CREATE IN ME A NEW HEART

LESSONS FROM THE MEN’s Ministry. NEC. In The United Kingdom.

By Dr Masimba Mavaza

The North England Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist is once again navigating through busy schedules of men and bringing them together for a great Indaba. As you enter the campsite you will be greeted by Elder Innocent Rungano Muza and Elder Thulani Moyo who makes you feel already at home. Sekuru Mazengwe with his smiling face is seen chatting with several men making them feel at home. The Men’s retreat which is led by Pastor Andrew Rashford-Hewitt who is an ordained minister with a community-based pastoral experience of over 27 years, including ministry in the South Republic of Korea for a year and the Czech Republic for a year. Pastor Hewitt has passion for his God and his greatest wish is to see everyone in heaven.
Before entering pastoral ministry, Andrew worked in the NHS and public health to support men following the Pit closures and recession of the late 1980s and early 1990s. During this time, he gained valuable experience in stress management and later completed a Diploma in Counselling from Birmingham University.
With extensive experience as a counsellor and community Pastor, Andrew has worked with various communities of Asian, Eastern Asian, Caribbean, African, European, North American and British cultures. Furthermore, pastor Andrew has served as a chaplain at a women’s prison in Cheshire and was the founder of the Street Pastors initiative in Sheffield through inter-faith collaboration and development.
Currently, Andrew is completing a second master’s degree in systematic family psychotherapy with an emphasis on supporting men, adolescents, couples and families. Andrew is the author of two books, one on the book of Proverbs, the second being geared towards the needs of men and he is currently working on his third compilation.
With a master’s degree in Old Testament Theology and Church Growth and an undergraduate degree in Religion – both from Andrew’s University – he is a dedicated theologian who loves preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ with the three angel’s message. As a dedicated communicator, he enjoys finding creative but meaningful ways to share the gospel.
As the Men’s Ministries sponsor of the North England Conference, Andrew holds this post with a great deal of informed experience and curiosity as he constantly seeks to learn how to reach and win men for the Kingdom of God through a needs-based ministry. He is passionate about this work and enjoys developing training aides and programs to move the ministry forwards. It is Andrew’s keen focus to see the work of Men’s Ministries become a vibrant work that raises men – young and old – to become all they can in the beautiful image of a loving God.
Pastor Andrew has made men to have a great understanding of the importance of certain church practices such as fellowship, communion, etc. These practices held little meaning to many because they are unfamiliar with scripture and hadn’t grown in relationship with God just yet. The same held true to men’s understanding of Worship. Their idea of Worship was just a simple song you sang before the pastor began preaching. But the men’s retreat has opened our eyes and we now understand the importance of fellowship and worship.
Worship is a word that I’ve learned has many meanings. The most common usage of Worship in Western culture is the act of singing praise. The other common definition of worship is someone/something one bows down to. When we are men alone we learn the complexity of this simple word, it is a little overwhelming but as we prayed for understanding we came to the realization that all of its meanings tie together into one ultimate definition; whether you are praising God with a song or on your hands and face acknowledging he is King of all, the point of Worship is to glorify God alone.
The duty of all men is to worship God and pray for your family. A man who does not take time to pray for his family is letting his family down.
We initially came to church and heard the Worship sets we thought Worship was just putting on a performance before the pastor came up to preach. Worship is action rather than just a category of music. As we come together as men more often we will begin to notice small details. Men should be asking God to make them submit to His will.Then piece by piece it will come together; through music, we will be speaking to God, acknowledging whom He was, praising Him, and submitting to His holiness. Our families need men who are not blinded by sin but had their eyes opened by the blood of Jesus.
When you discover the power of Worship you will fall in love with every aspect of it. As you grow deeper into a relationship with God, the more you would want to Worship Him.
As a Worship Leader man will quickly witness that Worship moves a person big time!
Men must learn that even through tough times, Worship can cause someone to trust in God no matter their circumstance. When you truly Worship from your heart you’re saying “I trust you, I will follow you, and I will glorify you.”

Worship is so powerful even Satan seeks it; in Mathew 4:9 Satan tempted Jesus with Worship, “Next the devil took him to the peak of the mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the worlds and their glory. ‘I will give it all to you,’ he said, ‘if you will kneel and worship me.”When you worship something you’re acknowledging it has power over you, that’s why Jesus’ response to Satan was, “You Shall Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.” Mathew 4:10
Pastor Hewett has taught men that God alone is worthy of worship; not people, items, or ideas. God is absolute goodness and nothing can compare to His goodness. People work in reverse trying to feed their spirit. The issue people face is that apart from God, they have no spirit. When they are born their spirit is dead so it’s therefore impossible to fulfill those spiritual desires. God is holy and absolute goodness, so anything conidered bad doesn’t mix with Him. We sin, which means we rebell against God, and ultimately that makes us bad people which makes our spirit dead. God not only gave us a written law in the Bible, but he wrote the laws in our hearts giving us the ability to know the difference between a good choice and a bad one. “the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.” Romans 2:15 When someone breaks the law in life a good judge will make sure that person gets there punishment. For example, if someone murdered a person they don’t get released because they were good most of their life, they are still punished for the one crime they are guilty of. The same holds true in God’s judgment; everyone is guilty of breaking God’s law and deserves punishment for it.
The good news is that God is so good that even though we don’t deserve to have our spiritual needs fed he provided a way. The history goes, God came to earth in the form of a man. This man’s name was Jesus Christ. He lived a perfect life never once sinning against the father and decided to bail us out of judgment. Though he was fully righteous he took the punishment man deserved by being crucified, abandoned by his own people, mocked, and despised. He paid our bound for our release from judgment. The moment you put your faith into the belief in Christ and trust that He was enough to fulfill God’s wrath you become born again through the Spirit. This gives us access to speak to God, stand before God, live with God, and overcome all evil in the world. Doesn’t that just give you excitement? Though God didn’t have to do any of these things, he took on the burdens of the world giving him the full right to be worshipped alone. No person, idea, item, nor idol has done what God has done for you!
God has made man the head of his family and God is the head of man. Would you be a man without a head.
During this men’s retreat we will learn that worship is powerful, so when it’s used in the right way wonderful things happen. One of the greatest things that happen during worship is that we experience God’s presence. God is Omnipresent, meaning He’s everywhere, and through worship we acknowledge that fact, and He reveals Himself to us. This is not only a big deal for us Christians, but to non-believers as well. So how can one be a true man without God.

Pastor Ian Philpott spoke about hollow hearts. “When you step foot in a church you are expecting to find the missing piece to the puzzle. The missing piece to the puzzle is eternity, He has planted eternity in the human heart.” Ecclesiastes 3:11. People know in their hearts that there is more to life than these short years on earth. This is why every almost culture in civilization molds their society to their religious beliefs. Psalm 40:3 says, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.” Notice that many people will come to the Lord through seeing believers sing, not hearing them sing, and when they come to the Lord, they’ll get to experience all of his goodness!

As the Retreat continues, men will be benefiting from several speakers who are Pastor Simba Muhau, Dr Ackie, Pastor lan Philpott, Dr Lovemore Nganunu,
Elder Edwin Abacan, Pastor Rashford-Hewitt and many more who are camped at John Lowther Scout Centre NN14 1QF, Kettering. Men will show their eating skills on Saturday night BBQ & camp fire. Worship is not a gloomy business so on Sunday morning there will be several activities. Regardless of social status men we have Dormitory-style.