forge - and shaping a church by mission
A new stream of forge is being launched in Melbourne!
For much of forge’s history in Melbourne the emphasis has been on people who are embarking on new missional projects or who are involved in church planting environments. This focus on new missional projects or church planting has been an imperative so that our churches can connect with the many Australians that have either turned away from the established church or who have not connected with a church previously. The task of resourcing people to create new missional projects needs to continue and should remain a core emphasis of forge.
Increasingly however there is a new breed of interns and participants who are coming through the forge intensives or who are contemplating becoming involved. These people are not creating fresh fields missional projects or planting new church but their context is the established church. People within the established church are realising that our traditional church practices are not connecting with many Australians. The conversation and activity surrounding the emerging church in Melbourne is not generated by those in new projects but also includes people in established church settings.
The people of God throughout history have evolved and responded to the various challenges of the contexts in which they find themselves. Planting new churches is an essential part of responding to our missional context. However, a further challenge is to release the buildings, wealth and people in the established church to respond to the new missional challenge.
Much of the missiological thinking developed and expressed through forge is also applicable in the established context. However the practical challenges and difficulties for established churches in implementing these changes are vastly different than those facing church planters. In order to resource and inspire established churches to engage missionally, forge needs to develop new modes of training and support.
We weren’t going to start this year but we have had a number of people join the intern year of forge that we have decided to start forming the stream in 2006. So, we are a bit behind the eight ball and we will be officially launching in April with a three day conference that will include Neil Cole author of the book Organic Church. Bookmark the dates (April 5–7th)now and we will have more details later in the week. If you join now you will have a hand in forming the stream.
So, if any of this sound like you and you would be interested in attending forge intensives (July and Dec), monthly gatherings and receiving coaching or a combination of this and you are the impulsive type – send me an email (phil at signposts.org.au)and we can have a chat about it and how you can join with in starting now. Otherwise, more details will follow and you might want to consider it for 2007.
March 1st, 2006 at 2:51 pm
I am intreagued as to why there are no comments to this exciting piece of news?
March 1st, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Meh, its old news to some of us
March 1st, 2006 at 6:52 pm
I think its fantastic and Phil is da man.
March 1st, 2006 at 7:04 pm
I would suggest this internship for anyone grappling with how to continue to minister to their congregation while leading them into new and exciting ways of being missional. I think Phil is one of a very small group of people qualified to do this.
I know I sure wouldn’t have the patience to even try it.
the rev
March 1st, 2006 at 7:10 pm
And he’s good-looking too!!
March 1st, 2006 at 7:29 pm
With really nice legs!!!
the rev
March 3rd, 2006 at 12:00 pm
yeah,
i know plenty of people who are in that boat… myself included. but, like the rev, said, there’re some (me) that couldn’t stand it!
I personally have been struggling with this idea for about a year and don’t think i could handle the conflicts that are created, even if it’s just within myself.
on the other hand, i have a friend who shares the same concerns i do, and has chosen to give up his youth pastor role, to take on a local missions role, all under the same leadership.
i don’t know how he does it?
another question; how do you do it when you really have no authority and the leadership disagree? subversive tactics, i suppose could work. but where’s the line between healthy subversion and destructive subversion?
i guess thyat’s why you’re creating the stream! great idea!
ps - i’ve never met phil, but i’m sure he’s good looking too! maybe striking features help you gain the attention of the people!
March 3rd, 2006 at 2:01 pm
Dave, thanks for the comment. I guess part of the battle is finding a situation where the church is open enough to look at different ideas. This doesn’t make everything suddenly work perfectly, but it is a good start. In our case, the openness came through the fact that the church we started at was looking death in the face - fully contemplating that they would not last a lot longer if things did not change.
March 4th, 2006 at 4:14 pm
dan,
yeah i guess that’s the point - things only will change when either they want them to or there is a clear need to.
but when a church (the church i’m talking about) is “growing” and it’s under the contempory church growth model it’s a bit hard.
i think there’s probably a different reality for every person. for me it might mean god’s calling me to be a part of something fresh, and for another to stay go the hard slog in a institutional setting.
props to those who do! it has to be done - and is happening to an extent in our church. it just seems so SLOW and laborious! i struggle with the way the whole leadership thing is set up too, so when i talk up this stuff i’ve got to be carefulso i don’t seem to be “threatening their livelihood” if you know what i mean.
interesting…!
peace
March 17th, 2006 at 12:36 pm
It’s juvenile, but I can’t let this one pass.
From http://www.backyardmissionary.com/2006/03/sexpo.html
“Sexpo?
I have the opportunity to have a stand at the upcoming Sexpo
I like the thought of a space for a Christian presence that affirms the beauty and joy of sex and helps people see the very healthy perspective God has on sex (being the inventor and all that).
I’m still debating
a) whether I have the time and energy to pull it off.
b) whether I am likely to be able to find anyone to come with me.”
March 17th, 2006 at 12:42 pm
LOL
No way is the author of that THAT fucking dense, surely…..
March 17th, 2006 at 1:07 pm
He’s been in the missionary position for some time.
You’d think he’d know.