Can Mega Churches be Missional?

In a few weeks NTS will host a group of pastors who pastor churches of more than 1,000 per week in worship. Part of the conversations that we will be having together and which I will be leading is related to the changing nature of mission involvement particularly in large churches that are forming long term partnerships. There has been considerable discussion in recent years as to whether a mega church can actually be missional in nature. Over the next few weeks leading up to these meetings on October 10-11th, I will be posting resources on this blog related to an interesting emerging phenomenon in which mega churches particularly have a connectional nature within the congregation which leads to new patterns of mission engagement. I am posting the following video as a lead off piece for this discussion since it brings the argument related to mega churches and missional to the forefront.

Ed Stetzer & Dave Fitch - a missional conversation Part II from Medri Kinnon Productions on Vimeo.

I Come From Everywhere

People who decide to become lifelong, career missionaries or to spend long periods of time in a new culture because of their business often have children who accompany them. As those children grow up, many times in a variety of cultures they often become global citizens whose view of the world is shaped by their experiences. While there is a real danger to stereotype third culture kids since they grow up in vastly differing circumstances and since they are unique persons, one of the common traits of many people who grow up in a variety of contexts is a feeling of connection to the world, but a struggle to find a sense of belonging. The following is an interesting video clip which gives this perspective of adult third culture kids.

Advice (part 3)

DW: As I think about issues which all of you as well as Paul Orjala have wrestled with as Nazarene missiologists, I am amazed that in the 1970’s and 1980’s you were often ahead of your time in addressing issues which did not follow the trends of the church, but which pushed the thinking of the church forward into the mission of God. As a point of wise advice to younger missiologists, what would you consider to be the most pressing or important issues that missiologists today should be looking at?

FC: Item one. Listen. If you do not have the ability to listen, you will not be a good missiologist. Listen to the world. Listen to national leaders. Listen to learn the subtleties of culture and life. Listen to the church. Listen to your heart.
I really do believe that one can read books, theorize about great issues, debate fine points. All that is well and good. But without listening, you can't develop the real context for that information to be of much use.
Item two. Don't expect to be listened to. Church bureaucrats tend to get caught up in their own world of process and detail and not listen to reasons why this or that decision may be missiologically off base. Don't let that unduly frustrate you. In time, and with persistent good heart and good faith, the truth will pop out and became plain to decision makers (at least, most of the time!)

LB: I would add that one must be incarnational in order to truly understand the culture. Having said that, however, being a good missiologist is more than understanding missions and culture, it is moving the church to engage in God's plan of the Great Commission.

FC: Item three. Stay current. It is hard to keep up with the trends, the ideas, and the rapid pace of the world. But a missiologist has to have one foot in the past and one foot in the future. Perspective is everything. Staying current is NOT adopting the latest fad or buzz word.
Item four. Remember that it is the local church that is the primary unit of the Body of Christ. Everything must flow from that, or connect to it. Missiologists cannot live in isolation in either an ivory tower or on Mount Athos.

LB: This is true

CG: Paul Orjala was one of the founders of the American Society of Missiology. During my very first year at NTS, Paul took me to an ASM meeting to hear Andrew Walls--I still have my notes from that meeting. Paul was also active in the Association of Evangelical Professors of Mission. I was at the meeting of AEPM when a letter was read from Donald McGavran suggesting that the name be changed to Evangelical Missiological Society, which was voted. I later served as an officer in both the ASM and EMS. Orjala was a model missiologist in many ways--even in more recent years some of the older members asked about him at ASM meetings. He understood both Franklin's injunction to listen, and Louie's advice to "be", not just to talk or philosophize.
Franklin also makes a good point that Church leaders may not always listen to you. He, Orjala and others had quite a time convincing the church that young people should be allowed to travel overseas! Strange as it may seem in 2011, it was a radical idea back then! But a good missiologist should always be casting a vision for the future--"possibility thinking" for the next century. When I first proposed to a group of African students that some of them should become missionaries,they could hardly wrap their minds around that. But some of the students (Wellington Obotte, Cosmas Mtowa, and others) have done just that. What's next? Could we dream of ALL General Superintendents being from nations outside the USA? Or of having only Regional Directors, with no GS's? Of GMC being located in Sao Paulo or Johannesburg? Of being able to persuade Americans to "bankroll" mission without being in control?
Finally, remember that missiology is exciting, but it is not just about theorizing. I support both Franklin and Louie in their statements reminding us that the local church is the primary unit of the body of Christ.

DW: Thank you, friends. It has been good chating with you.

CHANGE

Part 2 of porch conversation with Franklin Cook, Chuck Gailey, and Louie Bustle.

DW: Let’s talk about change. Historically there are “hinge” events, people or movements which change the course of missions. In 30 years from now, what do you think people will look back on and say were the “hinge” moment(s) in Nazarene Missions between 1965 and 2010?

FC: I have often reflected on "hinge events" but back to 1898, not to 1965. Every time I come up with a list of hinge events, or turning points, it is a bit different. Since you have given 1965 as a date, I am going to "fudge" a bit and go back to 1945, the end of World War II.
1945 to 1960 was a period of "recovery" from the War. After being unable to travel, there was a rush to deploy many new missionaries. In 1958, the BGS decided to commission 50 missionaries to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the denomination. This did not prove to be a positive decision because the quality and training of that number was not sustained, and there was no strategic plan for proper use of that number of missionaries.
1960 was the first hinge point. This was the election of George Coulter as WMDirector. He came with an entirely new point of view and had a unique ability to build morale and team esprit 'd corp. He initiated for the first time a program to actually train missionaries in a systematic way.
During this time, Dr. Paul Orjala emerged as a missiologist in the denomination, perhaps the first so trained. He was utilized for many of the early training efforts. Dr. Coulter wanted to shift from a "haphazard" approach of missionary deployment to a more professional corp of missionaries.
1964 was a hinge point. Nazarene Evangelistic Ambassadors was created which for the first time utilized college personnel under World Mission sponsorship. As odd as it now seems, then it was considered a risky innovation to put college age personnel on the field.
This program evolved in to Student Mission Corp (first called the Youth Assistance Missionary Corp) which then evolved in to Youth in Mission, and before long, short term and volunteer work became a norm, not an exception.
1972 was a hinge event. In Florida, immediately following a General Assembly, the first gathering of "national District Superintendents" was held with the World Mission Director without the presence of any missionary personnel whatsoever. This was considered revolutionary at the time because it gave World Mission direct and immediate contact with the national church without interpretation by a missionary. It represented a huge shift in thinking.
1974 and following were hinge events. The denomination declared that we would be an international community of faith. While this had been assumed by many, and while most did not really know what this meant (perhaps we still don't!), it was, at least, an official declaration. The management of this led to the development of Regions and regional offices, a process of regionalization which has elements of Federation. One can almost divide Nazarene missions into two parts, pre and post Regions.
1981 might, and I emphasize might, be considered a hinge event. In that year the General Board reorganized itself (some say not for the better) in creating a series of departments, which, in turn, filtered down to the global church. The downside was that this structure tended to silo ize the church and led to greater and greater "bureaucratic" development. During this time we became much more interested in process than in mission.
1994 is a hinge event. This was the election of Louie Bustle as WM Director. This was the first time a "field experienced" person had assumed this role. He came in with the perspective of a missionary and a regional director rather than a USA district superintendent.
But more importantly, Dr. Bustle brought with him a focus on evangelism, multiplication, and decentralization. These were all things which needed to happen to spur growth of the church and a new philosophy of missions. A side effect was to shift from a role of World Mission as being a "missionary deployment agency" to a "church development agency." The implications of this are huge.
There were, of course, other hinge events, such as the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall which changed politically the world forever and opened new vistas of opportunity for the denomination.

