Comments on: Rochester College’s New MRE in Missional Leadership

By: Aussie Pete

Aussie Pete — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:10:16 +0000

Hearing Mark Love speak at Lipscomb’s Summer Celebration was probably the highlight of the conference for me. (sorry Mike) I really appreciated his emphasis to connect with out communities. So many churches don’t. However, there’s an awfully long transition process for our traditional CoC members to go through before the get excited about this.

I wonder how long it will be before we see some of the present “Church Growth” classes in our seminaries (sorry, Grad Schools) replaced by courses like this? As always though, the biggest challenge is implementing these ideas from the classroom out in the street.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:42:43 +0000

There is a new blog post from Mark explaining how this will look here.

By: Vicky Campbell

Vicky Campbell — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:06:55 +0000

What a phenomenal concept!! Using what you learn while you learn it!! Not only that but utilizing teachers who are currently working with congregations and other works.

I’m impressed.

Too often, I have had courses taught by people that have forgotten what it’s really like in the field.

This is good

By: Jamie B

Jamie B — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:14:32 +0000

I am very excited for Mark and Nancy and this great new ministry. I know God will use them in powerful ways. It has been a pure joy to work with Mark in our PMC cluster these last 3 years (Mark, if you read this, try hard to convince Pat to get on FB ).

By: bw4Jesus

bw4Jesus — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:24:55 +0000

For several years now, I have appreciated the efforts of Rochester College in making a positive impact for Christ in our world. My life and ministry has been benefitted greatly by these efforts. As a proud and grateful alumnus of Rochester College, I am glad to see that Rubel Shelly has placed this new program in the capable hands of Mark Love. No doubt, many lives will be blessed through this new and practical approach to ministry training.

By: Chris Field

Chris Field — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:02:07 +0000

This sounds awesome! I e-mailed Mark this morning and look forward to learning more. Thanks for the heads up, Mike.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:31:08 +0000

Thanks Mike for sharing this news. We are excited to see this new program take off and we are looking forward to working and living in community with Rochester College. Blessings friend on your own new adventure – peace, Nancy

By: Beverly McC

Beverly McC — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:29:32 +0000

I am so far into Mommyhood and surviving parenting and laundry (okay, I know that is pitiful, but that’s my reality), that I am not going to venture far, here. But, there is something about this Missional approach that has my attention. Part of it might be alarm at it pulling me toward something and I am not sure I will be comfortable there.

But, if what we are saying is that we are trying to listen to a God who is still letting us know He IS, and that despite the great chasm between His holiness and our world, Jesus’ work still stands solid, and that His desire to benefit and care for our world is so strong that He will lead and empower us in new and creative ways to let others know about it….well, I can get excited about that. I mean, is there really anything more exciting than realizing that HE really is engaging with us to accomplish something He wants done? Thats holy ground, and a profound place to be.

But how you lead a congregation there, I don’t know. So much comes into play with people’s individualism and stories. The course sounds great (and as long as I remember that God will be leading and anointing and empowering me from within my relationship with Him, I should be okay with the challenge. Right?)

By: Jeff W

Jeff W — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:59:08 +0000

When I first heard the name of Kiefert’s enterprise a couple of years ago (my church is in PMC with Highland), I chuckled at how I would hate to have to explain my involvement with it to certain CoCers. Perhaps we’ve come a long way if Rochester College can state that in their announcment.

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:49:41 +0000

It makes me wonder if this is the wave of the future. MDiv training is wonderful and comprehensive, but I wonder how all those skills, mainly aimed at biblical scholarship, theology and church history, translate into effective leadership within the local congregation. Perhaps degrees in Missional Leadership will prove to be more potent and relevant training for a new generation of ministers, preachers and change agents.

By: Steve Sr.

Steve Sr. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:20:44 +0000

Music to my ears! I pray that many churches will invest in their own future (survival) by allowing and supporting their staff’s participation in program’s like Rochester’s. I believe this is one of many that will spring up over the next few years. It’s about time.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:38:17 +0000

WOW! What a unique thought and process – engage a congregation in missional ministry.

Increasingly, congregations are awakening to the fact that we are in a missionary engagement with our own culture.

Isn’t this really what the Church was originally in concept? Over the centuries the Church has been slowly degrading into a ‘building’ goal and center of teaching. The irony of it all is we keep building huge buildings waiting for ‘them’ to come, all the while training, supporting and sending missionaries to the out most edges of this world. The application of a missionary’s approach to new disciples seems to be an apt basis for congregations to serve their own culture as missionaries.

Most any returning missionary will tell us that their great frustration is returning to a void in this ‘new’ concept – engaging in missionary approach to our own culture.

However, we do well to remember that “church” really is a slow moving ship when attempting to change course. I truly pray this new MRE from Rochester will jump start that change in course we so desperately need.

Congratulations to Rochester, Rubel, John Barton and who we consider our own, Mark Love! May our loving God smile on this venture, bringing His harvest of those so hungry to know Him!!