Healing in the Streets

A week ago at this time I was winding up a three-day conference put on
by a ministry called 'Healing in the Streets.' A ministry team from the
Causeway Coast Vineyard in Northern Ireland came to Edinburgh, Scot-
land, to conduct training for the program that emerged out of their
church. The team has done similar conferences throughout Britain, Ire-
land, Europe, and North America. The conference focuses on taking the
healing gifts of Jesus out of the church and to people outside the church
building. The conference was thus called 'The Church Has Left the Build-
ing.'

I really learned a lot at the conference and enjoyed it immensely. It was
also a special time of refreshment for me. I do have a special interest in
both physical and inner healing. I have been part of a team of people
from several churches in the area who started a 'Healing Room' ministry
three weeks ago. I was encouraged to attend this conference to get fur-
ther training in the ministry of healing from a slightly different, yet com-
plementary, perspective.

But I especially appreciated the seminars geared to church leaders for
equipping churches for ministry to the poor and needy of the commun-
ity. Thus the reason for calling the conference 'The Church Has Left the
Building.' I benefitted from seminars on 'Embracing the Value of Graci-
ous Hospitality,' 'Building an Outward Focused Church,' and 'Tackling
Poverty on Our Doorstep.' The conference stretched me and challenged
me to pray, think. and act outside the box. I am serious about reflecting
critically on the mission of the Church, and the conference contributed
greatly to my thinking about the Church's mission. It shaped me in ways
I probably will not realize for some time to come. I continue to mull over
what I saw, heard, and picked up at the conference.

Over and out for now. Blessings to you and yours,