(e)mergent Voyageurs

Over the last year, many of you have gone beyond being just readers and become friends. Several of you have even humbled us by supporting us financially in our time of struggle. As I try to be more personal with my posts, I thought it would be good to post a ministry update for you to read. Enjoy!

Dear Family & Friends,

Greetings our beautiful inner city neighbourhood. We trust this find you well, as you are all in our thoughts and prayers daily. As usual, life has been blazing ahead of us, keeping us on our toes. Since you last heard from us, we have been going through a trying season. God has been faithful throughout, so we are confident that He can use all things for His purposes. We hope this letter will give you a sense of how where we are at and how you can pray for us. So, sit back, relax and enjoy the read!

Invisible Children of Northern Uganda

Recently, God has been calling us as a YWAM team to respond to the terrible realities of northern Uganda. Caught in a 20 year civil war with a rebel army, thousands of children are being abducted and forced to be child soldiers by this cultic militia, with the government troops only marginally better. Further, due to instability, more than a million Ugandans have been forced to live in “refugee” camps within their own borders, with thousands dying daily from disease, violence, etc. While there is not space here to go into more detail, needless to say we were moved to respond to this hidden tragedy.

Most of our team were inspired by the documentary “Invisible Children”, where three regular guys chronicled their powerful discvoery of these children. In response, two of our staff created the Gulu Prayer Project which called people around the world to join in non-stop 336 hours of prayer (2 weeks) for Uganda. As a result, we saw people from more than a half dozen nations join us in this endeavour of prayer and advocacy. While the event is over, many are still praying daily and are asking for another organized event, which we plan to run again this Fall. Further, three of our staff will be heading to northern Uganda in October to serve the people, as well as make contacts for hosting future missions teams.

A Season of Growth

While we were disappointed at postponing this years DTS, it has given us the freedom to dig deeper into God’s calling for us as a missional community. Our staff have each been taking time to engage in building relationships and serving with ministries and programs in the inner city. Whether it is working with inner city kids, reaching out to prostitutes or counseling drug addicts in the city core, our team has been stepping out of their comfort zone to be the missional community we’re called to be to our neighbours and city. We’re driven daily to go deeper. Please pray for our team.

YWAM Western Canada Leadership Team

We also recently returned from YWAM Western Canada Leadership Team (WCLT) meetings in Calgary, where we have both been serving to provide spiritual and operational leadership to the mission in our region. YWAM Canada is seeing an increasing growth in vision and unity, which is exciting. Our deepest desire is to see more and more Christians mobilized, trained and released into service for God’s Kingdom. We will continue to serve on this important leadership team, so please pray that God will provide the resources and wisdom to serve God and the mission as best we can. We will be attending again in October in Kelowna, where Jamie will be making a presentation on missions in an emerging culture, as there is increasing interest from within the organization.

Discpleship Training School 2007

We are also continuing to prepare for the January 2007 Discipleship Training School (DTS). Our student interest is much stronger this year, with people applying from all over the world. We are excited to see this group come together for training, then released to serve in Thailand (and possibly Uganda) later next Spring. The DTS is the 5 month entry level program into YWAM. This school is a praxis based spiritual formation program that allows students to engage Kingdom concepts beyond just ideas and theories. Many people, like us, have found their life vocation during this revolutionary program. If you know anyone who might be interested in participating in this dynamic school, please contact us.

Prayer for an Urban Hero

When we established our ministry here in Winnipeg, Pastor Harry Lehotsky (who I feature in the introduction of my book “Looking Forward“) was crucial in making it happen. In addition to providing our first home/office as newly married YWAM directors, he later generously made our current house available to us. His friendship, support and example have continued to be an inspiration to us both as he lives and serves in our neighbourhood. Recently, we learned that Harry had been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Doctors have given him 6 weeks to 9 months to live with little hope of viable treatment. We are grieved, so call all of you to pray for this man of God, his family, ministry and community.

Challenges and Needs

In addition to all the exciting things happening throughout this season, we have also faced several discouraging challenges of our own. Since our miscarriage last year, we have been unable to get pregnant again, therefore have been trying to save up for the possibility of adoption, slowly putting money aside. However, with our financial support waning, we were not sure if it would be possible.

