FRESH EXPRESSIONSFRESH EXPRESSIONS

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ANCHOR POINTS FOR A ANCHOR POINTS FOR A THEOLOGY OF MISSIONTHEOLOGY OF MISSION

THE MISSION OF GODTHE MISSION OF GOD AFTER THE PATTERN OF AFTER THE PATTERN OF

CHRISTCHRIST THE COMMUNITY OF THE SPIRITTHE COMMUNITY OF THE SPIRIT DNA - 5 VALUES FOR MISSIONAL DNA - 5 VALUES FOR MISSIONAL

CHURCHESCHURCHES

THE MISSION OF GODTHE MISSION OF GOD

MISSION STARTS WITH GODMISSION STARTS WITH GOD

'Mission has its origin in God. God 'Mission has its origin in God. God is a missionary God, a God who is a missionary God, a God who crosses frontiers towards the crosses frontiers towards the world. In creation God was already world. In creation God was already the God of mission, with his Word the God of mission, with his Word and his Spirit as missionaries. God and his Spirit as missionaries. God likewise sent his incarnate Son into likewise sent his incarnate Son into the world. the world.

GOD’S SELF EMPTYINGGOD’S SELF EMPTYING

And he sent his Spirit at Pentecost. And he sent his Spirit at Pentecost. Mission is God giving up himself, Mission is God giving up himself, his becoming (hu)man, his laying his becoming (hu)man, his laying aside of his divine prerogatives and aside of his divine prerogatives and taking our humanity, histaking our humanity, his moving moving into the world, in his Son and into the world, in his Son and Spirit.' David BoschSpirit.' David Bosch

MISSIO DEIMISSIO DEI

'It is not the church that has a mission 'It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfil in the world; it is the of salvation to fulfil in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the through the Father that includes the church.' Jurgen Moltmannchurch.' Jurgen Moltmann

THE PRIORITY OF MISSIONTHE PRIORITY OF MISSION

‘‘The Church of God does not have a The Church of God does not have a mission, but the God of mission has a mission, but the God of mission has a Church.’ Tim Dearborn Church.’ Tim Dearborn

'There is church because there is 'There is church because there is mission, not vice versa.' David Boschmission, not vice versa.' David Bosch

THE THEOLOGICAL TASKTHE THEOLOGICAL TASK

‘‘The primary task of the leader is to The primary task of the leader is to reconnect ecclesiology and missiology reconnect ecclesiology and missiology in order that the church be defined in order that the church be defined first and foremost by its God- given first and foremost by its God- given mission.’ Eddie Gibbsmission.’ Eddie Gibbs

AFTER THE PATTERN OF AFTER THE PATTERN OF CHRISTCHRIST

CHRIST SHAPED CHRIST SHAPED PRINCIPLES FOR THE PRINCIPLES FOR THE

CHURCHCHURCH

INCARNATION - The world to enterINCARNATION - The world to enter CROSS - The world to counterCROSS - The world to counter RESURRECTION - The world to RESURRECTION - The world to

anticipateanticipate

INCARNATION - A World to INCARNATION - A World to EnterEnter

1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-231 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23 19 I have made myself a slave to all so 19 I have made myself a slave to all so

that I might win more of them. that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, 21 To those outside the law I became as 21 To those outside the law I became as

one outside the lawone outside the law 22 I have become all things to all people 22 I have become all things to all people 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel

PAUL’S MISSIONARY PAUL’S MISSIONARY METHODSMETHODS

'As far as possible he (Paul) has 'As far as possible he (Paul) has deliberately identified himself with deliberately identified himself with those whom he has sought to win for those whom he has sought to win for the gospel.' Morna Hookerthe gospel.' Morna Hooker

‘‘I do it all for the sake of the gospel.’ 1 I do it all for the sake of the gospel.’ 1 Cor. 9:23Cor. 9:23

PAUL’S MISSIONARY PAUL’S MISSIONARY METHODSMETHODS

‘ ‘What Paul describes is the self-What Paul describes is the self-identification of Christ with men and identification of Christ with men and women which, in turn, results in their women which, in turn, results in their sharing in what he is.’ Morna Hookersharing in what he is.’ Morna Hooker

‘‘Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.’ Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.’ 1 Cor. 11:11 Cor. 11:1

A slaveA slave Outside the LawOutside the Law

CROSS - A World to CounterCROSS - A World to Counter

1 CORINTHIANS 9:19-231 CORINTHIANS 9:19-23

20 To those under the law I became 20 To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might am not under the law) so that I might win those under the law.win those under the law.

