Category Archives: missional theology

Jesus’ baptism and ours: the Jordan River runs through Romans

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Mark Love

Before my baptism, I memorized Romans 6:1-14. A seminal text for sure. “What shall we say then, shall we persist in sin that grace may abound? By no means! … Do you not know that all of us who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional theology, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Three Smooth Stones: Myth and Parable

Posted on March 10, 2014 by Mark Love

Anderson and Foley’s outstanding book, Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals, brought clarity to my work as a minister in ways few other books have. In it, they argue that narrative and ritual are primal ways that humans make meaning. In other … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, culture, hermeneutics, missional leadership, missional theology | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Reading Scripture Together for the Sake of God’s Mission

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Mark Love

I’m currently writing an article for Missio Dei, a great online journal you should know about, on missional interpretation. I’m assuming this means that it might make a difference in how you read Scripture if your orienting perspective was the … Continue reading →

Posted in hermeneutics, missional leadership, missional theology, Scripture, Uncategorized | 12 Comments

What follows is not a “fix” for small groups. Rather, it’s a suggestion of one form they could take that would lean in a more missional direction. I think there are a lot of things that could improve groups and … Continue reading →

Posted on July 30, 2013 by Mark Love | 1 Comment

Time: What Christian Love Demands

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Mark Love

I recently witnessed an interaction that led me to conclude that the worst offense a person can commit in our day and age is wasting another person’s time. The person who felt his and other people’s time had been wasted … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, culture, missional theology | Tagged , , , , , | 19 Comments

Metric Observed: Grassroots Conspiracy and third spaces

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Mark Love

In my last “metric” for post-Christendom congregations, I suggested that the number of “joiners” that begin their experience of Christian community apart from visiting on Sunday mornings is a good indicator of missional health. It’s tough for congregations to imagine … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional leadership, missional theology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Video: Ryan Woods Talks About His Graduate Education

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Mark Love

Ryan Woods graduated with a Masters in Missional Leadership degree, the program I direct, a little over a year before he died. Not long after his diagnosis of cancer, I taped an interview with Ryan and he talked at length … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional leadership, missional theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

More Metrics for a post-Christendom Age

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Mark Love

3. Can your congregation talk about difficult issues without it becoming contentious or divisive? Again, let me unpack the question. The question might also have been asked, can your congregation have a discussion at all? This question has two aspects: … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, hermeneutics, missional leadership, missional theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Metrics Beyond Numbers: Deux (because that’s how I roll)

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Mark Love

A continuation from my previous post. 2. Is your congregation adept at finding new partners in the mission of God? A few important words here. First of all, notice that we’re defining what we’re up to as God’s mission, not … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, missional leadership, missional theology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Beyond Numbers and Dollars: new metrics for a post-Christendom church

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Mark Love

It’s tougher to know these days if your church is doing well. It used to be easier to evaluate. Numbers were the key: members and dollars. And in a setting where going or belonging to a church was a cultural … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian practice, culture, missional leadership, missional theology, theology | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments