Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Mystagogy for the missional church

David Fitch has a nice little post, A Mystagogy For the Missional Church, that I want to remember. Mystagogy is basically the post-Easter teaching for those who had been baptized (at Easter). As Dave says, it is learning "how to live the life of the resurrection. We learn how to enter into the mysteries of the faith." I wish I had seen this before preparing my sermon for last Sunday on the difference between an "empty-tomb faith" and a "resurrection faith" (when the disciples had actually seen the resurrected Christ - John 20:19-31).

Anyway, Fitch says the missional church could use a mystagogy of its own. It is essential for discipleship. I will just list his 7 main headings, but you should click the link above and read about them (if you're interested in such talk). Here is his top seven for his church:

1. The Mystery of God Working Around Our Life Rhythms.
2. The Mystery of Meeting in Homes.
3. The Mystery of Worship as Liturgy.
4. The Mystery of Practicing Spiritual Disciplines.
5. The Mystery of the Eucharist and Baptism.
6. The Mystery of Local Politics.
7. The Mystery of Seeding New Communities.

Basically, I like these seven - though, personally, I would be leery of using the word "politics," and I would substitute "communion" for "eucharist," and I have no interest in the missional moniker (again, that's just me; I understand what he means and why he's using it). Innaresting stuff.

Peace out; and in.

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