In discussion with a friend, the question about mobility came up. I wanted to share some of that on the blog.

> 1. What does it mean to be mobile?> Mobility should be considered in regards to the work, and not the worker.> The work involves temporarily assisting churches being planted or temporarily assisting churches working through change/issues. The core of that work also includes developing elders locally and other itinerants in the process (deeply OJT disciple-making at heart–see II Tim 2:2). Being mobile means we can live with existing or developing elders and with other itinerants for a season, to provide both us and them intense, mutually discipling relationships. Being mobile means we can help more than one person and the church in more than one place often, and these in turn, others, to produce a multiplicative effect.> In regards to the temporary nature of the work, we are engaged in any one place only for a relatively brief time (ranging in the biblical accounts we have to consider, from 3 weeks on the short side, probably 3 to 6 months typically, and on the outside a year or two). see http://churchtaskforce.org/resources/pauls-methods for an outline of this in Paul’s life. By defining the mobility based on the work and not the worker, we focus on the purpose and nature (which are helping and developing temporarily), and not the fact that this often, but not necessarily, means a transient existence for the workers.> It may be that you will find yourself moving from city to city, country to country, to pursue temporarily helping plant or strengthen churches in parallel with mutually developing servanthood in others (disciple-making together). But, it may also be, that there are so many hurting churches in just the area or region where you live that in your lifetime you could stay within an hour or two of home to do your work.> In fact, back in 2000, that was the conceptualization I started working through with the idea of “Church Task Force.” If itinerants are normative (and I’m convinced they are), then God has called people to this work. And since most people today live in or near large cities (worldwide), then there are also concentrations of these itinerantly-gifted folks (apostles, prophets, evangelists) in these locations, and there are concentrations of STRUGGLING, CONFUSED churches in these areas. For example, there are 1,600 hundred evangelical churches within a two hour drive of Raleigh, NC. If there were several teams of itinerants here, and each team could help a church for an average of 4 months, each team could only help 3 churches a year. Say, five teams. 15 churches a year. Say, for the next 10 years. 150 churches could be helped/planted. That is less than 1% of the churches, at least 80% of which (we’re told over and over) have plateaued or are shrinking (and there are worse sorts of statistics, like very little life transformation in this present unhealthy church environment, very few new souls reached with the gospel, large segments of society completely ignorant of the gospel, and having little evidence of God based on those around them who say they know Him.> If we had 5 teams of itinerants in every major city in the world today, we could effectively reach and serve 1% of the churches in the world in the next ten years. Seems paltry. This is what faced our Lord, and what faced Paul, but they both chose to start with a small group to get an immensely big job done. Remember, each church reached becomes a bright light in the community for other churches to follow (see I Thess 1:7-10). The multiplicative effect of this–if you can imagine just some of the churches these folks helped or planted would grow and mature, would see the church restored and transforming lives and lifestyles, if sacrificial living and joyful sharing of hearts were to begin to infect communities and workplaces–well, we might see again what we saw in the NT, and once again the church might turn the world upside down, everywhere being spoken about, filling it with the news and evidence of Jesus the Lord.> That is, in fact, the vision behind Church Task Force. To see these teams emerge across major cities and yet reach into the smaller towns in the region. To help them understand their calling. Especially to understand the flexibility in differences for each church in the how, where and why as they fulfill the what and why (or, the the unchangeable principles and functions vs the flexible practices and forms). To help them understand how we fit with and yet become a contrast to the surrounding culture. To help them connect with each other and with struggling churches. So, in terms of mobility, defined by the work, you could fulfill your calling throughout your lifetime without ever moving your home once. You may well move out from your region, and travel more widely. Many will as He leads. But you MUST move where you are serving frequently to do the temporary work of itinerants in helping and developing.