Recent reflections.....

The following reflections were originally posted on saltnlight.ca.

Cultivating a Missional Mindset - Two Boys and A Fish et al
by John Kapteyn        (please send your experiences for posting)

One of our goals is to cultivate a missional mindset. I am discovering that this mindset begins by praying for God to make you aware of missional opportunities and also looking at simple everyday events through missional lens.

The following may not be considered missional yet each has helped me to look at everything in my life missionally.

During Christmas, I...
a. Joined others in Christmas carolling in a hospital (see story in our gallery)
b. Helped hand out clothing on a Friday night with Helping Hands and was
  blessed when we formed a circle with the marginalized and they prayed for us.
c. Spent an afternoon in a high crime, poor area in Toronto at Jane and Finch
  area with a community worker.


Look first to God and Vision, not to our problems
I sat in three consistory meetings. Each of their churches is actively sharing the love of Jesus in word and deed. In each meeting we discussed some of their challenges they faced. These challenges included a lack of leadership and resources and were important. However, when the discussion was focused on what God was doing in and through them , about the missional activities they were engaged in, the mood changed completely. There was an excitement and a sense of life and purpose. Then, when we looked at the challenges, we saw them in a different light, not as mountains which could not be scaled but as challenges which we can work on with hope.

Last week we had a major snowstorm. What a blessing. Hashim, my Muslim neighbour has had heart problems and I saw him trying to tackle the snow on his driveway. I joined him and soon his son, daughter and wife came out. We laughed together, talked about the crisis in Egypt and about Jesus. I was so blessed.Two Boys and a fish
On a recent trip to Vancouver Island, after a meeting in the home, Albert G. brought some leftover cookies, peanuts and coke to two young men (boys for an older man like me) who were stranded with car trouble across the street. Later, they ran to the house and I wondered if they were up to trouble. God again convicted me of my judgemental attitude, when it turned out that they were bringing us a large steelhead fish which they had caught. Not only did the fish taste great, but Albert revealed to me that being missional is being aware of the needs of others. His act of kindness also did not go unrecognized by the two boys and a fish.