Retaining historical awareness of the church’s mission is especially important in moving forward. Some churches are stuck in the past, or at least attempt to move forward while engrossed with what is behind.
There is an obvious disconnect between the resources being disseminated on the topic of mission, and the actual mission-izing of local churches. Publishers continue to make printed resources available, and conferences and seminars are regularly offered.
I want to pull back the curtain to show The Church at Brook Hills’ culture of disciple-making and share some of the foundational matters that support this culture and our field activities. This is not my attempt to say you should replicate what we are doing. We do not claim to have it all together.
Despite blemishes both the church and the agency have, there is also incredible potential. What would it look like if both organisms made it a priority to work together in interdependent collaboration?
EVERY MEMBER ON MISSION! Every member on mission!” These words by Pastor Rick Warren captured the hearts of three thousand Saddleback Church members attending the first offering of the famous first Class 401 in 1999. That day and event began a new era of church-to-church missions that would transform not only Saddleback, but countless other churches around the world. Saddleback would ultimately commission hundreds of career missionaries and church workers, plant thousands of churches, and send out over 23,800 of its congregation on PEACE plan missions to 197 nations.
We aren’t mad at the Masons. We’re not at odds with the Odd Fellows. And we’ve got no beef with the Moose.The two of us just aren’t going to join the Masonic Temple, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, or the Moose Lodge. No matter how well they decorate their meeting places. No matter how well their speakers speak. We’re just not going. For one thing, their rituals seem rather peculiar to us as outsiders. More importantly, we simply don’t see that they offer us any value. Again, we aren’t in opposition to them; we’re just not going to go to their meetings or join their ranks.
Many churches may be satisfied with defining “a church for all peoples” as meaning, “a separate church for each people group.” But I found it increasingly difficult to justify this position.
Goulding discusses his church’s journey to become more “synergistic”, proactively seeking God’s will for a global mission program to ensure the good stewardship of the resources God entrusts to them.
The blessings and challenges of being a multi-cultural church, and eight steps church leaders must keep in min and practice as they move to become a truly authentic multicultural church.
During my college years I asked the Lord to give me a church in the south that would bring black and white together, glorifying his name, and fulfilling the scriptures by creating a house of prayer for all people. The Lord has answered that prayer beyond my wildest imagination!
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