How to hear the Holy Spirit/God

In this episode Tim and Alana discuss hearing from God and recognizing his Voice.

Here are some of the questions they discuss.

Do you think God speaks? And Speaks to the church today?

In what ways can you “hear” from God?

How do you tell if it is the holy spirit?

The bible talks about discerning spirits, do you think this is one way you do that?

What is a time in your life you heard God so clearly?

What other forms of “hearing” from God have you clearly seen play out in your life?

How would you help someone who is trying to hear God speak to them?

What would you say to someone who feels they have heard from God in their life, but they want to go deeper?

What are your thoughts on asking God to “confirm his word”? Like they would do in the old testament.

If you want more, Tim is hosting a Spiritual Gifts class which starts Wednesday, September 16th.

Thanks for joining us for Taco Tuesday with Tim Goes Online. We’d love to have you join us next week!

Here is the passage Tim alludes to in the podcast.  1 Cor 12:10

here is a message Tim gave on obedience. Click here

Here is the schedule for the class in the fall that Alana mentions.

email the church for more information. vineyardcl@sbcglobal.net

Fall 2020 Spiritual Gifts Training and practice

Starts Wed Sept 16^th 7:00pm

Introduction and Gifts survey, impartations 

Sept 30^th Wed

Wisdom, Prophetic, Words of Knowledge

Oct 14^th Wed

Healing and miraculous powers

Oct 28^th Wed

Discerning Spirits & Faith

Nov 11^th Wed

Tongues, interpretation of tongues, Helps, Administration

Nov 25^th Wed

Serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, mercy.

Dec 9^th Wed Warfare and deliverance

All classes held at Vineyard Christian Church in Crystal Lake IL. 7105 Virginia Rd.

Being Kingdom People

In this episode Being Kingdom People we explore the idea that the church is to be from every tribe, language, people and nation.

The mandate to be Kingdom People

We start by discussing Revelations 5:9-10 and the mandate that the church on earth is to be every tribe, language, people and nation. And, that this is to be the church now and not in heaven later. Then we also discuss how the church is to look like this, not a homogeneous. Rather each people and race retain their uniqueness but we function together as priests under Christ.

Worship

We also discuss how this affects worship, and what are the differences different people groups bring to worship. When we worship in a mono-culture we miss out on some of the richness that other cultures and people groups bring to worship. These differences also reflect the true nature of who God is. Cultural uniqueness’s are a representation of of the fullness of God.

The body of Christ

We then discuss how being a diverse church helps also more accurately and fully reflect the body of Christ. Both in terms of Spiritual gifts also but in expression of worship and practice of faith.

Why the Rejection?

In what is a feeble attempt we offer some thoughts on why diversity in the church is often rejected or not sought after.  The discussion focuses on things like comfort level, lack of understanding and out right racism.

How do we step into being Kingdom People?

Enter into their world. Just like in any human relationship, we enter into the world. The more we do that the better the relationship become. And, the more we do this, the more we will discover the richness of who God is and what the Kingdom of Heaven will look like. But we also get to reap some of those Kingdom benefits now.

For another message on this subject Click here

In this episode we discus spiritual gifts and in particular healing. Tim talked about when he first started to pray for healing and the shares several stories.

Tim and Alana discuss the following 7 questions.

1. What was your first experience with healing? Was it something you saw someone else experience, or was it something you experienced yourself or closely within your family?

2. Were you skeptical at all? Were there moments you thought maybe this was an isolated incident?

3. When you started pursuing and praying for people to be healed more, what was the craziest healing you’ve ever seen? In the US and Outside of the US?

4. Has there been a small but significant healing you’ve seen?

5. How many times have you prayed for someone who hasn’t been healed?

5. How do you not let that discourage you?

6. What would you say to someone who was interested in seeing God do this through their life?

The story of where Jesus heals the blind man but needs to pray for him twice is found here.  is found Here

Tim’s spiritual gifts class starts on Wed Sept 16th at 7:00pm at the Vineyard Church in Crystal lake. Tim will do an entire lesson o praying for healing.

