What do we do? The power of imagining the future

A missional re-engagement with society

A re-imagination of what church is (and could become)

A re-orientation towards whole life discipleship.

‘apostolic creativity of quantum leap proportions.’ leap proportions.’ Gerald Arbuckle, Refounding the Church

‘not just about the church, but how the gospel engages the generation of men and women who no longer see the Christian life as having any reference for their lives.’ Alan Roxburgh, Missional Map Making

Keep in the slipstream of God

‘Mission is often described as if it were a planned extension of an old building. But it fact it has usually been more like an unexpected explosion.’ John V Taylor

‘how did the Spirit lead them to respond creatively & continually in new and surprising situations as they preached the gospel.’ Stephen Bevans & Roger Schroeder, Prophetic Dialogue

Think without a banister

‘we require radically different and as yet unimagined ways to relate the Good News to the pastoral challenges of the world.’ Gerald Arbuckle, Refounding the Church

‘ letting your imagination soar and then engineering it down to earth.’

“We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

Think of an idea/project/plant etc you are working on. Picture how you see the end result and then describe how it would be look it was filmed by Spielberg.

‘Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake.’

School of ideas 1.Forget everything you know 2.Remember everything you know 3.Re-arrange everything you know

1.What is our core identity? 2.How is our environment changing ? 3.What is the Spirit up to ?

‘Traveller, there is no road, the road is made by walking.’

Know how to see

‘ To look at something as though we have never seen it before requires great courage.’ Henri Matisse

‘ Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “ The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near, repent, and believe in the good news.’ Mark 1 v14-15 Mark 1 v14-15

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust

Sing the old lyrics with a new tune

‘ If you want to preserve tradition don’t wear your grandfathers hat, have grandchildren.’ Pablo Picasso

‘ Imagination must be formed and understood from the inside of its experience and confession of faith and not by borrowing from external sources.’ Walter Bruggemann, Prophetic Imagination

‘not leaving the tradition but driving to it’s heart’