Our MCN Dispatch — May 2025

[This posting is a copy of the Gmail sent out to our distribution list as of 2025 05 16.]

Hello Missional Friends

I’m back after some pause and reflection.  Below the calm surface of our network, we are building relationships of substance.

We are also exploring issues of significant concern to the Christian community.  We have resources to share and more to add to our developing website.

First here today, just a refresher on why we exist and feel we have something to offer the local Christian community.

Who are we?

Our Missional Church Network is a Regina-based group that promotes communication and active engagement across our local Evangelical Community.  We are particularly interested in our public witness as Evangelicals.  In contrast to the tendency of many devout Christians to withdraw from society, we sense the need to address the historic Evangelical emphasis on Christian social responsibility.  (We expand on this below.)

Our Purpose:

to inspire and support members of our Evangelical church community
as we seek to engage effectively as salt and light in the larger secular world, through:

  • Careful reflection and analysis of trends/issues of concern
  • consultative relationships with individuals, ministries and think tanks
  • refinement of our self-awareness, of who we are and ought to be as Kingdom People.

Meaning of core terms here.

Missional, as a term, refers to the active and outward communication of the Gospel of Christ in our surrounding confused world.  It is largely patterned on the highly successful international missionary movement where Christianity was coupled to the real-life needs and concerns of people and cultures (literacy, health, agriculture, education).  One needs to sense a calling to “to go out” with training and wisdom so as to meaningfully communicate through effective integration of Word and Deed.  We see this as a focus on lay-oriented ministry.  It stands in contrast to (and viewed as complementary to) common attempts by local church ministries to “attract people in,” as important as clearly is.

By Church we refer to the biblical idea of all committed Christ Followers.  As such, we aspire to be Lights in the World and Carriers of The Good News.  We believe that those “being sent” should be characterized by respectful attitudes, well-informed in the Christian Faith and in the Culture of those to whom we choose to minister.  As modelled by Christ, we aspire to humble service.

By Network we mean a mutually-supportive group of Christ Followers, each committed to promoting Discipleship while actively encouraging one another in living out our Faith and with a sense of Social Responsibility. Our strength as a network does not lie in any form or leader personality, nor in any special creed or alternate belief system. Rather we simply draw inspiration from the Gospel promote active engagement beyond the physical and cultural walls of local church life.

Practical considerations

A core advisory group meets from time to time as we reflect on ways and means of achieving our purposes.  Most of us suffer from over-commitments already in ministry, while recognizing the need to network and support people, laity especially, in active involvement out the larger community.

As “acting coordinator,” I continue to build our resource base as a support to those individuals/ groups/ churches that share our common concerns.  I would love to have more time to devote to this networking, but I function already with ministry commitments as most of us do.  Many of these commitments of active service to those in need are themes to be explored in coming days.  Keep in touch as we continue to develop and grow.

Our “dispatches” will occur periodically as circumstances allow.

Missional Resources

We continue to discover ministries that share our vision.  Here are some recent discoveries.

Matthew 5:9 Peacemakers

This is a (US-based Evangelical ministry that attempts to heal the deep divides within American culture and the Church of Christ.  They attempt to train “in-group moderators” with the skills to diffuse tensions and between brothers and sisters often viewing faith and practice from radically different perspectives.

SOLAS… 
The website, Solas – Persuasively communicating Christ into today’s culture
Books by Andy Bannister on communicating the Gospel
A message on Being Missional by Andy Bannister (SOLAS)

A highly-informative and practical message on being missional as delivered at The Falls Church Anglican, Falls Church, Virginia.

The outline for being “personally missional”:
    1. Take time to understand
    2. Go where people are (with idea of the “Faith Flag”)
    3. Find points of contact
    4. Connect conversation with Jesus

Christian Witness — Our community… 

Bert Adema (Indigenous Christian Fellowship) has retired.  We want to recognize and celebrate with many others the commitment of Bert and his family for over 32 years with ICF here in Regina.  Please review details of his career in this tribute:
[We aspire to share stories of many local missional activities in coming weeks and months.]

 

Christian Witness — The Larger World…

The passing of Pope Francis
As a diverse Christian community, we need to recognize the positive contributions of many that function under the Christian banner in service to God and Others.  Choosing to be identified with St Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis chose to emphasize the sound biblical commitment to the poor and the marginalized.  Reflect on his contribution here:
10 brilliant things Pope Francis said about God | Opinion | Premier Christianity
[https://www.premierchristianity.com/10-brilliant-things-pope-francis-said-about-god/19023.article]

Tribute to John Stott and his role in Evangelicalism

“Uncle John”: Remembering the man who changed the face of evangelicalism | Opinion | Premier Christianity
[https://www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/uncle-john-remembering-the-man-who-changed-the-face-of-evangelicalism/19183.article]Much of our MCN commitment to Evangelicalism is due to the influence of the decades-long Lausanne Movement initiated by Billy Graham (in America) and John Stott (in the UK).  We will be adding this resource to our webpage: Lausanne Movement.

Other British-based resources
If you have not yet been introduced to the foremost British Christian magazine, why not explore Premier Christianity.
Both of the above articles (on Pope Francis and John Stott) are sourced from the latest issue.

 

Internal Evangelical Stresses…

We are mindful of the degree to which “conspiracy theories” have dominated political news in America.  I (Ron) have chosen to question some of the ideas commonly circulating and explore the evidence for some of the claims being made.  I do this with some caution, as I try to make clear in the articles.

The first here simply raises questions and invites your personal reflection.

The second involves some deeper examination of the “supposed evidence” in a particular case.  Again, I am open to alternative perspectives.  We want to “reflect deeply” and with Grace when our perspectives differ.  Can we do this kind of critique appropriately in this setting?  It is part of our reasons to exist as we challenge each other and our larger community in our common commitment to Truth and Integrity.

 

 

Our Developing Website

Please note our strategy of collecting and promoting Missional Resources that can be of help to leaders.  We appreciate the contributions of our networked friends as we continue to build a resource base.  Here is just one section of our website:

 

Share and Connect

If you find value in these mailings, please pass on to others.

And if you are reading for the first time, please share with us your email address so we can add you to our distribution

Our last mailing distributed by Gmail can be located here:

Our MCN Dispatch — Respectful Engagement (2025 04 16)

Please note:  Some mail is not being received due to our switch from SaskTel mail system to Gmail distribution.   We may send out a separate notice to address this problem.

 

Ron Richmond, ronald.richmond@sasktel.net
Acting Coordinator, along with

Kevin Vance, kvancester@gmail.com
Sam Berg, sberg@briercrest.ca
And others of our Missional Church Network

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