A Potted History

I have just been listening to my wife be interviewed for a radio programme. Listening to a quick recap of our lives, meeting in Edinburgh, running a kids club in our church which had about 60 kids coming along to it. It was a terrific training ground for how to develop and team, and how to work out how to explain the amazing news of the Bible and Jesus to kids on the Royal Mile.

From there we felt that God wanted us to serve alongside a Mexican pioneer working with street kids in Mexico City. Through that we would visit groups of children on the streets, and then helped to remodel and equip a drop in centre for street youth in the city, leaving behind an incredible team that are still serving.


Of course, the door closed to our time there and we moved back to help the church we had served in Edinburgh to start a new church in a village in the outskirts called Wallyford. How we love this place. We serve a small community with a BIG heart through the Livingroom Church. The Agnews, a potted history. Great interview.

But of course, it is our privilege this summer to revisit our friends in Mexico. Will you follow us and pray for us? We can't wait to give you updates on the work there.

A good team

I am blessed to have been in and continue to be part of some amazing teams. I learned the importance of a strong team when I worked with a children's outreach at Carrubbers Christian Centre when I was part of a team that I eventually went on to co-lead with my wife. We invested into that team, spending training times together, encouraging team members to develop and grow, and even venturing on a weekend away each year to pray, chat through ideas and changes and just hang out.

When my wife and I went to Mexico with One Mission Society, we were part of a superb team that worked in many different areas to tell people about Jesus. We were part of a Street Kid team, there were others part of an English Teaching team, others in a School team, a Bible College team and Church teams. We began to refine our team work and leading more in another culture.

Then we came back to be part of a Church planting team for what has become Wallyford Livingroom Church. A small team began the work, and is still led by a team of elders. I have always loved this team, and we have learned to work so well together. There is incredible wisdom and care in this team.

The team I love the most is of course 'team Agnew,' and the woman that I married nearly 17 years ago. She is hard working, dedicated, and constantly looking for innovation and clarity. We work to teach our kids to follow Jesus in this team.

We can't work without our teams. It is so good to be part of a good team at that. We are so looking forward to being part of the MEFI team again this summer, the UNIFAM La Loma team, and the OMS Mexico team. 2 months to go!

Living in the light of the Resurrection

What a busy weekend! Apart from the normal setting up for a Church service in a building that doesn't belong to you (but you are grateful to use) and celebrating as a church together, we had a church lunch after the service to have time to hang out together for longer. Due to the rehearsals for the Resurrection 2017 concert in Edinburgh, it was a dash off to that for 2pm. Here was my view for the rest of the day.

A collection of musicians and singers from all across Edinburgh and outside Edinburgh too, from many local churches, getting ready for a huge praise event in the Usher Hall in Edinburgh at 7.30pm. With a few breaks we were singing from 2 until about 10pm about our amazing Lord Jesus.
"Christ is risen!"
"He is risen indeed!"

Now that Easter is over, we as Christians live in the light of the Resurrection. Jesus' resurrection is so important. At church that morning we were reading from Luke 24 where Jesus asked His followers to examine His hands to see that He was real. Then He ate some fish. Luke wants us to be sure that we know that this was no ghost. Why? Because Jesus had risen not just as 'spirit' but bodily, proves that God has reversed the curse of death that came from sin. Because Jesus has risen, we know that we will rise again too. This world, with its threat of nuclear war in North Korea, with the uncertainty of elections now in the UK, is not our hope or disappointment. Our hope is to rise again and be delivered from death and sin and sickness. Our hope is to be with the Saviour who loves us.

 So, although I didn't get to spend time with my family on Easter Sunday, I got to spend time with an amazing band, with a committed choir, a terrific orchestra, and other singers who are simply outstanding soloists. Singing for hours about the Saviour who loves us.

This week, I get to live in the light of the knowledge that I serve a Saviour who has won the battle against sin and it's effects on me. I am part of His family. I am forgiven. I am cleansed. I am free. Worth singing about, for hours.

