Sense & Sexuality: One Sunday Left

This coming Sunday (28 July) will be the last in our current 'Sense and Sexuality' series. I have been so encouraged by the feedback of lives changed and the impact it seems that this series has had.

As well as our Sunday meetings, it was brilliant to see over 40 guys last Saturday morning at the Men's Seminar and, the previous weekend, 45 married couples crowded into the cafe for the evening about 'Sex and Marriage'.

Last Sunday I preached about 'Loving the LGBT community'. If you have not yet heard the message you can download it from here:

http://www.tkc.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=111695&file_id=121818




During that message I regularly quoted from a helpful little book written by a guy called Sam Allberry called 'Is God Anti-Gay?'.  Sam is an evangelical vicar who has same-sex attraction and has written this excellent resource.






Another book I mentioned was 'Washed and Waiting' by an American called Wesley Hill. Again I found this to be a really helpful insight and if you want to read further then this would be a good book to get.

This coming Sunday (28 July) is the final message in this 'Sense and Sexuality' series. I am excited to be concluding these messages with a big focus on Jesus and the cross, please do join us at The King's Centre at 10.30am if you can. 

Also, a quick reminder, please remember that we have a women's seminar this Sunday evening that will be really worth while attending - 7.30pm at The King's Centre, Burgess Hill.  

Sense and Sexuality: The Meaning of Marriage

Last Sunday was Part 3 of our 'Sense and Sexuality' series at The King's Church Mid-Sussex.  If you were not around you can download the message - 'A High View of Marriage' - from here:

http://www.tkc.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=111055&file_id=121172

During the message I read from Tim and Kathy Keller's magnficent book 'The Meaning of Marriage'. This is, by far, the best book on marriage I have read. I can't recommend it highly enough whether you are married or single.

I guess many of you will be anticipating a break during the summer and are thinking through what you could read. Let me encourage you to read this. Here is the link to the book on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Meaning-Marriage-Complexities-Commitment/dp/1444702157/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373481140&sr=8-1&keywords=meaning+of+marriage

Sense & Sexuality: signposting us to a bigger picture

It has been so good to hear some of the feedback from our current 'Sense and Sexuality' series. Many people are saying that they have never heard this stuff talked about in church, others are getting fresh revelation from God, still others are enjoying freedom from some wrong ideas or past experiences. 

If you have not had chance to hear last week's message you can download it here:

http://www.tkc.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=110755&file_id=120851 

As you can probably imagine, I have been doing a lot of reading for this current teaching series. In one of the books I read I came across this quote from TIME magazine.

‘Of all the splendidly ridiculous, transcendently fulfilling things humans do, it is sex … that most confounds understanding. What in the world are we doing?  Why in the world are we so consumed by it?  The impulse to procreate may lie at the heart of sex, but … bursting from our sexual centre is a whole spangle of other things – art, song, romance, obsession, rapture, sorrow, companionship, love, even violence and criminality – all playing an enormous role in everything from our physical health to our emotional health to our politics, our communities, our very life spans.

Why should this be so?  Did nature simply overload us in the mating department…?  Or is there something smarter and subtler at work, some large interplay among sexuality, life and what it means to be human?

Time Magazine, Jan 19 2004

Why in the world is our culture so consumed by sex? Is there something smarter and subtler at work regarding what it means to be human? 

This link between what it means to be human, our sexuality and there being something smarter and subtler at work is exactly the message of the Bible. We are created by a loving God to reflect his image. Our sexuality is given as a gift by God - he, contrary to popular opinion, is for sex not against it. Yet because it is so good, and because of the nature of this gift, it needs to be cared for within the faithful covenant of marriage.

However, our sexuality, expressed within marriage is meant to signpost us to something else; something beyond us, something eternal, something glorious.

What is it pointing us to? Come along to TKC this Sunday to find out more - 10.30am at the King's Centre, Burgess Hill. 

Sense & Sexuality: Walking in the light

So we are underway!  Last Sunday we launched our new teaching series 'Sense and Sexuality' and I preached about the Bible's high view on sex. If you were not around on Sunday you can download the message here:

http://www.tkc.org.uk/Media/Player.aspx?media_id=110382&file_id=120471

During the message I talked about how we can be shaped by our culture and/or upbringing and how our view of sex and sexuality can be influenced by things we see, hear and experience.

None of us are immune from this and, through advancements in online technology, access to sexually explicit material is now easier to get hold of than ever before. Every second 30,000 people are watching porn online.

And the statistics suggest that Christians are not immune from this temptation and, as it can lead, from this addiction. I think it's time we lifted the lid on this conversation, brought some stuff into the light and prayed for the power of God  to come and help us live a life which is free. There have been times in my life where I have struggled with the temptation of looking at stuff online and I want to help men find freedom from this.

So I am hosting a seminar for men on Saturday 20th July from 9.00am-10.30am at The King's Centre where I am going to do some teaching on this subject, hear some stories from guys who have found freedom, give some practical tools for how we can protect ourselves and be accountable and find time to pray for one another. Let me encourage you to come along so we can live in the light, please email me at jim.partridge@tkc.org.uk if you can come.