It was at this time that Immigration Canada informed us that Kim was required to apply for her Permanent Residency ASAP, which came with a significant set of expenses. Of course, when it rains it pours- within 3 days of this news, we were hit with several other major, unexpected expenses. We have also seen a significant drop in our committed monthly support. Needless to say, we have been very discouraged as these mounting expenses loom over us daily. Please pray that God will provide for our needs in this time. (See below for more details)

In the end, we are both confident and humbled by the love and grace of God, and the support and encouragement of friends and family like you. Despite all the challenges, we know that, as we walk in obedience to Him in being ministers of the Gospel, He will continue to provide everything we need. Thank you all for continuing to be a part of our mission in prayer, support and love. Please drop us a note, a call or even drop in for a visit. Our door is always open!

In His Peace,

Jamie & Kim Arpin-Ricci

Financial Crisis Info

As you know, in order for us to continue to serve God in the ministry He has called us into, we depend on His provision through the generous financial support of people like you. By partnering with us in this way, you help touch the lives of countless people all over the world. We are daily humbled by your willingness to serve God and us in this way.

Recently, we have faced some significant financial challenges. As our committed monthly support has slowly waned over the last year, we have also been hit with several unexpected expenses. Immigration Canada informed us recently that Kim was required to apply for her Permanent Residency ASAP, which comes with a hefty price tag. Additionally, within 3 days of this news, we were hit with several other major expenses (i.e. two fairly new, major appliances died on the same day). We find ourselves facing in the next 2 months nearly $5000 above our regular expenses.

Also, as Kim & I have been asked to step into greater levels of regional leadership, our monthly expenses have also increased. As a pioneering centre, YWAM is only able to partial subsidize some of these expenses at this time. Therefore, combined with the above mentioned challenges and our current support status, we spent time praying about how we should respond to this crisis. Here is how we see the challenge at this point:

Committed Monthly Support – In order to continue to serve God in the roles He has called us to, we need to see our committed monthly support increase. So many of you have faithfully supported our ministry for years. Many have given out of what little you have. Our desire is not to see those who are already giving sacraficially to be stretched further, but to broaden our support team to include others. We would like you all to prayerfully consider what part God would have you play in this area, whether it be through financial giving or advocating on our behalf to others. Above all, your prayers are needed.

One Time Response – With the unexpected financial crisis that have emerged this year, we also need to raise a significant amount to pay for immediate expenses, such as Kim’s immigration expenses. Additionally, as we long to begin a family together, we have felt increasingly led to pursue international adoption. While we still pray that we will become pregnant, we are also aware of the millions of children around the world who are without the benefit of a loving family. Lord willing, we would like to begin this process as soon as Kim’s status in Canada is secure and our financial situation stable.

If you would like to receive a tax receipt (Canadians only), you can send your support through YWAM Donor Services. Please make your cheque or money order payable to Youth With A Mission and include a separate note with our name on it. Do not put put our name anywhere on the cheque. Send cheques to our Donor Office (see below info). If you are interested in giving on a monthly basis you can send in post-dated cheques or use our pre-authorized payment method. If you are interested in receiving a pre-authorized payment agreement form please email or call our donor office with your name and address. They send out income tax receipts to donors monthly or annually. For those outside of Canada, you can make direct donations from our website, www.arpin-ricci.blog.com using the “Make Donation” PayPal link on the right sidebar. (Contact Donor Services @ PO Box 57100, 2480 East Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V5K 5G6, CANADA, Ph: 604.436.4433 Fx: 604.436.4466 Email: donorservices@shaw.ca).

If you have any questions, please do not hestitate to contact us. We are completely open to answer any of your questions or concerns regarding fundraising and missions support. Thank you so much for taking the time to prayerfully consider our needs.

This morning, as I drove back to Winnipeg from visiting family in Ontario, I listened to an interview with Bishop N.T. Wright and Anne Rice on my iPod.  It was a great exchange, inspiring me to reread “Christ The Lord”.  I was also reminded of something that happened years ago.  When I was seventeen and attending my Discipleship Training School (DTS), I approached my leaders with an odd question.  I genuinely felt like I was supposed to read “Interview With A Vampire” by Rice.  A local Christian theatre company was doing a production of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, exploring the spiritual undercurrents in the story.  After checking with my intentions, my school leader gave the thumbs up.

