Monday, June 11, 2007

so how did it go in Australia?

I always struggle to answer such a question, when asked how a speaking assignment goes. I’d much rather have a listeners perspective than a speakers perspective. So it was nice to stumble across this writeup of my May trip to Adelaide.

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“Steve invited us to consider the leadership practices displayed in the sending out of the seventy-two in Luke 10. He told stories of fostering new faith communities on the fringe of his older, conservative congregation. We heard about leaders who listen to their people and build on their hopes and dreams – a bottom up, not top down approach, involving active listening [and] communal discernment. We were invited to question whether our models of leadership are formed by culture or the gospel. And we saw and heard the images and sounds of multi-sensory, participatory, creative worship.

We appreciated hearing from someone with a ‘southern hemisphere accent’ and someone who could ‘practice what they teach’. Steve managed to open up people’s preconceptions of mission and church by not fitting many of our categories for such things. His Opawa journey connected very well with what many folk here are facing. Through his stories, metaphors, insights and analysis he communicated with us at a range of levels. Leaders from across the synod have commented on how they have been encourage and challenged. We acknowledge Steve’s generosity of spirit and great leadership over the week.”

In, other words, from a listeners perspective, it went well. I do enjoy jumping out of people’s mission boxes. I do enjoy using a range of media and mediums to communicate. I do think it’s way past time we in Australasia told our own mission stories rather than looking northward. I continue to be grateful for the way the story of what God is doing at Opawa encourages and challenges.

Posted by steve at 04:22 PM

1 Comment

  1. Great to hear you’re hearing things are good, Steve. I had a moment like that in class the other day and it felt wonderful.

    Comment by Craig (mars-hill) — June 20, 2007 @ 1:34 am

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