By The Rev. A. Wayne Schwab
SEMINARY INTRODUCTION: Church Divinity School of the Pacific
[To save space, most of the elements of this plan are adaptations of the Basic Tools. The tool used is noted by title.]
The Celtic Cross
Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, CA
October 24, 2003, 6 – 9 PM
Today’s Primary Missionaries and Their Formation
Leader:The Rev. A. Wayne Schwab
Introduction – a vision (5 mins.)
God is most interested in how we live from Monday to Saturday.
Sunday – all of church life – is to give us the guidance and the power to do it better.
Congregations, therefore, make their primary purpose supporting their members in their daily living as Christians.
Theological assumptions – Basic Tools #1 (10 mins.)
A theology of mission
Our theology of sacraments
Our six daily arenas – Basic Tools #2 and Basic Tools #3 (30 mins.)
Our daily arenas as our daily mission fields
Member-missions and body-missions – Basic Tools #5 (5 mins.)
The laity find they are valued – Basic Tools #6 (5 mins.)
The first step in implementing member mission – Basic Tools #7 (25 mins.)
Don’ts and do’s in arriving at your congregation’s vision or mission statement
Break (10 mins.)
The second step in implementation – Basic Tools #9 (15 mins.)
Discerning each of my current daily missions
A vital part of the second step – preparing to find a teammate – Basic Tools #10 (45 mins.)
Steps in building a team to help me in each of my daily missions
Practice in team building
Teach a spirituality that empowers mission – Basic Tools #11 (5 mins.)
Missionaries need a guide for decision making – Basic Tools #12 (3 mins.)
Moving member mission further into congregational life – Basic Tools #13 (5 mins.)
Leading as well as managing – Basic Tools #15 (20 mins.)
Closing
In all, remember:
God is most concerned about how we live from Monday to Saturday.
Sunday – and all of church life – give us the guidance and power we need to live better.
People come wanting to know God. What better way can there be to know God than to discover you have already been part of his mission without knowing it.
[Rev. A. Wayne Schwab; Coordinator of Member Mission Network, Inc., President of Member Mission Press, Chair of the Spiritual Formation Committee for the United Church of Hinesburg, VT, Author, and Speaker.]