I was immediately swept up into a dark and sensual story, in which a vampire shares with a reporter (and the rest of us “mere mortals”) his tragic story.  The novel tells a tale of good and evil, light and darkness, senuality and selfness.  Rice manages to create a fascination and even sympathy for the vampire, with readers hoping for some kind of victory- a salvation, if you will.  However, there is none to be had.  Rice, reflecting her own journey in this story, had discovered no resolution herself, therefore could offer none for her character or, ultimately, her readers.

Perhaps this is why I was caught up in this dark story.  As the main character struggled to overcome his own selfness, compromise and hungers, so to did my own hidden demons seem to come to life in identification.  In the same way, though I was a genuine follower of Christ (in a missions school, nonetheless) the easy-believism and not-so-easy-legalism of the dominant Evangelical culture I had come out of had not provided a real hope, except perhaps by default, to mimic externally what I so longed for within.

The brilliance of Rice’s writing in this novel was in her capacity to paint vampires- the quintessential fallen humanity- as the paradox of beauty and brokenness.  The vivid sensuality of the feedings at once repulsed you with the monstrosity that it was while also reflecting, if only in part, the redemptive intention of God in that very sensuality.  It was not an evil so foreign to humanity that we could not identify, but a tainted and familiar twist on what is good and pure.  I had not encountered such raw honesty before and I was captured by it.

In the end, I chose to not to read anymore of her Vampire Chronicles, feeling a deep sense of forboding, as though they stood on the brink of hopelessness.  Knowing how vulnerable I was to such fatalism in that time, I put her books behind me.  Lately, as I reconsider the archetype that the vampire represents to me, I have a deep appreciation for Rice.  Now, having returned to Christ in a powerful way, she acknowledges how lost she was when writing the book.  However, she is unapologetic, recognizing her a fair reflection of where she was at the time.  Her honesty helped my own.

So often, Christians can miss the clear signs of a soul seeking God.  Many dismissed Rice’s books as nothing more than unredemptive, demonic, dangerous.  If we hope to build a Kingdom of authentic hope, peace and love, then we will need to be able to see with God’s eyes.  In part, this will require of us a grace and a generousity that often seem too much, but it will also require us to real and authentic ourselves, acknowledging our weaknesses, doubts and fears so that we can identify and understand it in others.

 Emerging Church

Scot McKnight turned me onto this test, which I was curious to take. I have to say that I was VERY dissatisified with the questions, so I am not sure my results are accurate. I have no apparent leaning in any direction, at least not strongly, but here’s what came up. So what IS the Kingdom? Any thoughts?

Since my trip to Minneapolis for the Emergent Village Coordinating Group meetings, I have been giving a lot of thought to the emerging church journey in respect to nations and cultures, as well as the challenges of organizing officially around the conversation, as EV has.  Len asked some interesting questions, which I thought I would elaborate on in more detail here:

Q: Why am I connecting with Emergent Village (aka Emergent US)?

A: More than 10 year ago, I began to realize that the questions I had about faith, ministry and life were typically not being asked in the Evangelical world I was a part of.  In my desire to find answers, not to mention others who shared my passion for the questions, I began searching websites, books and conferences.  In time I tried to contact Leadership Network, but was… brushed off… with the only reason given being that they did not really work with parachurch organizations.  Frustrated, I began to look elsewhere/

I then attended a conference in Three Hills put on by Beyond Magazine.  Here I finally connected with other people (mainly Canadians) who were on the same journey as me.  I was also excited by what Beyond was doing and wanted to get involved.  Again, my emails and calls were usually replied to with a suggestion to subscribe to the magazine (which I already had done) or left unanswered.  There was also a great deal of (what felt was) over stated and unconstructive criticism of the established church.  While this may have changed since, at the time I moved on in search of something else.

Like so many others, it wasn’t long until I stumbled across Brian McLaren‘s “A New Kind of Christian“.  From there, books led to other books, websites and eventually blogs.  I suddenly found myself embraced by a very active community, most of which were involved with Emergent Village.  Even Tony Jones, who has to be one of the busiest guys I know, consistantly and graciously responded to my emails.  In time, I again connected with more Canadians in the the conversation, with Resonate being one of the most important new communities to me, but EV had already established itself through relationships.

