Month: June 2004
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How to Do Church at Home: Worship
How to Do Church at Home: Worship Regarding worship I want to encourage our own house churches to broaden and to bring. To broaden refers to broadening our worship expressions. We take time, normally, to let everyone participate in speaking or singing expressions of our gratitude, praise, and love towards God. However, whether by training…
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Hearing From God: Key To House Church
I have found that the key to House Church or Simple Church is to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit– all of us. This is one of the many paradigm shifts that must take place for Christians to enter into a simple church expression or movement. In my past life, as a pastor of…
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Note From Japan
It’s always pleasant to receive encouragement from other places in the world. Here’s an email I received from Japan: Hi! Just wanted to say thanks and let you know your blog is impacting the nations! I am a Kiwi living here in Japan with my wife and two kids trying to see house church movements…
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Simple Church In Ghana
Pastor William, from Ghana, West Africa, is visiting with us this weekend and joining us for three of our house church gatherings. After pastoring in a traditional church, he is now planting a simple church expression that “focuses on the person” rather than on “buildings and church.” Last night, William encouraged us with a wonderful…
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Church In The Marketplace
We continue to have quite an adventure on Tuesday nights as we meet in the restaurant. It just seems to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable to come… from any background. Last night was no exception: A 90-year-old son of a Jewish scholar — I’m not sure if he has ever been in a…
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Church Planting Movements
I have been thinking a lot about church planting movements– how to be part of one and how to initiate more of them. The following, from the International Misison Board, is an excellent summary of the elements needed for true church planting movements to take place: Ten Universal Elements After surveying Church Planting Movements around…
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The Insider, More on Part 3
We are discussing the seven life-patterns of a fruitful insider (one who is effective at sowing Kingdom life into the people around him or her). We have already mentioned the first three: taking little initiatives, praying, and serving. The fourth pattern is worth taking some time with: Conversing the Faith. Many of us have been…
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The Insider, Part 3
In Part 3 of “The Insider” Jim Petersen gets down to the practical lifestyle of an insider (one who reaches out to those around them, sharing the Kingdom life). He suggests seven specific patterns of behavior that will be part of a fruitful insider’s life. He devotes a chapter to each pattern. 1. Taking little…
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Why Do Church Differently?
Alan Creech does a good job of answering the question, “Why Do Church Differently?” This is why. I can answer for some and not all. We have looked and we have seen the deep lack of real transformation going on in the Body of Christ. We aren’t – we haven’t been – being changed into…
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Living With God Consciousness
I have been summarizing Petersen’s book on “The Insider” which encourages us to see our primary ministry and calling in the fields where we live our lives each day: at work, in the supermarkets, with friends, etc. I have also been seeking to live more intentionally, each day, in God’s presence– more conscious of His…