Missional Church - Book review

Reggie McNeal's new book, "Missional Renaissance" is reviewed here.  What he talks of regarding Evangelical Protestantism is equally true across the range of our churches. Click here to read the review - note there are 5 pages of this. NH

What is essential for a Missional Church?

What is essential for a Missional Church – Evangelism is!

From Rachael Masterton

Evangelism conjures up visions of street corner preachers, door knockers and big crusades. What a scary prospect – if that’s the case I certainly am not an evangelist!

I think evangelism is about talking, talking to people, sharing our story and sharing God’s story.  It doesn’t have to be our whole story, bits and pieces, here and there can be effective too.  Does everyone know at your workplace that you’re a Christian? (and yes, if you work for the Methodist Church then I expect they do!)  However my paid employment is not with the Church and everyone knows that I am a Christian and that I am involved with the Methodist Church, my work mates respect my views and every now and again I’ll get a question to answer about Christianity or a discussion to enter into, or a chance to provide pastoral care to someone in need.

Last year I received an email out of the blue from someone I went to high school with.  She wanted to tell me that she (and her family) were now Christians and that was in part to my friendship with her at school and the sharing my story and how I lived.   Wow, a large number of years later those conversations in the 1980’s were still remembered and valued.  It goes to show that no matter how old we are we have something important to share, and even if we can’t see results instantly there is no need to be discouraged.

In the workshop one of the most powerful messages that I heard (and felt) was:

Show someone
Tell someone
Be someone

We need to take every opportunity to share God’s word (to evangelise), by our actions and by our words.  We can’t be afraid, we have to trust in God, stand tall and open up.  Start to build relationships with those around us so we can share openly – we need to take risks.

The Wikipedia definition of evangelism is ‘the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs’.  That doesn’t sound so hard – does it?

If we want to be a missional church, we need to be evangelists, and the more we ‘practice’ the better we become and the more natural it gets.

Whew, I am an evangelist!  And I trust in God to help me be a more effective one.

Following the Otago-Southland HCMC workshop WS 103; November 2011

In association with Trinity Methodist Theological College

What is essential for a Missional Church?

From Veitomoni Siufanga

The Missionary act is one of the most significant part of life for a church.  Without it I do not believe the church can be functioning well.  Spreading the Good News of Christ was done by people like the Apostle Paul and others in the Bible, who set out their mission into foreign countries.  Moreover, John Wesley and other missionaries continue on walking in the same path which benefit individuals and churches in our world today.

One thing that these people have in common was that they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Their mission was accomplished and complete because they received the power of the Spirit and use it as a dynamic tool to change people’s lives.

I believe we are also directed to do the same in our churches today.  Most churches are spending more time worried about the business side of the church rather than the spiritual life of the people.  The Church of Christ is built with people, not with brick and stone.  The church mission will be heard loud and clear because people are taking responsibility in introducing Christ to each other, the communities and the world.

Some churches have constitutions and regulations that restrict people to be involved with other denominations or communities.  I believe that church mission is a worldwide demand, therefore there is no need to do mission only in your own church,  but to reach out and interact with other religion, faiths, denominations and the community.  I am sure that we can learn from each others experiences and share our mission statement with people that have other views of Jesus Christ’s missionary journey into the world.  It is our mission to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world and baptize them in the name the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

God Bless

Following the Hamilton HCMC Workshop WS103
In association with Trinity Methodist Theological College

What is essential for a Missional Church?

From Sione Takataka

Firstly, a healthy church is not measured by big and beautiful buildings, big budget etc, but the lifestyles of its members to be Christlike, alive, dynamic, growing, loving, friendly, mighty and powerful.

Secondly, a missional church is a 'by-product' of a 'healthy church'. Its foundation was laid by Jesus' 'Great Commandment'- 'Go out to the world and make disciples of all nations. I will be with you always'

Therefore the 'Identity Reflectors' of a missional church are : -

1. Evangelistic and faithfully proclaiming the gospel through word and deed.
2. Community of faith, willing and ready to be Christ's people in their own situation and place.
3. Understanding and utilizing the power of the gospel and not losing confidence in it.   
4. Demonstrating integrity, morality, good character, compassion, love, and a resurrection life (transformation), full of hope and verbal witness.
5. Reflecting in themselves as representatives or ambassadors of Jesus and doing nothing to dishonour His great name.
6. Totally rely on God in everything and be dependent on prayer.
7. Feeding weekly on spiritual food as scriptures.
8. Spiritual development (growing) is an expectation by involving in the learning 'the ways of Christ'.
9. Healing community where people carry each others burdens.
10. Requiring its leaders and members to be a missiologists.

