Missional Think Tank: Monday morning

Greetings! Monday's session began with worship and dwelling in the word on Luke 10:1-12, a passage in which we continue to spend time throughout the conference. Some of the insights people gleaned from this session of dwelling in the word were very insightful. People were struck by how God is always at work - there is always something going on, and it is our job as God's people to discern what God is up to and become a part of it. Several folks also commented on the significance of Jesus' sending his followers in pairs to proclaim the Kingdom - there is such value in collaboration and mutual support in missional ministry! Several others were impacted by the message itself - the Kingdom of God has drawn near to you. This is the powerful message with which the church is entrusted to proclaim. How are we declaring in our lives and ministry that the Kingdom of God has drawn near to us?

We next viewed an interview with Darrell Guder on the theology of the missional church. Guder believes that we read our world through the lens of scripture - that scripture helps us see the world through Jesus' eyes. As the people of God, we are defined by the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and we must see everyone, every community, as people for whom Jesus died. Reliance upon the Holy Spirit is necessary for our proclamation of the gospel to be effective. This biblical and spiritual formation shapes our missional practice. Guder believes we must continually immerse ourselves in the Word of God, as this shapes us for God's work.

Guder spoke of the role of theological education in missional ministry. He views seminaries as missional communities being shaped for Christ's mission. Guder sees the need for theological thinking to be integrated into the practical minstry work of the local congregation. Although it is important for those pursuing ordained ministry to be adequately formed in missional thinking, Guder believes that the true test of missional theology is in the formation of missional thinking in the laypeople of the congregation. Guder concluded by emphasizing that the church can't make missional ministry happen, rather we must pray for God to bring it about in our communities. We can, however, pray for God to reveal the ways we "get in the way" of this work, and learn ways to work in concert with God's missional purposes, instead of being impediments to it.

In our cohort sessions, we discussed a myriad of ideas, more than I could encapsulate here. The main point we discussed was the difference between peace and tranquility. Jesus said we were to proclaim peace as part of the Kingdom, however, we often settle for mere tranquility (the absence of conflict) as a substitute for true peace. Tranquility can easily devolve into status-quo thinking and acting, whereas true peace confronts our complacency and calls us to deeper levels of commitment. Doing truly missional ministry is often messy, at least at first, and requires us to move beyond mere tranquility to true peace.

One practice I have found valuable at this conference is the dwelling on the word. Perhaps you may want to try the exercise with your congregation. Have someone read Luke 10:1-12 aloud slowly. Then remain in silence for a few moments, letting the word sink in. What words or phrases stick out to you? Dwell on those words and phrases for a few moments. How is God calling you to respond to what you have read? What truth is God trying to reveal? Discuss your findings with the larger group. What overall message is God trying to teach you as a community. Try this practice, and see what God reveals!

There is much more information I have received at this conference than I feel I could adequately do justice to on this blog. I am still processing what I have heard and written in my notes, and will continue to offer more insights throughout the coming days. If you would like a more comprehensive look at the material we covered, including information from other cohorts' discussions, take a look at the Missional Think Tank's official blog at www.missionalthinktank.org .

More later. Blessings for now!