We are gathering some of the best leaders to equip, encourage and employ up and coming urban leaders. Our focus will be on the theological and practical implications of ministry in an urban context. There will be three breakout tracks for leaders to participate in: Church Planting, Mercy, and Arts. ...We will learn together, grow together and change the world together.
The conference coincides with an Acts 29 Boot Camp, and the list of speakers is top notch: Bryan Chapell, Darrin Patrick, Daniel Montgomery, Eric Mason, Randy Nabors, and Matt Carter. Breakout tracks include church planting, arts, and mercy. Should be great. If things are ok at the time with my wife's "illness," I hope to go.
Here is what I call The Missional Triad (a tweaked version of this by Joe Thorn and this that Joe and I fleshed out together). Forgive the handwritten sloppiness, but it's what I have for now. It's essentially a missional paradigm for our church to think through what we do and where we do it. The mission is a very central part of the paradigm. (Click the diagram for a larger version.)
If you are familiar with Joe's paradigm the next few points will help you see the changes I've made for my version, as well as explain a few things I thought you might have questions about.
1. The order of the shapes is different. I changed them to a left to right flow for unbelievers and right to left for believers. 2. I've changed the titles of each shape. I have included something of each shape in the name (example: tri-formed discipleship). I can still use "table, pulpit and square" as designations, and have done that, but I felt it helpful to give each a name that is slightly more descriptive. That also allows my "table" to lose the Lord's Supper confusion. 3. The "Circles of Friendship" is fleshed out so that hospitality is seen in three different spheres: neutral >> semi-private >> to private It also moves beyond the home into third places (why?). 4. Under Tri-Formed Discipleship I have used "Equipping Ministries" to explain all discipleship, from one-on-one to seminars, short-term classes, membership class, leadership training, etc. 5. Our small groups are transitioning toward being "Missional Communities." These will be more than small groups but less than house churches.
If you want to know something more, let me know. It's basically still the same three shapes, the same basic approach, the same goal of simplicity.
I recently received an email (edited for content below) from a Southern Baptist pastor in downtown Chicago about some very cool opportunities to be a strategic leader in SBC work in downtown Chicago...
Last year we basically wiped the slate clean with staff [at the Chicago Metro Baptist Association] and designed
three new full-time roles that we think will help our churches BRING GOOD NEWS
to Chicago.
Director of Missional Leadership and
Mobilization: This position will help to “develop ministers of the gospel”
by equipping current and future pastors.
Director of Evangelism and Church Growth: This
position will help to “strengthen
local churches” by assisting them in bringing the Good News.
Director of Church Planting: This
position will help to “expand the Kingdom of God” by planting new
churches.
We advertised and tried
to spread the word and got around 150 applications, but none of them have
turned out. We really believe that these positions are so strategic that
we want to make sure we get the right people here and have no false starts.
Chicago is an alpha
class, major global city. Yet as far as a real movement of the gospel
goes it’s pretty pathetic here. I really think these positions
could potentially play a huge role in reaching our strategic city. Exciting
stuff is happening in New York and Seattle and other major
cities around the world. Why not Chicago?
I was wondering if you knew anyone for
any of these positions that would be good for Chicago and getting a movement started
here. They’re full time positions, partly funded by NAMB. But we want to take more initiative
in going out and finding the right people. We’re praying like crazy
and super excited about the potential.
I know I have some readers out there who would be well equipped for this sort of work. Chicago is a great city with far too few good churches. If you are interested and feel you fit as SBC/missional, email apply@chicagobaptist.com. If you feel your blog readers might be interested, please point them to this post. Thanks.
Quick God Story: My family is still sick, sick, sick. Unbelievable virus we are dealing with. We were all feeling better and now most of us are getting symptoms back. Our youngest now has 103+ temp again. Ugh. But all praise to God for this story. Saturday afternoon my debilitating fever and aches stopped and I had tons of energy Saturday night and plenty for the task this morning. I mean I went from the worst day so far on Saturday morning, and then full of energy and vigor Saturday evening. Then soon after gathered worship today my fever came back as did my aches and terrible cough (I didn't cough once during the sermon). There may be some medical explanation for why I had such a dramatic health hiccup, but I know WHO is getting the credit. I was truly singing this morning, "How Great is Our God."
