Since we are in essence creating a 'new' congregation within PBC (though it originates from within), we are in a way planting a new church - within a church. I don't see any danger in thinking this way - in fact it may be helpful. I am interested in your thoughts on view it this way...
The following is a link to a short list compiled by Tim Keller (who by the way - has massive experience in church plants).
If you want a thought provoking exercise (I hope you do!) - then review this list - while keeping application to what we are doing at PBC in mind!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Next Meeting
Hey everyone I hope you are well. Last meeting was a good meeting and we were able to move to the next step. We have created a win "loving people to Christ as we go". There are three main areas right now that need our attention, 1. Connection Service (worship service) 2. Small Groups (Life Groups and Mission Groups) 3. Community Survey . We have been asking everyone to consider thier SHAPE and thier passion and think about how that will influence the group. Now is the time to be putting that discussion to work. I need everyone to create their job description or thier role in the new church. Give yourself a name, describe what you think your job is and then begin to define what exactly you are going to do in the church.
For example Chris feels passionate about creating the administration portion for the missions and the entire church. He wants to be a link between the people and the actual work that is being done. So he will define his role according to this thought in light of the over all win "loving people to Christ as we go". Please use the next few weeks to refine your role and talk with others of the group. Once the role is defined and a personal win statement is created begin inventing and creating in your area.
Joel and Adam are going to be working on small groups they asked good questions during the meeting and are on the right track to inventing the type of small groups that we will need for the missional church.
If you have questions about your role or with creating and thinking through your area please post them on the blog or email them to everyone. The next time we will officially meet is on July 22. Please take every Sunday afternoon to meet, plan and discuss your role and what you see as the next step for your area of the compass team. Remember this is preparation for the off site where we will hash out a workable model and develop language that all of us will be able to communicate. After that we will be able to go to the deacons and church body.
For example Chris feels passionate about creating the administration portion for the missions and the entire church. He wants to be a link between the people and the actual work that is being done. So he will define his role according to this thought in light of the over all win "loving people to Christ as we go". Please use the next few weeks to refine your role and talk with others of the group. Once the role is defined and a personal win statement is created begin inventing and creating in your area.
Joel and Adam are going to be working on small groups they asked good questions during the meeting and are on the right track to inventing the type of small groups that we will need for the missional church.
If you have questions about your role or with creating and thinking through your area please post them on the blog or email them to everyone. The next time we will officially meet is on July 22. Please take every Sunday afternoon to meet, plan and discuss your role and what you see as the next step for your area of the compass team. Remember this is preparation for the off site where we will hash out a workable model and develop language that all of us will be able to communicate. After that we will be able to go to the deacons and church body.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Books you are reading
All of us are reading books that can help us get a better handle on the missional side. Please take time to jot notes, summarize chapters or what ever you need to do to communicate the principles to the group. Remember our corporate knowledge is very powerful but only when it is shared and diffused in conversation around the table.
I am reading the Intentional church by Randy Pope, He is the pastor at Perimeter Church in Atlanta. The book reveals 7 prinicples that must exist if the church is going to help transform the community in which it exists. It is written specifically for leaders who will be guiding the church through a transition. there is lots of good stuff in the text but my favorite quote so far is...
"you are a church leader and you are wrestling with the vision of your church, you have been to all the conferences and read the literature. Purpose Drive, seeker-sensative, postmodern, emergent, ... you have heard them all. And what you really long for is a church that matters, a church that influences, and impacts her people and community for the glory of God and His kingdom. You long for a transformational church. This is the church that Jesus had in mind: a place where God's power is demonstrated with such force in its people that the community it serves is marked with an indelible spiritual imprint, transforming the lives of worshippers and whom they contact."
every time I reread those words I believe more that this is the church we have begun to revision for parkwood. I believe that God can do this and I look forward to the day it is realized. I look forward to that day for myself and for our children. At camp this week we took middleschool kids to Big Stuf. I think it is the greatest youth camp I have ever been too! This year and every year they challenge the students to go home and do something big with God to change the world. I challenged the middle school boys to think of some way they can change the world for Jesus. For three days in small group we talked about it, finally one of the boys said that they could not do anything big because every time any thing is tried in the church it fails and no one helps out.... AHHHHHHHH!