Much of these connects were just a matter of chance, not a reflection on one group or another.  However, as that is how it happened for me, it has been natural for me to connect with the crew in America.  That does not, of course, mean my commitment to them is exclusive.  It should also be noted that, while I have spent most of my life in Canada, I was born in the US and hold my dual citizenship as an important part of my identity.

Q: How does Emergent Village differ from “Emergent Canada”?  In what ways are they similar?

A: This is a tough question, as there is no equivelant to Emergent Village in Canada.  There is, of course, emergent.ca who raised a bit of noise for taking on the “brand” of Emergent when they formed.  However, they have developed into a great resource within the Canadian conversation.  Their intitial decapitalization of the “e” in their name, combined with the recent adoption of Emergent Village as the full name of the American organization, has helped differentiate.

The closest thing to Emergent Village in Canada is Resonate, though the latter has resisted the level of formalization that EV has adopted.  While this has helped keep Resonate a far more inclusive conversation context, it does limit some of the potential for organizing certain events, partnerships and so forth.  This is not necessarily a bad thing, but there are advantages to each approach that the other inevitable.

Obviously there are also significant cultural differences between Canada and the US, which I have discussed before.  I think this topic needs to explored further, in an environment where both sides can dialogue openly and frankly, but with a commitment to true, mutual friendship.  Many of the things that make the US great are also things that can grate against many outside of the context.  The responsibility to get past this falls to both sides.

Q: What do I believe Emergent Village offers to the Canadian context?

A: My time with the Emergent Villagers last week was very enlightening.  The Coordinating Group meetings were a unique environment.  Unlike a conference, the agenda was driven from the margins- that is, we all shaped the direction of the time with only some guidance from Tony.  What I discovered was how deeply this group was connected.  In the midst of the talking, the eating and the visiting, I would catch “glimpses” of something really beautiful- true community.  Even in their clearly articulated and intentionally practiced commitment to be frank in their disagreements with each other, there was a sense of safety and purpose.

Suddenly, the oft obstenant American conviction that anything is possible and the sometimes overbearing drive to make it happen takes on a whole new appearance.  Instead, we see a people who have truly embraced the infinite capacity of God and a commitment to see His Kingdom come  All this to say that Emergent Village offers Canadians an example of what is possible if we are willing to put ourselves fully into something.  And don’t be fooled- these people have given more than just time and passion.  They have given from their often meager, personal resources.  So many have benefitted from these sacrafices. (On a side note, as uncomfortable as I am with the idea of “becoming a friend of Emergent Village” with financial contributions, I think their emphasis on people giving is a fair one.  After all, it isn’t generousity to give back for what we receive, and we have received a great deal.)

Though many woul disagree with me, one the most important things we could learn from our US brothers & sisters is national expression.  Both within YWAM Canada and other Canadian Christian groups, there seems to be a strong resistance to national vision and action, with comments on our geographic spread and regional differences.  While there is legitimacy in these challenges, I think it is a Canadian weakness to talk ourselves out of so many possibilities.  Yes, it will be difficult and, yes, it will cost all of us a great deal.  However, it is worth the try, in my opinion.

Q: Would I recommend formal association with Emergent Village for other Canadians in this conversation?

A: For many practical and cultural reasons, the emerging church journey has often taken on regional and national identities.  While there is nothing wrong with this, we would all do well to remember that we are building One Kingdom.  If the conversation identifies to centrally with context and not this larger, global community (which, I remind you, includes the established church), we will find ourselves repeating the nationalistic, partisan mistakes of the past.  Therefore, I think the we need to see an intentionality of relationship and partnership (though not complete integration) between groups across regional and national lines.

So, while the word “formal” is problematic, I do believe Canadians in the conversation need to be intentional about relating with Emergent Village and the rest of the emerging church community in the US.  We need each others strengths, vision, experience and support.  Perhaps I am an idealist to a fault, but we could accomplish a great deal if we were more intentional about it.

Those are just a few of my thoughts, with more to come.  I’d love to hear some feedback.