> Since today, the work of itinerants is misunderstood or not even considered an option for most of these people, they are stuck trying to fit their triangular little selves into square pegs. They either don’t fill those spaces well, or they don’t fit at all. They are distorted in many ways as their drive to serve tries to fit into what is available. They start “para church” organizations, they go into missionary work, they start churches and remain as “founding pastors” (by the way, a biblical oxymoron), they go to seminaries, they drop out of the church world, they rail against the church–in short, they do not fulfill their calling, and the church is crippled, losing a key component of its design.> One of the missing links has been a way to effectively provide the biblical foundation for those catching this vision–and Tim’s manual, “God’s Plan for Church Planting” very well fits that bill. We have a four day workshop to “turn the lights on” for those with this calling. We have the material online, but that needs to be condensed and used as an intro to whet the appaetite for the workshop. And, the workshop needs to whet the appetite for working together with others as itinerants in planting new churches and in helping struggling churches. To effectively train ourselves, we need to spend time together in the work, not just in transferring information.> After 25 years of study, pondering, fussing and frankly fuming at times, the idea of Church Task Force emerged in 2000. So, you can see, it has been 10 years in getting to this point, where a few people are talking together about these things, where the workshops are set to go, where the website is building content on the topic, and where those with itinerant callings are connecting. The site content is really a first draft of material for a book on the itinerants. I’m hoping several of you will be contributors to that material and book.> The current state of the church, I believe, is in part due to this lack. Itinerants are like the white blood cells of the Body, rushing to the scene of an infection, fighting it, and then dissipating. They help keep the Body healthy. They lay solid foundations for new churches, who themselves contribute to the example given to other churches in the areas of practical faith, sacrificial love and endurance-enabling hope (more on this when we discuss measuring effectiveness).> So, “Church Task Force.” What if we could find ways to connect with these folks? What if we could help them understand the nature of their calling, see the church differently (especially understanding principles vs the variety of practices to fulfill the principles) and begin to function the way itinerants function? What if we could begin to work together to temporarily assist churches and develop servant workers in and among the churches?> 2. How do you develop a self supported ministry that allows one to be mobile?> If you are thinking paid ministry, I don’t think this is what God is wanting from us. By your term, “self-supporting,” I’m assuming you are asking about how to support yourself as you work itinerantly.> I think each worker needs to be willing to live on a lot less than our society expects. The first steps to mobility are to lower debt and lower needed income. This is much easier when your children are raised or you are single. The next step is what work you do.>> If you reach into a region from your present base, this might be a less difficult question. But I still would not choose a career that laid heavy responsibility on me, such that I spent evenings, weekends, and mornings worrying about the business or institution where I work. I simply need some where I can earn enough money to support myself and others. If I were picking a career over again, I would think of nursing, or IT. In both of these, part time work will support you well.> We can live and serve on so much less than we imagine. Always rethink anything you do that takes money to function. Do you need a loudspeaker system and tents to have a picnic ministry, or just a lawn chair and a grill? Do you need to rent a building to hold meetings or lay out your living room differently? Don’t let finances drive your ministry needs, or it won’t be reproducible and it will hinder your reliance on the Spirit of God to bring results and to lead you.> yours,

