Faithful Presence
How to embrace the presence of Jesus and shape our communities for mission
About the course
In our quest to renew the church, Christians have walked through seeker-friendly, emergent, missional, and other movements to develop new expressions of the body of Christ. Now in the post-Christian world in North America we're asking the question again: is there a way to be the church that engages the world, not by judgment nor accommodation but by becoming the good news in our culture? David Fitch offers a new vision for the witness of the church in the world. He argues that we have lost the intent and practice of the sacramental ways of the historic church, and he recovers seven disciplines that have been with us since the birth of the church. Through numerous examples and stories, he demonstrates how these revolutionary disciplines can help the church take shape in and among our neighborhoods, transform our way of life in the world, and advance the kingdom.
Who this course is for:
This course is for anyone who wants to consider a refreshing approach to doing church in a disembodied world. If you're interested in re-envisioning church, what you do in the name of church, and the way you lead a church, this course will deeply challenge you and inspire you to a healthy, biblical and forgotten model of church.
What you'll learn in this curriculum:
Through out this foundational course, you'll walk through:
- A rediscovering of God's presence as the framework for how God dwells with his people
- A consideration of God changes the world through this forgotten realtiy
- Seven disciplines to become aware of the presence of Jesus in and among us
- A model to help apply the disciplines and shape your community into mission
You're welcome to look through the curriculum below and even preview the first two classes before enrolling.
Your Instructor
David Fitch is B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary Chicago, IL. He's married to Rae Ann and they have one child, a son Max. He's pastored and participated in many church plants including Life on the Vine Christian Community a missional church in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Most recently he and his family have joined Peace of Christ Church, Westmont, a church planted from Life on the Vine. He writes on the issues the local church must face in Mission including cultural engagement, leadership and theology.