On Good Friday I fly out to Orlando in Florida for the Exponential Conference.
Exponential 2011 hopes to answer this question: “what does it take to see apostolic movement through my church?”
The Western church is on the verge of tremendous change in response to the significant missional challenge we currently face. Contemporary church growth has been a blessing to the church, but as a paradigm is not able to take us to the next level. Despite some real gains, taken as whole, it has not halted the decline of Christianity and the church in western contexts. More of the same is not likely to achieve significantly different results; so something different is needed.
The church is waking up to this reality and on the verge of making tremendous shifts. We are seeing this change in every segment of divergent church models: mega, multisite and incarnational. While each expression of the church might look very different, they are all taking the idea of mission seriously. The best way to describe what is happening is this: we are on the verge of the birth of apostolic movements in the west. Churches of all kinds are looking to use their current forms and assets as platforms to launch the more fluid, adaptive, and missional people-movements. It is the hope of the exponential conference to play the part of a mid-wife as we see these apostolic movements come to life and in so doing provide working models, a new vocabulary and processes for other churches and church leaders to do the same.I see this an an opportunity for (1) Networking with practitioners and colleagues from across the globe. (2) Stories and inspiration to fuel our movement here in Vic/Tas, (3) Resources to bring to our situation, and, (4) Insight and training.
The Conference is going to be held at First Baptist Church in Orlando, and I will be staying at the Wycliffe Associates Centre about 20 minutes away.
Late next week, Caity's flying down from Virginia to join me for a short break during which we will explore the more sacred sites of Florida!
