Around the world, in churches big and small, ministry leaders are challenged by the growing reality that their churches are losing influence in their communities and losing the interest of their congregants. Over coffee or around conference tables these leaders are asking questions like – What are we missing? Who are we missing? What needs to change? How can we …
There are a lot of events for Church Planters these days. The Praxis Gathering stands out by creating space to interact with fellow practitioners. Each presenter is currently at work in grounded missional practice in different contexts throughout North America. David Fitch is one of the 27 practitioner presenters you’ll get to spend quality time with at The Praxis Gathering. He is the founding pastor of Life …
The following excerpt comes from JR Woodward’s new eBook A Missional View of Election: How a Robust View of Election Leads to a Holistic Gospel and Meaningful Missional Engagement. Download the Entire eBook Here! Grudem holds to the historical Calvinist view of unconditional election. It is unconditional election because “it is not conditioned upon anything that God sees in …
I don’t know about you but I am sick and tired of everyone telling me their 5, 10 or even 50 tips for success, aka fame and fortune. As Christians I think that our view of success should be totally different from that of the secular world’s, yet often we buy into the same values. And as we plant churches …
Geoff Holsclaw is a co-pastor at Life on the Vine, a professor at Northern Seminary and is married to Cyd Holsclaw. Geoff Holsclaw and David Fitch have written a theologically accessible new book titled Prodigal Christianity. I deeply appreciate David and Geoff’s work. Both are giving a fresh voice to the Missional-Anabaptist expression . Together they forge some tough ground …
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 My first fundraising job Nine months after joining the development team of a local nonprofit, I was offered the position …
Have you ever heard the term Alpha Cities? Another term people sometimes use for them is Global Cities. These are cities and the regions around them that are impactful, influential, and connected to the world. Think London, Paris, New York. There are also A++, A+, A- and so forth Alpha Cities, and there are Beta, and Gamma cities. It is …
Before being part of a team that planted a church in the city, I served as a pastor for over a decade in fairly Hierarchical churches. In the last few years I’ve had to go through a serious overhaul in my understanding of ministry leadership. Today, instead of a place in a hierarchy, I participate in a “Leading Community” that is forging a network of …
Are you looking to plant a church? Are you at the early stages of planting? Chances are pretty good that you have some great information about Church Planting. You may have read the books, heard the podcasts or even been to the conferences. Chances are also pretty good you have learned an important lesson: Great information about Church Planting is …
Change is here to stay. Whether we like it or not we need to learn how to mold our lives and those of our congregations so that we bend rather than break. Fortunately there are ways to adapt so that our faith grows and strengthens during these times. Here are some principles I have found helpful: Identify or Establish Stability …