Session 4

Today's morning session was brought by Cam Roxburgh, Director of Missional Initiatives for the NAB (not sure if that's his specific title, but it's something like that).  Here are some thoughts he had during his sermon this morning that I deemed as being worthy of some further pondering.

"Our methods need to change because our culture shifts.  Our message needs to change because we’ve drifted from the truth."

"Every church, a church planting church.  Every Christian – every follower of Christ – understanding that we are the sent ones." (he didn't say it, but this sounds like the vision for his arm of ministry in the NAB)

"In our vision, we’ve started with the church and finished with God.  We’ve asked, ‘What works?’ instead of ‘What’s right?’"

"That’s what being missional is all about – that you and I, in all of life, witness to what he is all about."  

"We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I?’  We ask each other, ‘Who are you?’  And through answering these questions, we’ve drifted."

"The fact that we are a chosen people speaks to our beginnings – our identity."

"Your primary identity is not in your biological family, but in your spiritual family.  Not in your father, but in the fact that Yahweh is your dad."

"The question is not ‘Who am I?’ but ‘whose are we?’"

"All of the ways in which we used to identify ourselves – our color, social status, family, etc. – are gone.  The only way we identify ourselves now is in Christ."

"We have a wonderful opportunity in the midst of a people who desperately need and want community.  We can be the people of God in their midst and testify to what he is all about."

"Do not put being right above relationships.  Do not put being right above the restoration of relationships."

"People in the world define their lives by saying their purpose is to eat, drink, and be merry.  The problem is that I’m not sure we’re that different."

"The Father sent the Son.  The Father and Son sent the Holy Spirit.  The Father, Son and Holy Spirit send us."

"We cannot understand the church unless we realize that the purpose of our whole being is to be sent."

"I’m not for the attractional church.  But I am for the church being attractive."

"The disciples introduced their friends to Jesus.  They didn’t invite them to church."

"Introduce people to Jesus.  The Lord will take care of getting them into the church."

"Missional is a renewed theological vision so that in every aspect of our lives we bear witness to a God who is on a mission."