Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Theology of Equipping - part 1
One of the philosophies of ministry that guides Mission Alive is that Christian ministry should move from theology to practice. That is, the impulse for ministry should come from our understandings of who God is and what He is doing on this earth rather than from systems of organizational effectiveness. Church planters who join Mission Alive and come through our Theology Lab and Strategy Lab hear this philosophy repeatedly as they strategize to plant churches.
This philosophy of ministry must not only guide the planting of new churches, it must also guide the ministry of Mission Alive. In particular, this philosophy insists that we in Mission Alive answer the questions, “What are our theological understandings that inform how we equip church planters?”
There are many ways to address that question and I believe we will continue to develop ever-deeper understandings of equipping. But there are at least two core understandings that shape Mission Alive’s practice of equipping.
1. Equipping is Rooted in the Theology of Incarnation
The theology of incarnation says that the church is the contemporary embodiment of God (Christ) on the earth as are individual Christians. Equipping is the practice of helping others more faithfully incarnate Christ in life and ministry.
2. The Practice of Equipping Should Reflect Trinitarian Community
As God exists in community of Father, Son and Spirit, so equipping among God’s people is done in similar community. Equipping as an expression of Trinitarian community is both inclusive and selfless. First, as the Father, Son and Spirit do not function exclusive of one another, equipping involves and engages various parts of the body for the edification of the whole. Furthermore, inclusive equipping does not elevate one part of the body above another any more than there is hierarchy among the Trinity. Second, Trinitarian equipping is selfless as expressed in the Philippians 2:7 concept of kenosis, self-emptying. Preparing for ministry is done for the sake of the world, often at great cost. Self interest diminishes as Kingdom purposes prevail.
See Theology of Equipping – part 2 for additional thoughts on the practice of equipping.
-- Tod K. Vogt