KANGAROO CHURCH BIRTHING AND REPRODUCTION MODEL AMONG IMMIGRANTS: FIRST FILIPINO ALLIANCE CHURCH AS A CASE STUDY IN CANADIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

The mission of the Church is to make healthy disciples of Jesus Christ of “all nations.”  Many nations are scattered or dispersed around the globe and the Church of Jesus Christ must thrive among these Diaspora people.  This Kangaroo Church Birthing and Reproduction model is a natural and healthy way of discipling and church birthing among Diaspora people.  While it is written as a proposed working strategy paper to the First Filipino Alliance Church (FFAC) in Edmonton for church birthing among new Canadians, it is the writer’s hope that the concepts learned from the Kangaroo’s birthing and reproduction will be transferable to other congregations who have the intention of thriving among Diaspora people.  It is important to provide definition of several key terms and state the assumptions at the outset.  Discussions on the nature and mission of the Church and basis for church birthing and reproduction will be brief.  It is assumed that the reader has a good understanding of ecclesiology. It is also assumed that the reader is familiar with classic church “planting” or birthing theories and practice (e.g. pioneering model, mother-daughter church birthing).