When I started this journey toward church planting - when I initially got the bug to go out and do it, it was in the context of youth ministry where I saw so much potential for more impact in the youth culture. I was also a disgruntled pentecostal/charismatic who wanted more of Jesus, His love and gifts flowing in and through my life. I really identified with the ministry of Soul Survivor, an Anglican Renewal youth movement out of the UK. They had it all - loads of kids getting saved, crazy outreach tactics and events, missionality coupled with justice and worship, and an undercurrent of ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit. It's all hopping, juiced-up, frantic, loud, and fun!
In my old age (I say that partially tongue-in-cheek) I have been drawn to and come to appreciate the solid theology, the high view of Scripture, the attractiveness of 20-and-30-somethings to the Acts 29 Network who, they say, are 'Reformed Charismatics' - Refomed in theology and Charismatic ("with a seatbelt on") in expectation and practice. They're thoughtful, deep, Scripture-centric, devoted, missional, and sometimes funny.I'm caught between these two worlds. I want to partner with Acts 29 and I believe what they believe honestly and truly. I also love what Soul Survivor is about and I want to see that kind of impact made here in Aldergrove. Now, I'm not saying that I can't be about both things - in fact what I'm saying is that I AM part of both worlds... but it's hard to describe and explain. Even to myself. I'm part of two worlds, not entirely at home in either one of them without the other. It's kind of a lonely place to be...
Thinking about it a little further, Acts 29 is a network of like-minded (theologically/missiologically speaking) reformed charismatics. They are a movement, to be sure, but not a model. Soul Survivor I guess would be more of a model, with some heavy distinctives (DNA) in terms of worship and Holy Spirit ministry. I suppose the overlap could/would/should occur in the way I do ministry, my ministry style.
I'm reading up on stuff, meeting with people, getting loads of information. I want to combine all the things I love - the Evangelical Free Church of Canada, Acts 29, Soul Survivor... and the things I admire. But I guess the caution in that might be not having too many cooks in the kitchen, and that I need to have clarity in vision. God, please help me in that.
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Chad, friend, I love what you're thinking, I love how you wrestle, and I thank God that he has given you the perfect breathing space to follow through on this stuff. To be enmeshed in your current LEFC community, while being released from staff responsibility, while chewing over future decisions, is truly a gift to you, and I pray that everyone around you continues to support you and Taralyn and the boys.
ReplyDeleteYou truly are an agent of the kingdom, and I think there are many others around you. The boundaries of models, structures and institutions seem to become fuzzier and fuzzier in today's culture .. both inside and outside the kingdom. And I just wonder if that's the way God likes it .. hmm.
I fully appreciate your wrestling with these things, and as you know I wrestle alongside you in a different context - church/parachurch, worship/mission, inside/outside and on and on.
I have particularly been thinking the same as you about worship/preaching .. I am getting more opportunities to speak to young leaders, even though I have not really sought to become a "Christian speaker". I used to take Smithy's first line from 'revival town' as my life message "I've got a message to bring, I can't preach but I can sing". The more I go on in life, I feel called to both leading worship and preaching, and yet somehow the core of what I am, and the core of whay I feel called to become (a missional youthworker) is called to neither leading worship or preaching really .. how weird!
Thankfully Jesus is totally full of paradox and tension, so you're probably in a very Christ-like place .. but it's a tough one to keep walking in eh? Keep walking, I'm here with you on the walk.
Chad, friend, I love what you're thinking, I love how you wrestle, and I thank God that he has given you the perfect breathing space to follow through on this stuff. To be enmeshed in your current LEFC community, while being released from staff responsibility, while chewing over future decisions, is truly a gift to you, and I pray that everyone around you continues to support you and Taralyn and the boys.
ReplyDeleteYou truly are an agent of the kingdom, and I think there are many others around you. The boundaries of models, structures and institutions seem to become fuzzier and fuzzier in today's culture .. both inside and outside the kingdom. And I just wonder if that's the way God likes it .. hmm.
I fully appreciate your wrestling with these things, and as you know I wrestle alongside you in a different context - church/parachurch, worship/mission, inside/outside and on and on.
I have particularly been thinking the same as you about worship/preaching .. I am getting more opportunities to speak to young leaders, even though I have not really sought to become a "Christian speaker". I used to take Smithy's first line from 'revival town' as my life message "I've got a message to bring, I can't preach but I can sing". The more I go on in life, I feel called to both leading worship and preaching, and yet somehow the core of what I am, and the core of whay I feel called to become (a missional youthworker) is called to neither leading worship or preaching really .. how weird!
Thankfully Jesus is totally full of paradox and tension, so you're probably in a very Christ-like place .. but it's a tough one to keep walking in eh? Keep walking, I'm here with you on the walk.