always enjoy hosting with Will.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, he's great.

Matt Edmundson:

He doesn't smell as good as you though, Jen.

Matt Edmundson:

No, of course he doesn't.

Matt Edmundson:

Fortunately, they can't smell him down the camera.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, I'm Chanel, is that what you are?

Matt Edmundson:

I love Chanel.

Matt Edmundson:

Whenever I hear the word Chanel, do you remember that?

Matt Edmundson:

I know.

Matt Edmundson:

No.

Matt Edmundson:

The thing that went on Instagram with a lady that lost her parakeet called

Matt Edmundson:

Chanel, she had a parakeet called Chanel.

Matt Edmundson:

And there's this video that went, if you Google it, I think it comes

Matt Edmundson:

up, there's this video of this lady walking down the street going Chanel.

Jan Burch:

Okay, thanks for that.

Matt Edmundson:

So yeah, whenever I hear the word Chanel, I've just got

Matt Edmundson:

this lady in my head, just screaming the name of this parakeet which she'd lost.

Matt Edmundson:

So yes, thanks for that.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, you're more than welcome.

Matt Edmundson:

You have to watch the video to understand the humor.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm really sorry, because everyone's What's wrong with you, Matt, right now?

Matt Edmundson:

That's a big question.

Matt Edmundson:

I don't know if we'll ever get to the

Matt Edmundson:

answer, but but listen,

Matt Edmundson:

Jan, for joining me.

Matt Edmundson:

Matt.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, absolutely, Jan.

Matt Edmundson:

Thanks everyone for joining us on the live stream and for your comments.

Matt Edmundson:

Great to see you.

Matt Edmundson:

Great that you're here.

Matt Edmundson:

Do stay with us.

Matt Edmundson:

Do subscribe wherever watch this or listen to it from because we've got,

Matt Edmundson:

we're just literally starting this whole series on biblical wholeness and

Matt Edmundson:

we have got a long way to go because I've seen some of the notes coming up.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, we've got a fair few to go through.

Matt Edmundson:

Be ashamed to miss any of them.

Matt Edmundson:

Do be ashamed.

Matt Edmundson:

It would be a shame because I'm quite enjoying this whole talk series, actually,

Matt Edmundson:

I'm becoming hopeless, but I find it deeply challenging because it's making me

Matt Edmundson:

rethink a lot of things, like even today, scripture Am I reverence in scripture in

Matt Edmundson:

a way that I should, and pastor Alexander.

Jan Burch:

Hello Pastor Alexander

Matt Edmundson:

from the Congo.

Matt Edmundson:

Is that the limit of your French?

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

No, it's not good.

Jan Burch:

Should have Tim here.

Jan Burch:

Maybe I can speak.

Matt Edmundson:

Jan's husband is a French teacher.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

Yes, I know my verbs though.

Jan Burch:

Do you?

Jan Burch:

Yeah, I've never forgotten my verbs.

Matt Edmundson:

Very good.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, pretty useless though.

Jan Burch:

Yeah.

Jan Burch:

There you go.

Matt Edmundson:

There you go.

Matt Edmundson:

There you go.

Matt Edmundson:

It's great to see you Pastor Alexander.

Matt Edmundson:

I hope you're my friend.

Matt Edmundson:

Absolutely.

Matt Edmundson:

Always lovely to see you in the live stream.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, have a fantastic week wherever you are in the world.

Matt Edmundson:

I will see you next week.

Matt Edmundson:

Merci, Bonsoir.

Matt Edmundson:

When are we back on?

Matt Edmundson:

When will you see the folks next?

Jan Burch:

A few good few weeks.

Jan Burch:

Is it a few

Matt Edmundson:

weeks?

Matt Edmundson:

John will be back in a few weeks.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, have a look at that.

Matt Edmundson:

I could, let me just put my glasses back on.

Jan Burch:

I think it's a wee while.

Matt Edmundson:

It's a wee while is it?

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, you're on twice in May.

Matt Edmundson:

Back to back.

Jan Burch:

Oh.

Matt Edmundson:

Not quite sure how that's happened.

Matt Edmundson:

Maybe Sadaf needs to have a look at that.

Matt Edmundson:

Anyway, you'll see the you'll see the good folks in a few weeks.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, have a great week wherever you are.

Matt Edmundson:

Have a great week, everyone.

Matt Edmundson:

God bless you.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm gonna play.

Matt Edmundson:

I think I just need to reach over there and press the right button.

Matt Edmundson:

But yeah, it's been great to see you.

Matt Edmundson:

Enjoy the concert.

Matt Edmundson:

Hasta pronto.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, yeah, Peter's in Spain.

Matt Edmundson:

So we've got Peter is in Spain.

Matt Edmundson:

We've got Pastor Alexander, who's in the Congo.

Matt Edmundson:

Wow.

Matt Edmundson:

And we're in Liverpool.

Jan Burch:

It's amazing.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, it's crazy isn't it when you think it through.

Jan Burch:

God's in all three places.

Matt Edmundson:

And the rest of the world.

Matt Edmundson:

But mainly in Liverpool.

Matt Edmundson:

But

Matt Edmundson:

mainly in Liverpool.

Jan Burch:

And God's a Nevatonian.

Jan Burch:

Yeah, he's not.

Jan Burch:

He is.

Jan Burch:

No, he doesn't need that.

Jan Burch:

He told me he was.

Matt Edmundson:

He doesn't need that amount of pain in his life.

Matt Edmundson:

He's got enough trouble with his kids.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah,

Jan Burch:

neither do I, let me tell you.

Matt Edmundson:

Oh, we're getting on to politics and football.

Matt Edmundson:

That's a faith adventure, isn't it?

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, it's a faith adventure.

Matt Edmundson:

Go on and stretch your faith, become an Everton fan.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah, that's fine.

Matt Edmundson:

You're all Everton fans in your house.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

Yeah.

Matt Edmundson:

I'm sorry about that.

Matt Edmundson:

It's a burden I have to bear.

Matt Edmundson:

It's just a burden you've got to bear.

Matt Edmundson:

That's awesome.

Matt Edmundson:

Have a great week.

Matt Edmundson:

All right, guys.

Matt Edmundson:

Love you lots.

Matt Edmundson:

Have a great week.

Matt Edmundson:

Like I say, don't forget, if you want to know about Alpha, do get in touch with us.

Matt Edmundson:

We'd love to see you on the Alpha course this week.

Matt Edmundson:

So catch you soon.

Matt Edmundson:

All right.

Matt Edmundson:

Bye for now.

Matt Edmundson:

Bye!

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

Matt Edmundson:

live and of course If you are listening to the podcast 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

Matt Edmundson:

your podcast platform, it helps us reach more people with the message.

Matt Edmundson:

That Jesus really does help us live a more meaningful 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.

Matt Edmundson:

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.

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