However, this is not a bloke only issue. The number of women becoming addicted to online porn is rising all the time and the phenomenal success of "50 shades of grey" highlights a growing trend in our culture. So we are also doing a seminar for women where similar themes are covered. This will be on Sunday 21st July from 7.30pm-9.00pm at The King's Centre. If you have questions about this please email info@tkc.org.uk.

I am praying that this teaching series will bring real freedom, but this will happen more fully as we bring things into the light.

Also, let me remind you married couples out there of the marriage seminar on Sunday 14th July, 7.30pm at The King's Centre. If you have not yet let us know you are coming please do so ASAP!

Married? Let's talk about Sex!

In a couple of weeks time we are starting a new teaching series at our Sunday meetings at The King's Church Mid-Sussex.

'Sense and Sexuality' starts on Sunday 23 June and over six weeks we will be looking at what the Bible says about identity, sexuality, relationships, singleness, marriage and much much more.

However, we also want to do some teaching outside of the Sunday morning context in order to develop and add to what is taught. So, in addition to the Sunday mornings, we are planning a number of specific 'seminar' style events for people to opt in to. I will be explaining more about the different options available via this blog so keep checking in but the first one I want to highlight is an evening for married couples.

Married? Let's talk about Sex. 

On Sunday 14 July Dominique and I will be hosting an evening for married couples where we will have a very frank, honest, fun and informal conversation about sex and marriage. With input from ourselves, Carl and Caren Jones and Brian and Kay Reynolds, we are wanting to talk about how we can maintain and develop healthy sex lives within our marriages that honour one another and glorify God.  

The brilliant American author John Ortberg writes that "Sex, in light of Jesus' teaching, always involves God, because God is the creator of humans. Therefore God is inevitably deeply concerned that sex be expressed, enjoyed, savoured, and relished in accordance with his design."

Sexual intimacy within marriage is designed by God to be enjoyed, savoured and relished and the Bible says a lot about how this is to happen. However, the reality is we rarely talk about these things within the context of church and, for some married couples, this subject can become a source of conflict rather than celebration yet people often feel unable to talk about it and receive input and support. 

Sex has become taboo. We think it's time to lift the lid on the conversation. 

So we are going to talk about subjects such as the difference between men and women when it comes to sex and intimacy, we'll talk about communication and how married couples can talk together honestly about sex, we'll talk about how to keep romance alive and kicking within marriage. There may even be time for some Q&A.

If you are married and want to come along, then the evening will start at 7.30pm and will run at The King's Centre, Burgess Hill.  It would be helpful to know if you are planning to come so please email me at jim.partridge@tkc.org.uk to let me know.

More information about the other seminars will be coming out soon.

Courage on Father's Day

I had a great chat with Major-General Tim Cross this afternoon and I am really looking forward to his visit with us in a couple of weeks on Father's Day.

Tim will be speaking on the subject of courage and as he has served in some of the harshest situations and most difficult conflicts in recent history, he is well positioned to speak on such a subject.

Can I encourage you to consider inviting people to come to church on Father's Day and hear Tim speak?. He has an amazing story and speaks with great authority and integrity. And he is really passionate about following Jesus. It's a great opportunity to introduce someone to our church.

Sunday 16 June, 10.30am at The King's Centre, Burgess Hill. 

Plus, as it's Father's Day, there may even be a Yorkie Bar in it for the blokes!  What more reason do you need to come to church?!

Sundays in June

We have some exciting Sunday's coming up in June.  

Obviously, we value every opportunity to gather on a Sunday and to worship Jesus together. I have been so encouraged recently by the hunger, expectation and engagement in worship; it really feels like God is doing something new amongst us. However, in addition to this there are some other great reasons not to miss our Sunday meetings over the next few weeks.

Sunday 02 June - John Hosier

We are delighted that John Hosier will be preaching at TKC this coming Sunday. John was, for many years, an Elder at CCK, Brighton but is now on the Eldership team at Citygate Church, Bournemouth.

He is widely respected as a Bible teacher and he will be continuing our series from Galatians. He has also authored a number of books including 'Christ's Radiant Church'.

Sunday 09 June - Baptism Celebration

There is nothing more exciting than hearing people's stories of how Jesus has changed their lives.

On Sunday 9 June we are going to celebrate with another three people as they get baptised. It will be another  opportunity to celebrate, thank God and remember that the gospel is still changing lives today. 

Kieran Dunne will be preaching and it will be a great Sunday to invite people to try out church.

Sunday 16 June - Father's Day with Major-General Tim Cross

It is wonderful to welcome back our friend Tim Cross. Tim had a long and distinguised career in the British Military including a very senior role in command of the British Forces in Iraq.

He also follows Jesus and we are so glad he's coming back to TKC to preach. We are also planning some other elements for Father's Day, so this will be another excellent opportunity to invite people to church. 



I hope that you can make these Sundays. Also remember that on Sunday 23 June we start our new 'Sense and Sexuality' series; I will be blogging more about that soon.