{"id":1606,"date":"2015-12-24T03:04:16","date_gmt":"2015-12-23T16:04:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newchurchlife.com\/?p=1606"},"modified":"2015-12-24T03:04:16","modified_gmt":"2015-12-23T16:04:16","slug":"news-2-jan-15","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newchurchlife.com\/news-2-jan-15\/","title":{"rendered":"NEWS 2 JAN 15"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello church planters<\/p>\n

It wasn’t a New Year’s resolution, but it was time. For two days I systematically worked through documents on every topic imaginable with\u00a0Bible study outlines, sermon notes,\u00a0strategic plans, reports, etc – and on the last day of 2014 dumped\u00a0thousands of files. There were class notes from courses I taught as a college lecturer, outlines for 100s of pastors’ meetings, documents from Christian-Muslim conferences and dialogue sessions that I had organised.<\/p>\n

For decades I conducted public evangelistic meetings as a primary means of reaching secular people with the gospel. So there was a 4-draw filing cabinet full of carefully collated plans for dozens of evangelistic programs in cities in Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Pakistan, Poland, Finland, Croatia, England, Serbia, Hungary, Albania, Sudan, Macedonia, Norway, etc. There were\u00a0management committee procedures, advertising brochures, scripts for radio and television promos, ticketing and booking arrangements, and records of the impact of each. There were pictures of team members – and the scripts of\u00a0hundred of evangelistic sermons. (Judy always said I preached the ‘everlasting gospel’ – with no end! And, I confess, one diary records more than 500 evangelistic sermons in one year!)\u00a0Many of these evangelistic programs led to new disciples, and the planting of new churches.<\/p>\n

There\u00a0was\u00a0also a 4-draw filing cabinet full of church growth ideas and church planting – community, emerging, missional. There were plans for local church plants, and strategies for districts, countries, and continents. Every page reminded me of new churches – in community centres, in university lecture theatres, in homes, under homes, in crowded apartment blocks, in villages, in school classrooms, under trees, in city parks, restaurants, cafes, and newly erected church buildings. There were planning documents for church planting summits and X-Changes in over 40 countries: lists of themes, plenary sessions, workshops, presenters, case-studies, etc. I relived experiences with hundred of people (many young), making new disciples for Jesus.<\/p>\n

Many of these files are now stored electronically (it’s a great space-saver keeping them in the cloud, wherever that may be!), but for me, reviewing them was significant. They represented visions, hopes and dreams – each within a context.\u00a0These files catalogued enormous change<\/strong>\u00a0– in society, church, and life. Even in the 1970s we couldn’t have imagined the impact that the\u00a0social turmoil\u00a0of the\u00a0post-World War II 1960s would have upon society. While new forms of Christendom (both Catholic and Protestant) are evolving to dominate large sections of the world, the once modern Christian Global North is now not only stridently\u00a0post-Christendom, but\u00a0post-Christian (even anti-Christian) and postmodern. This is the more difficult form of paganism of which Lesslie Newbigin spoke and wrote.<\/p>\n

Where it is effective,\u00a0I still love sharing the gospel publicly to make disciples. But, post-Christian, post-Christendom post-moderns compel us to review the methods that worked in the 1970s, 80s and even 90s.\u00a0We are challenged to return to\u00a0Jesus’ example and practices to make disciples\u00a0who multiply – and in planting multiplying churches.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In this New Year, I encourage you to be intentional in following Jesus’ example in disciple making and movement buildings.\u00a0His method still works – in all cultures and societies!<\/p>\n

Be courageous & faithful,<\/p>\n

Peter Roennfeldt<\/p>\n

CHURCH PLANTING NEWS\u00a0– 02 Jan 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

For stories:\u00a0<\/strong>go to\u00a0<\/strong>www.facebook.com\/newchurchlife<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How did we spend Christmas?\u00a0<\/strong>A friend and his wife live in a county bearing the scars of sectarian war – currently devastated by floods. They visited a poor community where they had prepared children to tell the nativity story. In between rain showers grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts gathered. My friend was also able to briefly share. He writes: ‘I was thrilled I could proclaim the gospel in the open-air again\u00a0\u2026\u00a0The gospel is truly good news that transforms lives’. They handed out\u00a0cup cakes, sweets and lollipops to the families – and also\u00a0visited and prayed in\u00a0five homes,\u00a0sharing ‘a few home baked goodies’. ‘We returned to our respective homes, glad to have shared the love of Christ this way’, he writes. ‘What a way to celebrate Christmas. I thank God for His amazing grace to let us share Christmas with the poor and those who do not know Jesus!’<\/p>\n

Equipping Resources & Opportunities<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bible Lands Study Tour – 15-30 June 2015:\u00a0<\/strong>follow the disciple making path of Jesus – a great opportunity to walk where Jesus walked! Why not plan to take this opportunity. For more information contact\u00a0peter@newchurchlife.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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Shift:m2M in Victoria, Australia:\u00a0<\/strong>Shift:m2M\u00a0<\/em>is\u00a0a journey on which Christian leaders intentionally\u00a0shift<\/em>\u00a0from doing\u00a0ministry<\/em>\u00a0to cultivating\u00a0movements\u00a0<\/em>by following Jesus\u2019 example –<\/p>\n