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How can we support our young people in building their faith? In Proverbs 22:6 it says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (The word ‘children’ in this verse from the original translation actually means young person.) Let’s take a look at one those foundational tools that we can teach our young people; a tool that Jesus modelled to us really well — asking questions.

The Youthscape’s research team recently did a study on 16-19 year olds called ‘No questions asked’. They gathered a range of young people, some with faith and some without. The aim of the study was to discover what questions young people had about God and faith. They discovered that young people showed a severe lack of questions and curiosity about faith due to five main reasons. One of the reasons given was that young people saw questions as disrespectful.

Here is an extract from the article (you can read a summary of the published article here):

We were surprised to find a lack of questioning among some of the religious young people in our sample. For some of the religious young people, this was due to what they perceived as active discouragement from the religious communities they are part of, or for fear of what would happen if they aired their questions publicly. Take the following example from Ammir’s interview.

Interviewer: Are you comfortable talking about any of those things that you don’t have answers for at the moment?
Ammir: Not really.
Interviewer: Okay, yeah.
Ammir: Yeah, not even to my parents. I wouldn’t–You know, it’s just something for me to–
Interviewer: So, it’s just some internal wrestlings there?
Ammir: Yeah, I wouldn’t really talk about it publicly or even privately, it’s just something for me to figure out, something for me to, you know, accomplish later.
Interviewer: Yeah, and do you ever talk to God about those things?
Ammir: Not really, again.

So, what does it look like to ask questions in a way that empowers young people?

Encourage young people to ask their own questions

If we want young people to grow in their faith, we need to actively encourage them to be asking their own questions and not be keeping them hidden to figure out later on, as Ammir pointed out in the extract above. Questions and curiosity are a vital part of growth both in young Christians and all of us!Learning to turn to God and the Bible for answers is how we grow. Jesus loved asking questions. Some of those questions were — Who do you think I am? Do you believe? Do you want to get well?

Model a lifestyle of asking questions in a real and vulnerable way

Parents, grandparents, mentors, youth leaders, whoever you are, modelling how to ask questions and find answers is so important. I remember once asking my dad a theological question and he answered me with “I don’t know, what do you think the Bible says?” I grew up watching my dad turn to the Bible for answers and express his own curiosity. His openness taught me to be the same.
When was the last time you openly shared the questions you have and your journey of finding answers? Where can you do this? Over the breakfast table with your family? When you’re hanging out with friends? If you’re helping out in Youth?

We need to be intentional to engage young people

We need to keep asking young people what their thoughts and questions are. In a culture that has taught them that questions are disrespectful, we need to display a culture that sees questions as good growth opportunities. Jesus asked questions, we should too. Let’s make sure that we do not become the fountain of knowledge for them, but that we keep pointing them to the Bible and God — the true fountain of knowledge. It’s also ok for us and for young people to not always know the answers. Tim Keller says, “a faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it.” Let that sink in! It’s healthy to wrestle with doubts and uncertainty when we ask questions.

If we want to make a difference in the lives of the young people around us, let’s start by asking questions. Simple, yet deeply impactful.

Much love,

Lauren Wilthew and the eFocus Team

What would it look like for our whole church to decide to ‘fully consecrate’ ourselves to God? What would that consecration look like, what would the fruit of this consecration be?

Consecration is a word of discipleship: devoting ourselves to God in response to the grace He has freely given to us. Take a look at this video to find out about what we feel God has been calling us to:

The journey of discipleship under Jesus is a lifelong journey of growth. At King’s Arms we love to use the word ‘extraordinary’ to describe this kind of this discipleship — especially in regards to our prayers and devotion to God. We take what was ordinary, add something extra, and we have something extraordinary.

extra + ordinary = extraordinary

It is about growth and it’s possible for every single one of us no matter where we’re starting, and it’s an invitation to all in our community.

What does it look like to devote yourself? In Acts 2:42 the early church was just beginning and “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”

We can use this verse to show us what it means to be devoted,

We read the scriptures (‘apostles’ teaching’)
We come together as a community (‘fellowship’)
We partake in Communion (‘breaking of bread’)
We pray (‘…and to prayer’)

With this in mind, we are inviting our church family to go on this journey with us in 2024!

We created a resource to help us with this, our new Devoted booklet. This contains:

365-days Bible Reading Plan (Psalms and New Testament)

The New Testament readings will track with this YouVersion reading plan made by the Bible Project, meaning you can access the readings on your device through the YouVersion app too — and there are excellent videos to accompany this plan.

We love the idea that on any given day you could pray the Psalm reading knowing that many others in our community are using the same scriptures as a basis for their prayers as well. Our Daily Devotion emails will also link with our reading plan which can aid you as you walk through the year.

Tools on how to Pray / Fast / Read the word

You’ll find multiple ideas and resources on how to pray, ideas on how to fast (watch out for more information on this — including starting January with 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting!) and a useful model for reading the Bible.

Make it personal and journal daily

We also have a Devoted Journal edition available (£5) which includes space to write your own notes as you work through the Bible readings. We know that for many, journaling is a means to listen to God and keep a record of His words to us.

Want to find out more?

If you want more information about the booklets, journals and other resources, go to kingsarms.org/devoted.

I often find that I make better decisions when I have time to think about them in advance, and get the chance to prepare and make adjustments ahead of time to enable me to live the devoted life I actually want to live! Come, join us!

