Our Role & God’s Role in Disciple Making by Gavin Duerson

Can you cause a person to grow spiritually?  When it comes to disciple making, what is our responsibility?  At a Greenhouse Training event hosted by CMA Resources, we examined the following text from Mark 4:

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”

 

 

 

From the text, we see that a farmer can cultivate the ground and plant seeds, and even put the sickle to the plant once mature, but can do nothing to cause a seed to grow!  In simple/organic church planting, the church planter (or disciplemaker) cultivates and plants, but realized that Kingdom growth is God’s work.

When we plant good seed in good soil, growth and multiplication naturally happen as they receive rain and sunlight.  This is true of plants and it’s true of the Kingdom as well.  The only thing that can stop this natural process is failure to sow good seed generously on good soil or farming in such as way to impede the natural process that God has in place.

At the Greenhouse training, the leaders made the following comparison between an organic/simple church approach and a traditional church approach to sowing, growing, and harvesting.

  Cultivating Sowing Growing Tending Harvesting
Institutional Approach Passive Passive Active Active Passive
Organic Approach Active Active Passive Passive Active

 

Do you agree that the traditional church focuses most of its energies on growing and tending the garden (flock) while being passive with regards to sowing and harvesting?  What would it look like for you to cultivate and sow good seed more generously? What does it mean for us to be actively involved in the harvesting—putting a sickle to the “ripe plant?”

Enjoy this great video that was at the greenhouse training event to illustrate the teaching on the Kingdom.

6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. – 1 Corinthians 3:6

To learn more about attending a Greenhouse Training event visit www.cmaresources.org/greenhouse

—-

Originally posted on Kentucky Simple Church Alliancehere

Heaven Must Be More Than This! by Neil Cole

I fell into a dream. I found myself in the heavens. A voice was speaking all around me. Clouds surrounded me. Was this what heaven will be like?

Much to welcome to heavenmy surprise I found myself sitting in a seat that was not meant for a man my size. In the back of the seat in front of me was a pocket with literature explaining a plan of salvation, and an envelope in the event I wish to cough up anything.

We were all seated in rows staring at the heads in front of us as someone up front was delivering a message that was of life and death importance. But as I looked few were paying attention. Some people were nodding off while others were conversing to themselves in hushed voices. Still others were sneaking a peak at their phones even though they’d been told to turn them off. The speaker went on with a well-rehearsed message with compelling hand gestures speaking of escaping an impending doom by following the light that beckoned us to our salvation but everyone seemed inoculated to the message having heard it so many times and never actually needing it.

The leader of this group assured all of us that he had received the correct direction and would get us all where we were supposed to be. He would do all the hard work while we just go along for the ride, because that’s what he’s paid to do–he’s a professional. Everyone seemed to trust this man implicitly and put the well being of their souls in his care.

There was an intense amount of scrutiny for all those allowed to be part of this group–all had to pass through a narrow way one at a time. Some were more important than others and received preferential treatment. They had been coming to this place for a long time and more frequently than most and had special reserved seats up in the front.

There were strange rules in this place that we all had to conform to with blind obedience. The rules seemed to carry a life or death importance, but about things that really didn’t seem that dangerous. In fact, I think these rules were made up a long time ago and just passed along in a system that is easy to add new rules to, but near impossible to eliminate any old ones. Many of the rules were outdated but we all kept them just the same. All of us were just waiting for the guy in charge to finally stop circling around and just bring this thing down for a landing so we could go home.

Suddenly I heard a voice coming from above my head, all of us heard it at once. It spoke with authority and said, “Bring your seat backs and tray tables up to their full and upright position. Please fasten your seat belt low and tight across your lap. Turn off all your portable electronics and anything that has an on or off switch.”

I sure hope the real heaven is not like this.

____

© 2012 Neil Cole
Used with Permission. Originally Posted on his blog COLE-SLAW

Follow Neil on Twitter

Finding the Person of Peace by Ross Rohde

peace-to-this-houseRecently a blog friend, Tim, asked a very practical question:

Just out of curiosity, what methods to you employ in your context to search for persons of peace? This statement made me think of you walking down the sidewalk looking for a person of peace. So, I’m wondering what that type of searching looks like for you. Thanks!

