Fishing nets or safety nets

Ephesians 1: 8 – 10

With all wisdom and insight, God has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Ephesians 1: 11 – 12

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will,so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 2: 11 – 12

. . . remember that at one time you Gentiles by birth, called “the uncircumcision” by those who are called “the circumcision” . . . that you were at that time without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2: 14 – 16

Christ is our peace; in his flesh he has made

both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall . . . between us. He has abolished the law with its commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new humanity in place of the two, thus making peace, and might reconcile

both groups to God in one body through the cross.

Ephesians 2: 17 – 18

Jesus came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him both of us have access in one Spirit to the Father.

Christianity Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai (1978)

Vincent Donovan

In working with young people . . . do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, as beautiful as that place might seem to you.

You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.

Christianity Rediscovered: An Epistle from the Masai (1978)

This is not only ‘Good missionary advice’,

‘a beautiful description of the unpredictable process of evangelization,

a process leading to that new place where none of us has ever been before.’

Christianity Rediscovered (1982)

Vincent Donovan

What we have to learn . . . is not that the church “has” a mission, but the very reverse: that the mission of Christ creates its own church.

Mission does not come from the church; it is from mission and in the light of mission that the church has to be understood.

Jürgen Moltmann

The Church in the Power of the Spirit(1977), p.10.

http://davemale.typepad.com/churchunplugged/

2007 Tear Fund survey of 7000 adults in contact or not with church

“ “ this majority (66%) presents a major this majority (66%) presents a major challenge to churches. Most of them are challenge to churches. Most of them are

unreceptive and closed unreceptive and closed to attending church; churchgoing isto attending church; churchgoing is

simply not on their agenda.”simply not on their agenda.”

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

60-year-olds 40-year-olds 20-year-olds

Percentage of people with childhood experience of the church

Age in 2005%

““The day of the churched cultureThe day of the churched cultureis over. The day of the missionis over. The day of the mission

field has come.”field has come.”

Kennon L CallahanKennon L Callahan Effective Church LeadershipEffective Church Leadership

Five principles for remodelling church

Public worship probably isn’tPublic worship probably isn’tthe best starting pointthe best starting point

1

•LoveLove

•RelateRelate

•CreateCreate

There is no return addressThere is no return address

2

Ends of the EarthSamaria

Judea

Half the picture

Jerusalem

The ends of the earth

Samaria

The eccentric effects…

Judea

The centre and the Acts story shift Samaria is not a return ticketstory moves from a focus on Peter to Paulthe Church goes west church is done differently among Gentiles

Who is this for?

3

Playing Away

“ it is not the church of God which has a mission

but the God of mission who has a church.”

Tim Dearborn

The relationshipThe relationshipbetween evangelismbetween evangelism

and discipleshipand discipleship

4

‘ ‘ We would intend to make disciples We would intend to make disciples and let converts happen rather than and let converts happen rather than

intending to make converts intending to make converts and let disciples happen.’and let disciples happen.’

The Divine Conspiracy, p334.The Divine Conspiracy, p334.

This might change USThis might change US

5

Dying to liveDying to live

“ “ I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheatI tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheatfalls to the ground and dies, it remains onlyfalls to the ground and dies, it remains only

a single seed. But if it dies, it producesa single seed. But if it dies, it producesmany seeds.”many seeds.”

John 12; 23-6John 12; 23-6

TOGETHER TO GOD’S FUTURE

• ‘…do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, beautiful as that place may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have been before.’

• Vincent Donovan

“The real voyage of discovery consistsnot in seeking new landscapes

but in having new eyes.”

Marcel Proust

http://davemale.typepad.com/churchunplugged/