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Hey guys, for one hour today (10 AM -11 AM PST), I’ve invited the Alliance for a
time of reconnection here at “Into the mystic…”. Welcome.
However, since this is my personal blog, please be sure to read the “Disclaimer”
in the frame on the right hand panel called “Pages”.
So, if you’re an Alliance member, click on the comment link below and join the conversation.
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Let’s start by finding out who’s here. Tell us who you are (Name, location, church, role, etc).
Stephen Hammond from Arlington Texas (smack dab in the middle of Dallas/Ft. Worth)
Currently planting the Mosaic of Arlington
Good to be here Alex
Dean Sharp, pastor at The Spring
Hola Alex y todos las personas de la Alianza. ¿Octavio, quien es mas macho?
Currently God has me watching Him pour out a movement of Christ-culture into what we call the “suburban desert.” In an attempt to find a passage from suburbia into the Mystic Kingdom we’ve church planted in Thousand Oaks, California about two years ago.
Dean, Welcome. Enjoyed our visit last Saturday. Rgards to Tina.
This is Kirk Schneemann from Frontline in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I am a church planter (spiritual entrepreneur!) and also serve as worship leader and primary teaching pastor.
Sean T. from Gainesville, FL
Getting ready to launch our first gathering at Catalyst Gainesville! Jason Joseph’s friend!
Eric Devine here. I’m planting a Mosaic in Silver City, NM.
Octavio Martinez here.
Y dean, yo soy mas macho!
Anyways, church planter and lead pastor of Sojourn in Whittier, CA.
Stephen, good to hear from you. Welcome.
kirk,
you’re a busy man…
Kirk, welcome. I’ll see you next week in Michigan.
Hey Sean, good to hear from you. Have you seen Max lately?
Eric, good to hear from you. Regards to Krys.
Hi everyone, Geoffrey from near Manchester in the UK here. I’m superintendent (like a senior pastor) in a Methodist circuit of thirteen congregations. We’re presently looking at what it will mean though to be “one church in many places with many faces”
I still see him pretty regulary. He just returned from India about a week ago where he was part of building the first church building in this particular city (name which I can’t even begin to spell or pronounce). He’s doing well.
Octavio, welcome. I agree with Octavio, Dean. El es mas macho.
Everyone, just a word of advice. Refresh your page after you post and regularly. That way the new posts will appear. Refresh.
got it … refresh
Alex I am interested in knowing what your thoughts are about the future of the Alliance. How do you see things progressing so far? And what changes do you foresee coming in the near weeks/months?
Let’s start with what’s on your minds. What questions do you have or what’s going on in your mission?
Alex, Krys says hello. She is working right now and I just e-mailed her your comment.
I’ve just read Stephen’s question – I’ve had a few people recently asking about what may be happening for the UK
On a more local mission scene, we are trying to move people from “information” to transformation. Moving them from the need for “Bible study” toward a more holistic approach of encountering the Bible for life though weekly small group settings. Both for us and the community we live. This is harder than I thought it would be. Any advice would be really appreciated.
I’ve been having a conversation with some of my staff members who are really getting what it means to be a missional church. This can be a really hard thing in an institutional church so this conversation means that things are moving towards trying to be church in a missional way.
Stephen, great anticipation. I see the Alliance to continue to take shape as a culture crerating force and as a church planting movement.
Some of the other groups have fashioned alliances where all the new churches they help launch contribute back to help new churches start.
We’ve never done this. We’ve focused primarily on pouring out into others because there is no way to “fund” a movement.
But I think there is enough interest now to actually begin thinking together about continuing to ignite a cultrue creating movement and participate more concretely in a church planting movement through voluntarily teaming and financing new projects, etc.
That may be something we need to explore together. What do you think Stephen?
Been thinking alot about wind lately. Actually, it has been pretty well consuming my thoughts.
I’m disappointed with how long it is taking me to build momentum. I have had several people tell me that I’m experiencing a time of preparation. So I’m reading, learning and dreaming and listening for God’s voice. I did get an invitation to speak at a church out of town this week so I’m trying figure out what God would have me to share there.
David Brittain here, Celebration in Rio Rancho, NM. I appreciate the comment of wondering how to move people from information to transformation. Working with people one on one and in small groups has helped many pursue being Christ-followers. I think its both/and — knowledge and abandonment beyond knowledge.
I like it A. I think I have spoken with you before about how things are done here in my local denom (regarding coaching, funding, etc…). I currently have a “learning community” of church planters in my region and only 1 or 2 us have the proper “encouragement” we need to really make it in this world. I would say that anything (Alliance, SBC, Act 29, etc…) that will be able to serve as encouragement to the next generation of church planters is highly needed. One of the biggest hurdles would be to stay highly relational. I am still not sure how this will be done as the Alliance expands throughout the world. I would think that regional relationships would have to be the key with maybe Origins serving as a once of year “gathering” for us. What do the rest of you think?
Hey, Geoffrey. Welcome. As you know, I have a particular interest in Europe and the UK. I would move to London yesterday. [Or Zurich, Barcelona, etc]
I’ve already approached a church planter from Scottland and a church planting missionary in Zurich to be part of the first Alliance Navigation team.
