NewChurchLife

Comment from Matt
Time December 10, 2006 at 4:47 am

Hi Peter,

Just discovered your blogsite today. I was so excited when I started reading the stories and what’s happening around the place. In fact I was so surprised that so much was going on. I don’t expect this comment to be posted because of what I’ll say next. I had heard a little about you whilst I was living Poland. I went there in 1989 to study Polish and ended up living there for 10 years. I studied at the polish Adventist seminary. Without going into to much detail, following Jesus lead me into a lot of personal evangelism and discipleship.

I had witnessed to many young folk (at the high school I was teaching at) at birthday parties etc, when a couple of the folk wanted to visit my church. I stepped away for a moment when one of the saint’s was giving them a lecture on dress codes. As you could expect, they never returned to church again. The next day I was complaining to God about it. Something like “what’s the point, bringing people to church and they get beat up before making it throught the door etc!” God brought the illustration of the wine and the wineskins to mind and God gave it fresh application (Mt 9:17). The old wine skins (churches) would burst with the new wine (new believers) that was so different from old wine (existing members). God made it clear: ‘start new churches’ (new wine skins) to accomandate for the new folk that was so different from the heavily sedated members in the existing churches . I asked Him “How?” He said “He would show me”.

Hence, from that time (1991) my passion and vision has been for church planting. Unfortunatley, when I approached leaders (in Poland after completing seminary there in 1994) and upon arriving in Australia (1999 - greater Sydney conference), they didn’t respond, I might say, too positively. Even when I offered to plant a church for nothing! (At least initailly untill the plant got off the ground).

i picked up work as a youth pastor in Warburton Victoria for a year and was offered an interniship from Daryl Croft at the time but chose to move to Queensland. After speaking with the president here and sending in my resume, they have never contacted me so have gone about low-key ministry doing what I would normally do anyway (witnessing one-one-, discipling folk, looking for potential leaders amongst the young and investing time with them with practical training in various areas ect).

It was between 1991-1998 that the Lord showed primarily in three ways, how I should go about church planting.
1. The Scriptures - mainly in the gospels, Jesus the Leader, the master discipler - how he recruited, trained, monitered, nurtured and released disciples into leadership (to recieve His life, carry on His mission and ministry).
2. Putting into practice what I read and learning to be obedient the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
3. Advice from others that had been down the track. I had spoken with several pastors whilst in the U.S. in 1993 and 1994 how thy had planted their churches during the summer months whilst visiting churches in the Chicago district.

There were a number of key areas that God made me more aware over that time in terms of church planting. Some of the ideas I had at the time were so radical, some of my friends thought I was nuts (maybe I am). But God gave me a vision for a local church with none of the traditional offices (elders, decons etc) built on a whole new structure - ie. small groups where all mission activities are sparked by the Holy spirit and lead out by home group leaders.
The crux of it all being - Disciples being discipled to make disciples (continuing the mission of Jesus) , which can only be accomplished by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit so that we, (the believers) can continue the ministry of Jesus in the 21st century. On the larger scale - churches, planting churches that will plant more churches. (I was inspired earlier this year to write the course of events from growing up in the church to when God got me, and how God lead me to certain understandings re ministry, mission and church planting in more detail if you are interested in a 10 page read).
I have since found out that this style of church now exists in the U.S. amongsts Adventists called ‘cell churches’…

That may give you some info about me at least for the moment and would like to hear from you. Last time I saw your name was president of the Trans-European Division. Has that altered?

Thanks Peter, for a great website!

Matt

Comment from peter
Time December 10, 2006 at 4:57 am

Hello Matt, It is good to hear from you. I was first in Poland in 1991 - and have been there many times since. Thanks for sharing your story - and your commitment to “planting churches that plant more churches.” I would be very interested in your 10 page journey. I am off to Sydney this morning (for a church planting committee tomorrow) - but will be in touch. You would have also been interested in checking out the post “Is there a Church in the House?” Regards, Peter

Comment from Matt
Time December 12, 2006 at 3:35 pm

Hi Peter,

I have been reading through church planting news…Wow! There are some really committed folk out there. It’s inspiring to hear people’s stories on an arena very near and dear to my heart. I haven’t come across ‘Is there a church in the house” yet. Let us know how to get the 10 page “Church planting journey’ to you.

Blessings
Matt

Comment from peter
Time December 19, 2006 at 5:03 pm

Hello Matt, Just a note on your Dec 10 comment. I was never president of the Trans-European Division. I served there as Ministerial Secretary - which involved resourcing pastors, visiting leaders and pastors, working with the Education Department to provide educational programs for pastors in the field and in the seminaries; and as the Global Mission Coordinator - which is the church planting ‘department’ of the world church. I conducted a number of public evangelism programs in Poland - as well as church planting schools. I am now planting a church in Melbourne, Australia - and network with many church planters and leaders of planting movements. Blessings. Peter

Comment from Tony & Jean Mackenzie
Time April 23, 2009 at 1:03 am

Matt we are so thrilled to read your about you short trip and am allready inspired. We would love a copy of Church Planting journey Please. God Bless.

Comment from Matt Britten
Time October 3, 2009 at 5:38 am

Hi Tony and Jean,

So sorry for missing your comments. Just to let you know, the 10 page account is about God’s leading and training and a certain approach to church planting that I’m hoping to fully implement when I get the green light. So the material has plenty of stories about small groups, discipleship and Kingdom stuff. I would be happy to send you a copy of my journey if you are still interested. So, let me know and we’ll work out how.
Matt