Relate Church Volunteer Evening

Thursday, February 11, 2010
7:00 pm | Relate Church Surrey
VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION EVENING
We LOVE our amazing volunteers at Relate! Your teamwork makes the dream work! All who serve in any capacity at Relate Church are invited to join us for a fun night. Let our staff and leaders serve you and enjoy a fun and entertaining evening as we roll out the red carpet just for you. We anticipate a fantastic evening and would love to have everyone there!

NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
We’re planning a very special and fun tribute on Thursday night and would love to have your input as we honour some amazing volunteers. We would love to know who you would nominate as Volunteer of the Year… who have you seen serving behind the scenes, making a difference and a contribution in ways that aren’t usually recognized? Who is the ‘invisible’ team member that you’d like to honour. Please send us an email at relate@relatechurch.ca (by Tuesday, February 9th) and let us know this individual’s name, where they serve at church, and WHY they deserve to be honoured.

Pastor’s Thoughts on the Weekend

We had a great weekend at Relate Church with strong services and many salvations across all campuses. Saturday night was our Water Baptism service. Seven people decided to take this next step and the testimonies were incredible. The journey for these seven people just got better!

Our city service was a little different, as we have been bumped out of our regular venue (UBC Robson Square) due to the Olympics. So we got creative and met in a restaurant on Commercial Drive near 7thAve called St. Augustine’s. Seated at round tables, I preached a bit, and then the leaders had a few questions to facilitate discussion around the tables. This naturally lends itself to a lot of participation from everyone, and connections were definitely made.

East service was very full, and we even needed to pull out more chairs to accommodate all those that came. That’s what we want!

I love preaching on “Becoming”, a series we started studying at the beginning of this year. As we look at the journey of life it’s really the journey from who we are to who we are becoming. And we recognize that is a choice we make and that we are actually in charge of that choice. Understanding that gives us confidence that we can become who we want to be, who God wants us to be.

This past weekend, we looked this week at the process of meditation, which is actually how we digest what we hear, what we love, and what we believe into who we are, or who we become. To mediate means to mutter, to ponder, to hear over and over again, to think on, or to digest. We looked at how the Word of God is all-important; the Word of God is how we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the Word, but it does not stop there. We actually need to take the Word of God and wrap our heart around it. What holds your heart will hold your future.

I love that people are getting it, this message of “Becoming.” The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that ‘Faith comes by hearing, and by hearing the Word of God”. It doesn’t say that faith comes by “I heard”. A snack on the Word of God will not change your life, and so we’ve purposed to make it as easy as possible for people to resource themselves with the teaching of each service. Many people took the initiative this past weekend and purchased the service message on CD for on $1. [And for those of you who prefer the message in digital form, you can download the podcast from iTunes through our website.]

The process of becoming is all about the Word of God. What you hear in abundance will change your heart, your words, and your life. I pray that you keep yourself FILLLED with the Word of God and enjoy the fruit of your changed life!

Pastor John

The Power of a Thought

This short video post also has received a lot of views lately which confirms that people understand how important our thinking is.  Please enjoy and pass it on

What Men Really Want in a Woman

This short video post has got a lot of views lately… tells me that people really would like the answer to what men really want in a woman.  I hope you enjoy.

New Web Site

Thanks for your patience everyone.  We have been working to update and upgrade our website for a long time… I didn’t realize how all encompassing this project would be.  We finally have something that I believe will help many people.  Please go to www.relatechurch.ca for church and www.therelateshow.com for television questions and resources.

how to best invest today into your dream of tomorrow

How do we live today to make the biggest and best impact on tomorrow? How do we invest wisely the most precious commodity we have… our time? This short motivational clip shot in Sydney Australia will inspire and instruct you to confidently invest everyday in the most productive way. Please enjoy and pass it on to the generations. For more, please check out twitter.com/pjhburns and pjhburns.wordpress.com

The Value of Art – Montreal

Montreal is one of my favorite cities in the world. It is full of art and its cafe culture reflects it. I took a moment in old Montreal to record this short video about the value of art. My desire is that this simple lesson will inspire you to be all you can be. Please enjoy and pass it on. For more check out twitter.com/pjhburns and facebook.com/pjhburns

Imagination and the blessing it brings

Living life bigger, healthier and friendlier are some of the blessings of imagination. This short video message, shot in Penrith, Australia, uses the backdrop of Imagine Nations Church to identify these powerful truths that apply to all areas of life. Enjoy and pass it on. For more check out twitter.com/pjhburns and youtube.com/johnhburns

One of the most difficult things I have ever done!