Holy Week

It's nearly the end of Holy week, and it is always so rewarding to think through the time line of the the last week of Christ's ministry before the Crucifixion. There are so many useful little e-mail helps that you can sign up for during the season, and as a church we decided to have a Communion service on the Thursday evening, when the Christian church remembers the Last Supper Passover meal, and then we also had a time to reflect on Good Friday, and the events, from the trials, to the flogging, to the carrying of the Cross, to the Crucifixion, and the events which happened around it, to the burial of Jesus' body in the tomb.

Now it is Saturday, and it is a day of waiting. Waiting for Resurrection Sunday, and the hope that we have because Jesus rose again. A funny day Saturday. Tomorrow will be a busy day, we have our church service in the morning of course, but then it is off to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh to rehearse for a concert called Resurrection 2017. It is a yearly celebration run by Origin Scotland, and a time when Christians from across the city and the Lothians join together to celebrate the day. There will be some incredible music, and it always feels a little like heaven.

Saturday. They day before the Resurrection. The greatest days of history that we get to remember every year. God bless you this Holy Week.

Missionary Friends

There are few things as wonderful as meeting with missionary friends. There is always a deep chat with people that know what you have been through, the challenges of living in a foreign culture, the pressures of family life balance with ministry demands, and working within an organisation which may have its own ways of doing things.

We had a wonderful day sharing experiences with these wonderful OMS missionaries, the Reid family, and it was a privilege and a pleasure to listen to and learn from them, especially with us planning our own visit this summer.

After Easter, we will be getting our dates down for ministry, working on injections, and keeping in touch with our friends on the field as the time for our visit approaches. We will of course be working with the street kid ministry, but we know that it will be an emotional time as we spend precious hours with people who we love, and we pray that our time there will be an encouragement. It certainly was today for us all. If you are an OMS supporter in Northern Ireland, you may recognise the location, just below where Castle Erin used to stand in Portrush. We had some memorable OMS conferences there.

Praying

I've been using a new book to help me follow Jesus, a book called 'Habits of Grace' by David Mathis. It reads like a seasoned classic, like something that might have been written long ago by a 'great' of the Christian faith, but without the difficult language. Even so, the chapters are deep and deserve quiet thought.

Last night the author reminded me that God initiates contact with us. He is the 'God of all grace' (1 Peter 5:10). In that part of the Bible, where there are worries and dangers and sufferings, there is a God of all grace who will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish the one who casts all their cares on Him.

In the great privilege of prayer, we don't just 'talk to God', we actually talk to a God who has been working around us and has communicated to us, and so is waiting for us to talk to Him. When we talk to Him, we unburden our thoughts and cares and difficulties on Him, trusting that He will 'restore, confirm, strengthen and establish' us.

As someone who follows Jesus living in the UK, my worries range from health issues to emotional cares, and my need for a 'God of all grace' is great because of my own propensity to try to manage everything myself. For Christians living in other countries, I am reminded by the news that their cares and dangers are more acute, often involving their lives, and 1 Peter 5 rightly mentions the persecutions of Christians throughout the world.

What a gift prayer is. It is a time to cast my anxieties on the One who loved me first, who has initiated contact, who is waiting for me to bow in prayer.

Following Jesus

At our prayer meeting on Tuesday night we reflected on the work that a church does to help other people to follow Jesus. There is so much that a church does. What a church can do is 'lead a horse to water.' Of course we know that it 'can't make it drink.'

A church can encourage people to open their Bibles and read to listen to God. It can encourage people to talk to God and rely on God. An amazing lady from our church is has undergone a life saving operation, and may need some more treatment. For us to walk with her, she has been an inspiration in depending on God, even in the face of a valley of the shadow of death. She has known the rod and staff of comfort of the Good Shepherd.

Through the disciplines of reading her Bible and prayer, she has intimacy with Jesus. She has a peace that is felt and deep. It's a peace that I pray as the pastor of a church that others would experience as they face their challenges and difficulties.

