Articles - Missional International Church Network

As for you… Follow me!

John 21:22: Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for […]

Preaching in the IC

Communicating God’s word clearly is a vital building block of church health. It is through preaching of the word that […]

Information Diets

No one comes to your church with an empty mind. From the mildly curious with no apparent faith through to […]

Forget Not All His Benefits

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:2 Most companies offer an employee benefits […]

Blessed are Those Who Cry out for Justice 3/3

We concluded last time with a recognition that a theology of justice and righteousness raises up many questions. They are […]

Blessed are Those Who Cry out for Justice - 2/3

At the centre of all good theology is God Himself. He is the reference point by which we figure out […]

Blessed are Those Who Cry out for Justice - 1/3

In his book, Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind, Tom Holland surveys the two millennia since the beginnings of […]

AI and the International Church

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the world in unprecedented ways. It is creating new opportunities and challenges for various sectors […]

Out of Darkness, into Light

What I’d really like at this moment is a nap. As we are scuttling through the clouds at 38,000 feet, […]

Learning to say goodbye

This May, I went through an event that I had been both expecting and fearing for some time, the passing […]

Value-adding a Church

“Value-adding” is a term used by economists and others to refer to how a product or service can be enhanced, […]

Effective Church Websites

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp […]

But my view is Biblical!

If you haven’t faced disagreement in ministry yet, today must be your first day. The very nature of working with […]

Soul Talk

Late the other night as my husband Philippe and I were driving home from a service at our church, the […]

Culture Rules - Book excerpts

In his blog, LeadingWithQuestions, Bob Tiede presents a 5-part series from the book Culture Rules: The Leader’s Guide to Creating […]

Church Starting: Where Do We Start?

As this article reaches your inbox we will be hosting the fourth gathering of our church plant, Grace International Church […]

The power of consistent perseverance

The death and resurrection of Jesus is by far the most significant event in human history. Yet, it would not […]

From Local and National to Global and International

Reading these INCENDIUM articles every week from International Church leaders around the world is FANTASTIC: sound theology, intriguing practice, different […]

Feeling above the law

Sometimes, when Rachel and I are staying in France, we take our car to go to Paris. There, usually stuck […]

Embracing being sent

“This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then […]

Reaching the Young in ICs

We need to reach young people for Christ, and to do so well means that we reach them in groups, […]

Reach (at least) 103 Million people this year!

We all want to obey Jesus when he tells us in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations. (If […]

From SILT to Living Water

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from […]

IC ReCharge EUROPE-AFRICA-ME

What’s the Look on His Face?

Christmas season is in full swing here in Oslo. As our bodies adapt to the cold and our eyes to […]

The Holiday Season is Here … How Can I Navigate It?

We have just entered a season of non-stop celebrations: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and […]

The Ministry of “No”

There are many times we agree to do something but sometimes the best ministry we can have is to say […]

Roll It Away

G A L A L “Sometimes the way to pray about a thing is to stop praying about it.” Ever […]

With One Voice

Now may God, the source of great endurance and comfort, grace you with unity among yourselves, which flows from your […]

International Students in ICs: Intentional Inclusion

How do you receive a precious gift? Intentionally including international students in the ministry of an international church (IC) is […]

Preaching in the International Church

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” […]

The Unenvisioned Global Ministry Opportunity Review of “The Global Ministry Opportunity We Don’t Talk About”

Jason Seville, in his article “The Global Ministry Opportunity We Don’t Talk About” (https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/global-ministry-opportunity/) raises a concern about what he […]

Europe Report

Since last writing in INCENDIUM, I have continued to connect with other IC leaders in Europe, including meeting some in […]

From National to International

Recently our International Church team met for our monthly meeting to hear one another’s hearts, cast vision, and implement ministry. […]

A short, and biased, testimony

A short, and biased, testimony on how the COVID-19 crisis impacted churches in France, and a comparison with the reactions […]

The Continuous Quest For Authentic Community Within The International Church

There has never been a greater challenge within the international church than to be a genuinely united community. In an […]

Getting Past Covid

We never know the future. Someone quipped that when they were forced to leave the Garden, Adam said to Eve, […]

Who God Says You Are

Okay, time for a true confession—full disclosure. I spent a good part of yesterday writing what I thought would be […]

A Light in the Darkness

Today there are 193 countries that are recognized by the United Nations. In addition, there are several other disputed areas […]