Much love,

Katy Ryland and the eFocus Team

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will He do, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

God is on the move amongst us and we are witnessing an increase in healings during our gatherings. We recently launched our Healing Room which takes place on the first Sunday morning of each month at King’s House, and we’re hearing testimonies of people being healed or noticing improvements in their conditions. Previous prophetic words over us have declared that we would be a ‘house of miracles’. We want to be a church that continues to push for more breakthroughs and the miraculous.

Let’s hear from Claire and Gill, who are a part of our Healing Room Team, as they encourage us to keep believing for more than we have seen, and why we are called to go after Signs and Wonders:

Signs and Wonders point people to Jesus

In the early church, signs and wonders were a completely normal part of life. When Philip proclaimed Christ in Samaria, “They paid attention to what he said with one accord when they heard and saw the signs that he did. Unclean spirits came out with a loud voice and many who were paralysed, or lame were healed.” Acts 8:6-7

Paul said that his ministry was a combination of both message and miracles. Miracles were central to his gospel ministry. He said, “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and my speech and my message were not in plausible words or wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:3-5

Signs and Wonders demonstrate His kingdom

Jesus told His disciples to proclaim and demonstrate His Kingdom wherever they went and this is still His commission for every believer today. He chooses to move through you and I as we walk in intimacy with Him.

Like Paul, we have been empowered to carry His miracle-working power with us into every environment and situation; not in our strength but because of His grace.

Signs and Wonders should be expected!

When we speak the name of Jesus we can expect signs and wonders to follow. In a coffee shop in our town, I (Claire) have seen God powerfully move when we’ve laid hands on the sick or invited His peace. I’ve seen how a sign and a wonder has opened a door for us to introduce someone to Jesus.

Signs and wonders are what we are made for; it’s the natural overflow and outcome of spending time with Jesus. As He fills us with His presence and power, we impact everyone that we come into contact with, making room for God to work.

Signs and Wonders are always available

When we allow faith and expectation to overshadow our doubt and cynicism, we suddenly can’t help but become aware that the Father is always working in our everyday lives (yes!) and in the people around us.

God is more passionate and eager to reveal Himself to people than we realise. He cannot help Himself! The question isn’t whether He will show up, but rather whether we are looking, listening and perceiving Him at work. I (Claire) have often found that when I’m in conversations with people, I start to sense the Holy Spirit’s presence, and sure enough the person I am speaking to shares how they are having a significant encounter with something supernatural; something they would never forget.

Signs and Wonders take us on amazing adventures!

Whilst interceding and worshipping on my (Gill’s) dog walks, I have sometimes found feathers and smelt a sweet fragrance. A patient told me (Gill) of an experience where a dove flew through their window and circled them, filling the room with peace! At work, we also had an abnormal ECG totally normalise on repeating it, which is impossible in the natural.

My (Gill’s) husband, Steve, once had a dream where he so clearly remembers sharing the Gospel with a Muslim lady, the same description of a woman I had prayed with for healing in A&E the evening before.

Our loving Father is so wonderful in leaving signs everywhere for us to delight in.

Let’s embark on this adventure of asking for more signs and wonders as we share His love and goodness with those around us.

Much love,
Claire Coggan, Gill Cronau and the eFocus Team

As schools and universities begin a new term, our prayer focus this month is on the Next Generation. In Matthew 19:14 Jesus says: “Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Jesus has a value for the young; despite the fact that they’re still learning, He isn’t fixated on what they’re getting right but simply on being close to them. Have you ever seen a child “trust in the Lord with all [their] heart, lean not on [their] own understanding”’ (Proverbs 3:5)? Somehow children have the capacity for faith in God beyond what many of us ‘more mature’ adults can muster. Children can reveal to us what it looks like to innocently trust a Good Father and to trust that He will do what He said He would do (Any parents accidentally told their children they can have an ice cream later? They remember!)

Our children and young people are going through a process that we, as adults, have all been through: a process of discovery and learning, forming belief structures and character as they experience the world. However, today’s youth are having to do this in a time of great uncertainty around identity, truth and institutional trust. It is a good time for us to pray for the Next Generation!

What could it look like for each of us reading this email to take some this month to pray for our next generation? Let us give you some ideas! Maybe pick one or two and see if you can weave them into your daily prayer rhythms throughout September:

If there are children you know, perhaps in your family, find a scripture that you can pray over them as a promise this school year and incorporate it into your evening prayers each night
Think about the school or university that you live closest to. How could you incorporate praying for that institution in your prayer times? You could even take prayer walks around the area regularly.
Do you know any teachers? They need our prayers! Reach out to them to find out how to pray for them.
Choose one issue facing young people in this generation and pray about it. Sometimes it helps to be really specific so that we don’t get overwhelmed by the size of the issue!
Pray about the media as it affects the young. Pray for TV shows and social media. Pray for regulation and safety and for positive influence.
Pray for the King’s Kids and for our youth within the church, and for those who are just going off to university. Pray for a thriving faith for the young, for dreams in the night, for provision of their needs, and for whole families to come to faith through their witness.

CELEBRATE WITH US!

King’s Kids update from Jess Fordham: In King’s Kids we are always trying to find exciting ways to teach the next generation about God and His love for them. This summer, we invited children from within King’s Arms and the local community to join us for our Holiday Club. Each day we got to connect with the kids and spent time learning how Jesus is the ultimate Superhero! One of the children was astonished to find out that as followers of Jesus, the Holy Spirit actually lives in us. It was the perfect opportunity for them to hear about God’s heart and give them the tools to grow in their relationship with Him, all while having lots of fun!

Let’s entrust the Next Generation into our King’s arms.

Much love,
Katy Ryland & The eFocus Team