***This will be the last of the liveblog posts. I will probably follow up with some further thoughts later next week. Thanks for reading*** (All of my posts from Renov8 can be found here)
The time has come to wrap up the conference, and who better to do that than the guy who got us started: Michael Frost.
He starts with a story of a heroic church planter, an ADHD dyslexic church-planter who couldn’t sit still and up straight so decided to stop going.
Instead, he gathers some friends and goes water skiing and it turns into a regular gathering. Eventually he had close to 100 people gathering at the docks for prayer and teaching, communion, baptism. Frost says to him “You say this like it’s a problem…” to which the guy replies: “I think I might have accidentally started a church!”
His point is that there are people planting churches who have never been to a church planting conference. Part of what he feels he is called to do is find these planters and bless their plants as legitimate churches because sometimes they’re not sure that they are.
We need to keep our eyes open for these kinds of churches – these “Accidental Churches”. If you’re a denominational leader, this tends to freak you out, but these churches do want encouragement and oversight, so why not give it to them?
5 things we need to remember and hold on to as we go from this conference
1. Let Jesus be our reference point
This sounds strange to say to a bunch of Christians but he’s been with too many planters and others who make him wonder if they’ve ever read the Gospels. They know a type of Jesus, but not the one in the gospels.
What would we have done if we’d been present at the wedding in Cana at which Jesus turned water into wine? We would have left before the miracle occurred. Michael Frost retelling this story is something worth hearing
Don’t worry what people say about you, because the supposed “holy” people of his day hated him too.
2. Foster a radical spirituality of engagement
We often only connect with God on retreat – we have a spirituality of retreat. He’s not saying a single word against retreat time, it is a good thing to do, but we tend to think that time spent on “life” is time spent away from God and we need to retreat to spend time with him.
But all of these daily and mundane tasks ARE time with God, not just the things that are called “ministry”. God is present in every task. Jesus said, “My food is to DO the will of God.” Why shouldn’t that be our food as well?
I like Frost… a thoroughly biblical renegade. As a speaker, he is very good at anticipating objections and addressing them.
3. Be inspired by prevenient grace
Be aware that God has already prevened before 
we intervene or convene. Look for shalom; look for where God is at work. This has been said all over the conference, but Frost is the first one to successfully articulate what it means. Thank you.
He tells the story of Australian author Patrick White, a gay atheist, who suddenly felt the need to go to church after experiencing prevenient grace. (story found in “Flaws in the Glass” by Patrick White). When people experience prevenient grace, they think they need to go to a church to find out what is happening to them, only too often they find building with people in it who are devoid of any grace at all.
Prevenient grace is at work in everyday experiences. People are having religious experiences all the time, and we’re not there to tell them what it is. (This echoes Wagdi saying that Muslims often see visions of Jesus after Ramadan)
We need to do less gathering and more infiltrating.
4. Follow the Missio Dei into strange places
Say yes to what the Missio Dei is doing, don’t always wait for others to tell you where its going
5. Inspire others to go with you
Ask God to raise up others to go with you to look for evidences of prevenient grace. We need more people following the Missio Dei, not more people filling seats.
“Ignite a revolution of missional engagement.”
He ended the talk with a poem by Adrian Plass poem called “Amen”:
Adrian Plass – Amen
When I became a Christian I said, Lord, now fill me in,
Tell me what I’ll suffer in this world of shame and sin.
He said, Your body may be killed, and left to rot and stink,
Do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – I think.
I think Amen, Amen I think, I think I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say my body may be killed and left to rot and stink,
Well, yes, that sounds terrific, Lord, I say Amen – I think.
But , Lord, there must be other ways to follow you, I said,
I really would prefer to end up dying in my bed.
Well, yes, he said, you could put up with sneers and scorn and spit,
Do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – a bit.
A bit Amen, Amen a bit, a bit I say Amen,
I’m not completely sure, can you just run through that again?
You say I could put up with sneers and also scorn and spit,
Well, yes, I’ve made my mind up, and I say Amen! – a bit.
Well I sat back and thought a while, then tried a different ploy,
Now, Lord, I said, the Good Book says that Christians live in joy.
That’s true, he said, you need the joy to bear the pain and sorrow,
So do you still want to follow me? I said, Amen! – tomorrow.
Tomorrow, Lord, I’ll say it then, that’s when I’ll say Amen,
I need to get it clear, can I just run through that again?
You said I will need the joy, to bear the pain and sorrow,
Well, yes, I think I’ve got it straight, I’ll say, Amen – tomorrow.
He said, Look, I’m not asking you to spend an hour with me,
A quick salvation sandwich and a cup of sanctity,
The cost is you, not half of you, but every single bit.
Now tell me, will you follow me? I said, Amen! – I quit.
I’m very sorry, Lord, I said, I’d like to follow you,
But I don’t think religion is a manly thing to do.
He said, Forget religion then, and think about my Son,
And tell me if you’re man enough to do what he has done.
Are you man enough to see the need, and man enough to go,
Man enough to care for those whom no one wants to know,
Man enough to say the thing that people hate to hear,
To battle through Gethsemane in loneliness and fear.
And listen! Are you man enough to stand it at the end,
The moment of betrayal by the kisses of a friend,
Are you man enough to hold your tongue, and man enough to cry,
When the nails break your body – are you man enough to die?
Man enough to take the pain, and wear it like a crown,
Man enough to love the world and turn t upside down,
Are you man enough to follow me, I ask you once again.
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said Amen.
Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen,
I said, Oh Lord, I’m frightened, but I also said, Amen.
Related posts:
- Michael Frost – “Vision for Transforming Neighbourhoods” (Liveblogging Renov8 #rv8) (All of my posts from Renov8 can be found here) (Whoever planned the music for this session had their head on straight: the singing actually...
- Stuart Murray & Julie Kilpin – “The Church That Transforms Neighborhoods” (Renov8 #rv8) (All of my posts from Renov8 can be found here) Stuart Murray & Julie Kilpin again. This session actually redeemed a lot of yesterday’s session....
- Stuart Murray & Julie Kilpin – “The Mission of Transforming Our Neighborhoods” (Renov8 #rv8) (All of my posts from Renov8 will be at this page. Refresh (and comment) often.) Urban Expression The questions to be answered: What is God...
- Keith Shields – “Connections, Life House: House church Movement in Canada” (Renov8 #rv8) ***More session notes sent to me by a co-worker who was also at Renov8*** (All of my posts from Rnov8 can be found here) In...
- Church Planting: Slums or Suburbs? WWJP? (Where Would Jesus Plant?) I saw it again today – a brand new subdivision in a prospering town. And right there in the mix, a big new church building....
God bless you Pst Michael for choosing to serve the Mighty ONE.