imagining how the church can reorient around mission

Sept 14th- 9 am-1:30 pm – Free lunch included – hit the barcode below to register

This event, hosted by the Pacific Northwest Movement (PNWM), is free and open to all Pastors and Christian leaders interested in what church planting would look like in a rapidly changing culture.

“Church planting is not an end in itself, but one aspect of the mission of God which churches are privileged to participate”

Stuart Murray

Church planting is a dynamic and purposeful endeavor that involves establishing new Christian communities within specific cultural and social contexts. There are three ideas that will prove to be very important as guiding principles for success. read more

By Kenny 

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Many of us have written about our “exercise” this past Tuesday, having gone into one of Spokane’s many neighborhoods, observing, listening, trying to sow peace, learning, and all the other things we did that day. A few of my classmates might have similar feelings, but one of the strange things for me was the newness of the experience, despite my ties to Spokane. My group visited the South Perry District, a part of Spokane’s south hill. I have grown up in Spokane, and this year has been my first “away from home.” The Perry District is somewhere that I spent an enormous amount of time in for about the last year and a half before I graduated. I had some close friends living in a rather run-down house just a few blocks away from Grant elementary school. The strangest thing for me was feeling as though there were things I ought to have known about a neighborhood I have been so close to. In that sense it did give me a kind of ache; maybe I was internalizing it too much. All the same, there was a slight feeling of irresponsibility on my part. However, much more than that, I received an overwhelming feeling of energy from it. We didn’t walk all of the neighborhood: there was simply too much ground to cover. But we were walking with intentionality. We intended to look, learn, and listen. The whole time all I could think was that I want to walk my whole city with intentionality, and see what I can discover. I was reminded that learning curves exist, and it’s okay that I was experiencing something different. I hadn’t been irresponsible, I just hadn’t been looking in the right way before. And I still won’t always look the “right way,” because it’s difficult to constantly walk with intentionality. But I have made discoveries, and part of the amazing thing about mission is the fact that we get to discover new and exciting things about cities, people, and ourselves, and that, my friends, is what makes it so invigorating.

Danielle

CA Invitation from Christian Associates on Vimeo. read more

 Here is a great blog from Matt Daniels (also posted on Christian Associates' site}.  Matt, and his wonderful wife Toni, are two of CA's missionaries in Uruguay.  He leads an amazing project called El Living.  He pretty much captures the essence of what we are talking about when we use the terms "incarnational ministry."

All the
categories have changed for me in 12 years of being a missionary. "Mission
agency." "Sending country." "Host culture." "The nationals"… Honestly sometimes I think that last one comes out just as
pedantic as "the natives," only it sounds much more educated among
missiological circles. But perhaps years of plowing dry, crusted soil under the
hot sun have fried my brains. I don't seem to know many nationals, but over
time, I have made some friends. They seem to be people that get what I am about, and who
bring me a glass of water when I fall in a heap. read more

"Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ." — Francis Xavier, missionary to India, the Philippines, and Japan

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Despite a rich heritage of revival and global missions, Sweden is now one of the most secular societies in the world. The past 100 years have seen significant transformations, resulting in a surge of materialism, isolation, and relational fractures. Equally dramatic is the perilous decline in church participation. Sadly, the Swedish state church is seen as a mere cultural stepping-stone, lacking tangible spiritual vitality and influence.

There are a handful of excellent independent churches but the vast majority has suffered from crippling ideologies and simple association with a series of high-profile scandals. Most are marginalized by a pervasive suspicion, irrelevancy, or outright rejection. The majority of Swedes find little use for church and those who believe do so privately. read more

 It was a great night at INFUSE getting a chance to unpack the issue of Mission; in the context of passionate thinkers and faithful practitioners from multiple churches. Felt good to be in a room full of people that are speaking a language you’re hearing in your soul. It was also great to meet some new friends who are working it all out in their own neighborhoods in the same city. Props to Dan and Rob for facilitating great discussion, solid content all within an engaging format. 

via fcb4.tumblr.com

Here is an update on the Infuse Missional Project that started tonight in Spokane. Take a read.

If you read my
last post you know that I’m in Los Angeles right now just wrapping up a
training module on equipping people to teach the infuse Missional Project.  It is a intensive first step for those
interested in discovering how they fit in Western culture mission.   The training went fantastic!

One of the rollouts is happening in Spokane beginning next
week. I’m so excited about this material. 
You can find out how you can get involved by dropping me a comment on
this post.  I’ll get back to you
promptly. read more