Whose voices do you listen to most? To whom do you give a voice? In a world of increasing polarization – cultural, political, economic, religious – giving a voice to others requires considerably more intentionality, and a preparedness to be judged by those who prefer the simplicity of the “them and us” world. We listen […]
People attending for a long time without becoming members is common for all churches, especially for international and multi-cultural ones. Some join quickly, some more slowly, and some not at all. Why? The answer comes down to the issue identity. People join churches that they identify with. Pastors expect (and hope) for God to lead […]
The Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan leading to Ephraim, and whenever a fugitive from Ephraim would say, “Let me cross over,” the Gileadites would ask him, “Are you an Ephraimite?” If he answered, “No,” they told him, “Please say Shibboleth.” If he said, “Sibboleth,” because he could not pronounce it correctly, they seized […]
It has been a deluge. Information, opinions, perspectives, denials, announcements, and no doubt much more to come. Christians have been just as prolific as the rest. Exploitation of the pandemic for other agendas has been equally voluminous, from politicians and some media outlets with primarily political agendas through to the horde of conspiracy theorists. Christian […]
Articles like this abound: many leaders are talking about COVID and the trends happening in the church….so what makes this article different? We are going to explore accelerated shifts not just in ministry, but in the International Church (IC). IC’s are unique, and so are IC leaders…It takes one to know one! (In fact MICN […]
“Guardedness is the plague of the international church.” Long-time counselors to kingdom servants worldwide, Eric and Rachel DuFour made this bold statement in a workshop at the MICN Conference in 2018 and I have been thinking about it ever since. Guardedness is the inability to open one’s heart to deep connections. It is the compulsion […]
Each spring I am somewhere in the eastern Mediterranean leading a group that’s visiting archaeological and biblical sites. But with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, all such tours have been cancelled through much of 2020. One of my favorite itineraries follows the footsteps of Paul in Turkey. We begin in the southeast at Antakya, […]
Chances are high that you are leading in a cross-cultural, ever-changing, COVID-19 impacted, social-distancing, online ministering international church… so if you feel a bit worn or weary…you are normal. This post will cover 6 actions you can take right now to help you lead better in your church or organization. 1. Respond, Don’t React Each […]
Church planting is now one of the major expressions of Gospel proclamation and Kingdom growth in the 21 st century. In 2018, a UN report projected that 68% of human beings will live and work in cities by 2050. With IC’s already firmly established in global cities, MICN leadership senses this is a kairos moment […]
A Time of Prayer and Fasting David built an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. THUS, THE LORD WAS MOVED BY PRAYER FOR THE LAND AND THE PLAGUE WAS HELD BACK FROM ISRAEL. 2 Samuel 24:25 (NASB) Our world and all its inhabitants are in the throes of dealing with […]