1. What does it mean to be mobile?

Mobility should be considered in regards to the work, and not the worker.

The work involves temporarily assisting churches being planted or temporarily assisting churches working through change/issues. The core of that work also includes developing elders locally and other itinerants in the process (deeply OJT disciple-making at heart–see II Tim 2:2). Being mobile means we can live with existing or developing elders and with other itinerants for a season, to provide both us and them intense, mutually discipling relationships. Being mobile means we can help more than one person and the church in more than one place often, and these in turn, others, to produce a multiplicative effect.

In regards to the temporary nature of the work, we are engaged in any one place only for a relatively brief time (ranging in the biblical accounts we have to consider, from 3 weeks on the short side, probably 3 to 6 months typically, and on the outside a year or two). see http://churchtaskforce.org/resources/pauls-methods for an outline of this in Paul’s life. By defining the mobility based on the work and not the worker, we focus on the purpose and nature (which are helping and developing temporarily), and not the fact that this often, but not necessarily, means a transient existence for the workers.

It may be that you will find yourself moving from city to city, country to country, to pursue temporarily helping plant or strengthen churches in parallel with mutually developing servanthood in others (disciple-making together). But, it may also be, that there are so many hurting churches in just the area or region where you live that in your lifetime you could stay within an hour or two of home to do your work.

In fact, back in 2000, that was the conceptualization I started working through with the idea of “Church Task Force.” If itinerants are normative (and I’m convinced they are), then God has called people to this work. And since most people today live in or near large cities (worldwide), then there are also concentrations of these itinerantly-gifted folks (apostles, prophets, evangelists) in these locations, and there are concentrations of STRUGGLING, CONFUSED churches in these areas. For example, there are 1,600 hundred evangelical churches within a two hour drive of Raleigh, NC. If there were several teams of itinerants here, and each team could help a church for an average of 4 months, each team could only help 3 churches a year. Say, five teams. 15 churches a year. Say, for the next 10 years. 150 churches could be helped/planted. That is less than 1% of the churches, at least 80% of which (we’re told over and over) have plateaued or are shrinking (and there are worse sorts of statistics, like very little life transformation in this present unhealthy church environment, very few new souls reached with the gospel, large segments of society completely ignorant of the gospel, and having little evidence of God based on those around them who say they know Him.

If we had 5 teams of itinerants in every major city in the world today, we could effectively reach and serve 1% of the churches in the world in the next ten years. Seems paltry. This is what faced our Lord, and what faced Paul, but they both chose to start with a small group to get an immensely big job done. Remember, each church reached becomes a bright light in the community for other churches to follow (see I Thess 1:7-10). The multiplicative effect of this–if you can imagine just some of the churches these folks helped or planted would grow and mature, would see the church restored and transforming lives and lifestyles, if sacrificial living and joyful sharing of hearts were to begin to infect communities and workplaces–well, we might see again what we saw in the NT, and once again the church might turn the world upside down, everywhere being spoken about, filling it with the news and evidence of Jesus the Lord.

That is, in fact, the vision behind Church Task Force. To see these teams emerge across major cities and yet reach into the smaller towns in the region. To help them understand their calling. Especially to understand the flexibility in differences for each church in the how, where and why as they fulfill the what and why (or, the the unchangeable principles and functions vs the flexible practices and forms). To help them understand how we fit with and yet become a contrast to the surrounding culture. To help them connect with each other and with struggling churches. So, in terms of mobility, defined by the work, you could fulfill your calling throughout your lifetime without ever moving your home once. You may well move out from your region, and travel more widely. Many will as He leads. But you MUST move where you are serving frequently to do the temporary work of itinerants in helping and developing.

Since today, the work of itinerants is misunderstood or not even considered an option for most of these people, they are stuck trying to fit their triangular little selves into square pegs. They either don’t fill those spaces well, or they don’t fit at all. They are distorted in many ways as their drive to serve tries to fit into what is available. They start “para church” organizations, they go into missionary work, they start churches and remain as “founding pastors” (by the way, a biblical oxymoron), they go to seminaries, they drop out of the church world, they rail against the church–in short, they do not fulfill their calling, and the church is crippled, losing a key component of its design.

One of the missing links has been a way to effectively provide the biblical foundation for those catching this vision–and Tim’s manual, “God’s Plan for Church Planting” very well fits that bill. We have a four day workshop to “turn the lights on” for those with this calling. We have the material online, but that needs to be condensed and used as an intro to whet the appaetite for the workshop. And, the workshop needs to whet the appetite for working together with others as itinerants in planting new churches and in helping struggling churches. To effectively train ourselves, we need to spend time together in the work, not just in transferring information.

After 25 years of study, pondering, fussing and frankly fuming at times, the idea of Church Task Force emerged in 2000. So, you can see, it has been 10 years in getting to this point, where a few people are talking together about these things, where the workshops are set to go, where the website is building content on the topic, and where those with itinerant callings are connecting. The site content is really a first draft of material for a book on the itinerants. I’m hoping several of you will be contributors to that material and book.