May God bless us all

Following the Waikato HCMC Workshop WS103
In association with Trinity Methodist Theological College

What is essential for a Missional Church?

From Mele Ma'u Molitika

I think it is essential for a missional church to carry out Jesus’ great commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations …” Matthew 28:19

We may not be able to travel to all nations of the world, but we can start making followers of Christ by whoever is within our reach.  We make time amidst the day’s hustle and bustle not to rush the other way, but to stop, get off our high horse, get our hands dirty, willing to let go of our comfortable transportation, part with some hard earned dollars, in the name of obeying the great commission.  Once that soul is healed, he/she will do the same to the next person they come in contact with, and so on and so forth.  When people grow, churches change and communities transformed.

To make disciples is to invite people to experience the gospel of Christ, and to participate in spreading the good news.  God’s mission is to be carried out cooperatively and inclusively.

‘Prayer ‘ is the heart of a missional church.  We need to stop and pray, and listen to God’s small voice directing us where to take his mission, and in whatever shape or form. 

From the Waikato HCMC workshop: WS103
In association with Trinity Methodist Theological College

RWC - Big Screen Little Screen Ideas for Semis and Finals

Message from Engage NZ

Hi guys

Have heard some good stories from churches who have been holdign some Big Screen events which is good news. Would also love some more and photos too of anything that you've been doing.

One Church had a 'Paint it Black' event on the night of the AB's v France game

They featured a good old fashioned BBQ but instead of sausages they featured some more gourmet style 'Kiwi Burgers' with eggs and beetroot and some home made burger patties. They also build a Grandstand for the event and had face painting available for the kids.
Even though the game was later, their target audience was families. They contacted families through their Mainly Music programme and other family based groups either connected with church or in their community.

Big Screen Ideas for Churches

Here are some other ideas you might like to include:

• Decorations: These could be made and put up by families before kick off. Could include black and white streamers and balloons


• Team Banner making: Once again could be made on site by those who come


• Kids Entertainment before kick off: BJ the Clown in the Auckland area is a Christian clown that you my like to contact and see if he is available.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAECkdkmATc to see a video off youtube to see a promo. He's an experience clown who specialises in comedy magic, balloonologist, ventriloquist and pyrotechnics.

• Bouncy Castles for the children


• BBQ


• Team Chant competitions

We want your Stories

Hello all

As part of our desire to leave a Legacy which sees Sports Ministry continuing to grow and develop off the back of the RWC we are looking for your stories. Please feel free to send this to as many of your contacts as you think might be able to help us.

Has your church got any stories around any of the following theses;

• Ways that you as a church community have been able to serve the RWC. E.g. helping clean up after RWC events, assisting tourists in ay way e.g. providing camper-van parking, giving directions, provideing refreshments to fans walking passed your church.


• Any stories of conversations that your members have been able to have which have lead to people making decisions. After all this is the reason we do what we do!!


• Events that your church has held. E.g. Church Parties around viewing the RWC and how you have been able to Engage and Serve your local communicaties through these.

These are just some ideas.

If you have been using any of the KidsGames or FamilyGames material and have any photos or feedback in bullet points that you can share that would be great.

There are several purposes in collecting this information. One is to report relevant informaiton back to the NZ RWC Organising Committee in relation to how the Church Community has been able to serve the event. Obviously the Chaplaincy and Home Hosting Programmes are extremely relevant to this feedback but your Church may have also found some creative ways in your community to help serve the RWC events.

We also want to report back to and honour those people who have sown financially into Engage over the last couple of years as well as growing the Christian Sports Network here in New Zealand through the connections of people with a similar passion to use the language and experience of sports to transform communities. With such major sporting events as the Olympics next year and the Cricket World Cup in 2015 being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand there will be I'm sure a lot mroe growth because fo the greater understanding that has been achieved off the back of the RWC.

Engage has a meeting with the RWC Organising Committee in a couple of weeks to give some of this feedback. So now that the Pool Play section of the RWC is drawing to a close and many of the games will leave or have left many of the Provinces I look forward to hearing your stories.

Blessings

Sue Morris

sue.morris@engagenz.org