Poet | Prophet | Apostle
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
This is the introduction to a multi-part post. The other parts can be found here: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
Alan Roxburgh, in The Sky is Falling and in The Missionary Congregation, Leadership, And Liminality, suggests that there are three "worlds" [my word, not his] a missional leader must live in: poet, prophet, and apostle.
My friend, Len Hjalmarson has an excellent review of Roxburgh's most recent book, The Sky Is Falling, here. In it he explains further the concept of poet, prophet, apostle.
I will attempt, in three additional posts, to shed some light on what those mean and how they get fleshed out in our community at The Freeway. I hope to post all three by the end of next week.
Alan Roxburgh, in The Sky is Falling and in The Missionary Congregation, Leadership, And Liminality, suggests that there are three "worlds" [my word, not his] a missional leader must live in: poet, prophet, and apostle.
Poet
Poets are the articulators of experience and the rememberers of tradition; the poet listens to the pain and questioning and know these are cries that long to be connected to a Word that call them beyond themselves into a place of belonging. "There will be no vision of a missionary people without the poet/pastor living within the congregation's experience and giving voice to its desire for transformation and renewal."
Prophet
The prophetic imagination directs the poetic discourse of the people toward a vision of God's purposes for them in the world at this time; addresses the hard side of discipleship where we must face the reality that in God's kingdom we are not at the centre of the universe. The prophet speaks a Word which engenders hope out of which arises authentic missional engagement.
Apostle
Pastors must lead congregations in places where old maps no longer work. Discipling and equipping require a leadership that demonstrates encounter with the culture in action, not just teaching and sending. In our present mission situation the pastor must be in the world rather in the church. "The pastor/apostle is one who forms congregations into mission groups shaped by encounters with the gospel and culture - structuring the congregations shape into forms that lead people outward into a missionary encounter."
Via
My friend, Len Hjalmarson has an excellent review of Roxburgh's most recent book, The Sky Is Falling, here. In it he explains further the concept of poet, prophet, apostle.
I will attempt, in three additional posts, to shed some light on what those mean and how they get fleshed out in our community at The Freeway. I hope to post all three by the end of next week.
Labels: leadership, the freeway, writing