Potential Mission Strategy

1. Kingdom Influence In Culture

    

   a. Government

    

   b. Education

    

   c. Media

    

   d. Art & Entertainment

    

   e. Religion

    

   f. Family

    

   g. Business

    

2. Church Planting A Process

   a. Jesus stayed a few days in Samaria(John 4)

   b. “Fire from heaven to consume them?”(Luke 9:49-56)

   c. Philip, the evangelist, preached powerfully there and many sick people were healed and baptized(Acts 8:4-13)

   d. Peter & John work with them also(Acts 8:14-25)

   e. Different people used their different giftings to see the church mature(Acts 9:31)

    

3. Qualifications for Leadership

   a. Calling

   b. Character

   b. Compassion

   c. Competence

    

4. Keys to Finding a Person of Peace in Starting a New Work

   a. Eat with them

   b. Get to know their needs

   c. Pray for them

   d. When prayer is answered, they will ask, “By what power did you do this miracle?

    

5. Starting a New Work

   a. Bind the strongman including possessions of people and land

    

6. Three Essentials in Missions

   a. Word

   b. Works

   c. Wonders

    

7. Mission Exit Strategy

   a. Model

   b. Assist

   c. Watch

   d. Leave

    

8. New Testament and Old Testament Similarities.

   a. There were no local shrines or temples in each village/town.

   b. There were no weekly Sabbath worship services(Synagogues came later in 200 B.C. For teaching Diaspora Jews).

   c. There were no weekly nor monthly collection of tithes and offerings. (I Acts 6:1; Corinthians 16:1-4; James 1:27)

   d. There were no full-time clergy; the levitical priests were provided not just with cities, but also with pasture lands(Joshua 21). They were not exempt from being stewards of God's resources, thus they were shepherds and cowboys to provide livestock products for their neighbors and nation(II Thessalonians 3:6-10).

   e. The Old Testament Jews were required to celebrate communally as a people in the national Temple(Note: God's original design was a portable and transportable Tabernacle(only three times a year: Passover(Holy Week). Pentecost(church anniversary of each community) and Tabernacles (Christmas/Harvest Festival – Deuteronomy 16:16). The actual teaching and obedience of the “way of God's righteousness” and the commemoration of the Passover Meal were in the homes(Deuteronomy 6:1-11).

   f. Biblical Christianity is therefore structured as a network of simple churches, usually called house churches. It is not – church-less Christianity nor religion-less Christianity, but simple Christianity. Its mission is to reproduce simple groups of Christ-worshipers without elaborate religiosity. Thus the mission statement of the Philippine house church movement is: “to multiply God's church throughout the world, one household at a time.” This seeks to fulfill God's covenant with Abraham that through him every family on earth will be blessed(Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:14, 29), and with Israel that she will be a kingdom of priests.(Exodus 19:6; I Peter 2:9-10)

    

9. The early house churches partnered together as city-wide networks in Jerusalem(Acts 2:41-47), Rome (Romans 16:3-15), and Ephesus(Acts 20:17, 20), and as regional network in Asia Minor(II & III John; Revelation 2 &3). They were linked through leaders travels and gatherings.(Acts 15:6)

    

10. Biblical Reproduction of Leadership According to II Timothy 2:2

    (Note: Jesus discipled the twelve; they discipled Barnabas; and he discipled John Mark & Saul)

    a. First Generation - “And the things that thou hast heard of me(Paul)

    b. Second Generation - “Thou(Timothy Paul's disciple)hast heard of me among many witnesses...”

    c. Third Generation - “the same commit thou(Timothy)to faithful men, who(Timothy's disciples)...”

    d. Fourth Generation - “who shall be able to teach others(Disciples of Timothy's disciples also.”

     

11. “There are many small groups started by teachers traveling in China...Another trend is the government three-Self Church working together with house churches”, and genuine believers bringing life in the Three-Self Church. What is needed in China now is a new movement of Holy Spirit led, freely multiplying simple churches going back to the Book of Acts model.”

     

12. “Some African nations, i.e., Zambia, Nigeria, are experiencing growing movements of house churches, while others are just starting out.”

     

13. Getting Back to Basics: 1) Embracing Intimacy with Jesus 2) Living simply 3) Bringing the Gospel of the Kingdom to all nations.