Fan Into Flame

Guest Editorial: Roger Parlour - Shepherd

(Roger and his wife Kama are good friends and exemplary disciples, who serve as shepherds in our sister church in Chicago. This is Roger’s account about Bombay, India – presently known as Mumbai. KM)

“But you, O Lord, are exalted forever. For surely your enemies, O Lord, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me. My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes. The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; He is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in Him.’” Psalm 92:8-15

Roger Parlour pictured with his wife - Kama, daughter - Brittany and his son - Joel.

Several weeks ago, while my 21 year old son Joel was rummaging through some old cassette tapes that I keep in the attic, he came upon a message simply entitled, “The Bombay Report.” Since the Chicago Church is presently very involved in the support of our dear brother and sister Raja and Debbie Rajan in Chennai, India, this tape caught his eye. He called me several days later and told me it was imperative that I listen to it. I agreed, but never did. A month later, I was having a discipling time with one of my best friends, Chris Broom. He pulled out a portable tape player and insisted that I listen to it and tell him what I thought. I turned on the tape player and immediately a young, excited, fired-up disciple came on and proceeded to give an update on the ministry and work going on in Bombay, India in 1987. Initially, I didn’t recognize the young preacher who was speaking. After a few minutes I thought I recognized his voice, but I couldn’t put a name to it. At the 10:06 minute mark in the tape, he mentioned the names of his wife and son – Kama and Joel – and I was shocked! The speaker was me! That young, fired-up, zealous, reckless, unhindered man of God was me… over 20 years earlier! A flood of memories rushed through me of the month I had spent in Bombay back in 1987. It was during a campaign, where people from all over the world came into the city of Bombay to do nothing but eat, drink and sleep evangelism for one month – to help that young church move forward powerfully! Read the rest of this entry »

God Is Moving All Around The World!

The following emails are only a small portion of what we have received over the past few months from around the world. We are deeply grateful for the untold hours of service by our cyber-evangelists: Jeremy Ciaramella, Ron Harding, Rob Onekea and Andrew Smellie. We also greatly appreciate all of our web-deacons, who assist in language translation as well as building and maintaining UpSideDown21 (www.upsidedown21.org), the City of Angels Church webpages (www.caicc.net), and all of our congregational websites in the SoldOut Discipling Movement! KM

Shirly, Malar and Debbie rejoice during the baptism of Catherine (second from left)!

“Paul reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles… When the brothers in Jerusalem heard this, they praised God!” Acts 21:19-20

INDIA – Raja Rajan
Sonia, as a teenager, used to babysit [Debbie and my] children in New Delhi. Sonia got into a relationship, but her relationship broke and the police had to get involved to rescue her. Upon hearing this, she was beaten up by her family members. Sonia had lost all hope. She took 70 sleeping tablets one evening and went to bed. It was a miracle that Sonia survived… Debbie was in touch with Sonia over the phone. None of her family members wanted her. She decided to move to Chennai to be with us for a few months. She came here on October 2, 2008. We studied the Bible with her. Sonia got baptized on November 2, 2008 and continues to stay with us!

Debbie and Sonia were going for their regular follow-ups, when they met a woman on the stairs – her name was Uma. Uma was married and had two young sons. Her in-laws were “Christians” and since she was a Hindu, she was rejected by them. Uma decided to accept “Christianity” and changed her name to Catherine. Her mother-in-law still treated her like a servant. Almost every day, she had to hear screams and shouts from her mother-in-law… Since she was not much of a help in the [family business], her mother-in-law wanted to get rid of her. So her son, Catherine’s husband, poured kerosene (gas) to light her up. Catherine somehow managed to escape to her parent’s place. After a few weeks, her parents refused to keep her and dropped her back at her husband’s place. Her husband tried to kill her again, but this time she left town. Catherine came to Chennai and after selling her gold chain had some money to live on. She got herself into a hostel and managed to find a job. It was a few months later, when Debbie and Sonia met Catherine.

