In this wonderful Weird Wide Wired World we journey through and the blogosphere that many of us journal through I have come to appreciate the insights of Pastor Jon a United Methodist USA Minister in Anchorage Alaska and his blog site
'Caffinated God Talk'. We share an interest in the writings of Leonard Sweet and also the challenges of doing ministry in a rather fluid environment and apparently judging from the blogs title writing under the influence of large amounts of coffee.
I appreciated his insights on connecting with new families in the area in his posting "
Where in the World". Some of my friends might argue that its still an attractional model from a Christendom mind set and not totally 'Missional' and maybe they'd be right but there is I think valuable input and reflection from someone working in a culture and place which is very transient.
While Auckland and Anchorage are on opposite ends of the pacific and at different ends of the world and New Zealand seems a whole lot more secular than US society there are similarities that make this reflection worth pondering. Mainline Churches in New Zealand are shrinking and need to ask questions similar to the ones Pastor Jon is. In New Zealand in a recent survey New Zealand ranked rather high in mobility, until the recent recession people were moving house and area on a regular basis and with 40% of Auckland's population born outside of New Zealand and another good percentage coming from outside Auckland, these reflections and actions of a mainline minister wrestling with church growth (survival and thrival ) are worth our consideration.
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