I just came across two diagrams that distinguish between a typical church (regardless of worship style) and a missional church. Notice that the typical church focuses all its energy on the weekend worship service, using that as the foundation for everything else; while the missional church focuses its energy on the mission of the church, which leads to all the other minstries, including the weekend worship service.
I found the diagrams on the Uplake Church blog, though the diagrams are apparently originally from Tall Skinny Kiwi. Let me know what you think.
Just thought I’d mention… You can’t beat living in a place where it’s 70 degrees and sunny on Christmas Day, and two hours of surfing in the afternoon. Love it!!
I just discovered this video through the PGF Outbox, which they discovered on YouTube. It’s a neat vignette expressing what it means to be a missional church.
Well, thanks to Vance, I finally have a digital version of a video I edited back in 1999 just before The Phantom Menacecame out. So, I uploaded it to YouTube and made it public to the world!!
What I love about this song is that it captures the theology of the story of Anakin Skywalker, and I’ve tried to bring it out even more in this video.
The story of Anakin is essentially the story of humanity according to the Bible. Anakin begins in innocence, experiences a fall into sin (the “dark side”), becomes a slave to that sin (especially the Emperor), but ultimately experiences redemption following a sacrifice. The difference between Anakin’s story and our story is that Anakin paid his own sacrifice, while for humanity Jesus paid the sacrifice.
Anyway, here it is. The lyrics are below.
“Annakin” by The Dell Griffiths (I think they misspelled it on purpose to avoid any legal issues)
All of you
Part of me
Hidden from view
Another world
Kept from me
Kept from you
But something’s different
Since you’ve found your heart again
So this is heaven, Anakin
Treacherous
Evil hands
You had on us
Breathing deep
Through steel
And misplaced trust
But something’s different
Now you’ve found your heart again
So this is heaven, Anakin
Anakin
Oh, this is heaven, Anakin
Anakin
Oh, this is heaven, Anakin
Anakin
Anakin
This is heaven
Anakin
How you feelin’?
Are you feelin’ ok, Anakin?
How you feelin’
Now that you’re in heaven, Anakin?
How you feelin’?
Are you feelin’ ok, Anakin?
How you feelin’
Now that you’re in heaven, Anakin?
Man, this blog thing is just going down the tubes, ain’t it?! But, y’know, I’m ok with it. I’ve noticed this happens every now and then. I post like crazy for a few months–and then I get burnt out. I take a break and then after a while I start posting every other day again!
Anyway, my buddy, D.G., just started a podcast called The Guys Podcast. Pretty funny–basically just three guys talking about stupid stuff. Check it out here.
I was at Starbucks yesterday with a church member when I noticed out of the corner of my eye that a Deputy Sherriff was looking at me and slowly making his way toward me. At first, I thought I was imagining it–”Nah… he’s not looking at me.” But then he came right up to me and said, “Hi, there. Do you have any ID on you?”
At this point, my heart was pounding like a bass drum! I said, “Yeah,” got out my wallet, and handed him my driver’s license.
He looked at it, handed it back to me, and said, “Ok, thanks.”
It turns out he was in the process of hunting a fugitive who happened to look a lot like me! He showed me the picture of the guy and–yup–the guy did bear a striking resemblance to me! It was almost a little creepy.
The cop said he saw me from inside Starbucks (I was sitting outside) and thought to himself, “No way! It can’t be this easy!” Fortunately for me, he was right. It wasn’t that easy. He’s gonna have to keep looking!
I tell you what, though… that feeling I had when he asked for my ID–not something I hope to repeat anytime soon!
This is awful!! It’s been two weeks since my last post! I promise I’m not slacking–I’m just discovering that after a week of hard work at the church and doing my D.Min. homework, one of the last things I have the energy to do is write more stuff about theology, ecclesiology, and other -ologies…
One of the pastors I met out here used to be an Associate Pastor before he became a Senior Pastor, and this is how he described the change: He said when he looks back on being an Associate, it’s almost like it was just a hobby. Yeah, it was hard work, but the pressure and workload was nothing like being a Head of Staff!
So far, I have to agree with him. I love the work, but I’m finding that every minute counts. There’s really no such thing as downtime unless I force myself to take some downtime.
Anyway, that’s my life at the moment. Something pretty funny happened to me today, but I’ll save that story for you till tomorrow. That way, I’ll have something to blog about.
For now, I’ll just say that the story involves a cop, Starbucks, and me….
Markus Watson