Inside I was crying, this middleschool student was basing what God can do, by what our church is or is not doing. While that is not really biblical it is true. We need to move with this new church and move in such a way that our children will stand in awe of the power of God. And just maybe when they see the church in action they will not leave the church so willing but instead stay and fight and do it so others may know Jesus...
Looking forward to learning from you
Manny
I am reading the Intentional church by Randy Pope, He is the pastor at Perimeter Church in Atlanta. The book reveals 7 prinicples that must exist if the church is going to help transform the community in which it exists. It is written specifically for leaders who will be guiding the church through a transition. there is lots of good stuff in the text but my favorite quote so far is...
"you are a church leader and you are wrestling with the vision of your church, you have been to all the conferences and read the literature. Purpose Drive, seeker-sensative, postmodern, emergent, ... you have heard them all. And what you really long for is a church that matters, a church that influences, and impacts her people and community for the glory of God and His kingdom. You long for a transformational church. This is the church that Jesus had in mind: a place where God's power is demonstrated with such force in its people that the community it serves is marked with an indelible spiritual imprint, transforming the lives of worshippers and whom they contact."
every time I reread those words I believe more that this is the church we have begun to revision for parkwood. I believe that God can do this and I look forward to the day it is realized. I look forward to that day for myself and for our children. At camp this week we took middleschool kids to Big Stuf. I think it is the greatest youth camp I have ever been too! This year and every year they challenge the students to go home and do something big with God to change the world. I challenged the middle school boys to think of some way they can change the world for Jesus. For three days in small group we talked about it, finally one of the boys said that they could not do anything big because every time any thing is tried in the church it fails and no one helps out.... AHHHHHHHH!
Inside I was crying, this middleschool student was basing what God can do, by what our church is or is not doing. While that is not really biblical it is true. We need to move with this new church and move in such a way that our children will stand in awe of the power of God. And just maybe when they see the church in action they will not leave the church so willing but instead stay and fight and do it so others may know Jesus...
Looking forward to learning from you
Manny
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Mother Teresa on the Missional Church
If I keep my promises the Lord will keep his.
The Missionaries of Charity "Mission Statement"Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience
"Win Statement"To give hope to those who have lost it and to recognize the face of the Lord in those who suffer.
Missional thoughts~!
We must prepare a last home for those who have nothing.
I have lived in this city for 20 years but today for the first time I see it.
Jesus has told me to be a Nun, out there among the poorest of the poor.
We can only wait and pray.......... Let's pray and forget about waiting.
If there is enough for one to do than two can do it better.
There is always a moment in life when it comes time to make a choice.
Are we here to convert people of to help them.
Mother Teresa does not practice family planning methods she has more and more children every day.
I am Indian and India is a part of me.
I know I am touching the living body of Christ in the broken bodies of the hungry and the suffering.
Everything you do to the least of my brothers you did it to me.
I am only a pencil in the hand of God but it is He who writes.
Wherever a real Christian goes he brings joy.
Never, never forget the joy in your heart and in your eyes.
It is not I who needs help it is the poor and needy.
The work we do in not ours it is his , he is the one that must provide.
We don't need strategies the Lord likes small things best, especially those done with love.
I have the whole of eternity for resting.
It is so difficult to build and so easy to destroy.
Our lives belong to the lord, he is the one that leads us by the hand.
The work we do here is important but what is more important is that the work is supported by prayer. Prayer is what keeps everything going.
This is only the beginning the road is long and full of danger.
We must except what the Lord has for us to do.
A good employer never forgets their workers.
Storm the heavens with your prayers.
Life is life, let us defend it always and with a smile, helping the weakest, the poorest, the sick, the old. Defend our children from the culture of indifference and death. Defend life right form conception to death. And if someone is not able or capable to do it entrust it to me.
If it be your will take me in her place, hear my prayer than that my life instead of hers. Your will, only your will.
If my pain and darkness consoles you do what you must with me my Lord Jesus. If you separation form you puts others on you heart. If it brings you joy I readily suffer that which I am suffering. Your will is everything I desire. Now I know your have never abandoned me.
Everything we do is just a drop in the ocean but if we don't do it that drop will be missing forever.
It was in the statutes but as of today this association no longer exists. We are going back to our roots, back to being with the poor, poor with poor.
Where there is desperation may I bring hope.
Where there is sadness let me bring joy
Allow me to understand rather than to be understood.