21 To those outside the law I became 21 To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am as one outside the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under not free from God's law but am under Christ's law) so that I might win those Christ's law) so that I might win those outside the law.outside the law.

THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIPTHE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

‘‘The incarnation of divine love in a The incarnation of divine love in a world of sin led inevitably to the world of sin led inevitably to the cross.’ Miroslav Volfcross.’ Miroslav Volf

IRRELEVANCEIRRELEVANCE

'(A cross cultural missionary) has to '(A cross cultural missionary) has to find the path between two dangers. find the path between two dangers.

On the one hand, he may simply fail On the one hand, he may simply fail to communicate. He uses the words to communicate. He uses the words of the language, but in such a way of the language, but in such a way that he sounds like a foreigner: his that he sounds like a foreigner: his message is heard as the babblings of message is heard as the babblings of a man who really has nothing to say. a man who really has nothing to say.

SYNCRETISMSYNCRETISM Or, on the other hand, he may so far Or, on the other hand, he may so far

succeed in talking the language of his succeed in talking the language of his hearers that he is accepted all too hearers that he is accepted all too easily as a familiar character. ... easily as a familiar character. ...

His message is simply absorbed into His message is simply absorbed into the existing world-view In the attempt the existing world-view In the attempt to be "relevant" one may fall into to be "relevant" one may fall into syncretism, and in the effort to avoid syncretism, and in the effort to avoid syncretism one may become syncretism one may become irrelevant.' Lesslie Newbiginirrelevant.' Lesslie Newbigin

RESURRECTION - RESURRECTION - The world to anticipateThe world to anticipate

RESURRECTION - THE RESURRECTION - THE FUTURE IN ADVANCEFUTURE IN ADVANCE

1Cor 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised 1Cor 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.have died.

22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.alive in Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, 58 Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.your labour is not in vain.

CHURCH AS POINTER TO CHURCH AS POINTER TO GOD’S FUTUREGOD’S FUTURE

Our greatest need is for a baptism of Our greatest need is for a baptism of imagination about the form of the imagination about the form of the churchchurch

We have given too much attention to We have given too much attention to church as a passing on of the church as a passing on of the inheritance of the past and too little to inheritance of the past and too little to church as an anticipation of God’s church as an anticipation of God’s future.future.

THE COMMUNITY OF THE THE COMMUNITY OF THE SPIRITSPIRIT

A FORTASTE OF GOD’S A FORTASTE OF GOD’S FUTUREFUTURE

‘‘The Church does more than merely The Church does more than merely point to a reality beyond itself. By point to a reality beyond itself. By virtue of its participation in the life of virtue of its participation in the life of God, it is not only a sign and God, it is not only a sign and instrument, but also a genuine instrument, but also a genuine foretaste of God’s Kingdom, called to foretaste of God’s Kingdom, called to show forth visibly, in the midst of show forth visibly, in the midst of history, God’s final purposes for history, God’s final purposes for humankind.’ Eucharistic Presidencyhumankind.’ Eucharistic Presidency

THE PILGRIM PEOPLETHE PILGRIM PEOPLE ‘‘The Church is the pilgrim people of The Church is the pilgrim people of

God. It is on the move - hastening to the God. It is on the move - hastening to the ends of the earth to beseech all men to ends of the earth to beseech all men to be reconciled to God, and hastening to be reconciled to God, and hastening to the end of time to meet its Lord who will the end of time to meet its Lord who will gather all into one.gather all into one.

