A New Century

Entering a new century, a new millennium

Mega shifts taking place (200/400 years)

Modern Postmodern

Critical Post-critical

Industrial Technological

Enlightenment Post-Enlightenment

The world is reshaping and new worldview constructs are beginning to emerge!

A massive shift in Christianity

By 2050 - 1 of 5 will be Latino

Africa grew from 10 million in 1900 to 360 million in 2000

There are three Missiological “worldwide phenomena” since 1980s: *

- growth of African independent churches

- emergence of Chinese house churches

- mushrooming of Latin American grassroots churches * Peter Wagner Church Quake p.10

An Apostolic Age

George Hunter on these combined realities (Asbury)

• Christendom largely dissolved; peoples of Europe and North America mostly secular.

• Enlightenment, which provided the worldview for the West, is spent.

• Once again, we are in an Apostolic Age ―much like the age that Early Church Christianity encountered. (Church for the Unchurched, pg. 23)

Christianity moves from North/West to South/East

Asian/Indian Trend

Asia is ablaze with the spontaneous expansion of the gospel―large-scale conversions in India predicted

6.7% of Christians in India (Hindustan Times – Jan. 12, 2005)

Weekly 1000 house-churches formed (Dr. Victor Chowdhary)

Groups like DAWN―10 million new churches over the next few decades

India Church Growth

Two Illustrations

The gospel is spreading into the Southern Hemisphere (Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia) at rates beyond our imagination 3–4 decades ago!!

India’s time: 250 million in next decade?

Millions of churches are being planted! But many are not lasting.

400 churches planted in Cambodia, now down to 50, and they too are failing.

New church in Janacholi of Haryana

The Concern

20th century example—Latin American and African “mission fields.”

• massive lack of leadership in the 2nd generation.• major nominalism in the 3rd generation. • syncretism in 4th generation

Numerical Growth in Acts

Acts 1:14 120 disciples gathered

2:41 3,000 men added into them

4:4 5,000 men added

4:32; 5:14 multitude / many / in large number

6:7 the Word of God

9:31 the churches

12:24 the Word of God

16:5 the churches

19:20 the Word of God

Eerdman’s Handbook to the History of Christianity (Berkhamsted, Herts, England: Lion Publishing, 1977), pp. 66–67

1st Century Churches

2nd Century Churches

3rd Century Churches

Turning the World Upside Down

Churches Established

Acts 16:5

“So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”

Qualitative and Quantitative Growth

Paul’s Strategy

Acts 14:21-23They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,“ they said. Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

Paul’s Strategy of Establishing

Paul prayed for the churchesHe revisited the churches

(Acts 14:21; 15:41; 18:23)He sent his team members

(Timothy, Silvanus, Titus)He wrote letters

Paul’s Early Letters

Paul’s Middle Letters Paul’s Later Letters

Strong in the Gospel

Galatians1 & 2 Thessalonians1 & 2 Corinthians

Romans

Strong in the Mission/Vision of the

ChurchEphesians

Colossians Philemon

Philippians

Strong Mature Households and

Leaders

1 TimothyTitus

2 Timothy

The Process of Building Strong Churches

The Epistles – Tools to Establish

Founding Strengthening Establishing

Paul’s Concept of Establishing

The Big Idea:Paul’s strategy of establishing the local church community at Thessalonica plays an important model that how we should establish the local churches in the formation years, in any culture, time and place.

The Author’s Intent

Paul wrote two of his early letters to the churches at Thessalonica with the intent to establish them in their living out of their gospel faith while they suffered persecution, went through moral lapses, and wrong teachings on the second coming which triggered them toward disorderly life as busybodies doing nothing.

Paul’s Concern

Paul’s concern was that the church should be established in the gospel on its formation years.

He reiterated that his instructions / “tradition”/ order should be followed.

The Planting of the Church

Acts 17:1-9a “When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ, " he said. Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

The Planting of the Church

But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: "These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, and Jason has welcomed them into his house.

The Planting of the ChurchThey are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.“ When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.”

The Planting of the ChurchThey are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.“ When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea.”

Establishing the Church1 Thessalonians 3:1 - 6

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials.

For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

Paul Establishing the Thessalonians Community*

Founding the Community

Shaping the Community

Stabilizing the Community

Conversion• Not in word only, but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.. (1 Ths 1:5• The Word of the Lord sounded forth from you (1 Ths 1:8)• You turned from idols to serve a true and living God (1 Ths 1:9)

*Founding the churches in the Gospel, BILD Booklet

Challenge to Old Traditions

• We want to come to you… we sent Timothy (1 Ths 2:18; 3:1-6)

• That you may not be quickly shaken… by a spirit or a message or a letter from us (2 Ths 2:2)

• Honor the leaders (1 Ths 5:12)

• Admonish the unruly (1 Ths 5:14)

• Keep away from unruly (2 Ths 3:6)

• May the Lord direct your hearts (2 Ths 3:4-5)

Concept of Traditions (Commandments, Instructions)• Proved to be gentle among you as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children (1 Ths 2:7)• We were exhorting…as a father …to his own children (1 Ths 2:11)• You received from us instructions…you know the commandments.. (1 Ths 4:1-2)• Stand firm and hold to the traditions..by word of mouth or by letter from us (2 Ths 2:15)

Founding the Community

Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.

We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Founding the Community

And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.

Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Our Concern

Why do you think Paul was very concerned about establishing the Thessalonians Community in the Gospel in its formative days?

What is our history of being established in the Gospel?

What are the consequences if the churches are not established in the gospel in its formative days?

Why do you think your living in the gospel relates to your witnessing and missions?