Join the Worthless Servants cast every other Thursday for laughs and thoughts about what healthy, missional living looks like.
This week the Worthless Servants ask, how is your church identifying and developing those who feel a call to ministry? What opportunities are there for education and training? We discuss these questions and more as we learn how the Mesoamerica Region is responding to these questions. Emily also explains how Amish friendship bread somehow connects with all of this.
“The mark of a great church is not about its seating capacity, it’s about its sending capacity.”
Just when you thought you were safe, the Worthless Servants plunge you into culture shock again! It was the topic of one of our most popular episodes, so we used an article by Dr. Howard Culbertson to dive deeper into the symptoms of culture shock, as well as how to get through it. We share more stories from our personal lives and try to fend off inexplicable bouts of weeping. But through it all, we come to the conclusion that - even during culture shock - there is hope.
“Take naps!”
As we continue our talk on culture from episode 22, this time we focus on practical stories and examples. We look at some info-graphs, and comment on bikini figures, PriceSmart, and lines of zombies.
“What if, instead of viewing it as a barrier, we viewed culture as a benefit?”
This week the Worthless Servants dig deep into culture. Listen as we tell stores and share analogies about why culture matters and why it is important to Christians.
“Your culture is a part of who you are deep down.”
In this episode we talk about the fifth characteristic of a Genesis Church. What does "preaching holiness regularly and practicing it daily” look like? AJ and Emily break it down for us with definitions, and we learn why people should hide their babies from Chelsea.
“When I think about Holiness, I think about the opportunity the Church has to teach people that their identity is in Christ.”
Genesis Church Characteristic #4. The challenge of this week’s episode is for all of us to be actively involved in planting a new congregation in the urban center. What does this fourth characteristic of a Genesis church look like? How is it done? How can we make a difference in our cities? The conversation highlights 5 challenges of urban church planting that author Ant Frederick writes about, and we also share some encouraging examples from different countries.
“Urban Church planting is a world issue and a world process and we all have a part to play in it. ”
Three of the Worthless Servants go to New York City, NY to be a part of a great experience. Listen as the share what they learned about global missions and the city. As well as stories of getting lost and eating hot dogs.
“How can we be a Church that welcomes people no matter their context or culture?”
You might feel like you know them already, but there’s so much more to find out! Listen in as AJ and Chelsea reminisce about college days, mission calls, and milkshakes. Also, don’t miss Emily’s last question that throws them for a loop!
It’s almost Christmas and we wondered what does the Incarnation have to do with missions? Why did God choose THAT method of communication? What difference does Christmas make in the life of a Christian and a missionary? We also learn what pink eye and broken zippers have to do with any of this.
“Just as Christ came down to be with us... we have to go to the people we’re trying to minister to.”
Advent is upon us and the Worthless Servants talk about the traditions, discipline, and rhythm of the season. What does this season have to offer? There is talk of hope and anticipation as well as a pop quiz for Emily and 80’s urban phrases from Chelsea.
“[The Christian Calendar] helps develop a rhythm as Christians - as disciples of Christ - to be more intentional”
Join us this week as we touch on Genesis Characteristic #3: Intentionally involving everyone in discipleship and ministry. What if our churches had a plan to disciple all ages? How do we involve children and those with disabilities in ministry? Plus, Freya is surprised by a little boy named Dreiny.
“There is a place in ministry for everyone. ”
The Servant tell more stories about the last three stages of culture shock: Recovery, Integration, and Reactivation (or Re-entry). Freya talks about food (as always), Chelsea sheds some tears over toilet paper, and Emily gives some good tips on how to get through culture shock.
“I don’t have two hearts... but now I have two homes.”
There are many different forms of Culture Shock. We are going to use six. Listen as we share stories about the first three: Initial, Fascination, and Conflict. We learn that Chelsea likes to take naps and Freya likes to eat rice. AJ also shares about ninjas and soup.
Where does the Church fit in? Emily takes the lead this week again as we continue our conversation about the city and the church. Can rural ministry training fit into urban culture? We discuss issues of time, space, strategies, quality, sermons, and language. We also open the mail bag to hopefully answer some of your questions.
“I really think [God] is moving people to the city so that we can start to experience what our eternity is going to be like. ”
What does the city look like? What does “urban” mean? In this episode we talk about the culture, pace, and people in our cities. And where does the Church fit in all of that? We also throw out some numbers just to confuse Chelsea.
“Urban is a culture. ”
We are continuing our conversation about the Genesis Church Characteristics. On to Characteristic #2: A continual presence in its community through the practice of compassion. Listen as we discuss whether or not it's helpful to focus on physical or spiritual needs. Stories from Guatemala, Papua New Guinea and Florida show that compassion breaks through all cultural boundaries. And Scott teaches us Greek.
“What is the difference between a project and a continual presence?”
What does a healthy and missional church look like? Genesis has come up with 10 characteristics. Tune in as we discuss the first one: Relevant and Transformational Services. We also talk about hayrides and homeschool, bubbles and pendulums.
“Culture is the ever-changing context in which we proclaim a Biblically faithful, never-changing gospel.”
The cast continues their conversation from Episode 7 about the Church. Listen in as we unpack the definition of church that guides the Church of the Nazarene…or does it? Freya and Emily share their views and hopes for the “church of today”, AJ helps us think in urban contexts, and Scott wants to sing Kumbaya.
“They’re starting with the people not building. ”
Is our vocabulary betraying us? Join us this week as we talk about the Church. Devine but human. Building or people? Scott has a challenge for us and apparently he also has a goat-dog.
“We need to change our vocabulary in order to change our identity. ”
You asked and we listened! You wanted to know more about Freya, so this week it's all about her. Listen in as Freya shares a bit about where she’s from, how she was called to missions and how God is surprising her in reaching an urban community through sewing and crafts.
“I had my doubts about myself, that maybe I’m not capable of doing this or maybe I’m not adequate...but I felt that God was working in me and through me. ”