This was one of the toughest things I have ever done.  I really didn’t think it would be that hard.  My training was to jog the course one time in the morning 3 or 4 days a week, but I had been away in Australia the 2 weeks prior… getting home on Saturday and playing the 100 holes 2 days later on Monday so I think even that was a little washed out.

My plan was to get to the course really early so that I could finish the first round and get onto the second before anyone else started playing (from then on I would have to play through the normal golfers and there were lots of them that day).  I started about 4:45 AM (in the dark) and ran the first two rounds with no interruptions.  When I went to start my 3rd round, the first tee was backed up and players were plentiful so I went to the back 9 which was still open… that too I ran, bringing my total to 45 holes and I was very soar and very tired.

One of the greatest unexpected blessings was my wife bringing me a change of clothes (mine were soaked with sweat) and finding a shower in the dressing room… that was the best shower I had ever taken!!!  After that I felt like a new man.  Another great blessing was a young man, Jose, who showed up at 5:00 AM saying he was going to walk with me every step of the way and help me.  He wanted to carry my clubs for me but I had told all my sponsors that I would walk the course carrying my clubs so I wouldn’t let him.  He had no knowledge of golf but after a few holes of learning, he became a great blessing.  My back was very stiff and bending over was almost impossible so Jose would bend down and put my ball on the tee… that was a huge blessing!

The part I disliked the most was playing through other groups.  The pressure of hitting good shots so as to not disrupt their game any more than needed, was not fun!  I hit some of my worst shots then.  It was great to have Jose along because in times like that he would preach to me… he preached my messages back at me… “Pastor John Jesus love you”, “Pastor John, the joy of the Lord is your strength”…

The best part of the day was hearing the reports coming in of the sponsorship continuing to rise.  My goal was to raise 20K to pay for the construction of the classroom for our first Canadian Mercy Home.  We started the day with about 15K in pledges but as the updates kept going out on twitter and facebook, the pledges kept coming in and the final total was over 30K!!!

My message on Sunday was on how not to lose heart (you can download it from itunes podcast at “Relate Church”)… this was what I learnt as I survived this marathon.  I am very grateful to all that sponsored me (and they are still coming in… go to relatechurch.ca to continue the miracle), to all that prayed for me, to all that helped me on the day, and mostly, to God for health to accomplish it. Here’s a short glimpse of it  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BMPXP9rw50

Thanks for your sponsorship,

John

Everything I need to live my life pleasing to God comes by faith

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” 2 Peter 1:3

My understanding of faith has been a journey that I’m definitely still on. This verse has really helped me.  From this promise I know that ALL things that I will ever need to fulfill my purpose in God (beyond whatever I could imagine or think [Eph 3:20]) has already been given to me and my receiving comes through knowing God.  Years ago, Dr Lester Sumrall said to me, “People are always looking for more faith.  Their real lack is they just don’t know God!”  Knowing the heart of God then acting in confidence accordingly is faith.

Everything we need to live a life pleasing to God and thus fulfilling our purpose comes through faith… and faith comes through an uninterrupted existence of pressing in to listen to God’s Word with a desire to understand and know God.  I like to take verses like this and against thoughts of opposition that would say, “you don’t have enough wisdom, love, patience, peace, finances, talent, opportunity…  I do what Josh 1:8 teaches… “I don’t let these words depart from my mouth” – in other words, I quote these words as much as I can and I keep all my words in line with this truth… I don’t speak words that are contrary.  ”I meditate on them day and night”… in other words, I’m continually chewing them over in my thinking, seeking for wisdom in how they apply to every situation of my life.  ”So that I can do all that is written and thereby make my way prosperous and have good success”.  Action always follows believing.

I encourage you to take this promise and work it into your belief.  Know the God who has already supplied everything you will ever need to have the absolute best life!  And then, live like it!

Pastor John

p.s. please take a moment to post your comments regarding this verse