Okay, time for a true confession—full disclosure. I spent a good part of yesterday writing what I thought would be this article for INCENDIUM. Being a Type A, task-oriented individual who loves to check off every item on my agenda before tucking myself into bed at night, I had a check on my spirit instead. […]
INTRODUCTION Thank you to MICN for inviting me to share with you on MIGRATION, DIASPORA, and INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES. I have known about this network from its very infancy – because I knew some of the pioneers of MICN quite intimately. It seems that the whole world’s population is on the move! Since the dawn of […]
IC’s ride the top of the wave when it comes to modern trends. We seem to catch all the currents of our times, as well as the winds that blow. In today’s Christian world there are several trends that we must deal with. Most IC’s have a healthy amount of inter- denominationalism in their fellowships, […]
“Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 My legs were running in place like twin hamsters on a treadmill, my mind racing ahead to keep them from trampling me with the futility of circular reasoning. As I ruminated on the endless loop of worldly woes prompted by an […]
“My mouth will declare Your righteousness and Your salvation all day long, though I cannot know their full measure” (Psalm 71:15 BSB). “The Spirit of God brings justification with a shattering, radiant light, and I know that I am saved, even though I don’t know how it was accomplished” (Oswald Chambers). Pastor, do you […]
Remember the word ex nihilo in your theological studies? Google defines it like this: Ex nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning “‘something’ out of nothing”. It often appears in conjunction with the concept of creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning “creation out of nothing”—chiefly in philosophical or theological contexts, but also occurs in other fields. It is […]
There are now over 300 million people living outside of their passport country: migrants, immigrants, refugees, expatriates. If all of these people were together in one place, it would create the 5th largest nation in the world! Perhaps you are one of them; or most certainly, you know someone who is. The world is on […]
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. JAMES 1:2-4 Joy. Pure joy. The epistle of James, addressed to the Diaspora […]
Since April this year, Garrett Robert is the new lead pastor at All Nations Church Phuket. He is the third lead pastor since the church was planted about nine years ago. Garrett and his wife Claire came to Thailand in 2019, where their daughter Amelia was born last year. Martin Hofmann, MICN’s regional coordinator for Asia […]
If you have not read John Piper’s Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, let me encourage you to get a copy and to read it. It is thought-provoking, ministry-enlightening, and can change your view of ministry and church. His appeal is to focus not on professionalism but on spiritual matters, on God changing our hearts, burdening […]