Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Missional Order as Church Planting Strategy

Just when I thought there was no more confirmation possible concerning the vision for CovenantClusters, my Missional Order partners over at Allelon post this video of David Fitch from last fall's Cultivate Gathering in Hamilton, Ontario!

Wow...these were the notes I jotted down:
  • Missional order is basically how to plant churches in post-Christendom.
  • Missional order is about 10 people embedded/incarnated in a community, surviving as a community supporting each other in an organic way.
  • Missional order gathers for formation and sends people out into mission --it is a rhythm of life-- and its community must be ready to resist the surrounding culture's idea of "success."
  • Missional order is not about getting, having or using power to lead. It is about constantly giving power away (empowering others) and being mutually submitted to each other.
  • Missional order is about a way of life together as living presentation of the Gospel...it is not about programs and attraction.
Back in August of 2007, when I first heard about the Missional Order Gathering that Allelon was planning to host at Seabeck, something in my gut said that I must go. As I've said earlier, most of us knew that we were supposed to be there, but we weren't quite sure why. Even after we all got home, we weren't quite sure exactly what had happened or what was next....

But for me, this connection of Missional Order as post-Christendom church planting methodology was like a stroke of lightning--the last piece falling into place. And David Fitch and Allelon are the ones saying, "Yup, that's the idea."

Our gracious God has provided his humble little purple abbess with one more powerful piece of confirmation...and, as with every other piece of the story, you don't have to take my word for it!

YIPEE!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking along similar lines for a while. I should probably post that video of David soon.

Cheers.

AbiSomeone said...

I'm sure the folks who read your blog would appreciate it...I certainly was happy to hear of it from my friends at Allelon!

Shalom.