Why are we doing this?
WHY multiply?
Jesus. Jesus loves people, lay down His life for people, and His body lives for the sake of people. He is establishing His kingdom for His glory. Jesus has sent us into the world to proclaim His good news, to make disciples. And as disciples are made, the church multiplies.
And WHY multiply ...?
Because of people. People in Canada without Jesus these days are perhaps more diverse in belief and life practice than ever before. While we resist putting people in tidy categories, here are some characteristics:
People are ...
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Polite in public. "[smiling] How are you?" "Fine, how are you doin'?" "Not too bad. .. So how you been? ..."
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And sometimes quite sincere in private. People are increasingly ready to talk with trusted friends about the stuff that matters.
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Guarded, Isolated. While people want and are even trying to know others and to be known, the conversation and the depth of being a part of one anothers' lives is still relatively shallow.
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Desiring community. And so another current flows through our culture: the desire for community. People want community connections. People get together for coffee, moms groups, soccer teams, hockey, hanging out at bars .. and seek to be known in the virtual realm (eg. Facebook).
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Naively optimistic. There prevails a vague hope that somehow life will get better.
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Spiritually seeking. People have questions and are willing to talk about matters of the spirit.
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Without hope. Especially in crisis, people find that vague hope is worth little. The bottom falls out and life quickly stinks. Questions abound.
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Grasping for control. People desire security and control.
Still, people are ready to trust Jesus. People in our area, and across the nation are growing as disciples of Jesus, laying down their lives, trusting Him, and the church is multiplying.
Please pray that we would be led into further multiplying God's church. Pray also for the Kingsfield Council ad hoc team as they discern recommendations on how to structure the movement as we go forward.
How do we do this? Click here.
" ... As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." (John 20:21, ESV)
"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)
"The authority of all missionary work is founded in the truth that God has a clear Word to communicate to the world." (Scott Thomas, the Acts 29 Network)
For further understanding of why we are the multiplying movement we are, click here, to go to History & Connections.