Here is a old sermon from Tim where he talks about healing althouugh this message was not about Spiritual gifts. https://vineyardcl.net/sermon/servant-and-slave-healing/

Stories from the Mission field: Counting the Cost

In this episode Stories from the Mission field Counting the Cost we discuss the expectations and costs for going on the mission field. What expectations should someone have before heading to the mission field. And then of course are the costs to having an experience on the mission field.

Three categories

We break down the costs into three different categories each with their own unique variables. These three different costs have to be considered as a whole not missing the connections between them.

Financial, there will of course be a financial cost to missions. But God pays for what He orders, do you have the faith to wait on the Lord for the money to come through. Then we also discuss is this the best way to use our money, would it be better to just send the money to that country?

Physical/health, there is also a significant “cost” to your physical body and health. There can be a real issue of jet-leg. And of course there is a real risk of getting sick in country, serious things like Yellow Fever. Therefore, there are some additional vaccines that you will need and some are strongly suggested. Despite all of this there are still significant chances of getting sick.

Emotional, You are going to experience things that you have never seen or experienced before and they will shake you, and take an emotional toll on you. The poverty and the culture will have a strong emotional affect on you. Then there will also be the positive emotional toll, you will most likely fall in love with the people you with.  As a result, you will begin to share in their emotions.

It’s not all cost, there is a lot of Joy!

This will most likely be the most joy filled experienced you will ever have!

Reverse Culture Shock

We end our discussion by talking about returning home and how that might affect you coming home.

To here a message on Joy click here

To get more inspiration on missions watch this video Tim is in the video several times.

I Understand that I don’t Understand

In this episode I Understand that I don’t Understand we grieve with our black community and discuss with humility how to fight racism. However, we don’t claim to have any answers but we offer this with humility and grace. What we do know is that there continues to be a problem with systematic and systemic racism in our world.

Who are we speaking to?

Honestly we are speaking to ourselves and to any of our white brothers and sisters who would listen. We are not pointing fingers but taking responsibility for what we have failed to do and what we can now do. Then we discuss more tangible ways we can help.

First Steps toward understanding

First, we suggest that we need to openly admit that we just don’t get it, we don’t understand the black experience.

Then, in order to gain better understanding we need to listen better, much better.

And, we need to repent. Repent for remaining silent too long, repent for not standing in solidarity. Repent for losing sight of the kingdom of God.

Then for some action from understanding

First, we can no longer remain silent, we must learn to speak up with love and grace.

Then, we can’t be offended when others say things we don’t agree with or don’t comprehend.

It is critical that we hear the pain. The black community is expressing pain and we must listen and learn from that pain.

A great way to press into this is to develop deep relationships. It is hard to ignore racism when it is happening to your friends.

Finally, stay connected to Jesus. This is as much of a spiritual issue as anything. And Jesus has and is the answer!

For a message on the color of the Kingdom Click here

For information on racial diversity in the Vineyard click here

Stories from the Mission Field Pt 2

In this episode of Stories from the Mission Field Pt 2 Tim turns the tables on Alana and asks her to share about her time on the mission Field in Northern Ireland. We did this to show the differences in how people will experience missions. We will all receive different calls from God in regards to missions and we will have different experiences if we do go overseas.

Not Everyone’s call or experience is the same

Tim feels strongly called to missions in Africa and in particular Senegal and Mozambique. He makes regular trips there usually lasting for three weeks at a time. Whereas, Alana felt lead to go to Northern Ireland one time but for ten months. Alana shares about what that process of discerning if she should go looked like. And then also talks about the preparation process. Again, all of this to highlight how different the missions experience can be for different people. So, don’t look at one person’s missions call or experience and think you can’t do that.

There are many different ways

We end the episode by talking about the many different ways people can engage in missions without actually going overseas.  Missions is of course both across the street to our neighbors and around the world to people who have not heard about Jesus. Missions involvement can also be in support of those who do go overseas. Your call to mission might be as an intercessor praying for missionaries and missions trips.

Where is God Calling you? Get Your own Stories from the Mission Field

Consider taking a short term missions trip to see if God speaks to you through that experience. But be open to God doing something else or taking you in a different direction.

