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This is what I am dreaming about right now. The need is great - we need to raise and release revivalists who will usher in the Kingdom of Heaven in this city and region. What will it take? Shall we go full-throtle and open a School of Supernatural Ministry at our church?

C’MON!

This is what my message for this morning looks like:

With the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, Western Europe was tribalised and run-over by many of the barbarian people groups native to these lands, and essentially became post-Christian In “The Celtic Way of Evangelism: How Christianity Can Reach the West…Again”, George G. Hunter III deals with how Celtic Christianity and Monasticism re-evangelized much of Western Europe.

In like manner, postmodern Western Europe is esentially post-Christian, and we are watching its re-tribaliztion into distinct “new barbarian” subcultures. There are amazing parallels between these two eras, and amazing lessons we can apply in our mission to reach and touch nations.

Like these Celtic monks, we are faced with a need to study culture, and understand people, what language they speak (some words mean something to a churched Christian, and something completely different to an un-churched person), and where they are at with regards to Truth.

Among the many lessons to be learnt in this book, maybe the most important one is that the Roman model of evangelism used to (and still does) stress a presentation of the Gospel, followed by a decision to become a Christian, then finally an invitation to form part of a church. The Celtic community would first befriend someone into fellowship with the community of faith, and would then engage the person in the ministry of conversation with an invitation to belief last. We need to recover this aspect of building bridges and establishing relationships with people whilst engaging in conversation and ministry with them. As time passes, these friends will find themselves believing the same things as the community.

The Celts were also very right-brained in their approach to evangelism. The use of creativity, imagination and media in communicating the Gospel is paramount nowadays when seeking to reach an increasingly digital generation with the Gospel.

Read my book notes on my iPaper here

Technorati Tags: Celtic monasticism Christianity evangelism postmodern

Bill Johnson was asked in an email, “How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” This was his response:

Have you spent time with Todd? Do you know him? Have you watched him with his wife? Or have you seen how he treats his kids? Have you spent any time with his staff? Have you been to his ministry? Has he been to yours? Have you laid hands on him and prayed? Has he laid hands on you and prayed? Have you grieved over tragedy together? Have you celebrated victory together? Has he sought your counsel? Has he traveled a great distance just to meet with you privately for advice? Have you ever received his counsel? Have you been in the room when God has showed up on him, and used him in stunning miracles? Have you seen him operate in the word of knowledge or the prophetic? Have you met with his counsel of elders? Have you personally benefited from his gift? Has he benefited from your gift and ministry? Has he ever honored you for who you are in God? Has he partnered with you as a friend? Have you sacrificed for his welfare, or that of his family? Have you sought God with him? Have you ever worshipped the Lord with him?

I didn’t think so. I have. And I’ll continue to support those who I have walked with in life and ministry. He’s my friend. More importantly, God calls him friend. And if you and I were ever friends in that level, and people hated you and turned against you, and started web pages to tear down your ministry, and criticized you to your friends, and wrote against you in Christian magazines, and criticized you on the radio and wrote emails to other conference speakers and authors, I’d still be your friend.

By the way - criticism in the form of a question is not a question. But to respond to your statement, “How in God’s name can you endorse Todd Bentley?” It’s easy. I do it in God’s name.

Technorati Tags: Todd Bentley, Bill Johnson, Lakeland Outpouring

I have just finished reading “The Starfish and the Spider” and have been blown away by the lessons that are in this book for the taking. If you are in a position of leadership in any type of organization, then the secrets laid out in this book will help you chart a course towards a brave new world. There are principles of decentralization that we would be wise in studying, and applying to our churches, especially churches that plan to reach culture with the message of the Kingdom of Heaven.

I have especially seen the relevance of this book for the mission of the church and how the early church spread Christianity throughout the known world at the time. It has also helped me understand how the underground house church movement in China has suffered tremendous persecution and yet has prospered, exploded and is on the verge of taking over an entire country (link). The power of the decentralized network is awesome.

In organizations that have taken the world by storm, from eBay, to Skype, from Wikipedia to Craigslist, the absence of structure, leadership and formal organization are now considered an asset. Although leadership is crucial, centralized, controlling and restrictive leadership are a hindrance. The parallels with church life are astounding. Let the reader understand.

Read/Download my notes on the book here.

Technorati Tags: Starfish and Spider, Decentralization, Evangelism, Housechurch