My personal goal — I am not speaking here as a spokesman for the Alliance or Mosaic — is to catalyze thousands of red hot churches in Europe and the UK over the next twenty years.
Of course, that spills over into my work with the Alliance. I sense that what we’re doing here today is part of a beginning of a much larger and dynamic movement that can shape western culture in the years to come.
Eric, how long is long? Movements don’t tend to happen quickly. Erwin and Alex have been at Mosaic quite a while. I finally seeing movement here and October will be my sixth anniversary. I know Siver. Being a cultural architect there will take time.
Stephen, I believe that Jonathan Simpson (Mosaic Atlanta) is attempting to do just what you’re talking about. I’ll be attending my first “Mosaic Oasis” in Atlanta next week. Have no idea what to expect, but I’m still full of anticipation concerning whatever it is that God wants to do there
David, welcome. Glad you could make it. Refreshing your page after you post will help you get all the new posts on your page.
stephen, I do think points of gathering for us is important. I’m local here in L.A. to Origins but couldn’t make it this year. However, I did get down to the hotel for the Alliance dinner and was so glad I did.
David,
Thanks for your words. I agree that things take time. We have been in Ann Arbor (a.k.a. Berkeley east!) for about seven years and are just now beginning to see some of our hopes/dreams/vision become reality. I still struggle with that faithfulness/”success” tension. We’re in it for the long-haul, which I believe is essential for all of us, especially in a transient culture that changes and abandons so frequently.
I agree that we could use points of gathering. My brother is getting ready to start a church here in Albuqerque. We wouldn’t mind coordinating things for the Southwest.
Sean, you’re exactly right. Stephen, what’s happening now is that we’re creating regional “leadership networks”. Jonathan Simpson has been forging the way for us in Atlanta.
By the way, Sean, I’ll be with that group on December 7th. Check out my speaking schedule (“Alex’s speaking schedule”) in the top right hand panel (“Pages”).
By the way, Sean, I spoke with Jon about the name “Mosaic Oasis” — the name “oasis” doesn’t exactly create the ethos we’re looking for with regard to these leadership meetings. He agrees so we’re changing the name soon. Just fyi.
dean,
right on the mark… points of gathering are important.
I’m really encouraged to hear that things are beginning for the UK. What Mosaic and the Alliance have to offer (I include you personally too) is so important for us. Some of our thinking, hoping, and darned refusal to accept the status quo has been catapulted forward by what you have been sharing; I would be really up for exploring what it means ‘teaming with and financing new projects’.
Hi David, you mention six years – I wonder how a church – willing to have six years of someone “transformationally tampering” – is a positive thing. Methodist churches in the UK “get rid” after five years.
Alex, thanks for the name update as well as the scheduling heads up. It’s now in my calendar! Really looking forward to seeing you there in Dec.
Dean, you’re exactly right. I think we have to think in terms of developing life long relationships. That means making time and space in our lives for those moments of reconnection–like ORIGINS — but also like this online conversation.
To carry forward a second idea. The Alliance has a navigation team that meets a couple of times each year. If you have a travel budget that might be a way to connect at a different level.
On a more local level, the Alliance needs mentors to guide new pastors and church planters into the Alliance. we do this because relationships need to be stressed. A great way for you to stay connected and help others connect is to be a mentor.
What is the thing that we can be doing immediately to fuel the movement? What are the things that we need to be on guard against to stay as effective as possible?
Octavio,
Yes, and I’m really interested in continuing to pursue the tech possibilities (like this one) that can bridge the miles. I’ll buy you all Macs (ya right) and then get you on an Eyesight conference call!
that reminds me, here’s a little link that you all might appreciate and be encouraged by. Check it out:
Thanks David. You are right and your thoughts are encouraging to me.
I think this is a great forum for communicating as well as bogging. It can connect us with movements all over the world. I think it also has great potential to build community locally as well.
By the way guys, this the third time I’ve used this format for meetings like this. We’re creating, I think, a new way of “leading together”.
Kirk, that’s exactly right. I think it comes down to choosing to build what God leads. This church has basically been a restart. People are excited. Our vision and mission have been heavily influenced by Mosaic. The tension for me is between helping people understand the primal essence of being a Christ-follower and passing on vital knowledge; avoiding emotional roller-coasters on one hand and killing the faith with a religion of cold-hard facts on the other.
Dean,
Many of us are already Mac addicts. The iSight/iChat potential is huge. I used it to communicate with our church in Michigan when I was in Korea last month. We’re looking at a number of new uses of technology. What’s your iChat address? Who else has an iSight?
Alex count us here in Arlington in on helping the Alliance anyway we can. We are already meeting monthly with guys from the DFW area but it’s not officially “Mosaic Alliance” sponsored (not that I really know all that this would entail).
But whatever we could do we would to help others.
Hey guys the hour is almost up. I want to post a couple of reminders. And maybe address Eric’s question about “information” vs. “tranformation”.
Welcome Back 
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