Count The Cost – Rend Collective

This station follows the talk “Count The Cost

Resources Needed:

  • “The Cost” Song by Rend Collective Experiment (MP3 available from Amazon/iTunes/Google Play Music for less than £1)
  • Lyrics of the song printed out or on a PowerPoint slide

Overview:

“The Cost” by Rend Collective Experiment is as song that sums up what it means to count the cost and follow Jesus regardless. There are several ways that you could do this station. For example
-Simply play the song and have the lyrics on you PowerPoint so that people can reflect on them whilst sat at their tables.

-Have the song and PowerPoint on a loop at a table as a separate prayer station that people can move around the room to
-Have the song played as part of a chill out/reflective area with cushions or beanbags, printed copies of the lyrics and printed copies of verses or quotes that fit the theme such as the ones below.

Verses & Quotes:

One day when large groups of people were walking along with him, Jesus turned and told them, “Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters—yes, even one’s own self!—can’t be my disciple. Anyone who won’t shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can’t be my disciple.

“Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it? If you only get the foundation laid and then run out of money, you’re going to look pretty foolish. Everyone passing by will poke fun at you: ‘He started something he couldn’t finish.’

“Or can you imagine a king going into battle against another king without first deciding whether it is possible with his ten thousand troops to face the twenty thousand troops of the other? And if he decides he can’t, won’t he send an emissary and work out a truce? Simply put, if you’re not willing to take what is dearest to you, whether plans or people, and kiss it good-bye, you can’t be my disciple.

Salt is excellent. But if the salt goes flat, it’s useless, good for nothing. “Are you listening to this? Really listening?” Luke 14:25-35 (MSG)

“Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s
seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self- help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? Matt 16:24-26 (MSG)

Christianity, if false, is of no importance and, if true, is of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis – God In The Dock

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

Jim Elliot – missionary and martyr