Millions and millions of Christian Believers are beginning to take part in a ground swell of change that is beginning to radically alter the Christian landscape beyond what we recognise today. There are the beginnings of a massive migration from the cultural experience of Christianity which we have practiced through an institutionalised / congregational model (post – Constantine) towards the beliefs, functions and forms of Pre – Constantine Christianity.
“The local church has virtually no discernible influence on people’s lives… One million people leave the traditional church each year”. (Barna, George www.barna.org)
“These Christians reject historical denominationalism and all restrictive central authority, and attempt to lead a life of following Jesus, seeking a more effective missionary lifestyle. They are the fastest-growing Christian movements in the world. Barrett estimates that by the year 2025, these movements will have around 581 million members, 120 million more than all Protestant movements together. Hirsh confirms the trend from his own experience, and believes that these new Christian movements "are simply under the radar of traditional Christianity", at least as long as it holds on to the classical Constantine church structure).” Hirsch, Alan. www.forge.org.au
This change is like a wave not led by Academics and Leaders but by simple followers of Jesus Christ dissatisfied with the status quo and wanting to be more in step with the New Testament in a relevant way for the world they live in. Their cry is to be Christ incarnate to a desperate world.
Below are Stan and Nina who have a neat testimony of originally being practiseing Orthodox Christians, moving to South Africa and getting involved with a Protestant church and coming to the realisation that it still was'nt the church that they were reading about in the New Testement. They now live in Glenfield in Auckland and are seeking out other believers who think as they do.
