...was chatting with Vishal Mangalwadi about a year ago, here in Colorado Springs, and I had an unusual burst of bravado, when I told him, straight-faced, that I wish the Protestant church had a Pope, by which we, at least in the U.S., needed to issue an apology to the rest of the world, for having exported a profoundly negative view of our age--that it was supposedly just to get worse and worse and worse and worse, and then FINALLY, Jesus will "come again" to "set up his kingdom." I just read an old sermon a day or two ago which said exactly that--by a popular radio preacher in these United States. There is much work we--at least as Americans--need to do, mainly with our understanding of these times, in order, mainly from Scripture, to pick up a much more "victorious eschatology" by which we can then, in all honesty, seek to move toward, of all things, "obedient NATIONS!" I think without a shift in our understanding of THESE times, we will not likely arrive at this larger/monumental task.

My most steady 'input' in terms of my 'ecclesiology' is the text straight out of Ephesians 4, in which Paul, pretty much the greatest missionary, missiologist and Christ-follower of our era, made pretty clear that there were five 'gifts' which Jesus gave to the church "by which the rest of us are taught to do ministry." Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd (Pastor) and Teacher -- A.P.E.S.T. as Alan Hirsch and a few others have called it. THIS IS, what I think, THE GREAT 'SHIFT IN THINKING' THAT THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH NEEDS TO GO THROUGH, IN ORDER FOR US TO PRACTICALLY CAPTIVATE THE GREAT COMMISSION--as I understand it, which is--TO CHRIST BELONGS THE OBEDIENCE OF THE NATIONS!

Hello, all! Whether you've seen this video series before or this is your first time, I hope that you enjoy watching them and join the conversation! In this first video, I talk about opening the “Nautilus,” what I see as a metaphor of God’s design for Obedient Nations. My question for you today is, from your perspective, where do you see global missions going in its next “chamber,” or the newest trend, chapter, and norm, in this “Nautilus”? Please share your answers! I look forward to starting this conversation with you. Shalom, sms