Speaking of how sick I am, it would really help me turn this frown upside-down if someone would present me something this awesome with Joe Thorn's likeness on it. It would make my year! (HT)
PastorHacks is into Jott (and Pinger). I've been using Jott for a while now with great success and productivity. I think Joe Thorn told me about Jott (I had to say that because he will speak harshly to me this week if I don't mention it. I don't like it when Hobbits get mean, especially when I'm sick.).
Here's Eugene Peterson at the 2007 Writer's Symposium by the Sea (isn't that where George McFly first kissed that chick from Howard the Duck?). The story he tells about Bono is worth the whole thing. (HT)
A great darkness descended on me, because I knew I had no good reason not to [plant in NYC], but I felt totally inadequate for the job. I know that everyone feels inadequate for any ministry, but this was different. I knew that I was as humanly well-equipped as anyone to try this ministry, but I also knew this was well beyond the human abilities of anyone at all. That meant only one thing: it would not be my talent, but my love for, and dependence on, God that would be the critical factor in the project. I felt that my spirituality would be laid bare for all (worst of all, for me) to see. But the opportunity was too ripe and I also knew it was a door that might not be open for even a few more weeks...
I prayed and was reading Gurnall's A Christian in Complete Armour one day and came upon a passage: "It requires more prowess and greatness of spirit to obey God faithfully than to command an army of men; more greatness to be a Christian than a captain." I realized that if was an illusion to imagine that I would have to start being brave if I took this job; I should have been living bravely all along. Even if I turned the NYC church down, I could not go back to being a coward. So I might as well go to New York! On July 1, [1988], I gave Westminster Seminary a year's notice. Immediately, my prayer life broke open like never before. I did not wonder why.
I haven't posted much on evangelism lately, but that should change soon. The main reason is that I'm doing a ton of work on some strategic planning for the next two years (and beyond) at our church. I've had some extra meetings and lots of sketchy ideas and plans that are starting to gel. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll have some things nailed down and can share more about my evangelism plans for the rest of 2008. Some of them are directly tied to our church's plans.
Here are a few books I'm currently reading, rereading, perusing, etc
Promoting the Gospel by John Dickson (info here): To be fair, I haven't gotten past the table of contents. But that's because I just got it in the mail today from Lisa at Narwee Baptist Church in Australia. Thanks Lisa!
unChristian by Kinnaman and Lyons: Used some stats in last Sunday's sermon. Good resource.
Redeemer Church Planting Manual by The Godfather (Tim Keller): How can you NOT own this? It's simply outstanding. Been using it a lot for church strategy and planning, but also pulling much on evangelism, ethnographic interviews, etc. I'll be blogging on a few things from the book soon.
I'm curious about the Mulit-Site Exposed Conferences. I'm not a video venue kind of guy, but I'm very open to thinking multi-site if we are growing and it makes sense for our area. Keller's approach is my favorite, with live preaching at all locations.
Finished day 1 of the Acts 29 boot camp in Chicago. Great stuff from Darrin Patrick, Mark Driscoll, and Ed Stetzer. I particularly liked Driscoll's message on preaching. Much of it wasn't new to me as someone who has preached nearly every week for 4 years, but a few of the things he said were really helpful. If the audio gets released I will try to link it.
Mark Driscoll - Dwelling in the Text & Dwelling through the Text
Tim Keller - TBD (2 sessions)
Ed Stetzer - Dwelling in the Kingdom & Dwelling in the Mission
CJ Mahaney - Dwelling in the Cross
Darrin Patrick - Dwelling with non-Christians
Conference will also include panel discussion, worship and breakout sessions. Register
at www.dwellconference.com.
