Perseverance

"By perseverance the snail reached the ark." -Spurgeon

Mystery 2.0

NEW WEB SITE IS LIVE: MYSTERYCHURCH.COM CHECK IT!

Book Revue

Breaking the Missional Code

By Ed Stetzer

If you are a church planter this is a must read. If you want a good book on Missional Living, this might be ok. I really like Ed Stetzer and this book really asks some good questions and brings up some good thoughts about how to think more Missionally and also how to ask better questions about the culture in which you are placed. The idea of code breaking is very relevant at the moment as I find myself thinking through the barriers and stories of Joplin to better connect and share the gospel with the people of my city.

Living among people is one thing. Knowing the people is another. There is some good insight for those who want to move their current church toward thinking more missionally and those thinking through contextualizing the gospel to the people and places God has placed you.

Steev

Sharpening

"Christianity is true, its truth saws against the grain of much in contemporary culture and therefore needs constant sharpening"- Cornelius Plantinga Jr.

From the book Not the Way it's Supposed to Be. Speaking in regard to the need for the church to retreive the awareness and doctrine of sin.

News & Reminders

> We are still meeting for Bible Study on Sunday Nights. 5:30 PM - Map & Directions on the web site.

> Pics from Last Sundays Bible Study Gathering. We had 32-33 people this past week. "And the lord added to their numbers..." Jesus is good. At this rate we will be a multi-site multi-service living room church..haha




> New Web Site [Mystery Church] Is up and running it is very Nice. Thanks Bart!

> We will be hosting a second vision Night sometime late Sept. Stay tuned and get your questions ready.

> Please keep praying for a place to meet and the funds to continue pressing on.

Success

Vision night was a good night. Thanks to everyone who came out last night. We had about 40 adults and a bunch of kids. The Vision was shared and already people are responding. Be praying for the meetings that will happen and people God wants added to this movement.
If you are one of those curious folks who came feel free to email any questions or set up a timew to meet. We would love to continue sharing what Jesus is doing through MYSTERY.

VISION NIGHT!!

We have a Vision Night Coming up this Wednesday Night.

Basically it is a chance for interested and inquisitive Christians to find out if Mystery might be a good church to become a part of. Church Planting is not easy, but it is necessary. If you or someone you know might think that joining a new missional church which exists to reach new people and parts of Joplin with an old old story come check it out this Wed. the 23rd. 6:30pm.
For more info check the Web site or click here for a FLYER and MAP.

p.s. dont forget we still have our Sunday night Bible Study in full effect!

Why Another Church Pt 2

Church Planting is biblical: God is a sending God. He sent Jesus. Jesus sent the church. (John 20:21) To Fulfill the Great Commission we are sent out as missionaries into the cultures God has placed us to express him fully to all nations, languages and tribes.

Church planting is a cultural necessity: New churches are designed to reach specific groups of people. These groups have distinct lives and languages making up their cultures. We must not simply view “missions” as something we support overseas in a forest and forget that our cities and neighborhoods are our first mission fields. New churches can more easily adapt to new cultures and reveal age-old truth in new and relevant ways.

Church Planting is effective: New healthy churches continue to be the no. 1 most effective means of reaching unchurched people in America. Statistically 60-80 % of people in new churches were not previously involved in any local church. People are more willing to step into new places with new people, void of traditions and history. They are welcomed to help create new customs; relationships and cultural expressions, Through lives changed by the gospel new churches become beautiful, God glorifying missions to America.

Why Another Church Part 1

Why Start Another Church?

“If the Great Commission is to be realized, all people need to hear the gospel and experience church in a language they can understand. One size does not fit all… churches must find their biblical expression in every culture.” – Dr. Ed Stetzer, Breaking the Missional Code

Some poles would suggest that as little as 26% of Americans are attending Church. In the United States 80% of all churches in America are plateaud or declining.

“Our research has shown that most of the influence on what people think and do comes from just seven sources: movies, television, music, family, books, law, and the Internet. That same body of research shows that the local church has virtually no discernible influence on people’s lives.” Barna, Revolution

According to a recent News Week article about faith in America 34% of the participants claimed to be spiritual, but not religious. Of these “spiritual” people, only 27% say they attended church at least once a week. George Barna reports that between 1991 and 2004 there was a 92% increase in the number of unchurched Americans.

In the Joplin metro area 42% of the population (roughly 70K people) claimed no religious affiliation.

NEWS LETTER

It's August now and our First Newsletter/Update shipped today. Look for yours in the mail. It's churck full of church and family news, pictures, thoughts and needs. Check it out. Theres an addressed envelope in it too if you feel lead to support this planting effort. It gets the design approval of the kids too.

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MYSTERY INFO