 Emerging Church

Previous Post – The Coming Week

You scored as Batman, the Dark Knight. As the Dark Knight of Gotham, Batman is a vigilante who deals out his own brand of justice to the criminals and corrupt of the city. He follows his own code and is often misunderstood. He has few friends or allies, but finds comfort in his cause. Batman, the Dark Knight 79% Neo, The “One” 78% Indiana Jones 75% Maximus 71% Captain Jack Sparrow 58% William Wallace 58% The Amazing Spider-Man 54% Lara Croft 54% El Zorro 50% James Bond, Agent 007 42% The Terminator 38% Which Action Hero Would You Be? v. 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

As I try to recover from the excellent, though thoroughly tiring time down at the Emergent Village Coordinating Group meetings at Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, I am also getting ready for the arrival of a guest tonight.  Randy Parizeau, a member of the YWAM North American Leadership Team, was the director of YWAM Vancouver when Kim & I served in that great city.  I was blessed to live with Randy & his family for the few years on staff there, where he become a mentor and a great friend.  Randy will be spending just short of a week with us and our staff, sharing about his recent ministry activities, especially Nexia3.  He will also be giving some time to help us evaluate where we are as a ministry, where we are going and how to forge ahead.  It will be an important week, so please keep us in your prayers.

Before Randy leaves, Kim will be flying out to Vancouver to serve as the guest speaker for YWAM Vancouver’s Mission Adventures summer program.  She is very excited, as this program is her passion and she got her start with the ministry in Vancouver.  However, she will be there for a full 12 days, so I will be playing bachelor for almost 2 weeks.  Keep us both in your prayers for this as well.

Once Randy heads back to Vancouver and I am at the house by myself, I hope to spend some serious time focusing on my new book project, as well as write a few posts here.  I am especially eager to reflect on my time with the Emergent Village crew (aka the Village People), especially in regards to how the Canadian emerging community needs to relate to Emergent Village and the larger, global conversation.

Until then, have a great weekend!

Emerging Church

Yesterday was a very full, tiring, but excellent day at the Emegent Village Coordinating Group meetings here in Minneapolis.  We started the say with Ryan & Holly Sharp sharing a bit of their story of recent travels, plus shared some of their very powerful and beautiful music.  Let me just give a clear and confident endorsement for this great couple and their art.

Tim Bednar of echurch.com gave us a walk through to the near completed new Emergent Village website (to be launched soon).  If any of you are like me, you rarely visit the site anymore, as the contact is outdated and static.  That is why they have created a remarkably interactive, resource and networking matrix with the new (and yet unreleased) site.  I really look forward to put it to good use and recommend it to others.  Stay tuned for the launch announcement.

As the day progressed, the conversation turned to several key matters, such as Emergent Village’s signing on with ONE.org, with a great deal of back and forth on the need for a balance of theological reflection and concerted praxis on the issues of global justice.  While I believe that EV is still somewhat lacking in the praxis department, I also see that without a robust theology to compliment our action, we are likely to perpetuate models for action that could contribute to the problems we seek to change.  Should praxis precede reflection?  Personally, I believe they should be simultaneous, each feeding the other.

We also looked at the publishing partnerships that Emergent Village has entered into, explaining the process and details of how those partnerships work.  I think the multi-publisher agreements will allow for a diversity of authors, styles and content to emerge.  Having grown up around publishers and writers, I hope to throw my hat in and serve this process in any way I can.  One area that didn’t get explored, which I wish I had brought up, was the possibility of produce “emergent” fiction.  While Brian McLaren’s trilogy is great, I was think of something somewhat more literary.  I hope to do a post on “emergent” fiction in the near future.

We also looked at several events coming in the next few years, inlcuding the continued theological gatherings, several justice orientated events and intentionality in planning event as the next US election to engage issues such as a political theology and other relevant topics.  Dwight Friesen did a short, but thought provoking presentation on scale-free networks and the implication on the organizational and communal development of Emergent Village.  Great food for thought.

From there, we all headed over to Tony’s place for a BBQ, where we able to relax and further develop the friendship that hold the Village together.  After a good night sleep, I am ready  to face the rest of the day, which I learned was the last day of meetings.  Since I booked my ticket on the original plan for the meetings to end on Wednesday, I will be hanging an extra night at the ever so hospitable home of the Musick’s.

