Advancing

The Power Of Gospel-Centered People Movements

Author, strategic thinker and movement leader, Alan Hirsch spoke at our network's Midwest Region Quarterly, Tuesday, August 17, 2010. Alan called us back to our roots as a network on mission.  Alan is an adjunct professor at Fuller Seminary, George Fox Evangelical Seminary, and Wheaton, among others, and lectures frequently abroad. He has been captivated by questions like, "How did the early church grow from 25K to 20M Christians from 100AD to 300AD? [and] How has China grown from 2M to approx. 120M Christians from 1950 to 2010?"  Do those questions get your blood pumping too?

Darrin Patrick's message was equally impressive for a different reason.  Darrin is the pastor of The Journey in St. Louis, Missouri.  He is an exceptional leader who found himself up to his elbows in "success" the first few years after The Journey launched.  The problem was too much growth, too quick.  His story of repentance, humility, and wisdom encouraged me greatly.

I loved the focus of this empowering conference.  All three messages emphasize the power of the people of God and our responsibility as servant-leaders to disciple, equip, and mobilize.  To quote Alan, "This isn't rocket surgery!  Everyone gets to play!"  (Click below to listen or download)

Session 1:  Alan Hirsch

Session 2:  Darrin Patrick

Session 3:  Alan Hirsch

Introduction to Acts 29

Summit Church is honored to be partnered with Acts 29, a church planting network committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ.  Over the last ten years Acts 29 has emerged from a small band of brothers to almost 300 churches in the United States and networks of churches in multiple countries.

"We want to allow a unifying, uncommon move of God to happen -- all centered on the gospel and advancing the mission of Jesus through obediently planting church-planting churches. It is our desire to see this leading to millions of lives changed by the power of the Spirit for the glory of God." - ST

Musings Of A Maple Valley(WA) Missionary

 

 

"God had an only Son, and He made Him a missionary."  - David Livingstone

"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed." - H. Taylor

"If I say I love Jesus, but never show that love to my own neighbor, isn't there something wrong?"

 

What Are Missional Communities?

Over the past 3 years I've been studying discipleship movements around the world.  They tend to fall into two categories: traditional/centralized and missional community/decentralized.  Both have strengths and weaknesses. Have you heard of missional communities?  They are "groups of 20 to 50+ people, united through Christian community around a common service and witness to a particular neighborhood or network of relationships."  They've been around a long time.  The New Testament paints a compelling picture of a shared life lived by a new people created by the gospel of Jesus.

This is Jeff Vandersteldt, one of the pastors of Soma Communities, an Acts 29 church in Tacoma, WA.  Jeff & his team of missional community leaders are making disciple-making-disciples.  They are obeying Jesus by equipping the saints to do the works of Jesus. They break the gospel down into the every day of the every-man as well as any church I know.  Here's a Vandersteldt quote from a recent message that convicted me of sin: "Bible study that just informs you but doesn't transform you produces self righteousness!" Click on the bar to hear the entirety of Jeff's message:

Developing and Building Gospel-Centered Missional Communities