VOL. 20 NO. 1 >> FALL 2016
MORE FLOURISHING EFFECTIVE CHURCHES
vision-ministries.org
THINKING AHEAD The Newsletter of Vision Ministries Canada
Fire, Not Fences BY JAY GURNETT
F
ire not fences—that’s how church planting gurus Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im (in their book Planting Missional Churches), describe the difference between a network and a denomination. They say, “Networks … are built on fire … on passion, purpose, and a common shared, usually simple, vision.”
INSIDE
The Vision Ministries Canada fire has been sparked over and over by the phrase More Flourishing Effective Churches. God seemed to give us these words to remind VMC and its friends to keep the main thing, the main thing. The work has always been about healthy churches providing what was needed to plant more churches. However, a key side effect of that passion is that others have been drawn to the fire. Not only has VMC started new initiatives, we have grown a network of local churches and leaders that share our passion. As the network gradually took the shape of a community, someone reminded me “community without structure or principle is atomistic.” In other words, a group can end up as a bunch of
Fire not Fences New Life in Fresno Moving the Mission Forward on Vancouver Island
disconnected, even antagonistic parts. God had already provided the principle (and words to express it). Then Moving the Mission Forward gave the needed structure. Many of you are aware that about four years ago, a group of (now) 18 churches from across the country, decided to work together as a partnering network. The Moving the Mission Forward (MMF) NATIONAL group listens to one another, prays together, tells stories, helps some “plateaued” churches; and annually sponsors new plants using funds provided by group members. MMF NATIONAL has come alongside 15 new works in the 3 years since its formation, and will almost certainly sponsor 3 or more new ones at its next gathering in early November 2016.
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News & Events A Good News Immigrant Story Mike Stone
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While this good planting work was going on at the national level, the leaders of these churches were also growing in their relationships with one another. Which brings us to MMF REGIONAL. VMC thought (and heard positive feedback when they discussed it with members of the network at national and regional gatherings), that local groups of churches could also plant together, develop relationships among leaders; and perhaps do some group learning. The idea of local partnering networks made sense, since VMC had already, on and off for years, gathered groups of church leaders in geographical groupings across Canada (see a visual representation on pages 4-5). And everyone now knew that churches could be planted by groups of churches. So for about the past year, the regional networks have been gradually morphing into MMF regional partnerships. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2...