Reformed Missional Thinking

Yesterday I posted on Newbigin’s understanding of missional leadership.  That post showed that the Reformation doctrine of the priesthood of all believers is crucial for the church to fulfill its missional calling.  Today I’ve been reading some posts by Reformed theologian Michael Horton (HT: Mike Wittmer) that speak to the same issue:

Newbigin on Missional Leadership

Lesslie Newbigin’s The Gospel in a Pluralist Society outlines his understanding of the role of the church in culture, namely, to be a sign, foretaste, and instrument for the kingdom of God.  But what about church leadership?  What is the role of a church leader in a missional community?

Why I Love the Missional Church

“Missional” is the latest buzzword in evangelical circles.  Some want to be missional.  Some claim to be missional.  Others simply don’t understand what missional means.  Wherever you find yourself, you absolutely must read this:

Gary Chapman is Missional

I spent the last seven days with my family at Maranatha Bible & Missionary Conference.  It was an amazing week.  One of the things that my wife and I enjoyed was learning from Gary Chapman, author of many books, including The Five Love Languages.  I learned a lot from Dr. Chapman, but throughout the week I learned something I didn’t expect: Gary Chapman is missional.

Are Campus Ministries “Church”? Yes and No

Yesterday I posted Russell Moore’s thought provoking blog, “Jesus Didn’t Die for a Campus Ministry: The Spiritual Danger of Unchurched Spirituality.”  Today I want to offer my own conclusion that Moore is on to something, but he also makes the fatal flaw of American ecclesiology.

Are Campus Ministries “Church”?

Russell Moore, Dean of the School of Theology Southern Theological Seminary (and Mike Wittmer‘s man-crush) posted a blog titled “Jesus Didn’t Die for a Campus Ministry: The Spiritual Danger of Unchurched Spirituality” (full-text provided below).  I think it is an interesting post that has a lot to say about the church (ecclesiology) and spiritual formation.  I’d love some of you to take a look and let me know what you think.  I’ll post some of my thoughts on Tuesday.

Post-Christian and the Missional Church

One of the foundational beliefs of missional church proponents is that we now live in a post-Christian world.  What does this mean and what are the implications?  David Fitch has provided some great thoughts in a recent post (I’ve provided the full text here).

Helping the Homeless

When was the last time you thought about the homeless in your area?  I have to admit, I don’t often think about the homeless in tiny Grand Ledge, MI.  Typically when I do think about homelessness, I think more of failed political solutions rather than trying to be a part of the solution.  Christianity Today has an article about how churches in Los Angeles are making a difference.  Could this happen here (or where you live)?

The Parable of the Sower: A Postmodern Parable?

The Parable of the Sower may be Jesus’ most popular parable.  The images are clear and the message is powerful.  However, I wonder if the Parable of the Sower helps us with something else: the discussion over the church in the postmodern era.

Does the North American Church Believe in Missions?

Most Christians would answer this question with an obvious “yes!”  However, some missional thinkers are claiming that the North American church has not truly allowed “mission” to penetrate its being.  Consider the words from David Dunbar (Biblical Seminary):