Archive for the ‘Church’ Category
Posted on February 19, 2010 - by Larry - 0 Comments
7 reasons why I like working with young churches
I am headed to Atlanta to be with my good friend David Putman at ChurchPlanters.com Velocity conference. So I am on the road again.
I always love going to MountainLake church near Atlanta. If you are attending this conference be sure to look me up. I would love to see you.
This past week while leading our Upstream Jet Set tour across Europe I was able to think about some of the reasons why I like to work with young churches or church plants on the field. This does not mean I do not like working with other churches. I am just making some observations about why new churches can be great in missions. I think they make great partnerships for cross cultural church planting teams, working along side a national churches, or a church plant on the field.
So here is my list.
1. They are self starters. Since they are church plants they usually know how to get things started. They live in a constant state of start up mode. They know how to start something out of nothing.
2. They can live with ambiguity. This is life on the mission field. We rarely know what lies ahead on the field. This is how church planters roll. They are fluid.
3. They are explorers. They love to take a look into the unknown. Their exploring often leads to creative ideas for missional living.
4. They have lots of energy. They work very hard. They do whatever it takes to get the job done.
5. They are bold in their witness. I have noticed that most of these planters and young churches actively find ways to share their faith in natural ways.
6. They are practical. They have a keen sense of what works and they move towards that end.
7. They are risk takers. They do not like to fail but they are not afraid of failing or taking a chance.
Posted on January 27, 2010 - by Larry - 0 Comments
Cross Cultural Church Planting Assessments, Part four
I am at a new worker conference this week for imb. I love coming to these events. I love the energy of the workers here. They all have such a heart to see the peoples of Europe come to Christ. Some amazing stories of how God is working here.
I want to return to the cross cultural church planting assessment posts.
Here is a really important verse in the life of the early church.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. Acts 11:19
What intrigues me about Acts 11 is that there was a cross cultural witness that took place. The result we find later is that a church was planted in Antioch of Syria. We see in Acts 13 this church became a sending church which also embarked on cross cultural missionary journeys as they sent out Paul and Barnabas.
Over the years as I have studied and taught church planter assessment mainly from a North American perspective but also some in Europe. I think there are some behavioral competencies that can be helpful in a person or even a group of persons who are going to work cross culturally in a mission setting.
I would welcome your thoughts on this. I am still developing this idea but I am very interested in helping churches as they think and act as missionaries in another culture.
Here is the first part of the list!
Contextualizer – Ability to read / understand a culture and contextualize the gospel for that culture.
Cultural Adaptation – The ability to adapt to another culture other than you own.
Ability to Create Ownership – A Gatherer of people around a common vision and community.
Visioning Capacity – Ability to cast a clear and compelling vision.
Intrinsically Motivated – A deep sense of calling that drives the person to be able to create movement.
I will show you five others characteristics that I feel are important for cross cultural ministry on my next post.
Posted on October 26, 2009 - by Larry - 4 Comments
TCFL – Teaching Churches Foreign Languages
The Idea
I mentioned before about a conversation that I had with a church leader about his desire to see his church learn another language.
This thought has grabbed my attention so I thought what would I do if I pastored in the states again. Perhaps if any church needing a pastor reads my blog it would take care of that possibility but here goes the thought.
TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) is a program that many universities and language schools have throughout the world. I guess our new institute can be called TCFL (Teaching Churches Foreign Languages) Okay, so that was bad. I really do not have a institute but this is the idea. How can a church learn a foreign language?
I guess before we get to the “how” we need to look at why would we even consider such a thing.
Many churches today that I work with have an interest in reaching a particular people group with the gospel. They have been going on short term trips all over the place and I hear quite often they are tired of being spread out and they are ready to focus their efforts.
As they think about the “going” implications they also realize that in many cases those same peoples live in North America and often in their own cities. They begin to think about how can they connect with them in their own community. Therefore when they are putting together their mission strategy they are thinking both where they are and in other parts of the world.
