Permission Granted

Permission Granted: To Do Church Differently In The 21st Century!

Did you ever wish you had permission to change the way you “do church”? Well, now you have it. Permission Granted: To Do Church Differently In The 21st Century You have permission to:
1. Welcome His Presence.
2. Grow in Christ as He has desired.
3. Experience a God-orchestrated meeting.
4. Become the Church, not attend the church.
5. Grow in intercessory prayer.

This “how to” book provides proven tactics to move your church into a “Third Day” realm fully committed to worship. Follow along with authors Graham Cooke and Gary Goodell (director of Permission Ministries and a leader of ThirdDayChurches.com) as they share their years of experience developing new ways to welcome His presence into your church, home, community, your life and the lives of those in the congregation.

"Permission is Granted....will provoke new thoughts that will challenge you to change. If you are satisfied with the present condition of the Church, then this book will offend you. But if you are craving for fresh expressions of your personal and corporate faith that are relevant for today and tomorrow's world, then the words in this book will stir you to action. Permission is Granted...., written by Gary Goodell and Graham Cooke, is strategically thought out, Biblically grounded, and filled with vision and faith.

"Take the dare and let your heart run wild; dream a big dream of a Third-Day Church that has both new wineskins and new wine." --James W. Goll, Cofounder of Encounters Network, Author of The Seer, Dream Language, and The Lost Art of Practicing His Presence.

"Gary Goodell has been 'around the block' concerning the religious world. He has operated in traditional churches and seen all manner of flakiness as people seek to come into their spirituality. Consequently, he has a great perspective over what the Third-Day Church should really look like. Permission Is Granted...encourages us that God is bringing great change to what we have known as 'church life.' You will enjoy reading this." --Chuck D. Pierce, Glory of Zion International Ministries, Denton, Texas.

"As the Body of Christ forges ahead in this third millennium, there is great need for pioneers, fathers, and those willing to 'follow the cloud.' Gary Goodell has always been this kind of leader, through his many years in his Pentecostal roots of Foursquare, during the renewal days of Vineyard, and now as the apostolic leader of Third-Day churches. His new book, Permission Is Granted..., is more than a model; it is a mirror of lifestyle that Gary and Jane Goodell, as well as those who God has sovereignly connected to them from around the world, have lived and walked for may years. Thank God for those who are willing to write the story, rather than always reading someone else's. I strongly recommend this prophetic manual to all those whom God is leading into the Third Day." --Jill Austin, Master Potter Ministries, Laguna Hills, California

Graham Cooke has been involved in prophetic ministry since 1974. He founded the School of Prophecy. A popular conference speaker, Graham has established a wide range of training programs that are renowned for their practical application, teaching content, and prophetic impartation.

Gary Goodell has been doing ministry stuff for 40 years. He directs Permission Ministries, a mentoring system for Simple Church and helps lead ThirdDayChurches.com. He is the father of two married children and the grandfather of six. He and his wife, Jane, live in San Diego, California. On several occasions, history has provided the needed critical mass and the synergistic inertia to thrust the church into breaking out of its' box and becoming the force in culture and society that God intended it to be.

Today, the church, in the 21st Century, has once again reached this "critical mass." It is something so big and so obvious that the winds of change demand we look hard at our forms and face the reality that a different church must provide a different response to a postmodern age.

This Third Millennium ("a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day," 2 Peter 3:8; Psalm 90:4), or this "Third Day" requires a "Third Way" of doing and being the church. This book tells the story of one of those churches—a single-cell, Sunday morning, building—driven, pastor-dominated church that has broken out into an empowering network of churches and ministries. It is a must read for anyone who wants to 'do church differently,' in the third millennium.

Learn more at Third Day Churches http://www.thirddaychurches.com/

You can purchase this book at the Arsenal Book Store http://www.arsenalbooks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=0768423805

Simple Church:

Simple Church: Returning to God's Process for Making Disciples Author: Thom S. Rainer, Eric Geiger

The simple revolution has begun. From the design of the iPod to the uncluttered Google home page, simple ideas are changing the world. Simple Church clearly calls for Christians to return to the simple gospel-sharing methods of Jesus. No bells or whistles required, so to speak.

Based on case studies of four hundred American churches, authors Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger prove that the process for making disciples has quite often become too complex. Simple churches are thriving, and they are doing so by taking these four ideas to heart: Clarity. Movement. Alignment. Focus.

