Bread From the Deli

The Robert Treat Deli has been a long term supporter of Anchor of Hope House Church in Westfield, NJ.  The Kasich family and all their employees at Robert Treat have welcomed the ministry of the House Church, even taking Prayer requests from their customers and other business owners in the downtown area, which they then pass

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Book of Concord in Swahili

     Kennedy Nyangacha is a House Church Planter who immigrated here from Kenya.  There are several languages spoken in Kenya; but Swahili is used by almost everyone in Kenya as well as other East African nations.      House Churches are very relational.  One of the challenges which must be addressed is speaking the truth in

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Chance to Serve

     This past week, I was blessed to continue a conversation with Pr. Mike Ruhl who is with the Center for US Missions.  The Center for US Missions is a ministry within the LCMS whose goal it is to help the planting of our churches.  I myself went through their Church Planter training in 1998. 

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House Church Planters in Advent

     This Advent, I am privileged to help out with Wednesday night worship services at my family’s congregation- Redeemer Lutheran Church in Westfield, NJ.  This past Wednesday service was special in part because two House Church Planters were in worship together.      Edna McClure is helping to plant Anchor of Hope House Church in the

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Keep on Keeping On

Black Ministry in Michigan is centered around Detroit and Flint. However, quite large numbers of African Americans and many other minorities live in Grand Rapids. Closing the only substantially diverse congregation in this small metro area was painful. Praying for workers in Grand Rapids after a September Black Ministry conference in Detroit finally produced fruit

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Persistence

After a year of developing relationships with three single moms whose church closed, a Nam vet just out of jail, and an Ethiopian immigrant by informally teaching leadership of a house church, two such plants began this month. How they will grow and mature is uncertain, but one lesson is clear. Do not stop praying

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How Discipling Works: Part 3

At Dwelling 1:14, the working definition of a disciple is “Someone who takes up the teachings and lifestyle of Jesus and shows others how to do the same.” So when we start to talk about how to “disciple” someone, we are talking about the process by which such a person is formed (discipled). In our

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How Discipling Works: Part 2

How do you disciple someone? Last weekend I was in Michigan talking with a room full of people about this very question. Afterwards, I was standing at the door saying goodbye to the folks when one elderly man came up to me and said, “You make it sound almost too simple.” I smiled and said,

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How Discipling Works: Part 1

For years I was unsure what discipling was. I knew how to teach people information about Jesus. (I was trained for that.) I knew how to inspire people with the love and truth of Jesus. (I had good models for that.) But discipling people? I struggled so much, in part, because most of the rest

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One Thing

I was recently with the pastors and wives of the Pastoral Leadership Institute (PLI) at their annual conference. It was a wonderful, overwhelming week for them. Lots of insights. Lots of information to take in and assimilate. Lots of vision. Lots of aspiration for what could be. Likewise, I coach several pastors who were at

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