Welcome to The Outbox

We're glad you came.  The PGF Outbox is an initiative of the Presbyterian Global Fellowship, and we've launched it  as a way to help you and your church become Inwardly Strong and Outwardly Focused.  The Fellowship is preparing to launch a major community-building, resource-sharing website in the Spring of 2007. But we wanted to start now in our effort to help each other fulfill our " apostolic calling to bear witness to Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth" (PGF Covenant).

We're a group of bloggers who are doing our best to make Christ known by pursuing God's mission where the Holy Spirit has planted us. (We live in various places in North America, so this particular initiative of PGF is aimed at North American congregations.)  Along the way, we find great tools, resources, books, websites, stories, and programs that help equip us for that pursuit.  Because we're committed to the missional transformation of the larger Presbyterian community, we're sharing some of those resources with you here in our Outbox.  Some of them may help you, some may not, but we hope that every day you'll find a little something that the Holy Spirit can use in your ministry.

We hope you'll share with us as well.  Email any of us with tips and links to resources that have helped you live the life of a Christian disciple.  Right now, our plan is to have somebody posting Mondays through Saturdays -- hopefully putting up 2-4 posts a day.  Let us know what the rest of the church needs to hear about to help them pursue God's mission.

We're looking forward to walking the journey with you.

(Click here to go back to the main page and see the latest posts.)

 

Russell,

for The Outbox Blogging Team

Comments

[Toby Brown]

I really am glad that you have lauched this new endeavor for Christ and the Presbyterian Church!

I will also link to your site over at my blog!

[Chris Drew]

I'll be following y'all as you launch this new endeavor. Best wishes!

[Kathy Scruggs]

Hello brothers and sisters in Christ in the PCUSA who share the goals of the Presbyterian Global Fellowship:

This is the first time I have visited your sight. It is a blessing to learn of the ways God is being glorified in the many good works of those who participate in this organization. Thank you for creating the means by which we may share.

I am married to a pastor. Every day our morning begins with coffee, prayer and much discussion about the issues concerning us in the church, as well our own family.

We are in a faithful suburban church in Memphis. Our Sunday mornings are filled weekly with 500-700 worshipers; a larger number attending the contemporary service. Our church joined the Confessing Church movement and continues to be the leader of the conservative voice in a liberal leaning presbytery. Memphis is home to three large EPC churches and two large PCA churches.

Our church is missional and alive. However, my husband and others deal constantly with conflict over ordinations, financial decisions, committee assignments, and decisions which are theological, polity, or moral in nature, with every interaction on the presbytery level. It is very lonely holding to our tradition in this situation and may become even lonelier in the future. Fortunately, some presbyteries are faced less with this kind of on going conflict and disharmony. This kind of conflict is not, in my opinion, glorifying to God; it is also very tiring.

How can the Presbyterian Global Fellowship help our church and those of us in Memphis (Presbytery of the Mid-South) given these circumstances?

[Rev. Dr. David Kunselman - Presbyterian Pastor]

Dear Friends in Christ in the PC(USA),
As a fellow pastor and former missionary, can i suggest you offer "Perspectives" - the 14 week grad level training program for local church leaders in world missions?
Nothing helps cure the murmur in our hearts over "What is God doing in His church?" like a focus on what God is doing in His world! Blessings to you all, look forward to this blogsite.

[brad brisco]

Glad to find your site, look forward to keeping up with what you all are doing.

[Ronn Garton]

Those who spend time on infighting give the Devil his due. We are to be proclaiming the gospel in Word and Deed. Get involved in some good inner city lifting or join the struggle to make the public schools a safe and enriched place for educating our youth. Take the higher road when you see a speck in your brother's eye. Spend more time in confession and prayer than in criticizing your neighbor's doctrine.

Selah!

[REV J. KENNETH KIMBERLIN]

I am glad to learn about your organization and desire to be a part of it. I am sorry that I will not be able to attend the Aug. 14-18 conference because our Interim Pastor will be going, and I, as Interim Associate Pastor, will be serving at the Church of the Master in Mesa, Arizona. However, I look forward to being informed on the results of the conference.