It was a profound yet simple change. Recently Sojourn Community Church began a mission blog on the international portion of their website. Director of missions, Nathan Sloan, had their IT gurus set the blog up as a tool for the families they have sent to the nations to be able to share what is happening and what they are learning as they partner with others to make disciples and plant churches.
Instead of having each family tell their personal story at their own personal blog address, Sojourn is combining each story into one blog hosted and promoted by the church which is a momentous shift for the sending church to declare and remind both the sent and the sending ones that these are ours–they are a part of us.
This is in keeping with the model of the Antioch church that sends some of its very best–Paul and Barnabas–on mission as recorded inActs 13 and then has them report back to the church at the end of the next chapter. Paul and Barnabas stayed at the church some time after sharing what had happened in their travels where it appears that they were a part of the community and able to speak back into the lives of others about the things they learned while going out to the nations on mission.
This simple shift of where writings are posted communicates so much about the value placed on those the church has sent and the worth they bring to the body of Christ. This best practice needs to be incorporated into The Sending Church Story.
This church is doing a tremendous job in identifying, selecting, preparing and sending. But even more they remember the ones they sent. This is a great story.