Catherine came to church, studied the Bible and was baptized into Christ! Other good news: we have started a Corporate Bible Talk in the heart of Chennai and a brother Jinu Thomas, the Vice President of a Christian Political Party, has been restored! Please be praying for the SoldOut Movement churches in India – Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad, as well as the 24 sold-out disciples in the Chennai Christian Church! Thanks to our sister churches in Chicago, Hilo and Syracuse who are supporting Debbie and me to be able to serve God in the full-time ministry! We are working hard and giving our best!

Larry & Christy Wilson place membership from San Francisco!

AUSTRALIA
Thank-you so much for your Luke Series Sermons! I’ve been listening to them on my ipod, trying to get spiritually back on track. For the last four years I’ve been struggling with everything. I joined the Melbourne Church of Christ in 1991 and was part of the original Fiji Mission Team. I was the first to get kicked out of the country for sharing my faith, which was after someone baptized the son of an immigration official… In the meantime, I got treatment for bipolar which is a mental illness. I’ve lost my mother to cancer, my eldest brother took his life, and my other brother was missing for six years as a drug addict… The [churches in Australia] have fallen asleep. There are few to no new members at church, and everybody seems to be comfortable. The preaching is lackluster and the spirit subdued. Would you consider sending a mission team to Melbourne? I need to be held accountable in a church that really cares about my spiritual life. Australia needs fired-up committed Christians!!! I’m turning 40 next year and I am unmarried. I’ve got nothing to live for, but being with Jesus. God is good, Amen. Kip, please get back to me.

The East Region celebrates Danny Carillo’s baptism!

MEXICO
Good day! I´m from Mexico City, and I just read about your new movement! Until I read about it, I had lost all hope for my family to become disciples… Many things happened in my church and some of them are very strange. Can you tell me what happened? I have so many questions, because where I am at in Mexico it is spiritually dead. I have read that God’s new movement will plant a church in Mexico City in 2011. Can you send a mission team any sooner?

TEXAS – Kris and Tiffany Taylor
We are grateful for God’s church and we owe a lot of people here for their help and support. However, in my heart for a long time I have been angry, bitter and rebellious towards God. I lost faith, hope and love towards this whole church thing and life in general. I’ve been critical toward the lukewarmness within the ministry, but I myself was looking at everybody else’s sin and not my own. About two weeks ago, I decided to take a good inventory of myself and I realized it’s not about me and my wants and needs, but about Jesus being my Lord. In a nutshell, I set out to be different and started sharing the good news with some of my friends about my vision about evangelizing the world starting with having ministries in every town in Texas. Somehow you came up in conversation and I was told “Kip looks for people who are disillusioned like you to plant churches.” I went to what deceivingly was called, “your website” – www.kipmckean.com and read some more negative things about you. Yet I also listened to a Chris Broom sermon, read one of his articles and then read your profile on your official website – www.kipmckean.org. These things changed my heart around to believe. I had stayed home from church that Sunday, because I was sick, though my wife attended. When she came home, I told her that I am not coming to church anymore and that I am joining Kip’s ministry in evangelizing the world! For the last week, I have been listening to your sermons. I am amazed at the clarity you bring to evangelism from Mark, Luke and Acts. I can’t stop listening to the sermons; they strengthen my convictions and it feels like I’m seeing the Word for the first time! My heart has never been this eager! (Editor’s Note: Chris and Tiffany visited the City of Angels Church at the end of December. After participating in our worship service and after much prayer, they moved to Los Angeles to join us this first week of February! KM)

NORWAY
I am a part of the church in Oslo, Norway. I would like to thank you so much for the studies on the City of Angels Church website with the audio alternative for the First Principles Series. It has helped me a lot lately as I am studying the Bible with two women here. It has helped me to come back to a stronger conviction and also a conviction of calling others to follow Jesus. Thanks ever so much!

