Tuesday, January 21, 2003
Bootcamp Reflection #2
There were some really helpful things about the bootcamp, and some that we really had a problem with. Maybe I'll get off some blasts later, but for now I'll focus on the good stuff. The things we enjoyed most and were challenged the most by were the conversations of applying missional concepts to church planting. Obviously in planting and developing a church of strong Christ followers, there is a need for some directed attention. We were challenged to focus that attention on developing specific pathways of applying the values of the community to the situations the community members are involved in. The church of North America has been disgustingly guilty of creating a subculture for people to retreat into and be shielded from the rest of the world. Our challenge is to engage people with the gospel in such a way that they remain integrated in their current life dynamics. As their lives are transformed by Christ, they themselves become a bridge of connection with other people. The gospel does not need to be packaged in a slick and flashy way in order to be relevant to people. We need to get over ourselves and our self-importance in order to live real lives among the people we now fear.
