A couple of interesting next-generation Charismatic church movements have recently converged to compile the new documentary 1040. The movie, named for the “10/40 Window” that houses the vast majority of the world’s unevangelized population, features Jaeson Ma (Campus Church Networks / studentchurch.org) and Mike Bickle (International House of Prayer) telling the story of the current evangelization movement in Asia . Check out the trailer:
This is a movement of people who truly believe we are in the last years of our world, that college-aged young people are at the forefront of the ultimate fulfillment of the Great Commission, and that the main frontlines for this movement right now is in South and East Asia. A large movement there, known as Back to Jerusalem, is seeking to plant house churches all along the Silk Road starting from China and ending in Jerusalem, through the heart of the most Muslim places in the world.
Although I can’t really characterize this movement entirely, there seems to be a great emphasis on young people being fully-capable ministers of the Gospel, and a general distaste for the idea of entrusting spiritual leadership and evangelization to “the professionals”. Check out this video of what some of Jaeson Ma’s people are doing on campuses around the country (it’s lengthy, so you can just watch the first 3 minutes, especially the mini-sermon near the 1:45 mark, and get the basic point):
This is a group of very passionate and faith-filled individuals who have relatively little training in missions and lack of experience in ministry. They likely fit one of the early descriptions of Peter and John (Acts 4:13), but not other descriptions laid out in Scripture for spiritual leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-10, Titus 1:6-9).
So what do you guys think? Are these young, zealous believers the next/final generation of great church-planters and evangelists, or are you concerned by some of the characteristic elements of this model of spreading the Gospel? How do faith, character, and skill intersect in effective ministry?
Related posts:
With regards to the whole 10/40 window, and Asia thing, I think that while the spread of the gospel through Asia and the Middle East is definitely essential to the fulfillment of reaching ‘all nations’, I think we shouldn’t narrow our scope to just that area and should realize that there is still much of the world to reach outside of Asia and the Middle East. What specifically comes to mind for me is the 2200 language/people groups, representing over 200 million people, with no Scripture in their language. (Although, I think the mission of groups like Wycliffe have made it very clear that the reaching these unreached people groups is only a matter of time.)
Anyway, with regard the whole young-and-untrained-believer movement, while I think that’s it’s great that new believers are taking the Great Commission seriously and personally, I think there is a LOT of danger in statements such as: “the moment the works of the Scripture are taken out of the hands of common people and put in the hands of trained professionals, a movement ceases to move forward.” Because I think Scripture makes it clear that the Church IS to have spiritual leaders (both vocational and non-vocational), people of faith and character, and depending on the role, people with some form of training.
Let’s BE spiritual leaders. I think that everyone is capable of it, but we need God in every way.
We as people are generally quick to leave Jesus, to focus on our actions and organization of the Church. It’s easier than believing that we have all we need. That we’re being called to let go, to love and be lost in how awesome God is. To trust that he is good and that all we need to do is seek him.
Thanks for your thoughts, guys.
I look forward to hearing more on the topic of spiritual leadership.