They are also saying that they feel the Great Commission belongs to the church and that they need to be doing more and outsourcing missions less. They want to be involved strategically.
With this being the context one key aspect of cross cultural missions is how do you have an incarnational presence amongst the people? Language obviously is one element of that. These churches are thinking “how can we be better prepared?” If it is one person or a family then they normally arrive on the field and start language school for an amount of time until they can become proficient in the target language. What needs to happen if you do this for an entire church?
Here are a few foundational points that I think are very important if you are really serious about TCFL.
Vision of leadership – I believe key leaders in the church have to have the vision to see this as important. I think if they are trying to learn the language and using the language themselves it will go a long way in creating ownership of the vision to the people. Some how the church has to constantly put this vision before the people on a regular basis. More ideas on this in another post.
Time and Resources- The church has to find some ways to put this into the two important value checkers: their calendar and their resources.
Think Small Groups – One of the best places to start is with the small group structure of the church. Perhaps it is with the first groups going out locally or internationally.
Committed locally and internationally- It is important to be trying to find ways to minister to the people in that language group locally. So this means the church needs to focus on the group(s) they are wanting to work with.
Identify your language talent in your church. Chances are you have some people in your church that are fluent other languages. Discover those people and the languages that they speak and start working with them.
I will post some ideas on how to see this happen soon.
Posted on July 9, 2009 - by Larry - 7 Comments
Partnerships – The Sending Church
What is the difference between a “sending church” and a church that is in “partnership” with a missionary or cross cultural church planting team? Do you believe there is a difference?
I truly believe that every cross cultural worker needs to be “sent” from a church. I believe one’s calling into cross cultural missions needs to be in community and not simply an individual’s calling. I believe often the calling starts in a person’s heart but it needs to be shared, prayed through and confirmed within a community of believers.
I really believe this is the model we see in Acts 13.
I found this from Urbana 81 by Gordan MacDonald.
There are many churches; there are relatively few sending churches. Let me define a sending church. We can do it by way of a historical model, the church in Acts 13 in which the Holy Spirit was free to speak because he would be heard. That church called Saul and Barnabas and sent them out to the uttermost parts of the earth. That was a sending church. It was a church marked by intercession for world evangelization, marked with caring for the needs of hurting people, marked with a hunger for the teaching of the Word of God. It was a church marked with leaders who really believed the mandate of Acts 1:8. Into that sort of atmosphere the Holy Spirit can quickly move. So when he said, “Set apart these men,” the church laid hands on them and “sent them off’ (v. 3). It was a sending church.
Here are a few thoughts I have had over the years of church planting, pastoring and being a cross cultural worker in regards to “sending” churches.
• They confirm the giftings and calling of the missionary and family if married.
• They find ways to prepare and equip the missionary to go out.
• They pray over the missionary and send them out. In Acts 13 you see the “laying on of hands”. I think this came once they knew the Holy Spirit was sending them and they confirmed this calling and blessed them.
• The sending church maintains contact with the missionary while on the field even once the new wears off. (I found a great link for this and will try to post tomorrow)
• The sending church should hold the missionary accountable while on the field. I believe this accountability deals with the spiritual, character and strategic aspects of the missionary.
• The sending church financially supports the worker as needed. I say this for I believe there are some missionaries who do not need the financial support or as much financial support from the church for they work in jobs in these countries. They do still need these other aspects of support.
Check out Skybridge Community or Marketplace Intiatives if you want more context about “tentmaking” or “Doing Business As Missions”.
• They find ways that they can be involved in the work and strategic ministry of the missionary. I think as a church sends out a missionary that they are also committing to supporting the ministry in which they are going to serve. One way that I think this can work is when churches build their mission’s strategy around the people whom God has called to missionary service. This may not always be a possibility but I think it can work. This facilitates long term involvement with the missionary team that is sent out and meaningful mission’s involvement for the church.