CG: I agree with Franklin that the arrival of George Coulter as WMDirector in 1960 was a significant event. I recall that, as a University graduate student, my impression of Nazarene missions changed from "drab and old fashioned" to "contemporary" when the first letter I received from George Coulter was on newly designed, aesthetically pleasing stationery!
But to me the really major mid-20th century "hinge event" would have to be Paul Orjala's 1964 establishment of the missionary training program at NTS. If one looks at the growth curve of global mission in the church, you can graphically see the impact of Orjala's life and teaching on missionary candidates and subsequent dramatic growth overseas. Of course, several years elapsed before the students that he had trained graduated and had completed their pastoral/practical 2-3 years of experience. His early relationship with Donald McGavran (before he landed at Fuller) catapulted the Nazarenes to the forefront of the "infinite multiplication" of churches. In fact, the very first course in church planting in North America was taught by McGavran at NTS at Orjala's invitation. So, to me, Paul Orjala's recovery of NT principles of church multiplication, and then teaching those principles to a new generation of missionaries would have to rank as the number one "hinge event".
A related, significant event of the 20th century would be the February, 1994 election of Louie Bustle as WMDirector. Bustle was the first of Orjala's students to become Director, and the impact of this fact cannot be easily overestimated. Franklin has already pointed out that Louie came to office as a "field" person with hands-on experience. His philosophy of mission has been, and is, deeply influenced by Orjala's emphasis on indigenization and multiplication.
I would agree that the 1972 meeting of District Superintendents in Miami without missionaries present was important in casting a vision for a global church, and that the development of Regions was also highly significant.
LB: Chuck is correct on Orjala. Paul brought us into a whole new concept of missions. Wyncoop exposed me to a new way to view missions but it was Paul who infected me. We have been building on Orjala’s concepts ever since.
More than anything, missions is about listening to the Spirit and dreaming together. God does the rest.

FC: Chuck has rightly pointed out the importance of Paul Orjala and the initiation of the missionary training program at NTS. As with all things, there is always something which precedes certain developments.
I arrived in the World Mission office in June of 1961 to join a very small staff totaling 7 persons. Virtually on my first day in the office Dr. Coulter came in to talk about candidates. He had assigned this responsibility to me along with several other assignments.
He wanted me to start a quarterly publication for candidates, initially called The Missionary Beam." He wanted to dig into the pre computer list of names, and I discovered there were less than 400 total contacts in the files at that time. Twelve years later we had increased this to almost 2,000 contact names with a new system of application. He wanted to start a "workshop" program for furloughing missionaries followed by an "institute" program for newly appointed missionaries.
At the same time Paul Orjala was proceeding with his doctoral studies and became the lead teacher at the workshop and later the institute. This really set the stage for the next step in his career, NTS. I was told that at the time General Superintendent Hugh C. Benner strongly opposed the notion of Paul coming to NTS on the theory that the Orjala's were needed in Haiti (which they certainly were!)
It is always interesting to trace historical lines and to see how events, even hinge events, connect.

DW: Just a side note to add to this conversation. I was thinking about the turning points for mission in the CON, and thought it was interesting that we did not talk about movement toward a grass roots led mission which began with Men in mission and the move toward sending college students in the late 60’s. The CON was one of earliest to move in this direction. Today, short-term mission is huge both in the CON and beyond. Ralph Winters has said that this is one of the most drastic mutations of missions within the past 100 years. More money is spent each year in STM than traditional missions, especially if you include the amount spent on full time missionaries whose primary or secondary role is working with Work and Witness, Youth In Mission, etc. I am in the middle of research right now related to how STM is morphing into what I call “congregational mission” in which whole congregations are engaged in a long term focus such as Bethany First in Swaziland. In a survey I conducted about 6 months ago, I found that the majority of Nazarene churches over 500 in worship or attendance have this type of partnership and that the majority of those that don’t are projecting to begin partnerships within the next five years.

I think that the move toward lay-missions was a huge turning point for us. Whether it was good or bad, is yet to be seen and depends on how we address the issue. A discussion amongst missiologists now is how we can utilize the tools of missiology to make this a positive movement for the church. A major discussion is also about how we prepare long term missionaries to be brokers between two cultures. This is just my opinion, but the greatest challenge ahead for those of us who educate as well as those of us who administrate is to find healthy patterns of “north-south” interdependent relationships in which we work together toward a common mission. Paternal relationships or sponsorships are probably the norm right now in most of these partnerships. We have to find ways to change this into healthy relationships.

LB: You may know this, but during the 60’s, leadership did not want laymen to go to the field. I remember a man from Michigan who was a builder who wanted to volunteer, but was not allowed to go. Finally Dr. Phillips told him to write to missionaries in Trinidad and to me in the Virgin Islands. He didn’t get a response from Trinadad so he came and helped me build several buildings and taught me how to build. That was one of the very first examples of Work and Witness.

FC: I had never heard the Michigan builder story that Louie refers to here.
Dr. Phillips may have halted this, but I remember a time, when volunteer college kids had caused some difficulties and the missionaries there were raising a ruckus about it, he defended the program and the concept and in essence saved the idea.
I would say that it was a compliment to Louie that Phillips wrote him about this builder and reveals a great deal of trust that already developed with Louie and Ellen to "handle" the situation.
Interesting to know how these things develop.

