The Challenges facing local Churches:
There are many challenges before us as local church minsters, including keeping our congregation in line with Christ’s mission while being relevant to the times and contexts in which we live! Other challenges journeying alongside the younger generations with an authentic experience and expression of Jesus and His Church for them as well as seeking to offer the Gospel to the ‘unchurched’ and ‘de-churched’ folk within our areas. God is doing an amazing thing and I am privileged to be a part of this.
The best tool I have found for doing this in the LOCAL CHURCH is the 'Mission Shaped Intro' set of materials. This has six outlines are as follows:
#1
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Rediscovering God’s Mission
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#2
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Rediscovering Mission in a changing world
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#3
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Rediscovering Missional Church
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#4
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Rediscovering Disciple-making
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#5
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Rediscovering Missional Spirituality
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#6
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Rediscovering Listening to your Community
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This is offered at a local church by the local team, with assistance and coaching from Missional Coaches and the Fresh.Africa Team.
The second tool I found is the training for Mission Pioneers and practitioners and is called the ‘Mission Shaped Ministry’ Course, under the banner of ‘Fresh Expressions’ (see www.freshexpressions.co.za ) which we are presently offering in the Southern African context.
Fresh Expressions carries the endorsement and support of the MCSA, UPCSA, UCCSA, DRC, NHK, ACSA, AVCSA, BU, and others. We are seeing this ecumenical teamwork unfold before our eyes as the denominations have embraced it immediately and warmly in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe already.
The actual course is an experience in a missional community that handles topics that cover:
Mission Shaped Ministry course: topics covered
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Mission Context & the mixed styles
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Worship and the sacraments
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The Mission of God
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Handling opposition, setback & failure
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Vision and Call
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Ongoing learning and support (Coaching)
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Missional values
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Prayer for mission
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Starting Something new
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Healthy relationships: quality community
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Listening for mission
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Strategic finance for mission
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What is church?
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Evangelism strategies
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Gospel & culture
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Engaging with your community
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Team roles & behaviour
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Children and all-age (Messy Church)
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Leadership matters
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Fresh expressions and youth
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Discipleship
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Fresh Expressions young adults
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Spirituality for mission
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Small group church
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Lessons from Weakness
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I hope and pray that you will consider attending the course yourself with a team of leaders or potential people involved in planting new projects, local missions and ministries. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact me. I will be available to talk to your leadership team, fraternal or Circuit about this exciting movement. I look forward to hearing from you.