A track to run on for vibrant families of Jesus
This is a simple plan for the steady growth of vibrant families of Jesus under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Such families, where everyone brings their gift, their grace, become in time a whole ecosystem of God’s grace—an interdependent community of shared resources.
Transforming America: 5. The picture of church in Jesus’ head
This growing insight about church in the Bible was quite disturbing. What it meant was that my practice of church (and of everyone else that I knew at that time) was a significant departure from the practice described in the New Testament.
Transforming America. 2. A quick definition
Chapter Two: A quick definition Vibrant families of Jesus. What do I mean by this? I’ll give you a quick definition here. But, it will take the rest of The Why Book to add color and depth to this phrase. Families. What I have come to understand is that there was a much closer connection […]
Facilitating (#3): Developing a culture of honor in your group
Key verse: Romans 12:10. “Out do one another in showing honor.” To honor means to identify and celebrate value in another. Note that this command was given to the church as a group. This is a group function. So, really healthy groups cultivate a “culture of honor”
Church 101: “A key to sharing the gospel in Thailand
Watch my interview with Jen in Thailand. (click on the picture) Two options here. First, you can simply enjoy Jen’s story and what God is doing through the Church 101 Course. Or, second, you can turn this into a much deeper learning opportunity by reading the six insights below into church and church planting and by watching the videos I reference. Ask the Lord which one He wants you do do.
Rob King shares about his experience with the Church 101 Course
Here is what I got out of my experience with Church 101: First, these two rhythms, checking in and listening to God are really simple. In some ways, really basic. But very critical and very powerful. Which means really easy to teach; a simple approach to doing something that anyone can do and teaching something that anyone can learn.
What Calvin and Luther didn’t know
“…the choice of the gathering place was formational for the self-understanding and the organizational structures of the individual churches to such an extent that the ancient oikos can be seen as the formational model for ecclesiology.” Gehring, P. 255.
Who were the 10:2b answers in the first century? (And, why this matters to us!)
There are some who say that the primary focus of church planting should be among the lost, those who don’t yet know Jesus. We strongly disagree with this. While it is a great thing to plant churches among the lost, we think it is also both valid and important to join Jesus in birthing house churches among those who are already followers of Jesus.
The 10:2b Virus
What part of the harvest field has God called you to? This could be a region (my neighborhood, my city, state, country, etc.) or a people group (a particular age group, a school, an ethnic group, etc.). This week we are asking another question… What is the single most important thing you can do to see a church planting movement in your part of the harvest field?
Want to practice church with us?
First, I love the epiphany that Matt has about half way through his story. A lightbulb goes on and it changes everything for these veteran missionaries. Look for this sentence… “And then it started to hit me with real force…”