Why we are becoming Open Blessing
When we started leading Open Church Ministries in 1998, our goal was simple: to strip away the institutional and return to the relational. We believed the open church in houses and small groups was the key to global revival.
What we discovered along the way was both challenging and illuminating.
In many parts of the world, the open church in houses flourished. But we also saw a distinct pattern: The open church in houses struggled to take root in the Western world, while the spoken blessing used during the meetings resonated everywhere. We realized that while a structure (open church in a house church) might be culturally specific, a spiritual reality (the Blessing) is universal.
In the West, church is a word heavy with historical and cultural expectations that often create barriers. However, when we taught the principles of the Power of Blessing—the intentional release of God’s favor, authority, and peace over families and cities—the response was unanimous. It didn't matter if we were in a village in the Global South or a metropolitan center in the West; people were hungry to receive and learn how to give and receive a blessing.
Shifting from Model to Message
This is why we are moving forward as Open Blessing.
We are shifting our focus from the container to the content. While we will still support and plant intimate communities, now our primary mission is the global mobilization of the Power of Blessing.
It transcends culture: You don't need to explain the concept of a blessing to someone in London, Lagos, or Lima. It is the heartbeat of the human soul.
It overcomes the Western Wall: By focusing on the Power of Blessing, we bypass the cultural fatigue associated with open house church planting in the West and offer something that immediately adds value to people's lives.
It empowers the individual: Not everyone feels called to lead a church in their home, but every Believer or anyone else can be a source of blessing in their workplace, their neighborhood, and their family.
A New Chapter for an International Ministry
Open Blessing is the vehicle for our next season. We are taking the lessons learned from every continent—the successes and the obstacles—and distilling them into a movement that works everywhere.
We are no longer just asking people to come to an open house church. We are commissioning them to give and receive blessings where they are. Through this new direction, we will provide the training, the community, and the global network to ensure that the favor of God is not contained within four walls, but is open to all.
The Blessing has no borders.