Comments on: Update from Joel News – Unstoppable House Church Movement http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79 Simple/Organic/House Churches Engaging in World Missions Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:21:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: “Unstoppable House Church Movement” « tangible thoughts… http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-12 “Unstoppable House Church Movement” « tangible thoughts… Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:42:59 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-12 [...] Joel News has provided us with a concise report on the three-day Summit. You can find it here. [...] [...] Joel News has provided us with a concise report on the three-day Summit. You can find it here. [...]

]]> By: Simple Church: Global & Generational Movement « transforming life http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-11 Simple Church: Global & Generational Movement « transforming life Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:22:40 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-11 [...] After the last post concerning the House Church Movement in China, I ran across this article at World Mission Impact: “200 Christian leaders from 40 nations met in New Delhi, India, Nov 11-14th, 2009, to [...] [...] After the last post concerning the House Church Movement in China, I ran across this article at World Mission Impact: “200 Christian leaders from 40 nations met in New Delhi, India, Nov 11-14th, 2009, to [...]

]]> By: Brian Humbles http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-10 Brian Humbles Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:41:35 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-10 I wonder, because God is the creator of culture (and man messes with everything God creates), if there aren’t redeemable and unredeemable aspects to each. When I think of my own (American) culture, I see generosity, fairness, and a strong work ethic; I also see hedonism, relativism, materialism, and intellectualism (to name a few “’ism’s”). Yet I would vigorously defend my culture as possessing many characteristics that support and encourage a walk with God. I’ve touched other cultures as a visitor, including Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim. In each I have seen much that compared positively with my own; each encounter also highlighted shortcomings of both my own culture, and the one I was viewing as an outsider. I realize I could never ask a cultural Hindu to become a cultural rationalist (my American heritage), any more than I could become a cultural Hindu. I can’t change the essence of my western cultural worldview, because in so many ways it defines who I am. But I have to do battle with those parts of it that are opposed to God and to truth. A Muslim can’t stop being Muslim, even to follow Jesus, because Islam isn’t just religion, but a worldview and a way of life. But the Muslim must also put off all that does not honor God. It seems that close encounters with other worldviews expose the challenge to all who live in a fallen world, to embrace “what is true, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely,” and to let go of the rest. I’m uncomfortable with the nuanced diversity in God’s kingdom that results; but I know this cultural rainbow was ordered by God, and it’s His intention to redeem each one. I pray for my Hindu friend who is a follower of Jesus, that he will be free to follow Jesus as a Hindu, fully honoring God who gave him life as a Hindu. I wonder, because God is the creator of culture (and man messes with everything God creates), if there aren’t redeemable and unredeemable aspects to each. When I think of my own (American) culture, I see generosity, fairness, and a strong work ethic; I also see hedonism, relativism, materialism, and intellectualism (to name a few “’ism’s”). Yet I would vigorously defend my culture as possessing many characteristics that support and encourage a walk with God.

I’ve touched other cultures as a visitor, including Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim. In each I have seen much that compared positively with my own; each encounter also highlighted shortcomings of both my own culture, and the one I was viewing as an outsider. I realize I could never ask a cultural Hindu to become a cultural rationalist (my American heritage), any more than I could become a cultural Hindu.

I can’t change the essence of my western cultural worldview, because in so many ways it defines who I am. But I have to do battle with those parts of it that are opposed to God and to truth. A Muslim can’t stop being Muslim, even to follow Jesus, because Islam isn’t just religion, but a worldview and a way of life. But the Muslim must also put off all that does not honor God.

It seems that close encounters with other worldviews expose the challenge to all who live in a fallen world, to embrace “what is true, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely,” and to let go of the rest. I’m uncomfortable with the nuanced diversity in God’s kingdom that results; but I know this cultural rainbow was ordered by God, and it’s His intention to redeem each one. I pray for my Hindu friend who is a follower of Jesus, that he will be free to follow Jesus as a Hindu, fully honoring God who gave him life as a Hindu.

