Tuesday, August 14
Thinking about things in community…
Last Wednesday we began what we are calling, for lack of a better term, a ‘think tank’ to discuss the things God is continuing to call us towards with Crossings, specifically in light of what we are reading together in ‘The Forgotten Ways’ by Alan Hirsch.We have a very insightful, very creative, very diverse group of about 15 people who are meeting twice a month for the next two or three months to discuss terms like ‘missional’, ‘incarnational, ‘attractional’, etc. and what those terms might mean for Crossings.
I would love for the discussion to include this blog…
Two quotes that go to the purpose of this group…
“A church which pitches its tents without constantly looking out for new horizons, which does not continually strike camp, is being untrue to its calling. We must play down our longing for certainty, accept what is risky, and live by improvisation and experiment.” -Han Kung
“The church, when true to its real calling, when it is on about what God is on about, is by far and away the most potent force for transformational change the world has ever seen. –Hirsch
We are trying to learn to think with ”risk”, “improvisation”, and “experiment” as part of our vocabulary and trying to learn to ask the right questions and seek the Truth of God when we think about this ‘most potent force for transformational change the world has ever seen’.
The first discussion was great…may God lead us and have His way with us as we continue to dream…
Mark Nelson at 7:45 AM 2comments
2 Comments
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at 12:47 PM
The Anonymous Human said... I love Hirsch's comment.
I'm not sure I understand the first part of Han Kung's comment. Can you expand on it? Does this mean our churches are not supposed ot have buildings and be somewhat of a nomad group? I'm assuming it's more metaphorical in that their puposes need to change with the needs of the community...?
What did the group say about that?-
at 10:53 AM
Mark Nelson said...
I think the Kung comment has to do with resisting the temptation to 'settle in'... 'Settling in' can be a good thing, it's safe, secure, etc., but it can be bad thing as well, safe secure etc.
I didn't take his comment to be about buildings literally...
I think as a group we locked into to those the words from Kung's quote that stood out to me: risk, improvisation, & experiment.
Those words, in my mind, create an environment where innovation is expected, where risk is a part of who we are, not simply for 'risk sake' but for Jesus' sake...