https://network.crcna.org/ The Network en Sat, 20 Apr 2024 02:00:23 +0000 Mon, 15 Dec 2014 15:45:45 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/missions-priority In my role of helping churches understand and engage with global missions, I am sometimes asked, “How much of our church’s budget should be devoted to missions?”  It is a question that I have struggled to answer.  The situations of churches are so varied. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/missions-priority Mon, 15 Dec 2014 15:45:45 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/downton-abbey-and-world-missions Watching Downton Abbey has become a worldwide phenomenon. Lots of diverse people have become invested in the fortunes of the Crawleys: upstairs and downstairs. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/downton-abbey-and-world-missions Tue, 28 Jan 2014 11:57:46 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/crossing-cultures-home We typically think of short-term missions as something that happens when people from North America cross cultures by traveling to an unfamiliar setting here or abroad. Recently, missionaries Mike and Megan Ribbens Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/crossing-cultures-home Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:09:08 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/short-term-missions-and-task-gods-church Is short-term missions (STM) a great means of discipleship or a huge distraction from the actual work of missions? One thing is sure: STM has become a huge phenomenon. One analyst counted about 500 short-term missionaries in 1965 compared to 1,500,000 in a recent year. Books, video Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/short-term-missions-and-task-gods-church Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:09:43 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/everyone-missionary-1 Back in November of 2010, this blog appeared in slightly different format. It must have touched a nerve because it was followed by 50 comments, one of the largest numbers of comments ever on the Network. I'm repeating it now because we are looking at creating a webinar on this theme Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/everyone-missionary-1 Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:59:18 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/king-life-saving-heroes Three weeks ago my older brother was killed when the light plane he was piloting crashed into woods in North Carolina. Sunday at the memorial service his daughter gave a beautiful tribute to her dad, who was a retired fire chief. She mentioned that his work had been a source of pride fo Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/king-life-saving-heroes Tue, 17 Apr 2012 12:33:23 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/background-checks-volunteers Christian Reformed World Missions office staff are working with hundreds of volunteers who are serving for a week, a month, or a year in overseas settings. It is exciting to see so many people willing to spend their time and money in ministry and learning about other cultures and how God is Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/background-checks-volunteers Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:55:52 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/china-missionary-becomes-great-great-grandfather-china Back in 1920 when Rev. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/china-missionary-becomes-great-great-grandfather-china Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:11:56 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/church-gift-neighborhood-transformation In Asset Based Community Development, we talk a lot about church as asset for positive community change. In what ways can church be gift to neighborhood transformation? I wonder what you would add to this list? Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/church-gift-neighborhood-transformation Mon, 20 Feb 2012 15:01:06 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/partnership-and-unreached-people In the 1980s the buzzword in international missions was unreached people groups. Ralph Winter had pointed out at the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization that a very large percentage of missionaries were serving among people groups that already had a significant Christian presence. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/partnership-and-unreached-people Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:49:32 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/transformational-hope How long will you continue to support us? One of the students of the Chumpu Prek Village Farmer Field School asked me. I replied, “it is our hope that in two years you would run this field school completely by yourselves — that you will no longer need us or our money to ‘run’ your Rick De Graaf https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/transformational-hope Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:43:37 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/dropping-big-big-brother Whether our relationships are cross-cultural or within our own culture it is human to have a tendency to compare ourselves with others.  Rick De Graaf https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/dropping-big-big-brother Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:36:09 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/fewer-deeper-relationships Churches can end up with lots of missionary connections.  Gradually, and for a variety of reasons, new relationships are established.  There may be a desire for diversity in terms of geography or ministry type.  Then a daughter of the congregation goes into mission service or the n Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/fewer-deeper-relationships Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:57:00 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/mission-according-stott On 27 July, 2011, the Church lost one of its greatest leaders, Rev. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/mission-according-stott Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:38:31 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/missional-church-and-international-missions For the last few years the word "missional" has been used and abused a great deal. As with any buzzword there are varieties of meaning attached to it and sometimes people talk past each other because each has different connotations in mind when saying "missional." For some the contrast Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/missional-church-and-international-missions Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:31:13 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/global-mission-webinars-fall-2011 Webinars offer the opportunity for learning and interaction without the investment of time and money for travel. The business world has been making use of this technology for quite a few years now. More and more it is penetrating the not for profit and church worlds. For the last s Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/global-mission-webinars-fall-2011 Sun, 18 Sep 2011 16:49:10 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/global-south-evangelicals-more-optimistic In the last few years I've heard a lot of pessimistic statements about the state of Christianity in America. The latest Banner has an article by a church planter who sees many CRC young people checking out of the CRC, some of whom are checking out on the church as a whole. It was intere Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/global-south-evangelicals-more-optimistic Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:59:40 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/tracking-gospel-india I’ve come to love the story in Luke 24 of the disciples going to Emmaus — struggling with the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection. In a sense this is a story of you and me, still trying to understand how to best respond to a risen (and now reigning) Christ. As we re-tell his story ... Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/tracking-gospel-india Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:40:19 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/who-am-i-tell-someone-accept-my-religion Who am I to tell someone to accept my religion? Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/who-am-i-tell-someone-accept-my-religion Thu, 12 May 2011 20:29:46 +0000 https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/connecting-skype Saturday morning I attended an event where a missionary family spoke face to face with a group of supporters from their living room in Vienna.  Jeffrey and Lisa Schra are coming to the end of their first year of service at the International Christian School of Vienna. Steve Van Zanen https://network.crcna.org/topic/church-strategy-mission/global-mission/connecting-skype Mon, 09 May 2011 12:44:49 +0000