By Jonathan Allen, Thursday 19th March 2020 at 11.42 am Over recent years, as Daniel Juster, the Senior Apostle of the Tikkun America network has been travelling the length and breadth of America, visiting the now twenty-five congregations in the network, a frequent subject for his talks has been the 12 Pillars. Why pillars? The…
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By Jonathan Allen, Wednesday 31st December 2019 at 4:35 am After all, we had to get up early, organise the children, stuff in as much breakfast as time allowed and then rush of to congregation. After the service we chat to a few folk, then head back to the care and home. That’s over for…
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By Jonathan Allen, Wednesday 6th November 2019 at 9:25 am Following trips abroad – to the Far East, China, the Philippines – Francis Chan comments on the difference between ‘church’ in the USA and ‘church’ in those countries. In a chapter titled, Unleashed, he asks where there seems to be such a difference between what…
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By Jonathan Allen, Friday 25th October 2019 at 11:40 am We all know what apples look like when they are nicely ripe and have just been picked. They have a slightly glossy sheen and seen to glow with health. That’s why the boxes of apples in the store look so good and why the store-keepers…
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By Jonathan Allen, Sunday 17th October 2019 at 05:56 am Spurred on by our last blog post from the Francis Chan conversation, I have been debating with a number of sources what growth really means and whether we really want it. The conclusion really seems to boil down to the inevitable Jewish response: yes and…
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By Jonathan Allen, Sunday 29th September 2019 at 12:06 pm Most people who have been around Tikkun for any length of time know that one of our key texts is this masterpiece of Paul, written to the Ephesians: And He [that is, Messiah] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to…
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By Jonathan Allen, Tuesday 17th September 2019 at 11:30am Francis Chan moves on to talk about the expectations that are placed on leaders that constrain their activities away from their real calling as the spiritual leaders of the congregations. Whilst many started ministry with hearts focused on God and a strong desire to serve Him…
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By Jonathan Allen, Thursday 29th August 2019 at 1:30pm Francis Chan is very clear about the role of leaders: not to coddle, but to equip. He cites one of Tikkun’s key-note passages, Ephesians 4:11-12, and emphasises just how gifted all of God’s children are and can be. Chan sees leaders being strategically called and placed…
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By Jonathan Allen, Wednesday 24th July 2019 at 10:28am Why do we gather together? Is it for worship, for prayer, for teaching, or for communion? Francis Chan is concerned that, in many cases, the answer might just be, for entertainment. This simply won’t do, Chan says, because “God desires His people to experience Him.” Chan…
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By Jonathan Allen, Wednesday 24th July 2019 at 9:42am One of our objectives as a family of charismatic Messianic Jewish congregations is that every one of our people should experience the power and presence of God. Not, perhaps, for every person at every service, but on a consistent basis. It is the experience of God…
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