CG: Volunteerism has been a very significant event in the CON. Work and Witness began as "Men in Mission" under Paul Gamertsfelder (Central Ohio). He asked several times to take men to the field, but E.S. Phillips denied the request. Men were allowed to vote in the NWMS as early as 1952, but it was not until Jan. 15-25, 1974 that Gamertsfelder was allowed to take a group of men to Panama. He had asked to take a group previously, but was denied by E.S. Phillips. However, in 1972 Gamertsfelder became the first man to be elected to the general NWMS Council, and I believe that gave him the necessary "clout" to get permission for the trip. I have documented these origins, as well as the beginning of Mission Corps (NIVS) in an ANSR paper which I gave in 2002--you can find it on the CON website (Click on ANSR in the CON A-Z Directory, then click on Documents by Date, then "2002" and Gailey). I also briefly outline in the paper how NIVS developed out of W and W. Paul Gamertsfelder is still living, and I was privileged to speak at his retirement dinner from the Central Ohio NMI Council a couple of years ago.
As far as a major "turning point", I think it depends on the perspective as to whether or not we are talking about the growth of the church overseas. I think the reason why none of us mentioned this volunteerism is because, as you say, David, most of these partnerships have been paternal in nature, and thus not directly related to the seismic change in CON growth. Winter was right is saying that volunteerism has been "one of the most drastic mutations of missions", but many missiologists question the immediate benefit of such a mutation to the local churches overseas. Franklin has reminded us that all that we do should center on the local church. Of course, these volunteer efforts do inspire and benefit the sending churches, so it can be argued that they indirectly benefit WM. If, as you say, we could turn more of these volunteer encounters into "healthy relationships" that would be a boon.

DW: In relation to your last statements, Chuck, I think this reflects a changing perception of missions that really began during the 60’s and 70’s and which has taken force in the past 5-10 years. My opinion is that there is a major turning point not only in the U.S. but globally in which mission is not limited to the “professionals”, but a turn toward mission being the nature of the church which engages the whole church in the whole mission, and which includes those who are long term missionaries. I saw this when we lived in South American and again this past year in Africa.

FC: The references Chuck makes to the role of Paul Gamertsfelder are certainly correct. He was really the godfather of the whole notion of men getting actively involved as volunteers in mission(s).
I am wondering if Dr. Phillips was hesitant in putting the brakes on laymen going to the field in groups, vs. ministers or elders. He had a clear distinction in his mind between clergy/lay in the local church and talked to me often about the fact that "clergy need to be in control." Sometime along in the early 70"s or late 60's I facilitated a large group of pastors from Colorado going to Panama and Dr. Phillips was fully in support of this venture. So, I am wondering if the issue for him was the clergy/lay issue.
One other little antidote on "men in missions." I was a very young page at the 1952 General Assembly when the resolution to include men in NWMS came up. Dr. E. O. Chalfant (Chicago Central DS) got up and made a speech against including men. The tide was about to have the resolution defeated when Louise Robinson Chapman came to the platform and made an impassioned speech in favor of including men in the organization. And that was the end of the debate. She carried a very big stick. It passed.

DW: This is a fascinating conversation. I am interested in the paradigm shift of missions from above to missions from below. This is a move away from strategies which we develop from the leadership of mission that opens the possibilities and the finances for mission to expand to a more organic approach which begins in the local churches. Louie and I saw this at the conference in South Africa as leaders from the whole region were pushing toward a move that would engage the whole 500,000+ Nazarenes of Africa in mission instead of just a select few. We are also seeing this from the U.S. and other areas. This is huge! It represents a major paradigm shift that hasn’t been orchestrated, but is just happening. The needed strategy from above will be to find ways to engage this movement in biblical theological ways to avoid folk theologies and repeated paternalistic patterns. (My opinion is that the best strategy will be an integrated strategy which networks long term missionaries, leadership, local churches and resources beyond the church. )
The Church of the Nazarene was ahead of other denominations in engaging lay people in mission in the 60’s, and my thoughts are that this has opened the door for what we are currently seeing, at least from the U.S.

I would like to pick up on this topic in a few weeks to look at current changes in mission which will affect how the church engages in mission in the present and near future.

Missionaries

This week’s porch conversation is with three friends who have been a part of some of most formative and changing years for Nazarene missions. Along with the late Dr. Paul Orjala, and perhaps H.F. Reynolds, these men represent some of the most strategic and missiological thinkers in the Church of the Nazarene. It is no exaggeration to say that the current health and vitality of the Church of the Nazarene beyond the U.S. is largely due to the vision that God has placed in these three. It is an honor to have these gentlemen join me for this conversation.

Dr. Louie Bustle is the current Director of Global Mission and has served as South America Regional Director as well as missionary. Dr. Franklin Cook has served as the Regional Director for the Eurasia Region, Editor of the official Nazarene publication, Holiness Today, missiology professor at NTS and a multitude of consulting and leadership roles. Dr. Charles Gailey has served as a missionary in Swaziland as well as professor of missiology at Nazarene Theological Seminary and author of texts related to missiology.

DW: Let me begin by thanking you for accepting my invitation to participate in this conversation. You are good friends as well as leaders who love and respect the church and yet think creatively about God’s mission and the church.
As a beginning point, let’s talk about missionaries. Without doubt, missionaries have always worked within the framework of society in which they were brought up and there have been times when missionaries have been colonialistic and have not made the most positive impact. In my opinion, the real story, however, is about missionaries who have been incarnational and who have invested their lives, including their family and their careers to follow the call of God. Can you talk about this a little?

FC: My experience with missionaries began at the age of 10 months. My parents, missionaries to India, were my primary examples of what missionary life was like, and many of my later ideas have roots in what I saw, and experienced, during a time of the British Raj in India.

My first reflective observation is that the majority of missionaries were incarnational and for the most part, lived out their work according to their understanding of the message of the Gospel in a primarily non-Christian environment. True, some may have had colonialistic ideas, and without doubt many errors were made in judgement. However, one can only understand and analyze these in retrospect. At the time, the actions taken and the decisions made were considered ethical, proper, and Christ-like.

My second observation is that missionaries are creatures of their times and generation. The missionaries of the immediate pre and post World War II era were very much so, as indeed are the missionaries of today. I later realized that missionaries also carry with them "cultural baggage." In India, as a child, we had missionaries from many places, Scotland, England, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Massachusetts, Oregon, and elsewhere. At the time, they all seemed to blend together in my childish mind. I now realize that in fact each brought with them a different strand of the fabric. It is the composite of the whole that established the Church of the Nazarene in India, rather than the ideas of any one nation, or region, or area, becoming the sole standard.

My third observation is that missionaries were at the time long-termers. They left their home areas and families, many with no expectation they would ever return to their homes. If circumstances were good, a seven, even a nine year term was the norm. This was later reduced to five, then four. Missionaries went expecting to spend a life time in one area, with one primary language and cultural target group to learn. Life tended not to be mobile but stationery. In fact, the mission was called the "mission station" (an oxymoron if ever there was one).
My fourth observation is that some missionaries had an instinctive ability to relate to the issue of building relationships with indigenous persons, and thus to a developing indigenous church. Others did not. They did not fit, did not feel comfortable, did not adapt. God chose to build His church, sometimes in spite of rather than because of.
Finally, as an MK (missionary kid) I feel fortunate to have been able to experience and observe (and later analyze) the entire missionary experience. It has been almost all positive.

