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Has anyone else read the book "Revolution in World Missions" by the founder of Gospel for Asia? It was amazingly eye opening for me, changed the way I thought about missions entirely, and I am just curious what other people thought of it. If you have never read it, they will send you a free copy (go to their website).
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Yes, I read the book. It encourages me to put money directly into the hands of those indigenous brothers in the field. Our cultures do interfere--not always, but the potential is there. Of course, God honors the "going", no matter who or where. Jesus had to deal with the traditions of the Pharisees. This has always been a problem--dealing with our habitual ways that result in groups or organizations that may not function as God's best. Good book.
As house churchers, we understand that no budget is needed to plant the Kingdom of God. The Jesus model involved penniless apostles and hospitable non-believers.
I specifically asked people "in the field" (particularly one of the foremost missions advocates of our time) about the GFA model, and what they said was, "Church planting stops dead in its tracks" when American money is funneled through "indigenous missionaries". They also said they believed that the author of "Revolution" had the right heart, and was above reproach personally, but was sincerely mistaken.
The reason is... If I send money to support a worker, he gets the money. If he, in turn, sends another church planter, they have to SPLIT the money. So there is an incentive to NOT send out the next worker to the next village, unless MORE money comes from America.
I think in terms of "Money corrupts. American money corrupts absolutely!" Several revivals in the fSU region were corrupted, destroyed or ended by American "zeal without knowledge". While we must do what we can -- including sending out truly trained apostles, we must remember that Christ is building his church -- not American money.
More to the point, the "Friends Missionary Prayer Band" in India is exploding in church planting, and they have a STRICT policy of not accepting outside funds. They trust God, use the Jesus model, and are highly successful -- and no one is being held back because of waiting on fund raising efforts in America! The people themselves learn to "give hilariously" as God transforms their hearts. They are then "full partners in the gospel" instead of junior members to American Christians.
For more on this, see Scoggins and Paterson's "Church Multiplication Guide" or Brian Hogan's DVD "Multiplying Churches Among the Unreached".
I would also be happy to correspond with anyone about how church planting can grow out of house churches and households of faith.
Blessings, Laurie Ann
-------------------- Posing as an Ordinary Housewife :)
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I should have mentioned that I Have read the book, lest you think I'm commenting in ignorance! I've also heard one of the fundraisers speak. It did not ring true to me, thus I did the research.
-------------------- Posing as an Ordinary Housewife :)
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Grace to all my brethren. Let me jump right in and say that I have difficulty finding "church planting" anywhere in the scriptures. I see a lot of "CHRIST" planting but not church planting. I feel that if we are up against the old nemesis of our understanding and commence to crystalize around some pattern or form. LA, I believe you are right on when one shares from a family. The only problem is what happens if one does not have family? Sort of like the old saying of "there are no absolutes." Well. I just made one! One needs to be careful in implementing our own understanding into God's. Best we strive to try it the other way around. Allow Jesus to be who He said He is and do what he said He would do. Great posts brethren and keep listening to His voice! Maranatha! SEMPER FIDELIS! ben \o/
Christ-planting it is! Gathering of faith... I apologize sincerely for short-cutting what the scripture actually says, "Go to a village..." by using the word "church planting" to refer to taking the Kingdom to the next household. Jesus didn't give us an easy handle, did he. I'm open to some other abbreviation... since I don't see the phrase "Christ Planting" either, and it doesn't really give the mental picture we want to paint for people.
And fortunately, when God says "family" he doesn't mean the American version (father, mother, sister,brother) but the Biblical one... "Household of Faith" - meaning a man and his biological/marital family, their servants, their friends, co-laborers, neighbors... Think of Abraham... Job... Cornelius.
"He sets the lonely in families"... is what we expect for those who are alone.
And... who says there are no absolutes? I couldn't disagree more. That is humanistic thinking. God has a plan, and while there's plenty of wiggle room in some areas, I think the Kingdom of God in the West, and the world, has suffered enough from the "another gospel" mentality. If Jesus didn't mean "find a man of peace" why did he say it? Can we really substitute anything there and be obeying what he clearly said?
I know I suffer from literalism... after 42 years of "This is a cool idea to get people to church! This is a creative way to present the gospel! This is a great group to form! This is a great program!" and nothing to show except a corrupt, wicked generation doing what is "right in their own eyes" I am ALL done with the American gospel... His way or the Highway, to the uttermost limits of what can be done in this culture. If we fail this time, it won't be because I fudged on what Jesus clearly said.
Let God be true and every man a liar!
Not that you are a liar... May God bless you richly as you advance his kingdom in our midst.
Blessings, Laurie Ann
-------------------- Posing as an Ordinary Housewife :)
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LA, you might wanna read again the illustration about the absolutes. Chafas was not advocating not having any but rather showing the futility of advancing the view that there were none. I think he's right and also in agreement with you.
Very soon, I'll start a new thread on the popular phrase "church planting" unless someone else wants to sooner.
Blessings to your house, sister in Jesus, and thanks again for turning our thoughts to the great subject of the great commission.
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