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 “inreach” – “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 / recreation , and 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 / recreation – 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.]