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Church planting Simple Church

A cautionary tale: stay in one place

Continuing the series on Luke 10: Much of what we have learned in starting simple/organic/house churches, we have learned through our mistakes!  The importance of Luke 10:7 is one of those things. The verse says this:  Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

Food, food, food… Starting a church in the harvest

Continuing the series from Luke 10.  Both verses 7 and 8 of Luke 10 talk about food   Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

How do you recognize a person of peace?

The person of peace is the one who will open up the harvest to you, so it is very important that we learn to recognize a person of peace.  It helps if we have a mindset where we are always looking for such a person. The Lord delights to answer the prayer, "Lord, lead me… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

The person we are looking for

Continuing the series on Luke 10: Luke 10:6 says this:  If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. The person of peace is a key concept in working in the harvest.  It's the person we've been praying to find from verse 2.  … Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

Why compliments help in planting a simple/organic/house church

Continuing the study in Luke 10. Sadly, we Christians are renowned for our negative attitudes.  According to David Kinnamen in his book, UnChristian, we are thought of by 'outsiders' (ie those who are not involved in church) as firstly, antigay (91%), secondly, judgemental (87%), and thirdly, hypocritical (85%).  Luke 10:5 says: “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church Teaching from India

How many $$ to start a church?

Continuing our study of Luke 10. I tried without success to find out the average cost of starting a church in this country.  If my memory serves me right, it's in the region of $350,000 by the time you include buildings and the training and salary for a pastor.  (If anyone has an accurate figure,… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

Choosing to become the wolf’s lunch?

Continuing principles from Luke 10: There are other principles tied up with Jesus sending us out as lambs among wolves (Luke 10:3). Lambs make lunch for wolves!  So why did Jesus send us out as lambs among wolves rather than wolves among lambs? What kind of shepherd is he?  Would a good shepherd do that?… Read More

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Church planting Kingdom Women Simple Church

Sent to the wolves: a story

When our daughter finished school, she spent a couple of years with YWAM (Youth with a Mission).  At the end of that time, she asked us if we would be willing to let her work downtown in our club and bar district. Just what any parent wants–their daughter becoming a cocktail waitress in the most… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

Sent to the wolves: how to start a house/organic church in the harvest

Continuing a study of Luke 10. Luke 10:3 says this: Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. Jesus told his disciples to go–or more accurately, "be going."  Yet we usually ask people to come.  "Come to our church," "Come to our special meeting!"  Even in our house churches we… Read More

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Church planting Simple Church

What have cows to do with church planting? How to start a simple/organic/house church (2)

  God's maths is not our maths. Continuing the discussion on Luke 10.  Luke 10:2 says this: "These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields." A number of key… Read More