Each idea is examined here, simply showing why it is time to simplify. Dowload Sample Chapter 27-Page PDF @

http://bhpublishinggroup.com/productDetail.asp?isbn=0805443908
Simple Church Returning to God’s process for Making Disciples By Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger

Simple Church Defined

A simple church is designed around a straightforward and strategic process that moves people through the stages of spiritual growth. The leadership and the church are clear about the process (clarity) and are committed to executing it. The process flows logically (movement) and is implemented in each area of the church (alignment). The church abandons everything that is not in the process (focus).

Clarity

Clarity is the ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people. Understanding always precedes commitment. If people are to embrace and participate in the ministry process, they must be able to internalize it.

Movement

Movement is the sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. Movement is about handoffs. Movement is what happens in between the programs. Movement is how someone is handed off from one level of commitment to a greater level of commitment.

Alignment

Alignment is the arrangement of all ministries and staff around the same simple process. Alignment to the process means that all ministry departments submit and attach themselves to the same overarching process. When a church is fully aligned, all ministries are operating from the same ministry blueprint. The ministries not only embrace the simple process, but they are engaged in it. Each ministry department mirrors the process in that particular area.

Focus

Focus is the commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple ministry process. Focus most often means saying "no." Without focus, the church becomes cluttered despite its process. Without focus, the process is buried somewhere underneath a myriad of special events and activities.

Less is More

Fewer programs means: more focus on the programs offered. more excellence. more energy for each program. more money allocated to each program. more people coming to the ones that are offered. more attention from the people in your church. more impact.
Ministries and Programs Ministries are different from programs. Ministries are either entire departments (see ministry expansions) or specific groups (see ministry additions) that help move people through one aspect of the process.

Ministry Expansions

Ministry expansions are new ministries that are geared toward a specific age group or life stage. The church ministry is expanded to focus intentionally on a specific group of people. These groups were formerly a part of a different ministry, now they have their own identity.

Ministry Additions

Ministry additions are new ministries that fulfill a specific function within the simple process. These ministries must be set up to help move people through the process of transformation.

For example, the baptism ministry team make is easy for people to move to baptism.

Four Examples

Cross Church

Immanuel Church

Christ Church

North Pointe Community Church

Cross Church

They have a simple three-step purpose statement that is also its process. "Love God, love others, serve the world." One member said, "The worship service helps me love God more, and my small group is where I learn to really love others. I serve on the greeting team that allows me to serve others."

Measuring Method

Cross Church takes a horizontal attendance measuring approach that allows them to track the percentage of the congregation in each process area. The change in percentages over time gives them a sense of movement within the process.

Measurement Matrix

Immanuel Church

They concluded that fully committed believers would be intimate with God, and other Christians, people who grow in their faith, and are servants in the Kingdom of God. They describe their discipleship focus as a process. They call it Connecting, Growing, Serving. First, Immanuel seeks to connect people to God and others. They desire to see people become "connecting believers." Next they challenge "connecting believers" to become "growing believers" by engaging in opportunities for deeper spiritual growth.

Finally, the process ends with "growing believers" committing to become "serving believers."

Christ Church

God impressed on their pastors’ hearts to focus people on four things: an intimate relationship with God, community with others, serving, and influencing nonbelievers.

They committed to one statement that would feature their simple process:
Connect to God, others, ministry, and the lost.

Discipleship includes being intimate with God (connect to God), living in community with other believers (connect to others), serving the Body of Christ (connect to ministry), and sharing the gospel (connect to the lost). Define it; illustrate it; measure it; discuss it;

Northpointe Community Church The image of a home Foyer is the welcoming place Move to the living room for connections The kitchen is small groups where discipleship occurs Simple Church is NOT Simple It is not a quick fix It is not whacking programs, it is building a culture of simplicity The philosophy is simple implementation is not It shouldn’t be the next fad for church growth (WillowBack 2.0)

What it Takes

Serious praying

Casting vision to create the future

Building consensus amidst diversity

Designing the organizational structure

Managing change biblically

For Additional Resources go to: http://www.arsenalbooks.com/products.asp?dept=1053

Discipleship Essentials

Discipleship has regained notice in the church today. This book will give you some options and formats you may not have thought about yet. In my duties as a professor of Pastoral Ministry and as Discipleship Pastor I have used the previous versions of this book. If you are looking for a great overall book on Discipleship start here. I have used many of the ideas in established churches and believe they adapt well in a variety of church models and theologies.