CG: Good missionaries have usually been knowledgeable amateur anthropologists. They learn the language and study the culture of the people where God (and the church) has placed them. They couple this knowledge with a strong devotion to Christ and commitment to His call, which enables them to become effective missionaries. A good example from the earliest days of Nazarene missionary endeavors is Harmon Schmelzenbach and his wife, Lula. They studied the language so earnestly and intensively that Harmon nearly had a breakdown. They learned the culture so thoroughly that, after buying the farmhouse, they did not live in it (as colonialists would have), but rather made repeated attempts (and long journeys) to ask the reigning Queen Mother for permission to do so. This resulted in them having to live in the wagon for a year or so (and, after the arrival of Miss Innis, Harmon slept under the wagon!) so as not to offend the cultural leaders. No wonder that the current government of Swaziland is considering making Harmon's "prayer rock" a national monument. Harmon and Lula were incarnational missionaries. They did it right.

Of course, "doing it right" does not guarantee immediate results. The Schmelzenbachs labored for three years before the first two persons (mother and daughter) accepted Christ. I interviewed the daughter before her death--she explained that the Schmelzenbachs high standards of holy living had influenced her mother to come to the Schmelzenbachs and say, "I choose Christ". Harmon and Lula were incarnational missionaries who established a strong foundation for the Church in Africa--today there are over half a million members!

365m students (part 2)

The following is the second half of the conversation with the students who are in Brazil, Croatia and Northern Ireland.

DW: In what ways will this year in Ireland/Brazil/Croatia play a role in what you do in the future?

CROATIA: It will inform the way we approach, interact and live within the world. There is a broader perspective of life informed by being able to live outside of a context familiar to you enabling you to be more of a world citizen.

IRELAND: God has placed me in multiple situations where he continues to draw me into cross-cultural ministry. I do not know exactly but I would love to live and serve overseas, this year has further confirmed this in my life.

BRAZIL: Over the last couple of weeks we've randomly talked to each other about how cross-cultural experience have a transformative aspect. These transformations sometimes aren't evident to you until weeks or months after you have returned to your 'home' context. Incarnational living is about intentionally allowing God to transform every area of your life to look like Christ's. Just as we have chosen to live and learn in this Brazilian context, we've chosen to continue to pursue the incarnational lifestyle that is guided by the Holy Spirit not matter our future circumstances. Our future will be forever formed by what we have experienced and learned during this program.

DW: What advice would you give to new students who will be starting their 365m year in just a couple of months?

CROATIA: Be open. God and His Spirit move in ways beyond anything you can imagine so be open to that. Rather than setting a lot of goals and things to achieve make sure you balance it with letting yourself learn as new things open up to you and through means you weren’t expecting.
Be patient. Learn with graciousness in the hard times and thankfulness and praise in the great times. There are a lot of both, but they work together to produce valuable lessons and growth.

IRELAND: Go with an open mind. Nothing will work out perfectly but something better will happen. GOD will reveal himself to you more fully as you allow the situations of life to come at you, REMEMBER you NEED an open mind. Let yourself be surprised!

BRAZIL: Here are some of the quick things that come to our mind, and are in no particular order:

- Stay open, in other words be flexible!

- Be adaptable! I (Liliana) remember the first couple of weeks being here and being frantic about not having a full schedule. I’m very thankful for Scott who always lovingly reminded me about adaptable by saying, “It’s just fine Liliana, we don’t have to know everything about what’s going on. It’s okay.”

- Which brings us to another important reminder, don’t have your own agenda! Yes, having a general direction in which you are going is great, but ultimately everything you're taking part of now is originally on God's agenda, so let the Holy Spirit FLOW!

- Don’t be scared of people; just because they look and speak differently doesn't mean they are out to get you!

- So that leads us to the next reminder: try your best to separate from your group and interact with others, even if you can’t communicate directly - who else better than native speakers to help you improve in your pronunciation! After being here for 9 months people are so happy to know that we can communicate with them! It makes a real difference with building relationships!

- Pray, read the Scripture, fast and then keep doing it some more!

- Don't be afraid to openly share about everything that you are feeling, going through, experiences, etc. with your teammates. You're on the journey together - there's no need to feel lonely when God has provisioned support!

Front Porch Conversation with 365m students (part 1)

This week’s porch conversation is with three groups of NTS students who have spent this year in an innovative new program at NTS called 365m. The Brazil cohort includes Liliana Reza and Scott Brubaker. The Ireland cohort is Hannah Beers and Dustin Wine, and the Croatia cohort includes Jerry Romasco, Hope Brock, Emily Humble, and Brittany Argabright. It is a great honor for me to work with such a great group of leaders.

DW: You have now been in 365m for 10 months and are soon to return to NTS for the summer module courses to wrap up your year of learning in context. This is a new aspect of learning for us at NTS. Tell me how this learning experience has been unique for you.

BRAZIL: Living with people of another culture as you are learning changes everything. 365M is not just another ministry experience it has been an invitation to mold my perspective and lifestyle into that of Christ's. It's more than putting theories into practice, it's coming to fully grasp and experience today's realities alongside God's people." - Liliana Reza "365M has been a life awakening and completely transformative learning experience. 365M took me beyond statistics and theories. It put names and faces to real life stories of brothers and sisters.... When will you ever have the opportunity in the classroom to participate with the church in after-school programs in Sao Paulo, community outreach in the favelas of Rio and make home visits to the river communities in the Amazon or work with evangelism groups in the dry lands of the Brazilian Northeast?" - Scott Brubaker

IRELAND: Learning in another culture brings to light certain issues or situations that are limited in our parent culture, we don't necessarily see as clearly as we could because we know what is going on. I think learning with people who see the world from a different angle is a valuable lesson. We are all different and see the world/ministry/life in a unique way.

CROATIA: 365M has been unique from other means of learning because it has moved us beyond theory. Other times we study, think and create thoughts based upon our ideas and revelations but often far removed from the actual situations. Here, we are no longer in theory. The situations, lessons, ideas are a result of being here and what is happening in our actual lives.

DW: How has this year affected you spiritually?

CROATIA: Each of us have experienced so much spiritually. There has been everything from moments of questioning God and crying out to him to drawing closer and experiencing incredible growth. We have felt God stretch us as individuals and as a community. We have learned how to experience faith in deeper ways and in a different context.

BRAZIL: We have come to experience and understand the sovereignty of our God. We could see the Lords care even through all the unexpected changes that we went through; His faithfulness was always right on time. God provided a community, encouragement, but above all the Holy Spirit. Pastor Manuel and Lidia Lima really stretched and reminded us what it means to live by the Spirit. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful, encouraging and devoted example of incarnational living than them. With Pastor Manuel we went to visit a city on the Amazon River named Paritins. One day we headed out to do evangelism work in the neighboring river communities with some members of the local Nazarene church. Pastor Manuel kept reminding us that the Holy Spirit was not only with us, but was also guiding. He shared with us a Scripture passage from Acts 16: 4-10 that weekend. That scripture became alive in everything that was done and said. God was leading. We wish we had more time to explain, but we will have to share that story another time. As we reflect on our time here; the testimonies, meals and experiences shared with the people of Brazil, we have learned about the loving urgency of relying on the Holy Spirit that we should always have as imitators of Christ.