This Sunday in John 7 we will be looking at the dangers of relying on a tradition when it comes to follow Jesus. Robotic routines and cold religion are dangerous. The object of our affection deserves the efforts of our energies as we listen to Him and grow closer to Him. As said, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" What satisfaction there is to be found when we follow Jesus.

The COST of Missions

We are sorting out our clinical records! When you have moved a little when the kids were little, not only do you have 2 languages to wade through looking for translations of different injections that the older kids have had, never mind making sure that we have the dates for these, there are other little injections that have been thrown in cross culturally, things that are important in Mexico that kids in our country would never have needed to have been given.

So we went to a great place called Healthlink 360, where we went before as missionaries with OMS to see what we need. Great place btw. They had a look through what the kids have had, what we have had and in trying to save us some money, have sent us off to our own GP to get the ones we should be able to get on the NHS.

So our poor kids have to have injections that they wouldn't normally need, only that we are heading to a country where they could be at risk of some life threatening illnesses. We forgot about that part as we were praying about going. So, none today, but they are coming!!!!

The little talked about but large (in the eyes of children) COST of missions.

WHY Missions?

Christian missionaries head to their communities, and to other communities, even in other lands, to tell people the amazing story of God entering a world to save people. Even in that little phrase, there is a story of death, or impending judgement, but a rescue mission of love. At the heart of the 'telling' is the Son of God, Jesus. Without mentioning His name and His work, His words and His offer to humanity, there is no mission.

Who does Jesus think He is to be so important? We're studying John 6 at the moment in our church, and Jesus' words are striking. "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever." (verse 51) His claim isn't to be a guide, or a great moral teacher, but to be MUCH more than that. He offers life after death. To get that life, you need Jesus. 

Why is belief in Jesus so important? Again, the words of Jesus, in verse 40. "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in Him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." Missions happen because people need to know about and follow Jesus. To believe in Jesus is learn from Him, believe what He says is true, and do what He says. Then they will have a life with Him after death.

Where else can you go? Following Jesus is hard. People can think you mad for living your life according to a man who lived so long ago, but if Jesus is who He claims to be, God the Son, then that changes everything. When God enters our world to save people, we need to listen to find out why we are in danger and what needs to be done, how we can escape the danger. That's when Missions happen. That's why Jesus is central to Missions. He is the bread of missions. 

The Body of OMS

We learned about One Mission Society while we first visited Mexico in 2001, having been married for only 6 months as we went to visit some missionaries who worked there. The processes started for OMS to partner with and then to oversee the work with street kids there, now called MEFI.

It was wonderful to have a day on Saturday to meet with other OMS supporters and workers to think about the whole work of the Mission from a UK perspective. There are people who represent OMS as trustees, helping the organisation comply with the laws of the land. There are the staff who work to represent the Mission to churches, and care for missionaries. There are volunteers to meet to do practical work, there is MFM, prayer groups, supporters and of course the missionaries themselves.

So often we forget the people who work in our behalf. People who don't always get the thanks that they deserve, people who enjoy anonymity.  One of the best things about the OMS gathering on Saturday was being with people who prayed for us and supported us while we were in Mexico, people we had lost contact with.

1 Corinthians 12 talks about how the work we do in church and missions is like a body. Many different elements of the body that do their part and work together. It really felt like that on Saturday with OMS.

Just a 'proud dad' moment to share, we brought along our 2 youngest to the day. Loaded with books and pencils and iPads, we were ready to keep them occupied. Oscar, born in Mexico of course, was really captivated by the day. He wants to be a missionary one day with OMS. Could there be any more encouragement from a day like that but that a young boy would feel like a part of the body, and want to help too?

Tired of conflict...

Conflicts. Feels like everyone in our country is fighting at the moment. As a Northern Irishman, there was plenty of fighting in our country, something which seems to have simmered away all this time. Here in Scotland, the fighting over control continues as our policitians seek a new Independence Referendum, never mind living in the Brexit reality. I'm tired of conflict, and yet people are only getting warmed up here in the UK.

