The summary of ‘Theology of Missional Innovation – FaithTech Americas Online June 2024’

This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.

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The video discusses the importance of embracing technology for organizing the body of Christ and communicating the gospel effectively in a changing world. It emphasizes the concept of the "Mission Gap" and the need for innovation and renewal in reaching the next generation. Historical examples and modern-day challenges are explored, highlighting the importance of aligning faith with professional life and creating new structures and communities outside traditional systems. The importance of finding like-minded individuals, collaboration, and investing in emerging movements on the margins is emphasized to bring about renewal and positive change in society.

00:00:00

In this segment of the video, Tyler P is introduced as a guest speaker who is the founder and executive director of Missional Labs, a venture network supporting ministry startups. Tyler describes himself as a theologian, pastor, and social scientist who thinks deeply about God, the church, and society. He emphasizes the importance of technology in organizing the body of Christ towards flourishing and redemption. Tyler shares his background in seminary, missions, church planting, and working with various entrepreneurs. He highlights the need for a fresh missionary encounter in Western culture to make Jesus and Christianity plausible and desirable, as discussed by theologian Leslie Newbigin.

00:05:00

In this segment of the video, the focus is on learning to think like missionaries and effectively communicating the gospel in a changing world. The speaker emphasizes the dynamic nature of the missionary task, highlighting that each generation must adapt their communication to the evolving language and thought forms of society. The concept of being Christ’s ambassadors, living out the story of the Kingdom, and avoiding counterfeit stories such as money, reputation, pleasure, and power is discussed. The video also touches on the idea of the mission gap, which refers to the space between people and their understanding of Jesus amidst societal and cultural changes. The importance of being sent by Jesus into a dynamically changing world, embracing empowerment by the Holy Spirit, and having a mission-focused mindset is emphasized. The segment concludes by highlighting the challenges presented by the mission gap and the need to address it by reaching and discipling the next generation effectively.

00:10:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the concept of the “Mission Gap” and how various approaches have been taken by church leaders to address challenges such as managing decline, cultural power struggles, or the need to stay relevant. The speaker emphasizes a historical perspective that renewal and innovation in the church often arise when individuals step into new spaces with hopeful and courageous missions. Mentioned examples include historical figures like William Carey, the Moravians, John Wesley, and George Whitfield. The speaker points out that many well-established organizations started as startups in response to a changing world post-war. The speaker challenges the audience to consider who is pioneering new solutions and exploring new mission frontiers today, suggesting that leveraging technology and skills can help advance the gospel in contemporary society. The importance of having a gospel vision and relevant paradigms and tools for living out one’s faith in today’s world are also highlighted.

00:15:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the hazards of money, power, and reputation when pursuing goals for the kingdom. They emphasize the importance of discipleship work to maintain a gospel vision and resist societal scripts that push for success and material gain. The need for being scripted into God’s story is highlighted, along with the concept of exploring new mission fields and being willing to innovate on the edges. The speaker also stresses the need for new structures to develop leaders who can navigate and impact society effectively, especially for individuals struggling to find their vocational calling. The discussion includes examples of missionaries, challenges in knowing where to apply skills, and the creation of platforms like Faith Tech to support individuals seeking direction in aligning their faith with their professional lives.

00:20:00

In this segment of the video, George Ling discusses how the mission of God can be limited by restricting it to traditional church planting or discipleship models. He emphasizes that all individuals are called to participate uniquely in God’s mission, creating pathways for others to do the same. Ling introduces the concept of the two Loops Theory to help individuals discern where they fit in God’s story amidst the cycles of growth and decline within churches and social systems. He highlights the tensions between preserving the existing dominant systems and the emergence of new approaches, with pioneers and prophets often finding themselves on the margins, exploring new ways to engage in God’s mission.

00:25:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker highlights the importance of finding like-minded individuals and communities outside of traditional systems. This process of forming tribes and collectives can lead to the establishment of new movements, conferences, and gatherings, with new language and manifestos. Building bridges between established systems and emerging ones is seen as significant, even though it can be contentious. Collaboration between generations and innovators is emphasized as a way to create something magical. The focus is on critiquing the existing structures by building something better and extending a hand of friendship. The speaker encourages looking for emerging pioneers and movements on the margins to understand where change is happening. The importance of investing in the edges, building strong communities and ecosystems, and learning from existing paradigms without being overly influenced by them is stressed.

00:30:00

In this segment of the video, it highlights how amidst a nominal church environment after Christianity was officially recognized by the Roman Empire, there was a missionary movement leading to the establishment of monasteries in northern Europe. The Wesleyan revivals in the 18th century sparked social reform movements, foreign missions endeavors, and the formation of a new New World denomination. The speaker emphasizes the importance of moving away from systems that do not work and forming communities rooted in prayer, Holy Spirit guidance, and prophetic imagination to bring about renewal, revival, and innovation. Encouragement is given to individuals to embrace a spirit of prayer, creativity, and hopeful optimism as they build communities and work towards positive change.

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