FutureChurch is mentioned in Joy! magazine in their July issue under the cover story written by Dr Chris Peppler from SATS, "What is the emerging church?" On the cover of that issue are John and Stasi Eldredge, explorers of all things wild and adventurous. Today I was speaking to my friend Sean who had just run an Epic Quest weekend (an Eldredge type camp) with some of the NieuCommunities guys, some Pretoria locals and some guys from Soshanguve. Sean's journey is leading him to pursue helping other recover their hearts, getting in touch with what it means to live in the story of G-d.
He, like me, is deeply influenced by Alan Hirsch, a missiologist who did his military service in Pretoria (but don't hold that against him! He's a nice guy! Really!) who is helping us think through what it means to be the church, participating in the Missio Dei (mission of G-d)...the understanding that G-d is a 'sent one,' a missionary by his very nature. As Alan writes, "This has profound implications for the Church’s fundamental stance in relation to the world in which we are called to live. Missional church requires that we, following the Missio Dei, are in turn a missionary, a ’sent’, people. The church emerges out of the mission of God in the world, not the other way around. The way I phrased this in The Forgotten Ways was to say that “…it was not so much that the church has a mission but that the mission has a church.”"

And this is the core of what it means to be part of the church - to see oneself as sent to the world for the world, participating with G-d in the putting-to-rights of creation.

Missional church is a community of God’s people that defines itself, and organizes its life around, its real purpose of being an agent of God’s mission to the world. In other words, the church’s true and authentic organizing principle is mission. When the church is in mission, it is the true church. The church itself is not only a product of that mission but is obligated and destined to extend it by whatever means possible. The mission of God flows directly through every believer and every community of faith that adheres to Jesus. To obstruct this is to block God’s purposes in and through his people.

- "The Forgotten Ways" by Alan Hirsch, p82

Much has been written about what the emerging church "is." Graeme and I have had a few attempts to define it here (as has Graeme's Dad, Reg Codrington). I think what's important to note is that there are many networks within the emerging church conversation (since the Emerging Church isn't starting a new Denomination any time soon) - like the Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Reformed, Anabaptist, Quaker, Assemblies of God, Nazarenes, Baptists, Presbyterian, Amahoro (international), Amahoro Africa, Emerging Africa, South America, and others.

The centre of this conversation which interests me is what the Kiwis and Aussies call "emerging-missional church," which

"seems to tie together the two strands of missio dei and missio ecclesiae in one phrase. Without the missional, emergent is just style. Without the emergent, missional pours the new wine backwards into old containers, and often without regard to context."

- tallskinnykiwi

I think a common entry point into this conversation is asking the question, "What is the gospel?" This is a question Christians have ignored for a long time because we've assumed we know what the answer to the question is. And in South Africa, the very reason why Apartheid continued for so long is because people did not ask that question. The way we read our Bibles was sufficient. The sermons preached each Sunday were sufficient. Jesus was sufficient...and let a small minority create theological underpinnings for an ideology which propagated great evil. A gospel which is all about getting me personally right with G-d yet ignores G-d's dream for the world (just read Isaiah, for instance) is an individualised, selfish gospel.

Many have recognised this and have returned to this fundamental question, among them the emerging church. It's an exciting conversation which has given me hope in the story of G-d and the story of us. If you'd like, check out some of the links in this post. If you're in Gauteng, how about coming and visiting me at NieuCommunities in Pretoria North? We have good coffee!

Eldredge linked to the emerging church? That's a new one... wouldn't have guessed

reply to this comment

Posted by: Cobus 16 Jul, 2008 - 20:49:47

No, they're not actually - the cover story is about them. The emerging church story just made its way onto the cover too...

reply to this comment

Posted by: Roger Saner 16 Jul, 2008 - 22:29:01

The essay writing about this good topic, people can detect at the paper writing services. Purchase the essays or custom essays just about this topic.

reply to this comment

Posted by: ShRebecca 09 Feb, 2010 - 17:28:48

According to my own exploration, millions of persons in the world get the mortgage loans from various creditors. Hence, there is great possibilities to receive a short term loan in every country.

reply to this comment

Posted by: loans 31 Mar, 2010 - 16:55:19

Even thesis writing services could not produce more famous writing a thesis close to this post and perhaps, you work especially for dissertation writing services. If yes case we could buy a thesis paper from your service straight off.

reply to this comment

Posted by: thesis service 01 Apr, 2010 - 15:52:38

The big quantities of essay writing services perform the custom essays about this good post. So it’s really good opportunity to buy custom essay papers or essays written just about this topic.

