Steve Addison's Blog, page 34

232-Cindy's Story

Cindy joins us to talk about multiplying movements in Asia.

Find out more: dmmsfrontiermissions.com

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231-Hope Groups Online

During the pandemic Daniel Sih took evangelism and discipleship online. He was surprised by the response. Hear him tell the story of the spread of Hope Groups.

230-Jim's Story

We hear from Jim Yost, movement pioneer in Papua, Indonesia.

229-NoPlaceLeft Los Angeles

We drop into LA and talk to Rick Preato, Troy Cooper and Mike Puckett (Puck). We get an update and hear what they’re learning about reaching one of the great cities of the world.

We know their names

You may have noticed I’ve been neglecting this blog. In the lockdown I’ve begun work on my next book. The good news is I’m very focused.

I came across this interesting insight from Eckhard Schnabel on the life of the first church/es in Jerusalem which met in the Temple courts and from house to house.

We know the names of 46 people who participated in the life of the church. Many went out to as pioneers planting churches in unreached regions.

the Twelve (Acts 1:13, 26),
the Seven (Acts 6:5),
the brothers of Jesus, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon (Mark 6:3)
Mary, Jesus’ mother (Acts 1:14),
Agabus, the prophet;
John Mark, eventually a missionary who traveled with Barnabas and Paul;
his mother, Mary;
Joseph Barnabas, later a missionary in Syria and in Cyprus;
Joseph of Arimathea, an aristocrat and member of the Sanhedrin;
Nicodemus, another aristocrat and member of the Sanhedrin;
Silas–Silvanus, later a missionary coworker of Paul;
Simon of Cyrene, who had helped to carry Jesus’ cross;
Addai, the first missionary in Edessa.

I think he includes Simon of Cyrene on the assumption that the reason Mark includes some names in his Gospel, is because they were remembered by Peter (his source) and still known to some readers. In which case I think you could add the names of Simon’s two sons, Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). Why else mention them if they weren’t known? That makes 48 names. Addai is known by church tradition.

The list puts a human face on what would have been an amazing church community which gave birth to a missionary movement.

If you want to follow up by reading Schnabel on Acts it’s a great commentary, but be warned it’s 1,000 pages of great commentary!

Back to the next book….

228-George of Africa

A conversation with George Funk about his vision for NoPlaceLeft Africa. Africa is a continent of 1.3 billion people. It’s also has the youngest population of any continent rising to 4.3 billion by 2100.

227-Mobilizing for Movements

Andy Kampman talks about local churches mobilising for movements everywhere.

226-The DiscoverApp

John walks us through the DiscoverApp, a tool for Discovery Bible Study in multiple languages.

225-God Calls and Shapes a Family

Hear how God has called "Tim and Lydia" and prepared them to pioneer movements across cultures.

For security reasons there’s no video.

The Leading Men and Women of the Early Church

You can tell if a movement is on the rise, or is declining, by watching what the leaders do.

Eckhard Schnabel reminds us that the leading men and women of the early church were missionaries and evangelists:

Peter in Jerusalem, in Samaria, in the cities of the coastal plain, in northern Anatolia and in Rome;

Stephen and Philip in Jerusalem, in Samaria and in the cities of the coastal plain;

Barnabas in Antioch and in Cyprus;

Paul in Nabatea, in Syria, in Cilicia, in Galatia, in Asia, in Macedonia, in Achaia, in Illyria, in Rome and in Spain;

Priscilla in Corinth, in Ephesus and in Rome;

Timothy in Macedonia, in Achaia and in Ephesus;

Phoebe in Corinth and in Rome;

Apollos in Achaia, in Ephesus and on Crete;

Thomas probably in India,

Matthew probably in Pontus, perhaps in Ethiopia, possibly in Syria;

John Mark in Antioch, in Cyprus and in Rome;

Luke in Antioch and in Macedonia;

John in Jerusalem, in Samaria and in Ephesus.

Nearly all the New Testament texts were written by theologians who had missionary experience, who had led people to faith in Jesus Christ, who had planted new churches, who had served as teachers and leaders of local congregations, who, very probably without exception, had traveled and visited other congregations, and who wrote their texts with numerous Christians and many congregations in mind.