» 2008 » February

It is no exaggeration to say that the global Anglican church of is at a crossroads facing its greatest crisis since the Reformation. It’s been there at least since the 1998 Lambeth Conference when the vast majority of Anglican bishops worldwide rejected “homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture.”

Despite this the Episcopal church in the US [...]

Recently the 104th Anglican archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, provoked outrage suggesting that the adoption of elements of Islamic sharia law in Britain was “unavoidable” if social cohesion was to be fostered in Britain. He called the principle of one law for everybody “a bit of a danger”.

Unfortunately for the Anglican church, this was more [...]

Bobby Gupta transformed a Bible college into a church planting movement which currently has 610 church planters who have planted 3,163 churches in 21 states of India and in Nepal with a membership of over 150,000 believers, over the last 20 years.

I’m guessing we might have something to learn from him.

Bobby is visiting Australia in [...]

In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.Eric Hoffer, The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements

LeadershipQuotes

If you found the Essential Elements of church planting movements helpful, have a look at the five links in New Generations International’s strategy for fueling church planting movements:

ServiceRelationshipDiscovery and obedienceInside leaders and church plantingReproductionYou can get the full text here.

Church Planting Movements

Some more insight from New Generations International on church planting movements.

Mobilize persistent prayer on a large scale
Eliminate the inherent barriers caused by transmitting external “Western/Christian” culture
Establish “simple” churches based on the fundamental biblical requirements
Gain access to restricted or resistant areas through compassionate service
Finding and discipling the “Man (or Woman) of Peace” (Mt.10, Luke 10) as [...]

Thanks to the folks at New Generations International for these Counter-Intuitive Characteristics of Church Planting Movements
Spend a long time preparing to multiply rapidly
Don’t teach the Bible…teach every new Christ-Follower how to discover God’s truth and obey what they learn
Expect miracles to accelerate the church planting process 
Stay only where a “person of peace” (Lk. 10) [...]

Gary Bouma is wrong. The Presbyterians are breeding. At least in Australia.

I’ve just returned from trips to Brisbane and Sydney where I met some Presbyterians who are serious about church planting.

Since I offended the Pressies in my last post, I might as well offend some Anglicans. . .

Q. What do you get when you cross [...]

Now days it’s hard to find a breeding pair of Presbyterians.That memorable quote comes from Professor Gary Bouma of Monash University. He was commenting on the 2006 Australian census figures on religious adherence.

You can say the same thing about the breeding patterns of the Uniting Church and much of the Anglican church outside the [...]

Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world and Terry Davidson is one of the most effective people I know who is planting churches to reach that diversity.

Actually, Terry doesn’t do much at all — except spot, grow, develop and empower the leaders who are planting those churches — Chinese, Iranian, [...]