NEWS FOR END OF JANUARY 2009

Dear Friends,

ASSISTANCE NEEDED in manning the Alliance for Vulnerable Mission stall at the missions fair to be held at London School of Theology on 4th Feb. 2009. Volunteers who can be available then please contact me.

Here is the url for a new web-site opened for Kima International School of Theology:  

While still open at different locations, I felt that the first conference (Colorado Springs) was setting the tone for the rest. With the ten people present - it was a great success. We communicated what VM (Vulnerable Mission) is, and the importance of it was ratified. The Seattle conference confirmed that trend - as our conference delegates communicated that there was no point in convincing them of the advisability of VM. They were already convinced; but where to go from here? So, we jumped to a further agenda. One I had not expected to reach during this series of conferences; where will VM take us? What happens when it is implemented?

We have not been pushing for great changes in mission - but only for some people to work in a 'vulnerable way'. For me this is because we anticipate that it would be when, and only when significant numbers of missionaries were thus enabled to draw close to the people they were reaching, that the further agenda would be visible. The difficult task for now was convincing people that some missionaries ought to be 'vulnerable'. Those 'vulnerable missionaries' could then guide us into the future.

VM principles are in a way like a 'pre-strategy'. They take a missionary to the starting line. They are a prerequisite that enables what comes later. VM removes the barriers that are currently preventing advance. It is like opening the doors of the church for people to gather to begin the worship service. No open-doorways and nothing happens at all! As things stand - anyone attempting to engage in serious theology in an African language is mocked. Only when that mocking stops can serious theology even begin! VM tries to turn off the mockery.

As I write on 28th January, we have just had about 12" of snow here in Indiana, so I am trusting that the airport will be operational, and that I will be able to get to it!

Yours,

Jim

National Conference Call The AVM (Alliance for Vulnerable Mission) invites all people who are interested in vulnerable mission to a National Conference Call on:

January 31st, 2009, 11am EST.

Dial: (001)712-432-1402, pin code 738606#.

Just call that number at that time, give your pin, and you are in! (All you pay for is your phone call.)