Then there is my community, where historical conflict continues after Miners' strikes. Where neighbours fight, parents fight against our school, our community fights against vandals, and we have a police report giving us the numbers of reported incidents in our community. Will things get any better?

Then I turn to a passage in John chapter 6 which I'm preaching on this Sunday. Here is again another conflict. 2 agendas clashing. The people's agenda to get what they can from Jesus, and force Him to be their King against the Roman occupants of the country; against God's agenda to break into their selfish proud world, get their attention and help them to see that He is at work, and can give them life. The people think life is about their comfort, God knows that this world can never give them the comfort they crave. God wants to give them a life that this world cannot match.

2 agendas, but a very uneven conflict. We will only have peace when we submit to God's agenda. We will only have life when we stop depending on the comforts of this one; politicians, to flags, to economic trade relations. Meaning and hope find their fulfilment in Jesus. There's the only comforting truth.

What can you do in 100 days?

What can you do in 100 days? Apparently it is a good time to get fit, or analyse a presidency according to Google. My wonderful wife has just told me that one of our most amazing friends, a missionary to Mexico called Margaret Neff, and an OMS stalwart, has posted in Facebook that in 100 days we will be arriving there. That's quite sobering. 100 days. It's not a long period of time really. That reminds me, we still need to check out what injections we need to get or refresh...

Over the last week we have been contacted by some friends in Mexico who haven't known about our plans to visit, and it has been wonderful to let them know that we can see them soon. Above all, we are so excited to be able to serve with the MEFI team.

In the meantime, we have the OMS Scotland conference this Saturday and a little presentation about being able to re-visit a work that we support and pray for. Maybe we'll see you there. 100 days...and counting...

Learning a language with children

Like all kids, our kids love to play games...(and love to win of course), and as we travel, we have been looking at games that they will be able to play while we are away with other Mexican kids. This one has been perfect for learning not just colours, but parts of the face. "Do they have brown eyes?" This was a favourite of my own growing up, and it hasn't lost its magic. Still so much to help them to learn, but still time to keep up the enjoyment of speaking another language.

1 Thessalonians has such a terrific way of putting the desire to communicate the love of God. Chapter 2 verse 8 puts it like this, "So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us." READY. Paul and his team were ready to share, they had prepared well. They knew that the most important message they needed to share was the gospel, the amazing news about Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. They were ready to share, and they were so authentic with their love that it spilled over into normal day to day life, not just ministry time. I wonder if it might have allowed for playing a few games?

We'll be ready too...

OMS re-connection

We have served with this wonderful missions organisation in the past in Mexico, and it is our joy to be returning under its banner again this year to visit the OMS Mexico field and missionaries. OMS UK Scotland will be having a conference on 18th April in Kilsyth Community Church  to hear updates about the work of missions and how to be involved. As returning short term missionaries this time it is a joy to share about what it is like to leave a work but stay involved in prayer, and why we want to go back to visit the work again.

If you'd like to join us, click the link for OMS UK Scotland above for details.

This year's focus

As a church we are regaining the focus of discipleship. It's a dying art according to some (for example see Mark Dever of 9 Marks, Discipleship), and something that churches need to capture again. 

We've decided this year as a church that we will not stumble into Discipleship, but we must be INTENTIONAL about developing it. We want not just to turn up to any of our gatherings or wake up each day just stumbling into following Jesus, but striving to follow Him. Examining 2 Timothy 3:10, Paul has invited Timothy into his life to examine him, learn from him, watch him, and so Timothy knows that Paul is full of integrity. In helping Timothy to follow Jesus, Paul has been intentional about helping Timothy to follow Jesus. 

We've also decided that the reason for our intentionality in Discipleship must be to produce CONFIDENT Christians. Back to 2 Timothy 3:14-15,  Paul wants Timothy to be firm in his beliefs and wisdom. From church history we know that Timothy was a young pastor in a large collection of churches in Ephesus. Confident in a world where there is much scepticism towards Christianity, and confident to share their faith coherently. 

