Skip to content

Category Archives: Multiplication

North American church planters and their magic

Want to be a superhero? Have you thought about becoming a church planter? To read some of the literature out there, the average person can forget about applying for the job. You need the combined skills of a brain surgeon, rocket scientist, Wall Street financier, marketing expert, computer programmer, life coach, and motivational speaker. What [...]

Posted 04 September 2007 § Church Planting § Missions § North America § Southern Baptists § The Church ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Multiplication of churches in India fueled by persecution and simple structures

In his paper, "Church Planting in India," Stanley Mehta summarizes a presentation by D. R. David at the Bless India Conference held in Chennai in January 2006. He says, "amidst all the pressures and changes, the church in India is growing more rapidly than ever before. The persecution has begun to bring together many Christian [...]

Posted 19 August 2007 § Church Planting § Church Structures § Evangelism § House Church § Relational Christianity ‡ Comments (1) °

A typical early church gathering

Have you ever wondered what it must have been like to attend an ordinary gathering of the early church? I think about such things and I find myself longing for time travel, just so I could experience Christianity as described in the Book of Acts. Although I seriously doubt anyone will ever make such a [...]

Posted 27 July 2007 § House Church § Organic Church § Relational Christianity § The Church ‡ Comments (1) °

How did the early church handle its rapid growth?

Thanks to Lynn for raising this question! We have no biblical evidence that the early church met weekly in large worship gatherings, but the New Testament is crystal clear that they met in homes. In the very early stages, the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem met daily, not weekly, in the temple courts, but please keep [...]

Posted 17 May 2007 § Church History § Church Planting § House Church § Missions § Organic Church § The Church ‡ Comments (8) °

Edifice Complex: An Unhealthy Obsession

It’s always puzzled me. A couple of Christians begin talking about starting a new church, say, in a new housing development or community. They decide to gather in their living room each week to test the waters and they soon discover the joyful simplicity of “ekklesia” as experienced in those early years of Christianity. They [...]

Posted 16 May 2007 § Church Planting § House Church § Ministry § Missions § Organic Church § Relational Christianity § The Church § Worship ‡ Comments (10) °