Mission Alive

So much is happening in Mission Alive that it is hard to summarize.

Working with Churches

Becky and I enjoyed a five-day trip to visit churches in the Greater Chicago area. The schedule of the trip was arranged by Rich Little, preaching minister of the Naperville Church of Christ. During a five-day period, we visited with leaders of six churches, surveyed areas of the city, and spoke at both the West Chicago and Naperville churches. We are praying that God will work with us to plant two churches in Chicago in the next five years.

Last December the Connecticut Valley church in Windsor, CT, sponsored a retreat on missional renewal and church planting. I was privileged to work with five churches during that conference. During the past few days I have enjoyed emails and phone conversations with church leaders from this area of New England. We are praying for this area, seeking church planters who are conversant with the culture, and discovering churches who will faithfully partner with us in God’s mission. In this area of spiritual barrenness, there is also spiritual hunger. One New England minister said, “When we break through the sarcasm of the culture and connect with the heart, we hear their hunger. They miss God; they want God!” I praise God for the developing urgency and momentum toward church planting in this and other areas of the country.

We find that church planting begins with courageous, visionary, mission-focused leaders who connect with other leaders who have similar passions. Together they discover resources that enable them to effectively represent God in his world.

Theology Lab

We recently completed a paradigm-defining Theology Lab. This lab followed three Discovery (assessment) Labs and is preparation for the upcoming Strategy Lab in June. Seventeen church planters, including six families, one church-planting coach, and four Latino leaders attended the lab.

The Theology Lab is the fulcrum of equipping missional church planters because the missionaries are taught how to move from basic biblical understandings to form the practices of church planting. Biblical theology is like the rudder of a ship giving direction to church planters.

The lab was divided into two major sections. In the first section the story line of the Bible was overviewed three times defining the theologies of the mission of God (mission Dei), the kingdom of God, and incarnation with specific applications made to church planting. In the second half of the lab Randy Harris, who has a unique ability to engage learners and help them apply theology to practice, worked through the major tenets of Christian theology. He began with the topic of “humanity” and concluded with “the church.” Throughout the lab application was made to the character of Christian ministers and their ministry tasks.

Shortly thereafter, Tod Vogt, Daniel Rodriguez from Pepperdine, and I met with the Latino leaders who were in this lab to help them develop a culturally equivalent lab taught in Spanish for Hispanic church planters. Sixto Rivera will facilitate this lab for Mission Alive/Genesis Alliance.

The Testimony of Celli

Many searchers with little Christian heritage are beginning their journey with Jesus within newly planted churches. Church planters and new Christians actively participate with searchers in community events. As friendships develop, they invite these searchers into transformative Christian community. The VineLife church east of Denton, Texas, has had seven baptisms in the last two weeks. Most of these were men who were nurtured by their “All-In” men’s meetings, as well as a softball team, the Sunday worship gathering, and small groups. Celli praises God for the spiritual transformation of her husband Kenny. She says that she cannot “stop thinking about how blessed Kenny is to have the support of so many strong and tender men.” Celli is also thankful that “I now have a husband who is an enthusiastic Christian. What more could I ask for? I’m so excited to be able to take this journey with the most generous, loving man I know, my husband and my friend.” We rejoice that searchers are discovering the distinctive way of God in Jesus Christ.

Making Ears Tingle

Samuel grew up during a time when “the word of God was rare” (1 Sam. 3:1). God was seldom speaking, perhaps because of the sins committed by the sons of Eli (1 Sam. 2:27-36). When Eli’s “eyes were becoming weak” but “the lamp of God had not yet gone out” (1 Sam. 3:2-3), God began to speak through Samuel. Samuel, however, had to learn to know God’s voice and listen to him. God’s message was: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle” (1 Sam. 3:11).

Such a time has arrived in North America. The word of God is rare. Sin is ever-present, rampant. But hearts are searching for spirituality and turning toward Jesus. And God is beginning to speak! “See, I am about to do something in North America that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle!”