Means of Grace: Forming New and Sustaining “Renewing” Congregations and Church Plants

Many Christian traditions refer at least to preaching, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper/Eucharist as “means of grace.” Abundant grace is exactly what passionate ministries of church planting and renewing, missional congregations are called to embody in the neighborhoods and contexts in which they grow. In this seminar, veteran practitioners discussed how mission-shaped preaching and sacramental life function as means of grace in their communities. What is the role of preaching and sacraments in forming missional congregations? How can Lectionary-based preaching be missional? How does need-based topical preaching both help and hinder forming a mission-shaped community? How does a missional leader imaginatively apply and adjust the preaching and worship DNA of their congregation or tradition? Audience engaged a discussion that sees evangelism and robust worship as beautifully integrated elements of every congregation’s ministry.