Today was only a hlaf day of meetings, but it was an intense one, especially given how tired everyone is.  We started the day with some excellent music written and performed by Troy Bronsink (who has been staying at the Musick’s with myself and Damien O’Farrell).  We then moved into the important but challenging topic of women within the emerging church conversation.  It’s not difficult given we all believe and affirm women in leadership, but difficult insofar as, in our attempt to affirm this belief and walk it out, the question of “How” continually comes up.

Some believe that having gender specific events further contributes to the problem it is seeking to address, while others recognize a need for a safe place for women to gain the freedom and confidence need to further engage.  Some in the conversation are tired of the critique and want to get on with the work at hand, while others are just entering into the conversation.  Much needs to be worked through, with various important perspectives.  In the end, I believe that the passion and commitment of women like Elizabeth Potter, who I had the chance to chat with this afternoon.  While there are many women involved in leading Emergent, I can think of few as appropriate to take the lead on this challenge as she.

We also spent some time talking about the financial realities of Emergent Village.  Many critiques (and not a few emergent fans) have blaze Emergent Village for any mention of money, which I think is completely unfair.  While money does complicate matters, it does not necessarily corrupt matters- and in the case of EV, Tony Jones and the EV Board, it most certainly has not corrupted.  While not going into detail, I can say with great confidence that they are handling the financial aspects with utmost integrity.  If anything, in their commitment to such, often short change themselves.

On the matter of finances, Doug Pagitt made an excellent point.  Through the great generosity of several people and groups, many have enjoyed the benefits of this great organization.  However, having not paid anything, people begin to tell themselves the story that these things can happen without money, thus attack fundraising efforts.  Further, many people, in shallow idealism, look down on wealthy people or companies who are donors, crying “Compromise!”, accusing Emergent Village leaders of “selling out”.

The reality is that this movement has always required resources and will continue to require more.  Therefore, we would all do well to expect the best out of our sisters & brothers, not to mention practice due diligence before leveling sanctimonious accusations.  After this meeting, most of the reservations I had about the financial aspect of EV have been answered well.

The day ended with a seriously engaging conversation about the possibility of a significant Emergent Village event in 2008.  The challenge stemmed from the question of the nature of the event and the timing.  Again, I will not go into details on this topic yet (being unsure how much can be shared on it at this stage).  However, I will say that I think the idea is excellent and the timing is right if the planning and preparation start now.  This is the time for big risks birthing out of big vision.  That being said, it will require the commitment and resources of many people, as it is far too sweeping an idea to be handled by a few “insiders”.  Seeing the group at these meetings, I have little doubt people will rise to the challenge.

We ended the day with a nice long walk around a lake in the city.  It was the perfect way to end out time together- sunshine and Creation, great conversation and a relaxed congeniality.  Above all, I have been deeply blessed by the great networking, a boost of encouragement and vision, and many wonderful new friends.  I hope to be involved in future events with Emergent Village.

Emerging Church

As I sit in the Solomon’s Porch sanctuary, I thought I would drop a quick update of how things are going. Yesterday I flew in to Minneapolis to participate in the Emergent Coordinating Group Meetings over the next few days. I was picked up from the airport by John Musick, pastor of the emergent shaped Vineyard, Bluer (the name which inspired me to name a church called the Red Greener). Having wonderful friends and urban partners with the Vineyard in Winnipeg, I was excited to meet John, who has been kind enough to put me up for my time here.

Yesterday afternoon & evening was a great time of meeting new people and connecting with several I have only known via blogs & emails. I spent the first part of the afternoon with Jeff Kursonis, a former YWAMer (if there is such a thing) who now a church-planting pastor of Communion of the Arts, a new kind of faith gathering, especially drawing people in the various arts expressions. Having someone else here familiar with YWAM & Emergent Village is great. He is also a great guy and a great new friend.

That evening we attended Solomon’s Porch, which was excellent. The physical space is a refreshing mix of traditional building style (stain glass & pipe organ included), but is designed to be an incredibly inclusive, comfortable and warm space that brings everyone together, worshipping, relating and growing together as a family, not an institution. Certainly it is very different than many other churches, making it challenging at times, but the gracious leadership & community helped any new comers participate easily.

