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How do we maintain “unity of mind, thought, and purpose” as we participate in God’s mission? It can seem to be an impossible ask in contexts of diversity. But harmony starts with our commitment to allow ‘others’ to express their faith in contextual terms, within the gravity and boundaries of being “in-Christ”.
What does it look like to co-create New Creation? It does not look like clinically undermining a suffering part of the global Church from a detached distance that’s for sure. This post argues that healthy contextualisation and intercultural intelligence is required to co-create New Creation.
This post tackles a tendency for some to get aggressive in our evangelism and missions approach. A triumphalist mindset remains prevalent in global missions circles but the posture encouraged in Scripture is that of quiet humility, gentleness, and honouring others’ dignity.
In a world marked by conflicts, it is appropriate to ask “whose side are you on?” as we start a new year. The question arises from Joshua 5 and this post is a prelude to a longer 2023 Leader’s Missions Forecast essay distributed to the World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission network.
Death is associated with separation, so too the antichrist/s. Anger is associated with separation which can lead to death if it is not well processed. It is transformational if it is well processed. Protest can be a legitimate expression of anger, but ultimately our aim should always be to process toward reconciliation.
In a world being ripped apart before our very eyes we could all use a bit of love, faith, and peace right now. But there’s a reason for the dysfunction we see around us and it is called Sin. That’s not a popular opinion these days, but what if Sin was simply the imposition of good upon others? This post explores that very question.
When Jesus prayed “that they all be one” (John 17) we interpret that one-ness in all manner of ways that fail to match our lived reality. But if we understanding it to mean an inseparable family bonded in/by the blood of Jesus (via faith in/allegiance to Him) our reality matches perfectly: warts and all. The challenge then remains: how to align.
We do not like to talk about it, but we cannot keep our head in the sand. The energy required for church and missions in the West to flourish is depleting, but there is good news: it is thriving elsewhere! This post reflects on these hard facts and concludes that Western Christians still have much to contribute alongside the global Church.
When it comes to effective outreach ministry, context is crucial. The gospel seed sprouts best in well prepared soil. As formerly Christianised nations became more secular, individualistic, and drift from traditional moralities there is an urgent need for us to adapt well to the changed tide, but rarely are we doing it well.
“If you pee in the water you’ll never reach your goals” will make perfect sense when you read the explanation of this modern-day whakataukī! In an era of great fluidity and ambiguity, we need to prioritise what will help us reach our ‘New Creation’ destination. Spoiler alert: it has everything to do with relationships.
Until very recently it seems, Western Christianity has been solely focused on ‘the dark side of the moon’-a pathological perspective of humanity. We should have no illusions about sin’s devastating effects, but neither should we lose sight of our inherent goodness. Missions needs a shift in perspective towards wellbeing.
In our polarised world we would do well to consider the nature of plants that both reach towards the light while digging down into the earth to extract nutrient rich water. Rather than either/or there is much need to hold in tension the myriad different aspects of the people of God’s participation in the mission of God.
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