It is crystal clear that Jesus commanded us to make disciples of all nations. It is shocking that so many churches have either dropped this from their practice and their theology or think of it as only teaching personal evangelism. When we examine the Gospels we see Jesus adapting the Rabbinical School method where by those who have been called by Him and believe His message are taught as He ministers to others, as well as, in times when he directs His efforts directly to them as He includes them as a part of His day to day life and activities. Greg has done all of the work at hammered it out in real life day to day living.

The material below is from intervarsity's web site. There is a link at the end of the article where you can find more materials.

Discipleship Essentials: Discover the fullness of life in Christ.

We grow in Christ as we seek him together. Jesus' own pattern of disciple-making was to be intimately involved with others and allow life to rub against life. By gathering in twos or threes to study the Bible and encourage one another, we most closely follow Jesus' example with the twelve disciples.

This workbook by Greg Ogden is a tool designed to help you follow this pattern Jesus drew for us. Working through it will deepen your knowledge of essential Christian teaching and strengthen your faith.

Each week contains the following elements:

• a core truth presented in a question-answer format
  
• a memory verse and accompanying study
  
• an field-tested inductive Bible study
  
• a reading on the theme for the week
  
• questions to draw out key principles in the reading

This material is designed for groups of three. It has also been used successfully as an individual study program, a one-on-one discipling tool and small group curriculum.

Jesus had a big enough vision to think small. Focusing on a few did not limit his influence. Rather, it expanded it. Discipleship Essentials is designed to help us influence others as Jesus did--by investing in a few.

This Second edition includes a new foreword by the author. These studies are for both individuals and groups.

Table of Contents
A Word from the Author
Getting the Most from Discipleship Essentials

Part One: Growing Up in Christ

1 Making Disciples
2 Being a Disciple
3 Quiet Time
4 Bible Study
5 Prayer
6 Worship

Part Two: Understanding the Message of Christ

7 The Three-Person God

8 Made in God’s Image

9 Sin

10 Grace

11 Redemption

12 Justification

13 Adoption

Part Three: Becoming Like Christ
14 Filled with the Holy Spirit
15 Fruit of the Holy Spirit
16 Trust
17 Love
18 Justice
19 Witness

Part Four: Serving Christ

20 The Church

21 Ministry Gifts

22 Spiritual Warfare

23 Walking in Obedience

24 Sharing the Wealth
Bonus Section
25 MoneyAppendix: Building a Discipleship Ministry

• Features & Benefits


• New edition of a bestselling book
  
• Has the same pagination as the original edition for those who want to use their original copy in mentoring
  
• New foreword by the author
  
• Includes 25 sessions
  
• Includes new sessions on stewardship at the back of the book
  
• Great for use in small groups, one on one or in mentoring pairs or triads
  
• Includes material for individual use as well as group discussion
  
• Includes inductive Bible study

http://www.ivpress.com/cgi-ivpress/book.pl/code=1087

Sign Up Troubles

Hello everyone. It seems that my sighup for updates service has been confused of late. When you sighned up for the Equippers Network updates it signed you up for this blog instead.

So if you want updates from http://equippersnetwork.blogspot.com/ please go there and sign up again and you will get those up dates. I believe we have the problem solved.

Thanks

Equipper!

God's Unfolding Battle Plan Revisited

The Spiritual Warfare Movement is not as visible or as distinct an element in the seminar circuit as it once was. Now, it is part of the mainstream of the Third Wave, New Apostolic, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Prophetic Movements and many Evangelical Churches.

We now understand the Battle that rages for the souls and cities of the Earth in a greater way. Knowledge of the importance of prayer walking and strategies for taking cities back from the evil one are well known.
But, what is God unfolding now and in the days ahead? What do we need to know and do in the days ahead to be completely useful to the Lords plan to establish His kingdom in the lives of people and in the Earth in the days ahead?

Chuck Pierce's book will have you crying out for more of God and for His grace and wisdom to take your place in establishing the Kingdom in the exciting and powerful days ahead!

God's Unfolding Battle Plan by Chuck D. Pierce
In this season of war that we have been living in, the Lord has released much revelation.

THE SPIRITUAL WAR AROUND US IS UNFOLDING.
A people without knowledge perish. God's Unfolding Battle Plan and the revised Future War of the Church will help you understand how to stand in victory in the times we are living in. God's Unfolding Battle Plan: A Field Manual for Advancing the Kingdom of God will point you into an understanding of the warfare we are presently fighting and what is ahead for us in the future.

In God's Unfolding Battle Plan, Chuck Pierce continues to empower Christians to face the exciting present (and future) for the Church that he began to lay out in The Future War of the Church. Yes, we are in the midst of a battle that will only increase in strength, but the victory has already been promised. Outlining the next seven-year period of spiritual war (2008-2015), Pierce shows how God will advance His Kingdom, causing the faithful to rise up and God's will to be done here on Earth as it is in heaven.

