What does it mean to be Missional ?

The term missional is an adjective that describes the fact that a church totally aligns itself with the missio Dei ( the mission of God). Christ Jesus prayed to the Father, “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world,” (John 17.18). This truth reveals that the church is to be missional, on mission, acting as “sent ones” in this world. The church is formed to continue the mission that began in the heart of the Father, was seen in the life of the Son, and is to continue in the Spirit empowered endeavors of the church. The basic premise of the missional church is that “missions” is not an organization or program of a church. Missions constitute the very essence or nature of the church.

This blog will be dedicated to leading all of us who engage in this conversation to find ways to be missional in New Orleans or where God has placed us. I will publish suggestions for missional activites on a regular basis as well as food for thought that is designed to make us become missional. It is my hope that my thoughts and suggestions will serve as a motivation for all of us to be about missio Dei .

Saturday, June 12, 2010

My Spring Retreat

The routine of my retreat began with a worship followed by breakfast. After breakfast I would retire to my room for a time of solitude and study until about noon. I would then had lunch with the workers of the community and after lunch I would retire, once again, to my room for a time of solitude, prayer and additional study until 4:30pm. My evenings were spent with times of recreation and discussion with Fr.David and friends of the monastery. The topic of study was the Desert Fathers of Egypt. I believe that we Christians can learn much from these Desert Fathers. Their dedication to the purity of Christianity and determination to find God in the dry parched lands of the Egyptian desert is an inspiration to me. They had to get away to find the true wisdom of God. For us they have left behind a wealth of wisdom that can be a real blessing to our rushed and worried world.

What Did I study?
My study book for the retreat is Desert Mystics by Linus Mundy. I am using selected readings from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers by Benedicta Ward SLG.

What Do I Take Home?
A retreat is an intensely personal experience. It is very difficult to really express in just a few words the content that I take home with me. This I can say -- that my study of the Desert Fathers led me to re-examine the way I live my life day-to-day. In our world we assume so many things. The world of the Desert Fathers is so different than anything we can imagine. It was a world that required an intense closeness to God. No one could live in the desert without being committed and dedicated to survival each day. That survival was directly link to their relationship with God.

I take home the notion that a relationship with God requires constant attention. We must be willing to allow ourselves to be emptied of all that we are in order that we might be filled with all that He has to offer. It is in discovering the parched condition of our very souls that we find the refreshing nature of God's Spirit. We begin to get our nourishment from our daily walks and talks with God. Desert spirituality helps us to discover the importance of making the simplest of tasks a spiritual offering to God. The chores we do around the house, the cutting of the grass, the washing of the car and all these other simple tasks are part of our pilgrimage which God.
  
What Actions Am I Led to Take?
Just a few Thoughts:
  • Pray the Psalms every day
  • Observe at least 30 minutes of silence a day
  • Choose a work that is dedicated to God (something outside of my profession)
  • Work with the poor whenever possible
My retreat took place May 10-14. I write this as an attempt to get back into the discipline of blogging. In the coming weeks and months I will attempt to share some thing thst strike me as I study and read the writings of the Desert Fathers.
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

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August 14, 2010 at 1:57 AM

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