Category: Theory
Emissaries of the Way
Posted by Jay Matenga | Jul 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Mission, Narratives, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
Joining The Faith
Posted by Jay Matenga | Jun 25, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Theory | 0
Co-Creating Safety
Posted by Jay Matenga | Jun 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Member Care, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
Yielding To Gravity
Posted by Jay Matenga | May 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
Nil By Force
Posted by Jay Matenga | Feb 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Leadership, Member Care, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
Personal Reflections on Lausanne 4
by Jay Matenga | Oct 14, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Mobilisation, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
In this post I reflect back on my experience of Lausanne 4. While there is much to celebrate about the event, the motives of the Lausanne executives made explicit throughout it left much to be desired. After noting highlights, I examine some of the things that concerned me most.
Read MoreEmissaries of the Way
by Jay Matenga | Jul 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Mission, Narratives, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
In the tussle between liberalism and conservatism in Christian witness, there is a midway that holds the tension between the two, but Scripture (assuming its authority) repeated reinforces a non-negotiable in and out criteria for those who dwell in the Kingdom, shalom, New Jerusalem… New Creation.
Read MoreJoining The Faith
by Jay Matenga | Jun 25, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Theory | 0
Can we accept Jesus and not feel the need to adopt the Judeo-Christian religious history contained in the Bible? To conservative Western Christians this seems a no-brainer, but to indigenous followers of Jesus the answer is not so straightforward. In this post I tackle it from a Māori Christian perspective.
Read MoreCo-Creating Safety
by Jay Matenga | Jun 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Member Care, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
Psalm 34:4-7 speaks of the Lord’s salvation. To illustrate the real-world meaning I share from the homily I presented at my uncle’s funeral. The subject leads me to call out those among us who threaten safety, especially of the young and vulnerable. We must remain diligent in our protection of one another.
Read MoreYielding To Gravity
by Jay Matenga | May 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
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”.
Read MoreNil By Force
by Jay Matenga | Feb 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Leadership, Member Care, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
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.
Read MoreWhose Side Are You On?
by Jay Matenga | Jan 7, 2024 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
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.
Read MoreUnbroken Weave
by Jay Matenga | Oct 7, 2023 | All Posts, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
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.
Read MoreCorrupted Directions
by Jay Matenga | Jul 7, 2023 | All Posts, Featured, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Navigation, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
“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.
Read MoreThe Wellbeing Imperative
by Jay Matenga | Jun 7, 2023 | All Posts, Interculturality, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Neurobiology, Relationships, Strategy, Theory | 0
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.
Read MoreStep By Step
by Jay Matenga | Apr 7, 2023 | All Posts, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Navigation, Strategy, Theory | 0
You’ve got to start somewhere and little steps can achieve great things. But can we achieve God’s mission? Is it a project we are ‘tasked’ to finish? What if God’s mission was eternal? How would that alter our perspective? Step by step we are called to obey and follow, but not necessarily to accomplish God’s mission.
Read MoreDiminishing Returns
by Jay Matenga | Dec 7, 2022 | All Posts, Leadership, Mission, Narratives, Strategy, Theory | 0
Some traditional missions concepts, methods or strategies are requiring increasing resources but their impact is decreasing or even harmful. The turn of the year is an ideal time for considering what former things to discard so that we can embrace the new things God is doing… if we can perceive them (Isaiah 43:18-19).
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