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Monday, July 29, 2013

A Symptom that all is Not Well with the US Economy

Last week, Detroit filed bankruptcy in what would be the largest municipal court dealing of its kind in the history of the United States. Detroit owes a whopping $9.2 billion in pensions and $1.9 billion to creditors. In addition, the city is now $18.5 billion in debt.

Detroit is the greatest tale of economic decline in our nation's history, a stern warning to what happens when economic malfeasance is combined with social decay and political corruption.

The only problem is that Detroit isn't the only city that's on the brink of economic destitution.  To read the full article listing eight other US cities on the brink of bankruptcy click here.

Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Rom 12:2 ESV)
I post this because in my weekly working with people I am talking to hearing a worldview or way of viewing the world that is more shaped by our culture than Scripture.  It may be the way their money is spent, the sexual ethics, or how they are raising their children.  Unfortunately the list is much longer than the examples I just gave!  

I believe that as Christ Followers we are to be vigilant and fight against embracing the worldview our culture presents.  Bankruptcy of Detroit is just one symptom of the twisted and warped thinking of our culture.  Leaders in the body of Christ must help the church identify the prevailing worldview around us so she can fight against being conformed to this world and seek to be transformed by the word of God so that she can test and discern the will of God.  God, raise up leaders who will fight against embracing the prevailing worldview of the culture around them.


Friday, July 19, 2013

The Need to Be Radical in our Fight Against Sin!


But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1Tim 6:11-12)
Here is a short video on the need to radically fight against our sin.  It is good, but it would be great if he connected it to faith.  To give him the benefit of the doubt, he may have talked about faith on either side of this clip.  Too often those communicating truth in the church do not connect our actions with faith in Christ so they end up teaching moralism.  The result is that you have sincere followers of Christ struggling against sin in their own strength.  The battle against sin waged in our own moral power, against the power of sin is a disheartening and losing battle! 

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

What Makes a Missional Community Different?

Here is a well thought out article on helping small groups to be missional!

As a practitioner of missional communities, I am often asked, "What is the difference between a missional community and _____ (small group, Bible study, etc.)?"
Before I dive into distinctions, let me provide the definition I use for a missional community:
A community of Christians, on mission with God, in obedience to the Holy Spirit, who demonstrate the gospel tangibly and declare the gospel creatively to a pocket of people. 
Perhaps the most critical portion of the definition practically is the idea of "a pocket of people"—a missional community is intentionally focused on those who aren't believers. Missional community is intentionally focused on those outside the church.
Before I make some folks upset, it's also important for me to note that gospel-centered communities on mission come with many different names. While I think language is important, I've found there are many small groups, community groups, and Bible studies that look a lot like what I call missional communities. The distinctions I point out in this article are meant to challenge predominant methods of practicing community in many American evangelical churches.

Missional Communities vs. Community Groups

One of the greatest needs in many churches is "community." Pastors talk about the value of it, tell people they need it, and provide lots of ways for people to engage it. As I have connected people, I find they're mostly seeking friendships that will spur them towards Christ. That desire is good and godly . . . I want the same thing!
The danger in the church aiming for community, though, is that it typically becomes the destination. Once relationships have been established, and the need for friends has been met, that's the way a community group stays. Community groups love to spend time together and have rich friendships, and the concept of "doing life" together is easy and appealing.
But these kinds groups often struggle because they lack the imperative of mission. They meet and live in community but do not engage in missionary activity. Once more appealing friendships or changes in life circumstances occur, a community group often dies out.
Community on this side of heaven isn't primarily about us though. Community is about God's glory being displayed to the world. Jesus clearly explains that the purpose of Christian unity and community is so that the world would know God the Father sent Jesus to this earth in John 17:21-24.
Missional communities are different in that they primarily see the purpose of their friendship, love, and unity to be an apologetic for the gospel to their neighbors. Community isn't the only purpose of the group, but community has the purpose of mission.
In my experience, a community group needs to be hard pressed with the truth of the gospel and the imperative of disciple making. Their need is not so much practical as it is sin rooted deep in their heart. This sin masquerades as many different things, but collectively a community group must see the greatness of the gospel and the joy found in following Jesus to seek out those far from God.
Practically, I have found that training a group like this together is crucial. They often will not make a transition collectively if you only train them as individuals. This is the primary reason we train whole communities together at The Austin Stone.

