Jim Mellon on giving

Jim and Kathy Mellon serve a network of house churches in and around Killeen, TX. Since 1992 this network has contributed more than $1,000,000 to the work of the Kingdom around the world. See http://www.story.house2house.com/2010/05/21/the-big-bang-for-your-bucks-theory/

So, when Jim speaks about giving in house church, he is worth listening to. See below for his comments at a LK10 Training Conference about the importance of giving and supporting church planters.

John

LK10 Apprenticeship: Week Eight (3)

Here's the best definition of the LK10 Apprenticeship: a small "community of practice" (a cohort of 12 people) that creates a powerful learning environment.

Our learning is focused on three foundational rhythms or practices...

1. Individually learning to pay attention to both our own hearts and God's heart.

2. Learning to pay attention in these two areas with one other person. We call this a CO2 (church of two).

3. Learning to pay attention in these areas with a small family like group. We call this a house church or simple church.

The learning environment of the Apprenticeship is the result of the synergy of several different components. In the last two posts we heard from Jim Mellon and Wade Adams about

1. The weekly learning assignments

2. The private Facebook discussion group

3. The CO2

In the video below Jim and Wade talk about two more components: coaching and group conference calls.

John

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 Meetings in Central Texas

I wanted to get the word out to anyone in Central Texas about our upcoming meetings in Killeen. The gathering on Sunday (11/7) is for anyone interested in house church. The meetings on Monday (11/8) and Tuesday (11/9) evenings build on the Sunday gathering and focus on leadership training.

In order to attend and to get information about locations, you will need to call Jim Mellon. (254) 466-1853

John

The Church Comes Home: An Introduction to House Churches

Sunday, November 7^th from 3 – 9 pm

George Barna’s book, Revolution, asserts that there is a major shift underway in the American church landscape. A recent Pew Foundation Report supports this idea with the finding that 7% of American Christians now consider a meeting in their home as their primary expression of church. Across the country, thousands of house churches are appearing. And, some traditional churches are beginning to develop hybrid models that incorporate the key elements of house church life.

Join John White and Hobby Chapin, leaders in the Luke Ten Community, as they explore the Biblical basis for “the church in the home”. Understand the value of “rabbit” churches and “elephant” churches. Learn practical tools that can help any group become “a vibrant family of Jesus”. Imagine what a church planting movement in Central Texas might look like. Interactive and practical.

Sponsored by the Luke Ten Community and the Killeen House Church Network

Training for House Church Leaders and Church Planters.

Two nights. Monday and Tuesday (Nov. 8 and 9) from 6:30 – 9 pm

For anyone who is already leading a house church or feels God may be calling them to do that. Also, for those called to church planting.

Join John White and Hobby Chapin as we examine the strategy for church planting that Jesus taught to his disciples. Key concepts like: praying for and identifying the house of peace, starting CO2s (churches of two), forming meaningful community, learning to hear the Head of the church together, developing regional apostolic teams. Interactive and practical.

This will build on the concepts presented on Sunday. So, people planning on attending Monday and Tuesday evenings should also attend the meeting on Sunday.

Want to know more about LK10? Check out these websites http://lk10.com/ and http://storiesfromtherevolution.blogspot.com/

The 10:2b Virus (2)

The Luke Ten Community is defined by seven core practices. Anyone who is seeking to live out these practices qualifies to be part of this Community. These practices are spelled out in The LK10 Invitation which you can read here: http://lk10.com/media/lk10_visionpaper_2_0.pdf

Here's Practice #4: Praying Lk 10:2b

In LK. 10:2, Jesus made a startling statement. In front of Him were 84 (12 + 72) church planters (“sent ones”, apostles). That sounds like a lot to us, but His evaluation was that it was only a “few”. Apparently, He saw the need for many more. And, in addition to identifying that need, He gave the solution. He commanded them to engage in the practice of “beseeching the Lord of the Harvest for more workers”. In this context, workers are both people of peace and more church planters.

We engage this practice with our CO2 partner (as well as others) for the region we are called to as close to daily as possible. This relentless widow lady in LK. 18 is our model for this kind of tenacious praying.

Key quote: “The 10:2b Prayer is the leadership solution.” -Kenny Moore

In the video below, Jim Mellon tells of some amazing answers to this prayer. Notice the wide variety of harvest workers that the Lord of the harvest has sent to Jim and Kathy. Notice also how naturally mission flows from this kind of praying.

More from Jim tomorrow.

John

The 10:2b Virus (1)

Over the next few days, I'll be sharing an interview with Jim and Kathy Mellon who are church planters in Killeen, TX. For several years they have been faithfully praying the prayer that Jesus instructed His followers to pray in Luke 10:2b...

Beseech the Lord of the Harvest to thrust out laborers into the harvest.

In addition to the video below which is the first part of my interview with Jim and Kathy, I just received the following email from Jim. As you read what Jim wrote and watch the videos over the next few days, I want you to pay attention to the idea that "God does the heavy lifting". That is, that mission isn't something we strain to do. ("We must be more missional!") Rather, it's something that flows almost effortlessly from prayer.

John

Email from Jim...

I am excited that we had 5 unbelievers at our HC meeting yesterday. The guy who hosted this particular meeting is a recently retired army Sargent [3 tours in Iraq and a Bronze star]. He had a poker game at his house Saturday night and invited the guys to church at his house Sunday morning. One guy brought his wife and was pretty quiet. One guy confessed that "He is the worse sinner in the room because he use to know the Lord and has been backslid for years" He rededicated his life in front of everyone and wants to be mentored. Another young solder shared that he has had a pulling towards God recently and couldn't believe he was sitting in a church meeting. The last guy sat in the kitchen while the meeting was going on. I sat with him as we had coffee and he shared that he was having trouble integrating after his recent return from Iraq. The whole group spent the afternoon eating and watching football. I look forward to what the Lord will do with this group of soldiers.