Missional Imagination

A few weeks ago, our son had to go in for an MRI. We were braced for the inevitable waiting, sitting with that uneasy mixture of prayer, worry, and hope that accompanies hospital visits. When the results came back, the radiologist’s report used the phrase: “an unremarkable scan.” I confess, we laughed. They had just examined his brain, his wonderful, complicated, teenage brain, and pronounced it “...

This is an article read for my latest Substack post, "The Art of Mistranslation." Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

This is an article read of my latest Substack post... Are We Planting Churches? Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

This is an article read from my latest post... Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I read my latest article "Weak & Foolish". If you are enjoying these articles, you can follow my writing at: https://jonnypollockwrites.substack.com Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I read my latest article "Give Us Our Weekly Bread." For the recipe, please see the article on my Substack at: https://jonnypollockwrites.substack.com Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this podcast, I read my latest article "Getting Back to Basics" where I discuss how we can learn in our current cultural situation to better explain and translate the Gospel in our contexts. Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this article read, I ask the question to understand if our discipleship is making people behave more like Christians, or becoming more like Christ. Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode I read my latest article, "Discipleship & Apple Trees." I discuss how sometimes the temptation of importing and "stealing" fruit might solve some current issues, but leaves us lacking in sustainability and repeatability in our churches. Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode I read through my article on traits of ADHD in church planters. This is a person journey we are walking through, but one that have found commonality with others in ministry. Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this article read through, I take a look at why being average might not be a bad thing in small church ministry... Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode I read my article "Moving Beyond 'I'm Fine'" How can we develop Gospel centred community in our churches? In the article I discuss how vulnerability and honesty are the key to developing a community built on grace, and some obstacles that we put in the way of this. Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

In this article read, I look at why so many people in church ministry feel alone, and how we can find encouragement and practical help in these seasons... Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

While preaching “Christmas in May” I stumbled upon the way Luke's narrative took an "unexpected" turn. In this article read I explore Luke 2, not through angels or shepherds, but a lost twelve-year-old Jesus. This episode reflects on seasons when God seems absent, and how our disorientation might actually be divine invitation, calling us to find Him, not where we expect, but where He truly is. Get...

The Leadership Obsession Are we facing a leadership crisis or a discipleship crisis? In this article read, I explore why our obsession with developing leaders might be sidelining Jesus’ call to make disciples, and how rediscovering relational, context-rooted discipleship could hold the key to healthier churches and more sustainable leadership for the future. Resources * Maplhurs and Mancini (2021)...

A few years ago, I was chatting to another church leader. Perhaps you know the type of conversation, the one where we dream about all the things we should be doing, and lament those we haven’t! The conversation turned to the development of church leadership, how do we identify, equip, and empower local leaders within their cultural contexts. We talked about our previous mission experience, and how...

Show Notes How do we nurture curious, questioning leaders without fear? In this article read episode, I explore why curiosity is crucial for church leadership, and why questions are gifts, not threats. Resources Jaroslav Pelikan,  The Vindication of Tradition Edgar H. Schein,  Organizational Culture and Leadership Peter F. Drucker,  Management Challenges for the 21st Century Ronald A. Heifetz,  Le...

In this episode I give a short update about my change to the posting schedule of Missional Imagination... Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe

Show Notes: Planting Churches in the Desert Places In this episode, I reflect on a year spent with Remi & Aurelie Marat, a French couple gaining experience in rural Irish ministry before returning to plant a church in Chateau Thierry, France. Their time together challenged my assumptions about rural church planting, and even changed the terms I use! Instead of viewing these areas as simply “rural,...

Episode Summary In this article reading, I dive into the role of preaching within modern ministry. While a well-crafted sermon holds undeniable power to inspire and convey eternal truths, I explore its limitations when it becomes the sole focus of pastoral work. Drawing from historical perspectives and addressing contemporary challenges, I examine the pressures pastors face in a performance-driven...

Introduction Over the last 20 years of my life in ministry I have noticed a pattern that I’ve become more and more uncomfortable with. There appears a constant drive to measure what matters, or at least, what is easy to count. We see it in the careful tallying of salvations, baptisms, and churches planted at network events. Or the ‘how big is your church’ conversations at conferences. Of course, n...

In the coming months I’ll be developing this podcast talking to people who are engaging in mission, church planting and leadership development in creative ways in advancing the Church of Christ Jesus. This episode is a little intro to the podcast…and won’t take up too much of your time! Get full access to Missional Imagination at jonnypollockwrites.substack.com/subscribe