Created after a six continent journey across the Church of God, Three Worlds is a team of teachers, mentors, consultants and strategists supporting churches in 16 countries throughout Europe & the Middle East.

Our name is meant to capture the increasingly complicated nature of Christianity in the 21st Century and our team is equipped to help churches navigate this new complex environment.  

Christianity is entering its post-Christendom phase.  Throughout the world, the Traditional church—influenced heavily by Western Christian theology, tradition, and institutionalism (Christendom)—is in decline.  In most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and increasingly much of the United States, Christianity is in steep decline and many churches that are growing are taking a post-modern, post-Christendom posture in order to engage their secular societies.  In the Non-Western world, however, Christianity is spreading at a very fast rate among people that are hearing the Gospel for the first time. The faith is being transmitted by non-Western Christians that are not deeply steeped in Western Christian thought.  The result of all of this is the emergence of Three Worlds of Christianity—all of them processing the faith very differently. 

Team

Nate & Stacy Tatman Associate Regional Coordinators  PROJECT # 42.10007 NSTatman@chog.org

Nate & Stacy Tatman
Global Strategy Regional Coordinators for Europe & the Middle East (Three Worlds)

PROJECT # 42.10007
NSTatman@chog.org

 
 
 
Kelley & Rhonda Philips  Missionaries to GermanyPROJECT # 42.10065 KRPhilips@chog.org

Kelley & Rhonda Philips
Missionaries to Germany

PROJECT # 42.10065
KRPhilips@chog.org

Zach & Audrey Langford Pastors & Community Development, England  PROJECT # 42.10084 ZALangford@chog.org

Zach & Audrey Langford
Pastors & Community Development, England

PROJECT # 42.10084
ZALangford@chog.org

 
 
Dan & Christy Kihm Missionaries to Hungary and Europe/Middle EastPROJECT # 42.10041 DanielKihm@chog.org, ChristyKihm@chog.org

Dan & Christy Kihm
Missionaries to Hungary and Europe/Middle East

PROJECT # 42.10041
DanielKihm@chog.org, ChristyKihm@chog.org

Alejandro & Carmen DeFrancisco Church Planters, Spain PROJECT # 42.10097 ACDeFrancisco@chog.org

Alejandro & Carmen DeFrancisco
Church Planters, Spain


PROJECT # 42.10097
ACDeFrancisco@chog.org

 
Patrick & Jamie Nachtigall Global Strategy Regional Coordinators in Europe/Middle East (Three Worlds)PROJECT # 42.10068  PJNachtigall@chog.org

Patrick & Jamie Nachtigall
Three Worlds Team Members (location TBD)

PROJECT # 42.10068
PJNachtigall@chog.org

“Three Worlds is a team of committed Christians experienced in cross-cultural ministry. Together, we serve as teachers, mentors, consultants and strategists for Churches in 16 countries in Europe and the Middle East. We are a team with coordinators (Tatmans) and team unity is a must. We each enjoy being part of something bigger than ourselves. We like being in systems of accountability. We are committed to seeing people we mentor go beyond where we could go. We are committed to seeing the Younger generation succeed. We are coaches and mentors, not stars!”
— Patrick Nachtigall, Former Regional Coordinator

Objectives

Each Three Worlds team member is based in a particular country and a local ministry, but we work together towards three common objectives in the region known as the 3W Prism

1. Engage...

young people in cross-cultural ministry

2. Support...

empowered and accountable leaders, especially under the age of 45

3. Create...

inter-connectivity within the churches, countries and region in which we operate

Different Expressions One Faith

Christianity in the 21st Century has grown increasingly complicated and understanding the nuances and "worlds" of Christianity will be key in navigating ministry in the future. We have identified three very different expressions of Christianity in the world today: the Traditional World, Non-Western World and Post-Christendom World. Each world processes, presents and structures church very differently. No expression is better than the other, but each exists as an expression of the same faith.  At Three Worlds, we hope to educate people about the differences and assist churches in navigating the challenges of engaging and uniting people from different worlds. 

All Three Worlds of Christianity can exist in any one country or even any one church.  In Western places like the United States or Germany, non-Western immigrant churches are flourishing in the cities, while the locals may attend a Traditional or Post-Christendom church

The Traditional World

THIS IS A WORLD WHERE CHURCHES ARE STRUCTURED IN A TRADITIONAL STYLE, PEOPLE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY ARE PART OF THE PROTESTANT CHURCH, AND THE CULTURE AROUND THEM KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS THE ROLE OF CHURCHES. THE TRADITIONAL WORLD IS IN DECLINE FOR THE MOST PART, BUT ITS EMPHASIS ON SOLID THEOLOGY AND ITS MANY INSTITUTIONS STILL DO GOOD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND REMAIN VERY IMPORTANT. TRADITIONAL CHURCHES EXIST IN MOST COUNTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST.

The Non-Western World

IN THIS WORLD, SOCIETY-AT-LARGE TENDS TO BE VERY RELIGIOUS AND EVANGELICAL OR PENTECOSTAL CHRISTIANITY MAY BE A NEW PHENOMENON THAT IS SEEING EXPLOSIVE GROWTH. THERE IS A STRONG BELIEF IN THE SUPERNATURAL AND THE MIRACULOUS. COMMUNITY LIFE MAY ALSO BE CONSIDERABLY STRONGER THAN IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD MAY KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE BIBLE, BUT LITTLE ABOUT CHRISTIAN HISTORY OR WESTERN DENOMINATIONS. THERE IS A GREAT RESPECT FOR THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE, AND PEOPLE TEND TO BE MORE CONSERVATIVE ABOUT MORAL ISSUES, AND ISSUES OF BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION THAN IN THE OTHER TWO WORLDS. INDIA, BOLIVIA, AND UGANDA ARE EXAMPLES.

The Post-Christendom World

THIS IS A WORLD WHERE CHRISTIANITY WAS ONCE WIDELY UNDERSTOOD AND ADHERED TO, BUT OVER THE COURSE OF TIME THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE CULTURE HAS DECLINED SO MUCH THAT PEOPLE RARELY KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE FAITH AND MAY IN FACT BE HOSTILE OR SUSPICIOUS TOWARDS CHRISTIANITY. CHURCHES STRUCTURED IN A TRADITIONAL WAY HAVE A HARD TIME GROWING IN THESE PLACES, SO NEW CHURCHES ARE EMERGING TO RE-INTRODUCE CHRISTIANITY TO THE SECULAR WORLD. GERMANY, NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, MUCH OF CANADA, AND GROWING PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES HAVE CHURCHES THAT FIT INTO THIS MODEL.