IRELAND: Well think about a blender, then place everything you believe it in and the ways God desires to stretch you then hit full blast. I feel like God has challenged me to grow and to trust him in more ways than I could imagine. At first I thought it was going to be easy because God and I were doing great but as the year has progressed I realize that God desires more of me. He wants me to be reliant on him and him alone, he wants to share in my life, he wants to direct my ministry and most of all he wants to be center of my life. So, all I can do is trust him.

In a few days I will post the second part of this interview. For more information about 365m go to www.nts.edu/365m

THE PORCH

I live in an old part of Kansas City where most of the houses still have large front porches. In the summer it’s nice to walk around the neighborhood and hear people visiting with friends on the porch, or playing guitars and enjoying the evening. One time I even heard someone practicing bagpipes on their porch.

At our house, the porch is a great place to sit and delve into all kinds of conversations as we rock back and forth and sip on a cold drink.
During the summer months of June, July and August, I will be having several “summer porch conversations” with friends that I have invited to chat with me on my blog. I would invite you to join me and some friends for some good conversation during the the upcoming weeks on the front porch.

Value

My mom passed away just a couple of weeks ago. Since my dad passed away about three years ago, my siblings and I are now left with the task of going through their belongings and deciding what to do with them. My mom and dad lived a simple lifestyle so the things we are going through aren't the type of things that have large monetary value. As a matter of fact for anyone other than our family, most of the things are worn out and have very little value. One of those items is a huge family bible which sat on their coffee table and which is losing it's cover. The value of this Bible is huge for us. I can remember going through the pictures, which were my favorite parts when I was little and my mom explaining the pictures to us. I also remember family devotions and, especially at Christmas when we put a lighted candle on each side of the bible and we would read the Christmas story from Luke and then we would take turns praying. More than the words and pictures was the faith of my parents on which they staked their lives and which gave their lives a central direction. For this reason, the family Bible had incredible value.

The following is a fascinating clip of a group of people who receive the Bible in their language for the first time. Valuable? You decide...

The Kimyal People Receive the New Testament from UFM Worldwide on Vimeo.

Conferences and Congregational Mission

This week is a week of conferences. Tomorrow I leave for the M11 conference in Louisville, KY. http://www.ncnnews.org/nphweb/html/ncn/printerFriendly.jsp?id=10009886&sid=10000023 On Wednesday there will be a series of presentations and workshops related to the missional church. Missiologist, Craig VanGelder will be the lead presenter, and I will have one of the presentations after him. My presentation will be about the global changes which are moving us toward a paradigm change in missions which is congregation based more than denominationally based. As a part of this workshop I will present research that I have recently done in the Church of the Nazarene which demonstrates a shift in U.S. congregations which are embracing long term partnerships with congregations in other countries. In many ways this shift presents a need to rethink how we look at missions, but it also presents a sense of renewal for the denomination. If you will be at M11 I would love to have you join the discussion on Wednesday afternoon.

On Saturday, I will be in Chicago at the EMS (Evangelical Mission Society) where I will present a similar paper which deals with the bodies of literature which contribute to understanding congregational mission as a new paradigm in missions.

The Audacious Hope of the Resurrection

February 17, 2011

Tomorrow we will say “goodbye” to my mom. On Valentine’s Day, our family gathered around her bed in the emergency room of Saint Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City. In the same way that she comforted us when we were little, we kissed her forehead, held her hands, rubbed her feet and sang to her as we said “goodbye”. Something seems wrong about even having the word “good” in Goodbye. I remember when we were missionaries and when we had to say “goodbye” to my mom and dad as we left their house to return to the field. Mamma and Daddy would be standing at their front door, holding one another and crying as we pulled away with grandkids that they would not see for another two years. Now I feel that we are left holding one another crying as mamma pulls away.

It is nearly unbearable to say this “goodbye”. Even at times when I may have thought that no one in the world believed in me or loved me, I always knew that my mom believed in me and loved me, not because of anything I could do or certainly not because I believed or valued the exact things she did, but she just loved me and believed in me.

So, tomorrow we will lay my mom to rest beside my dad at Rest Haven Cemetery with graves facing to the east, awaiting the day of the resurrection when the resurrected Christ for whom they lived and whom they longed to see face to face, will incredibly call them from the grave just as he called Lazarus and just as he will call me as well.

“Thanks be to father of compassion and the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our troubles” – 1 Cor. 1.

Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World

The following clip is a video expression of a paper presented by Christopher Wright related to the 2010 Lausanne Congress:

The Global Conversation - Intro October 2009 from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

Whole Gospel, Whole Church, Whole World

If you are interested in the full document on Congregational Mission with bibliography, please give me your email and I will send it to you as an attachment.

Congregational Mission In Context (Part 3)

1. EPISTEMELOGICAL SHIFTS

Congregational mission thrives within a changing epistemological framework in how we think of the church and how we think about location. Seminal work which describes this shift in postmodern culture was done by Paul Hiebert (1994, 1999) who described epistemological shifts in terms of bounded and centered sets. Hiebert describes a bounded set, as a grouping with well defined bounds. A centered set groups things on the basis of how they relate to other things. For the sake of this study, a congregation that is defined by location could be defined in terms of a bounded set. Missions defined by structure or agency could also be thought of as a bounded set. A bounded set framework would be a focus on church membership, or affiliation with a mission organization or a denomination which has location and structure. The societal shift, however, that is defined, not according to identity with a singular organization, but rather a common purpose, could be defined in terms of what Hiebert calls a centered set since the church would be defined by its center, the Triune God of Scripture. The trouble with the former, writes Hiebert, is that this may become too exacting and exclusive, while an advantage of the latter is that Jesus Christ becomes the focus of all that the Church is and does.

Although the popularity of congregational mission has come into focus primarily in the past ten years, the social and global shifts which foster an environment conducive to such a pervasive phenomenon have been in formation for much longer. Robert Wuthnow gives a sociological interpretation out of extensive research related to the changing epistemology in his book After Heaven: Spirituality in America since the 1950s. (1998). Wuthnow’s finding is that since the 1950s, Americans have shifted in their expression of spirituality from a focus on dwelling to a focus on seeking. According to Wuthnow, in the past, people primarily identified their faith by membership in a church that had a specific location. Because of social economic shifts, however, this general perception has changed somewhat. An example of this shift is that people produce less durable goods, and to a larger degree they produce a network of communication, or serve as brokers of goods or information. This shift from a focus on dwelling to a focus on seeking or networking is seen in how people perceive institutions. The older pattern, according to Wuthnow (8), was tightly bounded and hierarchical. Institutions were literally the building blocks of society. The newer pattern, however, emphasizes looser connections, diversity, and negotiation; practical activity takes precedence over organizational positions. Sociologist Robert Putnam makes a similar observation in his seminal book Bowling Alone (2000). Putnam describes the social shift in the United States away from membership in social organizations and away from what he describes as physical capital.

