I have two issues that I'm batting around that I'm curious about:
1. Missio Dei on the City
Bryan and I have batted around the idea of setting up a social network for Missio Dei Church, similar to Facebook, but available only for members so that we can engage in frank "family" discussion. The website is called, "The City" and was developed at Mars Hill Church. We utilize this heavily in the Acts 29 Network and find it to be a remarkable tool.
The positives:
This would allow our members a way of continuing spiritual dialog that arises out of sermons, community groups discussions, service projects, etc.
It would offer another connection point to assist in communication.
The dialog can take place in an environment of safety as it will not be open to anyone and everyone.
The site would allow us to keep upcoming events in front of people as we can utilize it to advertise things.
The site would serve as a place to share prayer requests that come up in the middle of the week, so that we can pray as a community.
The site could facilitate planning meetings and provide a place everyone can come and continue a discussion.
The negatives:
It is one more social networking tool that isn't necessarily streamlined to other places you may already be connected (i.e. Myspace, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, blogs).
It is not free.
Would you utilize this if we offered it?
2. Fall Series on Ephesians
As I begin prepping for the fall series, I am curious if it would be helpful to put together a study guide to aid your study of the book as we work through it together. The study guide would include background information that would be helpful, but not timely for a Sunday morning setting (i.e. in depth look at authorship, setting, etc.). Would this be a helpful resource, or would we be picking them up from the floor on a weekly basis?
Feedback highly anticipated.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
A Crack at Simplifying "Missional"
So the term is here to stay and everybody is laying claim on what it means to be "missional." Trying to distinguish it's meaning proves a daunting task.
Some use the term to describe a new way of doing ministry, as opposed to more traditional congregations, which would be branded as "attractional," due to the amount of effort, promotion, expectation around programs at or around church property. Often these folks tend to see building wells in Africa for clean water as good (which it is), but telling people to repent from sin as bad (which it is not). This critical over-reaction poses missional against attractional in a way that I think is weak, unbiblical, and unfaithful to the gospel.
Others use the term to describe a new way of doing church, so that whatever is traditionally done during worship gatherings is replaced with new ways of doing things. For example, if growing up you heard preaching and sat in pews, this crowd of missional now sits on couches and engages in dialogue. This approach wrongly places emphasis on methods, which are not weighty while neglecting principles that are. For example, Scripture doesn't specify what songs, in what style, with what instruments are used in the church. To be adamant that a contemporary style is more faithful is just as ridiculous as saying that guitars are Satanic.
While there may be a new word to describe what should be happening, it often only amounts to new ways of being disobedient to Scripture in an attempt to being novel and innovative.
At Missio, we're not interested in being innovative for novelty's sake. We believe that we are to strive to remain faithful to the ancient and historic faith (Jude 3). We believe that craftiness and innovation are actually signs of immaturity (Eph. 4:14) and we long for obedience to Jesus commission (Matt. 28). This means that we are not hip or cool, but are a people sent out to proclaim the ugly truth that humanity is broken, but the good news that Jesus is Savior, Redeemer, and Lord and teach them how that applies to the places they live everyday life, whether we go across the seas or across the street.
Simply put, we understand "missional" to mean that we are obedient to preaching, as clearly as possible, the gospel in whatever circumstance or context we find ourselves. The Gospel deals with our rebellion in substituting ourselves for God and in love, God's substituting Himself for us, dying for our sins, being buried, and being raised again in victory over sin, death, hell, brokenness, Satans, demons, weaknesses and failures, struggles and heartaches, on and on.
This gives the church her mission, a reason why our congregation takes on the name, Missio Dei. We are simply participating with God in what He does. "And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15).
Some use the term to describe a new way of doing ministry, as opposed to more traditional congregations, which would be branded as "attractional," due to the amount of effort, promotion, expectation around programs at or around church property. Often these folks tend to see building wells in Africa for clean water as good (which it is), but telling people to repent from sin as bad (which it is not). This critical over-reaction poses missional against attractional in a way that I think is weak, unbiblical, and unfaithful to the gospel.
Others use the term to describe a new way of doing church, so that whatever is traditionally done during worship gatherings is replaced with new ways of doing things. For example, if growing up you heard preaching and sat in pews, this crowd of missional now sits on couches and engages in dialogue. This approach wrongly places emphasis on methods, which are not weighty while neglecting principles that are. For example, Scripture doesn't specify what songs, in what style, with what instruments are used in the church. To be adamant that a contemporary style is more faithful is just as ridiculous as saying that guitars are Satanic.
While there may be a new word to describe what should be happening, it often only amounts to new ways of being disobedient to Scripture in an attempt to being novel and innovative.
At Missio, we're not interested in being innovative for novelty's sake. We believe that we are to strive to remain faithful to the ancient and historic faith (Jude 3). We believe that craftiness and innovation are actually signs of immaturity (Eph. 4:14) and we long for obedience to Jesus commission (Matt. 28). This means that we are not hip or cool, but are a people sent out to proclaim the ugly truth that humanity is broken, but the good news that Jesus is Savior, Redeemer, and Lord and teach them how that applies to the places they live everyday life, whether we go across the seas or across the street.
