Word of the Day . . . . . IGNITE
Jared Williams [The Searching]: It seems to me that your phrase "ignition of
movement" better positions us toward those relationships, whereas "church
planting" seems to suggest establishing an official identity through regular
gatherings intended to reflect those relationships.
Dan Farrell : Hey Andrew, I'm a church planter in Towson, MD, USA and I read your blog. Very cool stuff. Anyways, I wanted to comment on the church planter name, and the ignite suggestion. My thought this morning on my way to work was "I ignite an area. I set an area on fire with a passion for God. I'm a firestarter!"
Then thoughts of the Prodigy song came in to my head... thought you might get a kick out of this.
Scott and Heather: Andrew, we were inspired, by the ignite and firestarter analogies, to rewrite the song.
FIRESTARTER :.Heather and Scott's version [of Prodigy's firestarter]
I'm the tribal starter, growth instigator.
I'm Spirit addicted, Kingdom illustrated.
I'm a firestarter, faithful firestarter.
You're the firestarter, faithful firestarter.
I'm a firestarter, faithful firestarter.
I'm just faith ignited, Christ infatuated.
Yeah
He's the love you tasted, well intoxicated.
I'm a firestarter, faithful firestarter.
You're the firestarter, faithful firestarter.
I'm the love inflicted, passion detonator.
Yeah
I'm one regenerated, faithful animator.
I'm a firestarter, faithful firestarter.
You're the firestarter, faithful firestarter.
I'm a firestarter, faithful firestarter
... starter... starter... starter...
Rebecca: Andrew, Hi. Ugh. All of these metaphors are so male. Planting -- inserting something other into the virgin earth. Ignite -- burning up all combustible material. They are like the term "winning lost souls," which makes me cringe. It's that territorial, colonizing mind-set illustrated by the medieval crusades. What about reconciliation? What about a metaphor that
doesn't talk about taking over, burning up, or digging in? What about a metaphor that truly gets at the root of the matter? People don't need to be colonized or gardened. You see, they keep receiving notices marked
insufficient funds. How will they be reconciled?
I enjoy your blog. Rebecca
Andrew: Hey Rebecca - thanks - a great book is "The Nations Called" Pieter Bos in which he does away with the military terminology and brings out God's romantic desire to be in covenant with the nations he loves.You would like it.
Rob Lewin: AJ, I must weigh in on the current blog discussion on "Church Planting."
1. Trying to name this at all creates conflict in the new "post-whatever" wineskin. The community of believers who gather, no matter how small, rarely require their communal action to have a name. The group will name itself, but the beginning, generating action -they won't care about. They just love people and like being together with people of Jesus.
Leaders with one foot in the old wineskin, on the other hand, they need it.
"I must name my activity. Am I a firestarter, igniter, an ember gatherer, or a flying monkey (see Dorothy)?"
The reason we feel so compelled to name it is that in the old world; naming=marketing=selling=success=money.
If, however, I don't take money from this enterprise, don't need it to "succeed", and am not looking for anything "bigger or better," and won't need to use this on my resume, then why name my action. I can be comfortable with serving others in Jesus name.
2. Naming the action in the old wineskin was also the career description a lone, strong, square-jawed, cowboy-esque, male leader bringing his "vision" for a new church to an unsuspecting population. And while passionate individuals are always needed to "genesis" new groups; those groups in the new world won't endure being one individual's success story. Gone are the days of "my church" and welcome to the days of "our church." And gone are the days when men are the only "igniters." See Patrick in Ireland
3. Ember Gatherer. Jesus has already been at work developing embers in everyone. For a very long time. Gathering what God has already begun is the "church planter job." This role of gathering, in the old wineskin, is the opposite of what we were taught. You must Hunt! Men hunt, women gather. Hunting also allows me to perceive of myself in a semi-executive role ministering to a nation, region or whatever. Note growth of arrogance. Sorry.
Standing like Moses over the Red Sea and commanding "Come, people, through all my strategic thinking, marketing, and planning to the Lord your God" died at least 10 years ago. Leading has been serving for 2003 years minimum, and won't change anytime soon. Often, naming my job is a trick of avoidance to keep from doing the serving, caring, gathering; the real work and life of the Kingdom. Only problem is that serving is where you see all the cool stuff.
I pray God blesses your hands as you gather, and experience the cool stuff. Luv Ya, Rob