reply to this comment

Posted by: buy essays 01 Apr, 2010 - 19:15:24

I had a dream to start my business, but I did not earn enough of cash to do that. Thank goodness my close friend recommended to take the mortgage loans. So I received the term loan and realized my old dream.

reply to this comment

Posted by: personal loans 06 Apr, 2010 - 13:46:35

Nowadays, a lot of students are assured that the buy essay paper online service can be the great point to purchase term paper format from. Moreover, that is really good way to save time!

reply to this comment

Posted by: do my essay 11 Apr, 2010 - 23:49:32

There is no matter if students are distinguished in sitemap or analysis essay creating, they will have to present their essays writing skills in any case. Hence to buy custom essays at research paper writing service could be the great way out.

reply to this comment

Posted by: research paper 12 Apr, 2010 - 04:04:44

Essays writing companies should advice the facts and people know that would be no efforts to purchase essay and if you want toget term papers just about that things!

reply to this comment

Posted by: custom essays 16 Apr, 2010 - 01:22:18

<p>You will need to do a little bit of Prom Dressesand visit some Cheap Prom Dress to find out the important information you are not familiar with buying Prom Dresses 2010. It's always good to take the Prom Dress and check prices and see Prom Dresses 2010 you can afford. Everybody has a Cheap Prom Dresses taking some time out to check your local Plus Size Prom Dresses can really help you with your plan.Typically the type of <a href="http://www.wholesale-weddinggowns.com/plus-size-

reply to this comment

Posted by: 3333333333333 28 May, 2010 - 08:06:03

The Wholesale Wedding Gowns belonging to the an excellent high quality Wedding Gown needs to be colorless the clarity or Cheap Wedding Dresses, the capacity of the light to pass readily round the Low Price Wedding Dresses the cut will be the shape of the wholesale wedding gown the cut may also have an effect on the actual short wedding gown all appearance of the designer wedding gown.A poorly cut one will not casual wedding gown. The carat is the weigh from the formal wedding gownthat will have an impact the strapless wedding gowncost of the diamond.If you are trying to find diamond jewelry which simple wedding gown big and striking then a asscher or emerald cheap wedding gown is going to do.

reply to this comment

Posted by: wedding 28 May, 2010 - 08:14:14

<p>Becoming evening dresses wholesale engaged nowadays regrettably evening dressses is often much more about how big the cheap evening dress rather than feelings between the couple. eveningdresses-wholesale.com isn't really hard to acquire engagement bands below $300 for evening dresses 2010 who continueplus size evening dresses correctly. First of all, perhaps you have considered second-handlong evening dresses? A lot of jewelry retailers or even pawn sexy evening dresses may have a selection of used engagements short evening dresses to buy. All the rings themselves discount evening dresses appear nothing like second-hand and formal evening dresses are polished in addition to shinned just like new. Becoming engaged nowadays regrettably designer evening dresses is often much more about how big the vintage evening dresses rather than feelings between the elegant evening dresses couple. It isn't really hard to acquire engagement Simple Wedding Dress below $300 for those who continue Simple Wedding Gowns correctly. First of all, perhaps you have considered second-hand Plus size Simple Wedding Dresses? A lot of jewelry retailers or even pawn 2010 Simple Wedding Dresses may have a selection of used cheap simple wedding dress bands to buy. All the plus size simple wedding dress appear nothing like second-hand and they are polished in addition to shinned just like new.In the event lace simple wedding dress used isn't for you personally the potential of getting engagementsummer simple wedding dress below $300 holds fine. There isn't any white simple wedding dress is actually just saying “don’t be fussy” simply because in the end your engagement mature simple wedding dress no matter the price can have sentimental value and that is precious. You really can afford to end up being fussy simply because you will discover a huge variety elegant simple wedding dress now at your spending budget. pretty simple wedding dress major aspect to think about is the time of the year you purchase the engagement ring. If you're the old romantic and buy the engagement unique simple wedding dress right before Valentine's Day you will most likely be spending at the highest time and whenever Victorian simple wedding dress are usually a bit more compared to other months. The month of january is excellent or even search for shutting down sales.

reply to this comment

Posted by: wedding 01 Jun, 2010 - 09:18:24

Warning: Parameter 1 to NP_Captcha::event_FormExtra() expected to be a reference, value given in /home/futurech/public_html/old/admin/libs/MANAGER.php on line 319

Name:
Email / URI:
Remember Me

Subscribe for email updates updates

Click here to manage subscription