We recite in the creeds that we are one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church. We view these marks as adjectives, what the church is. But what if we look at them as more dynamic adverbs, what the church is becoming? It could be a positive gear change for the church.
Even in religiously restrictive contexts we have responsibility to actively seek opportunities to build shalom and to pray earnestly for the authorities until we see alternative doors opened for holistically blessing the people around us. This was true for exiles and the persecuted in the Bible, it is true for believers in China. It is true for Christians everywhere.
European delegates are right now arriving in Korea to join over 5000 Christian leaders from all over the world in the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization, starting tomorrow (Sunday).
God has developed unique attributes in every culture than can accelerate missions in near cultures or those with similar attributes. This is an under-appreciated strategy for mission but one that can be very effective to reach under-reached people.
A very crucial issue in the church today is how we are to understand our identity. There is not much room for independent thought as we are forced to position ourselves as either individualist or collectivist. The Christian life is neither or those. It is something else altogether. For the sake of God's glory we need to realize this.
Irregular and illegal migration dominates social and political conversations today in many nations. But 99% of forcibly displaced people are stuck in refugee camps in or near their home nation. With the help of the global Church we can help displaced people out of refugee limbo, sharing the love of Christ and offering them a hope and future.
The number of global Christian leaders, who recently have had to confess and repent of moral failing or step aside from leadership duties due to some moral indiscretion, has been staggering. At the heart of the problem is the leaders’ inability to exercise integrity as a critical lifestyle in Christian living.
Ramona loves being a part of that special moment when she hears the first birds start singing for the day. Birds are not conscious of the blessing they are to us, similarly we can unconsciously be a blessing to others with what we are naturally gifted to do. Read on and discover how the birdsong can awaken our sanctification.
The fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization is rapidly approaching. This is the first time Jay Matenga is participating. He notes that a tumult of conversation is already emerging and hopes that participants will keep their eyes on Jesus through a time of robust discussion—maintaining unity in the essentials, liberty on secondary issues, and love throughout.
The hybrid church has been described as the coming together of a church’s online presence and offline/physical gatherings. In fantasy fiction hybrids emerge at a critical point of change and endure longer over time. In a similar way, hybridity has the potential strengthen a churches witness and promote a stronger holistic ministry, increasing gospel impact and a church's longevity. Let's explore this further together.
Are your desires and plans aligned? If so, what might it say about what you really want? How aligned is that yearning to God's will? If it is, there you will find your vocation. If it is not, that might be cause for repentance. Read on so you can figure it out before you die.
In his 54th year in ministry, Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback Church, declared at the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization that he would spend the next 10 years of his life continuing to help church leaders “finish their race” and fulfill the Great Commission in their lifetime.
