M15 final day includes sessions on missional strategy, leadership development

by | 12 Feb 2015

Kansas City, Missouri

The final day of the USA/Canada Region's Mission 2015 Conference began Wednesday with a plenary session led by Alan Hirsch, a strategist for the missional church. Hirsch's message focused on four key elements: ReJesus, ReDisciple, ReMission, and ReOrganize.

Each plenary topic centers around one of the region's five strategic priorities. Wednesday morning's was missional outreach.

Hirsch explained the need to "ReJesus."

"Most people look at a church and they don't see Jesus there, and that's the worst thing for a church," he said. "We always go back to Jesus. Jesus is always the point of recalibration. It's not about rules and regulations; it's about following and becoming more like Jesus."

Hirsch went on to explain becoming more like Jesus happens through discipleship.

"Discipleship is important because it is the way we embody the faith; embodiment is this process by which I implement the teachings of Jesus into my life," he said.

After becoming like Christ, a Christian must go out and spread the Good News.

"We are sent people," Hirsch said. "The church is sent as Jesus was sent, as we are sent."

Hirsch said the church must reorganize and return to its missional roots.

"Where are you going to go if you don't go missional? We have to become a missional agency again."

Afternoon activities included a Church Planter Best Practices discussion and workshops on "The Exceptional Leader" with General Superintendent Emeritus Stan A. Toler, "Nazarene Essentials" with General Editor Frank Moore, "Self Awareness: The Leader's Edge" with Norm Shoemaker of Nazarene Strengths Institute, and "Building Bridges to Reach Your Community" with Scott Evans, founder and president of Outreach, Inc.

During the evening plenary, General Superintendent Gustavo A. Crocker focused on the region's strategic priority of leadership development. His messaged centered around Joshua, one of the more popular biblical leaders.

"He was an incredible leader, but something was missing," Crocker said. "It troubles me that as soon as Joshua and his generation were gone, everything was gone."

Crocker called this lack of leadership development "the Joshua syndrome."

"As good of a leader as he was, he only missed one memo: you've got to train others," Crocker said.

Avoiding this trap is simple, he said: train new leaders.

"There is no leadership success without leadership succession," Crocker said.

Crocker compared Joshua's 110-year life to the 106-year-old Church of the Nazarene denomination.

"I refuse to believe once we reach 110 years, this generation is going to fade away and the next generation will know nothing about the Lord," he said.

In recognition of the leadership development that has already taken place, Crocker invited attendees to use the hashtag #M15mentor on social media to share their appreciation for those who had a significant impact on their lives. More than 400 mentors were named.

The service's final moments were spent in prayer. Crocker charged the Joshua generation to intercede and the younger generation to accept the mantle of leadership.

Wednesday evening's session concluded the M15 Conference. For more information on the event's activities, visit M15conference.org. Videos and recordings of sessions and workshops will be posted to that site in the near future. Search the #M15 hashtag on Twitter for conference conversation.