Lastly we want to produce USEFUL Christians. In 2 Timothy 3:16 we find Paul urging Timothy to go to the Bible and learn, grow and use, so that he would be equipped for every good work. As a church here outside Edinburgh, we want to encourage our folks to serve, develop their Spiritual gifts, and talents, and if they move away, or help to plant more churches, they will be useful when they go.

And for our own children? It needs to be the same. As we prepare for Mexico, our aim must not change. Intentional about preparing them, so that they would be confident in Jesus and useful when they are living their lives in our own community as well as in Mexico this summer. 

Ministry will not be the same again

Honestly, life is so different with these three. Carol and I started our full time missions experience as a couple, and went for a year's experience to work with Street Kids in Mexico. We felt called to return and came back to have our amazing eldest in Northern Ireland. Then we went out again as career missionaries to lead the street kid work. Then we had our middle child in Mexico. Life changed again with the additions of new ministries and cutting back others. We were called to leave the field and return to the UK to lead a church planting work and had our littlest one in Scotland. Outnumbered! New opportunities, new friends, new beginnings for ministry as a family. Our home and our work were intertwined, our children grew to love visitors and a family working close by. They have taught us so much about our own relationship to our Heavenly Father, and remind us to be humble, never mind to enjoy people. Taking them all to Mexico for the summer will show us the challenges of ministry as a family, so we are glad to have a number of months to work on language and ideas to serve together. Do pray with us as we expose our kids to our old life as well as the joys of overseas missions.

We were reminded recently from John 4:42 that Jesus is the Saviour of the World!!!! Looking forward to helping our little ones see that in action.

Visiting Mexico

We have been saving for a while and now that the kids are older, we have decided to ask for permission from MEFI and OMS Mexico to visit the work again this summer. If you used to pray for us and followed the work that we did, please let us know in the comments section below and we will be doing our best to do updates on the Street Kid ministry when we arrive at the end of June. 

By the time we arrive it will have been over 7 years since we were last there, and we know that many things will have changed and developed. We look forward to catching up with our friends and colleagues there as well as seeing how we can continue to be of help, albeit from a distance. 

May God bless you,

The Agnews

August

Well, it's been a bit of a blog fast and the reason is that the house move has happened as has a two week holiday. As you may have expected the move didn't go entirely smoothly. Carpets arrived in separate deliveries over 3 weeks which was quite annoying but the inconvenience was rewarded with free flooring for the bathroom and kitchen!!
So we're in and delighted to be feathering the nest :-) The kids have had a blast finding toys and bits and pieces that had been in storage. I think it is already obvious that Tabitha is appreciating this latest change. She was so excited to be 'home' after our 2 weeks away. As we drove through the village she excitedly exclaimed, "Our new house is still here!!"

Unfortunately our little house in N. Ireland is still on the market. Please continue to pray that someone will come along willing and able to make an offer. It would be such a relief to have it off our hands.

This week is an important one in Wallyford. The youth group leaders are running a 'mission week'. There are various activities for the kids and we are hoping that some of our P7 kids from the school SU group will go along and get involved.

Mums and toddlers has started back and we are hoping to make some new contacts in the village. We are also planning for the start of regular services. Please pray as we meet people to find out a little bit more about what they want and expect. Pray too that we will be able to find a suitable venue.

Winding down and up

This past couple of weeks Andrew has spent most of his time at our new house. We have been so blessed by people who have come along to help. It really feels like the end is in sight. This week is a big one. We're hoping the kitchen will be installed by Wednesday, that the carpets will go in by Friday and our stuff brought out of storage by Saturday. It's easy to say it in a sentence and yet there is a lot still to be done. Certain people have gone way beyond the extra mile to help us and that has been so overwhelming and amazingly encouraging. We are so excited at the prospect of unpacking boxes and settling into this new phase of life and ministry.