For example if a church has a couple / individual coming overseas to serve as church planters what are some other ways their church can engage in the city? Obviosuly prayer should be a given.
- Could international business people from the church look to come to that city to take a job with thier company?
- Could a football or basketball player from the church try out for a professional team in Europe and play a sport?
- Could the church rent an apartment in the city and send short term workers for three months at a time?
- What about the international business people from the church who may make trips to that city? How can they be strategically used to think missionally while doing business abroad?
- What about college students from their church looking to study abroad? Could they study in that city?
The list can go on and on. You are more creative than I.
Just sending one person or family could be the beginning.
A couple of opportunities for conversation:
If the missionaries are being sent through a mission agency strategy conversations need to take place regarding who makes strategic decisions once on the field.
As time goes on for the people that were sent on the field conversations need to continually be revisited in case there is a change of ministry in the life of the missionary or if the church chooses to go another strategic direction in their missions. What happens if the church and the missionary have differing strategies? What gives?
LifePointe Church in Smyrna (near Nashville, Tennessee) and The Upstream Collective will be putting together a “Sending Church” conference early in 2010. I will keep you updated on the dates and info on that as we plan.
More soon.
Posted on June 20, 2009 - by Larry - 3 Comments
Larry visits Mars Hill
Yesterday we went into Athens to see the sites. We made it to Mar’s Hill. I will tell you about a really cool ministry connect we made there in my next post.
The book of Acts comes alive here as you walk around the marketplace, the temple sites, Mar’s Hill.
I am standing next to his speech as recorded in Acts 17. I giving you the English version in case you cannot zoom in and read it in Greek.
22Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.
I must say when you come to Athens you must try the “Frappe“. I doubt the Apostle Paul was able to experience this aspect of Athenian life but the”iced coffee drink” is something to remember.
More Soon.
Posted on April 30, 2009 - by Larry - 2 Comments
The role of the Church in Missions
I am still thinking of some questions regarding Acts 13 and being “sent”. So this is a question blog. I am fortunate and grateful in that I come from a strong mission sending church.
When I think about my own “sent ness” I sometimes wonder what role the church played in it?
It seems the Church and the Holy Spirit both played vital roles in the “sending”.
Before I was SENT
Did they confirm my calling or did an organization? or both?
How did this confirmation take place?
Was it filling out forms, references, affirming my calling through my actions in the context of the local church?
Did they confirm my giftedness? If so, how?
Did they lay hands on me, pray for me and send me out as their missionaries?
Once on the FIELD
How do we continue to communicate? Is it one way communication or do both the missionary and the sending church initiate conversation?
Do I send them regular prayer updates?
Am I able to speak into their mission efforts back “home”?
How can I serve my sending church?
Do they hold me and my family accountable spiritually?
Do they give us pastoral care even while on the field? If so what does this look like?
How do they relate to us strategically?
Who takes the lead in the mission strategy?
The church?
A mission organization?
A missionary team that is sent out?
All three?
What happens when the missionary’s calling and the church’s strategy no longer match? What gives?
Obviously I believe that the Great Commission belongs to the local church. I believe as Acts 13 speaks of that the local church is central to our missionary efforts. How can the local church fully participate overseas?
I would love to read your comments or perhaps you have even better questions.
As I put together my next series on “missional partnerships” I will attempt to answer some of these questions.
Posted on April 17, 2009 - by Larry - 1 Comment
Led.. The Antioch Church
2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” 3 So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way. 4 So Barnabas and Saul were sent out by the Holy Spirit. Acts 13: 2-4
I have often thought of God’s call on a person’s life. I think I have been guilty of thinking of “calling” or “being sent” as an individual’s response to God’s call on their life. When I read Acts 13 I see the church doing what was normal to them: worshiping the Lord and fasting. The Holy Spirit spoke to them and gave them an assignment.
