Verge14 is this years version of the missional conference that began in Austin, TX in 2010. My wife and I attended that first conference, and God dramatically altered the course we were on. You can read about that in my book, Adopting the Father’s Heart.
Over the past few years, speakers from these conferences, books I have read written by many of them, videos I have watched, forums that I have participated—all have challenged and shaped me to live a life sent.
Even though I didn’t attend this years conference, I picked up several nuggets by watching some of the conference via live feed and dropping in on one lunchtime session about the Orphan Care Network.
Here are several quotes I picked up on Twitter that I think are worth repeating from the conference followed by a few summary comments of mine.
-
The end result of mission should not be a better church. The result must be a transformed community.
-
If serving is below you, leadership is beyond you.
-
With Jesus Mission becomes worship. Without Jesus Mission becomes slavery.
-
The kingdom of God should be measured by its sending capacity instead of its seating capacity.
-
Don’t go on a mission trip to represent Jesus if you can’t represent Him on your own street.
-
Christianity doesn’t require that we follow a set of rules but that we follow a person. Jesus.
-
“Follow me” cannot be separated from “come and die” and “go and make”.
-
I’d rather be an outcast now than be cast out later.
-
I’m not anti-having things, but Jesus is anti-things having me.
-
True poverty is having nothing in life worth sacrificing or suffering for.
-
The way of Jesus is just as important as the words of Jesus.
-
Based on Jesus’ life, Christianity should be the least judgmental movement in the world.
-
Healthy culture doesn’t take place without healthy leaders.
-
Your fruit grows on other people’s trees.
-
Every day mission is ordinary people leading ordinary lives with gospel intentionality.
-
If you want to follow Jesus in this world, comfort and safety are no longer your concern
-
People need more than your used clothes. They need the family of God in their neighborhoods.
-
Cheerful hospitality comes when we know everything we have is not actually ours.
-
I cannot claim to have God’s heart if the poor, widowed, orphaned and alienated are not in my budget.
-
Does event based ministry keep us from being on mission with our kids?
-
It’s in the ordinary where the glory of God is most profound and weighty.
-
The value of persistent prayer is not so that He will hear us. It is so that we will hear Him.
-
If we do life together, we will need the currency of forgiveness.
-
You can’t be committed to evangelism or social justice as though they are mutually exclusive.
-
You don’t have to train people to talk about what they love.
-
Our home as a place of rest is idolatry.
-
People are not projects
If you attended the conference, and you have a favorite not listed above, please share with us in the comment section.
Summary statement…
Look at the drawing of the three intersecting circles. For me that summarizes it. To truly be a disciple of Jesus Christ, it involves more than just “following” Him, as if attending church and a few Bible studies and generally agreeing with His teachings is following Him.
In Jesus’ call to me to follow Him, He asks me to come and die. Maybe physically, but definitely to the ways of this world.
And He calls me to go and make. If I truly love Him, I can’t help but share Him with others. I like this quote, “You don’t have to train people to talk about what they love.”
0 comments