Next week I'll be attending the Acts 29 Boot Camp in Chicago. It's been a few years since my wife and I first attended a boot camp in Dallas. Now that they are coming to town I'm very excited to go and see some of my Acts 29 friends and continue to grow as a pastor. Drop me an email if you are going to be at the boot camp and want to connect.
Glocalnet (Bob Roberts' ministry) is putting on a conference in February. If I were anywhere near the area I would make the effort to be there, not only because I think Roberts is an important missional leader, but because the other main speaker is Matt Chandler. Here's some info, but find all of it at Glocalnet.
What is it?
Glocalnet, in partnership with Glocal Ventures, Inc. and Vision360 DFW,
trains Church Planters, Senior Pastors, Mission Pastors, and Business
Leaders how to instill a Kingdom mindset in those whom they lead. Turbo
Training combine the best of Glocalnet’s Church Planter Training and Glocal Ventures’ Global Engagement training in a two-day intensive.
Who is it for?
Turbos are specifically designed to train
Church Planters first and foremost. However, Pastors of existing
churches and business leaders have discovered the benefits of the
Turbos.
What are the benefits?
Church Planters: Starting your church with
a missional DNA that focuses your people not just on their
neighborhoods and cities, but their state, their nation, and other
nations around the world. (Acts 1:8)
Pastors: Tired of urging your people to
get out of their seats and do something, only to have them stare at you
like a deer in headlights? Turbos will equip and excite you to move
your people forward into their “glocal” community!
Business Leaders: God called you to use your business to make a Kingdom impact. We live in a flat world
today. With technology and communications making huge strides, there is
no reason why you should not be engaging societies around the world
with your vocation. We’ll teach you how!
By the way, at the Acts 29 Boot Camp for church planters in Chicago next month there are three Southern Baptist speakers: Darrin Patrick, Ed Stetzer, and Mark Dever.
...there will be no Bibles available in those hotelrooms when travelers need them, and that is a tragedy by any measure.
A "tragedy?" 9/11 was a tragedy. Pearl Harbor was a tragedy (the awful event we remember today AND the movie). Abortion is a tragedy. The Bears are a tragedy. Some hotels not carrying Bibles? Not so much. Sure it means culture is changing. Sure it means that some travelers who may have picked it up won't have it readily available. But where was that ever the main ministry to people staying in hotels anyway? It was a bonus that a few people are now eliminating. People are the front line of ministry, not books.
I've started a new resource page called Mission to Suburbia (notice a link near the top of the left sidebar of my blog). There isn't much there yet, but I wanted to mention it to you all and ask for your help in finding missional, theological, statistical resources (books, articles, blogs, posts, etc) that will help those of us who are striving to bring the Gospel to the suburbs/exurbs. I hope Mission to Suburbia will be a handy tool for pastors, planters, churches and Christians who
Click the email link on my sidebar to email me info or links. I'd rather not receive links in comments. Thanks!
The Gospel Coalition website (which has gone from a little helpful toward really helpful in a short period of time) has a number of short video interviews (linkable) with key players: Don Carson, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, and yes, Tim Keller. As you could have guessed, I'm linking the Keller (and Carson/Keller) ones here for you. To see them more quickly, just go to the interviews page and scroll to them. And don't forget to visit my Tim Keller Resources page.
Tim Keller - What do you see yourself doing in The Gospel Coalition? | m4v
Tim Keller - What is the state of the pulpit in America today?| m4v
Tim Keller - How does preaching affect how christians see culture?| m4v
Tim Keller - What do you tell pastors about their family life? | m4v
Tim Keller - What ways can people learn from your teachings | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - What started The Gospel Coalition? | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - What makes The Gospel Coalition different? | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - Assessing The Gospel Coalition | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - How were the leaders of The Gospel Coalition gathered?| m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - What is the future of The Gospel Coalition? | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - What threats and challenges face The Gospel Coalition? | m4v
Don Carson & Tim Keller - What causes fragmentation in evangelicalism today? | m4v
On October 22-24 the LEAD Conference begins in St. Louis. From the website...