There is little doubt that many U.S. churches are making an epistemological shift away from the bounded sets of church as building and structure and toward a centered set which is relational and networking oriented. Although congregational mission is tied to the local church, it is the networking and relational aspects of the church and not the structure or theological identity that motivates them to volunteer and engage in mission. This ecclesiology driven by a desire for a common mission and/or relationship is crucial for understanding why there is such a large scale movement of congregations interested in mission that is relation and network based rather than mission that is top-down organization or structure based. A common thread found in research of the past 2-3 years is the strong emphasis on relationship networking which is a vital aspect of congregational mission as well as short-term mission (Bakker 2010, K.Priest 2009, Mickler 2010, Putnam 2010, Offutt 2009). The research in these studies also demonstrate a relational aspect through their ethnographic methodology.

Stephen W. Offutt’s 2009 PhD Dissertation focuses on El Salvador and South Africa networking. This ethnographic study, similar to C.M.Brown’s earlier dissertation (2007), included interviews of individuals on both sides of partnerships through 119 interviews with national pastors, and which also has a strong emphasis on the changing trends in evangelical congregations which are becoming more engaged in religious networks and what Offutt calls “the practice of moral entrepreneurship”. Offutt’s dissertation, unlike others focused primarily on two non-U.S. locations and explores the central role that symbols and networks have in the expanding and changing nature of “Southern evangelical communities”.

Steve Mickler’s 2010 PhD dissertation is primarily a qualitative ethnographic study of the affects that financial support from a Baptist Congregation in San Angelo, Texas has on three strategic partnerships in South Africa, Mozambique and Guatemala. Mickler conducted ninety-three ethnographic interviews and also includes considerable historical study of the giving trends of the congretation. Mickler’s dissertation maintains an ongoing tension between the assertions of Robertson McQuilken and others who propose that U.S. giving such as that in the congregational systems followed by Mickler will create paternalism and unhealthy dependencies on one side of the tension. On the other side of the tension, is the thesis of Robert Wuthnow, who argues for interdependent and relation based missions in contrast to the arguments of Philip Jenkins and others who propose an independent Christianity. Following both sides of this tension, Mickler points out that there are some very positive aspects of this partnership for both the U.S. congregation as well as the non-U.S. partners. He also points out that there are some signs of dependency and unhealthy relationships. In the balance of all of this, however, Mickler states “it seems clear from this research that the communities being server are indeed being helped far more than they are being hurt” (188) and in quoting Wuthnow (2010: 244), Mickler states that the local church partners also seem to be finding answers to Wuthnow’s question of “how to appropriately structure relationships between parties that differs in resources and power”.

An interesting approach to the question of power ,relationships and networking in short-term mission is the 2009 dissertation of Kersten Bayt Priest which works to “locate gender within STM…(109)” by following the ethnographic methodology described by George Marcus (1995) by first “following the people”, which in this thesis were women who engaged in short-term mission. This is a methodology of “following the people” is a methodology used in all of the ethnographic based dissertations that I encountered (Bakker 2010,Brown 2007, Mickler 2010, Priest 2010). Although Priest’s dissertation didn’t explicitly focus on the issue of congregation to congregation partnerships, her work has a contribution to make to this specific area of study since it is in dialog with much of the same literature of pilgrimage, tourism, short-term mission and congregational which contribute to congregation to congregation partnership studies. A consistent theme which is repeated in the interviews of Priest is that of relationships which are both bonding relationships within the women in the short-term mission groups, relationships with individuals in the location to where they travel, as well as relationships that the women utilize through their brokering for resources. In her analysis of the relationship between sacred pilgrimage and STM travel, Priest makes the interesting observation that unlike sacred pilgrimage, STM’s goal is not the geographical location, or even the journey, but rather the “perception that distant needy people are their destination. And within the span of a short-trip, those needy people are connected with and considered to be ‘family’” (185). This is a crucial component of relationship is included in other studies done on congregation to congregation partnerships (Brown 2007, Mickler 2010, Bakker 2010), and the common factor in these studies is that the desire for an authentic partnership is desired although difficult to achieve due to the complexities of financial and social distances between the congregations or groups. I noted earlier that Steve Mickler states that local church partnerships seem to be finding answers to Wuthnow’s question of “how to appropriately structure relationships between parties that differs in resources and power”. Janel Bakker’s dissertation research (Bakker 2010) is also optimistic that these type of “sister”partnerships break down many of these barriers. Kerten Bayt Priest’s research reflects this breaking down of barriers through women being the protagonists of STM endeavors. Priest describes how women who went on the trips find freedom to assume leadership roles that were not possible in their U.S. congregations. She also describes how this opened doors for women in the locations to where they traveled which would not have been possible with a gender mixed group. This finding is further supported by Robert Wuthnow (2010) who describes his findings that the social networks, such as women’s groups, or other networking formed within a congregation, resulted in greater relational networking through volunteerism beyond the congregation.

A recent dissertation which approaches a unique aspect of partnerships and which also reflects optimistic findings is Janel Kragt Bakker’s 2010 PhD (Bakker 2010) dissertation which is an ethnographic case study of twelve congregations involved in sister church relationships. Bakker focuses her study on the leaders and congregants who represent the North American partners and does not study the “Global Southerners”. The congregations which Bakker studied were chosen to cover a spectrum of theological and polity traditions. The study includes three Roman Catholic, three Presbyterian, three Anglican and three Baptist. Bakker states that “beyond the common quest for kinship with another community of faith in a distant locale, the stories of these twelve churches involved in sister church relationships vary greatly.”(153) Bakker makes the thesis that the current changing global dynamics give way to a changing paradigm in mission that is relationship based more than program based and instead of the northern and southern Christianity becoming more and more separated, she proposes that “companion congregation”, “twinning”, or “sister church” relationships present the potential for blurring the lines between donor and recipient which has often been a stumbling block to mission relationships between Christians from differing socio economic systems. Bakker’s dissertation also gives an extensive historical framework of mission practices and the theological as well as social influences which facilitated various movements including the more recent tensions between what has been referred to as “managerial mission” or the church growth movement, missional church, short-term mission and sister congregations.