The current state of the church, I believe, is in part due to this lack. Itinerants are like the white blood cells of the Body, rushing to the scene of an infection, fighting it, and then dissipating. They help keep the Body healthy. They lay solid foundations for new churches, who themselves contribute to the example given to other churches in the areas of practical faith, sacrificial love and endurance-enabling hope (more on this when we discuss measuring effectiveness).

So, “Church Task Force.” What if we could find ways to connect with these folks? What if we could help them understand the nature of their calling, see the church differently (especially understanding principles vs the variety of practices to fulfill the principles) and begin to function the way itinerants function? What if we could begin to work together to temporarily assist churches and develop servant workers in and among the churches?

2. How do you develop a self supported ministry that allows one to be mobile?

If you are thinking paid ministry, I don’t think this is what God is wanting from us. By your term, “self-supporting,” I’m assuming you are asking about how to support yourself as you work itinerantly.

I think each worker needs to be willing to live on a lot less than our society expects. The first steps to mobility are to lower debt and lower needed income. This is much easier when your children are raised or you are single. The next step is what work you do.

If you reach into a region from your present base, this might be a less difficult question. But I still would not choose a career that laid heavy responsibility on me, such that I spent evenings, weekends, and mornings worrying about the business or institution where I work. I simply need some where I can earn enough money to support myself and others. If I were picking a career over again, I would think of nursing, or IT. In both of these, part time work will support you well.

We can live and serve on so much less than we imagine. Always rethink anything you do that takes money to function. Do you need a loudspeaker system and tents to have a picnic ministry, or just a lawn chair and a grill? Do you need to rent a building to hold meetings or lay out your living room differently? Don’t let finances drive your ministry needs, or it won’t be reproducible and it will hinder your reliance on the Spirit of God to bring results and to lead you.

Often we equate hospitality with entertaining, making people feel comfortable, or feeding people generously; and most often this is in relation to relatives, friends and neighbors.  But reading scripture, we may find that hospitality has more to do with enabling an itinerant ministry to function and fulfill its work by being in close proximity with the lives of believers in general and leaders in particular, than with mere neighborliness.

1. Hospitality plays a key role in how believers meet together and enter into mutual ministry (“one-anothering”)

I Pet 4:7-10, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging.  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”

Rom 12:13, (all) “Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”

I Tim 3:2 (elders) “addicted to” hospitality

I Tim 5:10  (widows) “lodged strangers”

Titus 1:8 (elders) “lover of” strangers

Heb 13:2 (all) “don’t forget” to entertain strangers

II John v. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed…” conversely, if they do, receive them!

2. Hospitality plays a key role in the Ministry of Itinerants: Organizational and leadership development.

Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

I Cor 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

Our Lord’s directions:

Luke 10:2, 7, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. . .   And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house.

Mk 6:7-12: “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.

And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

Our Lord’s pattern Hospitality enables itinerant ministry

Luke 10:38-40, ” Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.”

a chief Pharisee Lk 14:1” And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him.”

Zacchaeus Lk 19:7 “And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.”

Emmaus Lk 24:49 “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Hospitality Practices with Itinerants:

Acts 9:32, 38, 43 Peter at Lyda/Joppa, Simon the tanner

Acts 10:22,48 Peter to Caesarea, Cornelius the centurion

Acts 15:40,41; 16:4,5,14,15 Paul touring churches Thyatira, Lydia

Acts 21:8, 16,17 Paul traveling Caesarea to Jerusalem, Philip and Mnason

I Cor 16:14-18, “Let all your things be done with charity.  I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)  That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.

I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied.  For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such.”

Phil 2:19-30 Sending men to the Philippians: receive them…

Col 4:7-10 sending men: receive them…

Philemon 1:22 I may come: prepare a lodging…

Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

III Jn 5-9, “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have born witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his names sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles.

We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.”

(receiving tied to message AND messenger, not denomination and theology technicalities)

Church Warning:

II Jn 7-11, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.