Father's House Blog

 
"Even the smallest person can change the course of the future"

Galadriel to Frodo, in 'The Lord of the Rings, the Two Towers'
 
Dear Friends
 
   I have been reflecting a great deal on new beginnings. That's probably not a surprise given the fact that I am about to leave St Andrew's Church (January 11th) and start the Father's House officially (start of March). This has caused me to think deeply about finishing well. That is a vital value for me. But at the same time my Father has been impressing on me the need to think carefully about STARTING WELL too. What does this mean for us at Father's House?
 
   If we look at the Christmas story, one thing becomes very clear. The birth of Jesus was the beginning of the most momentous series of events in human history. In a tiny manger in Bethlehem, the King of Glory was born as a baby. In choosing this way of appearing, our Heavenly Father was communicating something really important to us about starting well. He was saying that big things grow from small beginnings, and that small is beautiful.
 
   Now that is the opposite spirit from the world. In the world's eyes, every new venture needs to start with a big splash and with media fanfares. The bigger the better seems to be the message today. But in becoming a tiny baby, the High King of Heaven opted for an altogether different way of operating. And when this baby grew to a man, he taught that the Kingdom of Heaven operates differently from the kingdoms of this world. The Father's Kingdom starts small, like a tiny mustard seed.
 
   In January I am leaving a big, detached house and downsizing to a smaller, semi-detached house. I am leaving a very large church with a big staff team and taking on a small ministry with a tiny team! As Christmas approaches, I find myself rejoicing in this! After all, when Jesus was born, the infinite became an infant. There were no news cameras. Only a few shepherds turned up, and then later some Magi. This was the smallest beginning imaginable! Could the divine have shrunk any smaller?
   

   I love the story of a grandfather who went into a bedroom to find his baby grandson jumping up and down in a playpen, crying his eyes out. When he saw his grandfather, he reached out his little hands and cried, ‘Out grandpa, out!’ But grandpa knew that the little boy had been put there as a punishment for bad behaviour. So he said, ‘No son, in, in…’
But the little child kept crying. His plaintive tears and his outstretched hands reached deep into his heart. What was he to do? The boy must have the punishment, but the grandfather was desperate to comfort him. 
   Love found a way. Granddad couldn’t take the boy out of the playpen, so he climbed in with him…
   Going small is so consistent with the Father heart of God and with the birth and teaching of Jesus. And it is also consistent with one of the key prophetic messages of our ministry, that the age of Christian celebrity is over. 
   One day we will - I am sure - be led to have a great house for the work of FHT. But as we begin, we need to start small and remember the words of St Augustine, 'If you plan to build a tall house of virtues, you must first lay deep foundations of humility'

Thank you for partnering with us.
Happy Christmas
Dr Mark Stibbe

PS. Check the Christmas video short in the Media section!