River Church Slough hits the streets

walking feet

Sunday 15th February broke the mould when instead of a having a regular SundayAM meeting a number of us went out praying for the streets and houses around The Westgate School and posting flyers through the doors. It was the start of half term so not so many folk were there, but still thirteen of us went out in three groups and really enjoyed the experience.

Tom started our short meeting by outlining why we were going out and shared some relevent Biblical insights, then Wisdom talked us through the objectives and some safety considerations. We then had a 'fire tunnel' to prepare everyone and nearly lost the plot altogether! It was so encouraging to see so many people wanting to pray and prohesy over each other, but finally we had to blow the whistle to stop the prayer and start the walk! Those that were unable to come out stayed behind and covered us in prayer, looked after those children who didn't come out - and made the tea and coffee for our return.

Afterwards many of us enjoyed a 'bring and share' lunch together in Ken & Mary's house, which was a great blessing as well. It was especially good to see many of our new folk joining us prayer walking and at the lunch. We have such a creative God and it really was fresh and exciting to do Sunday a bit differently. We wouldn't want to do it every week of course, we love our worship and are really looking forward to Colin Barnes coming to speak on the 22nd! Who said that church had to be boring?

Tom Curtis, 18/02/2009

Feedback:

	Andrew Swift	20/02/2009 12:21
Hi Tom With christ within us, what does a 'Fire Tunnel' add to his power? Just curious, that's all!
	Tom Curtis	21/02/2009 10:49
I don't know about you Andrew, but I certainly appreciate the prayers and affirmation that having hands laid on me in a fire tunnel brings. The fire tunnel also encourages us to prophesy over each other which is always encouraging. Paul wrote to Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of hands, and I find that the fire tunnel helps me to do that. Is that the only way, of course not, but it is a powerful expression of the many parts of the body working together to build ourselves up in our faith.
	Wisdom Da Costa	21/02/2009 12:05
I aggree Tom
	Andrew Swift (Guest)	28/02/2009 09:30
So is a fire tunnel a biblical concept? Paul was writing to Timothy warning od deception in the church in the passage you state. He was exhoting him to rekindle the fire that was within him already by the laying on of hands which he had already had, not needed to rekindle by the laying on of hands again. The bible also states the laying on of hands of ELDERS, not everyone. Love you all folks
	Colin Barnes	06/03/2009 09:25
Dear Andrew, the apostles recommend we lay hands on all believers regularly. A quick look tells us to lay hands on the sick to see them healed and to lay hands on folk to see them filled with the Holy Spirit (that is the normal way if you read Acts). Paul then says we are to be continually filled with the Spirit, that implies we are to continually pray for and lay hands on one another. Unless of course you are saying that we only need hands laying on us once to be filled. However, we aren't given any other'biblical' models to receive the Spirit. The only time the Spirit was received without the laying on of hands within in the Bible was at Pentecost when there were no Spirit filled believers and in the home of Cornelius when the Jews would not have laid hands on the unclean Gentiles to receive the Spirit - so God had to force the situation. Having said that, God is not a God of rules and Law but one of love and grace so He may sovereignly grant His Spirit in other ways when His children aren't ministering to one another in the way He has asked them to. So, give me more fire tunnels so that we can lay hands on one another and be filled with the Spirit of Jesus!
	Myles Dhillon	06/03/2009 11:39
Colin, I rekon its possible for God to do something new? Surely the moments in which the Acts church peeps got filled with the spirit were not all recorded in the bible? And whatever they were doing that caused them to be filled? And God would have moved in other ways, through things we dont know about etc. "Is a fire tunnel a biblical principle?" - Maybe not - but just cos its not in the bible, does that mean we shouldnt do it? I go to an Anglican church these days, and im pretty sure we do some stuff that i think to myself "Why on earth are we saying / doing this?, this isnt in the bible? Where did they invent this thing from?" But we go along with it anyway. - Like those little disk things we have with communion? Whats that about, cant we just have bread? I think my question is - Just cos something isnt in the bible - does that make it not valid method of prayer/ being filled with the spirit etc?
	Jan Vickers	06/03/2009 12:41
I reckon that fire tunnels are not set out biblically in the scripture but then as Myles has said so many of the ways we express biblical principles comes out in present cultural expressions, and those will be constantly changing and should do. If we had fire tunnels every week, and were still doing that in forty years time and people were thinking it was the only way to get prayed for and blessed then that would be legalism and a religious spirit. What I love is having other members of the body of Christ praying for me and blessing me and generally cheering me on in the race just as we are told the great cloud of witnesses are doing. Although I agree that we have been given all things in Christ for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him we do need to appropriate these things by faith and the prayers and love of others help us in this. Asking for that prayer by going into a fire tunnel is an expression of hunger for a deeper knowledge of God and the humility to say I haven't got it all sussed on my own(I have no need of you!) but that I need the family. Of course there are many other ways of receiving that prayer and encouragement - a fire tunnel is just one of them.By the way when I am praying for others who are going through the tunnel I have such a wonderful sense of the amazing love and grace of God for each person that makes me value them so much more, and hopefully treat them better too!!
	Miriam Perks	06/03/2009 21:40
Yes As Jan & Myles and Colin said Fire tunnels maybe not bibical but I echo what jan said it great to have christians praying over christians. I also echo what Jan said you get an amazing sense of love and a feeling of gods love. Also as I member of Slough Church its really amazing to see what God is doing in our church, and how you can sense God is really there in our worship, and all the gifts of the spirit coming out. So bring on the Fire Tunnels!!
	Elthuin (Guest)	17/09/2009 11:46
What on earth is a fire tunnel????....
	Dave Jones	21/09/2009 12:02
Hi, A fire tunnel is the fun name given to what i would best describe as a 'prayer ministry gauntlet' - whereby those minstering line up on two sides facing each other. Those who are 'recieving' then walk through the middle and are prayed for. It's simply one way, of which there are many, to order prayer ministry so that many people can be prayed for in a shortish amount of time. We would usually use a fire tunnel to pray for people to be filled afresh with the Holy Spirit, or perhaps as an informal 'commissioning' of folks to be sent out ones for instance. As Colin said we're not under law, so it's not restricted to these, and as Jan said, by no means is it a ministry golden calf, nor the only way God can bless people or fill them. It's just fun, practical, and people generally seem very blessed by them, and the Holy Spirit often visits in power when we do them. :-)