You (the church) should dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the work in which I have called them do. This “leading” was to the church. It was in community. It seems that the church doing what was normal to them received instructions on how to be responsible to the Great Commission. They were to send out two of their very gifted men.
The church continued to pray and to fast on this matter and then they laid hands on them and sent them out.
I wonder what conversations did they have as a church during that time?
What conversations did they have with Barnabas and Saul while they were going through this process?
Did they have a church planter assessment done? (I had to write that since that was my job some years back.)
We do know is this was the first missionary journey of Paul. They were sent out by the Holy Spirit. They were confirmed by the body of believers known as the church. The two (Holy Spirit and Church ) should not be separated in our missionary ventures.
Posted on March 18, 2009 - by Larry - 0 Comments
think and act globally from day one
In the 90s I was involved in church planting in the states. I had some awesome experiences and I think God used what we did in some terrific ways.
Since being overseas from 2001 I have often wondered what would be my “do -overs” or “mulligans”. I like this term in golf for it means when you hit a bad shot (for me that is quite often) then you ask for a mulligan. Some people simply take the mulligan. This is where it is good to play with someone else who is a believer (in mulligans that is).
The big “do-over” for me in church planting would be this. I would engage
our new church in missions internationally from day one. In fact this has
been our theme so far this year as we have been involved in some conferences
for church planting.
Here is where I need your help if you are willing. We are working with Lifeway Research on a
survey (it only takes 5 minutes) where we ask a series of questions for
people involved in church planting. We want to learn from church planters
about their past, current and potential involvement in global missions. We think we
can get some good information that will help us help new churches in the
future regarding missions.
If this is you, would you take a few minutes to help us with this research?
You can find the survey at www.theupstreamcollective.org
Posted on December 16, 2008 - by Larry - 2 Comments
reverse mission opportunities 2
To keep going on my reverse mission trip theme.
I wonder if this would work. I have never tried it and I am sure someone has so I would be interested in how did it work?
Instead of you bringing your church to “do” a basketball camp or soccer camp that you could bring a group of people to “attend” a soccer camp in Europe? What if you were able to equip your participants to come and live life side by side with a European and be able to share your faith with them in some natural ways? Not to mention learn some pretty good soccer skills.
You see most of the time we want to go on a mission trip and and “Do” something so that someone can attend it and thus hear the gospel. What if we simply get involved in something that is already going on and find ways to tell our story in that way? To me this is the more natural way to share our faith. It is being the salt and light to a group of people.
Posted on December 14, 2008 - by Larry - 3 Comments
Reverse Mission Opportunities
On my last post I wrote about what we could / should we consider doing differently regarding missionaries from North America. I work in Europe. Many people describe Europe as being post Christian. This is not to say that there are no believers here. This is not to say there are not churches here. Both exist but in smaller numbers. It is saying that many people believe that Christianity was tried here and does not work. Others may simply reject it or dismiss it or say it can be one of many choices.
Ministering in this context is quite a challenge. I must admit that my previous experience in the states focused more on attracting people to church. Now when I hear of people coming to Europe to “teach” us the latest attractional model I know I can sometimes be skeptical of such. For the attractional model assumes that people actually are looking for a church. This is not the case here.
BUT… what if…
I had a conversation with a worker yesterday and he gave me a neat idea. Part of my role is helping churches in North America connect with Europe. What do you think of when I say that? I know for me I use to always think that this means that we need a church in the states to come and HELP a church in Europe.
What if we reversed that? What if we had a church in America partner with a church in Europe not to be the great hope but to actually be a “learner”?
What if the church here in Europe could help you? Here is the idea on this. If North America is following the path of post Christian Europe could we not learn from some expressions of faith and community in Europe? How are they thriving or not amidst the world they are living in? What are they learning about the attractional model in a post Christian context? What can we learn from them that would better prepare our churches here in North America to reach our communities?
Anyone looking for such a partnership?
