By Pastor Jon
This is now the third in this EXPECTATIONS series, which means you should read the FIRST and SECOND before we begin for real.
Now that we’re all on the same page, as we begin to further detail what this living Church Plant organism will live like, we now take the next step, which involves a small digression as some background that introduces.
It would be many years post that theological coming-together in the most recent offering, where the written Philosophy jumped into my scene, and made itself known. I have written a reasonable amount about this context, and this platform does have its own web portal, so I will keep this brief to more like a minimum.
An idea that began with a blog post or few, which grew over many years to a singular massive tome, and now planned-for, numerous volumes; this Philosophy of True Human Flourishing; this somewhat Systematic Impactology sets the scene for what has followed into this RELOVUTIONARY Church Plant, and what will take place, into the future.
This means what has already been produced should provide the reader with an insight into what will become; indicating the flora and fauna of future ministry, especially through the next couple of years, where we begin to download the greater shape and increasing substance.
Again, as the beginnings of this information is already online, I will simply offer you this angle to consider at your own time.
Practically inside RELOVUTIONARY Church, this means three Sundays every month for the initial two years will progressively work through the specifics of this Philosophy. All 12 Marks, and some of the concepts through the Introduction and Conclusion – which means 14-in-all – will be progressively worked through. This is just one significant reason why it is important to get connected early, so you get the entire flow, and we can work through these together. As there is real intentionality, purpose, and direction into living for our time and space, we seek the renewed flourishing of the local church to better intersect with our local Kiwi culture, and live out the Great Commission.
Going through the motions is no way to live. This happens unless we become otherwise definitive. The God who sends is the One we serve. He has called His people to this action. While it can feel particularly barren in New Zealand, our challenges are not-even-close to beyond His ability to answer. However, the general resignation-as-it-relates-to-action can seem negatively overwhelming. This challenge does require thoughtful change, which understands the dynamics of where Christianity is culturally placed, and is committed to the communal journey.
This will take time. We easily conceive change should download within minutes. This is our popular culture, which has fibre optic speed, but no substantial connection. As the individual who has stayed the course for a ever-lengthening period, this involves much more than simply turning up as a consumer, but His glory, mission, and calling, is much more than simply worth it.
We also don’t want to rush the process, which means the specifics are flexible enough to handle any complications or changes.
If we need to spend more weeks in one area, we can do so. This is about putting together this repository through community, so that we start to more decisively live this out. Even by nature of that description, this process is conceptually vast, especially for a wider church culture that tends toward the more simplistic. And don’t read that as indicating overt complication. But it does require your engagement like your life and times are at His disposal. We accomplish plenty when something is a priority. This intersects through our motivations, and we stay in the process, as change happens.
God’s Truth is Not Rocket-Science, but Rocket-Fuel!
Now, if you’ve been doing the math, there is a fourth, and sometimes a fifth Sunday each month, which indicates we have more happening at RELOVUTIONARY Church in the sermonic component of corporate worship, than just this singular angle.
We are committed to expository preaching, and there is no better way than to work through one of the sixty-six. This will be where Pastor Dan comes into the programme. This will be through a singular New Testament letter over these two years, but I will let him say more in a post tomorrow!
For the Fame of His Name