21. Let’s Build a Paper Town (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

I cannot thank you enough for learning alongside me these past months. As we finish this series on the missiology […]

20. Why Invest in the International Church? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Few experts on international churches have captured the history of the movement like Ken MacHarg.1 In a recent exchange with […]

19. Why Church Planting? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

If you’re like I was early in my international church pastoring call, any external pushes toward church planting were met […]

18. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile VII (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

International Church Planting This final opportunity of serving the globally mobile through the international churches is one that is near […]

17. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile VI (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Proximity to Missionaries Most of us dream of shepherding congregations in which our people leave the building every Sunday ready […]

16. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile V (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Ministry to the Host Nation Story after story could be told about the unique reach international churches have toward the […]

15. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile IV (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Ministry to the Nations International churches aren’t just equipping congregants for the mission to the next generation living down the […]

14. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile III (MICN Missiology by Andrew Lupton)

Next Generation Ministry We have three strategic focus areas in which we heavily invest our time and resources. The first […]

13. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile II (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Discipleship In addition to evangelistic opportunities, international churches have the opportunity to minister the grace of God at life’s key […]

12. The Opportunities of Serving the Globally Mobile (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Ministering to the globally mobile people group is summed up in one word, strategic. Mobility hurts, destabilizes, and causes us […]

11. The Ambiguity of Serving the Globally Mobile II (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

You may be nervous with the idea of an international church that embraces strategic ambiguity. Many of our sending partners […]

Herding Cats - The Unique Challenge of the International Church

Many years ago a technology company called EDS ran a very catchy television commercial. The western scene included hardened cowboys […]

10. The Ambiguity of Serving the Globally Mobile (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Before discussing the exciting opportunities of serving the globally mobile, we should acknowledge the elephant in the room. Most international […]

9. The Challenges of Serving the Globally Mobile III (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

The Challenges of Serving the Globally Mobile Attaching Locally In the Pixar world Bob Parr belongs to a family of […]

8. The Challenges of Serving the Globally Mobile II (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Attaching to One Another Before asking whether or not we and our international churches are attaching well to our host […]

7. The Challenges of Serving the Globally Mobile (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Untapped Potential International churches face many challenges as we serve the globally mobile. As I converse with other international church […]

6. Mobility: Gift or Liability? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

If global mobility is a pressure cooker for the family system, is that the only liability we should be concerned […]

5. A Pressure Cooker for the Family System (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

A Pressure Cooker for the Family System So what is life like in the cracks between cultures for our people […]

4. Who are the Globally Mobile? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Who are the Globally Mobile? The globally mobile answer to a number of names, among them: serial migrants, global nomads, […]

3. Who Attends International Churches? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Take a look at the people who frequent your pews every Sunday. Who do you see? It’s important that we […]

2. What Are International Churches? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

As we delve further into the missiological strategy of international churches, we should first define and biblically orient international churches. […]

1. May I Have this Dance? (MICN Missiology Series by Andrew Lupton)

Have you been in my [dancing] shoes before? I can’t help but notice when I attend a missions conference or […]

Migration, Diaspora, and ICs

INTRODUCTION Thank you to MICN for inviting me to share with you on MIGRATION, DIASPORA, and INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES. I have […]

Choosing the Right Hills to Die On

IC’s ride the top of the wave when it comes to modern trends. We seem to catch all the currents […]

Persevering in Prayer

“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 My legs were running in place […]

Pastor, Do You Know What You Are Doing?

“My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure” (Psalm […]

Start Something Out Of Nothing

Remember the word ex nihilo in your theological studies? Google defines it like this: Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning “‘something’ out […]

The 5 C’s

Churches are desperate for good leadership and not just pastoral leadership. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and good […]

Helping Young Internationals Thrive

There are now over 300 million people living outside of their passport country: migrants, immigrants, refugees, expatriates. If all of […]

Joy. Pure Joy!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the […]

The IC Pastor: A Spiritual, Multicultural Ministry Enabler

If you have not read John Piper’s Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, let me encourage you to get a copy […]

What is Successful Ministry?

IC leaders ask more questions now than ever before? Slowly emerging from Covid…we scan the horizon for what the “new” […]

Voices

Whose voices do you listen to most? To whom do you give a voice? In a world of increasing polarization […]

Why People Join your Church

People attending for a long time without becoming members is common for all churches, especially for international and multi-cultural ones. […]

Shibboleths and International Churches

The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let […]

Understanding the Times: Five Missional Imperatives. The Kingdom in the Times of COVID-19

It has been a deluge. Information, opinions, perspectives, denials, announcements, and no doubt much more to come. Christians have been […]

5 COVID-accelerated shifts in the International Church

Articles like this abound: many leaders are talking about COVID and the trends happening in the church….so what makes this […]

Excellence, Friend or Foe?