God's Unfolding Battle Plan offers a glimpse into what's ahead as well as encouragement to triumph over the attending forces of lawlessness, hopelessness and violence.

Discover what God has said to Pierce about the upcoming period and learn how to prosper through strategic intercession, worship warfare and a powerful new weapon of intercession: the four watches of the night.

Remain hopeful, knowing you are a part of God's unfolding battle plan and that the best is still ahead. This book will also give you great insight through the next 20 years and beyond!

The chapters are:
Chapter 1 - Becoming a Warrior in a Season of War
Chapter 2 - The Mind War: Critical Times Require Critical Thinking
Chapter 3 - The Blood War: Empowered in Soul and Spirit
Chapter 4 - The Time War: Praying to Reorder Your Day
Chapter 5 - The Presence-and-Glory War: Is Your Lampstand Burning?
Chapter 6 - The Power War: Who Are You in Agreement With?
Chapter 7 - The Wealth War: Defining Your Boundaries
Chapter 8 - The War of the Nations: Will the Real Ruling Nation Please Rise
Chapter 9 - The Harvest War: Keep Praying and Prophesying

Buy this Book at The Arsenal Book Store.
http://www.arsenalbooks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=9780830744701

Or at the Glory of Zion store,
http://gloryofzion.org/webstore/Scripts/prodView.asp?idProduct=438

Church As It Has Been and Could Be

Over the last several years there has been a great deal written about believers who are in love with Jesus but not the church. There has been a great exit of believers seeking to find an effective model that is both Biblical and that they find relevant where the life the Bible speaks about can be found among other believers. Some have given up and just stay at home, possibly catching a christian TV show to partially meet their need. Over the next few weeks I want to address this on my Equippers Network Blog http://equippersnetwork.blogspot.com/ and I will be offering brief descriptions of a variety of book on this blog, which address the church, its current state and a variety of solutions being offered by people from a wide variety of theological perspectives.

Many churches have become ineffective at being alive in Christ and in doing what Jesus began to do and teach, Acts 1:1. The Bible tells us that the people of God are destroyed for lack of knowledge and the people perish or (wander aimlessly without hope or purpose) because they have no vision of who God truly is and what He truly desires for us as individuals or as a people.

Hos 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
NASU
Prov 29:1818

Where there is no vision [no redemptive revelation of God], the people perish; but he who keeps the law [of God, which includes that of man] — blessed (happy, fortunate, and enviable) is he. [1 Sam 3:1; Amos 8:11,12.] AMP

The passage below reminds us that our assembling or gathering together is important. What is not addressed in these verses is the when, where, and how of our gatherings.
Heb 10:19-2519

Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter into the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] in the blood of Jesus, 20 By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain (veil of the Holy of Holies), that is, through His flesh, 21 And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God, 22 Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water. 23 So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word. 24 And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, 25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching. AMP

The first book I want to feature along these lines is below. This material is from George Barna's site @ http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Resource&ResourceID=337

Life Without Church
by Brian Sanders
Life without church. It's getting easier to imagine.
And maybe you already left. A leaver, then. Committed to Jesus, not an institution. Perhaps you've left your church in spirit, remaining in the pew. Outwardly silent. Secretly bored. In either case, Brian Sanders has a word for you.
Out of his own experience as a leaver, Brian distills the complex problem into two viable options:
Stay. Remain in your church with the blessing of Christ and in the power of his great vision for the church to come.
Take the path of revolutionary leaving. Move purposefully, seeking the kingdom of God that is beyond institutions.
Whether Sunday mornings find you alone in a one-bedroom apartment or isolated in a church of thousands, Brian reminds you to keep listening for God's call.
Reform the church that is Christ's. Be it from the inside out, or the outside in.
About the Author
Brian Sanders was part of a large group of people who all left churches at the same time. Gradually they realized that while their criticism of the church was prophetic, it wasn't productive.
Brian is now executive director of the Underground Network, a coalition of churches united by a call to biblical justice and love for the poor. And he is the lead pastor of the network's founding church, the Underground Church. The Likewise book Life After Church comes out of Brian's dream for a new kind of church. That dream has been formed in part by his degree in applied theology from Spurgeon's College, where he saw what it would take for a church to become a source of life to a community.

Here are a couple books that have influenced Brian's thinking:

The Shaping of Things to Come by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch and Houses that Change the World by Wolfgang Simson.