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In this issue: Introducing New England’s Book of Acts

by Brian Corcoran
Research Associate, Emmanuel Gospel Center
Managing Editor, Emmanuel Research Review

This initial version of New England's Book of Acts is available in two formats:

• online version: You may download the book at no charge in pdf. format at the website: newenglandsbookofacts.org. The book is divided into three sections. You can download each one separately, or download the entire text in one large file.
• print version: The book is also available in print, spiral bound. You may wish to order one or more copies of New England's Book of Acts for your church or group. The books are available for $22.50, postage paid. We will ship your copies out to you right away. Contact the Emmanuel Gospel Center to order.

This initial version of New England's Book of Acts is the product of hundreds of hours of work by many researchers, writers and editors. Specific contributors for each article or reporting group are noted within the article. The Emmanuel Gospel Center is grateful for everyone who helped make this book a reality.

This is not a finished product, but it is the initial version of an ongoing work. We invite those of you serving Christ in the six-state New England region to comment on what you find in these pages, or contribute your own story by reporting on behalf of your church, ministry, or group, showing how the Holy Spirit has worked among you. Send your stories and comments to comment@newenglandsbookofacts .org or contact me, Brian Corcoran, at the address at the bottom of this page.

In future issues of the Review, we will explore in more depth some of the trends, facts, issues, and challenges raised by this study.

Introducing New England’s Book of Acts

What you will find in New England’s Book of Acts

People from many countries of the world have come to Boston after being refined by the fires of persecution, conflict, famine, and hardship in their home countries. They have brought a vitality of faith and have planted hundreds of new churches in the area. Many of God’s servants have come from countries like Nigeria, Korea, and Brazil with a missionary vision to bring revival, to call America to repentance from idolatry, and to plant churches to reach people of all nations who now live in New England.

The articles in this publication give an overview of the many and varied ways that God has worked through the lives of his people in New England. In these pages, you will taste a bit of the history of the acts of God in this area, especially over the last forty years. We cannot hope to cover everything, but we have collected and written samples of the very diverse cultural elements of the growing edge of God’s kingdom in New England.

SECTION ONE: Overview

Section One of New England’s Book of Acts provides an overview both historically and internationally of some of the ways God has worked among people who came to Boston and New England. This section gives a framework to guide our thinking. Research on past revivals and the current Quiet Revival help us gain perspective and look forward to what God will continue to do in our midst. Hopefully, these articles will give us “Kingdom Eyes” to expand our vision and work together in new ways which build on what we learn from the past, what we learn from experience gained in many different countries, and what reflection on God’s Word has revealed to us.

SECTION TWO: Group Reports

Leaders of the various ethnic, affinity, and people groups wrote many of these reports. Other reports were written or revised by the research staff at Emmanuel Gospel Center. This section also includes reports on multicultural churches, international student ministry, and summaries of the way God has worked among people groups which have been in this region much longer. We trust these reports can be an inspiration, a source of ideas for ministry, and a resource that enables leaders to network with people and ministries of other cultures. We realize that not every specific church or ministry can be mentioned in this publication, but we have provided specific information about some people and ministries so that people will have examples and sufficient information to tap into networks and find other ministries that are not mentioned.

SECTION THREE: Appendices, articles for further study

This final section offers a rich selection of articles on important topics like leadership development, evangelism/church planting, youth ministry and the second generation, diaspora ministry, and social ministries. Some of these selections describe models of ministry in these areas, while others give nuggets of wisdom from experienced leaders. These topics were selected based on the areas of greatest concern expressed by participants in the 2002 Multicultural Leadership Consultation, held in Boston in November, 2002. We hope other groups who also face similar challenges in developing leadership, reaching youth, and meeting other needs both here and around the world, can use these ideas and models. Readers of the Emmanuel Research Review will find reproduced or referenced here some of the studies we have offered in past issues.

A Story Still Being Written Today

The dozens of articles and reports in this book tell the story of the ongoing work of God through the ethnic and immigrant churches of the New England region. These are merely summaries, highlights, and examples of some of the significant churches, leaders, and events. In this brief summary, we could not mention and cover in detail all of the hundreds of significant churches and people which have been used by God to further his kingdom.

The story of God’s work continues to be written in the lives and hearts of people, and we welcome additional contributions to add to the written record. We realize that we have not yet included the stories of many groups and churches which have seen the hand of God working in their midst here in New England. We trust that this beginning document will inspire others to contribute further information, and encourage us all to learn from one another's experiences.

Feedback

To add your stories or comments, contact Brian Corcoran at the address below.

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Table of Contents, New England’s Book of Acts

Section One: Overview

1. Seeing the Church with Kingdom Eyes
2. What is the Quiet Revival & Why is it Important?
3. The Changing Shape of Boston’s Church Community
4. The Growing Edge of Boston’s Church Community
5. History of Revivalism in Boston
6. Two Secrets of the Quiet Revival
7. The Acts of Metro Boston Christians
8. The Five Stages of Sustained Revival
9. Thy Kingdom Come on Earth as it is in Heaven

Section Two: Group Reports

1. New England’s Native Americans
2. New England’s Hispanic Christian Community
3. The Church among Brazilians in New England
4. The Euro-American Population and Churches
5. Greater Boston’s African American Churches
6. The West Indian Church Community of Greater Boston
7. The Haitian Church of New England
8. The West African Church in New England
9. The East African Church in New England
10. The Chinese Church in Greater Boston
11. The Korean Church in New England
12. Japanese Christian Ministry in Metro Boston
13. Eastern New England’s Indonesian Churches
14. Filipino American Church Profile
15. Burma/Myanmar Churches in New England
16. Cambodian Churches in New England
17. The South Asian Christian Community in Greater Boston
18. Bengali People Group
19. International Student Ministry in Boston & New England
20. The Christian Gospel & the Jewish Community of Boston
21. Arabic Ministry in Greater Boston
22. Armenian Churches in New England
23. Greek Churches in Greater Boston
24. Multicultural Church Profile

Section Three: Appendices

Overview

1. Surveying Churches
2. Church Facts that Tell a Story
3. New England’s Newcomers

Leadership Development

4. Surviving and Thriving in Urban Ministry
5. Center for Urban Ministerial Education
6. URBACAD
7. Instituto para la Excelencia Pastoral

Evangelism & Church Planting

8. What Church Planters Are Saying
9. Resources on Church Planting
10. Greater Boston Church Planting Collaborative
11. Vision New England
12. The Praxis Center for Church Development
13. YWAM Boston

Youth & Second Generation

14. Reaching the Second Generation
15. Wisdom for Urban Youth Ministry
16. neXus Boston

Social Ministry

17. The Role of Churches in Mapping a Road to Higher Education
18. How Does Your Church Serve People Who Are Homeless
19. Universal Human Rights Intl. & Open Door Refugee Ministry

Diaspora

20. The Great Omission: the Exciting Mission Field of "Samaria"
21. Discovering Your Samaria through Demographic Research
22. Global Outreach & Church Planting
23. Haitian Ministries International

Prayer

24. Boston’s Pastors and Leaders: a Praying Community
    24a. The Vitality Project and Prayer Movements
    24b. Beholding the City: Transit-Oriented Intercession
25. New England Prayer Networks
    

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Emmanuel Research Review, copyright © 2004-2008, Emmanuel Gospel Center. All rights reserved. For permission to reprint any or all of this newsletter, contact , Senior Researcher, by e-mail or write to us (address below).

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