‘MORE than four in 10 Australians who don’t consider themselves “born again” nevertheless believe Jesus rose from the dead, while one in 10 doesn’t believe he even existed.’ Check out this survey report in The Age (Apr 7, 09).

‘We are doing fine,’ a friend writes. ‘We are getting on with the church plant. We try to hide from other Christians so we can focus our energy on reaching the lost and that is wonderful!’ To cultivate fresh expressions that foster kingdom living & values – are you finding you need to ‘hide from… Continue reading →

Monte Sahlin writes: ‘Michael Temple is a pastor in South Dakota. He recently obtained the use of a 3,400-square-foot commercial space in the shopping mall in town and is experimenting with various kinds of outreach. He started a blog where he tells you precisely what he is experimenting with and then gives you the raw… Continue reading →

Milton Adams, coordinator of Simple Churches for the Florida Adventist Conference, has shared with me some very significant research on The State of the American Church. It reveals some startling statistics on the inevitable decline of churches older than 40 years (unless in their 70s – or those local churches established for more than 200… Continue reading →

Street Pastors has united denominations in service in cities all across Britain and is doing the same in Scunthorpe (Lincolnshire). Many vicars, pastors, and ministers have shown interest in being involved. This Thursday evening (Jan 22) local Council officers, police representatives, magistrates, media, church leaders and members, local licensees and nightclub representatives, etc, will meet… Continue reading →

The 'prayer station' has been set up only three times so far – with over 100 responses. Read more.

“Skyrocketing rental prices and the cost of living are ‘trapping more Maroondah families in poverty,’” reports social worker David Knoop in the Maroondah Leader (the area newspaper in eastern Melbourne). David Knoop, with Connections, runs The Dining Room  – a soup kitchen – where the number coming for food has almost doubled since December 2007 to 90… Continue reading →

A year ago Marjo, with her husband and 5 children (with a 6th on the way), moved from the Shetland Islands to a farm near Suonenjoki (in NE Finland), next door to a small declining Adventist church. There (as in the Shetland Islands) Marjo has built a network of friends close to her home. “All the kids… Continue reading →

John Caputo says: “The church is not the answer. The church is the question!” This is the question (for church planters as well): How does Jesus’ distance from us illuminate what we must say and do in the different situation in which we find ourselves? (What would Jesus deconstruct? p. 34)

The Uniting Church pastor and church planter at Hampton Park (Melbourne), Mat Harry, is experimenting with a simple acronym to cultivate disciples in his churches and groups. Built around the idea of becoming a blessing to their community, it is simple, comprehensive, and biblical, and includes reflection/action learning. Members will explore one aspect of discipleship one… Continue reading →