Years ago, a kind man named Dooley, after teaching the Wednesday evening Jr. High class at church, decided to share with the class some of the misheard hymn lyrics that he remembered. I know he mentioned more than one, but I can't remember the others. The one I do remember is the title for this post: Are you sowing the seed of the king, dumb brother?
It is commendable that one would be aware of those who have left home and family to take the gospel to remote places around the world and the need for God’s blessings on their ministry; but I find myself wondering how God must respond to such generic appeals. Which missionaries? Where? How do you want me to bless them? via God Bless the Missionaries | Splash Everywhere.
Take away the denominational language and theological bugs in this article, then see if this article has something to say to us. Whatcha think?
Them’s big words in the title. What it means is this: Much church growth theory and practice revolves around methods. But if we work at being the church of God as revealed in Scripture, methods are icing on the cake.
Larry Miles’s article yesterday on The Fellowship Room, “Five Reasons the Early Church Grew (Acts 4),” reminded me of this truth.
I’m not against methods. To do anything, we have to adopt some sort of methodology. I’ve just proposed to the churches here, who sometimes use no method at all — meaning no work gets done — that we adopt 13 methods in 2013 to win 13 souls (keying off the fame of 12-12-12). Continue reading
On his blog Chris Gallagher writes on the topic of what to do in case of loss of income. One good point he makes is especially important for Christians.
#4 – Reevaluate Your Values – There will be people who lose income and immediately cut out things like charitable giving, but continue [to] eat fast food every day with their family; do not be those people. Support the values you believe and let your family know that you will not sacrifice giving for a quick fix. Continue reading
Once you translate the business language, what’s true for international business is true for the church:
It’s vital to get a good solid in-country management in place that understands what you’re doing as well as the local culture. We could go in with a US management team but adapting to what is a very different business culture would make for a difficult road to success.
There are two spheres of knowledge. The first concerns “what you’re doing,” that is, in spiritual terms, the gospel. We practice and proclaim the Word of salvation. That word goes from us to others. We must know and be able to communicate the truth. People must understand the Message of Christ. Continue reading
After taking a two-year leave of absence from teaching at Freed-Hardeman University and moving to New Zealand to establish the Lord’s church in Porirua City, Kevin Moore and his family are getting ready to return to the USA in mid-December. The Moores have also been working with the nearby Wellington congregation, who have proven most helpful in starting this new work. The church of Christ began meeting in Porirua City on the 8th of May 2011 and is currently averaging around thirty in attendance. Over the past several months, ten precious souls have been baptized into Christ, along with one restoration. Lance and Kristen Mosher (FHU graduates) have moved to Porirua City to continue this good work.
Kevin, Lynne, Loren & Kaitlyn Moore
In one of his recent Impromptus, Jay Nordlinger, senior editor for National Review and one of my favorite non-religious writers, wrote,
I met a West African government official. I said to him, “I know that foreign aid has its pluses and minuses. But tell me: Is foreign aid more a help or more a hurt?” He fixed me with a look — kind of a mischievous one — and said, “Do you know the difference between AID and AIDS? The letter S.” Continue reading
Stan Mitchell has an article today on Forthright Magazine making an appeal especially to elders. He begins,
If there are any elders out there considering taking on a new mission work, I want to make a plea. Back a long-term missionary, not an extra-church organization, and not a part-timer. Continue reading
Focus Press has a video series on evangelism, starting with Joe Wells’s “Understanding the Soil – Cultivate,” from a North American perspective. Apparently this series is new, since the video below was posted Sept. 9.
In my Forthright article, “Pull the Plug on Progressives,” earlier this week, I mention the damage that is being done to the Brazilian church by those who have risen among us but who are not of us, aided by brethren who fail to impede their influence.
I wonder if the church in other countries is feeling a similar influence?
