Church planters often know the “latest book to read.” We reference pragmatic books constantly. But are we reading the right books?
Reading Indigestion
As a church planter, it can be difficult to read the books we need to read. We are often overwhelmed with emergency reading—reading in areas of the church where we are deficient (e.g. children’s ministry, church discipline, missional church, counseling, best practices). We scour blogs and books for practical insight, inevitably digesting half-baked ideas and practices.
If we aren’t careful, we can get indigestion by consuming this stuff. Our diet devolves. We get bogged down in best practices instead of diving deeply into the Bible and our culture. What we need is good theology and missiology. For sure, ...
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By: Jonathan Dodson, Pastor of Austin City Life
Advance & Retreat of the Church
Over a century ago, Church historian Kenneth Latourette (1884-1963), pointed out that the church’s history is one of advance and retreat, advance and retreat. This oscillating influence over the centuries has resulted in various, new expressions of the Christian faith across time and cultures. It is exciting to read of and witness these current expressions of the gospel in Africa and Asia.
The Incomplete Glory of God
These new expressions of Christian faith in the advance of the church are, in fact, an expansion of God’s glory.
But isn’t God’s glory un-expandable and complete? Not according to Jonathan Edwards in The History of Redemption. Edwards writes:
God looks on the ...
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Posted in: Mission
Tags: acts 29 network, johnathan dodson, missional church, fight clubs, missional lifestyles, church planting, acts 29 network, jeff vanderstelt, missional communities, soma communities, being on mission together
Advance & Retreat of the Church
Over a century ago, Church historian Kenneth Latourette (1884-1963), pointed out that the church’s history is one of advance and retreat, advance and retreat. This oscillating influence over the centuries has resulted in various, new expressions of the Christian faith across time and cultures. It is exciting to witness these current expressions of the gospel in Africa and Asia.
The Incomplete Glory of God
These new expressions of Christian faith, in the advance of the church, are an expansion of God’s glory. But how can a glory that is infinite be expand? Isn’t God’s glory un-expandable and complete? Not according to Jonathan Edwards, who writes:
God looks on the communication of himself, and the emanation of the ...
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Undoubtedly the first years of church planting are hardest and most volatile for the church planter - which is why so many churches never make it past their childhood, as the planter implodes under the pressure brought on from lack of resources, exhaustion and loneliness among other factors.
A significant factor in survival during the first few years is getting the church planter connected to wisdom and encouragement through other men who have gone before him. Acts 29 wants to see this happening through coaching and many other avenues. Here we pass along some wisdom from Jonathan Dodson, lead planter of Austin City Life in Texas.
• FUNDRAISING: Don’t forget to ask the pagans! If you are fundraising, remember that God used the pagan king Cyrus to fund the rebuilding ...
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