What fruits should they bear!
Wednesday 22nd May 2019Write this in the middle of a sermon series in my little Church in Swansea on what people should see when they look at a Christian. What fruits should they bear! Well I say little Church but it has got a little bit bigger in the last eighteen months since we started our Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Association Company.
In a short period of time we have added over seventy children to our roll and inspired by the BB’s “Raise the Bar” Campaign I have decided that I need to raise the bar as Vicar, Captain and Chaplain to my Company!
By raise the bar, I have to make my Church feel like home to people of all ages, worship should be accessible, hospitality should be abundant, and the heating should be on! We have a free breakfast every week, of bacon and sausages, shared together with all of our Church family. The children are welcome every week, not just on special occasions. We have become confident in asking them about faith, explaining what the Church believes and offering the opportunity to explore it for themselves. This has led to a surge in requests for Baptisms and Confirmation with whole families now deciding to start a journey of faith, some parents have signed up for Alpha to begin to explore faith themselves and again have asked for adult baptisms.
The most exciting thing for me about my Journey so far with the BB is seeing the potential it has to transform this nation. The potential to see faith in a new generation of young people who can go on to change their neighbourhoods, schools, colleges, universities and work places. They will be salt and light out in a world that is riddled with anxiety, worry and insecurity. They will build their lives on the solid foundation of the knowledge that they are loved unconditionally, that they are priceless in Gods eyes and that He has a plan for them regardless of their circumstances.
So I want to challenge you this month… if you are a member of your local Church…Raise the Bar…not just one Sunday a month, not just at parade services or special occasions, but every week, make Church like family and be courageous in offering your young people the opportunity to discover the abundant life that Jesus offers them!
Rev Steve Bunting
Chaplain for BB in Wales
Steve is the Vicar at St Thomas’ Church in Eastside, Swansea. Born in Manchester in 1981 Steve moved to Swansea in 1999 and has spent the majority of his working life in finance, but in 2009 went into training for ordination, during which he undertook placements in a number of Churches, a prison and a hospital. Following ordination in 2012, he served two years in All Saints Church, Oystermouth before moving to St Thomas in 2014. Part of his time is spent ministering to students as the associate Anglican Chaplain at Swansea University. Steve started the 1st Swansea Eastside BB/GA Company in 2017, has been Chaplain on KGVI courses held in England & Wales in 2017/2018 and became Chaplain to BB in Wales in 2018. Steve is married to Rachel who works in full time ministry to families in Swansea, and they are blessed with three amazing children, Ryan, Katy-Grace and Sam.
