Here are a handful of recommended readings about Marriage:
Dave Harvey is an expert church planter and an astute observer of trends in church leadership. At the Spring 2007 Leadership Conference of Sovereign Grace Ministries Harvey assessed the strengths and weakness of the missional movement in an address titled Watch Your Mission: To Be or Not to Be Missional.
One observation Harvey offers is that sometimes missional practitioners muddy the Cross-centered focus of the Church.
Here is a sketch outline of Harvey’s message:
What are the Strengths of Missional Churches?
- Missional Churches Have a Commendable Passion for Evangelism.
- Missional Churches Have a Laudable Commitment to Engaging Culture.
- Missional Churches Have a Profitable Impulse for Reexamining Church Tradition.
- Missional Churches Possess an Admirable Devotion to Social Impact.
What are the Weaknesses of [Some] Missional Churches?
- Missional Churches Tend to Be Mission-Centered Rather Than Gospel-Centered.
- Missional Churches Tend to Have a Reductionistic Ecclesiology.
- Missional Churches Tend to Confuse Culture Engagement with Cultural Immersion.
- Missional Churches Tend to Downplay the Institutional and Organizational Nature of the Church.
- Missional Churches Tend to Have an Insufficient Understanding of Apostolic Ministry.
As one who desires to be both Gospel-centered and Misisonal, I take Harvey’s cautions seriously. I think he has a valid point. I would say that while being Missional does not inherently make one guilty of this, I would have to concede that many who are Missional are guilty of this.
I suspect this results from an imbalance with the Prophet, Priest, and King tri-perspective. Too much emphasis is placed on the role and influence of the King. This seems only to be natural since, afterall, one of the important principles recovered by the missional movement is that our mission matters; our mission is as much an expression of who we are as is our theology.
So what is the solution? Uncompromising Tri-Perspectivalism.
Read Harvey’s full outline here; Download the mp3 for FREE and listen to the audio here.
Note: Thanks to Tony Reinke of Miscellanies for the links.
Pioneer missionary William Carey is noted for his mantra:
“Expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.”
These are tremendously inspiring words. They call us to think about the God in whom we believe, and whom we serve. Jesus reminded us that “With God nothing is impossible.” (Luke 1.37) When Paul thought of our God he wrote: “I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4.13 (I know these verses are often taken out of context, but the point is still valid.) And having thought of God, Carey’s words encourage us to step out in action. It is putting feet to our faith.
The question for me is: How does humility fit in here? When I think of the things I would like to accomplish in my life, I have to ask myself: Is this Holy Ambition or simply Wholly Ambitious? It is a real dilemma.
I am completely honest when I say that what I want most is for God to be glorified in my life and through my life. But at the same time, I confess, there is a part of me that would enjoy at least some credit, a little bit of the noteriety. How much of the glory I want varies with each day – and with how honest I am being with myself. In short, I do desire God’s glory, but my ego is all too alive as well.
How do I resolve this tension? How do I live out William Carey’s mission statement?
Dave Harvey, of Sovereign Grace Ministries, has written a new book, Rescuing Ambition, addressing this very issue. I have yet to read the book, but I am placing it high on my On Deck list.
A sneak peak is offered through a series of helpful posts Harvey has written for The Gospel Coalition:
I’ve been listening to the audio of sessions from Acts 29 Network’s 2009 Bootcamp: Ambition. While not everyone will find these talks of interest, I think they are challenging and stimulating for those of us in ministry and church leadership.
Ministry for the Long Haul & Ambition (Matt Chandler)
Decoding Your City & Ambition (Kevin Cawley)
Discipleship & Ambition (Bob Thune)
Preaching as Expository Exorcism (Russell Moore)
Leadership & Ambition (Darrin Patrick)
The Church & Ambition (Steve Timmis)
Church Planting & Ambition (Ed Stetzer)
The Gospel & Ambition (Dave Harvey)
My thanks to the folks at Sojourn Community Church, who have made all the above sessions available to be listened to online and/or downloaded. Click: Ambition Conference.
Acts 29 is a missional church planting network of Reformed Evangelicals. Each year they hold Boot Camps to train and re-energize like minded church planters and church leaders. Many of these, and other, talks are available on the Resource section of thier web page.
GRACE & PEACE 