KANSAS
I am a former member of the Wichita Church of Christ in Kansas and was part of the ICOC for many years… I recently heard through Delphi Forums (where I found your email as well) that you are having Mike Patterson move to your congregation. I felt I should warn you about some things that are dangerous about this young man. He is very persuasive... Sadly, the Wichita congregation I was part of was never the same since he moved and took all the campus leaders with him [to Portland], because of his teaching. He has a very strong personality, that can even convince adults and I worry about the mentality he puts in people, that if you are not for him you are against him. I have followed some of his sermons since he has been in Phoenix and I don’t think anything has changed. This link I found has you on it as well as Mike Patterson, and I hope you’re concerned that you are being grouped with this teaching… (Editor’s Note: Hebrews 10:32 challenges us, “Remember after you receive the light… sometimes you are publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated.” We are not only honored to be standing “side by side” with Mike, but our dear brother will be moving to the City of Angels Church in August, to become the leader of the new South Region centered in Long Beach! KM)

Dave Swann and Tony Arana

WASHINGTON
I listen to your sermons regularly and watch very closely what happens in LA. It is safe to say that I have personally experienced a weakening of my spirituality as time has gone by and I have reached a point where I feel that if I don’t get urgent and get some help that I’m going to die. I feel like I have gone from a man that knows his place in the world with purpose and vigor to a man that’s just barely hanging on. Whose fault is that? Mine. Ultimately I claim full responsibility for my own salvation and walk and I have to own that. I’m ashamed of it, deeply… My wife and I had another long talk about all things spiritual and she asked me what I needed in order for me to do well. I had to think about that a bit and then it dawned on me. I need to be surrounded with like-minded men. When I joined the church in the 80’s, I joined a body of believers that were devoted to certain things and you know what they are. Most importantly, discipleship, loving accountability, a constant higher calling, being told from time to time that I needed to “repent.” Herein lies the problem. Since the “big crash” it seems that the churches that I have been a part of have slowly made a departure from these practices. I also know that this doesn’t surprise you. I have made several efforts to help create these dynamics, but it just seems to fall on deaf ears. Having said all this, I’ve known you long enough to know what you would say. A.) Move to another city where there is a discipling church. B.) Start one. Either option would be extremely hard for my family due to several reasons. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts.

GEORGIA – Perry and Linda Tipton
Dear Kip and Elena, We just wanted to take some time to let you know all the ways we are grateful for your leadership. We’re grateful that you are able to forgive others (especially those who call themselves disciples) who have slandered and persecuted you. Without forgiveness the Lord of the

Harvest would not be blessing the movement under your leadership the way that it is now being blessed. We’re grateful for the online ministry of the City of Angels Church that explains what happened… We were then able to put the pieces together why the former churches of the ICOC were hurting in so many ways because of autonomy. We’re grateful that you are willing to go into battle and start from “ground zero”… We’re grateful that you return phone calls. Not calling or returning phone calls is something here that has been referred to as a “common disease.” We’re grateful that you don’t use the word “busy.” We’re grateful for the unity in the new movement. We’re grateful for your perseverance. Kip and Elena, we love you as our father and mother of faith in Christ!

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Lola Lof
I want to thank all of you for your prayers concerning our Second Anniversary Service! We saw God’s hand on that celebration! We were blessed with 234 people in attendance! If 50 disciples in Kinshasa can do this, it’s clear that God is working in His church! Another good news is the restoration of our brother Bruno! His wife has felt the need to be restored too! Also at the end of the day, many people who heard the sermon “Life to the Full” were impacted and expressed the need to study the Bible. My great joy is that some brothers and sisters who got weak in faith are now fired up and ready to start studying the Bible with the visitors who came to the service. WOW! God is really awesome!

