A Look Forward

The holidays and the approaching new year frequently put me in reflective (and festive!) mood. So far my reflections have produced some things I am looking forward to in the New Year.

1) Spending more time readying and studying the Bible. It's life, brother! And I ain't lying!

2) Practicing a (hopefully!) more dynamic personal and corporate prayer life. Prayer = not just talking to God but seeing and experiencing what he is doing! Word!

3) Doing the things Jesus did, including and not limited to: making lots of new friends, healing sick people, hanging out with people on the street, and learning how to love without wanting something back. That last one is definitely the trippiest and those who don't think so don't know what I'm talking about! Ponder...

4) Seeing small communities develop within and outside of Fenway Church who will do many of the following things: befriend the homeless, give genoursly, worship Jesus, eat food, love one another, learn from each other, experience the Spirit, obey the Word, have fun, and grow in relationships.

In the end, I feel more and more sure that we are on the edge of Jesus showing up in a very real way through his Church here in Boston. When he does... the religious won't like it, the scholars won't understand it, the poor will love it, the blind will see it, the rich will struggle with it, the proud will scorn it, the humble will receive it, the lovers will live it, and the media won't ignore it.

With expectation and faith working in perserverance.

A Look Back

Three months ago, our community opened up the doors and started its first public Sunday service in the heart of the Fenway.

Highlights for me included:

1) Several reports of immediate healings

2) A write up by the Weekly Dig called "Barstool Churches"

3) A festive Thanksgiving dinner with 45+ attendees (the food was amazing!!!)

4) The diversity of individuals within our growing community

5) The very real presence of Jesus as we gather each week

And... a smashing good time at our Christmas party @ the club we meet in every Sunday!

Probably the most amazing part about what I do for job (besides the knowing the manifest presence of God), is getting know so many people from so many different walks of life and cultural, relgious backgrounds. Boston is truly a diverse and dynamic city, and I am glad our church increasingly reflects that reality.

Finally, many thanks to all of you who have served so well over the last three months. Whether is was setting up chairs, cleaning up afterwards, or just your presence in our service, YOU make this growing church what it is.

Merry Christmas! Let's celebrate the day that Jesus moved into the neighborhood!

David W.

When God Speaks

Whenever we gather together as a church (God's people), we expect God to speak not just to the musicians up front or the preacher that day. We expect God to speak to all of us. This Sunday God spoke to someone in the audience during the first song, and it fit right into what I was speaking on that day. He came up and shared the words God gave him during the service during the worship time at the end. It was powerful. I have included the words below.

Why must I sit here and feel the rage of God within me?

Why must I sit still to the root of him as he roars within my heart?

Why must I allow this world to rule over me?

When I know that there is better within me of my master Christ.

For to be lazy is not of the flame of Christ.

I know that there is more inside of me.

That is not of me, but of Christ.

I know that if I allow this voice of God to rule in my life - I will stand in Him.

I cannot run.

I cannot hide.

Denying is useless.

Waiting is foolishness.

For in Christ must I stand.

Letting the Lion of Judah loose...

Is my goal and gold - to breath in pure fires of truth...

Of Christ.

Recap of Out of Hiding

Out of Hiding totally rocked the house. Even the club managers and staff were saying how they we were really rocking out. More importantly, Jesus really used them to touch many of our hearts. Justin had prayed the day before and felt that God had spoken to him about various habits or thoughts that Jesus wanted to set people free from at our service. It was great to see so many people come up to receive prayer as Jesus began to set people free from - gambling and pain killer addictions, pornography, worry and crippling anxiety, anger and bitterness towards a person's mother, and tendencies to curse others.

The prayer team met afterwards and for each of the issues that Justin talked about at least one person in that room of 50-60 people came up to get prayer for!

I am so grateful that God continues to show up and confirm just how real Jesus is, and I am looking forward to Out of Hiding coming back at some point next year.

Out of Hiding @ Fenway Church - Sunday Nov. 2

Join us as Out of Hiding's rock sound and passionate spirituality invade Fenway Church's Sunday service for a time of music, healing, and a life-altering message. Out of Hiding (formerly Holyfire) are some of my closest friends, and I strongly recommend taking the opportunity to experience them in person for yourself.

http://www.myspace.com/outofhidingmusic

Hosted by Fenway Church

Sunday November 2 @ 1pm

69 Kilmarnock Street Boston

Facebook Event

Below is one young man's encounter with God's healing power at a previous concert.

I attended a Holyfire Concert last Saturday (March of 2006) hosted by Fenway Church and experienced an amazing healing. I have played baseball my entire life and began to play catcher when I was ten years old. However, every time I catch I experience lingering pain and stiffening in my knees.