Missional Communities vs. Bible Studies

Many of us have been a part of a Bible study at some point in our Christian lives. Typically, these groups read the Bible for a set period of time on a specific day of the week. Bible studies are often great things, but they don't constitute a Christian community in its entirety.
So what's the difference? The short answer is that a missional community is not a Bible study, but a missional community studies the Bible.
A Bible study is often defined by gathering for the event of learning. The individuals who compose a missional community are individually engaging God's Word on a daily basis—our church uses a tool we call Life Transformation Groups—and seeking to obey.
The distinction is primarily in expectations: a missional community expects that an individual is participating in the community to contribute something (1 Corinthians 14:26), whereas someone comes to a Bible study to consume something.
Certainly people need to study the Bible, but to study the Bible without engaging in authentic community on mission is a fool's errand. The purpose of studying the Bible is indeed to learn about God and conform us to the image of Christ, but it's also to equip us for the work of ministry in the church (community) and outside the church (mission).
If we desire compelling communities that foster obedience to the Bible, our community should be naturalneutral, and regular, in the pattern and rhythm of everyday life, not a one-hour, drive-through Bible study.
Practically speaking, most Bible studies need to think critically about how the information that they are studying affects their daily life AND specifically how they can share the good news of Christ's life, death, and resurrection with their friends and neighbors. Transitioning this kind of community requires gathering in different ways for different purposes.

Missional Communities vs. Small Groups

Small groups have been used in many great ways in the church over the last few decades. There are many different variations on small groups, but they are primarily groups of around 12 people who gather weekly together to connect, worship, study the Bible, and pray for one another. Often times they try to serve together in ministry within the church and in their city.
These groups often understand the centrality of the Bible, the need for community, and the purpose of the group beyond itself. I've had great experiences in this kind of group. But I've often found there is a significant struggle to invite others to join in, and it's often difficult to mobilize an entire group to do something outside the regular meeting.
In trying to balance a number of different objectives, small groups often struggle to produce mature disciples of Jesus and multiply into new communities. Why?
I think it is because success is still defined as attendance at an event, rather than events helping relationships become natural in the rhythms of everyday life. Small groups often try to do community and mission outside the normal routines of life by adding an event into the week, rather than redeeming everyday life with gospel intentionality and involving community into normal life.
A missional community understands the value of different kinds of gatherings. A missional community sees itself as a network of relationships with a common mission, rather than being defined by attending an event. Missional communities gather, but the gatherings have different purposes.
I have also found that often times a group will try different kind of gatherings outside of their regular meeting times (for example, Third PlaceThe Family Meal and LTG's) a couple times, then abandon them because they "didn't work." I work hard to teach them that these practices are not a magic bullet, but healthy rhythms that will produce more faithful communities over time.
Small groups begin to shift as people start to put into practice rhythms that enable them to hang out with their friends far from God in natural ways. When a small group has actual names of people to pray for and ask God to save, and those people start to show up in places with the community, they are headed in the right direction.
Conclusion
No community is perfect, but by the grace of God all communities can be more conformed to the image of Christ and be more faithfully used for God's purposes.  Regardless of what category your community falls into, I hope you are challenged to think about how you can more intentionally be disciples together and make disciples of those who are far from God.
May God give us the grace to pursue the fullness of all he intended for our life together, and would we receive the joy of following Jesus and participating in the mission He has called us to!
Todd Engstrom serves as the executive pastor of campuses and communities at The Austin Stone Community Church. He is passionate about the gospel being played out in the context of missional communities and developing leaders who will proclaim and demonstrate the good news of Jesus. He also develops future pastors and church planters through The Austin Stone Institute.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

FREE GUIDE: PRACTICAL WAYS TO BE MISSIONAL

More very practical information on being missional from Verge.
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Problems fitting mission into your schedule?

