the church for whom?

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: church, church planting, city, contextualization, culture, Great Commission, incarnational, irreligion, mercyview, missiology, mission, missional, missional church, missional living, post-Christendom, relevintage, sent, urban, video, vision
• Date: Nov 7,2010

As I prepared to move to Tulsa to plant mercyview [Lord willing, a network of missional communities and expressions scattered all over this city and region], I had countless interviews “exegeting” the culture here, sitting under the wisdom of Tulsans from many different sectors: business, government, religion, etc.

Before I even visited the first time, I knew I was stepping into a highly churched culture. My research was confirmed as I talked with folks here. And in my conversations, it became very clear to me that new churches, for the most part, were contending for the same small slice of the pie that represents the “reachable” people groups.

I realized that Tulsa is in desperate need of a mobilization of Jesus-followers who are concerned about bringing spiritual and cultural renewal to the forgotten, the broken, and the wounded in the city; servant-messengers who are in the city, for city. Particularly, for those not-yet-Xians…

Michael Frost echoes this sentiment in this video:

elemental: evangelism as missional

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: relevintage
• Date: Aug 21,2009

I’m going to be on the road today, traveling to Tulsa for a wedding so I won’t be able to write anything today. Working off of iMonk’s “101 series” idea, here is a Transformission “Elemental” entry on evangelism I wrote back on 1.16.09…

Brother Maynard, in a recent entry entitled “Missional Conversation for 2009,” waxes on what he believes will be at the forefront of the missional discussion this upcoming year. One of the things he says should be at the center is evangelism. And it should be…

In light of the recent hubbub over the issue of “conversion” and the “fruit” of the missional church via Dan Kimball, et al., there is no question that those of us in the missional conversation must wrestle with the issue of evangelism as it relates to conversion.

On the one hand, David Fitch is right when he says that in the post-Christian culture, “converting” the truly unchurched – as opposed to the dechurched, who have some Christian memory – will be a much slower process that will take extreme patience. The world knows a bait-and-switch when they see it and we have to honor the process, discerning our part on the spectrum of one’s spiritual journey. We may be the seed “planter,” “waterer,” or “harvester.”

On the other hand, as we are “compelled by love” to engage in relationship with unbelievers because we believe their greatest need is on the soul level, we will have to discern if and when our job is to “harvest” and be ready to lead others to Christ and not, for the sake of offense, be so hesitant to do so because we are so intent on going “slow.”

There is no question that evangelism has been subsumed into the “mission” at various points historically, many times in the name of the missio Dei. When it has done so, “conversion” was no longer important. Rather than explicitly share the Gospel, one must merely express “solidarity” with an oppressed people group for Christ to “save” them. No proclamation of the Gospel, just presence. In this paradigm, as Stephen Neill has said, when everything is mission, nothing is mission.

In other words, if a narrower definition of mission is sharing the good news of Christ, then “sharing” may be a part of the equation depending on our role in the process. Expressing oneness with someone alone will never lead anyone to Christ. It may be an excellent gateway, but cannot be equated with what historically has been understood as evangelism.

I believe the fruit of the missional church will be seen in our ability to live in the creative tension of earning trust and credibility with the lost, going slow and discerning the Spirit’s leading to our “role” in their spiritual journey and if given a window of openness to the Gospel, boldly and lovingly, leading our friends into the Kingdom.

total church study guide

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: Bible, Bible study, church, church planting, community, discipleship, evangelism, Gospel, incarnational, kingdom of God, ministry, missio Dei, missiology, missional church, missional living, New Testament, orthopraxy, relevintage, social justice, theology, vision
• Date: Aug 20,2009

I’m very excited about a new resource from Veritas Community Church, an Acts 29 church in Columbus, Ohio. They have created a free study guide to accompany the Re:Lit book Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis.

You can download the free 32-page PDF study guide here.

Chester and Timmis, the authors of Total Church, founded The Crowded House church-planting initiative in the UK and direct the Porterbrook Network. Steve Timmis is also Director of Acts 29 for Western Europe.

Total Church may very well be one of the most influential and informing books I’ve read that has influenced my ministry philosophy since The Emerging Church and Emerging Worship by Dan Kimball and Transforming Mission by David Bosch.

There is no shortage of great tools to help form Gospel and Missional DNA into the life of a church plant core team, a just-launched church plant, a small group ministry, a church revitalization, or a church that is transitioning from a traditional to missional model. The Total Church study guide is yet another exceptional resource to that end.

I would also encourage you to check out these great handbooks/guides:

>The Tangible Kingdom Primer from Hugh Halter and Matt Smay
>The Forgotten Ways Handbook from Alan Hirsch
>The Gospel-Centered Life: A Nine Lesson Study from A29 pastor Bob Thune
>Fight Clubs from A29 pastor Jonathan Dodson

extract’d

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: relevintage
• Date: Mar 6,2009

People talk about an Internet community, but that’s not a community to my mind. Community doesn’t happen until you smell people.

