I (Matt) used to love playing the original Pokémon on the Game Boy (“Pokémon! Gotta catch ‘em all!”). If I knew how many hours I’d spent playing the games, catching, training and battling the Pokémon…actually I don’t want to think about that too hard! I’m pretty sure they are why I need to wear glasses today…
Anyway, I had LOTS of fun in that world. And for what it’s worth I did ‘catch ‘em all’…well, the original 150 at least.
Charmander, the cute fire lizard, is one Pokémon I often used. One of the moves that he learns early on is ‘Ember’, and it’s his earliest fire attack. It’s not a huge, spectacular flame, but a small and useful spark of fire that he uses to make a real difference.
We, as Embers, exist to rekindle the fire of missional discipleship across the UK. Like Charmander’s Ember move, we’re not trying to create a wildfire overnight. We’re helping churches and everyday Christians rediscover the small, faithful practices that keep the fire of following Jesus burning, because a small ember can start or even restart a fire. Though they are small, they can be mighty.
Charmander’s Ember isn’t the biggest attack…but it sure gets the fire started!
That’s what we’re about with our training: rekindling missional discipleship across the UK, helping everyday Christians follow Jesus and live on mission with his Spirit every day. Small sparks can mean rekindled faith, and a church ‘on fire’ for Jesus.
*Ash Ketchum (in the Pokémon cartoon) often says “I choose you” to his Pokémon. In the Bible, in John 15:16, Jesus says to his disciples “You did not choose me, but I chose you”… Like Ash, Jesus has chosen whom he wants – and he wants YOU, because he loves you. Jesus has taken the first step in initiating a relationship with us. How will you respond today?