You can see the dialog that this question started in the comment section of Cesar, Man of Peace. However, I’d like to share the core of what we discussed and develop it a bit further.

 

My Response to Tim’s Question

Hi Tim,

  1. Finding the person of peace is not about technique. Every person of peace story I know and every person of peace I have found has been different. Having said that, there are things we can do to find the person of peace. Here’s what I would say:
  2. When I consistently pray about finding people of peace, I find them. When I don’t focus my prayer on this, I don’t.
    1. Finding people of peace is about listening to the voice of the Master. Therefore, it is a spiritual exercise based on a loving, abiding relationship, not something we can manufacture.
    2. Luke 10:5-6 say: “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you.” The house mentioned here is the “oikos.” I don’t think it is particularly focused on the building where people live but the connected people who may just live is a particular building…or not; see An Oikos Isn’t a Building.
  3. This giving of peace, I think, is speaking the gospel of peace, or giving a blessing in the name of the Lord. It is, in essence, making Jesus the potential for conversation. I don’t think it means necessarily giving the whole gospel, just opening the conversation. If the peace rests on them, i.e. they respond and engage, stay there!!! Don’t take off, after having spilled the beans. Focus! On the other hand, if they don’t have interest, don’t cast your pearls before swine. Just move on and look for a real person of peace and a real “oikos” of peace. We focus our attention and energy on people who are moving toward Jesus, not convincing the uninterested that they should be interested.
  4. With this in mind, apostolic ministry (finding men and houses of peace then making disciples) is about finding ways to make Jesus the subject of conversation. How do we do that? Any way He tells us to, as he speaks to our heart and mind. It is not a matter of us coming up with a clever plan. But, if Jesus gives us a clever plan, then do it.

Further Thoughts

  • Jesus is our model for ministry. Yet little of what we do in ministry nowadays looks anything like what Jesus did, or what he taught his disciples to do. Our idea of ministry has been so damaged by institutionalism, and the individualistic Western worldview, that we find it hard to think about doing ministry as Jesus actually taught us.
  • When we start actually doing what Jesus taught his disciples to do, and what he expects us to do, we start bearing fruit. I know this from experience, and it is why I wrote my upcoming book Viral Jesus.
  • This kind of actual obedience to Jesus, who speaks to our hearts and minds, should be normative, but is actually very, very rare in the West.
  • We have replaced Jesus inspired ministry with what we think of as following biblical principles. Yet, supposed biblical inspired ministry actually ends up not looking at all like what Jesus did? Isn’t that ironic?
  • I find myself wondering, and praying about, what would happen if say 500 Christians in the Bay Area of California would just do what Jesus actually speaks to their hearts based on an intimate relationship with him. This would end up reflecting Jesus’ and the apostle’s ministry in the New Testament. Yet, I only know about 20 people in the entire Bay Area that are willing to live like this. Does this make you as sad as it does me?
    • I spoke about 500 people in the Bay Area of California actually following Jesus into ministry. What would that look like if all over the world people where doing this?
    • I suspect that what we would discover in the West is what our brothers in China began to discover in 1949 and onward (see The Miracle of China and Thank You Chairman Mao). This would be both exciting and dangerous. Are we really interested in something exciting and dangerous? Do we prefer something we can control, even if it ends up being unfruitful?
    • Do you agree with me that institutionalism and the Western worldview get in the way of the viral ministry I’m talking about? Why or why not?
    • Where do you think the disconnect, between what Jesus did and taught about ministry and what we actually do, comes from? I’ve laid the disconnect at the feet of institutionalism and Western cultural worldview. Do you agree or do you have different ideas?

©2011 Ross Rohde
Posted by permission

Originally posted on Ross Rohde’s blog The Jesus Virus: here

Learning about Movements from History: Russia & China

China & Russia FlagsWe can learn much by comparing the results of the communist revolution in Russia with that in China. Both were bloody revolutions that attempted militarily to snuff out all opposition, close down all churches, remove all missionaries and incarcerate all of the church leaders.

The church found in Russia prior to the revolution was centered on cathedrals led by priests and was distant from the everyday lives of the people. When communism seized the church and all her assets the people had nothing to turn to spiritually and there was no movement.

