Eagleman passed me an excellent article that brings together many key concepts from The Shaping of Things to Come and other books. It's confirmed many things I have been working toward, and phrases things very pointedly. Here is a key passage:
In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, Jesus sends out seventy disciples to go to the villages he was about to go to himself, telling the disciples to go find people who would invite them into their homes, and once there, to eat their food, release blessing, heal their sick, and proclaim that the kingdom of God had come near. Before he sends them out, however, Jesus tells the disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We must stop for a moment to consider: weren’t the disciples the ones that were in that very moment being sent by the Lord of the harvest into his harvest? What was Jesus’ intent in telling the very workers he was sending to pray for sent workers?
Herein lies the key to missional movements. The implication of Jesus’ words are that the great majority of effective workers who will be called to the harvest are yet to be sent, for they are currently still in the harvest. The effect is that the strategic challenge in starting an apostolic movement is not in mobilizing the church to mission, it is mobilizing the harvest to mission. And consequently, the great task of the church in the West is not in reinventing the church but rather rebirthing the church. It is time to release new missional movements, from which workers will arise out of the harvest to carry the church to new heights and reshape the very fabric of the western church.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
this is good Matt. I once did a study through Acts and the N.T. of all the people who worked with St. Paul. After he and Barney broke up, he was pretty much alone. He grabbed a seasoned prophet, Silas,to go with him. Along the way he picked up Tim and Luke and probably Titus. From that point on, almost every co-worker that appears (and there are nearly 50) were people that he met in the process of starting new communities of faith.
Since no one else commented...I'll comment again. Below is an email I sent to some friends who are discussing Gent's paper with me.
"I just want to do something of value for the kingdom of God before I die .... something more effective and lasting than what I have done in the past. I have no quarrel with others or with existing churches.
My burden is to find a way to do something missional and "kingdom" with completely unchurched and unbelieving people. Others may not be called to that ... but if we don't find some way do begin to redemptively engage "blue state" type people ... then we are just continuing to sing to the choir. We are just holding our own ...barely...but not advancing the kingdom into the new tribal pagans.
If St. Patrick and John Wesley, and Francis Xavier did it in their time... (two Catholics and a Anglican) why can we not think in those terms in our time? I am not satisfied with where we have been, nor am I satisifed with the fruit we have seen. There has to be more that God has prepared us for -- more than just preserving the past, or holding on to a handful of people on Sunday morning.
thanks for bearing with me as I wrestle with my own burden....if this is all about just getting our theology right... God can just take me home now (after I take care of Debbie).
I realize that realistically, if I can help several dozen people cross over from darkness into the light in the next few years ....that is probably all I can hope for. But I can still dream.....
j
"Rebirthing the church"...what tremendous meaning.
Matt's post makes a lot of sense to me..."workers who will be called to the harvest are yet to be sent, for they are currently still in the harvest." This to me speaks of indigenous future workers - people who know harvest, identify with them, have lived with them, eaten with them, laughed and cried with them. They are most qualified to reach their people group whether we are talking overseas or not.
Jose, I also feel compelled to something greater than myself. Not for the sake of being recognized for accomplishments. But I long to have a purpose and mission to make a difference in lives. I think the compelling desire and drive that we have has been birthed out of gratitude for the mercy of God's work in our own lives. We just want to give back... We long for others to experience the grace, mercy, and life we have received from Him.
Post a Comment