andygoodliff

Some Things I’m Learning About Church & Mission

A few things I'm learning about church & mission as a church minister. Nothing probably surprising.

Most Christians if we are honest are not missional – concerned more for ‘me and mine’

Need to create crossing places – blurred encounters – where it not clear always what is church and what is not

Can’t do it at arms’ length

Can’t presume to have all (or any of) the solutions

It’s costly – but not necessarily financially

It’s a long-term commitment, it requires more than a day or week or even a few years 

Need to be passionate about following Jesus, gospel emerges out of that (so not principally passionate about preaching the gospel, subtle difference) ... 

Hospitality is vital – people feeling welcomed & invited & remembered, allowed to be, listened too

Need imagination and creativity (which sometimes seems difficult to find in our churches)

Mission is mostly not separate from pastoral care; mission often follows from being a person who is willing to listen to another person’s story

Social action is always messy (when helping hurts), because it contains a politics, e.g. foodbank

Church needs to foster a positive public profile in community – known to be a welcoming, trusted, generous community

The task seems huge, impossible, overwhelming and so need to constantly be reminded that we are called to be disciples not heroes, i.e. the mission isn’t ours, we are co-opted co-workers/partners of God

There is a lot difference in being a Christian and not, and at the same time, there is no difference at all – ‘we are all beggars before God’ (St. Augustine)

Potential of ‘weak ties’ – churches and Christians have lots of ‘weak ties’ – relationships that are never nurtured, developed (e.g. building hirers)

BMS Hosting One-Day Theology Event

BMS are hosting a one-day theology event called Catalyst Live with a list of top draw speakers, including Jürgen Moltmann, Steve Holmes, Anthony Reddie, John Lennox and others. The one day is being run in Manchester on 27th November and Reading on Thursday 28th November. £30 incl. lunch. For more see here.

Baptism

It's been a while since I blogged. Preaching on baptism today, inspired by Paul Fiddes' paper 'Baptism and Creation' (found in Reflections on the Water or Tracks and Traces). Below is something of a sermon summary.

Creator God you
Gave life at our water birth.
For some the labour was short, for others it was long;
Your Spirit throughout, the midwife of our new beginning

Holy God you
Washed us clean in that sacred bath,
Cleansed us of our sin and shame,
Scrubbed us with your grace detergent
Blessed us with love and righteousness

Saving God you
Rescued us from these deathly waters,
In which we came to die
That in Christ we might live again
Free
To walk your way and sing your song

Beckoning God you
Called us;
The water that we walked through
a wardrobe to a new country;
now citizens of heaven,
Pilgrims on the road,
Living in two ages,
With a new language
For head and heart and hand

Reviving God you
Filled us with living water;
That restores our soul,
That gives life to our living
And faith for our future.
We have drunk of your Spirit
The gift and seal of your promise
And presence.