Tuesday, November 8th, 2005
I spent some time with Darryl Gardiner recently while he was visiting Queenland with Forge. Darryl was the featured conversation artist at the Forge Intensive held at North Lakes, focusing on entrepreneurial leadership. It was good to catch up with Darryl years on after our first connections through Te Hou Ora (now Te Ora Hou) and Youth For Christ.
Darryl helped us think about the models of mission we were using, providing a critique of the foray approach in which Christians make trips out of the compound and invite people back in to the fold. The problem with this approach, Darryl explained, is the level of control involved in the compound. Even though the foray approach has worked over the centuries, that doesn’t mean that God has endorsed it.
Darryl gave us the alternative, the immersion/emersion approach, using Hudson Taylor as a model. Taylor grew his hair long and learnt the local language of China, using methods not approved by head office. We looked at a few examples of indigenous Christian movements in New Zealand that had taken the route of immersion. Of course this approach has its problems as well: the risk of syncretism and isolationism in which people believe their own publicity.
Darryl reflected on his experience of developing a youth ministry network, Te Hou Ora, aimed at discipling young people from Maori and Pacific Island backgrounds. With hindsight he could see that much of what was called discipleship was in fact socialisation into the mainstream Christian culture of the time.
On the Friday evening Darryl spoke at the Lions Den Cafe, providing us with an alternative to the over-hyped inspirational event in which young adults are urged to achieve something ‘big’ for God. Darryl reflected on the significant incarnational movements in Australia and New Zealand - usually unseen and small. Likewise the ministry of Jesus.
Tags: Darryl Gardiner, Emerging Church, Forge, Mission, NZ
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2005
It looks as though the Kiwis have something to say. Darryl Gardiner and Michael Duncan are guest speakers at the Forge/YFC Intensive being held in Brisbane at the end of October. And of course Alan Hirsch, National Director of Forge Australia will be on deck.
I last remember Michael having more hair but that was back in the early 1980s when he was minister at Mornington Baptist in Dunedin, before he left to work with Servants to Asia’s Poor.
I’ve always known Darryl without much hair. We worked together where possible when I was working as National Youth Ministry Coordinator with the Presbyterian Church in Aotearoa New Zealand and he was Director for first YFC Wellington then YFC New Zealand. I see he’s now a non-stipendiary priest with the Anglican church in Waikanae.
Tags: Australia, Church Planting, Forge, Leadership, Mission, NZ
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Sunday, July 24th, 2005
It’s been a fascinating couple of days in the Emerging Church international movement. Forge Missional Training Network distanced themselves from Emerging Church movements in the United States and UK in their response to DA Carson’s “Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church”.
Tuesday July 19
The pdf file, created at 6.52 am and modified 4.53 pm, titled:
Don Carson and the Australian Missional Church Movement: A Forge response. The nine-page paper’s aim was to help frame responses to the various reactions brought about by Don Carson’s critique of Emergent and how it might have an effect of Forge’s ministry and that of the emerging missional church in Australia which Forge serves.
Wednesday July 20
The pdf file was posted, 11.05 pm, at Andrew Hamilton’s site, Backyard Missionary
Thursday July 21
received a copy of the file by Forge Queensland, 10.37 am.
4.26 pm Andrew Jones posts at Tall Skinny Kiwi
11.28 pm Tony Jones, Emergent National Co-ordinator expresses concern in comments at Backyard Missionary and Tall Skinny Kiwi. Alan Hirsch responds.
Friday July 22
1.16 Steve McCoy of Reformisssionary posts on Drawing Lines. and again at Emerging SBC Leaders.
2.09 am Stephen Shields gives his commentary at Emergesque.
9.20 am Jordon Cooper points out that despite advanced technology, we do a lousy job of talking to each other. What might have happened if Carson had sat down and talked with McLaren? What might Frost and Hirsch’s paper looked like if they’d included McLaren’s input? He’s since deleted the post.
9.25 am Andrew Hamilton places an apology from Alan Hirsch and withdraws the pdf.
9.43 am Subversive Influence post
4.30 pm I finally get to read the document I’d printed out earlier. I post something here and then discover the conversation’s happened already. I delete the post when I get home later in the evening.
Saturday July 23
2.23 Radicalcongruency post on Forge and Emergent - lessons from the conversation
5.45 am Robbymac posts on Aussies and Centred sets.
12.41 Darren Wright suggests people drink more decaf.
In the meantime, I finally manage to read Brian McLaren’s “The Last Word and the Word After That”, and start on Don Carson’s “Becoming Conversant”. Reviews coming when I’m finished.
Tags: Alan Hirsch, Andrew Hamilton, Brian McLaren, Emergent, Emerging Church, Forge, Mike Frost, Mission, Tall Skinny Kiwi, Theology, Tony Jones
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