Called Together: A Guide to Forming Missional Communities
Hey all, two weeks ago I handed over the reigns of Adullam so that I can commit full time with Missio to help churches teach and guide their people into incarnational living and community. Having just released a book called FLESH a few days ago, I am going to be free on the weekends to speak at churches on this subject. Besides inspiring people toward this, I will be helping churches do what we call "21 Days of FLESH Campaign" which leads to a 22nd day where we move individual people into incarnational communities. I am happy to help kickoff the first week of the campaign but we also have 4 FLESH sermons you can use to kick it off yourself. Within the month the FLESH Campaign will have everything you need on our Missio site at www.missio.us. Just look for FLESH. If you are interested in this in your context just shoot me an email to my personal email at hughhalter@gmail.com and feel free to pass this along to church leaders who might benefit from this. I think if we can re-insert the word Incarnation back into our basic discipleship paradigm, everything church leaders struggle with will be helped and pure evangelism may come alive in our contexts.
For now, enjoy this video. This is the short version you can just forward to friends
Years ago, UPS engineers devised route-optimization plans to increase efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and get drivers back to their centers earlier. They came up with a simple rule:
Since 2004 UPS has saved an estimated 10 million gallons of gas.
Carbon emissions were reduced by 100,000 metric tons – the equivalent of 5,300 cars off the road for an entire year.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is a qoute from Jesus (the Message version):
"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get. "(Matthew 7:12 MSG)
Which picture illustrates the LIFE Christ has for us?
Watch and read more here:
http://www.vergenetwork.org/2013/04/25/what-makes-discipleship-intentional-caesar-kalinowski/
If you serve a missionary God, by default, YOU are a missionary. He (God the Father) sends Jesus (God the Son) who in turn sends us and promises us a Helper (God the Spirit). We are to be his ambassadors. We are to be His missionary people. This is what followers of God do. If disciples love Him -Jesus- they (disciples) do what He says.
Where do missionaries in obedience begin to think and act like missionaries? In the places they are planted and rooted- in the NEIGHBORHOOD! Next-door-neighbors, across-the-street-neighbors, out-the-back-door neighbors are the context for missionaries to live for Jesus and invite neighbors into the Kingdom of God.
It is time for disciples who are God's missionary people to see the neighborhood where they live as their parish. This is the place we GO to and then STAY. We go to a church service to celebrate what God is doing in the neighborhood. We don't go to a church building to go on mission. We go to the person next door to be on mission.
Watch this video from nextdoor.com to consider how you might become the neighbor next door to create community, participate in community, be a blessing and tangibly express the Kingdom of God.
Come back and tell your stories.
Posted with Blogsy