This is a short video that graphically illustrates the contrast between going to church and being the church out in the community. It promotes the "Tangible Kingdom" the book by Hugh Halter and Matt Smay. See http://www.tangiblekingdom.com/.
The Tangible Kingdom came out in 2008, and it has quickly taken hold in missional and church planting circles. One of the reasons it is pretty powerful is because it tells the real life story of the authors, who church planted in Denver (and elsewhere). They tell their challenges and blessings of being in established churches, and then in church plants.
Some interesting points that they make include:
Telling Christians who want to join their community that they are on mission, and that in order to be a part of this group, they will need to commit to certain missional practices such blessing others, hospitality, etc.
Letting "Sojourners" (those who have not yet fully committed to Christ, but who are searching) participate in their community, including having leadership roles in certain parts of worship.
That starting a church with Christian is not really easier than starting it with non-Christians, since most Christians bring with them a consumer attitude that says, "Feed me," rather than seeking to feed and serve others.
That mission is an essential part of spiritual formation, and that spiritual formation is a process.
They also have four major missional practices:
Leaving - Replacing personal or Christian activities with time spent building relationships with people in the surrounding culture.
Listening - Listening is watching and sensitively responding to the unspoken and spoken needs of Sojourners in ways that demonstrate sincere interest.
Living Among - Participating in the natural activites of the culture around you, with whimsical holiness. This would include eating and drinking whatever was put in front of you (including moderate consumption of alcohol), a la 1 Cor. 10:23-31 and Jesus' example (who was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton).
Loving Without Strings - Pretty self-explanatory!
The Tangible Kingdom is an interesting, thought provoking book with real life application.
Have you read this book? What do you think of the video and above summary?
Comment by James Nored on August 3, 2009 at 10:29pm
Gailyn, that is exciting news that Hobby and other Mission Alive church planters are apprenticing with MCAP, and that you are a coach-in-training with them. I plan on checking into this as well.
I am looking forward to going through the Tangible Kingdom Primer.
Of course, I am most especially excited about Alan Hirsch coming to the "Genesis:ReCreating Missional Life" conference that Mission Alive is sponsoring. With Randy Harris and George Hunsberger, this will make a wonderful conference. I'll be honored to help with this! Thank you for all of your work, Gailyn.
Thanks, James! I have been touched and am being touched by this book.
Mission Alive is connecting with Hugh Halter and Matt Smay of Missio in a few ways. Three of our church planters (Hobby Chapin of Denver, Marshall Coffey of Killen, and Melvin Thomoas) are participating in their MCAP on-line apprenticeship. I am coach-in-training in this process.
Many of our church planters are using their other book The Tangible Kingdom Primer in some form or other as part of their spiritual formation process (Chris Chappotin of Christ Journey said, "When our people work through The Tangible Kingdom Primer they say, 'Wow! We have found a book that describes our church!'"). I suggest to you The Tangible Kingdom Primer as a spiritual formation guides.
Finally, Mission Alive is sponsoring the conference on March 18-20, 2010, called "Genesis: ReCreating Missional Life." Hugh Halter is one of the plenary speakers along with Alan Hirsch, Randy Harris, and hopefully George Hunsberger of The Gospel and Our Culture Network.
After watching the video, I went through some of their website and blogs. It seems that they emphasize community over other things, especially programs. They even have a Sunday where they don't have church, but just spend time with people in their neighborhood. This is pretty radical thinking, but freeing in the ways that love for people is held up over maintaining an institution for the institution's sake.
"Father in the name of Jesus Christ restore mobility back too her life restore ordor back and finally This will make a Differance in her hold life Give her you father for my sister Kishinev Davis and my sister tanksley Dovie. Amen"
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