In China, leaders such as Watchman Nee, had already made strives to empower ordinary Christians with the Gospel and let indigenous churches form in homes and places of business. As a result, when the revolution occurred the true church was still intact even after her buildings and leaders were taken away.

In fact, the Cultural Revolution of Mao Tse-Tung sought to eliminate all religion from society in China but instead mobilized the church and it grew from about 2 million Christians in 1949 to over 60 million. It is estimated today that there may be upwards of 80 million Christians in China.

Why did the church thrive in China and not in Russia? The foundation of empowering the common Christian in China set the stage for what happened there. The Little Flock movement and others we already in place so that when the heat of persecution hit the church she exploded with growth. There was no such preparation prior to the Soviet Union’s rise to power in Russia.

How will you prepare those in your “flock?”

by Neil Cole

© 2009

Originally posted here
Posted by permision

Parable of the Rich Old Church by Dan Benson

(Jesus said)  “Then there’s only one thing left to do: Sell everything you own and give it away to the poor. You will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me.” This was the last thing the official expected to hear. He was very rich and became terribly sad. He was holding on tight to a lot of things and not about to let them go. — Luke 18:18-23

Pastor Mike stepped into the basement  hall at First Community Church for the monthly council meeting and showed a broad smile.

“Good evening, Pastor,” Richard, one of the elders, turned and said, extending a hand. A Styrofoam cup of coffee was in the other already.

“Hi Karl, how are you?” Pastor Mike replied.

The other members of the council were mingling about. Some were sampling from the plate of cookies that someone, as usual, had brought and there was a small crowd at the coffee pot — “What, no decaf again?” someone muttered. Some were already ambling over to the chairs around the long folding tables that had been set up for the meeting.

It was a group of a dozen people mostly reflective of the small community they lived in. Homeowners, white, middle class, family men (and a couple women). Some owned businesses. Pretty much salt-of-the-earth types who paid their bills on time, kept their lawns well-manicured, rarely if ever got their name in the paper for anything, good or bad, and whose kids never got into trouble. No serious trouble anyway. Several of those children were adults now, but none of them attended First Community, except on Easter and Christmas.

Most of them were in their 40s or older, a few were retired. Only one or two were in their 30s. Several of the council members were scions of the families who had helped found the church more than 120 years ago; their ancestors’ names could be found on the stained glass windows in the sanctuary or on other memorials around the church. In fact, there were so many granite benches, wall plaques and brass plates commemorating their forbears that some often made jokes about the interior of the church resembling a cemetery.

Ruth was the council president, the first woman in the church’s history to be elected to the position. That hadn’t set well with some church members, including some council members, who sometimes let her know their feelings in subtle ways, such as interrupting her when she spoke during meetings or ignoring her altogether. The problem was no man had stepped up to volunteer for the job and Pastor Wilson, the former pastor, had recruited her to lead the council as he was preparing to leave. Ruth was an accountant owned her own consulting business. She had the even-tempered demeanor that comes in handy when you have to manage a group with disparate opinions or, as was often the case, no opinions at all, on a number of important issues. In her four years as president, she had helped shepherd the church through some of the most tumultuous times in the church’s history. The associate pastor was fired for using church funds for personal expenses. The youth pastor and several youth ministry volunteers left the church over the way Pastor Wilson ran the church and for his refusal to call out some members publicly for perceived sins. And there was the process of replacing Pastor Wilson, and which brought Pastor Mike. Some church members left, frustrated with how long the process was taking. As a result, Sunday attendance had dropped in the last three years by half from about 300 to 150.

Nevertheless, the council had done a good job of managing church finances and a few years before had paid off a mortgage for a new addition. The annual budget was about $250,000, with $180,000 of that going to building maintenance and expenses and to pay the salaries and benefits of Pastor Mike, the youth pastor, a secretary and a couple part-time helpers. Despite the drop in attendance, the bank account and investments were still bulging with a balance of more than $300,000. And 11 percent of general giving every Sunday went to missions, although the pastor dipped into that fund every once in a while when someone in church was in financial need. The lack of debt was a point of pride among the elders and other leaders. Pastor Mike had commented once or twice how, whenever he attended conferences, other pastors with massive mortgages expressed envy.
The room was filled with their chatter as they discussed the weather, the local baseball team’s fortunes and misfortunes and inquired about each other’s health, jobs and family. At precisely 6:30 p.m., Ruth called everyone to order. The room went silent and Ruth solemnly asked the pastor to offer an opening prayer, as called for by the meeting agenda.

