Part of CalgaryChurch.ca is devoted to spearheading some initiatives to combine like-minds in dialogue for some relevant issues to our faith. The Missio Dei - Missional Church in Alberta is a Facebook group that includes a range of people just starting to explore the missional perspective to leading communities within the paradigm. We've met once already in February, here are the March dates.
Tell me if I'm wrong, but I've sensed a growing discontent in the whole church scene. I can't really pinpoint what it is, but something seems to be amiss. For regular churchgoers, consuming church is a craving, perhaps even a necessity to be taken in every week. There is solitude in the building, calm in the pew/chair, trust in the programs and events, and also a chance to have a brief encounter God.
But for others, all of this seems tiresome, uninteresting, potentially confusing, dare I say fake, and most definitely boring. Don't get me wrong, I'm not proposing a solution that includes more flash and dash so boredom does not race through the pew, far from it. But if our regimented system of church has become as desirable as a slow dance in an old folks home shouldn't we at least ask the question: are we doing the right things?
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Well it's the day after our inaugural missional church dialogue session and I think it was mostly a success. 11 interested folks showed up to chat about what's brewing in the scenes of 'church' in Calgary. We met at FATS Bar and Grill and because today is a holiday it was a bit busier than usual. I suppose we could have opted to meet in someone's home, however, the prospect of meeting in a public place seemed more suitable given our topics. Continue reading »
Just a reminder, part of our intention is to be the catalyst drawing like-minds together in discussion. Our first meet on the topic of missional church (not the first meet as a church) takes place this Sunday.
The inaugural missional church conversation kicks off for what is the first of many monthly discussions pertaining to missional church in Alberta.
It's for folks who are familiar with the missional discussion on ecclesiology (the way we do church). Here are details on how you can join us for a pint and talk about church in Calgary: Continue reading »
Back in November, the pro-life club at the U of C erected their semi-annual anti-abortion display that depicts disturbing images of aborted fetuses and other bloody scenes. Part of their message is to compare genocides in Rwanda and Nazi Germany to abortion.
While I was a student I noticed the display every year. This past November the group had another display, this time with some additional instructions: Continue reading »
A popular pastor in the US offered his take on the eight crucial characteristics of a true church. I'm going to use his examples/model to give readers an impression of what Calgary Church might look like in an official capacity. The context of this pastor is a conservative right-wing message to a left-wing city (Seattle) all packaged in new blue jeans. In his context it's working. Here are my thoughts on his list (his point in bold my comments after): Continue reading »
An unprecedented amount of interest South of the border has exploded within the country's political scene. The buzz is so great that Canadians have jumped on the band wagon. I'm willing to even assert more Canadians tuned in and carefully followed the political game in the US compared to their own elections. Today, while Obama was being sworn in, countless Canadians were glued to their TV set, stopping whatever they were doing to witness history. This got me thinking....what's with all the fanfare, why do we love Obama? Continue reading »
The following has more typing than solutions, but I figured the dialogue needs to start somewhere.
We have a relatively new problem in Calgary, perhaps currently the most public issue, and I'm curious to know what Calgary churches are doing to be part of a solution. Typically, our prosperous churches are found in white collar, upscale, suburban communities. These churches themselves don't always end up contributing to their immediate community as more often than not they reside just outside of target communities--sometimes in industrial areas--and spend more time putting on productions and programs rather than trying to mobilize their adherents to return to their networks. How does that play into gang problems?
To respond to the gang problems one would have to intentionally connect into its issues. That to me is way a very time consuming and dirty process. Probably so much that it becomes too 'dangerous' and 'risky' for safe churches to get connected into.
Or maybe I'm just being a cynic.
Missio Dei. It's Latin for 'mission of God'. I've written this piece curious for your ideas and thoughts on how you frame the entirety of your faith. You see, everyone has a particular lens that they view the world through. Some with rose colored, some with intolerant ones, some with cranky lenses. What's your lens?
The lens I use to approach how I live my life and represent my faith is through a lens of missio dei. That means everything is filtered through a fundamental understanding of God's mission which I believe to be rooted in an eternal purpose to redeem and rescue humanity.
God is eternally interested in connecting with you and I no matter our circumstances.
I think this is his primary purpose for us and we should in turn adopt it--use it as our lens--for everything we do be it work, play, or church. Continue reading »