Allow me to love rather than to be loved
Allow me to give because giving is receiving
Because it is in the forgiving we are forgiven and in dieing we are born to eternal life.
If I keep my promises the Lord will keep his.
The Missionaries of Charity "Mission Statement"Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience
"Win Statement"To give hope to those who have lost it and to recognize the face of the Lord in those who suffer.
Missional thoughts~!
We must prepare a last home for those who have nothing.
I have lived in this city for 20 years but today for the first time I see it.
Jesus has told me to be a Nun, out there among the poorest of the poor.
We can only wait and pray.......... Let's pray and forget about waiting.
If there is enough for one to do than two can do it better.
There is always a moment in life when it comes time to make a choice.
Are we here to convert people of to help them.
Mother Teresa does not practice family planning methods she has more and more children every day.
I am Indian and India is a part of me.
I know I am touching the living body of Christ in the broken bodies of the hungry and the suffering.
Everything you do to the least of my brothers you did it to me.
I am only a pencil in the hand of God but it is He who writes.
Wherever a real Christian goes he brings joy.
Never, never forget the joy in your heart and in your eyes.
It is not I who needs help it is the poor and needy.
The work we do in not ours it is his , he is the one that must provide.
We don't need strategies the Lord likes small things best, especially those done with love.
I have the whole of eternity for resting.
It is so difficult to build and so easy to destroy.
Our lives belong to the lord, he is the one that leads us by the hand.
The work we do here is important but what is more important is that the work is supported by prayer. Prayer is what keeps everything going.
This is only the beginning the road is long and full of danger.
We must except what the Lord has for us to do.
A good employer never forgets their workers.
Storm the heavens with your prayers.
Life is life, let us defend it always and with a smile, helping the weakest, the poorest, the sick, the old. Defend our children from the culture of indifference and death. Defend life right form conception to death. And if someone is not able or capable to do it entrust it to me.
If it be your will take me in her place, hear my prayer than that my life instead of hers. Your will, only your will.
If my pain and darkness consoles you do what you must with me my Lord Jesus. If you separation form you puts others on you heart. If it brings you joy I readily suffer that which I am suffering. Your will is everything I desire. Now I know your have never abandoned me.
Everything we do is just a drop in the ocean but if we don't do it that drop will be missing forever.
It was in the statutes but as of today this association no longer exists. We are going back to our roots, back to being with the poor, poor with poor.
Where there is desperation may I bring hope.
Where there is sadness let me bring joy
Allow me to understand rather than to be understood.
Allow me to love rather than to be loved
Allow me to give because giving is receiving
Because it is in the forgiving we are forgiven and in dieing we are born to eternal life.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
A Helpful Site...
I certainly can't vouch for all you might find on this site - but with a click or two, there are many resources to help us in our journey.
Please check it out... If you see something you would like to discuss - then by all means create a post! Looking forward to the the conversation!!
http://www.friendofmissional.org/
Please check it out... If you see something you would like to discuss - then by all means create a post! Looking forward to the the conversation!!
http://www.friendofmissional.org/
Monday, May 21, 2007
"Incarnational"
In the 1st chapter of John's gospel it says: "So the Word became human and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father."
I have also heard it paraphrased "God (in Jesus) pitched his tent in our backyard" (a little campy for my taste, but you get the picture). In many of my readings, missional churches are often described as "Incarnational". One way to interpret that word is: "believers that practice incarnational living".
I found this little blurb on a web site: "Without giving up His divine qualities, Jesus became fully immersed within the culture of the people to whom He brought the Great News. He was part of the culture, yet transcended it. He lived happily within the culture, yet was an agent of transformation. The incarnation is a challenge to understand and live within the world of the unchurched culture. We must make the Great News culturally relevant to them, and take it into their world.
Outreach to the unchurched must consider the issues of incarnation by going where people go, and living in their world. The methods we use to reach them must be based upon developing relationships that are authentic. We must model a lifestyle of Christ-likeness in the context of friendship. The church must meet the needs of the unchurched within the world in which they live."
Some questions for us:
- What should "incarnation living" look like for those at Parkwood?
- Should this be a way of life that is talked-about, and witnessed-to in all we do?
- What are some ways to effectively get this to permeate the thinking of a congregation of believers?
Your thoughts on 'incarnational living'? ...do you have another way of seeing it??
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