Similar to the dissertation of Steve Mickler (Mickler 2010), Janel Kragt Bakker explores the challenges of patronage and exploitation evident in these types of relationships which need to be addressed. Her final analysis, however, is the same as Mickler’s (as well as Priest and Brown) that the potential and positive aspect found in these relationships far outweigh the challenges. Each of these ethnographic studies gives examples of relationships which were mutually beneficial through the partnerships formed. In one example of Bakker from an ethnographic case study of Trinity, an Anglican congregation partnering with Saint James in Haiti: “Respondents from Trinity unanimously argued that Saint James has made the greater contribution to the relationship, even though money flows in the opposite direction. Saint James’ intercessory prayer team—fifty persons strong—has been praying for Trinity daily for the past five years” (131).

Bakker answers some of the same issues raised in the research of Mickler related to possible challenges in partnerships. She makes the point that this new mission paradigm actually presents resolution to many of these challenges which are evident in colonialistic and program driven models instead of relational models.
The twelve ethnographic studies draw from congregational literature, and especially the methodology of Nancy Ammerman which “focuses on the accounts, artifacts, and activities that collectively build the culture of mission in participating congregations and parishes” (Ammerman,1998).

Bakker’s findings are consistent with the centered set theory of Hiebert (1999) as well as the findings of Wuthnow (1998) that congregations, for some time have been moving away from church and mission organizations as a locality (bounded set) and toward church as a common interest in relationship or mission (centered set). Bakker found a common strand in the twelve congregations she researched which circumvent denominational or larger regional bodies in the formation or continuation of their partnership relationships. In its place was the finding that “these partnerships were formed primarily on the basis of grassroots networking rather than denominational oversight. Sister church relationships function bottom up rather than top down through the chain of religious organization.” (156).

Epistemological shifts toward networking and relationship are closely related to social theory literature. Networking between people of a common congregation has been cited as the greatest factor leading to people within a congregation networking with people in other countries, as well as people outside of the congregation to procure support for mission efforts.

Congregational Mission (Part 2)

THE CONTEXT WHICH FOSTERS CONGREGATIONAL MISSION

An examination of the literature surrounding congregational mission indicates that there are several factors which make the current global, ecclesiological and missiological context fertile ground for an emerging expression of mission such as congregational mission. The literature review follows these factors which help to understand the broader context of post modernity, society and the church in sections that I have titled “epistemological shifts”, “Social theory” and “missionary ecclesiology”. Two other factors which help to understanding the plausibility of congregational mission are large phenomenon movements which are related to the first three sections which I have titled “The growth of Christianity in the Global south” and “Short-term mission”. As illustration of these large movements, I will point to the ethnographic studies related to short-term mission and congregational mission. These large scale factors help understand why a phenomenon such as congregational mission crosses the spectrum of theological traditions (Unitarians, Presbyterians, Baptists, Nazarenes, Catholic, etc.) which are experiencing and responding to this movement.

Congregational Mission in Context (Part 1)

By David Wesley

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Cor.3:18


INTRODUCTION

In his book, The missional church and denominations (2008), Craig Van Gelder points out that renewal will not come from strategies to help denominations and congregations to be more effective through an emphasis on polity. The key to renewal, according to Van Gelder, however, is a focus on ecclesiology in which the church realizes its true mission identity. The focus of this paper is to explore the elements of our current context which provide an opportunity for the body of Christ to realize her mission identity as she reflects the glory of God.

Christians live in a rapidly changing global context; one marked by globalization, by a burgeoning Christian population in areas previously considered missionary areas, and by postmodern shifts in epistemology. It is not surprising that new expressions of Christian mission are emerging. This paper surveys the contemporary research and supporting literature describing current, global factors that contribute to relationally focused grass root expressions of mission such as congregational mission.The paper also explores why congregational mission provides a plausible expression of mission, one which spans theological traditions, and one that offers a sense of renewal for churches particularly in the U.S. or areas formerly considered to be “Christendom”.

Ted Lewellen’s landmark book, Anthropology of Globalization, begins with the following quotation from Stanley Barrett:

“Human society is in the process of being transformed to a degree possibly not seen since the industrial Revolution. The process can be summed up by the term globalization.” (Barrett, 1999:258)

The quote provides a glimpse into the thesis of Lewellen’s book as well as a widespread sentiment in literature of a variety of genres within the past ten years. Many theorists embrace a prevalent perception that the fluidity and movement of our changing global environment facilitates large scale change in nearly every aspect of our contemporary society. Many such statements can be accounted as hyperbole, assertions spurred on by the turn of the century, or by the trendiness of change itself. One should not be surprised, however, that global changes affect paradigms for mission expansion and development. In view of the epistemological, financial and structural shifts in our society, theorists need to engage in thoughtful research on the implications of globalization and related changes have on Christian mission. However, reversing the approach by beginning with research on the impact that Christian mission has on our changing global society may offer a different, and perhaps better, approach. As observed above, researchers may find difficulty separating false impressions within the complexities of globalization and rely upon those as direction for mission. Particular expressions of Christian mission, such as congregational efforts in mission, on the other hand, may yield stronger insights into examples of how Gods mission is addressing context.

Congregational mission often reflects a desire to attend to the results of societal brokenness such as orphanages, human trafficking relief, and aids relief through specific partnerships between two congregations in different global settings. In his book Most like an Arch, David Keyes gives eight brief case studies of such partnerships. A DMin dissertation, and the basis for a handbook for partnerships within the Unitarian Universalist Church, the text reveals desire for pastors and congregations to be involved in transformative activities that respond to the social effects of globalization. Particularly, Lutheran and Unitarian Universalist partnerships incorporate issues of social justice, human rights and international affairs. Lamin Sanneh states that the current southern movement of Christianity is likened to the magnitude of tidal wave (Sanneh 2003). In a similar expression Keyes states that “the current paradigm shift might make the Reformation look like ripples on a pond by comparison, and that grass roots, congregation to congregation partnerships is an observable part of the flood caused by the tidal wave that is currently breaking” (Keyes, 1999:20).

Proponents of this approach are not surprised that large churches, such as Bethany First Church of the Nazarene in Bethany Oklahoma have begun a 10+ year partnership with churches and medical clinics in Swaziland. This church has not only raised considerable funds and sent numerous short-term mission teams, but members also leverage funds by networking beyond the congregation. Grant writer James Copple, works in a brokering role for the Bethany congregation to secure private and federal funds beyond the local church. He states;

I cannot emphasize enough how important the volunteer efforts of BFC (Bethany First Church) have helped to leverage resources in Swaziland. We have estimated that BFC in time, donated medical equipment (shipped containers) and actual contributions have generated about $5 million in resources. This $5 million has allowed us to access, between Coca-Cola, the CDC and USAID about $6.5 million in actual grants or contracts. Also, we are using our experience with BFC and their ten year commitment to approach the Gates Foundation with the International Center for AIDS Prevention at the Melman School of Public Health at Columbia University to launch a Treatment as Prevention initiative that could eliminate AIDS in Swaziland by the year 2040. Gates is interested. This could be $50 million initiative. The Gates people have seen the commitment of BFC and other volunteer efforts as a testimony of our seriousness to do something tangible.
Converting volunteer time into a dollar figure is always challenging but not impossible. BFC has helped us do that2.

