Jaime at A Living Alternative–Our Missional Pilgramage, shares some of his reflections on a new adventure in church-planting.  I like the three values that he shares for being a missional-ly oriented church-plant:  We must be part of the neighbourhood.  We all have something to give / receive.  We must be incarnational in our presence.  I hope that they will "go for it" there in the inner city of Winnepeg.  One of the things that I notice about these values is that they do reflect what many of us have been talking about in mission. 

First, being a missionary pastor requires that I keep a dual perspective.  Our congregation cannot be all the community that a person needs.  In fact we are not the community.  Rather we are people engaged in many communities bounded by neighbourhoods and a city.  My contribution to the life of the church then is to be a missionary and even a shepherd to both the city and the congregation.  Our congregation is to be salt and light, gathered and scattered.  Shephereding leadership is a gift to both the communities and the congregation in that it connects Jesus-followers to their identity, mission, and life in Christ when they are together and when they are scattered.

Second, these values do not limit the shape, form, structures, and even the size of a congregation.  There are other factors that limit or guide those aspects of forming church.  And we know that form is important and must remain functional.  These values get at the being of church and our persist orientation toward the mission of Jesus and the influence of the Kingdom of God.

Read all of Jaime’s article here.

Well I’m off to hear Eddie Gibbs in Surrey.