Harold Abrahams won the Gold Medal for the 100 meters sprint at the 1924 Paris Olympics. His story, and that […]

On Being the City to Come: City Books

Where you live matters. Your context matters. God’s people have never been called into a ghetto, some kind of vacuum, […]

The Day of Small Things

I was reminded of this statement the other day in a book I was reading (another story for another day). […]

Guardedness and the Root of Shame

“Guardedness is the plague of the international church.” Long-time counselors to kingdom servants worldwide, Eric and Rachel DuFour made this […]

In the Footsteps of Paul during COVID-19

Each spring I am somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean leading a group that’s visiting archaeological and biblical sites. But with […]

International Church Leadership in the Midst of COVID-19

Chances are high that you are leading in a cross-cultural, ever-changing, COVID-19 impacted, social-distancing, online ministering international church… so if […]

Resurrection Life Now!

I love being in two places at once! I don’t mean an absent-in-body-but-with-you-in-spirit thing which we sometimes say when declining […]

MICN and Church Planting: Gospel Proclamation and Kingdom Advancement in Global Cities

Church planting is now one of the major expressions of Gospel proclamation and Kingdom growth in the 21 st century. […]

Prayer and Fasting

A Time of Prayer and Fasting David built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. […]

CLEAN HANDS, PURE HEARTS

I thought I’d learned all I needed to know about hand washing in kindergarten. But a global pandemic leaves little […]

The Cup

This Easter is disturbing. For so many across the world, these are terrifying times. I don’t need to elaborate as […]

Pastoring an International Church in a Pandemic

In light of this worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are dealing with unique ministry-related challenges. Much of the pop-theology […]

A Decent Steak and a Good Wine

I have often been troubled by this passage in Hebrews 5:11-6:3 (please read it now!). A range of questions come […]

COVID-19

Global Family: Displaced Migrants, Isolated People, and Local Congregations By Dr. Sadiri Joy Tira (Dmin, DMiss) Catalyst for Diasporas, The […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Salvation?

A man with an exceptionally large house decided to invite others to come and live with him. He had the […]

Profile of an Effective International Church Pastor

The International Church (IC) is a collection of God’s people with a multi-everything kaleidoscope of backgrounds from across the globe. […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Hope?

The civil war continued sporadically. My friend took me to see the community development project he managed in a village […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Gospel?

Sarah, a good friend, has stopped attending church. This was not a matter of a loss of faith or a […]

OCD and Other Realities

My friend has OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). He has also been an effective missionary for about 20 years. He has […]

Realizing God's Original Plan for Humanity Through the IC

The international church is the realization of God’s original plan for humanity, and as such, being a part of them […]

FORMATION

FORMATION: We challenge and equip international Church leaders to effectively engage with God in his global kingdom restoration movement. Forming […]

Linking into the Sovereign Appointments of God

“The history of humanity is defined in part by the migration of individuals, families and entire communities. Since time immemorial, […]

The International Church for a Global World

The International Church is a kairos call to a profound need and compelling opportunity. God is sovereignly and supernaturally planting […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Reconciliation?

Consider these recent critical developments: 2016 was a year of great political upheaval in several countries which has resulted in […]

What happens on the Inside when it blows up on the Outside?

What happens on the Inside when it blows up on the Outside? Part I David experienced outside blow ups through […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Discipleship?

Ask a hundred church leaders, “What is the essence of Christian Discipleship?” and possibly you will get around 100 different […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which Theology?

Like me, I am sure you have a preferred approach to preaching. Is it expository or thematic or something else?? […]

Preaching Towards Mission: Which World View?