-Larry Harvey, co-founder of the Burning Man festival

HT: Andy Crouch

sloan turns 3

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: relevintage
• Date: Jan 12,2009

stetzer & fitch: a missional conversation 1

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: acts, Bible, Christianity, church, community, contextualization, emerging church, emerging culture, evangelism, Gospel, incarnational, kingdom of God, ministry, missio Dei, missiology, missional church, missional living, missions, New Testament, post-Christendom, post-Evangelical, postmodern, relevintage, sacred space, theology
• Date: Jan 7,2009

Shot in Chicago in November of ‘08, Part One of this 45 minute conversation features Ed Stetzer and Dave Fitch discussing what they each mean by the term “missional”. They also spend some time discussing attractional vs missional – and whether missional church, as it seems to be presently framed is “interested in converts.”

A very good conversation between two PhD’s, who are also church planters, teachers, authors and missional instigators in their own right.

This video was produced by Toronto’s mkpl.tv – Producer, Imbi Medri. Director/Editor, Bill Kinnon. It is made available under a Creative Commons License – Attribution – No Derivative Works. Copyright Holders: Medri Kinnon Productions Limited, Ed Stetzer, David Fitch.

the year that was 2008

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: blogging, church planting, concert, education, emerging church, family, fatherhood, Gospel, history, missiology, missional church, relevintage, theology
• Date: Dec 31,2008

It is terrible how much has been forgotten, which is why, I suppose, remembering seems a holy thing.
Anita Diamant, from The Red Tent

It’s the last day of 2008, time to look back at the year that was:

January

I had the privilege to lead my oldest son of 6, Cooper, in a prayer of belief in God’s grace for his salvation. I thank God for the awesome opportunity.

Sally Lloyd-Jones stopped by the blog and thanked me for my kind words about The Jesus Storybook Bible, which I believed God used in a providential way to help make the gospel clear to Cooper.

My Sloan turned two.

February

I remembered three tragedies that hit close to “home”: one in my hometown, one in the town I live in now, and one that affected a sister Christian university.

March

Cooper was baptized. Praise God!

I wrapped up my series: The Emerging Church: A Postmodern Reformation.

I posted my review of Todd Agnew’s new album, Better Questions. (I review music for Ardent Records)

I had the privilege to be a part of a unique event that ended up being one of the most transformational times in my spiritual life. I was part of a recording for the Shapevine’s Active Learning Podules series with Reggie McNeal. You can watch it on the home page of their web site. I would embed it here but it doesn’t have that capability.

April

I posted my review of Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken’s new EP, Ampersand. (I review music for Speakeasy)

Cooper enjoyed his first Cardinals game with my Dad and I and played organized baseball for the first time.

I talked about how the will of God is that we would pray ceaselessly.

I “celebrated” two years blogging.

May

Our family grew in missional compassion through Compassion International…

I saw Radiohead in concert at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in St. Louis. Wow…

I wrapped up my book review series on the Zondervan Counterpoints book, Four Views of Hell.

I posted my review of Delirious’ new album, Kingdom of Comfort. (I review music for Sparrow Records)

The Lost finale. Unbelievable…

June

I celebrated nine years with my amazing wife…

My family enjoyed a local vacation…

I recapped my series on the missional church: The “Sent” Church: A Missional People.

I talked about one my vices: morels.

For the second year in a row, I judged Joy FM’s iSing competition at Six Flags – St. Louis .

July

My family and I visited Tulsa for the first time to confirm the call to plant missional communities there in the future. God answered our prayers…

I posted the first (and only at this point), vodcast on Acts.

August

We celebrated Margo (5) and Everett’s (1) birthdays.

I posted on my weight loss. Total loss = 20 lbs. I have to say, wow…

I spoke on emerging worship at Bible Preaching Week at Windermere at the Lake of the Ozarks.

I spoke at the first annual Missouri Baptist University Ministry Group retreat at Cornerstone Farms in St. Jacob, Illinois.

Fall classes began at MBU; teaching “Worship History and Leadership” and “Worship Performance Workshop”

September

I announced the cool opportunity to do two directed studies in missiology under the tutelage of Ed Stetzer.

I posted on my first trip with Ed to a conference in Jackson, Mississippi. This pretty much sums up the trip..

I had the privilege to host Dan Kimball, Matt Maher, and The Afters for MBU’s second annual Abandoned: Worship as Life seminar. Here are some pics…

October

We celebrated Cooper, Holly, and I’s birthdays.

