Much of our discussion on mission in the west assumes Jesus delegated the task to his followers, and then left them to fulfil it. Pick up any popular book on church growth, church planting or missional church, and the assumption is that we are the ones who have to work this thing out. The assumption [...]
Category Archives: Case studies
First principle
19 August, 2010 – 11:22 PM
Sean makes an important point—we cannot expect “results” just because we apply certain principles. I’ve been in the book of Acts for at least a year now. Here’s the heart of what I’m learning—mission is not about us. It’s about the continuing ministry of the Risen Lord. Luke is the only Gospel writer who also [...]
Mongolian invasion
22 July, 2010 – 3:08 AM
The book of Acts teaches us that despite the obstacles, the spread of the word is unstoppable. Dave Lawton has just returned from a visit to Mongolia. Since the fall of communism Mongolia has seen the emergence of church planting movements. Thousands have come to know Christ. Unfortunately, foreign interference and funding has caused the [...]
Acts and the kingdom
15 July, 2010 – 8:44 PM
The kingdom of God was the central theme of Jesus’ ministry. So why does the book of Acts appear to neglect it? The term “kingdom” occurs forty-two times in Luke’s Gospel, but just eight times in his book of Acts. How could such an important theme to Jesus appear to almost vanish for the early [...]
Why Acts?
13 July, 2010 – 12:18 AM
Howard Marshall asks: Q. What’s the significance of Luke combining the story of Jesus and the story of the church in one account? A. He’s telling us the two stories are really one. “Luke: Historian & Theologian (Gospel Profiles, 3)” (I. Howard Marshall)
A case study in decline
6 July, 2010 – 7:32 PM
There is nothing more important to the vitality of a movement than it’s commitment to its core beliefs. Dynamic movements hold both orthodoxy (core beliefs) and engagement with the culture in creative tension. About a year ago my denomination (Baptist Union of Victoria) reappointed its New Testament professor, Dr Keith Dyer. The appointment was supported [...]
Those wobbling bishops
2 July, 2010 – 9:04 PM
The Ugly Vicar explains the dynamics of how church leaders come to undermine the very beliefs and values they are called to uphold. Note the public silence of key moral issues until they build a consensus to change rules and regulations. The only effective response to this undermining of the Christian faith? — radical principled [...]
How Jesus gets the job done
30 June, 2010 – 2:25 AM
The main theme of Acts may be the spread of the word, but Jesus is the key player. Jesus is risen and he reigns. His primary agents in forming and growing his church are the word and the Spirit (David Peterson). The risen Lord sends the Spirit (2:33), inspires preachers (7:55-56), calls and commissions his [...]
How the word conquers the world
28 June, 2010 – 11:03 PM
I read a denominational report recently. The assumption of it’s planning into the future was that of continued decline. Such a far cry from the experience of the church Jesus founded in Acts. Too much of our missional thinking assumes God is absent from the planet and it’s all up to us. We provide the [...]
Missional church made simple
18 June, 2010 – 3:54 PM
What this clip and learn from the simplicity of how it communicates. The medium is the message. But if you want to see a disciple making, church multiplication movement, you’re going to have to see beyond the picture it paints of the missional church. What’s missing? HT: Epoch
