These insights stem from the key considerations that shape how we, as Christian leaders in the City of Devonport, gather and serve. Known as the Devonport Christian Leaders Association (DCLA), or the Devonport Churches, we meet every week, for at least one hour, but often much more.
Our time is valued for fostering rich discussion and providing a safe environment where we can support one another as we seek to love our city and bring the hope of Jesus to others.
Preserving and gaining a deeper understanding of unity is crucial. Collaborating with a shared purpose to advance the Gospel is a central aspect of God’s kingdom in action. This often entails delving into the intricacies of true unity, going beyond surface-level agreement. It involves grasping the underlying principles of love, grace, and mutual respect that unite us as one body in Christ.
By deepening our understanding of unity, we develop a greater appreciation for the diversity of backgrounds, styles, experiences, and perspectives within our community, fostering a genuine spirit of collaboration for God’s glory and the proclamation of our message of hope. Therefore, it’s essential not only to preserve but also to deepen our understanding of unity to strengthen our collective impact for the Kingdom.
In practice, we loosely structure our weekly gathering to encompass both prayer and action, dedicating around 30 minutes to each aspect, and remaining open to the leading of the Spirit.
While maintaining meaningful conversations as a foundation for our relationships, the action piece may involve providing some targeted support to a fellow leader or initiating our collaborative serving of our City. This service should be directed to what can be done to boost both the spiritual and practical aspects of our city’s spiritual health and physical well-being.
Currently for us Devonport this means bringing the message of Jesus to light around Easter and Christmas and also our collective service in placing community Chaplains, Mentors and Mental Health support into all of the schools across our area.
Working alongside these cooperative efforts, the programs and services provided by individual congregations complement the shared work beautifully.
However, there is always more we can do together.
Additionally, we also host periodic visits from our Mayor and other city leaders who provide deeper insights into community needs.
This also provides opportunity for us to pray for our Civic and city leaders.
”I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.“ 1 Timothy 2:1-4
To help our direction, we have now implemented a periodical survey to assist in gathering details and information around the activities and initiatives happening across the city within our various congregations.
This survey is online and simple, and is kept confidential to the group for analysis until it has been processed and clear action has been discerned.
Our aim here is not to intentionally add more tasks or busyness. Rather, as Christian leaders in the city, we are always seeking to spiritually discern how to better utilise the vast potential of God’s people, His Church, across our city and region.
We also know that we cannot achieve this alone. The goal is not uniformity; rather, it is to recognise and understand that each gathering brings unique contributions to the Kingdom. As the Devonport Church, we want to harness this diversity for the glory of God.
Simultaneously, as we preach a gospel of reconciliation and redemption, we know that our actions must reflect true relationship and selflessness, exemplifying true HESED (see explanation later in article) from the leadership down, so our role as Christian leaders together, in a City, is where it all needs to start.
Recently, we had the opportunity to participate in a Nayba Audit, sparking much conversation afterward.
One particular observation stood out as important: how we discuss the individual activities of our respective church gatherings.
The objective is to shift away from solely focusing on “our church” and instead foster a shared understanding of how the Devonport Church serves and functions as a unified whole.
This involves viewing the individual ministries of “our church” as integral parts of “the church” itself. For example, rather than saying “XYZ Church is feeding those going without food,” we would say “the Devonport Church is feeding those going without food”.
This broader perspective enables us to better focus our efforts and resources, amplify our impact within the community, and proclaim the hope of Jesus with greater effectiveness, free from any distractions that may arise from disunity.
Some very important observations have emerged from actual comments made within our meetings, shaping how we serve and collaborate.
One pastor emphasised the significance of ensuring that our collaborative efforts always respect the varying sizes, individualities, and uniqueness of congregations. He specifically addressed the apprehension felt within his smaller gathering about not measuring up to larger congregations, particularly in financial matters, as well as the tendency to compare achievements and actions.