The team had a really interesting week. The weather was awful and so some of the planned activities didn't happen. The schools work was fun but the main focus was probably the drama production on the Thursday evening. Kids at school got flyers and just about every home in the village got a flyer through the door. The team prayed for 40 kids and put out the seats in faith with no idea how many would turn up. It was such an encouragement and faith boost when 41 kids and 6 adults turned up. We really feel like we need to think about planning more kids' work. Pray with us about this over the summer and please pray too for people who could come along and help.

SU has finished for the summer and the mums and tots group will finish on Tuesday for the month of July. The team will have some planning meetings as we look to the future.

The bible studies continue. Another guy who became a Christian at the Friday night youth club has started coming along. The questions that are being asked are so refreshing and it is good for the 'older' Christians to go back to the basics for a bit.

June...

After quite a break we have been back doing a few deputation meetings. Last weekend we were up in the north of Scotland. It is impossible to describe the encouragement we feel when people assure us of their prayers and we hear how people are following the blog. I was reminded that we haven't followed up on Tabitha's visit to the hospital. Thankfully she was given the all clear. She does have a murmur but the cardiologist was confidently happy that it shouldn't cause her any trouble. It is a relief and we are so appreciative of the medical care here...and that it is free!!

In terms of follow up of previouse posts I am also happy to report that we finally got our car back. It was a complete hassle at the time but it's over now which is great. The evangelism seminar was fun and hopefully is bearing some fruit for God's glory.

This past week Andrew flew over to NI to share in the missionary weekend at Moira Baptist Church. Another benefit of the trip was being able to spend the day with his mum!

Work in the house continues. The garden has been cleared, walls stripped of paper and holes filled, painting has been started, the kitchen has been cleared out among other bits and pieces. This week the plumber will fit the heating system etc. We have a date for new doors to be fitted, the carpets are ordered and we have a date for the commencement of work to get gas piped into the house. On one side of us there is a little family who have just welcomed their third child into the world last weekend. On the other side is an elderly widower. Last week we found out that his grandson who is now 18 was a regular at our kids' club in Edinburgh before we went to Mexico!!

This week we have a team from our church helping in Wallyford. The boys are staying the The Living Room (the centre we work from) and the girls are staying in the home of some friends nearby. Andrew will be staying with the guys. They will be doing some drama in the school, putting on a show for kids and parents, doing odd jobs for people in the village and hopefully helping the Agnews with a bit of cleaning in the house (getting grime out of the floorboards and off the windows). They will also participate in some of the regular weekly activites. We are so glad to have so much help this week with the school SU group. We are currently a team of three but for various reasons one of us has been off for the last 3 weeks which means that we have just had two of us each of those weeks. With 40 kids at lunch time that is quite a challenge! Next year we will hopefully be able to split the group and run 2 clubs each week. Please pray that this week with the team will have a positive impact in the village and continue to raise awareness of who we are and what we are doing.

We have decided to put a pause on the OAPS meetings on Wednesday mornings. The two main helpers are away for the month of June and with so much work needing done in the house Andrew doesnt have enough time to be able to commit to visitation for the event. Once we are in the house and summer is over we will relaunch.

Tabitha and Oscar are both doing well. Tabitha will go to P1 in August. Effectively that means she is starting school. She is eager to start reading and while she has little time for colouring she loves to 'write'. She has also started 'piano lessons' with mummy. She loves to try and pick out a tune but is less keen to practice saying her finger numbers and other theory items (much like her mummy!). She has a great wee singing voice and an amazing memory for lyrics.

Oscar's main loves continue to be football and anything technological - ipods, computers, phones, cameras, video games and the like. He has quite a sense of humour and loves a good laugh.

Both kids are pretty strong willed and know what they want (no comment about where they might have got that from!) which is an ongoing challenge. We appreciate your prayers as we seek to wisely train those little wills to be conformed to Christ's image :-)