Second Anniversary Of The SoldOut Discipling Movement
by: Kip McKean

“In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out – until the day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.” Exodus 40:36–38

Throughout the Bible, the presence of God among His people is obvious! Of the tenth and final plague “Moses said, ‘Every first born in Egypt will die… there will be loud wailing throughout Egypt… But among the Israelites [no one will die]. Then you will know the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’” God made the “distinction” between Egypt and Israel obvious! When the Israelites traveled through the desert, they were inspired to see the cloud of the Lord above the tabernacle and were surely comforted at night by the glow from the fire in the cloud. God’s presence – by day and by night – was obvious! God’s will – to stay or to go – was equally obvious! At the battle of Jericho, the walls fell when the Israelites marched around the walls for seven days and then blew their trumpets. God’s presence and power were obvious! Though few in comparison, Gideon’s 300 routed 135,000 Midianites! It was obvious, Read the rest of this entry »

“Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites- eveyone whose heart God had moved - prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:5

God has moved our hearts here in Chennai - family group leaders, campus students, other leaders - to build His temple. We are amazed by what God is doing. We started on February 3rd with just one couple and ever since God has been adding to our numbers daily. Today, we are 19 committed disciples. Still many are in the process of making decisions to rededicate themselves to God.

“Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1

The Guatemala International Christian Church had over 80 in attendance at their inaugural service!

In the first century, Paul pleaded to the brothers to pray that the Christian movement would “spread rapidly and [the message of salvation] be honored” by countless others. This same prayer by disciples in the twenty-first century has been answered by our God. In the first seven weeks of 2008, the Spirit has planted five new churches! In January in New York City, George and Sharman Grima initiated a remnant group in downtown Manhattan! On the first Sunday of February, after resigning their full-time position in our former fellowship because of their deep convictions against hypocrisy and lukewarmness, Raja and Debby Rajan started our new sister church in Chennai, India. With this addition, the Lord has blessed us with three remnant churches in India – Mumbai, led by the courageous Anthony and Mary Siluvai; Bangalore, led by the inspirational Johnny and Annie Selvaraj; and now Chennai led zealously by the Rajans! Excitingly, last week Anthony and Elizabeth Eckels arrived in their beloved Orlando, Florida to start a new congregation of sold-out disciples. Then this past weekend in Guatemala City, Elena and I met up with Raul Moreno of Santiago, Chile and Dorian and Rosa Bonilla of Honduras, as well as 25 other disciples from San Pedro Sula, Honduras. On Sunday, February 17, we celebrated at a church service of over 80 people the establishment of two more congregations in two more Central American countries – the Guatemala City International Christian Church (in Guatemala) led by former full-time leaders, Jose Antonio and Laura Morales and the San Salvador International Christian Church (in El Salvador) led by the former administrator, Roberto Jovel and his awesome wife Marlene. Truly, the “message of the Lord” is being “honored” around the world!

Roberto & Marlene Jovel pictured with Laura & Jose Antonio Morales!

In August 2005 at the Portland World Missions Jubilee, was the beginning of a calling out of a remnant of sold-out disciples who believe in a movement to evangelize the world in a generation. By October 2006, the Spirit had clearly begun a new discipling movement, which has been “rapidly spreading” in unprecedented ways. Yet to gain a perspective on how rapidly, let us remember that the “Boston Movement” (which in 1994 became known as the International Churches of Christ) began on June 1, 1979 with “30 would-be disciples in the Gempel’s living room.” As we gathered that fateful eve, we were but one church in one nation where every member – whether married, single, campus or teen – in the terminology of the day, was “totally committed” to Christ. By the end of 1985, we were five churches in three nations that shared this conviction – Boston, which planted Chicago (1982), London (1982), New York (1983), and Toronto (1985). By 1994, when the Lord put on my heart to pen the Evangelization Proclamation, there were about 150 congregations in 53 nations. Then in 2000, God had blessed us with approximately 400 churches in 171 countries! The multiplication of disciples, though quite slow at first, evolves with exponential growth in disciples, congregations of only sold-out disciples, and nations being evangelized. However, for exponential growth to occur, there must be a pure foundation of only sold-out disciples. Any lukewarmness, sin or hypocrisy allowed to perpetually exist becomes a leaven that eventually ruins the whole church.

Elena McKean pictured with Rosa and Dorian Bonilla!