THE PILGRIM PEOPLETHE PILGRIM PEOPLE Therefore the nature of the Church is Therefore the nature of the Church is

never to be defined in static terms, but never to be defined in static terms, but only it terms of that to which it is going. only it terms of that to which it is going. It cannot be understood rightly except in It cannot be understood rightly except in a perspective which is at once a perspective which is at once missionary and eschatological.’ Lesslie missionary and eschatological.’ Lesslie NewbiginNewbigin

LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP

Watch this space!Watch this space!

‘‘God continues to create new futures in God continues to create new futures in

the most inauspicious of places.’the most inauspicious of places.’ ‘‘The biblical narratives are full of stories The biblical narratives are full of stories

about places and people without hope about places and people without hope

who became centres of the Spirit’s who became centres of the Spirit’s

creative, world changing, activity.’ creative, world changing, activity.’ RoxburghRoxburgh + Romanuk+ Romanuk

THE MINISTRY OF THE THE MINISTRY OF THE SPIRITSPIRIT

‘‘If God’s Spirit is If God’s Spirit is among the people among the people of God wherever of God wherever they are, then they are, then those are the those are the places where it is places where it is possible to possible to incarnate a incarnate a missional life.’missional life.’

LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP

‘‘Leadership is about cultivating an Leadership is about cultivating an environment that innovates and environment that innovates and releases the missional imagination releases the missional imagination present in a community of God’s present in a community of God’s people.’people.’

‘‘An environment in which the Spirit An environment in which the Spirit given presence of God’s future may given presence of God’s future may emerge among the people of God.’emerge among the people of God.’

LEADERSHIP - LEADERSHIP - Alan RoxburghAlan Roxburgh

‘‘The pastor apostle is one who forms The pastor apostle is one who forms congregations into mission groups shaped congregations into mission groups shaped by encounters with the gospel in the by encounters with the gospel in the culture - structuring the congregation’s culture - structuring the congregation’s shape into forms that lead people outward shape into forms that lead people outward into a missionary encounter.’into a missionary encounter.’

‘‘But in this kind of congregation, the But in this kind of congregation, the pastor will be able to lead only as she or pastor will be able to lead only as she or he models the encounter with the culture.’he models the encounter with the culture.’

‘‘The place of leadership is at the The place of leadership is at the leading edge modelling leading edge modelling

engagement with the culture in the engagement with the culture in the name of the gospel.’name of the gospel.’

LeadersLeadersMissional Missional churchchurch

DNA - FIVE VALUES FOR DNA - FIVE VALUES FOR MISSIONARY CHURCHESMISSIONARY CHURCHES

GOD CENTREDGOD CENTRED

Worship the gift at its heartWorship the gift at its heart God’s glory its chief inspirationGod’s glory its chief inspiration Prayer under girding all its activitiesPrayer under girding all its activities Discernment its key to sharing in Discernment its key to sharing in

God’s missionGod’s mission

INCARNATIONALINCARNATIONAL

Shaped in relation to its culture.Shaped in relation to its culture. Responsive to the action of the Responsive to the action of the

Spirit in its community. Spirit in its community.

TRANSFORMATIONALTRANSFORMATIONAL

Never self servingNever self serving Seeks first the Kingdom in its Seeks first the Kingdom in its

communitycommunity Exists for the transformation of its Exists for the transformation of its

communitycommunity

DISCIPLE MAKINGDISCIPLE MAKING

Calls people to faithCalls people to faith Develops life long whole life Develops life long whole life

discipleshipdiscipleship Encourages gifts and develops Encourages gifts and develops

leadership leadership

RELATIONALRELATIONAL

Functions as a communityFunctions as a community Characterised by welcome and Characterised by welcome and

hospitalityhospitality Changed by new membersChanged by new members Does not stand alone, seeks Does not stand alone, seeks

relationship with other Christian relationship with other Christian communities.communities.

FRESH EXPRESSIONSFRESH EXPRESSIONS

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