» 2005 » November

Next Wave has interview with Neil Cole worth a read. Neil’s a great guy and an effective practitioner of what he teaches.

What I like about Neil is that being ‘missional’ includes evangelism.

A friend of mine has just returned from China. Here are his reflections on growing leaders there.

In the past, most leaders were mentored by older pastors who had suffered much. Although they led millions to Christ, they lacked in biblical knowledge. In the 1990s, doors opened to Western-style training (Bible schools and seminaries [...]

One of my favourite pastimes is asking church planters, “What are you learning?”
“Skyped” Mark Kenzie the other day. He and Cheryl are planting on the fringes of Newcastle, about two hours north of Sydney.

They are among the best at connecting with people in the community. It’s summer in Australia and the lead up to Christmas. [...]

I’m not a film critic. Movements are my specialty.

But I can’t help commenting on a film I saw recently. The Proposition.

Don’t rush out and see it unless you have a stomach for violence and a heart that can cope with despair.

Set in the Australian outback in the 1880s, it tells the story of the Burns [...]

Andrew makes a good point about our understanding of church renewal and decline, “There seems to be an inherent danger with just giving something a certain timespan and then ‘writing it off’.”

GK Chesterton agrees, “Men invent new ideals because they dare not attempt old ideals. They look forward with enthusiasm, because they are afraid to [...]

One of my heroes of the faith is Patrick of Ireland. One of the great movement founders.

Here part of an address on Patrick at a Forge intensive last year. Happy listening!

MonasticismMovements

The drift from growth to plateau, from vitality to decline is a subtle but significant one. At its heart is “the failure of success“—a desire to protect what we have achieved rather than to pursue mission.

Here are the consequences for each of the characteristics of dynamic movements.

1. White hot faith
Members of plateaued movements prefer security, [...]

Following my post on drifting into Plateau and Decline Dave has come up with a great image to explain why we let it happen:

If you surf a wave all the way to the shore line it eventually dies, you get a long ride but it gradually gets less and less exhilirating, by that time you [...]

Death and taxes are inevitable in this life.

Here’s the third sure thing. . .

Given enough time, every dynamic Christian movement will plateau and decline. No exceptions.

Why?