But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people: Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David." (Luke 2:10-11)
As I read the Scriptures, the ability to have joy is a gift. We may not always be “happy” with our circumstances, but we can have joy. With the equivalence of hope, joy is a condition of our heart beyond the situations life may bring. It was “good news of great joy” the angels announced at the birth of Christ.
Four days ago I was hanging out with Every Nation pastors from China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. I’m supposed to be mentoring these men, but when I am with them, I think I learn more than I teach.
During lunch, a young Chinese pastor talked about the “Five Togethers” that serve as guidelines for pastors in our nine Every Nation China churches. We joked that since the official Chinese government sanctioned church is called the “Three Self Church” then the Every Nation Churches should be called the “Five Together” churches.
Sheikh Hanif was a seasoned Muslim leader. He had studied the Qur’an for many years and was responsible for organizing Muslim communities and launching new mosques. One night he had an overwhelming dream in which a graceful man addressed him by name and introduced himself as Isa al Masih (Jesus the Messiah). He simply said he wanted Hanif to serve him and listen carefully. In the dream he showed Hanif a tree on a hill nearby and the face of a man. “Go now and wait under the tree by the road. Look for this man, for he is my servant. You will recognize him when you see him, and he will show you the true answers to all your questions about God."
“Church planting is the most effective form of evangelism under heaven,” missiologist C. Peter Wagner once said. But is this still true today? Global nomad and missionary Andrew Jones, who works with emerging ‘Jesus movements’ around the world, suggests it’s time to rethink our missions practice, and move from ‘church as a weekly meeting in a building or a house’ towards ‘more sustainable, holistic, and measurably transformational Kingdom solutions.’
