When the church is in mission, it is the true church. The church itself is not only a product of that mission but is obligated and destined to extend it by whatever means possible. The mission of God flows directly through every believer and every community of faith that adheres to Jesus. To obstruct this is to block God's purposes in and through his people.
Alan HirschBut the standard churchy spirituality doesn't require any real action, courage, or sacrifice from its attendees.
Alan HirschWhen there is no possibility of retreat, we will find the innovation that only the liminal situation can bring. In short, we find the faith of leap.
Alan HirschBeing the church that Jesus intended means that we must participate in Godโs eternal purposes for his world. Renewal means more than reinventing ourselves; it means rediscovering the primal power of the Spirit and the gospel already present in the life of the churchโreconnecting with this purpose and recovering the forgotten ways. This purpose and potential have always been there, but individuals and communities have largely lost touch with them.
Alan Hirsch