Simply put, we understand "missional" to mean that we are obedient to preaching, as clearly as possible, the gospel in whatever circumstance or context we find ourselves. The Gospel deals with our rebellion in substituting ourselves for God and in love, God's substituting Himself for us, dying for our sins, being buried, and being raised again in victory over sin, death, hell, brokenness, Satans, demons, weaknesses and failures, struggles and heartaches, on and on.
This gives the church her mission, a reason why our congregation takes on the name, Missio Dei. We are simply participating with God in what He does. "And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?" (Rom. 10:14-15).
Friday, June 12, 2009
Fight Club: Men's Conference
Fellow Acts 29 Network Pastor, Jason Martin, of the Journey Church in Atlanta is hosting a day-long men's conference on Aug. 1.Talk One: Why the church needs fighting men (Scott Thomas - Executive Pastor at Mars Hill Church in Seattle and Director of Acts 29 Network)
Talk Two: Fighting for Gospel Transformation in your Family (Keith Watson - Acts 29 Member, Pastor of New City Church in Macon, GA)
Talk Three: Fighting for Gospel Transformation in your Job (Leonce Crump - Acts 29 Candidate and planting Renovation Church in Atlanta)
Talk Four: Fighting for Gospel Transformation in you Time (Matt Adair - Acts 29 Member and and Pastor of Christ Community Church in Watkinsville, GA)
Talk Five: Fighting for Gospel Transformation over your flesh (Jason Martin - Acts 29 Member, host pastor)
Talk Six: Fighting for Gospel Transformation in your Church (Scott Thomas)
The conference is from 8:30 - 5 and cost will be low. Sign up by filling out a connect card at our worship gatherings, or by emailing Pastor Kurt (kurt@mdcasheville.org).
Studio Stroll
Worth your time to check out the various studios and artists.
One you will want to check out...
Curve Studios where our own Cassie Ryalls creates.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ministry Structure at Missio Dei Part 1
Missio Dei Church began with a general dissatisfaction with the many and varied forms by which church was being done. It seemed as though the grand story of God’s Gospel and Kingdom were at best forgotten and at worst, being ignored, minimized or changed.
While it’s very easy to deconstruct church paradigms, it takes heavy reliance on the Spirit through prayer and Scriptural study to “reconstruct” what the church should be. Many are asking good questions, but not digging into the Bible and thus are coming up with creative and new ways of being disobedient to God and the Gospel.
The dream at Missio Dei was that we would not come up with new ways of doing church. Our intention has been to always “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), so that things such as virgin birth of Messiah, inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy, authority of Scripture, necessity of faith in Christ alone, etc. were not up for debate. Missio Dei, to be a faithful, Christ honoring church would have to remain committed to an unchanging Gospel, contextualized to a changing culture. The Gospel would be the foundation of our community.
The Gospel, as presented in Scripture is not simply a way into the Kingdom. It is the way of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel expressed in the Scriptures teaches us that human beings were created to be perfect reflections of God, husbands and wives, parents, developers of culture, etc. (Gen. 1:26-28). In essence, humans were to be a people who rule over creation by living according to God’s truth, in communion with God and one another. Adam, our first father, failed and since the fall of our father Adam, by nature and by choice, we are fallen in our capacities and abilities from being what we were created to be. And because of this, God Himself curses us (Gen. 3:17-19, Rom. 8:19-22). Albert Wolters describes it precisely saying, “Whether we look at societal structures such as the state or family, or cultural pursuits such as art or technology, or bodily functions such as sexuality or eating, or anything within the wide scope of creation, we discover that the good handiwork of God has been drawn into the sphere of human mutiny against God” (Creation Regained, p. 54).
The good news is that there is One who would perfectly rule over creation, live according to God’s truth and commune with God and man. Jesus was the perfect image of God and came to rescue (John 6:38-40). Jesus form of rescue was not simply an example of a better way to live (though it was that), but He was condemned in humanity’s place. Three days after his unjust murder on a Roman cross, He rose from the dead and ascended to the Father (Rom. 5:6-11). The aim of Jesus is to bring new life and vitality to the fallen, broken creation; to restore creation’s original purpose (Col. 1:15-20).
Jesus is working to restore creation through the church, whose call is to promote renewal in every area of creation (John 20:21, II Cor. 5:17-21). This authoritative sending activity of God is not simply propositional (Matt. 28:18-20). The goal of making disciples takes place in the context of relationships. This means that, in everything we do, we are to be engaged in building friendships and showing the beauty of the gospel (the hope of redemption) to the world around us. We attempt, though imperfectly, to spell out personal and corporate (group) beliefs and behavior patterns that show the larger society what the Kingdom of God is all about.
With this Gospel-centered vision for the church community, and a desire to organize in simple and honest ways, I began reflecting on how we would express the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27)and mobilize the church to effectively go into the city with the Gospel. The convictions that formed our ministry design included the commitment to facilitate environments where the Gospel is preached for clarity, applied to life among fellows on the journey, and shared with our culture through service. These environments lined up neatly with the offices Christ came to fulfill and the areas in which he succeeded where Adam failed.