Usually Pastor Mike opened with a fairly standard prayer, beseeching the Lord to bless their time and guide their discussion, etc. But this night he felt a little uneasy. Things seemed to be rolling along smoothly enough at church. Attendance was steady and had even grown a bit since he came on almost two years ago; giving was down a little but that was usual for this time of year; a new push to get people into small groups had gone fairly well, with 54 people, almost all of them women, signing up. But some things rankled him a little. He couldn’t get the men’s Bible study group, which included two of the three elders and several other council members, to change what they were reading and join in with the other groups to study the material he wanted. Children’s Sunday school only drew about 12 kids anymore and the adult discussion groups on Sunday morning had shrunk from four to one. Plus, and most importantly, council members, most of whom considered council membership as their “ministry,” had universally rejected his proposal  that they each mentor one or two ministry leaders by getting together for prayer and Bible study once a month or so. It would take up too much time, they said, to meet individually with that many people. Anyway, wasn’t that the pastor’s job? And, anyway, if a ministry leader needed help they knew where to go.

Pastor Mike was tired. He lowered his head. He wanted, more than anything, to hear from Jesus:
“Dearest Lord Jesus,” he began. “Thank you for blessing us and watching over us here at First Community Church. Thank you for the lives you have changed and the people you have drawn to yourself. We have worked to obey all that you have commanded your church to do and we offer many programs designed to help people. But Lord I feel we need your help. Please guide us and help us to do your will so that your name, not our names or the name of First Community Church, would be glorified in our community and around the world. Please Lord, speak to us. We’re listening.”

Pastor Mike bent over and put his head in his hands and let out a sigh. Most of the council members started to straighten up, unfold their hands and open their eyes, expecting the “amen” to come. But it didn’t. Pastor Mike just sat there silently, his head in his hands. They followed suit and resumed a prayerful position.

Seconds and then minutes ticked by.

“Speak to us, Lord,” Pastor Mike repeated.

Ruth and few others began to nod and even rock back and forth slightly. “Speak to us, Lord,” Ruth said quietly.

Darrel, a council member who rarely said anything and whose wife had multiple health problems, whispered, “Yes.”

More time passed and then …

“Give it away,” a voice said. Not quite a whisper, but was so quiet, it could barely be heard. In fact, only a few heard it, but they weren’t sure what they heard.
Mike peeked through his hands. There was silence.

“Give it away,” the voice said again, a little more clearly this time.

Pastor Mike and several others looked up. Some were looking sideways at others wondering what was going on, not necessarily because they had heard the voice but because no one was talking and the prayer time hadn’t ended yet. But several, like Ruth and Dave were looking at Pastor Mike, their eyes wide, questioning, almost frightened. They had heard the voice too.

Pastor Mike raised his eyebrows and gulped.

“Lord, is that you?” he asked. “What do you mean?”

“Your money. This is Jesus. Give it all away, just as I did,” He said. “Give your possessions  to the poor, to my Kingdom. And follow me. Help others follow me. That is all that is necessary.”

“How, Lord? Pastor Mike asked. “What do you mean?”

He waited. There was no answer.

Pastor Mike waited some more, listening, looking at the ceiling. “How, Lord?” he asked again.

Then he turned to the council members, all of whom were staring fixedly at him. By now, everyone had heard the voice.

“What does it mean?” Ruth asked.

“I think it means give away our money,” Darrel said, repeating what the voice had said. “I think it’s pretty clear.”

“But if we do that, how do we pay the bills? How do we take care of the building and pay Pastor Mike’s salary?” Jack, one of the elders, said. Several other councilmembers nodded.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Darwin, another elder said.

“Maybe he means we get rid of the building. And maybe he means get rid of me, that is, as a salaried staff person,” Pastor Mike said in a dazed fashion, staring at the floor. He felt stunned. His mind was racing at the implications. “How much of what we do and spend really is focused on following Him and helping others to follow him?” he said, thinking out loud. He had read about pastors who had left large churches and given up comfortable salaries and homes to seek a simpler calling, even meeting in houses and coffee shops or workplace lunch rooms in groups as small as two or three, simply seeking to obey and walk with Jesus. He had read about the amazing things happening in China and other countries where believers were forsaking western-style church organization and hierarchies, focusing on making disciples and worshipping God as simply as possible.