Following the above comment, at the same meeting, another Pastor (from a larger gathering that the first) shared a touching testimony from their recent board meeting, where a board member suggested allocating additional resources to support smaller gatherings within their collective work. It served as a heartwarming example of collaboration driven by care rather than any sense of superiority. This demonstrates the body working together in practice, reflecting their desire to maintain respect for the varying sizes and dynamics of their congregations, all aligned with God’s vision for His body functioning as it should.
Another has also regularly reminded us of the importance of action and living out our faith, cautioning against mere comfort and inaction. He stressed the significance of both in our collective efforts, as well as in the actions of individual congregations, urging us to respond practically to the genuine needs around us. This involves embodying the hope of the message rather than merely engaging in discussion.
”Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God.“ 1 John 3:18-19
As the leader of this network I’m committed to prayerful reflection on how we can better serve our city in the name of Jesus. Recently I had conversation with a respected spiritual mentor and friend. We discussed a book I had previously suggested to her, contemplating its significance for our collective journey.
“The Other Half Of Church” by Jim Wilder & Michel Henricks (available at A New Page Bookshop) delves into overcoming spiritual stagnation and presents profound challenges regarding discipleship, emphasising the importance of building strong HESED.
For those who may be unfamiliar, HESED, a Hebrew term, embodies steadfast love, kindness, and loyalty. Hesed goes beyond regular kindness and friendship. It’s like showing ‘amazing grace’ to someone you really care about. It’s not just about doing what’s expected or deserved. It’s about deep, committed love, and it shows in what you do.
This friend emphasised to me the uniqueness and preciousness of the DCLA and the relationship and network among Christian leaders in Devonport, emphasising the necessity to safeguard it at all costs. She observed that while HESED, or loving-kindness, is often nurtured within smaller groups like life or home groups, or by the example set by pastors and leaders within a congregation, it’s rare to see it fostered at a city leadership level, in her national experience. This makes Devonport stand out in her eyes and she believes it will have a significant spiritual impact over time. However, she also cautioned that this uniqueness could make is vulnerable to attacks from the enemy, so she encouraged focused prayer for protection against such.
”So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35
That night I found myself engaged in some deep internal reflection following my friend’s insights. The Spirit directed my thoughts towards a practical aspect of my own life: my work with bees and honey. It’s a messy business where honey never flows upward. These words sat with me deeply so I felt I had to get up and write them down, which I then also shared at a recent network meeting.
This was what I wrote down that night..
“Honey flows downward, not upward. Are your church’s values rooted in the kingdom or just within your own circles? If they’re confined to denominational boundaries, they fall short of true kingdom values. This must change. If you desire genuine HESED—embracing the profound love and kindness exemplified by God—it must begin from the highest authority, Jesus, and extend to earthly leadership. Christian leaders in our cities and towns must unite in harmony, acting as one in love, care, and service, demonstrating HESED in all they do. Only then will the honey cascade down, enveloping all people in its sweetness.”
In Devonport, we cherish something unique, and we will fervently pray for its spiritual safeguarding.
Likewise, we extend our prayers to your community, envisioning that as we operate seamlessly as One Church, Many Gatherings, we will indeed experience the profound blessings that accompany unity.
I conclude with an often quoted scripture around unity, Psalm 133.
Psalms 133:1-3 - “How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting“
The anointing oil flowed down his beard from the head where it was poured, just as blessing and honey only flow down, all beginning with Jesus.
Andrew Hillier
Scripture
Ephesians 4:3 - "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Romans 12:5 - "So in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."
Galatians 5:13 - "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."
James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Matthew 25:35-36 - "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Psalm 136:26 - "Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever."
Romans 12:1-21
A famous philanthropist/ Banker (John Marks Templeton) once said:
"The opposite of humility is arrogance--the belief that we are wiser or better than others. Arrogance promotes separation rather than community. It looms like a brick wall between us and those from whom we could learn."