18-20th March 2005
The content of the recent teaching weekend was excellent. The congregation needed doctrinal clarity on the Holy Spirit, and how to apply and live out Spirit-filled lives without 'burning out'. It was also very useful to hear tips on how we can revitalise the Word of God in our regular Bible Studies. I believe there have been a number of us who have been coming to Sunday services to receive their main source of inspiration for the entire week, whereas we need to feed ourselves on a daily basis. A hot issue was the women's role in the church in regard to teaching authority. Currently we have a women's advisory group consisting of 8 sisters which serves as an earpiece for the oversight group. This allows a 'voice' for women's needs and issues. Some women had been wondering whether women preaching to the entire church was biblically acceptable. (Douglas explained his view that, biblically speaking, it is not.)
The class taught by Vicki Jacoby on Ruth was refreshing to many. The women are looking forward to the new published audio edition! Douglas and Vicki also spoke together on men's and women's roles. All the handouts were valuable and boosted the teaching process.
It was concerning that relatively few attended the Friday and Saturday sessions, where they would have benefited from the teaching and Q&A sessions. Nevertheless, series recordings have been made available for all London members at no charge. Another concern was that some were not prepared for the vast CD and book resources Douglas brought with him. As he rightly said, 'people need to be fed'; but most people were not ready to buy the 'food'.
Douglas' visit was memorable, and the basic spiritual needs for the church were certainly met.
