New Churches for New Generation

New creative churches are coming. It is certainly exciting to witness it. During "Google Church Stories" research trip, I have found that new churches are for new generation although all the generations are working together. I am so proud of my research team, Dongjun Choi, Global General Director, Donghyun Choi, Global Research Director, and Haeryeong Park, Global Research Director. They are the ones who will be on the front of New Churches. I was so impressed by their "fresh" perspectives available for the natives of new culture. Jesus Link Global has a full of hope because of their faithfulness, sincerity, and passion. Praise the Lord.

Google Churches Need to Collaborate with Gobal Churches

Quite a few churches in the United States are working hard to reverse the declining curve of church vitality. Their efforts are impressive. They seem to find a way of triving the church in "Missional, Relational, Incarnational" endeavors what Leonard Sweet contends. On the top of their moves, the ministry/mission of "Collaboration" with global churches, especially, of the East would be a great addition to both of the churches. For instance, ministerial staff exchange program between the two churches will enrich each other's faithful works.

Google Church Storeis Research Trip Compelted

A long but successful journey has been ended. Two staffs were already back to Korea. One is in Washington to do more research on NCC and Bridgeway Church. Last two weeks were amazing. All of us have witnessed that God was with us always. We visited 14 churches in 12 cities in 10 States. We got on the planes 14 times flying 21,000 miles and drove 1,200 miles.

The resources we gathered from this trip will be posted on the blog and published later. We will share them with those who need them.

We praise the Lord who blessed us more than we expected. Amen.

Granger Community Church, Granger, IN 06/23/2010 10:13pm PST

Granger Community Church, Granger, IN is ranked as the third most influential church in the US. Creative Art Department is the strongest part among other ministerial works. Children's ministry is awesome indeed as if coming into Disney World. Culture and tradition are nicely mixed for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ginghamsburg Church, Tipp City, OH 06/22/2010 12:25pm PST

Ginghamsburg Church, Tipp City, OH is a missional church that has been led by Rev. Michael Slaughter for 31 years.  This church is the 5th largest United Methodist Church in the US.  Every Sunday 4,000 adults and 6-800 young people gather to worship God.  The church has three different campuses.  Media culture sensive ministry in the main sanctuary and youth cuture sensitive programs at Avenue are creatively organized and well operated.  This church shows a model for the future of mainline churches.

Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, MD 06/21/2010 01:19pm

Bridgeway Community Church, Columbia, MD is a church of multiculturalism.  Every Sunday 2,200 people gather to worship God.  The ministerial staffs are from all over the world in terms of their origins.  People from 42 countries are making a beautiful community to share the love of God.  To be a member of this church, one has to be part of ministry.  They call them "partners."  The church has 550 partners.  The most important aspect of the church ministry is "prayer."  Men's ministry runs one day (24 hours) fasting prayer day in order to equip the male partners as active participants of the church works.

National Community Church, Washington D.C. 06/20/2010 01:49p

National Community Church, Washington D.C. is locating in where there real people are.  Their five campuses are in the mall, theather, coffee couse, and etc. This coming fall, they are going to open a worship place at Birlin, Germany and by the year 2020 they plan to have 20 campuses in all over the world.  Lead pastor, Mark Batterson shows an exceptional leadership working with almost 250 talented pastoral staffs including voluteers.

Liquid Church, Morristown, NJ 06/19/2010 05:48pm PST

Liquid Church in Morristown, New Jersey has picked Hyatt Hotel as a worship place. Their creative ways of sharing their gifts and grace with people are well recieved by the community. One of their famouse outreaches is "Free Market" through which they give their possessions with neighbors "freely." Having worship services at a hotel could allow the church to focus on people rather than buildings in many ways.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, NY, NY 06/19/2010 04:48pm PST

Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York is well known as a church for the young people who are playing significant roles in the society.  Their weekly meetings are being held in various places.  One of them is Hunter College, the City University of New York.  The young "intellectual" people from all over the world share their talents with others in their ministries.

