Partnership in the gospel

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Permalink Reply by CHRIST GOSPEL MINISTRIES on August 7, 2011 at 11:48am

New Apostolic Era

We live in the New Apostolic Era which is akin to the Early Churches

Churches grow rapidly through…

•House churches (China)

•Independent churches (Africa)

•Grass root churches (Latin America)

•Church Planting Movements and Local Churches (India)

Great Movements

By 2020

1 out of 5 Christians in the World will be Latino by 2050

50 % of India will be Christians and Muslims.

Already, South of Sahara is 50% Christians

 

Great Movement of Churches

African Christians grew from 36 million in 1900  to 360 million in 2000

There will be 10 million House  Churches in India in the next 10 years as DAWN predicts.

1,000 House Churches  every week in India

 

What is “church”?

It is not about the invisible, triumphant  or universal Church (with big “C”)

 

It is local church.  It is visible, organic, local gathering of believers as Family of families for apostolic teaching, prayer, breaking the bread, worship, fellowship and witnessing. 

 

We can count these churches.

“New Apostolic Age”

We live in the era which is similar to the Acts of Apostles.

Churches are emerging through Church Planting Movements.  It is conversation growth.

One may accept the figures or debate over it, but he/she cannot ignore the fact that churches are growing in the East and South.

 

Global Missions?

Is there any Biblical teaching that a local church should to partner in the global missions?

Some theologians argue that Antioch church is exceptional and that grace is not given to all the churches.  I do not think so.Is there other precedence in the New Testament that a local church actively involved in global missions?

 

Partnership in the Gospel

Philippians Church is a great model for us. 

The way the church at Philippi established partnership with Paul is normative to build partnership in the global missions today.

 

Building a Biblical Theology helps us answer these questions and understand the teaching of the Scriptures.

                       

 Pauline Cycle

 Paul’s missionary journeys are studied as Pauline Cycle of Church Planting:

Eph 3:8-17