Mission Shaped Church Some of the working group Methodology for a…

Methodology lesson ONE Learning from Seed sowing The principle : Seeds must be allowed to die

Sowing Jesus patterns Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies it remains only a single seed. But if it dies it produces many seeds. John 12 24

Dying to live … Something unforeseen can grow

Seeds are different to plants Mixing with the soil of the mission context… The planted seed community becomes a new body of believers as well us a body of new believers

Methodology lesson - TWO  TWO “Double listening” Mission in stereo, hears God better MSC p and Michael Nazir-Ali : Shapes of the Church to Come Chs 1-2 To the essence of the Christian Inheritance To the Mission Context

Get the connections right Planting … Evangelism Create Church 1 st ear Listen To Context 2 nd ear Listen To Tradition ? ? Only one… Listening Irrelevance Syncretism

Methodology lesson - THREE  Ask the right questions – Ask them in the right order start with the church and the mission will probably get lost. start with the mission and it is likely that the Church will be found. MSC p 116

WHO FOR ? WHO WITH ? WHO BY ? A three dimensional process  Who is the Fresh Expression FOR ? – Mission GOAL – Network or Neighbourhood – De churched or Non churched  Who is the planting done BY ? – Mission RESOURCE – Pioneer or Progression – Cell or Congregation  Who is it done WITH ? – Mission PARTNERS – Runner Graft Seed or Transplant

3 key questions... “What is the mission to this area ?” “What set of spiritual disciplines is required to sustain the community in that mission?” “What kind of community is needed to sustain the mission?” Based on questions asked by Church of Saviour Washington DC MSC p 116

Methodology lesson - FOUR  Beware Christendom imported distortions – Including the dominance of public worship – Leading to “come” shaped mission

Worship Community Mission Spirituality Robert Warren : Building Missionary Congregations What is Church Ideally made of ?....

The Christendom distortion Worship Mission Community

Different Mission Fields Non Churched (40%) Regular attenders – at least monthly (10%) Fringe - less than monthly (10%) Open de-churched (20%) Closed de-churched (20%) MSC p 37-40

Target Group Starting Place “Style” Or Mission Context WORSHIPEVANGEL- ISM COMMUNITY theirs & ours Climate The Fringe Open De- churched The Non - churched Closed De-Churched Christen- dom Pre - Christian Post Christian Anti Christian Apology WarmCool Cold to.... Arctic ControlDialogue Partnership Listen ? Where do you START in which context ?

Worship Mission The Missionary re- discovery Community