Instead of preaching, Doug Pagitt invited all of us from the Coordinating group to gather a few people around us and share where God has us right now. This was an easy place to engage people personally, sharing passions and connecting with people you didn’t know. I was somewhat disappointed to not participate in Doug’s very unique approach to preaching, but it was excellent regardless.

After church, our first meetings began at the church over some excellent pizza. The first evening was about introductions, sharing our passions and wrestling with the issue of identity and practices of being Emergent. Tony Jones also shared that Emergent Village, as opposed to just Emergent, is being intentionally put forward as the official name. I think this is an excellent move, given the much wider use of the word emergent throughout the global conversation, not to mention the multiple other disciplines using the term and concept.

Above all, the best part of the first day was hanging out and getting to know people. While I name everyone, people that were great to connect with were Andrew Seely, Tony Jones, Dwight Friesen (a fellow Manitoban), Doug Pagitt, and so many others. A couple more days of meetings, so more to come!

Emerging Church

Well, it is hard for me to believe, but one year ago today Emergent Voyageurs was born. I started it as a way for me to be more disciplined in my writing, keeping track of ideas or questions that occurred to me. I expected a few people to stumble across it. In the end, I thought I’d give it a go. More than 125 posts later and it has had far more impact on my life than I could ever have imagined.

From no other contact than my blog, I have sat on two panel discussions on the emerging church. The first was a conference, entitled “Ministering With The Emerging Church”, with Dr. Gary R. Collins hosted by Providence Seminar. While there was some open suspicion from many of the participants, I made some great friends that day from among the other panelists. Later I sat on a panel with Len Sweet at the PAOC Leadership Advance. While the panel was good, it didn’t measure up to Len’s excellent teaching. The PAOC leaders in attendence were among the most generous and open one could hope for. This Sunday, I will be flying down to Minneapolis where I was invited to be part of the Emergent Coordinating Group meetings.

Another amazing development of the blog has been how it has pushed me into deeper and more intentional praxis on my own life and ministry with YWAM. From review books, engaging ideas, asking questions and imagining possibilities, this blog has been an important part of my spiritual and missional formation. As my last post noted, I have also begun writing my second book, much of its content inspired through the connections made through this blog.

Above all, however, the greatest gift this blog has given me is friendships. Throughout the year I have been shocked, moved and humbled by the genuine, consistant and generous people that I have come to call dear friends. In addition to the faithful readers, many people have become true friends. People like Dana, Cindy, Grace, Len, Jordon, Wendy, Santosh, the whole crew at Resonate, Simon and so many more. Several I consider teachers and mentors, people like Scot McKnight, John Frye, Andrew Jones, Tony Jones and others.

Not all the relationships have been confined to the internet, having the chance to meet many of them. People like Dan, Gerry, Brother Maynard, Bill, Norm, Doug, Rob, George and many more. While we are WAY behind on our regular theology pub nights, I still enjoy getting together for coffee or lunch (like with Norm yesterday). Inner city ministry can be lonely at times, but my blog has opened me up to a world of dear friends.

So what does the next year hold for this blog? I hope to be more personal, sharing the next phase on my missional journey, as God has been leading us into exciting new possibilities for the future. As I work on my new book, I hope to use this space to share ideas and get your feedback. I look forward to new friends, new ideas and new possibilities. Thanks for being a part of this little corner of the internet.

And remember:

Emerging Church

After a far too long break from my serious writing pursuits (though I did lose two partial manuscripts to a computer crash), I have finally begin work on my second book.  For lack of a working title, I will refer to it (for now) as:

My hope for this book is to explore the emerging missional movement through reflections from my own life experiences.  From my early years in small town Canada to various nations worldwide to the inner city community I now call home, I want to explore, from own journey, the greater journey of the church in an ever changing and emerging world.  I hesitate to think my life is interesting or worthy enough a source for such a book, but one must write what one knows.

As I am still at the beginning stages of the project, I would very much like some input from all of you.  While the book will deal with some difficult and deep topics, it is not being written as an “academic” theology book.  That being said, I want the book to engage issues that are close to the hearts of other people, like yourself.  So, in a book like this, what topics would you like to see address in it?  What questions do you think need to be addressed, if not fully answered?

Let me know.  Thanks!

Emerging Church