It’s my belief that we’re living in a new movement, with the potential to see revival in our generation.
Many people in the United States and around the world have a general feeling that something is happening. There’s an excitement in the air worldwide. The hearts of church leaders from around the globe are pounding from an increased sense of urgency for evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. This increased heart rate was felt by the thumb of Collin Hansen back in 2006 when he penned the article Young, Restless, Reformed. Just a few years later in 2009, this new movement was considered by Time magazine as one of the top ten ideas changing the world.
What Is a Movement?
A movement is an unusual work of God, sometimes called a revival or renewal. During a ...
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I do not think that the American church is dependent upon the Spirit's empowerment. Most of what takes place among our local gatherings may be able to occur without the Holy Spirit. This is tragic because Jesus depended on the Spirit's empowerment for His ministry (Luke 4) and He sent the first church in the power of the Spirit (Acts 1:8). Josh Kouri is leading a Spirit-empowered church in Oklahoma City. His words below are an encouragement to me. — Scott Thomas, Acts 29 President
By Josh Kouri, Lead Pastor at Frontline Church in Oklahoma City, OK
Paul rebukes his friends for acting as mere humans in 1 Corinthians 3. Their carnal, man-focused approach to church and life has left them spiritually stunted and weak. Instead of growing up and thriving as a church, they are divided, ...
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Tags: church, church planting, plant a church, pastor, church planter, thriving, supernatural, jesus, spirit, healthy, mission, missional, god, leadership
Nathan Ivey is pastor and director of Seed - the mercy ministry of Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, Kentucky. Churches notorious for excelling in either the words of the gospel or in good deeds - and rarely both. Seed seeks to not only see social renewal now in Louisville, but to reach their neighbors with the eternal mercy of the gospel.
Ivey writes at the Seed blog:
it is NEVER enough to address people’s felt needs (think Seed Projects). Seed Projects can be a good starting point because the gospel addresses the human condition in all its complexity – the whole gospel to the whole person. But, we need to move beyond people’s felt needs.
People (i.e. insert the name of your next door neighbor, co-worker, grocery store clerk) think they have ...
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Tags: nathan ivey, tim chester, jesus, cross, social renewal, good works, gospel, mercy, mercy ministry, sojourn community, seed
In the last two years, Acts 29 pastors and leaders have put a major focus on the concept of humility in their faith and leadership. With excellent treatises on humility & pride from men like CJ Mahaney, much solid, biblical teaching has led to repentance of pride and a search for humility. One Acts 29 planter in Atlanta said he read CJ’s book on Humility six times and cried every time he read it because of the reality of pride in his own life.
We have added the measuring of arrogance and pride as a piece of the assessment process at the advisement of J. Allen Thompson, church planting consultant for Redeemer Church Planting Center. Allen calls these “stallers and stoppers.” We have recently rejected several church planters who have applied for Acts 29 ...
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Jesus Jr.
By Ray Ortlund Jr.
Our local deity is not Jesus. He goes by the name Jesus. But in reality, our local deity is Jesus Jr.
Our little Jesus is popular because he is useful. He makes us feel better while conveniently fitting into the margins of our busy lives. But he is not terrifying or compelling or thrilling. When we hear the gospel of Jesus Jr., our casual response is “Yeah, that’s what I believe.” Jesus Jr. does not confront us, surprise us, stun us. He looks down on us with a benign, all-approving grin. He tells us how wonderful we really are, how entitled we really are, how wounded we really are, and it feels good.
Jesus Jr. appeals to the flesh. He does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him. He is not able to ...
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