After a moment, he said, “I think that’s exactly what he means. I realize we’re talking about a dramatic change, but I believe Jesus Christ just spoke to us and I think we need to obey him. I suggest we immediately look into divesting ourselves of all corporate assets, including this building, and contributing those funds to works that advance the Kingdom of God and that together we search Scripture to discover how we can grow together in walking with Christ and helping others do the same.”

“Amen,” Ruth said excitedly. She had read about the amazing things God was doing in Africa and the former Soviet Union and even here in the United States, how people were abandoning traditional forms of church not because they had lost their faith but because they were seeking a deeper, more genuine faith. She wanted that too.

A few other council members, some with their faces buried in their hands, nodded in agreement.

But not enough.

“I think the prudent thing to do,” elder Richard intoned, “would be to form a committee to investigate Pastor Mike’s proposal and that it return to the council with a report on their findings and that those findings, after discussion and approval by the council, be put to a vote of the full congregation at the next regularly scheduled annual congregational meeting next January, seven months from now. I propose that the exploratory committee consist of four persons — two elders, the chairman of the Finance Committee and the chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee.”

“I second the motion,” Karl, the Finance Committee chairman, said quickly.

The motion passed 7 to 5. Pastor Mike did not have a vote.

Ruth shoulders slumped and she sat there silently until Jack said, “Let’s move on.”

Ruth started, her mind in a far off place.

“Yes. The first item on the agenda is a review of bids put forward to replace the gutters on the parsonage.”

Pastor Mike barely heard her as he silently prayed in his seat, alone in his thoughts.

___________

Dan Benson wrote this parable in June of 2011 and it was first posted on his blog.  Check out his blog at http://snortinghorses.blogspot.com

Starfish Files – House Church Magazine

Starfist FilesEditor Rad Zdero has invested a lot in a spunky magazine called The Starfish Files. It’s been published for several years with this philosophy behind it:

Starfish line the shores of the world’s beaches. Chop off an arm, and a new one grows to take its place. Tear a starfish in half, and you’ll soon have two starfish on your hands. A torn-off limb can even become a brand new starfish. And what’s more, they populate by releasing hundreds of thousands, and sometimes millions, of eggs in just a few hours. Just like the house church movement through the ages. An estimated 300,000 new house hurches have started between 1998 and 2006. And this doesn’t include China’s 80 to 100 million house church believers or Latin America’s 1 million Basic Christian Communities in 2007. It’s also taking root in Canada. Enter the Starfish Files. The magazine’s goal is to inspire, inform, and interconnect the house churches across Canada and beyond.

You can check out the following issues on the CMA Resources website as a free download:

Winter 2011 Edition

Summer 2011 Edition

Fall 2011 Edition

We look forward to the Winter 2012 edition soon Rad!

UPDATE:  That Winter 2012 edition is OUT!

 

Church Planting Lessons from Guy Muse

1. Work with what you have on hand.
In Jesus miracle of the five loaves and two fish, he asked the disciples what they had on hand. Of course five loaves and two fish were not nearly enough to feed 5000, but when turned over to Jesus, He blessed those few loaves and fish so that they fed thousands. The same hold true in church planting. Start with what you have and turn it over to the Lord and watch him multiply the “little” into “much.”

2. The importance of a few key details.
The difference between success and failure in church planting often hinges on attention to a few key details. For example, it is a lot easier to gather people first and evangelize/disciple them, than trying to win individuals and attempt to gather them. Another is baptizing new converts as soon as possible. Ongoing relationship and mutual nurturing of leaders within an accountability group of fellow believers is also an important detail.

