Most people would probably thnk that ministry takes place in the church. When you go to church ministry is taking place there. However, ministry actually takes place much more often outside the church. For example, the Book of Common Prayer takes the opposite view that most of us (even most Episcopalians) have about the purpose [...]
Author Archives: John Maher
The Highest Priority of the Church
April 27, 2009 – 2:47 pm
Another fine point made by MIchael Frost and Alan Hirsch in ReJesus has to do with the church’s highest priority and most important task. Many would say it is worship. Frost and Hirsch say it is mission. The point is that Jesus was more focused on going to people to demonstrate His lordship than anyone [...]
The Wild Man
April 17, 2009 – 2:03 pm
Rejesus:A Wild Messiah For A Missional Church by Michal Frost and Alan Hirsch presents a very challenging idea: We don’t really know Jesus as He is, but we can come to know Him more deeply than we ever have. They look at various desriptions of Jesus, what He did, and what happened to Him so [...]
Its the missiology, stupid!
March 20, 2009 – 2:27 pm
When Bill Clinton ran for President in 1992 it was reported that he kept a sign on his desk that helped him keep on track. That sign read “Its the economy, stupid!” For us today in the church the sign needs to read, “Its the missiology, stupid!” It is so easy to think that the [...]
Worship
January 12, 2009 – 2:40 pm
I have been leading worship for a lot of years now. I find it always challenging, never easy, continually fulfillling. One of the reasons for all of this is Who we worship. We are drawn to worship God. We are even created to worship, and God continually draws us to worship Him. One of the [...]
A Resolution That Keeps You
December 31, 2008 – 5:07 pm
I have never been very big on making New year’s resolutions. Most people make them out of guilt and then can’t keep them anyway. I resolved not to increase my guilt. At least, I’ve tried.
The driving force behind the desire to make a resolution is the work of the Spirit of God. You want to [...]
The Promise of Newness
December 14, 2008 – 11:53 pm
Walter Brueggemann writes in The Prophetic imagination, “It is the task of pophetic imagination and minsitry to engage the promise of newness that is at work in our history with God(p.62).” That quote carries part of the foundation of discipleship. Being a disciples of Jesus is to be continually equipped for what He will do. [...]
I don’t live there anymore
November 11, 2008 – 4:57 pm
I left my computer at the Apple Store for repairs last week. My wife was out of town. She brought her computer with her, so I did not have access to a computer for several days. Checking emails, going to the internet for everything, and generally doing what I usually do has been severely compromised. [...]
Gathering of Innovators
October 20, 2008 – 11:15 pm
I’m in New Orleans at the Gathering of Innovators conference. 35 of us were invited to take part in this 4-day conference. The first day was very full. It is going on in conjunction with the Union of Black Episcopalians confernece. I got to spend some time with Judy Conley who was on the same [...]
Giving Birth to the New
October 10, 2008 – 6:23 pm
I recently read Invading Secular Space by Martin Robinson and Dwight Smith. I almost did not read it because of the title. I assumed the authors held a view of the world that divided the sacred from the secular. The title seemed to imply violently taking back territory from the world. I was surprised to [...]
