Reports from the field are good. About the summer months, we are hearing of significant growth in almost all of the MA church plants— especially given the fluidity in peoples lives during this time, this is really good news! But then again, we are always asking at MA— is it a growth that Christ celebrates? Is it really HIS unique presence and glory that is being experienced? And how would we know? Do we assume organization based metrics, or is there a more foundationally Christo-centric metric?
What encourages me greatly from the reports that I am hearing from the field is the manner in which new church goers and potential MA supporters are more than intrigued with a “back to the apostolic foundation” for a Christo-centric biblical theology of all things “missional church,” but are whole-heartedly buying into it as an essential element of reaching the post-christendom contexts that MA is committed to reaching. Even among those who are laboring in Christendom contexts in support of MA’s mission to un-christendom— words like “refreshing” and “about time” and “game changing” are frequently enjoined. It’s about celebrating Christ and his kind of power, not just in message but in strategy, that MA is all about!
The transition from Summer to Fall, especially in many of our college town church plants and global cities, can be intense. It’s the transition from what can be a long and drawn out process of careful planning to strategic assimilation and execution. We have asked our church planters and anchor church leaders to summarize in two bullets the sum essence of their mission focus and prayer— PLEASE, if you do nothing else, review the summaries below with prayer. Really, in the mystery of God’s sovereign mercy, prayer moves mountains! And trust me, mission and ministry in un-christendom contexts such as the focus of MA always requires such spiritually typographic movements that can seem as mountains for church planters. Please, pray.
In 1 John 5:14-15, we are reminded that when we ask anything that is according to God's will, that God uses prayer as one of the means to accomplish his will. We are assured in scripture that church planting is God's will (even if the specifics are left to God's continued wisdom). Please pray for Mission Anabaino - that it will be about Christ, his glory, his life giving presence, and his harvest on earth as in heaven!
