By someone who’s had to learn this the hard way. There was a moment recently—a clarifying conversation in our local community—where I could feel the tension in my own chest. I had the option to say the surface-level thing, to make it easier. And honestly? Part of me wanted to. Because being an evangelist doesn’t always mean you’re bold. Sometimes …
I would love this type of training to be done within a Pastoral Conference or Pastoral forums within denominations. I am thinking about how this could be done within my own denomination. Thank you. I really enjoyed this Course. It was very stretching and enlightening. It caused me to have even more questions that are beyond the scope of the …
When we started diving into “shared leadership” as a key conversation for 5Q, I didn’t realize it would become more than a topic—it would be a lived experience. And as our team committed to embodying it, we quickly learned that shared leadership isn’t neat or easy. Unlike hierarchy, which provides clear lanes and boundaries, shared leadership is relational and messy. …
A Comparison and Contrast of the Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12 gifts. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the different spiritual gift passages in the Bible? How are they similar? How are they different? And especially relevant to 5Q, how do the Ephesians 4 APEST gifts “fit in” with the others? You’re not alone. …
Having recognized the hero’s journey in the sending, the descent, and the ascent of Jesus, we are now in a better position to understand exactly how Jesus redeems the archetypes and gifts them to the church. And here we are well-equipped by an ancient New Testament teaching on the meaning of Jesus’ incarnation, life, death, and resurrection, called anakephalaiosis (Greek) …
Having identified and clarified the idea of creational archetypes of APEST, as well as the stages of the hero’s journey, we are now in a position to better grasp the meaning of what has been called the “ascension gifting” described by Paul in Ephesians 4:8–11. But to understand the ascension gifting properly, we need to grasp the cultural reference of …
Not surprisingly, an exploration of archetypes in human society is similar to the idea that myths are foundational to both personal and group identity. Joseph Campbell has aptly demonstrated the ongoing power of primary myths (defining narratives) throughout human history. For my purposes, I just want to highlight a particular aspect of myth and relate it to the role of …
Today, we have an exclusive look at Reframation: Seeing God, People and Mission Through Re-enchanted Frames, the new book by Alan Hirsch and Mark Nelson. This work…whoa! This new book takes a fresh, careful, studied and inspired at the Gospel. In the reading that follows, straight from Chapter One: Moving The Moon, you are going to find a word about …
Recently I have had the opportunity of attending several of our denomination’s annual gatherings and immediately I recognize what our denominational leaders have long understood about our very congregational structure– there is not one Conference like another. The culture, the ambiance, the spirit of the people assembled in each conference is distinct and… beautiful. Each conference is an expression of …
This year, I’ve upped my involvement in my kids’ schools. Lots of meetings, boards, PTAs and O’s, rehearsals, performances, car pools and class time. As a church planter, I think it’s been the best way to get grounded in the neighborhood and keep a finger on the pulse, not only of what is going on, but who people really are, what they are struggling through and what excites them.
It’s also presented a new paradigm for 5Q. Perhaps the best word for it is praxis. I’ve seen 5Q at work in new and inspiring ways through the students, especially the elementary kids. They haven’t fully developed the filters that keeps them from being 100% who they are. It’s so awesome to watch unhindered personalities at work and play.