Although the word “missional” has become quite a buzzword recently, it really just means that we live every day as missionaries. Jesus said that “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). That word “sent” is where we get the word “missional.” It simply means that we live as Jesus lived – as sent people who live everyday life with gospel intentionality.
But most of the time when we think of living on mission we immediately get the idea of adding events and service projects to an already crammed schedule. Busy schedules seem to keep us shackled and lifeless, keeping us from living out the mission of God in our lives every day. And with more and more calls to live on mission, we are left felling guilty and frustrated.

But is there a better way?

Yes! In fact, most of the simple ideas you’ll find below are very much in the context of your everyday life, but when looked at with a lens of gospel intentionality – when viewed through the eyes of a missionary – become not just ordinary tasks, but eternally significant rhythms of your life that are teeming with gospel opportunity.
The following 17-point guide includes practical examples of simple things you can begin doing to bring gospel intentionality to your schedule. Hopefully as you are reading through these examples it will spark ideas for your own life.
Be sure and bookmark this page and come back to it often as a resource for your missional journey.
  1. Life WITH Mission VS Life AS Mission
  2. How To Fit Mission Into Your Schedule
  3. 10 Practical Ways To Be Missional (Without Adding Anything To Your Schedule!)
  4. 5 Practical Ideas to Use Your Meals to Be Missional
  5. 5 Practical Ideas to Bless Others
  6. 5 Practical Ways To Bless Your Neighbors
  7. Practical Ways to be Missional in Your Neighborhood Part 1Part 2
  8. Simple Ways To Share Your Faith
  9. 5 Practical Ideas to Be Missional by Celebrating & Suffering with Others
  10. 5 Practical Ideas to Be Missional by Listening
  11. 5 Practical Ideas to Be Missional by Knowing The Story
  12. 4 Vital Questions for Being Missional in the Marketplace
  13. 30 Practical Ways to Be Missional in Your Workplace
  14. 5 Practical Ideas To Be Missional With Your Work & Rest
  15. Practical Ways to be Missional in Your Community & City – Part 1Part 2Part 3Part 4Part 5
  16. 6 Practical Ways To Use Your Rhythms of Life to Live on Mission
  17. The Introverted Evangelist: Living on Mission as an Introvert

BONUS!

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Monday, July 15, 2013

EVANGELISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY – TIM KELLER

Tim Keller is a good thinker.
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Tim Keller, founder and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, talks about evangelism and contextualising the gospel for the 21st century city.


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Friday, July 12, 2013

5 Reasons We Don’t Disciple


The site Multiply is putting out some helpful resources on discipleship   Two prominent authors are Francis Chan and David Platt.


Screen Shot 2013-06-24 at 4.10.04 PMAs much as we can, we like to point you to other voices that offer different, but like-minded perspectives on disciple-making. Barry Cooper is one such voice. Currently, he is in the middle of a five-part series on the 9Marks blog. In each of the five posts, Cooper discusses a different reason that churches and individual Christians may not be discipling well.
The point is not to be negative or focus on weakness, but Cooper realizes that unrealized problems are rarely ever fixed. So take his reasons we don’t disciple and make them starting blocks from which you and your church can begin to disciple better.
You can access part 1 here. Be sure to keep up with the rest of his five insights for more eye-opening aid in your struggle to persevere as a faithful disciple-maker.
9Marks is a great ministry that focuses on building healthy churches. For more about them, explore the rest of their super helpful website.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