The Church of Gethsemane, Brooklyn, NY 06/19/2010 04:58pm PS

The Church of Gethsemane is a church for the people who are having difficult times in their lives. In particular, this church serves those who had problems with the law.  Yet, they believe that anyone and everyone is God's sons and daughters who will be the first in the Kingdom of God.

Haeryeong Park, Global Research Director, Jesus Link Global

Haeryeong Park, Global Research Director, Jesus Link Global talks about what the church truly is from his experience of North Coast Church, San Diego, CA.  The church is not about Attendance, Building, or Cash.  The church is the people.  The pastor of facility at North Coast Church said that he is concerned more about people than facilities.

Crossover Church, Tampa, FL 06/18/2010 02:23am PST

Crossover Church, Tampa, FL Crossover Church, that is knoown as "Hip-Pop" church, reached to people who have not been welcomed. Worship including praise, fellowship, and preaching takes a style of Hip-Pop. Their culturally sensitive ministry is opening the hearts of unchurched young folks. Youth gathering on Thursday night was full of passion and enthusiam.

Asbury UMC, Madison, AL 06/16/2010 01:57pm PST

Asbury UMC, Madison, AL: Spiritual DNA, Jesus, Prayer, Mission makes Asbury UMC the church of Acts in 21st century. During the worship service, they have 10-15 min alter prayer. It is awesome to see the praying church. Senior Pastor, Alan Weatherly's spiritual sincerity is the most impressive.

Jesus Link Global Team Members

The reseach trip of "Google Church/Christian Stories" is currently going on by the team members as follows:

Dongjun Choi, Global General Director of Jesus Link Global-Program Development
Donghyun Choi, Global Collaboration Director of Jesus Link Global-Relationship Development
Haeryeong Park, Global Research Director of Jesus Link Global-Resource Development

led by

Younglae Kim, Creative Link Organizer of Jesus Link Global

Google Church/Christian Stories-Updates

Thank you for showing your interests in Google Church/Christian Stories.  After the research trip, my team members will post the pictures and video interviews on the blog.  I am just posting the introductions of each church.  More exciting stories will be followed.

Northwood Church, Dallas, TX 06/14/2010 04:28pm PST

Northwood Church is proud of Discipleship, Church planting, Small group as the hallmarks of their ministry. Every year about 50 churches are planted in the US. They are building relationship first before constructing building. Church leadership is well shared.

Ecclesia, Houston, TX 06/14/2010 02:39pm PST

Ecclesia, Houston, Texas Artistic expression of faith makes Ecclesia so special. Art works on the walls of worship place represent how the people experience the Spirit. Taft Street Coffee run by the church makes people feel welcomed. The biblically sound message is a base of Chris Seay's ministry. 600 people worship together in a relatively small space. But they don't consider to build a bigger church or move to a spacious worship site. Rather they want to feel a spiritual intimacy along with physical closeness.

The Oak Fellowship Church, Dallas, TX 06/13/2010 03:58pm PST

The Oak Fellowship Church seems a southern version of contemporary church. As a church of Assembly of God, they have a strong conviction in the Holy Spirit. In 2008, they built a new sanctuary called auditorium that could hold 1200 worshippers. Yet at that time, the number of the whole congregation including children was about 1000. With a step of faith, they built it and now they have 3000 members. Quarterly they have praise nights that bring young people who long for spiritual experiences.

North Coast Church, San Diego CA 06/12/2010 02:24pm PST

North Coast Church has various targeted ministries by talented leaders that makes NCC viable, Live venue, Video venue, Canvas, etc. draws different interests and types of people demonstrating their concerns for people rather than for church buildings.

Vintage Faith Church 06/11/2010 08:47pm PST

Vintage Faith Church demonstrates it's artistic awareness that became a major drawer of many talented young people. Currently they are building a record room which local musicians could use the facility without a cost.

Live Broadcasting thru Ustream TV

Jesus Link Global will broadcast the live feeds of research trip of "Google Church Stories" from June 10, 2010. Go to "Ustream TV" and search "Google Church Stories." We notice you air time thru Twitter and Facebook.

