pretty good lutherans

6 Responses to “‘Missional’ church? Glad you asked”

1. Joe BW Smith Says:
   March 13th, 2010 at 10:56 pm

   I suppose that if you’ve made it down to the comments, you’ve already watched the video. I’m going to be using this in my Easter sermon series. This is good stuff, and my synod needs to have a conversation about this stuff, let alone individual conversations. Great video. Interesting, astute and faithful ecclesiology.

2. Susan Hogan Says:
   March 14th, 2010 at 7:41 am

   Hi Joe,

   The stories of participants from the Central States Synod are incredible.

   In one case, a church member told me he was resistant to what was being said. He belonged to a small congregation and liked the “clubby” feeling of going to church and knowing everyone.

   The program upended his thinking. “I began to see myself as a disciple of Christ in the world,” he said. “When I did that, I found myself paying more attention to my neighbors and their needs.”

   You know what? That little church, once on the verge of dying, is now growing.

   Susan

3. Brenda Says:
   March 16th, 2010 at 10:11 pm

   My church is in the Central States Synod. I wish they would send this video to all the pastors, including mine, in the Central States Synod!!

4. Ted Carnahan Says:
   March 20th, 2010 at 9:25 pm

   Brenda -

   Ask a more tech savvy member of your congregation to help you make that video available to people in your congregation, or somehow show it as part of a sermon. It’s definitely for more people than just the pastors – though it’s simple enough that us pastors (or wannabes, in my case ) can actually understand it.

5. Mark Says:
   March 21st, 2010 at 8:53 pm

   As a person in charge of a church’s “sharp new website” and communications strategy, I found this video wonderfully disturbing. It does make me think. I would like to help facilitate and be part of a church like the one the video describes. But I am wondering if a Missional Church can also hold onto some of the “attractive” elements that get people into the church where they learn to be missional. Can the Missional Church still have an attractive website, good music, and good teaching … but adds to that teaching, resources, and training that teach people how to live missionally? Great video.

6. Susan Hogan Says:
   March 21st, 2010 at 9:12 pm

   Mark,

   Thanks for your comments. Please share with us any information you discover as you try to answer your question.

   Between you and me (wink, wink), the Central States Synod office number is 913-948-9701. The bishop there is Gerald Mansholt.

   That office can put you in touch with the congregations embracing this approach. There’s a program and a process.

   Kind regards,
   Susan