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Tuesday 13 November 2012

renewal is for mission

'The strategic focus must now shift from revitalisation to mission, that is from a focus on the 'insiders' to the 'outsiders'. The church should be missional rather than institutional.The church should define itself in terms of its mission - to take the gospel to and incarnate the gospel within a specific cultural context.' (Frost & Hirsch)
What this means in practice is that each church must recognise that, like the individuals within it, it is on its own journey. It has its own history and its own context. It serves a community with particular needs. And it is called to pray and minister into those needs.
A healthy church for the 21st century will be diverse, and will have an outward focus. Ibelieve we shold be working and praying for:
 >a diverse patchwork of renewed and dynamic local expressions of what it means to be church;
> a spiritual and tangible consequence in the community as the love of God flows out from each one.
Its an exciting task!   
Alison Morgan 2006 (conclusion of Renewal-What is it and What is it for?   Grove booklet R26 )