Category: Missional Church

Revisiting Hirsch/Stetzer Missional Ecclesiology

Posted on January 23, 2009

We had a great discussion in a previous post trying to figure out which should take priority in determining a missional ecclesiology—missiology or ecclesiology? Both Stetzer and Hirsch have kindly provided their schematics to help clarify their positions. Stetzer writes:

My point is that scripture sets the agenda and has provides direction for all three– one does not “come from” the other but they are all derived from scripture, interact with each other, etc

Ed Stetzer

stetzer-missional-matrix

Hirsch explains: We believe that Christology is the singularly most important factor in shaping our mission to the world and the forms of ecclesia and ministry that form that engagement…Before there is any consideration given to the particular aspects of ecclesiology, such as leadership, evangelism or worship, there ought to be a thoroughgoing attempt to reconnect the church with Jesus; that is, to ReJesus.

Alan Hirsch

christology-v2

Stetzer sets Scripture as the starting place and Hirsch begins with Jesus. What are the implications for these slightly different starting places? Do these differences matter?

Organic Leadership

Posted on January 23, 2009

Neil Cole’s newest book Organic Leadership can be purchased before it hits Amazon over at CMA Resources! He provides a lengthy description of the book and summaries of the sections on his blog. An excerpt:

In Organic Leadership I challenge many ideas about leadership and church life that we all take for granted. Many of them are faulty ideas about church leadership, which we continue to support but which have never really been evaluated in the light of Scripture. Ideas that corrupt our understanding of the kingdom are addressed such as our tendency to view the church as simply a religious institution with a top-down authoritative structure; and some of the temptations that tend to hijack leadership away from healthy fruitfulness and can actually cause leaders to become detrimental to the work of God’s kingdom; as well as some of the ways we try to force people to live up to a religious code of conduct with manipulative tactics.

How to ReJesus Practically

Posted on January 21, 2009

Here is a helpful chart from Alan Hirsch’s ReJesus. It explains how we can ReJesus our churches practically. If you haven’t read the book or any of my reviews, Alan is calling us to imitate, know, and demonstrate Jesus as Lord in all of church and life. The Action Points jump-start thinking about how to do that through teaching, community, mission, worship, etc. If you have more practical thoughts, do share them in the comments.

What the Church Becomes

Action Points
1. A Christ-like community that reflects his character, life, and activity 1. By making an intentional corporate study of the Gospels to model our lives on the example of Jesus, preferring no lesser hero from our tradition
2. A holistic community that seeks to offer up all of life to the lordship of Jesus 2. By de-emphasizing Sunday and equipping all followers to hand over every sphere of their lives and every day of the week to Jesus
3. A peace-loving community that is considerate, submissive, merciful, fruitful, impartial, and sincere 3. By moving outward to serve others, knowing that community is forged by our collective commitment to a cause beyond ourselves
4. A worshiping community that exalts Jesus and declares his sovereignty 4. By understanding that worship includes singing but is never limited to it and involves a whole-of-life exaltation of Jesus
5. A devoted community that experiences intimacy with Jesus 5. By practicing the presence of Jesus in prayer, solitude, fasting, and missional action
6. A graced community that relies on the work of Jesus for salvation 6. By insisting continually that it is not by our own efforts that we are saved-that is, through a continual re-evangelization of believers
7. A holy community that seeks after the righteousness of Jesus 7. By learning and living the values of Jesus, as distinct from the piety of middle-class, good-manners conventionality
8. A healthy community that feeds on God’s Word and the ministry of his Spirit 8. By corporately devoting ourselves to the Scriptures and the exercise of the spiritual gifts