I am actually going to Palestine-Israel tomorrow morning for 2 weeks. I will be returning on the evening of May 2nd. Please pray for me. It is such an awesome opportunity. MCC Canada is hosting the tour and MCC BC is sponsoring my Mennonite Brethren counterpart and myself. We are going to see the work that MCC is doing in the region. We will also be going to some of the holy sites. We will be doing lots of learning.
I will tell you all about it when I get back.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Message Doesn't Change, but the Methods Do
I have been trying to pay attention to new expressions of being the church so as to remain fresh and effective.
At least 10 years ago leaders of the Mennonite Church were trying to get our minds around the concept of "missional church". In 1998 the book entitled "Missional Church," edited by Darrell L. Guder, was published by Eerdmans. Lois Barrett, a Mennonite mission leader was one of the writers. The subtitle of the book explains the concept, "A vision for the sending of the church in North America." The idea is that our mission emphasis is not focused on the church simply sending out and supporting missionaries, but on the church actually being sent into God's mission. This makes us all mission workers wherever we are and wherever God sends us, be it at home, across the street or around the world. It also means that to understand God's mission, we must listen well to what God is doing in the world. When Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA were formed in 2001, we embraced "missional church" as our way of being. Since then we have been attempting to learn what it means for us and our world.
I welcome your thoughts about being a missional church and being missional Christians.
At least 10 years ago leaders of the Mennonite Church were trying to get our minds around the concept of "missional church". In 1998 the book entitled "Missional Church," edited by Darrell L. Guder, was published by Eerdmans. Lois Barrett, a Mennonite mission leader was one of the writers. The subtitle of the book explains the concept, "A vision for the sending of the church in North America." The idea is that our mission emphasis is not focused on the church simply sending out and supporting missionaries, but on the church actually being sent into God's mission. This makes us all mission workers wherever we are and wherever God sends us, be it at home, across the street or around the world. It also means that to understand God's mission, we must listen well to what God is doing in the world. When Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA were formed in 2001, we embraced "missional church" as our way of being. Since then we have been attempting to learn what it means for us and our world.
I welcome your thoughts about being a missional church and being missional Christians.
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