Don’t Miss This New Resource: Forge Guides for Missional Conversation
Had time this week to work my way through a new series from Intervarsity Press. Created in partnership with Forge (an organization that cultivates missional community across the United States by identifying, developing, and nurturing missional leaders), this is pretty interesting stuff!
The Forge Guides for Missional Conversation is a 5 book series and while each of the guides is valuable on its own, “together they are sort of curriculum for a movement.” Individually, the guides “were written to help you think about what it might look like if you, your group or your church were to develop a missionary imagination for everyday living.”
The five titles in the series are:
- Mission: Living for the Purposes of God
- Community: Living as the People of God
- Culture: Living in the Places of God
- Power: Living by the Spirit of God
- Vision: Living Under the Promises of God
Each of the guides is embedded with four practices that together deliver quite a punch. I think it’s fair to say, they weren’t assembled carelessly. Designed to help groups thoughtfully consider next steps that will stretch, the four practices are:
- Dwelling in the Word: a time to hear from Scripture through communal reading and listening.
- Contextual Analysis: designed to help inculturate and translate the gospel into local contexts.
- Theological Reflection: designed to help your group seek to know God truly and become wise in knowing God.
- Missionary Imagination: intended to help each individual in the group gain a better sense of their missionary calling.
A before we meet again section is included to provide some direction for between meetings. A combination of scripture to reflect on and activities to guide into an experience, this section will not overwhelm but will help reinforce the takeaways of the group time.
A very simple leader’s guide is included in all five guides. Although not elaborate, there is good direction provided.
If you’re looking for a resource that will help your group take the next steps in the missional conversation, the Forge Guides might be just the ticket.