In 2 Thessalonians 3 after Paul implored the brothers to pray that “the message of the Lord spread rapidly,” he then adds, “And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith.” As with the preaching of Jesus, whose words often left the Jews divided, “Many…said, ‘[Jesus] is demon-possessed and raving mad!’” Others even preached, “It is only by Beelzebub, that [Jesus] drives out demons.” (Matthew 12:24) Be sure, opposition from the “wicked” and “brothers” who have no faith awaits all who desire to challenge and change the status quo. In Los Angeles, one local “minister” has accused God’s new discipling movement of being “a movement of Satan.” How history repeats itself!Some have criticized and tried to discredit what is clearly the work of God’s Spirit as evidenced in all the miracles – the baptisms and the restorations of fallen away brothers and sisters. Therefore, let us share a very interesting dynamic in God’s new movement. In the new discipling movement, churches are formed in two very different ways: church planting congregations and remnant gathering congregations. Each church planting congregation has a full-time, trained ministry couple accompanied by a team of sold-out disciples. This church rapidly increases in number. The remnant gathering congregations are usually quite small. They are led by heroic, but often untrained leaders, that realize they must “start” something new or die. Essentially, they understand that “new wine poured into old wineskins ruins both the wine and the wineskin. New wine must be poured into new wineskins.” (Luke 5:37-38)

Our new brother Brandon is baptized this past Sunday in Orange County!

Often, these congregations do not grow very quickly until we send a trained evangelist and mission team. The Phoenix International Christian Church is a great example. In September 2005, Chris and Sonja Chloupek – after repeated pleas and admonitions to the leadership of their local church – moved by the Spirit, decided to step out and start a new congregation, just the two of them! It grew slowly to ten disciples in a year. Then in the summer of 2006, we sent a mission team of 14 from Portland, led by Matt and Helen Sullivan. Today, the Phoenix congregation numbers over 50 disciples and last week had an attendance of 120! Growing from two to fifty - now that’s incredible! Also encouraging is the remnant gathering church in San Pedro Sula. A year ago, Dorian and Rosa Bonilla, who both worked secular jobs, were joined by 48 disciples with the dream of world evangelism. Today they number 83 disciples!

Ashley rejoices at her baptism along side best friend Mikaela Foley, Paula Foley and Kacie Comisford of the Hollywood Ministry!

In contrast to remnant gathering churches is our sister church in Chicago, which was a church planting led by Chris and Theresa Broom. They were accompanied by 16 disciples from Syracuse, four from Portland and joined by nine remnant disciples from Illinois and Wisconsin. In a year-and-a-half, God has increased their number to over 80 disciples with about 150 every Sunday! Another planting, the City of Angels Church, has likewise grown rapidly since 42 sold-out disciples from Portland planted the church in May 2007. Now, nine months later and after over 120 baptisms and restorations, there are 188 disciples! Praise God, last Sunday three were baptized: Brandon, Melissa and Ashley – as well as one restoration, Jake! Though Elena and I were away in Guatemala, the Lord blessed us with 363 in attendance!

The UCLA Ministry continues to grow with the baptism of Melissa!

Since the beginning of the Sold-Out Discipling Movement 16 months ago, the Spirit has forged 30 congregations into a tight-knit family of churches. Incredibly, 15 congregations are in the United States and 15 congregations are spread across the continents in 13 other nations: Australia, Canada, Chile, Curacao, El Salvador, England, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Republic of Congo, Russia and Ukraine! In 2002, many leaders in our former fellowship renounced the dream to evangelize the world in a generation as “impossible” and labeled me a “false prophet” for

Jake Tuason shares powerfully for his restoration!

Let those who doubt consider that the Bible records “the gospel has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven” in just thirty-some years – a generation (Colossians 3:23)! Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Nike and even Britney Spears have evangelized the world in our lifetime. That’s not to say everyone drinks Coca-Cola, eats Big Macs, wears Nike high-tops or listens (or should listen) to Britney Spears. Yet everyone has heard. Certainly, God’s new discipling movement will continue to expand even more rapidly with the exponential growth produced through Jesus’ plan of making disciples. I believe by faith with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength that the “world will be evangelized in our day! And to God be the glory!

Kip McKean