Atlantic Spirituality vs. Pacific Spirituality

Atlantic Spirituality vs. Pacific Spirituality

Spiritual winds have blown from the West to the East throughout Christian history. Wolfgang Simson described this transition with his images of mountains. For him, spiritual forces have moved from Alps (Europe) to Rocky (America) to Himalaya (Asia) and finally to Zion (Middle East) in the future. Here I would like to propose another way of looking at this historical process of spiritual movements with the images of oceans, Atlantic for the West and Pacific for the East.

Here European and American churches fall into a category of western Christianity developing “Atlantic Spirituality. South American, Asia, and Africa belong to non western Christianity simply classified as the East in a broad sense labeling as “Pacific Spirituality.”

From my own vantage point, I would like to focus on two historical events in the winds of Pacific Spirituality. One is the born of Pentecostalism at Azusa Street, California in 1906; the other is the Spiritual Awakening at Pyoungyang, Korea in 1907. These two events could be characterized by the activation of what I call “Spiritual CPR” in the time of spiritual suffocation. What does “Spiritual CPR” stand for? C is for Congregating day/night, week days/weekend. P is for Praying individually/collectively, quiet/out loud, words/tongue. R is for Reading the Bible part/whole, reason/revelation, intellect/emotion.

Since “Atlantic Spirituality” found its ground from rational approaches, it valued “silent spirituality” through Monastic movements. Current spiritual practices such as meditation, centering prayer, and so on have been the hallmarks of its tradition. Whereas “Pacific Spirituality” is based upon emotional approaches, it celebrated “shouting spirituality” through such as Korean Tongsunggido (the whole congregation praying out loud individually) and praising worships.

Today 80% of Christian population resides in non western world where “Pacific Spirituality” is bursting. The rest of Christian churches in the west is struggling to survive or preparing their funeral.
We cannot create a wind but flow with it. Any type of wind cannot be superior to the other. If so, churches need to move with/for the wind that is being initiated and controlled by the Creator, our God.

So Beautiful, by Leonard Sweet

missional dna

Church built Coffee House

Mark Batterson: How Ebenezers Got Started

6 key ingredients for missional community DNA

The Age of Connection, not of Information by Leonard Sweet

The Missional Church... simple

Relationship Matters

"The weakening of relationship with God is SIN." (said by Rev. Jongsoo Kim, Seshin Church) Coming close to God is what Christians should do first all the time. The whole purpose of Creation, Salvation, Promise is "relationship." God wants to have an intimate relationship with us. That is to say that maintaining a close relationship with God is "truth, goodness, beauty."

What is the Church?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifnJtkAnBq4

Breaking the Walls

The author of "The Rise of Creative Class" and "The Flight of Creative Class," Richard Florida says "The key factor in global competition is no longer the trade of goods and services or flows of capital, but the competition for people." What attract people to a place (city, religion, nation) are technology and tolerance. What about the church? The good news and relationship are the key factors that the church can embrace people (talented and gifted) with. What the church can do for it? What about breaking the walls (denomination, gender, race, class and so on) first as Jesus did for the world....

Role of Social Media

Social media are making significant influences on many social/cultural areas such as war, election, and public opinion. What the church is going to do with them?

Relationship Plaza-Twitter

Relationship! Relationship! Relationship!

Relationship Plaza-facebook

Face-relationship; book-promice

Seek Relationship

Hunger for Relationship

A Transition from Gutenberg World to Google World

Social media such as Twitter/Facebook are becoming communication channels for Smart Phone Generation. One of the most significant points in this development is that they are not just receive a piece of information form them, but they build a relationship through those media and they get excited by the formation of relationship. A change from "information" to "relationship" is what the church need to pay special attention to.

Emerging Church/Emergent Church

What is a difference between "emerging" and "emergent" churches? Emerging church is more like a culture friendly church; emergent church is close to an evangelical social justice church. They are just new devopments which have hopes and worries.

TGIF Culture and Christian Mission/Ministry/Education

TGIF(Twitter, Google, iPhone, Facebook) culture is now with us. They are called "Social Networks." Networking is what Christians are supposed to do considering of Jesus Great Commission. Those tools are today's channels of our mission/evangelism. TGIF are certainly our mission fields.