Ed Rosenberry Notes from Exponential Conference

In case you did not see Ed's Notes from the Exponential Conference, you can find them here.

To highlight some of what Ed said,

This report will be unlike previous eNews articles, as I want to travel into the world of ideas. So, put on your thinking caps and ponder with me the meaning and power of the gospel.

...

Pastor Roberts talked about having an apostolic vision for the contemporary church that is both global and local or “glocal” as he put it. He stressed that in the world context, Christianity must make the most of its essential core that separates it from all other world religions. Engagement whether at home or abroad will require an emphasis upon five Christian distinctives.

The Covenant: God’s mission/message is to the world (Genesis 12); therefore, the mission of the church under the new covenant is world transformation (Hebrews 9:15) that includes all aspects of society.

The Cross: Here lies the power to reconcile and change the world (Acts 17:1-5). No other faith system or world religion does this or can do this.

The Commission: (Matthew 28:16-20) Making disciples involves seeing God’s covenant for the nations with the eyes of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:17, 18).

The Community: Relationships must be built by starting on common ground (Acts 17:16ff.) and meeting common needs (Acts 2:44, 45).

The Connectedness: Around the world Christianity is placed to reach the multitudes.

I also particularly appreciated this section:

On Wednesday we heard from Alan Hirsch who talked about four areas that the contemporary Western Church must recover to recapture its vitality.

The absolute centrality of Jesus. Reaching the culture today is not about the Church, but it has everything to do with Jesus. He sets the template of Christian identity.

Discipleship as the prime function. This is about the great commission, not merely making converts. Movements only grow in proportion to effective discipleship.

The ethos & structure of apostolic movements. The current world climate becomes more like the first century almost daily and the church must return to its New Testament construct or face the ash heap of history.

An incarnational mission impulse. Being incarnational requires the involvement of all disciples in the mission enterprise starting in the local community and extending around the globe.

There was some question in other posts if we might start reading some of these books together. I would support that and even facilitate that if enough are interested. I might suggests Bob Roberts' The Multiplying Church, but I would also be willing to read Hirsch's The Forgotten Ways.

Ed asked that we ponder with him. Let's ponder together.