Steve Addison's Blog, page 37
March 25, 2020
213-Making Disciples in a Crisis
Troy Cooper talks to Steve Addison about multiplying disciples and churches in a world in turmoil.
Links:
March 22, 2020
What would Jesus say about the coronavirus?
Imagine if Jesus was interviewed today about the deaths of so many innocent people. What would he say? Or perhaps a better question is, “What did he say?”
On one occasion Jesus was asked to comment on the news that Pilate had massacred Galileans while they were offering sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 13:1-5). Jesus was clear, these men were no worse sinners than other Galileans.
The guilty don’t necessarily die young. Death comes to us all.
Then Jesus reminded his audience of the eighteen people who died when a tower in Siloam collapsed on them.
He said, “Do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”
Untimely deaths remind us of our mortality and the judgment of God. Unless we turn back to God we’ll suffer a far worse fate than a violent death. Jesus assumed we are all sinners who need God’s forgiveness. That’s why he came, that’s why he died. We all must turn and put our faith in him.
We all know you can’t say that today, people might get upset. They got upset with Jesus when he told them the truth about death and suffering and the final judgment. He refused to remain silent.
March 18, 2020
212-Living the Dream in Los Angeles
We take a look back at the last two years of pursing NoPlaceLeft in Southern California with Troy Cooper. Listen for the lessons on how God shapes the hearts of his people are they pursue multiplying disciples and churches.
Troy mentions:
March 12, 2020
Why you should stop asking people to invite Jesus into their heart
I recently baptised one of the security guards at our hotel in Uganda. I didn’t ask him to pray a prayer. I shared the gospel and challenged him to turn and believe and be baptised.
Years ago I was convinced from the New Testament that baptism, not praying a prayer, should be the expression of repentance and faith in response to the gospel. Yet I wasn’t consistently including the call to be baptised when I shared the gospel. It was often an addition after someone surrendered to God through a prayer.
Here’s the New Testament norm:
Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
Baptism is the doorway to discipleship—not putting your hand up, walking the aisle, or praying a prayer. If someone’s not ready to be baptised, they’re not ready to be a disciple. That is the New Testament pattern. That’s why when I share the gospel I’m going to challenge people to put their faith in Christ, turn and make him their King and be baptised.
Related: Why all the fuss about baptism?
Following Christ in Hard Places
The 2020 World Watch list has been released.
According to Christianity Today, every day, 8 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith. Every week, 182 churches or Christian buildings are attacked. And every month, 309 Christians are imprisoned unjustly.
Where It’s Hardest to Follow Jesus:
North Korea
Afghanistan
Somalia
Libya
Pakistan
Eritrea
Sudan
Yemen
Iran
India
The listed nations comprise 260 million Christians suffering high to severe levels of persecution. The list also includes nations where movements of disciples and churches are on the rise.
March 4, 2020
211-NoPlaceLeft Uganda
I met Isaac Mugabi on a recent trip to Africa. He tells the story of NoPlaceLeft Uganda.
There’s a short clip at the end of the video of Okello’s baptism. Okello was one of the night security guards at our hotel in Jinja, Uganda. While we were there he turned and believed. I baptised him and introduced him to a local leader, Duncan, who will disciple him.
March 1, 2020
Nigeria—the fast facts
Recently President Trump added Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, to a list of countries whose residents face restrictions on travel into the United States. Here are some fast facts about Nigeria.
Nigeria is the seventh most populous country in the world, with 206 million people. By 2100, it is projected to be the world’s third most populous country – ahead of the U.S. – with 733 million people. Nigeria is expected to add more people than any other country during that span.
In a 2018 survey, 45% of Nigerian adults said they plan to move to another country sometime within the next five years – by far the highest share of any country surveyed.
Nigeria’s population of over 250 ethnicities is almost evenly split between Muslims (50%) and Christians (48.1%), as of 2015. It has the world’s fifth-largest Muslim population (90 million) and the world’s sixth-largest Christian population (87 million).
As of 2017, there were about 348,000 Nigerian immigrants living in the U.S., making Nigeria the top birthplace among African immigrants in the country.
A nation of 200 million, headed for 700 million, 50% muslim. What would NoPlaceLeft (Rom 15:23) look like?
Newsweek: Black China: Africa's First Superpower
February 26, 2020
Sorry we were clear
Last month bishops of the Church of England affirmed what Jesus taught, and what the whole of Scripture affirms about sex and marriage.
This month the Guardian reports:
The archbishops of Canterbury and York have apologised over a statement issued by Church of England bishops last week which declared that only married heterosexuals should have sex.
Justin Welby and John Sentamu said they took responsibility for releasing the statement which “jeopardised trust”. They added: “We are very sorry and recognise the division and hurt this has caused.”
What a mess.
I wrote this in The Rise and Fall of Movements:
A journalist recently asked Anglican archbishop, Justin Welby, about his views on marriage and sexuality. He was unable to give a clear answer on issues that are clear in Scripture and have been the teaching of the church for 2,000 years, acknowledging that, “I haven’t got a good answer, and I am not doing that bit of work as well as I would like.”
Despite pockets of renewal and orthodoxy, the Anglican church is in danger of serious, long-term decline.
The archbishop is not alone. Church leaders across the Western world are struggling. We need a roadmap that takes us back to our Identity as a people obedient to the Word, dependent on the Holy Spirit, and faithful to the Mission, no matter what the cost. If God’s Word is supreme, dry bones can live again.
I fear the battle may be lost for the Church of England as an institution.
February 25, 2020
The Weight of Glory, The Price We Pay
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
2 Corinthians 4:16-17
I finished my interview with Terry and Amy Ruff and switched off recording deeply impressed with what God has done. He called them from Louisville Kentucky to the Gonga region of northern Ghana. He connected them with the right national partners. At the right time breakthroughs came through the writings of Steve Smith and Ying Kai. Curtis Sergeant played a vital role in training and mentoring.
Amy and Terry invested themselves in two key national leaders who took responsibility to reach their people who are poor and illiterate. Yet every family has a mobile phone. The team discovered that through inexpensive Micro SD cards could provide audio Bibles and other resources in local languages.
The Ruffs invested money wisely in multiplication, not addition. They raised funds to provide motorcycles to pioneers opening up new regions. When the regions are established, a local leader gets a bicycle and the motorcycle goes to the next unreached region. They new churches are now giving towards the spread of the work in other regions.
God did an amazing work, there have been thousands of baptisms of new disciples, hundreds of new churches in multiple generations. Now through their national leaders the work is spreading across Africa.
That was the story of the Terry and Amy Ruff. After thirty minutes I stopped recording. I told them how deeply impressed I was with them as a couple and their faithfulness to God’s call. Then they opened up and shared the battles they had faced and price they had paid. With their permission I pressed record again.
The enemy attacked in the first year through Amy’s cancer. The battle continued throughout the next ten years — cancer, home invasions, family crises. Separately, two senior national leaders fell into adultery and were initially unrepentant. The Ruffs stood firm throughout these attacks knowing that so much was at stake. They walked obediently through the doors God opened. They trusted him to work through their weakness. Their hope was in their heavenly reward, not in what this world can offer.
Their reward will come. Can you imagine they joy they will share for all eternity surrounded by thousands of Ghanaians who are the fruit of their ministry? Paul tells us that one day our troubles will seem light and momentary compared the eternal glory that outweighs them all.
More:
Interview: 194-Multiplying Movements in West Africa
Post: Terry and Amy’s Story
February 24, 2020
The 4-Fields Intensive, Melbourne
The 4-Fields Intensive is coming to Melbourne on March 24-27, 2020.
