Tena tātou katoa e te iwi mīhana… (Greetings to all the people in mission)

“Simon Peter said, ‘I’m going fishing’” (John 21:3).

liminal space, the threshhold between what was and what will be.

It is easy to read that verse and detect tinge of exasperated depression. Being out on the water all night without catching anything wouldn’t have helped Peter’s mood or that of the six others with him. And this was AFTER the resurrection. They were all in a liminal space, the threshhold between what was and what will be. The Celts are known to treat such times and spaces as spiritually rich, thin spaces where the veil between heaven and earth becomes somewhat porous. The time between Easter and Pentecost was that for Peter and his mates: confusion and chaos, with only hints of better days ahead from Jesus’ brief appearances. But such times are pregnant with possibility. Much is made of Jesus’ offer to teach His disciples to “fish for people” (Matt 4:19). Leaving their nets, the disciples embarked on a journey, which led them right back to where they started. Only this time they encountered the resurrected Jesus and his fresh call to follow came with a whole new dimension of power. In these days of chaos and change it is tempting for Christ-followers to lose their ‘joie de vivre’ (zest for life) in mission service and allow their nets to get all tangled up. The modern mission movement’s managerial approaches are not yielding the results hoped for. But we’re once again in a time between times, discerning the fresh wind of the Spirit for a new day. Nets are being filled in spectacularly supernatural ways. In this new era of mission people of all kinds are finding a home in the metaphorical net that represents the Kingdom of God, but it’s happening differently.

Follower of Jesus, maybe it’s time to follow Him in new ways and try our nets over the other side of the boat? The fresh approaches will help us ><> #stayonmission ><>. 👊🏼

Nga mihi nui, (warmest greetings),

Jay