Matybigfro

really enjoyed reading dave fitch on our biggest fears about planting missional communities.
'Instead I plead with the community planters/leaders/participants to see community seeding as a way of life. We are simply moving into an “under-churched” place, in close proximity to one another, living simply and missionally, tending to the surrounding community relationally out of the vision of the Gospel'

And it lead me to think that one of the most important things to think about in this process are what are the things I cant live without. It strikes me this was possibly a natural part of the old school oversea's missionary process you left everything and could only take the essentials
this skin shedding was part and parcell of the gospel taking process but often not so easy to do in our post christian context because the homeland is to hand the instantly available for us.
But in the context of the church plant/seeding of the missional community it is a very helpfull way to plan our strategy.

For me when I think what can I not live without i think of Food (partucularly sharing food with others), celebration, space and quiet (particulaly to give space for God) and personanlly making music(although I've found i can pretty happily live without worship music, sunday morning meetings and bible studies)

Great article about the first few hurdles for spotify.com since it's launch. I media whore freind of mine for london tipped me off about this a few months ago and I ignored him (mainly i just didn't read the link), then jonny baker posted it on his blog and i actually read what it was and jumped right in (does this mean i'm a baker groupie). So yea it's great, probably better than last.fm that I'd just started getting into (part of why ignored it at first) but the great thing is you can keep you last stats going by linking the account (its all about the synergy baby). It makes me really want to get a Ipod touch to run it on wirelessy (which I think could really take off if we start to get some decent wireless coverage nation wide, especially if its free, man itunes would totally go bust). Obviously this is just waiting for some form of of specificat hardware wireless device (which also would be awesome).

Unsuprisingly it seems the people holding up the change are the record labels and entertainment buisiness, it's not gonna be instant but everyone new the napstar spelled death for the way the music industry worked, but what no one worked out is that people want free music (or very good value) and don't mind if it's legal or illegal, but provide them with a better alternative to breaking the law and they will. it's kinda sad this has come from outside the industry but not surprissing, really these guy's should have been on the inside doing this, but much like the church big organisations tend to operate in maintenance mode not change and evolve mode. For some reason we'd rather keep something that doesn't work going than change to something new that does work or might work better (much like the UK/global ecconomy maybe more ranting on that later).

With this whole reshaping of society (thats really what i think it is, and it probably will hit economics soon too) things are gonna change, spotify is actually giving labels a life line really, ubnlike radio as a music medium who i think it really could spell death for or at least like labels spell death fir the status quo. I wonder with the evolution and growth of spotify if we'll see spotify
icon's, personality's and leaders, folks who hot tip new artist to be found on spotify or creators of great playlists and party mix's. The possiblility rock i think, its seems exciting to watch these really cool things unfolding onour desk's and literally changing the world we swim in.

The fantastic David Fitch has posted a couple of great stories from Francis Chan, truly inspiring stuff and very challenging. Like Dave i don't much about Chan other than seeing him credit on a couple of 'Passion' teaching mp3's but utterly love the challenge held within those stories.

It reminded me of hearing how people would take widow's and orphans to the NT church to almost drop them off knowing that these we're people who cared for those in their midst that needed care. It was well known (how ever i doubt advertised) that people in the church did not go without. Would it not be wonderful for church to be known as place where you did not need insurance or a pension.

One of Emily's old friends married a americanner, and are part of 'life on the vine' the church Mr Fitch planted in Chicago. 'Fitchie baby' is how they referred to him once when they found out I had read his blog a bit when they were staying with us in Thornaby while touring the uk as Rue Royale. The post is affectionately named in honour and memory of the night they played at the 'waiting room' in Yarm and the great short time we had with them when they stayed in our spare room of 6 months. Much love to the Dekkers you should check them out at their a fore linked myspace.

Something that totally buzzes me about all the missional talk is the idea of the 'missio dei'. The idea that in engaging we are just joining in with God, getting out hands dirty and stuck in the stuff God is doing. The comment of Jesus that he is simply doing what he see's his father doing is so remarkable - and with it an obedience to simply do what he knows his father is asking..

Spend anytime in the christian uber world and you find many people sure of their service of God. Doing all sorts of things to service of God. Some are just off their head and mental/stoopid/silly some are well meaning but you suspect have somewhat got it wrong. Like the worship leader with a voice like a strangled cat. Often its surprising how God seems to seek a form of service which entails respect, attention, people doing what you say or thinking your the dog's bollocks.

I've been their in many forms, one of the things i've always enjoyed about my life is sense that it's been obvious or unavoidable to fall into things that seem to be what God intends for my life. At times that's meant being a youth worker, guitarist, worship leader, community worker, project manager and volunteer at different times, some of those things made me look good, sound good or gave me importance. I love listening to, hearing about or catching up with people who are just obviously serving God in authentic way's, joining in Gods great adventure in individual little way's - has gotta be a hero of mine in that regard and i'm really excited for him and his family as they take things in a new direction this year.

Right now I know I'm serving God by earning money, supporting my wife as she trains to be a teacher and living with and being with my mother as she under goes chemotherapy. At first I found the transition from doing a full time paid ministry stuff to working in an office hard, i felt my life lack meaning, directions, an out let for the love of God and service to God. Often these positions, labels and authorities can become enmeshed with our identity and become part of how we perceive ourselves and how feel gratified, satisfied, justified and of worth. Having come to terms and worked though allot of that I'm almost sure that what God has for me to do is care for my mom, love my wife, support them financially and emotional and i think make a little music along the way to stop me going insane. I'm fairly convinced this is missional, cos well I know its what God is doing too. I'm sure there are way's he has for me to join what he's doing in my work place and in my band, but I also don't feel a pressure to christianly perform there though I'm trying to be open to seeing what God is doing and learning more from him in that environment. I'm still excited about what the future may hold and dream's and desires that jumble around in my heart to with music, culture, travel, serving people and communities and seeing the kingdom of God grow but I'm also at peace though that at the moment that i'm not only doing what's right but serving and joining God in doing it.