By The Rev. A. Wayne Schwab
St. Anthony on the Desert
Scottsdale, AZ
2/28/03 (90 minutes)– 45 people
Presentation:
- God is on mission
- at work in the world
- to make it a better place by overcoming evil
- justice is the public face of love
- where love and justice are blocked, God is working for change
- where you meet love and justice, God is there
- God’s mission has a church
- the church does not have a mission
- the church is the visible instrument of God’s mission
- the church collaborates with any who work for greater love and justice
- We join God’s mission in baptism
- to make Jesus Christ known in deed and word
- to love your neighbor as yourself
- to strive for peace and justice
- so, mission is “in reach” – “reaching into” God’s mission – rather than “outreach”
- Jesus is most concerned about how we live from Monday to Saturday
- Sunday is for direction and power to live that way
- You have six mission fields
- home – work – local community – wider world – leisure / re-creation – church
- A spirituality for missionaries
- coworkers with God
- Jesus Christ, the victor over evil
- Jesus shares his power over evil with us – “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22)
Interaction:
- What are you doing now to make life better
- home – work – local community – wider world – leisure / re-creation – church
- Group divided into six parts with each part given one mission field. Each person works privately for five minutes; then, share with the rest of their subgroup.
- Ask: “Do you believe what you are doing there is part of God’s mission?” Yes or no or questions
- Share as time allows – at least one from each of the six mission field – be free to press for specific actions. Next: which one or two of your mission fields are most active in? Share as many as possible
Closing:
- You need a vision that draws you on – every member on mission wherever they are all the time; and a structure – a mission statement calling for supporting the members in their daily living as Christians; and an action – the members discerning their daily missions in their mission fields.
- Such a vision, structure, and action are tomorrow’s 3-hour workshop.
- Remember the return of the 70? “Lord, in your name, even the demons submit to us.” You will say that too when the members are the missionaries
[The 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]