3. Materials are not the key.
The most frequent question people inquire about is what materials we use. “Show us your materials.” This is the least relevant thing and yet is what everyone thinks is the key to a successful church plant. Just get the right materials and voila you get a church planted. Not so. What is important is the person’s perseverance through the ups and downs of planting a church. Knowing how to effectively use a few simple tools (materials) can go a long way, but nothing takes the place of an inner drive and love for the Kingdom.

just do it

4. “Just do it.”
Nike’s slogan means don’t wait to have all the answers before beginning. It is better to just get out there and start something, than to stand back waiting for conditions to be just right, or for more training. The best way to learn is to get out there and “just do it.” Yes, mistakes will be made, but seldom are these mistakes fatal to the overall work. The grass is NOT greener on the other side of the road. It is no harder to plant a church where God has placed you, than it is for someone else in another “easier” location.

5. Pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers.
Once you settle that He is the one who does the calling, then it becomes important to accept those he sends, regardless of the initial unpromising impression these folks might make upon you. Over and over it has been the “least promising” individuals who have panned out, while the really sharp, cool, educated types fizzle along the way.

6. Dealing with the “authority” issue of who can plant a church.
Many are looking for authorization or blessing from their pastor, denomination, an ordination council, or respected leaders to give them the “green light.” If there is any doubt in the mind of the novice church planter that he/she has the authority to plant a church, they will not do so. If, however, they understand their authority comes directly from Jesus, they will be mightily used of the Lord. Every church planter needs to settle in their hearts and minds that Jesus is the source of their authority issues. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth [therefore] go…make disciples…baptizing…teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” One of my roles as a missionary is empowering people to do those things that Christ has already empowered them to do!

7. Have a clear idea of what it is that needs to be done.
Many of our folks see themselves as simply “evangelists” and are out trying to win a few to Christ. Once they get it into their heads that they are apostolic church planters, fully invested with the authority to do ALL that such an undertaking entails–baptizing, serving Lord’s Supper, counseling, teaching, praying for the sick, planting a church, etc.–they are transformed into amazing vessels for the Master’s use.

8. Simplicity.

This one cannot be emphasized enough. Neil Cole simply says, “Simple is transferable, complex breaks down.” He goes on to say, “Simplicity is the key to the fulfillment of the Great Commission in this generation. If the process is complex, it will break down early in the transference to the next generation of disciples. The more complex the process, the greater the giftedness needed to keep it going. The simpler the process, the more available it is to the broader Christian populace.” Almost every mistake we have made in the church planting process can be boiled down to our making things more complicated than people can actually handle. I have the tendency to think “more” is better, but “less” is always more in the long run. This certainly applies to church. The more simple church is made to be, the more likely it will take root and grow. The more complex we make it, the more likely it will fail.


© 2011 J. Guy Muse who is a missionary catalyzing organic church planting movements in Ecuador.

Posted on CMAResources.org   Originally posted at http://guymuse.blogspot.com/ HERE

Dumb Mistakes I’ve Made Growing Movements by Erik Fish

For those of us in the Christian world, we often reflect in awe at movements of the gospel in history. Most Jesus followers want to be part of a movement. Many people call themselves one. Few people, I think, understand what they are. Before I tell some of my dumbest mistakes trying to grow a movement, here’s my attempt at a definition for what one actually is for Jesus followers:

MOVEMENT: “The rapidly multiplying, expanding influence of the gospel among a given population, with ensuing transformation in all spheres of life.”

After four years growing a movement on college campuses (or at least trying to), I thought it would be a good time to sit down and evaluate my mistakes. For some bizarre sociological reason, people respond better when I tell them the stupid things I’ve done, rather than just the sweet stories.*

Go figure.

Maybe being honest about our quirks and missteps helps pave the way for others. Before I tell some of my own painful blunders from the last few years, I’ll give myself some anaesthetic by relating a quick story of one failed expedition that led to others’ success.

About 450 years ago, a group of devoted, prayerful Jesuits set out to expand the gospel where it had never been planted before. The Jesuits were founded by ten friends, among them a quirky, often criticized guy named Ignatius of Loyola who once pilgrimaged barefoot all the way to Jerusalem (only to be promptly kicked out of the city and sent home). God often uses strange people to start movements. Ignatiius

The Jesuits were the most prolific force for expanding the gospel in unknown regions prior to (and in many cases, after) the era of modern Protestant missions. Along the way, several of them looked for a faster land route to get from India to China. One of them, Benedetto de Goes, traveled for four years by foot through icy, snow-packed mountains and murderously treacherous deserts searching for a new way to China before finally dying, a thousand miles short of his destination.  Before he died, he left some notes with a traveling merchant that (miraculously) made it back to his Jesuit friends in Europe. The contents of his note basically said:

“Don’t come this way.”

