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What size is the regular church

October 24, 2011 in Current Events with 2 Comments

People often wonder what size is normal for a church. There are two ways of determining the size of a church. The median size is determined by taking the number of churches and getting half as larger and half as smaller. That puts the median church attendance at 75 regular participants for Sunday worship.

The average attendance for Sunday worship is actually 186 when you take into account how the mega churches affect the numbers.

That puts Vision above the median size in attendance since we average between 175 and 180 for worship services. It puts us at almost the average size in Sunday worship attendance.

That is not really anything to brag about because we are not in the numbers game. My heart breaks that we do not see more people saved. I want us to be very engaged in getting the gospel to our community. I want to be more aggressive in sharing my faith.

I am asking God to help us not only reach around the world but to reach our community. Will you pray with me that God would help us be more effective for His kingdom?

If you click here you can see the source for my statistics and do your own study!

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Game to help you learn geography

July 2, 2011 in Current Events, Ministry Tools, Missions Travel, Mobilization with 0 Comments

As Christians we should know our geography better than anyone! I am often embarrassed about how hard it is for me to find a country on the world map. Since I am part of a church that is responsible for getting the gospel to the world maybe I should study the world. What about you?

Go here and play games on line that will help you learn about the locations of different countries. Play with your children and friends. It will be fun! Click here to play!

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Update on Missionaries in Crisis

January 31, 2011 in Current Events, Missions News, Prayer Requests with 3 Comments

Egypt

David and Beth X. live and serve in Egypt. You should know by now that life is very turbulent there. The US embassy has advised all Americans to leave the country. There is rioting, fighting, gun fire, and looting taking place right in front of our missionary’s home.

After much prayer and not really wanting to do so these great servants of God will be evacuated by the US embassy. From there they will purchase a one way ticket back to the States.

They will wait for things to calm down in Egypt. It may take a few weeks or even longer. They want to continue in Egypt and in their ministry. They want to get the language as soon as possible but we all know that God is in control.

While they are in the states you know that our missionary friend will want to share what God is doing in Egypt and see God raise up more missionaries. Please be in prayer for them. If you would like to get in touch with David and do not have his contact info then leave a comment below with your info and I will get your info to him.

South Africa
Michael Lovett update

Michael Lovett is a missionary in South Africa that I have given updates on several times. He was very seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. Both of his arms are in pain and basically useless. Everything has to be done for him.

He is unable to sit up very much but is making every effort to walk around the house a couple of times a day. He gets very discouraged and depressed because he is normally very active.

He had gone nearly 6 weeks without a haircut because of the accident. This is very unusual for him. His sons finally gave him a haircut today. He had also not shaved since the accident and so his wife and daughter finally shaved him. I understand that was quite funny since they didn’t know what they were doing. He was covered in band aides from their help. Remember he can’t use his hands and arms at all. Normal every day things are a great trial for him right now.

On top of this the insurance company is trying to not pay for things that they had approved. All of this is trying for Mrs. Libby.

The person who was also in the wreck is suing Brother Lovett so they have nuisance of them constantly hassling them.

Times are hard for the Lovetts right now. Would you please pray for them. Would you consider giving them a phone call or sending them an email. Mrs Libby’s cell number is 27-727-33-6935. Don’t forget the time difference of 7 hours ahead of eastern time zone.

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The Freedom Scale 7

April 28, 2010 in Church Planting Methods, Current Events, Muslim Missions, Muslim World, Persecution, Training Leaders with 0 Comments

The Freedom Scale 1
Freedom Scale 2
The Freedom Scale 3
The Freedom Scale 4
The Freedom Scale 5
The Freedom Scale 6

3. International Pressure in media and in diplomacy

The last key to moving a country up the Freedom of Conscience and Religion scale is to apply international pressure through media and diplomacy. This is last because it is both last in importance and last in sequence. The first two keys will precipitate the third.

As an example of a country moving up the Freedom Scale as these three keys factors play out we can look at the imprisonment of Fransisco Penzotti in July of 1890. Penzotti had been won to Christ and discipled by an American Methodist missionary in Uruguay. This missionary sent him out as a licensed preacher and distributor of the Word to the Pacific Coast of South America. Upon founding a Methodist church in Callao, Peru, Penzotti was jailed by the Catholic governor where he preached to the prisoners.

He remained in jail until March of 1891 when a the international pressure mounted for his release. An American engineer by the name of E. E. Olcott had taken his picture in prison and had published it in the New York Herald and other newspapers. Penzotti’s release marked the last time an evangelical would be jailed by Catholic extremists for preaching the gospel.

In this example we see all three factors: a bold foreign missionary having prepared a bold, national believer and international pressure as a result of his persecution.

None of these three keys guarantees religious freedom to be forthcoming for a country. God is sovereign over all the decisions of man. Sometimes God chooses to allow evil to continue that he may be even more glorified in the deaths of his saints and in his eventual and miraculous victory. We cannot pressure to control the events of history or the actions of kings and governments knowing the God alone controls. We will undoubtedly see thousands of martyrs shed their blood for Christ before we see the governments budge and inch. That is why it is key to remember that martyrs die for the cause of Christ not the cause of religious freedom.

These are, however, three God-ordained and history-proven keys that we must employ in every Muslim country in the world. We want to see religious freedom grow because it is just for it’s people and it is good for the wide-spread preaching of the Word.

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I hope these articles written by my friend will at least help you to think through the process. Feel free to comment or ask questions.

The Freedom Scale 5

April 26, 2010 in Church Planting Methods, Current Events, DISCIPLESHIP, Ministry Philosophy, Missions News, Muslim Missions, Muslim World, Persecution, Training Leaders with 0 Comments

The Freedom Scale 1
Freedom Scale 2
The Freedom Scale 3
The Freedom Scale 4

3- Algeria, Egypt, Jordan

a. Stated religious freedom

b. Discipleship: A believer is often known locally by family, friends, and others on a local level and many have taken a stand publically on a national level without any government persecution.

c. Evangelism: Proselytism of Muslims is against the law carrying a small jail time and fine however rarely enforced. Foreigners caught proselytizing are either strictly warned or immediately expelled.

d. Church Planting: The national churches have been given to freedom to organize, meet, and even build their own buildings. It is made difficult for them but is possible.

e. These countries admit that they are not 100% Muslim gladly. Algeria for example acknowledges it’s 50,000 converts from Islam as Christians.

f. Ministry opportunities: The pastors in these countries are in need of training. TV and other media are also very effective.

4- Turkey, Lebanon

a. Full religious freedom (at least on paper)

b. Discipleship: Believers are often known locally and many pastors are known nationally on a public level appearing on television or even on their own TV shows.

c. Evangelism: Proselytism is legal and guaranteed as a freedom of speech. Foreigners find it very difficult to gain religious visas so usually end up going the business or NGO route.

d. Church Planting: The national churches have been given full freedom to organize, meet, and build their own places of worship.

e. These countries admit that they are not 100% Muslim but not gladly.

f. Ministry Opportunities: The need for discipleship, evangelism, and church planting is huge, especially in the eastern side of Turkey.

5- Senegal, Mali, Niger

a. Full religious freedom

b. Discipleship: Believers are often locally known and some nationally known. Pressure from family and friends is present as always.

c. Evangelism: Proselytism is legal and guaranteed as a freedom of speech. Foreigners find it very easy to get a missionary visa.

d. Church Planting: The national churches have been given full freedom to organize, meet, and build their own places of worship.

e. These countries admit that they are not 100% Muslim with no problem.

f. Ministry Opportunities: The need for discipleship, evangelism, and church planting is huge. The cost of faith will be the loss of family and friends temporarily.

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