I’m here interacting with missionaries from Western Europe for the week. I hope to be able to do some podcasts speaking with some of these folks who are reaching those living in a Post-Christendom world. We are seeing the beginnings of that post-Christendom movement in the US. We are dialogging about how Americans are being reached and how we Americans can learn from those in Western Europe. The real dialog begins on Tuesday, though we spent yesterday arriving and walking all over the city. Today, it has been more of enjoying the city and learning what is happening in Western Europe.

I hope to blog some about our dialog, sharing what we can learn.

In the meantime, pick up a copy of an excellent read: POST-CHRISTENDOM: CHURCH AND MISSION IN A STRANGE NEW WORLD.

This book discusses the end of Christendom, where the Christian story was known and the church was central.  The book invites Christians in western culture to embrace marginality and discover fresh ways of being church and engaging in mission. While the transition from modernity to postmodernity has received a huge amount of attention, the shift from Christendom to post-Christendom has not yet been fully explored.

This book is an introduction: a journey into the past, an interpretation of the present and an invitation to ask what following Jesus might mean in the strange new world of post-Christendom.  Drawing on insights from the early Christians, dissident movements and the world church, this book challenges conventional ways of thinking. For those who dare to imagine new ways of following Jesus on the margins, it invites a realistic and hopeful response to challenges and opportunities awaiting us in the twenty-first century.

Related posts:

• Photos from a photographer in Spain
• Barcelona update
• International Missions
• The Spanish Flu
• Lessons from Spain: Giving

This year’s theme comes from 2 Timothy 2:2 and it is “The DNA of Reproducing Churches”. Sessions include:

Session #1 with Ed Stetzer: The Characteristics of Reproducing Churches - Our plenary sessions will start with a panel of leading Reproducing Church leaders introducing their own perspective on what it takes to multiply churches in a powerful, God-honoring way. We will then analyze DNA traits.

Session #2 with Andy Stanley: Apostolic Vision - The Apostle Paul is passing along the vision of a reproducing church to a young church planter named Timothy. The DNA of reproducing churches contains an apostolic vision of going and sending. As leaders of reproducing churches we must clearly communicate the vision of what it means to be a reproducing church.

Session #3a with Steve Andrews: Radical Disciple Making - What Paul is doing with Timothy is disciple making. What Paul is asking this young church planter Timothy to do is disciple making. Disciple making is essential to leadership making which is essential to church making which is essential for being a reproducing church.

Session #3b with Dave Ferguson: Genuine Community - The pattern that Paul had left for Timothy to follow was the creation of eternal communities called the church. The result of an apostolic vision and radical disciple-making is always a community of people who will get each other through anything and offer hope to those outside the community in this life and the next.

Session #4 with Alan Hirsch: Missional Movement - From Paul to Timothy to “many witnesses” to “reliable men” to “others” shows us four generations of reproduction. The DNA of reproducing churches contains a missional impulse to multiply. As a part of a movement of reproducing churches we must continually insist that we see reproduction in every part of the mission.

Session #5 with Tim Keller: The Gospel - What Paul passed along to Timothy and ultimately to generations of reproduction was the good news of the hope we find in Jesus. The DNA of reproducing the church of Jesus Christ always carries with it the hope found in the person of Jesus. This is what the vision and movement are all about; offering people the hope found in Jesus and His community.

In addition to that there are several outstanding main tracks that will fit every leader who wants to lead a reproducing church. Here are your choices:

• Pre-launch Track
• Post-launch Track
• Reproducing Churches Track
• Multi-Ethnic Church Track
• Missional Church Track
• Nuts & Bolts Track

Related posts:

• Alan Hirsh Podcast
• The Big Idea: Introduction
• Missional Sunday School?
• SBC Pastor’s Conference president is asking younger leaders their opinion for the Pastor’s Conference.
• Journeys:Transitioning Churches to Relevance