You Can Have Your Own Opinion. But You Can’t Have Your Own Facts: by Tim Kernan

What God Loves About the Women’s Minisitry: by Tim Kernan on the 8th March 2009
[audio:WhyWeDoWhatWeDo/TK_WomenMinistry_2009-03-08.mp3]

Proverbs 31:25-29
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”

This week I did my best to preach on that powerful and cool ministry; the women’s ministry. While I probably blew it on some levels, I hope I was able to convey what I believe God thinks is cool about the sisters in the church. Let me tell you there is a lot cool about the women in the church… poor Lianne had a daunting task in front of her when she landed in London a year and seven months ago. It was a women’s ministry of two; herself and our awesome sister Eugenie.

There are not a lot of ladies out there who are willing to step out on faith with a month’s salary in the bank to start up a church in a foreign country with one sister, but that’s the kind of lady Lianne Kernan is. She’s quiet, unassuming, humble, hard working, the most beautiful sister in the world, and as of a couple weeks ago, her ministry has baptised, restored and welcomed more disciples than mine! The woman’s ministry of the London Church is now bigger than the men’s ministry. Now Jeanette, Megan, Trista, Patricia, Kim, Abi, Ayeisha, Dee, Eugenie, Christine and Jo are giving us a run for our money! Not to mention that Lianne & Patricia also carried and gave birth to our little Timothy David Kernan Jr. and Micheal Goli. What’s more, Abi is due soon!

That’s what you call awesome!

It has recently come to our attention that there is some slander going around that I feel is important to write about here. I don’t want to go into this for my own defence but to warn people against foolishness, for God does not suffer foolishness gladly. 2 Corinthians 11: 19-21 “You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!”

It was recently said that for the LA church to go from 40 to 220 members is better than for the London Church going from 4 to 22. Now, I know the purpose of this comment was to call into question the Spirit of Unity of our movement and to create division. I do have to admit it was a hurtful comment for two reasons. Firstly, because the disciples in LA and London are very close (as all our churches are) and the idea that we were not all being blessed by God was vile to me. We are one unified family. The second reason that the comment was hurtful is that it is just plain foolish. 4 to 22 is 450% growth… and yes… 40 to 220 is 450% growth. Its not similar, its exactly the same level of growth.

One might then say that it’s easier for a small group to grow than for a large group to grow. Well, it’s true that in lukewarm churches small groups of committed disciples do grow much faster than the church as a whole, but that’s not because its easier; its because the larger group is lukewarm…

The actual term that is used to refer to differences in effectiveness that come from differences in size is “Economy of Scale” (I knew my political science major would pay off sometime). However, economy of scale does not favour the small, it favours the large! If Ford had to produce only two Ford F150 trucks this year they would cost about 500 million $ a piece. But because they will (prayerfully) sell tens of thousands they can get the cost down to about 30 000$. That means that a guy who can produce a Ford F150 from scratch in his backyard for the same cost as Ford does with its “Economy of Scale” has accomplished an industrial miracle and… its never been done. This means that a lukewarm congregation that has one or two more baptisms than a church that is a small fraction of its size should not boast.

You can have your own opinion, but you cant have your own facts.

The London Church is a proud member of the Sold out Discipling movement… and it shows… in person and on paper. Its not an opinion, its a fact. 1 Peter 2:15 “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.”

Now that slander, being resoundingly defeated with a grade 2 maths book, (One more score for the Irish Catholic School board of Canada. Mrs McGorty, my grade 2 maths teacher would be so proud) let’s move on. We actually agree that we want an “Economy of Scale”! In fact we are focused on making it happen and we have been praying for it from day one! By faith I believe Michael Williamson and his awesome wife Michelle will arrive with their team and they will provide a massive economy of scale. More hands, more resources will make it even easier and I believe that if the maths are correct, London will become one of the most fruitful churches in the movement. Again, its not an opinion, its a rational (yet exciting) projection based on facts.

Also, as a guy who makes Ford F150s in my backyard I have everything to learn about how to make thousands of trucks in scale… because that’s how we are going to go to all nations. In scale and so many important things London does not compare to LA. We are so lucky to have big sister churches to show us the way! I don’t deserve the kindness I have received from all the brothers in the larger churches, especially DJ and Kip, and I am grateful that they see in me someone who might have a chance to learn how to do things right on a larger scale. I’m eternally grateful. I know some guys who can do things big struggle to do them small and vice versa. I tremble with hope and fear that I will be able to serve God in both ways.

I am so proud of the sold out sisters in London, Kiev, Kinshasa, and all the small remnant groups that have budded here and all over the world. You’ve beaten the odds twice! Your making Ford’s in your backyard at the same pace as everyone else or faster! You are fighting an uphill battle, without an economy of scale, that makes it harder than in larger congregations. God allows things to happen or makes them happen. So that means that God is aware of your suffering and troubles and He is preparing you powerfully for wonderful victories. You sisters make us brothers so proud. We care so much for you and we cherish you.

Lianne if you weren’t my wife I would be hogging all your time for dates and I would sweep you up off your feet all over again. I love you so much babers.

Your brother,

Tim Kernan