This type of congregational mission is reflective of the large congregations which are not only giving more in mission, but they are leveraging substantial amounts of money through networking beyond the typical mission giving.

Sociologist Robert Wuthnow’s book Boundless Faith (2009) provides interesting case studies of individuals who are bridging between specific needs such as medical care with resources in the U.S. In this sense, the participants are not just participating in a trip to do volunteer work, but rather they are acting as catalysts or links. An example of this are people who are interested in organizations of international social justice that work to assist in the plight of victims of human trafficking by promoting education, fundraising as well as other organizational activities.

Issues surrounding partnerships have been a mainstay of missiological discourse (Bonk, 2010) along with the complexities of a true partnership in the face of economic inequity for many years. The difference in the current context, however, is that partnerships in a networking and “flat” world represent a facet of mission which is distinct from traditional forms of mission.

Networking and relational focused mission is moving missions away from agency or denominational centered mission toward congregationally focused mission. The result is that many mission agencies are reinventing themselves into a supporting role rather than a leading role in their constituent relations. (Bakker, 2010) “Tasks once assigned to remote bureaucracies now become part of parish life, or are located in ad hoc associations of local churches (Keyes, 1999:20)”. Congregational mission is an illustration of this restructuring. “Those intermediaries who remain relevant have shifted their strategy to empowering local congregations and supporting grassroots initiatives” (Bakker:100-101). Robert Priest states that “megachurches and their pastors are forging influential new patterns of North American congregational involvement in global mission. Their influence on mission patterns often surpasses the influence of denominational leaders, mission executives, or leading missiologists” (Priest, Wilson, Johnson, Adelle. 2010:97). This is definitely the case of the congregation in Bethany Oklahoma.

The concept of congregational mission, for the purposes of this paper does not exclude mission agencies or denominations but does take into account their changing role. Congregational mission is a shift from missions being the domain of agencies supported by congregations, and a move toward mission being the domain and focus of congregations that utilize agencies as brokers for the plans and vision of the congregation in mission. In the case of the Bethany congregation, they collaborated with the denominational mission structure in the initial steps of the partnership to establish a healthy connection with the historical and existing mission in Swaziland. As a side note, there is no indication that churches which engage in congregational mission are discontinuing support of long term missionaries. Robert Priest’s research on U.S. megachurches found that 61 percent of the congregations that they researched either agreed or strongly agreed that “Western career missionaries are strategically important at this time and should be generously supported” ( Priest,Wilson,Adelle. 2010). Likewise, the Bethany Church has not decreased their giving to the denominational mission structure, but continues to support the global mission organization. Closely linked to this phenomenon is the inclusion of short-term mission trips which are “increasingly structured in terms of congregation to congregation or sister-church relationships (Brown, 2009:211)”. These relationships are often formed over a period of 10+ years to the location of an ongoing partnership between the congregation and a focused area or sister congregation. The terminology used for congregational mission includes descriptors such as congregation to congregational mission (Brown 2007), sister congregations (Bakker 6 2010), twinning (Hefferan 2007), partnership, or the term “International Inter Congregational Relationships” (IICR) which has been employed by some to apply to all such relationships (Cosgrove, 2008). In short, I am using the term congregational mission to refer to the local congregation as the protagonist of mission through relationship with another congregation. This is also reflective of (although not limited to) those who develop a Trinitarian missionary ecclesiology in which the church itself is identified as both gathered and sent by God instead of primarily “sending” others4 (Newbigin 1995, Goheen 2000, Guder 1998, Robert 2010:10).

International Congregational Partnerships

I have recently began to research the growing phenomenon of congregations who are engaging in long term partnerships with either another congregation or an area outside of the U.S. This aspect of mission is a different way of mission involvement and represents a possible shift in mission participation and mission giving. I am projecting to look at this more closely through a study of 5-8 specific congregations which I will begin researching around July/August, 2011. As an initial step, however, I have a conducted a study within the Church of the Nazarene just to get an idea of the scope of congregational partnerships within a specific denomination. If your congregation is involved in these type of partnerships or if you have input to give me, I welcome your thoughts on this post or emails.

Click on the slide below to see the results of the survey:

Children and God's Mission

The video is called TODAY. Its a creative animation that shows how kids are playing a vital role in God's plan for the world.

A Changing Mission Paradigm

-David Wesley

The challenge for missions is not getting people to “go”. People are willing to go. The challenge in the new era of missions, according to Oscar Muriu is that we have to be willing to die. This is a drastic change from missions as I have often experienced it in Latin America or other parts of the world where we work to keep missionaries away from dangerous situations. I would agree, however, that we are in a changing global dynamic which will continue to change the nature of mission in the years to come. In an incredibly current book which was published nearly 20 years ago, South African Missiologist, David Bosch says:
“The bravest among missionary thinkers have already for some time begun to sense a new paradigm for mission was emerging. More than thirty years ago Hendrik Kraemer (1959) said that we had to recognize a crisis in mission, even an “impasse”. And yet, he said, ‘we do not stand at the end of mission’; rather, ‘we stand at the definite end of a specific period or era of mission, and the clearer we see this and accept this with all our heart, the better’. We are called to a new’pioneer task which will be more demanding and less romantic than the heroic deeds of the past missionary era.’”(Bosch 1991:8).
Bosch and well as Kraemer’s writing of 20 and 50 years ago speak directly into the current global mission environment. Instead of fanfare’s to send off and receive missionaries, instead of comfortable homes, latest gadgets, and other “North Americaness”, we are entering a paradigm in mission which is marked by ‘normal’ people who are Christians and who scatter out to work and live as Christians and who depend on local economies. These are people who live as Christian witness. The reason that they ‘go’ is primarily as a natural expression of who they are, more than a motives of “taking Christ to a dark world”. This new paradigm is marked by sacrifice and marked by authenticity which will attract others by its authenticity instead of by it’s buildings, technology or impressiveness. In many ways this new paradigm looks like the models of scripture more than the models which developed out of colonialist periods.
What I am stating and reflecting from Bosch, is not my own desire for what mission should be, but rather a reflection on what mission is becoming. In many ways, I find the authenticity of this refreshing. On the other side, I honestly find the sacrificial nature of this threatening. But then, this is God’s mission and not ours and he did say that anyone who followed Him would have to “take up His cross”.

Reconciliation

This is a powerful message from Antoine Rotayisire given this week at the Lausanne Conference in Cape Town which calls all of us to BE authentic disciples and to be a part of the formation of authentic disciples.