The offices are Prophet (declaring the truth of God), Priest (communion with God and people), and King (ruling over creation). They shape our environments of gathering for explanation/proclamation of the Gospel, community groups for exploration of the Gospel, and lifestyle service for expression of the Gospel.
In future articles, I’ll unpack how these environments are played out in the context of Asheville, a creative urban hub for the spiritually and morally disenfranchised of the Southeast.
While it’s very easy to deconstruct church paradigms, it takes heavy reliance on the Spirit through prayer and Scriptural study to “reconstruct” what the church should be. Many are asking good questions, but not digging into the Bible and thus are coming up with creative and new ways of being disobedient to God and the Gospel. The dream at Missio Dei was that we would not come up with new ways of doing church. Our intention has been to always “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), so that things such as virgin birth of Messiah, inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy, authority of Scripture, necessity of faith in Christ alone, etc. were not up for debate. Missio Dei, to be a faithful, Christ honoring church would have to remain committed to an unchanging Gospel, contextualized to a changing culture. The Gospel would be the foundation of our community.
The Gospel, as presented in Scripture is not simply a way into the Kingdom. It is the way of the Kingdom of God. The Gospel expressed in the Scriptures teaches us that human beings were created to be perfect reflections of God, husbands and wives, parents, developers of culture, etc. (Gen. 1:26-28). In essence, humans were to be a people who rule over creation by living according to God’s truth, in communion with God and one another. Adam, our first father, failed and since the fall of our father Adam, by nature and by choice, we are fallen in our capacities and abilities from being what we were created to be. And because of this, God Himself curses us (Gen. 3:17-19, Rom. 8:19-22). Albert Wolters describes it precisely saying, “Whether we look at societal structures such as the state or family, or cultural pursuits such as art or technology, or bodily functions such as sexuality or eating, or anything within the wide scope of creation, we discover that the good handiwork of God has been drawn into the sphere of human mutiny against God” (Creation Regained, p. 54).
The good news is that there is One who would perfectly rule over creation, live according to God’s truth and commune with God and man. Jesus was the perfect image of God and came to rescue (John 6:38-40). Jesus form of rescue was not simply an example of a better way to live (though it was that), but He was condemned in humanity’s place. Three days after his unjust murder on a Roman cross, He rose from the dead and ascended to the Father (Rom. 5:6-11). The aim of Jesus is to bring new life and vitality to the fallen, broken creation; to restore creation’s original purpose (Col. 1:15-20).
Jesus is working to restore creation through the church, whose call is to promote renewal in every area of creation (John 20:21, II Cor. 5:17-21). This authoritative sending activity of God is not simply propositional (Matt. 28:18-20). The goal of making disciples takes place in the context of relationships. This means that, in everything we do, we are to be engaged in building friendships and showing the beauty of the gospel (the hope of redemption) to the world around us. We attempt, though imperfectly, to spell out personal and corporate (group) beliefs and behavior patterns that show the larger society what the Kingdom of God is all about.
With this Gospel-centered vision for the church community, and a desire to organize in simple and honest ways, I began reflecting on how we would express the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:27)and mobilize the church to effectively go into the city with the Gospel. The convictions that formed our ministry design included the commitment to facilitate environments where the Gospel is preached for clarity, applied to life among fellows on the journey, and shared with our culture through service. These environments lined up neatly with the offices Christ came to fulfill and the areas in which he succeeded where Adam failed.
The offices are Prophet (declaring the truth of God), Priest (communion with God and people), and King (ruling over creation). They shape our environments of gathering for explanation/proclamation of the Gospel, community groups for exploration of the Gospel, and lifestyle service for expression of the Gospel.
In future articles, I’ll unpack how these environments are played out in the context of Asheville, a creative urban hub for the spiritually and morally disenfranchised of the Southeast.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Missio Dei Praxis: Faith Worth Sharing
Our Spring Membership class is underway and next Wednesday, May 6, we'll kick off our practical theology (Praxis) class. Theology that doesn't connect to and challenge the way we do life, so we're going to do our best to connect the mind to the heart to the hands. We hope to inform your thinking, motivate your heart, and process the tools to make sharing the gospel a reality (without being sales pitchy).Week 1, we'll look at the tension of the absolute control of God in all things and the responsibility of people to respond to God. Week 2, we'll explore the reasons that we're not fully engaged in sharing the Gospel (lack of information, opportunity, trust, concern, relationship, etc.).
Week 3, we'll coach through some ways to develop a lifestyle that communicates trust in the Gospel.
You can sign up by filling out a connect card at Sunday's worship gathering or emailing Pastor Kurt (kurt@LivingUncommon.org).
Art Opening: Cassie Ryalls
Cassie Ryalls, a ceramics artist in our congregation is having an opening at Clingman Cafe (in the River Arts District) this Friday, May 1 from 5-7pm. If you've participated in communion at Missio Dei, then you've not only seen her work, you've utilized it. More about Cassie and her art can be found on her website, www.cassieryallsceramics.com.
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