Preaching Towards Mission: Which World View? Every preacher does it. No exceptions, we all present a world view either through […]

Tribalism and Unity - Part 4

An International Church Vision for The Practice of Unity: A Missional Imperative. International Churches (ICs) are communities in which the […]

Tribalism and Unity – Part 3

Challenging the Tribalism of Your IC Leadership: A Vision for the Practice of Unity. Which Christian tribe do you represent? […]

Tribalism and Unity – Part 2

The International Church, the Over-zealous, and the Unity of the Cross. They come from everywhere,bringing with them every variety of […]

Tribalism and Unity – Part 1

Tribalism in the International Church: With Four Leadership Priorities for Unity and Mission. Tribalism is a little too common across […]

Scattered and Gathered: A Global Compendium of Diaspora Missiology

The 21st Century is marked by mass migration. Massive population movements of the last century have radically challenged our study […]

A Diaspora Mission Strategy for Local Churches

Unprecedented migration is a global reality of the twenty-first century. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) dubbed 2015 “The Year […]

Thriving not Surviving - Leadership Principles to help enable sustainable effective International Church Ministry

Thriving not Surviving – Leadership Principles to help enable sustainable effective International Church Ministry: reflections from the Netherlands With the […]

The story of Philip retold

A few years ago I visited King of Kings Community in Jerusalem (www.kkcj.org) during a trip to meet with international […]

The International Church, the Over-zealous, and the Unity of the Cross

The International Church, the Over-zealous, and the Unity of the Cross. They come from everywhere, bringing with them every variety […]

Parents: Don’t Give Up Your Parental Responsibilities

Some time ago, on a Saturday morning, I met with a friend for a work meeting over breakfast. As usual, […]

Tribalism in the International Church:

With Four Leadership Priorities for Unity and Mission. Tribalism is a little too common across the evangelical church (and beyond) […]

Spotlight English Clubs: A miraculous instrument for your church

“I believe Spotlight has been one of the most miraculous instruments in God’s hands to transform this church…and I believe, […]

Learning the Pilgrimage of the Cross: An International Church Vision

We are all time-travellers. But how to tell such a story? From birth to death, how do the multiple experiences […]

Five things every new IC pastor should know

In October 2006, I moved my family, my wife and two elementary aged daughters to Bangkok, Thailand. We had taken […]

Success - Billy Graham at Ninety Six

By Leighton Ford, Brother in law of Billy Graham – used by permission At a recent dinner party our host […]

THINKING INTO JESUS’ WORLD

THINKING INTO JESUS’ WORLD This morning, three experiences have engaged my mind and stirred by heart and vision. The first […]

How To Reach Out to Diaspora Peoples

One of the undeniable realities of the 20th and 21st centuries is the global phenomena of diaspora peoples – People on […]

Gateway to the Nations: The Strategic Value of International Churches in a Globalized Urban World

Gateway to the Nations: The Strategic Value of International Churches in a Globalized Urban World By Michael Crane and Scott […]

A true story that took place in a country of West Africa formerly called Upper Volta, today known as Burkina Faso

I would like to tell you a true story that took place in a country of West Africa formerly called […]

Summer Bummer

No Summer Bummer “Come to me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my […]

I’m In … Beijing 2014 – Ken Driedger

“You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream…” C. S. Lewis Through a series […]

Prayer Before Action

“Pray that the Master’s Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response” II […]

Ministers hide to die alone

This term, used by a friend, conveys a powerful message about tragic consequences for some ministries when they do not […]

Global Invitations to the Table

When I was a student at the Canadian Theological Seminary in the early 1980’s, my missiology professor talked about CDC […]

Seek First the Kingdom Of God

Paul’s Perspective on Discipleship and the Kingdom Paul taught that the Kingdom of God was not in food or drink, […]

Elijah’s burnout: Lessons to learn for ourselves (3)

After taking care of the physical needs of Elijah by providing food and rest, the Lord led his servant in […]

Elijah’s burnout: Lessons to learn for ourselves (2)

In the previous article, we left the prophet Elijah during a significant time in his ministry, that of discouragement and […]

Seek First the Kingdom Of God

Seek First the Kingdom Of God Matthew 6:33 (The Message) “Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about […]

Elijah's burnout: Lessons to learn for ourselves

Elijah’s burnout: Lessons to learn for ourselves Let’s look at the life of one of the most beloved and frequently […]

Ponderings on Discipleship

Ponderings on Discipleship Mat 4:19 And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. […]

Seasonal Migrants: Temporary Contract Workers

Seasonal Migrants: Temporary Contract Workers Sadiri Joy Tira (D.Min., D.Miss.) Today I went to a quiet park (in Edmonton, Alberta, […]

Global Increases in Expatriates Challenge International Churches in Ministry

Global Increases in Expatriates Challenge International Churches in Ministry By Kenneth D. MacHarg Exactly how many expatriates are there? Of […]

Back to the Basics: The Apostles’ Creed

“Back to the Basics” the coach would exclaim! The whole team knew what he meant! Let me tell you a […]

Transformational Education

Transformational Education Dr. Stan DeKoven Founder and Director, International Training and Education Network and President, Vision International University I ran […]

International Church: Some Unique Features or a Case of Simple Semantics

The Missional International Church Network (MICN, http://micn.org) defines an “international church” as a church that “primarily serve[s] people of various […]

Once upon a time...

