I (Nick) go to NZ on the 14th Sept.
-I am speaking to leaders in Te Aroha Baptist on the 18th.
-Vision Church Tokoroa on the 19th;
-Westside Hamilton leaders on the 20th.
-A National Leaders Meeting on the 23rd.
-Then on 25th & 27th it's Vision Church Whangarei & Kaikohe.
-Our yearly Acts National Ministries Conference 27th - 30th.
-Then Te Awamutu Church on the 3rd October.
-It will be great to be with friends and family. I then leave for Holland on the 4th of October.
Karen goes to Belgium to be with the Burtons for a week, then is off to Edinburgh to be with Daniel & Zoe Moore.
Europe is a huge mission field. And to reach these great Nations of Western Europe, I am absolutely convinced & have a conviction deep within to see Churches Multiply...like rabbits!! EuroVision is all about Multiplication, churches that reproduce themselves...in fact let me go further, networks or movements that reproduce themselves! This idea was never talked about until recently.
I am just reading a challenging book, (by practitioners), with a forward by Rick Warren - "Viral Churches" By Ed Stetzer & Warren Bird. (A Leadership Network publication: Jossey-Bass). They explain this fairly new missional concept very well.
Here are some quotes & thoughts:
"The single most effective evangelistic methodology under Heaven is planting new churches...who in turn reproduce themselves".
"Most Bible teachers have referred to Paul's travels as his 'Missionary journeys'. We prefer to to call them Paul's 'Church Planting Journeys'".
"Paul planted new Churches that in turn planted new Churches".
Christianity Today concludes; "Today's church planting is the default for evangelism". This is a North American summary.
"The early church implemented the Great Commission mandate primarily by planting churches".
Research shows:
-In the USA at least 60.000 churches were planted in the last 20 years. page 31
-The healthiest churches are those that reproduce. page 31
"Todays energy & enthusiasm about church planting in North America is at an unprecedented high".
"Church planting is worthwhile only if it advances God's Kingdom".
"Our Viral Church idea is about falling in love with multiplication and abandoning what seems to be an addiction to addition".
"Disciples multiplying churches: In seminary we learnt the metric of churches multiplying disciples. This will never result in massive mulitiplication".
"It's time to stop counting converts & begin counting congregations".
"...being born pregnant. What a great goal for every church plant".
"To really change things we need to learn how to multiply churches".
This book has great resources & is a huge encouragement to Karen & Me.
Thank you once again for your support and prayer...
Eph 3:20-21...what a great scripture...
Until next time...Nick & Karen.
