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Re cooperative missions — I just think the current CoC model fails at several levels. I can't imagine that we're doing it the best way possible.

Some large, talented churches can be missionary societies unto themselves, but the vast majority of churches are too small and lack the expertise.

Moreover, whatever model is chosen requires some level of coordination, or you'll allocate your resources poorly and fail to share lessons learned in the field that others can benefit from.

Indigenous efforts are optimal anywhere, as has long been recognized. But many areas will only be converted from outside — Muslim nations, formerly communist bloc nations, etc. do not have a strong enough local presence to operate without help from foreigners, at least for a while.

The need for missionaries still greatly exceeds the volunteers.

Two interesting ironies here:

a – The CofC is so late to the cooperative missions effort that as you're promoting this approach, the churches that historically have employed it are looking to other models.

b. – The indigenous training efforts often are so successful that they are sending missionaries HERE. E.g., the Anglican church in Africa now has planted two mission churches in suburban Birmingham (Mountain Brook and Homewood). Baptists have been building a missionary training facility in Venezuela – yes, even under the thumb of Hugo Chavez – that is sending missionaries to Islamic countries that would never accept Americans.

I've written through their contacts page to see if there is someone we could talk to about a guest editorial series.

Marvin Crowson at Harding leads a church plant effort (my oldest son is part of a church plant in Boston he helped initiate). And then there's the Southwest Church of Christ in Arkansas, which runs the Kairos church planting ministry.

We're planting — but I wonder just how effective some of these efforts are.

You have mentioned church planting a couple of times in a couple of posts. It makes me wonder if you are aware of Mission Alive, a Church of Christ-based organization that is just a few years old under the direction of Gailyn Van Rheenen and is aggressively planting churches in cities around this country. If you are not familiar with them you should be because they are doing fabulous work. Now, certainly we need to do more in this area and, as I said, this organization is still in its infancy. It started around 2003/2004 and has only planted a handful of churches. But, I agree, that we need more of this. We need people to be creative and to be visionaries and to get out of our old rut. Thanks for the post.

Kent Benfer

You know, the unity meetings were all meant to do this, but they've reached little further than those who attended.

And it's interesting reading Atchley's and Russell's "Together Again," and their ambitions to join in various societies and such. It's just not happening.

So who do you know who we talk to?

Here's an idea: How about writing a series of articles for the Christian Standard? And maybe inviting someone from there to write as a guest on your blog? There needs to be an introduction between the two groups. An editorial exchange might be a helpful catalyst.

I've had a few opportunities to attend some independent Christian church activities and to get to know a few of those folks. Based on my experience, I'd bet you could find some receptive folks on the other side of the aisle.