The following are extracts from the recently published book: Lessons from Antioch, by Freddy Hedley who used to be part of the ACPI team.
The church in Antioch is an example of some of the most fruitful church planting activity in the early church. Continue reading “Principles for Church Planting from the Church in Antioch”
In the last few years there has been a growing focus on coaching and mentoring as the crucial role of leadership is recognised ever more in our challenging context. This has particularly been the case in the church where increasingly we are seeing a priority of ongoing support and learning through accompaniment and networks, to complement a leader’s development through conventional areas of training. In our ever changing society it is essential that we are able to equip our leaders to learn and develop in and through their own situation. Continue reading “Moving from Courses to Coaching”
One of the most challenging and yet most open opportunities for mission, church planting and fresh expressions of church for many years has been the context of new housing areas. These new housing estates provide a unique short-term window of mission opportunity for five years or so. This is because: a) Those having major change in their lives are most open to new things, including the gospel, and so there is a whole population more receptive to evangelism; and b) New housing areas notoriously lack community so that any good ‘community in mission’ can be the one place new arrivals can find it! Continue reading “Evangelisation in New Housing Areas”
According to sociologists we are living in the post- generation. We have rejected the institutions and values that were trusted in the world of modernism to enter post-modernity; we have left behind the absolute truths of structuralism to embrace a post-structural mindset. And we have witnessed the demise of the social dominance of the church, and so we are told we have entered post-Christendom. Continue reading “Post- Christendom…Not so simple”
Church Planting is the proving context for what works in evangelism!
Having been called to church planting a long time ago, Bob & Mary quickly found that it was the acid test of evangelism effectiveness. As a pioneering church planting team you either crack the issues of what makes for effective evangelism in your context … or you stay rather on your own. And your failure to breakthrough and add new people to your team is ever before you as a constant challenge in a way that doesn’t happen in ongoing church life with the distraction of all its internal programs. Continue reading “Strategic Understanding of Evangelism liberates us all into effective witness”
In the last few years the Holy Spirit has initiated all sorts of community engagement projects that respond to needs in society. Other examples would be Street Pastors and CAP Centres. Christians have been at the forefront of expressing the compassion of Christ in practical ways in these sorts of initiatives. Continue reading “Food Banks and Church Planting”
Global Volunteer Services LLC (non-profit)
If you are interested to give committed young volunteers from Germany an opportunity to become part of your work, country and culture, then let’s work together.
GVS has a lot of experience in sending out volunteers. Since 2002 some 2000 volunteers had the chance to do one year short term mission with about 300 organisations in more than 50 countries. Some of these interns give a year to help serve the work of a fresh expression and prove to be an excellent help.
Click on this here for more information to see if your fresh expression could benefit from the help of a GVS intern.
Moving from conflict magnification to conflict resolution and reconciliation
One of the most difficult areas when working as part of a team is that of conflict resolution. What do you do when two people within a team or church come into conflict, misunderstanding, frustration, disappointment, hurt or disagreement? Continue reading “Matthew 18 and Reconciling Relationships”
Comprehensive worldwide research
The Institute for Natural Church Development International, based in Germany under the leadership of Christian A. Schwarz, undertook worldwide research in the early 1990s. 1000 churches in 32 countries were surveyed to determine if there were principles producing healthy church growth independent of
The key question was: “What church growth principles are true, regardless of culture and theological persuasion?” Continue reading “The Origins of Natural Church Development”
