INTERFACE and the HOW!
December 2023
Since the launch of INTERFACE 2nd edition several years ago, our seminar on Missional Church has been conducted in scores of countries around the world and has been translated into 13 different languages. The Biblical paradigms INTERFACE espouses clearly champions missional church as not one option among many but as the only option!
The positive response from Pastors however is frequently dampened by the question, “So, how do you make this happen?”.
For some time now we have been on a journey to put together a program that addresses the ‘HOW’ of INTERFACE. This has been outside our comfort zone. The ‘WHY’ of missional church has been a ‘natural fit’ for us at SM but the clamor for us to help with the HOW had become impossible to ignore. We are MOBILIZERS. We passionately want to see our teaching take on practical expression. Unless this happens, we are left horribly dissatisfied and frustrated!
Recently, we were introduced to Caleb Leadership Ministries. The New Zealand Director (Rex Booth) was known to Andrew Moore (NZ SM National Coordinator). Caleb Ministries specializes in the HOW of church ministry. This quickly showed signs that perhaps this could be a ‘marriage made in heaven’.
We began making plans to conduct an INTERFACE Seminar in Auckland, NZ, where Caleb Ministries was based for Rex to personally experience INTERFACE and see also the response of pastors and leaders. We were surprised that with just a few weeks’ notice and so close to Christmas, ten pastors and church leaders showed up for the whole day seminar. The review and evaluation at the end were very positive but with several leaders voicing the all-too-familiar question, “So, how do we make it happen?”, to which Rex, Andrew and I looked at each other and smiled!
With Rex hosting us at his beautiful house in the countryside just outside of the bustling city of Auckland, we spent the next morning looking at a pathway to help church leaders formulate and implement a strategic plan for the implementation of the missional church paradigms INTERFACE espouses. With Rex’s guidance we finished with a plan that we could see was the beginning of what we had been looking for, for such a very long time.
Andrew and I left Auckland with plans for SM and Caleb Ministries to further develop this program and to begin trialing it in the new year. Our hearts were full of thankfulness to God. Finally, it seemed we were on the right track. God had orchestrated this contact with Caleb Ministries. He had brought together a group of key Pastors and leaders and put enthusiasm in Rex’s heart to work with us on this project.
But when God moves the devil seems to wake up and do his best to try and thwart what God is doing. A few days ago, Rex’s house was badly damaged by fire. It will be unlivable for between 6 months to a year. Rex and his family are currently looking for alternate accommodation. What this disruption might mean to our current plans for the further development of the INTERFACE program remains to be seen.
The devil has a habit of overplaying his hand, and we believe 2024 is going to be a game changing year for INTERFACE in the most positive way. Missional Churches is God’s idea for every church.
Please stand with us in prayer. Please pray for Rex and family and for SM and Caleb Ministries to be led by the Holy Spirit to put together a program for missional church development that every mobilizer can be trained in and every pastor and local church can implement!