WHAT?

This new 6-week online mini-course wrestles with some of the most foundational and complex questions that emerge from our changed post-pandemic mission contexts. It is designed as a guided conversational journey towards discovering your incarnational ministry and mission in the new normal. Aimed to help mission-minded Christians in Europe engage intentionally and thoughtfully with the local mission (God’s activity in your immediate context) without getting stuck on methods and formulaic approaches.

Participants will find that joining God on mission challenges our stories – the stories we tell about ourselves, about the “other” and even about God. Together, those stories form a triangulated narrative relationship that serves as the lens through which we view our purpose, the role of the “other” and the extent of our collaboration with God. Every mission engagement is framed by that triangle and functions out of the meanings we give to the interactions of the narratives. This shared experience is formed around six conversations designed to help sharpen our missional lenses.

WHY?

Lives are disrupted, damaged, or lost. Economies devastated; plans destroyed. The CoVid-19 pandemic of 2020 will never be forgotten. But, what if, in the midst of fear and anxiety, we decided to use this opportunity to just stop for a moment and face ourselves?! What if we reconsider the scaffolding of our lives and dare to wrestle with some of the most fundamental, challenging and complex questions for the followers of Jesus in the 21st century—the question of our identity and purpose: Who are we and what is our unique role in the new normal?

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

Through the course engagement you will:

1. Bring your own lived experience and perspectives into intentional conversation with that of other mission-minded individuals
2. Gain a deeper sense of your own story as an integral aspect of being on mission with God
3. Build a conceptual, but practical, platform for living on mission with God and others
4. Develop an increased sensitivity to and collaboration with the incarnational activity of God in your local context
5. Be equipped to articulate and engage meaningfully with the mission triangle—God, the Other and You—in the place where you live.

WHO IS IT FOR?

This is a reflective and engaging mini-course option for mission-minded Christians conscious that their contexts deserve more thoughtful interaction.

• Are you sensing that God is calling you to partner with Him in your local context?
• Do you find yourself curious about your role in mission presence and activity?
• Have you moved area and don’t know where to start to reach outwards with the Gospel?
• Have you been sitting on the sidelines of mission and want to explore some more?
• Are you thinking about engaging in a new community ministry option?
• Have you been dreaming about establishing a small missional group?
• Would you like to be more intentional in discipleship?
• Are you willing to dig deeper into the stories of life and faith?

Then these 6 conversations are for you!

Are you looking for a “silver bullet”? Searching for THE programme that will be successful everywhere, every time? Then this might not be the best use of your time.

CONVERSATIONAL TOPICS:

• Session One (July 7): Who Am I?
• Session Two (July 14): Who is the Other?
• Session Three (July 21): Who is God?
• Session Four (July 28): God and Me
• Session Five (Aug 4): God and the Other
• Session Six (Aug 11): God, the Other, and Me

BY WHOM?

Wayne Erasmus is an imperfect, but lifelong Seventh-day Adventist who is learning to live on mission with God! His MA in Narrative Pastoral Family Therapy provided a rich base for grappling with stories and the meanings we draw from them and has been a grounding element of his current Doctor of Ministry in Multi-Cultural/Multi-Ethnic studies. Wayne is a Pastor with the South England Conference (BUC) and is currently serving as the Church Growth and Adventist Mission Director. Alongside that, he is a family man, amateur allotment owner and armchair philosopher with a keen desire to be in better connection with the activity of God in his place.

HOW?

Using the Zoom platform for roughly 90 minutes at a time, one week apart, each session will invite us to explore an idea in conversation with the group. Practical options for additional learning and engagement will be given too. You will be asked to view some films, take some inventories, take an acquaintance out for “coffee”, as a few examples! Remember these are conversations, not lectures! Our journey together is what is most important and so group interaction and engagement will add richness and nuance to the time we spend with one another!

WHAT NEXT?

The course is free.

Registration is essential.

Plan to commit to all 6 weekly sessions for maximum benefit to yourself and others.

At the conclusion of the course, you may be invited to participate in an interview as part of research conducted by the presenter. Additional information will be provided during the first session and is available upon request.

LET’S RETHINK, REFRAME AND RETELL! Thrilled to journey with you towards sharpening our missional lenses and discovering your incarnational ministry and mission in the new normal.