]]> By: Jackie http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-8 Jackie Sat, 19 Dec 2009 18:41:59 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-8 It could mean the number of people attending house church rather than house churches. There was a correction earlier with the number for the US that Felicity Dale corrected. Does anyone have contact with any of these people to get a correction? It could mean the number of people attending house church rather than house churches. There was a correction earlier with the number for the US that Felicity Dale corrected.
Does anyone have contact with any of these people to get a correction?

]]> By: David Allis http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-7 David Allis Sat, 19 Dec 2009 06:35:54 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-7 These numbers for NZ are grossly exaggerated. We've seen this article on the TSK blog a few weeks ago, and asked re the source for the estimates etc. I've talked with several other people who have a good grasp on the NZ hc situation, and we all agree that (generously) there is probably a maximum of 500 hc in NZ, and probably realistically more like 350 in NZ ... about 5% of the number quoted. Even allowing for the other types of groups (streams) Wolfgang talks about, the number for NZ seems incredibly inaccurate. I don't know how accurate the other numbers quoted are, but hopefully they are better than the number for NZ. (NZ maybe be easier than other countries to estimate accurately how many hc there are, as NZ only has 4m people, and is very interconnected) These numbers for NZ are grossly exaggerated. We’ve seen this article on the TSK blog a few weeks ago, and asked re the source for the estimates etc.
I’ve talked with several other people who have a good grasp on the NZ hc situation, and we all agree that (generously) there is probably a maximum of 500 hc in NZ, and probably realistically more like 350 in NZ … about 5% of the number quoted.
Even allowing for the other types of groups (streams) Wolfgang talks about, the number for NZ seems incredibly inaccurate.
I don’t know how accurate the other numbers quoted are, but hopefully they are better than the number for NZ. (NZ maybe be easier than other countries to estimate accurately how many hc there are, as NZ only has 4m people, and is very interconnected)

]]> By: Jackie http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-6 Jackie Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:19:46 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-6 That's certainly a very valid point Cindy. Well said. I've heard from someone from a people group that came to know Christ, still attended a mosque, but prayed Jesus prayers within. Through that, others came to know Christ, then began to meet outside of the mosque and started simple house churches. Even then, there may still be some transformation that will happen. A powerful church planting movement followed. Not all followed this example, but some felt called to do so. Would this church planting movement have spread without that? It is a spiritual battle that we can't take lightly. Blessings, Jackie. That’s certainly a very valid point Cindy. Well said.
I’ve heard from someone from a people group that came to know Christ, still attended a mosque, but prayed Jesus prayers within. Through that, others came to know Christ, then began to meet outside of the mosque and started simple house churches. Even then, there may still be some transformation that will happen. A powerful church planting movement followed. Not all followed this example, but some felt called to do so. Would this church planting movement have spread without that?
It is a spiritual battle that we can’t take lightly.
Blessings,
Jackie.

]]> By: Cindy Skillman http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79&cpage=1#comment-5 Cindy Skillman Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:41:13 +0000 http://www.worldmissionimpact.com/?p=79#comment-5 This is great news--I've read it in several places already, so people are certainly getting it "out there." I have a particular question about #7. I'd like a little more light about how this works. I wonder whether these people are adding Jesus to their existing religion, or whether they are merely staying within their culture, but renouncing their former religion. To tip my hand, I do not believe it is acceptable in God's sight to "just add Jesus." Jesus is incompatible with Allah, the Jesus of the cults, Hindu gods, and Buddhist philosophies. While I acknowledge that all of these belief systems do contain some truth, their net result is a deadly lie. It is one thing to keep a style of music, of dress, of food, etc., and completely another thing to honor strange gods in any way. Blessings, Cindy This is great news–I’ve read it in several places already, so people are certainly getting it “out there.” I have a particular question about #7. I’d like a little more light about how this works. I wonder whether these people are adding Jesus to their existing religion, or whether they are merely staying within their culture, but renouncing their former religion.

To tip my hand, I do not believe it is acceptable in God’s sight to “just add Jesus.” Jesus is incompatible with Allah, the Jesus of the cults, Hindu gods, and Buddhist philosophies. While I acknowledge that all of these belief systems do contain some truth, their net result is a deadly lie. It is one thing to keep a style of music, of dress, of food, etc., and completely another thing to honor strange gods in any way.

Blessings, Cindy

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