LK10 Apprenticeship: Week Eight (2)

The LK10 Apprenticeship can best be described as a small "community of practice" that creates a powerful learning environment. Several components come together to create this community. In the video below, Jim Mellon and Wade Adams reflect on the third component: being a "church of two" (CO2) on a daily basis.

John

LK10 Apprenticeship: Week Eight (1)

We are continuing to pay close attention to what God is doing through the LK10 Apprenticeship. Eight weeks have been completed with four weeks to go. This last week I was in Killeen, TX for a LK10 Leadership Training Conference. I had the opportunity to interview two of the twelve people who have been in my cohort.

Jim and Cathy Mellon are two of the mature, godly leaders in the house church movement. They started their first house church 18 years ago and helped found House2House Ministries about 10 years ago. http://www.site.house2house.com/

In the Apprenticeship, Jim has teamed up in a CO2 (church of two) with Wade Adams. The Lord moved Wade into the house church world in the last couple of years after 19 years as a pastor in traditional churches. So, these two men are mature, experienced Christian leaders.

The Apprenticeship can best be described as a small "community of practice" that creates a powerful learning environment. Several components come together to create this community. In the video below, Jim and Wade reflect on the first two components: weekly learning assignments and a Facebook discussion group.

John

CO2 - The Hyatt Family (1)

A CO2 (church of two) is simple. Two people committed to two practices as close to daily as possible.

But, the CO2 concept is also highly adaptable. Sean Hyatt has applied it to his family. (Since he has a wife and three young children, it's now a CO5!) The result is a simple way that families can function as churches (think "church = vibrant family of Jesus".

Over the next four days, I'll be sharing an interview with Sean where he tells how this has worked out in his family. Today, Sean explains that this is a model that has been sustainable over time and that he loves what it has produced in his family.

Two things for you to think about. First, what would happen to the church in America (or wherever you live) if this practice became normative for every family? Second, is there anyone you need to pass this on to?

John

Please share your comments below.

Every home a church

The motto of the Chinese housechurch movement is:

*Every home a church
*Every believer a church planter
*Every church building a training center

Sean and Jessica Hyatt, in Aurora, CO used the CO2 concept to live this out in their home. Here's Sean's description...

My wife and I participated in the October experiment by CO2’ing together that month. It was a wonderful experience. Since then I have also enjoyed practicing the CO2 concept with a couple close brothers in my church family, and with other brothers in various ways.

Well, last week I believe the Lord put on my heart the idea and burden to CO2 as a household, daily, with my wife and children. So, we have been practicing this together for almost a week now. Easier said than done – but it has also been incredibly rewarding and transformational for our family already!

What I felt on my heart was a concept about following Christ together, daily, with one’s entire household - those with whom we share a roof over our heads, food, finances, and everyday life. Already my wife and I (along with our 10 and 7 yr old boys, 1 yr old daughter, and little dog) have enjoyed some wonderful times of worship and devotion together since the new year began. All checking in together, then spending some time praying and listening, then sharing what we hear the Lord saying to us together, and trying to obey it, together. Following Him daily – together.

I would be happy to write again as we get further into the month with some highlights on what we’ve been hearing from the Lord, how it’s been going, and further thoughts on this concept of “CO2’ing” with one’s household.

Thanks, Sean! We'll look forward to hearing more from you on this. And, we would love to hear stories of others who are doing something similar. Imagine if this became the norm for American Christians! Click on "Comments" and tell us your story.

John

CO2 spreads to England

Chris Jefferies lives in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, UK. Chris learned about the "church of two" concept at the House2House Conference last fall in Dallas, TX. Here's Chris' story. (BTW, file this under "Viral Multiplication".)

In early December I began CO2 with a house church friend, Sean. After the first week we were clear that we very much wanted to continue, and after three weeks we both agree that our relationship with one another and our relationships with the Lord are deepening noticeably.

Our experiences are similar to those reported by others commenting on 'Stories from the Revolution'. I had expected CO2 to be good, but it was trying it out for myself over a period of days that really convinced me. It's sometimes been difficult to keep going on a daily basis, but it is so worth the effort. My advice - don't give up, keep on keeping on and you will benefit.

Even if you don't have a partner for CO2, I would recommend doing the VIRKLER and SASHET exercises on your own each day. You will still see some useful benefit. But working in pairs or small groups will amplify the value greatly.

VIRKLER (particularly the hearing and journaling aspects) has deepened my awareness of the Lord's constant presence in my life.

SASHET has brought us closer to one another in mutual understanding, respect and trust.As we pray with and for one another in the light of hearing the Lord's direction to each of us, I'm fully convinced we'll be led into church life and sharing the gospel in ways we could hardly have imagined at first.

CO2 is not an end in itself. It is, however, a really useful framework for hearing from the Lord and at the same time developing broader and deeper relationships between individuals. In this way it stimulates spiritual growth and can act as both a building block for church and a platform for sharing the gospel. What a versatile tool!

Thanks, Chris!

To read more of Chris' CO2 story, check out his blog at http://blog.scilla.org.uk/2009/12/church-of-two-co2.html

John

The Barth Hotel (1)

Mission flows from listening (not strategic planning). See Jn. 5:19.

Watch this progression...

1. Hugh Brandt heard the Lord direct him to do something to express love to the residents of the Barth Hotel in downtown Denver over the Christmas season. (This is an assisted living facility for senior citizens.)

2. Hugh shared this with one of his CO2 partners, Shawn Taylor. As they listened together, Shawn agreed that this was from the Lord. The manager of the Hotel was thrilled about their desire and suggested they could bring as many as 15 people and that December 29th would be a good day.

3. Hugh sent this email to the Denver Network: House Church Friends, After taking time to listen to the Lord, Shawn Taylor and I have organized an outreach event on Tuesday December 29th at 6pm for approximately 2 hours for about 15 of us. We have the opportunity to love and serve the residents of the Barth Hotel located in Lower Downtown. The Barth Hotel is an assisted living residence for approximately 20 women and 40 men all of whom are poor.

I'll share with you tomorrow some of the responses Hugh received.

The vision? We picture the day when there will be hundreds (thousands?) of "churches of two" listening to the Lord and moving out in mission as He directs.

Sometimes with two people.

Sometimes with fifteen.

Sometimes with thousands.

This is the new (old) paradigm of mission.

John

CO2: The Heart of Organic

I love the growing number of stories about people in our CO2 Community sharing with others what God is doing. Here's one from Sherry Reinbold in Michigan...

"Lori (Sherry's CO2 partner) and I’ve shared what we’ve been doing and what God’s teaching us to our Organic Greenhouse – a once a month meeting of organic church leaders in our area, and they want to hear more and would like us to teach them more about this at our next meeting in November.

This is what we were told by the guy who facilitates the meeting : “Was thinking about inserting the stuff from LK 10 because I see it as so foundational and practical. It is the heart of organic.” He hadn’t heard of LK10 before or about this experiment and was very excited. He has been a church planter (organic style) for over 15 years and particularly in the Ukraine."

Sherry and Lori - looking forward to hearing how your teaching goes at the meeting in November!

Everyone else - tell us about the opportunities God is giving you to share. Also, for those who decide to try out CO2, encourage them to sign up on our website. (Or, you can sign them up with their permission.) That allows them to receive these posts and to contribute to the CO2 Community.

http://storiesfromtherevolution.blogspot.com/ All you have to do is enter the email address in the box in the right hand column.

John