Sometimes our mistakes can help others get where they need to go. (Not to mention, ourselves.)

So, with a shout out to Benedetto, here’s a note from me about a few of my dumb mistakes in growing movements: “Don’t come this way!”

1. Build a Network and Call it a Movement…

… read the rest of Dumb Mistakes I’ve Made Growing Movements  by Erik Fish

My Head in Her Hands, Her Heart in God’s Hands

A story from the field about Gospel sowing to encourage you from Jay Bell…

Jay & Jan Bell
Jay & Jan Bell

Meet Emily.  Yesterday Emily, a young wife and mother of two toddlers, cut my hair.  She is a God-seeker and I have been planting myself into the soil of her heart over the years through friendly “God-talk.”

Hey Emily, have you been keeping up with the “Tebow talk?”  She said, “Yeah, kinda, but what’s it all about?”
Well, Emily (as she is clipping), it’s about a Bible verse, the number 3-16 and his journey as the quarterback of the Denver Broncos (as I am praying).  I then explained how he wore John 3:16 as eye reflectors during his years as QB at the U. of Florida.  She asked, “What does John 3:16 say?”

Slowly, with a smile, I quoted the verse with passion.

But, Emily (clip, clip), check this out.  During Monday nights play-off game against the favored Pittsburgh Steelers he threw for 316 yards.  She exclaimed, “No way!”  And, Emily (pray, pray), each pass averaged 31.6 yards.  “Get outta here!”  And the Broncos’ time of possession of the ball was 31:06 minutes!  “Jay, are you making this up?”  And, Emily, the TV rating of the number of people watching the fourth quarter was 31.6.  “Jay, that’s so weird!”  And the only interception of the game was thrown by the Steelers QB when the play was 3rd down and 16 yards to go.  “Jay, what does all this mean?”

Emily, may I answer your question with a question?  And my question is just one word:  Coincidence?

Emily, do you have a Bible at home?  “Um, let’s see, yes.”  Let me send you these 3-16 numbers in an e-mail and then lay the verse and the numbers on your husband.

My head is no longer in her hands, but her heart is still in God’s hands!

 ___

Jay & Jan work with Encompass World Partners mobilizing people in the USA to love and reach out to Internationals.

If you would like to be on the email list for Jay & Jan, drop them an email at jaybell@encompassworldpartners.org

Micro Discipleship article in a Denominational Magazine by CMA church planter

Posted in ONE MAGAZINE

Big impact, small group…

Micro Discipleship

By Scott Cheatham

How successful is the discipleship program of your church? While many churches offer a Sunday School or small group format, attendance in these classes has been declining for some time. Even small groups are suffering, and a large percentage of those who attend church do not participate in these groups. The reality is that our culture is overscheduled. If you live in an urban area as I do, the opportunities for activities are numerous, and families are stretched thin.

In 2011, in response to this problem, we changed our discipleship focus. While I didn’t want to do away with the Sunday School program, I also saw the need for implementing new ideas in order to bring about valuable changes in the lives of my congregation. Our desire at Rangeview Free Will Baptist Church was to increase commitment while deepening real spiritual growth.

So, we instituted IOU. The initials are known well enough, but for our families, they stand for the three relationships to which God has called us. Those relationships are Inward, Outward, and Upward. Inward in that we need to always cultivate our spiritual growth, outward in that we should always be trying to serve others just as Jesus did, and upward as we worship and praise God each day for all He has done and continues to do for us.

To better cultivate these relationships, we started micro groups of three or fewer people of the same gender who gather weekly to read Scripture, confess sin, and pray. The goal is to encourage members to read 20-30 chapters of Scripture each week, discuss things with which they struggle, and talk about what they have learned from their weekly bible reading, and then close by praying for others outside the church.

Each person identifies at least two people outside the church for whom to pray—six people per group. The goal is to get those people involved in a micro group and ultimately in the church. When a group adds another person (four people), we ask them to split into two groups of two, and each group add another person.

