International Church Planting This final opportunity of serving the globally mobile through the international churches is one that is near and dear to my heart. Ideas of church planting were already brewing pre-pandemic, but God redeemed a long and uncomfortable Colombian quarantine to ignite a passion for church planting. “Cease the delay” was the mantra […]
Proximity to Missionaries Most of us dream of shepherding congregations in which our people leave the building every Sunday ready to roll up their sleeves on God’s mission for the week ahead. Thanks to proximity to local missionaries, that dream is a reality in the international church. International churches serve as an oasis for those […]
Ministry to the Host Nation Story after story could be told about the unique reach international churches have toward the nations, but what about locally? Can international churches and their congregants attach locally for kingdom investment? Can international churches make a missional impact locally on their host city and country? The answer is a resounding […]
Ministry to the Nations International churches aren’t just equipping congregants for the mission to the next generation living down the hall (the next generation). They serve a unique role in equipping and deploying believers for the mission to all nations. International churches have historically operated in an insular fashion. The history of the United Church […]
Next Generation Ministry We have three strategic focus areas in which we heavily invest our time and resources. The first two have been alluded to already, community life and outreach. By far our biggest strategic focus area is reaching and discipling the next generation. John Adams, who formerly served at English Fellowship Church in Quito, […]
Discipleship In addition to evangelistic opportunities, international churches have the opportunity to minister the grace of God at life’s key discipleship moments. Part of this opportunity comes by way of the trauma of transition. When life is in upheaval, we become more aware of our problems, idols, and sin patterns. The pressure cooker of global […]
Ministering to the globally mobile people group is summed up in one word, strategic. Mobility hurts, destabilizes, and causes us to languish relationally when not proactively managed. Having a target market that is as diverse theologically as it is transient means living in a world of ambiguity. But the strategic opportunities of an international church […]
You may be nervous with the idea of an international church that embraces strategic ambiguity. Many of our sending partners feel the same way. As they invest in the international church, they want us to maximize our impact and to attract the nations and the next generation. But they don’t want us to be theologically […]
Many years ago a technology company called EDS ran a very catchy television commercial. The western scene included hardened cowboys on their horses and they talked about their love for their job which was herding cats. That’s right, cats! As one of the cowboys (or better yet “catboys”) says in the commercial, “Herding cats, don’t […]
Before discussing the exciting opportunities of serving the globally mobile, we should acknowledge the elephant in the room. Most international churches have to deal with this elephant. This elephant can be one of the main detractors as we pursue healthy partnerships with sending agencies. Even yesterday I found myself sitting with denominational leaders in Europe […]