Great Lecture by Mike Frost - Mission

In a recent 1-hr session taught by Mike Frost, author of Exiles and co-author of The Shaping of Things to Come, Frost discussed his perspectives on mission.

Here is a brief summary of his points:
1. The Source of Mission - the missio dei. God, in his nature, because of his love, is a sent and sending God. God is sent in the fact that his love compels him to extend out beyond himself for others. God is sending in that as Trinity, each person sends the other out of love into the world to bring about the purpose of salvation, reconciliation, and restoration. (I was a little fuzzy on the sent nature of God, but I am simply trying to record his points so I kept it in the post)
2. The Goal of Mission - alert the world of the reign of God through Christ. Our goal in participating in God's mission is to make people aware of the simple fact that our God reigns. The goal is not church growth, ecological restoration, extending the kingdom of God or the mission statement of a particular church. Frost argues our goal is simply to alert others that this world is God's and he reigns completely, though we do not yet fully realize, understand, or live under his reign.
3. The Method of Mission - Announcement and Demonstration. As the church, we announce God's reign and we demonstrate it. To announce the reign, we must ask "What does the reign of God look like in this context?" and communicate the answer to the context. To demonstrate God's reign, we must live under the reign in the context and work to bring others' lives under the reign of God as well.
4. The Outcome of Mission - the church. The outcome of God's mission for the world is the church, local and universal. A particular church does not concoct its mission for God. The mission of God concocts the church.

Much more could be written on this, but for now, this will do. Mike Frost - read his stuff. Good guy, great thinker, a new friend.