Once Upon a Time… The last verse of an old love song ponders the discontinuous nature of all human experience. […]

Where Mortals Dwell

In Where Mortals Dwell: A Christian View of Place for Today, author Craig Bartholomew is concerned with the recovery of […]

Culture Making

In his book, Culture Makers, Andy Crouch raises the question, “What does it mean to be not just culturally aware […]

The Tangible Kingdom

In The Tangible Kingdom, authors Hugh Halter and Matt Smay tell the story of the birth of Adullam, “a congregational […]

SAME, SAME…BUT DIFFERENT

By Cameron Arensen “Same, same… but different.” This phrase came back to me as I stood, coffee cup in hand, […]

Hospitality

By Graham Chipps For me, when the word “hospitality” is used, my mind brings up images of warmth and acceptance-as-I-am, […]

To Live in Peace

In his book, To Live in Peace: Biblical Faith and the Changing Inner City,[1] author Mark Gornik challenges the reader […]

A Theology as Big as the City

In his book, A Theology as Big as the City,[1] the author Ray Bakke challenges the reader to think theologically about […]

And Then We Were Three

By Graham Chipps We were sitting together around the table. Good coffee, of course. Old friends, good friends, telling the […]

The Coach Model for Christian Leaders

By MICN Co-Founder Dr. Keith E Webb Do you have the leadership skills you need to solve problems, reach goals, […]

Three Places to Drop Anchor in Cultural Storms

By Brad Hillman, Pastor of the Al Ain Evangelical Church in UAE In recent years, reality TV show Deadliest Catch has […]

Whose Side are You On?

by Cameron Arensen, Pastor of the Evangelical Community Church of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates I have been reading recently in […]

Transitions

By Karin Thorne I remember when we first arrived in Malaysia, nearly three years ago. We left a wintry Canadian […]

New Book for Expatriates

I am pleased to announce the publication of Singing the Lord’s Songs in a Foreign land; Biblical Reflections for Expatriates, […]

Restful Hard Labor with a Grandson

Restoration in the Enduring Presence of Christ By Graham Chipps. It was hot. My grandson was around four at the […]

Interview with Michael and Julianne Cusick

Our MICN soul care guy, Michael Cusick, and his wife Julianne were interviewed last August by a film crew from […]

Sailing Your Team Through Stormy Weather

Written by Jacob Bloemberg Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came […]

Kingdom Faces

The coffee and tea are ready on the back tables, chairs have been lined up in our rented Catholic youth […]

I Write to Understand

By Graham Chipps Porridge. “If you write like porridge you will think like it, and the other way around. And […]

Bi-Cultural Church – The Church at Starbucks

By D. Michael KoppA report from a missional church planter outside Denver, Colorado.(A4 pdf version 76k, Letter pdf version 76k) […]

Starting Churches Missionally

By Neil Tibbott (A4-size pdf version 48k, Letter-size pdf version 48k) (Neil spoke at the 2004 MICN Conference in Jakarta) […]

Team Teaching: Preaching Unity in Diversity

By Warren Reeve & Keith Webb (pdf version-A4 60k, pdf version-Letter 60k) In some cities there is only one international […]

International Churches as Launching Pads for Mission to Indigenous Peoples

A Synopsis of Research by Dan P. Bowers (A4-size pdf version 76k, Letter-size pdf version 76k) International churches appear to […]

Missionaries minister to English speaking, expatriate communities

By Kenneth D. MacHarg Where do the approximately fifteen million North Americans who live abroad attend church? The answers are […]

The Growing International Church Movement

By Kenneth D. MacHarg With estimates of fifteen million Americans living abroad, the overseas English-language church movement today is a […]

I Love International Churches!

By an IC pastor in the Middle East (downloadable pdf version 88k) I love international churches! I have served as […]

The Antioch Example

Acts chapters 11 and 13 tell the story of the church at Antioch. That church reached Jews (expats in Antioch), […]