25 MORE WAYS TO EASILY BE MISSIONAL IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Another helpful article on being missional.
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Recently, Josh Reeves wrote an article with 25 simple ways to engage your neighbors. Because there was so much interest in the article, we decided to give a follow-up with 25 more ideas to engage with your neighbors.
Here’s a recap of the original article, along with more ways to engage your neighbors:
I have found that it is often helpful to have practical ideas to start engaging the people around me. Most of the things on this list are normal, everyday things that many people are already doing. The hope is that we would do these things with Gospel intentionality. This means we do them:
- In the normal rhythms of life pursuing to meet and engage new people
- Prayerfully watching and listening to the Holy Spirit to discern where God is working.
- Looking to boldly, humbly, and contextually proclaim the Gospel in word and deed.
Below is a second list of 25 simple ways to engage your neighbors. Not all of these are for everyone, but hopefully there will be several ideas on the list that God uses to help you engage your neighbors:
1. Cook an extra casserole and give it to a neighbor
2. Buy an extra dozen donuts and give them to a neighbor
3. Start a compost pile and allow neighbors to dump their compost
4. Host a coffee and dessert night
5. Organize and host a ladies craft night
6. Organize an effort for neighbors to help take care of elderly in neighborhood
7. Become a regular at your neighborhood pool/park
8. If you have a skill, let neighbors know that you can use it to help them for free
9. Host a movie night and discussion afterwards
10. Start a walking/running group in the neighborhood
11. Start hosting a play date weekly for other stay at home parents
12. Organize a carpool for your neighborhood to help save gas
13. Collect good will store items and offer to take them to goodwill
14. Have a front yard ice cream party in the summer
15. Start a sewing group
16. Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood (invite neighbors in on it)
17. Throw a July 4th block party
18. Start a neighborhood Facebook/Twitter/Google + group
19. Ask longtime residents to help you learn about the neighborhood
20. Offer to babysit neighbors kids so they can have a date night
21. Find out your neighbors birthdays and take them a card and baked goods on it
22. Setup a meet your neighbors night with drinks in your driveway/front yard
23. Ask your HOA or apartment complex if they need help with anything
24. Host a regular Saturday morning breakfast potluck
25. Host a sports game watching party
Do you have some other ideas or ways that you or your Missional Community have engaged your neighborhood? Let us know below in the Comments section!

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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

10 SIMPLE WAYS TO BE MISSIONAL IN YOUR CITY – (PART 1)

in ARTICLESBLOGFOR THE CITYMISSION

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Recently, Josh Reeves wrote several great articles with simple ideas and ways you can be missional in your workplace, as well as simple ways to engage your neighbors (Part 1 & Part 2). Josh will continue sharing new ideas in this 5-part series called Simple Ways To Be Missional In Your City.
And although the word “missional” has become quite a buzzword recently, it really just means that we live every day as missionaries. Jesus said that “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). That word “sent” is where we get the word “missional.” It simply means that we live as Jesus lived – as sent people who live everyday life with gospel intentionality.
In fact, most of the simple ideas you’ll find below are very much in the context of your everyday life, but when looked at with a lens of gospel intentionality – when viewed through the eyes of a missionary – become not just ordinary tasks, but eternally significant rhythms of your life that are teeming with gospel opportunity:
Extended Neighborhood – The Regular Spots In Your City:
1. Participate in the local festivals, parades and celebrations of your city.
2. Find a park where you will consistently spend time with your community.
3. Pick a few restaurants to frequent getting to know the staff and regulars.
4. Go to the same coffee shop when you can.
5. Start a regular ultimate Frisbee game in your city.
6. Take the kids to story time at your local library.
7. Let your kids play in the city sports leagues.
8. Attend your city council meetings and get to know what’s going on in your city.
9. Attend your local school board meetings to know what is going on in the schools.
10. Frequent a local gym or recreation center.
Do you have some other ideas or ways that you or your Missional Community have engaged your city? Let us know below in the Comments section!

P.S. Want more practical resources on being missional?

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