GREENSBORO, NC: God Is Shaking Up His Church, says Anglican Leader

By David W. Virtue in Greensboro
www.virtueonline.org
January 29, 2010

The leader of the Anglican Mission in the Americas (TheAM) says that every 500 years or so God shakes up his church and he is doing it again now.

Speaking to some 1,400 people at the annual winter conference of the fast growing Anglican Mission, the Rt. Rev. Chuck Murphy said the decade had grown from a handful of folks meeting in Singapore in a provincial office into a growing and thriving church committed to reaching 130 million unchurched North Americans.

"The AMIA (now TheAM) kept going by vision and action that caught the wave of the Holy Spirit. We embraced the three streams (catholic, evangelical and charismatic) and trusted in affinity rather than being a settled diocese. We are a mission, nothing more, nothing less than a movement out of Africa. We became the morning stars, a new thing God was doing. We avoided a rush to structure, believing that keeping it fluid and active was the way to go."

Murphy said the conferees came from 37 states and nine countries including the U.S. and Canada, Brazil, Portugal, England, the Netherlands, South Africa and SE Asia. Rwanda sent nine bishops and a bishop elect.

Murphy drew a parallel to the growth of TheAM to the music industry. "IPod and ITunes revolutionized the music industry. They changed the way we listen to music and they have now captured 80% of the music market. However, they did not invent music or music stores but how to deliver music. They saw a need and opportunity and changed the ways things are done. YouTube began with three guys in garage they put their heads together and later sold it to Google for $1.65 billion dollars. They didn't invent video or the Internet, they created a new way to share videos online that has changed our world. They saw an opportunity and took action. The Anglican Mission has done the same. We have not changed the message, only our ability to deliver it in fresh and timely ways."

Murphy, who is also the President of the National Association of Evangelicals, said he is convinced that TheAM is blessed by God and in a position to do something extraordinary in North America in the 21st century.

In his wide-ranging review of the last decade, the leader acknowledged that there were some "bruised relationships along the way" but said the New Testament never glossed over differences people had, including among the apostles.

Touching on the delicate subject of money, Murphy noted that, "money follows vision." The Barna Group, a research and resource company located in Ventura, California, said giving was down in churches and non-profit groups across the country, but TheAM had shot up 14% in donations despite the economic downturn.

"We started with eleven congregations in 2000. Now in 2010 we have 158 congregations and climbing steadily. Some have transferred to the Anglican Church of North America (ACNA,), The Reformed Episcopal Church (REC) and the Anglican Province of America (APA). We are seeing one new congregation being birthed every three weeks."

Murphy said there are 62 emerging works in progress. New congregations are coming into existence throughout North America along with new bishops being consecrated to aid the growth. "We have 19 networks guiding, planting and recruiting across North America. We have moved into major urban centers like Los Angeles with its own bishop, the Rt. Rev. Todd Hunter. We have outposts in Vancouver, Boston and New York City. Our work is constantly moving forward."

Murphy noted that even secular writers are now saying God is back. "I want you to dream with me as we look forward. Fifty years from now folks will remember that here we set out on our second missionary journey - another second ten years - with great hope.

"You have to be long term thinkers. We must ask what is God doing in the next ten years. Everybody has got a mission. The next 50 years will be incredible."

Murphy announced that this would be the last winter conference for Rwanda Archbishop Emmanuel Kolini and Kigali Bishop John Rucyahana, both of whom faithfully served in the birth of the North American Anglican mission.

END