• Español
  • Historical Archives
  • Convention
  • Contact Us
Mennonite Church USA Mennonite Church USA Mennonite Church USA Mennonite Church USA
  • About
    • What We Believe
      • Statements and Resolutions
      • Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective
    • History
    • FAQ
      • FAQ about Mennonites
      • FAQ about MC USA
    • Executive Board Members
    • Executive Board Staff
    • Church Structure
      • Area Conferences
      • Racial Ethnic Council
  • Ministry
    • Church Vitality
      • For Credentialed Leaders
      • For Congregations
      • Interested in Ministry?
      • Kineo Center
      • Safe Church
      • Women in Leadership
      • Church Planting
    • Faith Formation
      • Children and Families
      • Faith Formation with Youth
      • Faith Formation with Adults
      • Christian Practices
    • Peacebuilding
      • Learn Pray Join
      • Israel/Palestine Initiatives
      • Promoting Peace
      • Undoing Racism
      • Undoing Sexism
      • Climate Justice Ministry
    • The Corinthian Plan
      • The Corinthian Plan Staff
      • History of The Corinthian Plan
      • Why Mutual Aid Matters
      • The Corinthian Plan Subsidies
      • Wellness Incentives
  • Agencies
    • Mennonite Education Agency
    • Mennonite Mission Network
    • MennoMedia
    • Everence (Ministry Partner)
    • MHS Association (Ministry Partner)
  • Events
    • Follow Jesus 25 (Convention)
    • Hope for the Future
    • Event Calendar
  • Resources
  • News & Blog
    • News & Media
    • Menno Snapshots Blog
    • MenoTicias
    • Publications and Newsletters
  • Store
  • Give
Mennonite Church USA Mennonite Church USA
  • About
    • What We Believe
      • Statements and Resolutions
      • Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective
    • History
    • FAQ
      • FAQ about Mennonites
      • FAQ about MC USA
    • Executive Board Members
    • Executive Board Staff
    • Church Structure
      • Area Conferences
      • Racial Ethnic Council
  • Ministry
    • Church Vitality
      • For Credentialed Leaders
      • For Congregations
      • Interested in Ministry?
      • Kineo Center
      • Safe Church
      • Women in Leadership
      • Church Planting
    • Faith Formation
      • Children and Families
      • Faith Formation with Youth
      • Faith Formation with Adults
      • Christian Practices
    • Peacebuilding
      • Learn Pray Join
      • Israel/Palestine Initiatives
      • Promoting Peace
      • Undoing Racism
      • Undoing Sexism
      • Climate Justice Ministry
    • The Corinthian Plan
      • The Corinthian Plan Staff
      • History of The Corinthian Plan
      • Why Mutual Aid Matters
      • The Corinthian Plan Subsidies
      • Wellness Incentives
  • Agencies
    • Mennonite Education Agency
    • Mennonite Mission Network
    • MennoMedia
    • Everence (Ministry Partner)
    • MHS Association (Ministry Partner)
  • Events
    • Follow Jesus 25 (Convention)
    • Hope for the Future
    • Event Calendar
  • Resources
  • News & Blog
    • News & Media
    • Menno Snapshots Blog
    • MenoTicias
    • Publications and Newsletters
  • Store
  • Give
Home / Church to Church Relations / Exponential and the ecotone
Jun 03 2015

Exponential and the ecotone

AndreGingerichStonerAndre Gingerich Stoner is director of Holistic Witness for Mennonite Church USA

Several weeks ago, I attended the annual Exponential church planters’ convention. Those days brought together the holistic witness and interchurch parts of my work. The conference attracted several thousand people for several days of preaching, inspirational stories, and practical workshops. I found myself immersed in an evangelical world. About forty Mennonites met for lunch to network and compare notes.
The speakers on the main stage included inspiring stories of conversion and growth. Despite some critical words to the contrary, numbers and more numbers seemed to be the main markers of success.

At times I found it hard to connect.

Yet, when I wandered into seminars and workshops, I discovered a whole host of practitioners and thinkers who surprised, challenged and stretched me. They talked with critical awareness about the Christendom era; they challenged the consumerism of American culture; they talked about discipleship as a daily following of Jesus and connecting with the poor; they talked about living in neighborhoods and building relationships in ways that would make any MCCer proud.

There are interesting things happening below the surface and at the edges of the evangelical world.

Sometimes these things make it onto the main stage.
In that setting I also found myself nourished and challenged. The preaching and the stories were filled with the conviction and the experience that God’s love is powerful and active. What happened on the cross is regarded as a decisive event that changes lives and changes the world. The confession that Jesus is Lord is a radical pledge of allegiance. And people are practiced in sharing their experiences of transformation and faith with their neighbors and colleagues.

I left for home with new imagination for how God wants to use me in my family, my congregation and my neighborhood.

In thinking about my experiences at Exponential, an analogy from the natural world came to mind.  An ecotone is the transition space between two biomes – the border, for example, between a forest and a wetland. An unusual number and variety of species are found in these areas of transition. New and unexpected adaptations develop here.

Many of us live pretty safely ensconced in our particular biome, whether that’s a progressive or traditional space, whether we are social justice-minded or evangelically oriented.

Interesting new insights, energy and pathways develop, however, in those places where these worlds rub up against each other.

I pray for this kind of exchange and cross-pollination, both in the broader body of Christ and within our own Mennonite fellowship.

  • June 3, 2015
  • No Comments
  • Church to Church Relations, Menno Snapshots
  • André Gingerich Stoner, Evangelical, Exponential, social justice
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Pinterest
  • Google+
  • LinkedIn
  • E-Mail

Interested in submitting a blog for Menno Snapshots? Please see our blog guidelines here.

Elkhart, IN 46517

Newton, KS 67114 Phone: (866) 866-2872
  • News & Media
  • Español
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
  • Convention
  • Resources
  • Give
  • Staff
  • Employment
  • Transparency in Coverage
©2020 Mennonite Church USA   |   Subscribe to PeaceMail to receive news and blogs compiled into one weekly email.   SUBSCRIBE