The Challenge of MIssion in the West – An Interview
Here is an interview I did for an organization called, The Aqueduct Project. I am answering questions about the challenges of mission work in western culture. There is a part 2 coming, but thought this first installment might prove helpful for many of you.
For the interview click here: Mission Work in Western Culture
Marks of a Missional Community of Faith (Church)
What
does it mean to be a missional community of faith? There is much talk about what that is, what it looks like
and how it works. Newbigin (one of
the true forerunners of the current movement) identifies six characteristics of
a missional community:
- It practices corporate praise, thanksgiving, gratitude,
and grace; - It declares truth that challenges the reigning
plausibility structure - It establishes relationships within a local
neighborhood - It encourages mutual service in the priesthood
of all believers - It expects mutual responsibility rather than
individualism - It nurtures hope and a re-imagined vision of
the future
I
love these.
3 Missional Reasons to be Kind to Others
Another insightful post by guest blogger, Julie Jones. Julie is a collegue of mine at Christian Associates. She and her husband, Darrin have ministered in Orange County, CA, France and Morroco and currently live in the Bay area. They both are remarkable people.
“God says: my plan is to change you from the inside out, to change your motives – why you do what you do – and to change your impact on people so that how you relate to others will make them thirsty for Me and draw them to dependence on Me.”
A New Kinda Church Planting – Bronzeville, Chicago
I was in the great city of Chicago this last week. While I got the chance to see a large swath of the city, I spenta good share of my time in a region called Bronzeville (southside of the city). When the Great Migration brought African Americans from the South to jobs in the North early in the last century, many found their way to this area of Chicago. It was the greenhouse for greats like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Nat King Cole, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Lou Rawls, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis and countless others. It is crazy how many cultural greats have emerged from this area. Today, at least in part, Bronzeville can be described by terms like high unemployment and poverty, urban violence, and population density.
Into to this setting, my good friend Ronnie Harris has been called to plant a church – a Kingdom outpost. Actually, it could really be said that he has been called back. See, Ronnie is from Bronzeville and has returned from living away to re-embed himself into this community.
For the Love of Art…and People in Madrid
The video below was produced by one of my colleagues in Madrid, Spain, Kelly Crull. Their project (called Decoupage) seeks to reach out and live out tangible gestures of love to the artistic community of that amazing city. Kelly shared the same story at our last event and I am so please to be able to push it out a bit. I really think you'll be amazed!
Hospitality = Mission
By Caitlin I heard a a sermon back in October about hospitality. I had always thought previously that sermons on hospitality were aimed primarily at people like my parents, who have a house and can make space to let people stay the night and have a meal or two. It wasn’t until I heard this particular sermon that I realized how much broader the definition of hospitality is, and that in order to truly live it out, a change had to happen in my heart.
In different phases of my life thus far, God has asked me to sacrifice something to Him in order that He may teach me to depend completely on Him as provider. I never had a problem giving away my time until high school, when I became involved in ministry, and I was faced with the choice of which activities I would devote my time to. I reluctantly chose to do things that would glorify God more, and His blessings overwhelmed me through it. My first year of college, the issue was money. I tried to do things my own way, to become self-sufficient so I wouldn’t have to keep asking my parents for more money, but in the end, God asked me to give it up to Him. He taught me humility and thankfulness through it, and still provided for all of my financial needs. Right now, the focus is rest. I only have so much energy, and God is teaching me that He will provide the energy I need through resting.
In order to be hospitable, I must give any or all of these things to God in order to live out His mission. It can be as simple as bringing someone coffee when they're studying for a big test. And in order to be on His mission, I must keep in mind that everyone I come in contact with has the potential to be a glorious creature in the Kingdom. As C.S. Lewis puts it in The Weight of Glory, “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal… But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit– immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” I am convinced that with this perspective, I can learn to be more hospitable with my time, money, and energy. In doing so, I may participate in the Kingdom which is now and is yet to come.
Capitalism and Christianity in the West
By Peter
Missional Middle Schoolers: Mission Impossible?
By Kenny
A New Light to the World
By Holly
A One Word Description of the Church
I started teaching my Missional Church class at Whitworth University again this week. This is the 4th year that I have taught the course. If I teach it again it will morph into a course entitled, "A Church for the World." One of my introductory exercises I use is asking them to give a one word description of the church and why. Here are their responses (some were duplicates – 19 in the class):
Transforming, Alive, Colorful