I posted on my second trip with Ed to Johnson City, Tennessee. Here is a pic…

I traveled with my good friend, Clint Carter, to Tulsa to continue to exegete Tulsa…

I attended the Lead Conference, put on by The Journey, a conference on the theological and practical implications of ministry in an urban context with Clint.

I posted on my missional practicum in University City.

November

Relevintage becomes transformission.

Holly and I saw Coldplay at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. Not bad, not bad…

December

We celebrated Christmas with all of our families. Blessed…

transformission’s top 20 albums of ‘08: #16 – honeysuckle weeks by the submarines

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: relevintage
• Date: Dec 20,2008

A (mostly) sunny blast of eclectic soundscapes, Honeysuckle Weeks is a record of love and happiness that actually leaves you as content as its subject matter, a giddy (rather than guilty) pleasure of dizzying pop noise. – Prefix Mag

…there will always be a place for well-written songs, cleanly-produced, tightly-arranged, and enthusiastically performed. The Submarines’ singles are peppy and catchy, while their more adventurous songs avoid the potholes of conventional ballads and veer off towards dub and folk. – PopMatters

…what makes Honeysuckle Weeks sound so tamely content is also what makes it so refreshingly new. Nothing like the manufactured innocence of so many pop bands, which can only exist as a contrast to stultifying darkness and broken perspectives, the Submarines seem to be operating in a vacuum of inverted limitations. The album is a surprise for it. – cokemachineglow

scattering the gathering

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: Christianity, church, community, evangelism, Gospel, incarnational, missio Dei, missional church, missional living, relationships, relevintage, social justice
• Date: Dec 17,2008

Bob Hyatt, lead pastor of Evergreen Community in Portland, has quite possibly synthesized the ethos, motivation, and vocation of the missional church in his entry, “Sentness and Alongsideness: Missionality 101,” better than anyone I’ve seen. It’s so good, I had to reprint it here in its entirety:

“God sent His Son into the world, not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him.” -John 3:17

“Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world.” -Jesus praying in John 17:18

For us, everything begins and ends with the person of Jesus- the Sent One who then sends us.

Our fundamental identity as a community is not only gathered, but sent. Gathering is a necessary prelude to being sent. Why did Jesus spend so much time with the disciples prior to sending them? To teach and equip them. To change them and to prepare them. It’s in the context of being gathered around the person of Jesus, of leaning into and learning from Him together that we are changed, sharpened, refined and made ready… The problem with the whole church thing is, we rarely seem to get past the gathered part.

At the end of the day (that’s for you Dustin), the whole purpose of Evergreen is not to gather on Sundays in a pub. We come together to do that which we can’t do as individuals (worship together, pray together, be in community), but our purpose as community is not just coming together- it’s going. A community following the Sent One is by definition a sent community. We say we are a “missional community” and that means we are a “missionary” community. A people who follow the God who left- who left comfort and privilege and went to live among those whom He wished to love and save.

“So the Word became human and lived among us…”John 1:14

Of course, there’s more than a sentness to Jesus. There’s an alongsideness as well. In other words, Immanuel, God With Us, came to be with us. Not against us. Not over us. But with us.

But for too much of the Church, the countercultural claims of the Gospel get lost in a people who don’t see the alongsideness of Jesus, who don’t follow His incarnational and serving example, and who then don’t see the power of the Gospel working itself out in their communities in the way they dream of it doing so.

The real power of the countercultural Gospel is found when it comes from along side, from someone who is with someone else and speaking out of a friendship, not the adversarial relationship (or worse, the unconcerned, practical apathy towards those around us) we in the Church too often cultivate.
Until we see our primary identity wrapped up in sentness AND in alongsideness, we may be countercultural, but we’ll just be speaking to ourselves.

When we truly grasp who Jesus was and what He did, it propels us out into mission and it changes how we live as a people structure our community. In that order. (This is something we’ll talk about over the next couple of weeks…)

And more: it’s in holding up the person of Jesus and following Him in mission that we find our meaning- as individuals and as a community. And that purposeful, meaning-filled, Christ-centered communal life is about the most attractive thing a church community could ever do.

A little harder to propose to the “Evangelism Committee,” but infinitely more effective and satisfying…

extract’d

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: relevintage
• Date: Dec 14,2008

…what goes by the name “middle-class” involves a preoccupation with safety and security developed mostly in pursuit of what seems to be best for our children. And this is understandable as long as it does not become obsessive. But when these impulses of middle-class culture fuse with consumerism, as they most often do, we can add the obsession with comfort and convenience to the list. And that is not a good mix – at least as far as the gospel and missional church are concerned.

-Alan Hirsch, as quoted in The Forgotten Ways: Reactivating the Missional Church

Picture by: brunorepublic