Can we make disciples like Jesus modeled? video by Erik Fish

Erik Fish

Catalytic leader of the Student Church movement, Erik Fish shares about making disciples at Cornerstone Community Church in Kansas City, KS. Erik challenges us with the question “Can we do what Jesus modeled for us today?”

© 2012 Cornerstone Community Church and Erik Fish – posted originally HERE

Erik & Jen Fish have a passion to be on mission with Jesus – as a family. They help catalyze Student Church Movements –see how student church planters are bringing the gospel to universities and the nations at http://studentchurch.org

More at http://ErikFish.com or on Twitter @FishErik

 


See also the articles:
Dumb Mistakes I Made Growing Movements by Erik Fish
Matches and Movements: What Kind of Revival Do We Want? Erik Fish

Ancient – a story from Norway by Erik Fish

Norway by Erik Fish

Norway by Erik FishLast week, I stood at the edge of the North Sea with my friends from CMA in Southern Norway, watching the fog roll in over the rocky islands. It was an erie feeling, a combination of things both old and new. Good and evil. It is hard for me to describe the paradoxical atmosphere — it felt both thick and thin at the same time. Thick with fog and heaviness, yet thin with a sense that the veil between the natural and spiritual world was very small. What was God up to in this place?

We met a brother from the churches who told us about his sister’s family who lived on this land. We were invited to visit them.  Next to their home was an ancient burial mound. The meaning of the mound had been lost in time, but  local lore reported the site to be a place of unholy sacrifices meant to appease dark deities of old.

As we climbed the mound, brief images of ancient peoples, past tragedy, spiritual darkness, and suffering played across my mind. Was I seeing a vision?

We prayed at the mound. We declared the truth that Jesus reigns in this land and ancient gates of darkness were closed. I felt a deep sense of peace as we held hands and worshiped God.

What happens in the spiritual affects the natural. It was time to tell the family who dwelt in these lands the message of Jesus – the reigning King who frees us from fear, superstition, and dark forces. He comes to fill our lives with His love.

“When you enter a home, eat what is set before you…announce the kingdom of God…heal the sick, cast out demons…freely you’ve received; freely give.” -Jesus

We entered this precious family’s home. Their home was known by locals as a place for new age-type healings, but as always is the case with dark forces, there is another side to things. They served us coffee. As we sat together, they told us of the fear they often feel in their home. “We sometimes see evil spirits that come into our home.”

We told them Jesus does not want them to be afraid any longer. We shared God’s words with them. We spoke of Jesus’ power over demonic spirits. We shared that we were Jesus’ messengers and He wanted to bless their home and family and free them from these fears.

We prayed for the family, blessing their home.

No one appeared sick, but Jesus’ words about healing the sick kept coming to my mind as we sat in their living room.

“Is anyone here sick?” I asked.

“Yes! My son has pains and deformities in his legs.”

We knelt to pray for the son. His eyes lit up as he rose to try out his legs.

“I think they are better!” he enthusiastically reported to his family.

We left the family with our blessings. We invited them to follow Jesus further, trusting them to the care and follow up of their brother who had introduced us to them.

Every time Jesus entered a home, He always made things better. We have the power to do the same thing. Jesus came to bless all the families of the earth.

How are you letting Jesus into your family and the families of those you know?

—–

Originally posted by Erik Fish on his blog ErikFish.com  here
Used by permission

 

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