On that particular night, my left knee was especially stiff and in pain. During the concert, the lead singer had a prophetic word saying he believed God wanted to heal someone with problems in their left knee. Some people next to me prayed from me, and I was immediately filled completely with the Holy Spirit and healed. My knees have not hurt since that night. In fact, I even played two games as catcher in two days – one went for extra innings – and my knees are still fine.

DJ

Healing @ First Service

Here is a really cool report I received from one of our international visitors who was at our launch. At the end of the meeting, I had severe stomach and chest pains. I felt God wanted me to pray for anyone who needed healing specifically for stomach and heart issues. I shared my impressions during the service and prayed a general prayer for anyone who needed healing. Joanna is the second person who reported having a severe stomach issue that was in attendance that day.

Hi,
We visited the Church on the opening day and spoke to you and your wife briefly. We enjoyed the warmth and life at the church. We are back in Denmark now.
I felt I had to let you know that during the meeting you mentioned someone had a stomach ache. I have serious digestive problems. I was in Hospital twice last year. I had been having bad problem through most of the trip. I have had no stomach ache since that day. So thank you for your obedience and I hope this email will encourage you.

Blessing

Joanna

Jesus is real, and I am so grateful HE still speaks and heals today.

Who Is This Jesus?

Fenway Invite 10/12 from David W. Hill on Vimeo.

"Who is this?" It's the questions the terrified disciples ask in Mark 4:41, and it is a question Mark begins to answer in the first two chapters of his book. Mark introduces Jesus to us as the human embodiment of the good news that the Jewish prophets predicted, namely that God would come and visit his people (ex. Malachi 3:1). Mark vividly portrays the baptism of Jesus as God's heavenly voice defines Jesus' identity as God's beloved Son. Jesus then resists the attempts of demons and over eager disciples to define him or his purpose. Jesus has come to proclaim to the good news of God's visitation to earth, and he will not let anyone or anything distract or distort him.

But less we misunderstand Jesus' true motivation and purpose, Mark ends this first section telling the story of the cleansing of a leper. Here we see the culture shattering love of Jesus displayed. It is a love that does not fear disease or social stigmas. A love that yearns to reconcile social outcasts to both God and the rest of humanity. It is this love that drives Jesus to fulfill the purpose for his life. It is this purpose that Jesus begins to disclose in Mark 2.

Tomorrow, we will experience the story of Jesus' open confrontation with the religious leaders of his day and what that reveals about his purpose on earth. He will not pander to the "Religious Right" of his day which has costly implications.

Launch Recap

A real energy pervaded the launch. It was great to meet so many people from the neighborhood and local colleges. The music team did a great job, and I hope people enjoyed my message about experiencing the Spirit and presence of God through the church (gatherings of Jesus' followers) as well as the free coffee. The sound team from CHURCH (the club) did a great job hosting. I was excited there was such an upbeat and friendly throughout the gathering. I am already looking forward to next week so we can build on the launch and continue to form new friendships and experience more of the reality of Jesus, today!

Fenway Church Update 10/05 from David W. Hill on Vimeo.

JESUS, DEMONS & COMPASSION

This Sunday October 12, Fenway Church will begin a journey through the life of Jesus through the eyes of the author of Mark beginning in Mark 1.

Jesus breaks into the physche of the Jewish religious and social scene in an undeniably shocking way. He first appears along the river Jordan with the many pilgrims who journeyed there to identify themselves with the wild prophet, John the Baptizer. Only Jesus is no ordinary pilgrim. As he goes down into the river like any other but as he rises the sky tears open and a physically tangible manifestation of the Spirit of God descends on him accompioned by an otherworldly voice declaring his affection for his Son.

With the crowds left to wonder the strange phenomena, Jesus is driven into the wilderness for an inner conflict with Satan himself. He emerges a new man who has experienced the very presence of God. It is not long before his is gathering a following as he proclaims the reality of God and heals lepers and drives out demons. His public ministry is marked by encounters with demon possessed people who he returns to their right state of mind and a compassion and drive to help and love all who he encounters.

It is Jesus in action. A man affirmed by heaven, empowered by the Spirit, and driven by love.

Sunday Launch Invite!

Wow, after moving to the Fenway 3 years ago to begin starting a new church, it is so exciting to see our first Sunday gathering start in just over a week. You can get a quick glance at my excitement and the great venue (www.churchofboston.com, a club, bar, and restaurant) in this video. Hope to see you on October 5!

Fenway Church Launch Invite from David W. Hill on Vimeo.