Conversations
Kingdom Communities in Queensland
At the beginning of this story Queensland Church of Christ was barely viable. The book Kingdom Communities tells the story of its transformation. Authors Dean Phelan and Andrew Menzies discuss the turnaround in this video with Alan Roxburgh. The seventy or so churches, many small and many insular, had become disconnected from a large Church of Christ care sector. And around one hundred and twenty well developed institutions in various aspects of social care had lost any sense of theological purpose.
Leadership, Community and the Work of God.
Two wise and experienced ministers reflect with Alan Roxburgh on how they discern the call of God in this video conversation. Sally Mann and Tim Dickau have already shared their stories within this journal. Both are ministers of churches which have developed extensive social programmes in areas of deprivation, in East London and Vancouver.
Two Pastors Talking: ‘So How Do You Hear God?’
Although Joseph Omoragbon and Fred Liggin are church pastors, both see their primary role to be that of missionary to their community. In most other ways they are different. Fred is a white American working in Southern United States. Joseph is a Nigerian immigrant, a pastor and church planter with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, serving in North East England... This video conversation explores how they both hear the call of God.
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The Journey of Journey Communities
The story of Journey Communities and their café, is not one that says, 'here is a great new model of church', so much as, 'this is what mission tends to look like in a post Christendom, post secular and post so much else West'. Jeff and Christie Lothamer have come to the UK to serve as missionaries...
A Church in Englewood and Place in our Culture
Chris Smith is co-author of Slow Church[1] and editor of the Englewood Review of Books. Here in conversation with Alan Roxburgh he describes how his own church transitioned from its life as a large city church into a vibrant neighbourhood church deeply embedded within its community. That church was able to make this transition because of its long history...
Webinar: Why Stories Matter
It is stories that transform our lives. But we have largely given over the awareness of our lives to experts and so-called professionals who, so the reasoning goes, because of their training, expertise and degrees, know our minds. We have to discover, again, how to share and listen to the stories buried, and often lost, within us. As God’s people we believe it is within such stories that the Spirit is fermenting imagination and life.
Webinar: Beyond the Billboard
Sally Mann and Alan Roxburgh lead this conversation which keeps a hopeful focus on what God is doing Beyond the Billboard. The billboard is a manufactured thing, a commodity, and it may mask a beautiful view beyond. Sally and Alan wonder if we have tended to treat our churches and our faith as a kind of billboard. There are brands and programmes and ideas, but...
An Indigenous Theology of Place and Land
Mark MacDonald is the National Indigenous Anglican Bishop for Canada. This conversation with Alan Roxburgh contrasts the indigenous understanding of the moral and spiritual significance of land with the emphasis on contract, ownership and resource in western culture. For indigenous people 'land' describes something more akin to ‘ecosystem’, all the relationships which create and sustain life in a place. The land is holy, loved by God...
Indigenous Theology: There is no Healing Apart from the Land
Mark Macdonald explains that land is essential for healing, and also for the identity and resistance of indigenous people under the onslaught of western culture. For indigenous people the land is not inert. The Spirit infuses the land, there is personality, locality and unique relationship. Alan Roxburgh and Mark MacDonald go on the wrestle with the question of response. Christians must articulate their own ancient stories of land and people, but the time is short.
Indigenous theology and the urban landscape
In a fifth clip from this conversation Alan Roxburgh puts a challenge to Bishop Mark MacDoanld that concerns for land are not relevant for urban life, but are a mere expression of nostalgia. Mark counters with examples from Indigenous groups who have shown an appreciation for the gifts of urban life, or who choose to live in a way which is fiercely environmental.