Today I am at Community Christian Church in Naperville hanging out with NewThing affiliate pastors. We have been dialoging about the distinctives of this Network. Here are a what we are wrestling through.
- 1. Reproduce at all levels
- 2. Collaborative Leadership
- 3. Risk Taking
- 4. Communitas
This afternoon we are listening to missiologist Alan Hirsch. From extensive research into what has happened in the underground Chinese church over the past 60 years and his biblical understanding, he comes up with the following observations.
- Every Christ Follower has the complete potential for world transformation.
- Language drives actions and behavior. He challenged us that when we begin to call ourselves a movement or identify with a movement, we will shift our behaviors to that for which creates a movement.
- We need to recover the Ephesians 4 roles of apostle, prophet and evangelist within our churches and movements in addition to the accepted roles of pastor (shepherd) and teacher. He boldly stated that you cannot have missional movements without the presence of apostolic ministry.
- From Ephesians...."Some will become leaders....All will be ministers."
- "Make an office out of it and you will kill it."
- The 5 fold mission is essential APEST (Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, Teacher)
Phenomenology of Movements includes
- Foundation is Jesus as Lord
- Communitas
- Disciple Making
- Missional - Incarnational
- Apostolic Environment
- Organic Systems
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I almost had a heart attack when I saw Alan Hirsch walking out of the church with DF, and I said, he's just a guy, but oh MAN does he have a heart for God, and THAT is what I like about him.
I almost wish I had my copy of his book with me, but I didn't want to be a dork and chase him down either.
Posted by: Shelley | May 14, 2008 at 01:45 PM