For more information on where Alana served click here
To hear sermon on missions click here

Stories from the mission field.

In this episode Alana ask Tim to share some stories from the mission field. Tim has traveled to Africa to do mission work now many times over the past several years. Over the course of those trips Tim has accumulated many stories.  Some he can share and some he can’t. The bulk of Tim’s mission work has been in Senegal and Mozambique, but there is one story in here from Malawi.

Our Commission, why we have stories from the mission field

In Matt 28:19 Jesus gave His disciples the command to go and make disciples of every nation. As believers today we still live under obligation to that same command.  And, what Joy it is to go make friends around the world.  Join us in this journey.

In the beginning

Time shares how he and the church first got involved in missions. Tim also shares how God first called him into mission and then confirmed that call many times and supernaturally provided for the missions work.  Without a clear call from God it’s hard to sustain any ministry work, especially in a culture and context far from your own.

It can get kind of crazy

On the mission field life can get kind of crazy. Some of Tim’s craziest stories involve getting sick and bodily functions, so we will spare you the details of those stories. But Tim does share some crazy stories of being stranded in the mouth of the Indian ocean for hours, a crazy travel story in  Malawi. Tim also shares his favorite healing stories from both Senegal and Mozambique.

How to get started

At the end Tim shares some practical ways for anyone to begin to discern where or how they might be called to missions.

Here is a recent message Tim gave on missions

To read a seven part blog series Tim wrote on getting involved in missions click here

A discussion on walking in the tension of the Kingdom. This is the online version of Taco Tue with Tim. Because we can’t meet for tacos at our favorite taco shop, we took our discussion online. So you’re welcome to grab your own tacos and join us for this discussion.

Why the topic of walking in the tension?

Because we live in a time with lots of uncertainty, lots of competing ideas and solutions, where should one land on these issues? This idea of walking in the tension of the Kingdom helps us walk with less stress, anxiety and worry during these times. So it starts as we seek to walk in tension of the Kingdom of God.  Then, we will find that carries over to help us walk in the tensions of our day. And we could all use less stress and worry right now.

Here are some of  the questions we explore in this discussion

What does “walking in the tension” mean? We start by developing a theology for this.

How does this idea of walking in the tension carry over to everyday life?

How does walking in the tension affect the way we worship?

What are some simple things I can do to learn to walk in the tension?

What this doesn’t mean

Walking in the tension doesn’t mean we don’t care about the matter, or lack the confidence to make a decision. It also doesn’t mean there are things that are and can be certain. Rather, it means that in areas where there are equally valid perspectives or certainty laced with the incompleteness we can hold these in tension before the Lord.

Scripture reference can be found here Proverbs 3:5-6

More from Tim on the Kingdom of God

Join us next week as continue to explore more similar topics.

A discussion on Worship and the effects of COVID-19, the online version of Taco Tue with Tim. Because we can’t meet for tacos at our favorite taco shop we took our discussion online. So you’re welcome to grab your own tacos and join us for this discussion.

Why talk about it from the perspective of the effects of COVID-19

Our initial intention was for this to be a discussion purely on the topic of worship, but we had to approach it from the perspective of worship and the effects of COVID-19 since COVID-19 is affecting every area of our life. However, the basic principles of worship we discuss are relevant to any season in life we might face. We work our way through a series of questions and about worship, how we define worship, what is heart level sacrificial worship, what negatively affects worship, how God might be redirecting our focus, and we end with practical ways to press into worship in light of the effects of COVID-19 and its related circumstances.

Here are some of the questions we explore in this discussion.

What does worship mean? How would you define worship?

What does sacrificial worship mean and what does sacrificial worship look like?

What do you think is drawing our attention away from God and why?

How do you think our attention/focus is affecting us and how is that affecting worship?

People have said that 2020 is a year of vision. Do you think that God is bringing our focus and our vision back on Him, and if so in what ways?

How do we re-center our focus and attention on Christ and worship? What are some practical things we can do.

What’s Next?

Next week we will come back and pick up on a few of the themes we introduce here and go a little deeper into those issues and how they affect worship.

For more on worship check this out.

Scripture related to this podcast can be found in Philippians 2:3-4.