Episode 1

Some interesting church planting stuff from our recent reformed church conference:
A mission flavoured church compared to a mission shaped church...

mission flavoured
...origin in reaction to the established church
...brings in other Christians
...started with public worship services
...attractional and event oriented
...invite existing friends
...meets needs of newcomers and work done by a few
...emphasize excellence
...remodel outsiders to local culture and bring Jesus to the community
...develops look and style based on own idea of what community needs

mission shaped
...had its origin in a call to mission
...brings in unchurched people
...public worship service is last priority (ultimately asked for by people)
...build relationships with local people
...go out and make friends
...operates on enthusiastic participation
...emphasizes participation and serving
...become insiders in local culture to bring Jesus to the local community
...allows those new to faith to influence look and feel of what the community needs

5 points

1. Clarify the call. The basis for mission-shaped church is a call to mission, rather than frustration that your own needs aren't met. As far as possible, deal with your own frustrations and other gripes before you set off to plant.

2. Begin with the end in mind. Right from the start, spend significant time with those you;re trying to reach. Your job is to be good news, not a purveyor of goods and services, religious or otherwise.

3. Keep public services in perspective. In a mission-shaped framework, a public worship service should be the overflow of mission and its fruits, rather than preceding it. It will therefore be shaped by those who've come to faith through mission. The form it takes may or may not follow the style and symbols of the receptor culture.

4. Make time for unchurched people. Public worship services are usually very resource hungry. Beware of committing too much of your people's time and energy to the service at the expense of relational time with the unchurched.

5. Let programs serve relationships. Programs as a concept are value-neutral. They succeed or fail as outreach tools largely on the basis of whather they provide a context for relationships to form and grow. Remember outreach and evangelism aren't the same thing.

a final thought...
Many large, attractive churches successfully reach unchurched people using a come to Jesus model. And some fo them began by launching a public worship service. This is valid and worthwile ministry. Missionshaped church is not a replacement for this model, but an alternative approach that will reach a different sector of society.

(All this from Tim Scheuer and others of the Church Army)