By C4USM Staff on
8/23/2010 9:13 AM
By Michael R. Ruhl
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By C4USM Staff on
6/23/2009 1:12 PM
By Mike Ruhl
It must have been the fifth similar telephone conversation in the past month. I listen intently as a missionary pastor unpacks his anxiety about declining and disappearing financial support for his ministry and his turbulent concern about not being around to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the many receptive postmodern people in his ripening urban mission field.
What could have degenerated into a woeful depressing analysis of economic downturn in the church was transformed into a celebration of hope and confirmation of Jesus' promise (in fact, it was more of an oath) to all who engage in the Great Commission: “I will be with you always, even to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20-b) More than a statement of divine omnipresence, Jesus promises that as believers engage in the Great Commission of “making disciples of all the nations,” He will be with us every step and every inch of the way, and He will provide the nece ...
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By C4USM Staff on
5/18/2009 11:52 AM
by Michael R. Ruhl
It was a moment that was more than embarrassing.
Even after eight years of biblical and theological training, plus accurate and redundant explanation in the seminary classroom, plus five years of parish ministry in Minnesota and Michigan, plus numerous sermons on the parables … I still did not 'get it'…the Kingdom of God, I mean.
Like many people, I understood the Kingdom of God as something 'other-worldly'…perhaps even a term that described eternal life in heaven. It was not until reading the book The Kingdom of God by John Bright while in training for The Bethel Bible Series many years ago that this central Scriptural concept came to light. The expression Basileia tou Theou is better translated kingship (reign, rule) of God in the hearts and lives of people on earth today. At conversion, people are ushered into the Kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit. Justified by grace and through faith, Jesus establi ...
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By C4USM Staff on
4/28/2009 10:50 AM
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By C4USM Staff on
4/28/2009 10:29 AM
By Glenn A. Lucas
At the most recent Basic Mission Planter Training, we discussed the importance of a website as part of the overall marketing and outreach strategies of new church plants. In today's culture, people learn a lot about a church from its website, and the lack of a web presence can reflect poorly. Below are some things to keep in mind as you design and work with your church's site:
1. Brand
Your web site is part of your branding. It is important to create a site that will communicate what you want about your church. People will learn what you value from the content and look of your web site. They will decide whether your ministry is worth visiting.
2. Goal
What do you want your web site to accomplish for your church? Is it a communication tool for current members, an outrea ...
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By C4USM Staff on
3/24/2009 2:49 PM
By Mike Ruhl
There are times when I am struck by simplicity. Such a moment came while reflecting on a familiar mission text in Luke 10:1-3, "After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. And he said to them, 'The harve
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