“Today, many churches believe their survival and success depends on collecting and consolidating more resources, programs, paid staff, property and people in attendance.”
This is part of a blog tour for a new book called “The Church As Movement”.
I am reviewing the first chapter of the book, Missional Intelligence, and I am inspired! JR Woodward and Dan White have given us a tremendous guide book to help us with planting churches that plant churches. This book is meant to be read and discussed with teams and over a period of time. This is not a sit down and read it yourself in one sitting type of resource.
So if you are looking for a book to jump start discussion with your team, this is it.
The first chapter is about missional intelligence and right away they are calling us back to the missional incarnational pulse of the early church. They introduce a term “Christian-industrial complex” and one way they describe it is through the quote above that I start the blog with.
The church has lost its way – primarily through its imagination of success – and these guys are calling us back to a proper lens to look at mission through.
I love the flow of the chapter as it helped me think about my lens for mission but then moved me squarely into the anatomy of movement.
Anatomy of Movement
How is it that the church in the global south and east is exploding? How is it that the Chinese church multiplied from two million to 60-80 million in thirty years under extreme persecution at the hand of Mao?
Dan and JR help us examine four pillars of movement (I will not give them to you here – read the chapter) that we absolutely need if we want to lead disciple making movements and churches that plant churches. It is compelling and engaging and there are a number of dynamite quotes.
Five-Fold Callings
The chapter ends with an introduction to the five -fold callings and the difference between the five fold in Ephesians and the other gift sets in Romans and Corinthians. Obviously I love this part of the chapter as I have helped to create a whole blog that is dedicated to empowering the APE. If we are going to have church planting churches and healthy disciples, then we need everyone in the game. We need apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers fully empowered and working as a team.
My Take Away
I am excited to keep reading this book and work through it for the mission I am leading to reach 17 Greek (fraternity and sorority) systems in Greater Los Angeles. Many of the principles apply directly to what God has called me to lead and I know this book can help me focus and gain clarity. I already was writing a ton of notes in one chapter and have some new thoughts I want to talk with my team about. More than new thoughts, as a missional leader myself, I found myself saying, “Yes, I want to be about this and this is so right.” The book is focusing me and taking me deeper into my convictions – many that you that follow this blog have as well.
So…grab a copy right here!
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