The primary benefit to micro-groups is that it is much easier to increase participation because there are only three schedules to coordinate. In a small group, someone is almost always missing each week due to a conflict. We have encouraged the teens to create similar groups with a little help. A micro group is a natural setting for the average teen, and many teens will not share a lot in a larger group. Because serious discipleship takes place at the micro groups, large group gatherings can focus more on cultural subjects and a bit of fun.

I would like to share more about micro groups beyond this quick overview. Please feel free to contact me at 720-296-1719 if you would like to talk more about this exciting new way to disciple new believers.

About the Writer: Home missionary Scott Cheatham and his family are planting a new in northern Denver, Colorado. Find the church on Facebook.

Your next church planter could be a crack dealer…

The Harvest Is Plentiful

Your next church planter could be a crack dealer. Most of us go looking for our next church planter among bright young youth pastors or seminary students. Neil Perry found his next church planter among drug dealers and prostitutes. It’s only five minutes but you will be amazed by what you hear…

http://www.cmaresources.org/audio/next-church-planter-was-a-crack-dealer

Report from Organic/Simple/House Church in UK & Ireland

In 2011 Mission Britain sent out a survey to people involved in simple/organic/house/missional churches in the UK and Ireland. We wanted to see where things were at and what is happening on the ground through these forms of Churches. We have examined the statistics and put together a Report which you can download for free. Please feel free to pass this report onto people who you feel might be interested.


 Simple Church

Over recent years the Church of Jesus Christ in the UK and Ireland has been in rapid decline and retreat. Church attendance figures have decreased dramatically leaving dwindling congregations and empty church buildings. It is now common to see old ‘Church buildings’ transformed into carpet warehouses, MOT garages or Sikh temples.

At the same time, over the past 40 years or so (a biblical generation), the work of the enemy has increased rapidly through the introduction of lawless ‘Laws’, and the eroding of Biblical values in the main spheres of society including family life, education, government, economics, media and arts. Our society is becoming increasingly hostile to ‘Christianity’. Visible signs of this are seen through media articles concerning the banning of Bibles in hospitals and B+B’s and the removing of crosses and ‘Christian symbols’ in public spaces.

Vast swathes of people are also leaving the ‘institutional church’ (whether they be traditional or more ‘modern’ churches)…

>>Click here to download and read the rest of the report:

Simple/Organic/House/Missional Church in the UK and Ireland (2011 PDF)

The report was carried out by Mission Britain and Ireland


See also:

Prisoners coming to Christ through Life Change Groups

12/30/2011

Just wanted to give you a quick update on what God is doing at the Wynne Unit in Huntsville, Texas:

The training of missionaries who will be serving as a catalyst in starting house churches officially starts on Feb. 1, 2012.

Life Change GroupWarden Pittman has taken some of these men (those that will be trained as missionaries) and has begun using them to do a one-on-one Life Change Group among offenders in Administrative Segregation (Ad Seg). The offenders that are housed in Ad Seg are either the most violent and disruptive offenders or belong to certain gangs that are the most dangerous to both the offender population and security staff, and thus, are housed in Ad Seg for safety reasons. Some of the men (missionaries) that you have met in your tour of the Wynne Unit are being used by Warden Pittman to bring about transformation in Ad Seg.

REMEMBER that because of security, there are no religious programs offered to Ad Seg offenders other than one on one ministry done by select religious volunteers. This is the darkest area of all of the prison system. A bright light is shining in the darkness. In the last several weeks, two Ad Seg offenders have accepted Christ and been baptized. A third accepted Christ this past week. Over one hundred men in Ad Seg have requested to be part of this Life Change Group process. Leadership from TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) witness the last baptism and was literally blown away in regard to the process and the transformation. Recently, because of what God is doing, the Vice Chair of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice visited the Wynne Unit. I’ve been asked to give a report to this board in February.

I want to thank you for your prayers and support. God Bless!

David Valentine
Covenant Fellowship
Huntsville, Texas

P.S. One of our volunteers, Eddie Harmon just called to inform me that they are baptizing the third Ad Seg offender along with twenty-four other offenders (non-Ad Seg) next week. One of the twenty-four is a muslim at the Wynne Unit. This will be the second muslim that we will have baptized because of Life Change Groups.