I was just thinking of Preston’s earlier post. “What if . . . we supported more missionaries?” That ratio of members to missionaries we support being 54,000 to 1 has really struck me. What is going on here? Now I am one who increasingly believes that the mission field that most of us are called to is right around us. So I wonder what would be the number of missionaries to our own communities do we currently support? Now I know that we are all suppose to be missionaries to our own communities, but I wonder what a difference it would make if we trained more people to be full time missionaries to our neighborhoods? I must be clear this would not be to let the rest of us off the hook. Rather what if we had people who were given time and space to only focus on mission and then to take what they learn and share it. What if these people also had it as their responsibility to train the rest of us to be missionaries as well? It just makes me wonder . . .
What if…?
Ordinary people seeking God's transforming presence
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We're asking the big "What if...?" questions about the Synod of Alberta and the Territories in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. It's more than a conversation, we hope to be part of God's action!
What If…ABT Renewal- A Return to Tent-Making?
- For those wanting to see our guide for d
- Renewing Contemplation
- Holy Spirit: Renewal
- Convention – and I am excited.The church
- What if? – There was still more to understand
- Models of Vibrancy
- What If – We Trained Pastors Differently
- New Beginnings and Laughter
- Death, the best invention of life
What if...Contributors
What if…Comments
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What if...? 
Amen, I know in discussions in our church we have dialogued about the pastor as spiritual coach providing the resources for members to carry forward the gospel and grow in God.
I would like to add one more dream, what if each member became a missionary to their world as God has called them? A true living of the faith in Christ we have acknowledged and declared to live out?
It’s an interesting idea…
Before I went to seminary I was really excited about Worship and was looking into different degrees in Worship from around North America and I was advised that “No one will ever hire you, or pay you enough to live on”.
I say this to illustrate the point that there are very few budget dollars around for people to make a full time career choice to become a “Missionary” in Canada.
I say this and feel like an old man (at 33!) but… maybe the question has to be “How do we remain true to our theological underpinning while breaking the mold to allow for people to be full time workers in the church but not only as pastors…”