Mission Impossible?
One of the great things about college is that sometimes you can end up getting a whole load of really good input from experts in a field, on the same subject, in a fairly short space of time.
At the moment I am in the middle of module on Mission Theology and History, which is all about how the church has and should go about its mission. Last week we had, as part of this, a session from John Finney, a retired bishop who led up the Church of England's approach to the Decade of Evangelism, helped design the Emmaus course, and continues to write and teach about evangelism.
Today, we had a double helping. This morning we had a college lecture from Robin Gamble, whose job title is, "Canon Evangelist" in Manchester Diocese. Basically, he teaches church leaders in evangelism and church growth, not just in Manchester, all over the country.
This afternoon it was onto George Lings. This guy is at the cutting edge of thinking, observing and working out what is going on in the Church of England, especially with regards to Fresh Expressions of Church, and Mission Shaped Church. It was seriously impressive to see someone with a brain the size of the planet, and vision to see patterns and models of church growth think on his feet and engage with the issues facing the church.
It was very encouraging to see the passion and expertise that these guys have for mission and church growth. But, to leave it at that would be to miss the point. Today is Ascension Day, when Jesus returned to heaven following the resurrection, and Robin preached on this at our college communion service tonight. His basic thrust was that Jesus came to do God's work: to proclaim good news; to heal the sick; and to cast out demons. Jesus has gone now, so who's going to do the work?
We have to. Not just the experts, though it's great to have them, but us, all us normal Christians who have experienced the Good News, healing, and freedom, we have to take them into the world.
At the moment I am in the middle of module on Mission Theology and History, which is all about how the church has and should go about its mission. Last week we had, as part of this, a session from John Finney, a retired bishop who led up the Church of England's approach to the Decade of Evangelism, helped design the Emmaus course, and continues to write and teach about evangelism.
Today, we had a double helping. This morning we had a college lecture from Robin Gamble, whose job title is, "Canon Evangelist" in Manchester Diocese. Basically, he teaches church leaders in evangelism and church growth, not just in Manchester, all over the country.
This afternoon it was onto George Lings. This guy is at the cutting edge of thinking, observing and working out what is going on in the Church of England, especially with regards to Fresh Expressions of Church, and Mission Shaped Church. It was seriously impressive to see someone with a brain the size of the planet, and vision to see patterns and models of church growth think on his feet and engage with the issues facing the church.
It was very encouraging to see the passion and expertise that these guys have for mission and church growth. But, to leave it at that would be to miss the point. Today is Ascension Day, when Jesus returned to heaven following the resurrection, and Robin preached on this at our college communion service tonight. His basic thrust was that Jesus came to do God's work: to proclaim good news; to heal the sick; and to cast out demons. Jesus has gone now, so who's going to do the work?
We have to. Not just the experts, though it's great to have them, but us, all us normal Christians who have experienced the Good News, healing, and freedom, we have to take them into the world.
posted by Carter Clan at 8:23 pm
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