Roland Allen was born on this date in 1868. He turned the world of missions upside down. Allen (1868-1947) was an Anglican, priest, missionary, author, and provocateur. While his influence was felt in the latter twentieth and twenty-first centuries, his views were often disregarded during his lifetime. Books such as Missionary […]
contextualization
Last week, I drove past the first KFC. I grew up in the small Southeastern Kentucky town of Corbin. Here is where the Colonel started frying it decades ago. My mother’s house is about two miles from the restaurant. As we visited for the holiday, she mentioned the place had […]
Christmas, Japan, and KFC
Our present pandemic has not only forced churches to host on-line worship gatherings, but led some to begin having conversations about transitioning to house church models. I have heard more discussions regarding house churches in the past five months than in the last several years. But what makes a house […]
What are House Churches?
In early August 1745, David Brainerd (1718-1747) observed an amazing awakening among the Native Americans living in Crossweeksung, New Jersey. A large crowd gathered to hear him preach, and the Spirit of God moved in a powerful fashion. Brainerd described his observations in his diary: “The power of God seemed […]
This Week in Mission History: Legacy of Brainerd
Life in the Kingdom is filled with irony. The first is last (Matt 20:16). The greatest is like a little child (Matt 18:4). The cheek is turned (Matt 5:39). The extra mile is traveled (Matt 5:41). We should not be surprised by this Ethic. Yet, an unnecessary tension is found […]
Simplicity of Depth
Perspective is important. Perspective humbles. There are 7.5 billion people on the earth. This number has been divided into 17,400 people groups (Joshua Project). Everyone represents a people group. Yes, that means you too. I majored in sociology at the University of Kentucky and did graduate studies in the field […]