Missional in North America.

There are people in the world desperately desiring to have a relationship with the God who continues to call out to them, but they are confused by too many voices and too many choices about who this God is and what He wants in order for that relationship to be found and formed.

These people need people. People who genuinely care about them and their spiritual quest. People who are willing and able to hear the kinds of queries, which would jar the faith of the common North American churchgoer. The church, even in its various contemporary forms, has not been able to meet the needs of these spiritual “questers”. They are able to meet the needs of the convinced, and even the not so convinced as long as they're willing to submit to the ambiguous answers they hear when they ask their jarring questions. But, for the post-modern pursuer of an authentic faith that addresses the spiritual and social issues which plague our North American culture today, the church has limited human or other resources available.

Here's where we attempt to tell you what we're about - how we intend to try to address the problem which from our perception is infecting our spiritual culture in its various forms. The fact is we've not yet figured it out. We spent the last three and half years in South Africa attempting to live missionally in that context, and, upon arrival back in the United States figured this would be a BREEZE in comparison! Heck...we're from here, right?

The reality is, we've just begun the journey of discovering what these "people" whom we've described above REALLY need. And what these other "people" who we described above may be able to offer these spiritual questers.

In South Africa, it wasn't easy, but we were able to make a WHOLE lot of headway working with the locals, mostly because they were so open to receiving an alternative to the spirituality they have been experiencing. The plague they faced was a synchronism of Christianity and Tribal Religion. Here, the plague is vague. It's an uneasiness with the current state of the church and it's ability to address the needs of our world, our country, and our homes.

Ideally, this page reflects both what this web site is about, and why someone like you might want to check back in with it now and then. I hope this at LEAST gives you an idea of what we're hoping to accomplish while we're here in Long Beach, California, North America. If it doesn't, stick with us - we thrive on figuring this out!

Our Journal (blog) section is where we will regularly update what missional life in North America looks like for us as we continue to niche out our ministry here. Our Story page tells you a little about us and our journey thus far (and what a wild ride it's been!). Our Photos page will hopefully be worth viewing - and each week should give you a face with an experience you read about on our Journal page. Our How To Help page is ALL about ways in which you can come along side us as partners of our ministry and mission. Your prayers and financial partnership are gonna be essential for us to continue the work we've been called to do - so thank you ahead of time for checking out the How To Help page. Our Props page is where we've given props to those we love online. If you like what we're doing (or even if you don't!) there's a good chance you'll love what these friends are doing! Check out the Props page to get some more ideas of how YOU can live missionally, too!

Thanks ahead of time for keeping up with us as we figure out the missional life in North America!

Sean Fraser
Missional In North America

Personal Vision:

To be a missional presence in the world, beginning in Southern California, which cooperatively assists the church in its various forms to move forward towards its emergent post-modern existence. My purpose is to create a context (or contexts) for missional leaders, both existing and emerging, where they can be challenged to address the issues which impact the churches progress in its emergent realities. Realities including an emergent generation of disillusioned and dissatisfied constituents, social justice issues the church continues to be ill-equipped to address, and ministry models which work against our cultures spiritual formation needs.

By mentoring and coaching these leaders within an alternative context to their current ministry, I will work to help them understand their calling, gifting, and appropriate assignment that will allow them to be more fully actualized and effective in personal ministry and mission.

Effective Methodologies:

I will seek to pursue this personal vision by developing ministry partnerships with select strategic local churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities.  I desire to come alongside many of these local churches, ministries and communities by assisting them with their local and global mission pursuits and goals. I will utilize various forms and venues to maximize the opportunities available for effective mentoring and coaching.  Current forms and venues include one to two day local “Taste-n-See” retreats and extended local, national, and international “Beyond Border Road Trips.” Both provide a group dynamic for peer interaction, networking, and support to help these leaders gain perspective and discern God’s purposes for their lives with an applied emphasis focused on the emergent church and its needs.

Major Role:

I believe the role that will allow me best to accomplish this purpose contains the following components:

1.    Working with the CRM/NieuCommunities Recruit Team to develop and further develop relationships with local churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities.

2.    Work with the Recruit Team to promote and facilitate Taste-n-See retreats, which focus on the emerging churches needs, leadership training and development, and a desire to engage in pioneering ministry to the emerging missional church and the leaders of this movement.

3.    Develop a local missional presence by forging relationships with these churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities that would allow us to work cooperatively serving our community.

4.    With the cooperative assistance of these churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities, we will identify suitable local venues with facilities to host one to two day “Taste-n-See” retreats and possible extended “Beyond Border Road Trips”.

5.    Eventually, and in conjunction with the needs presented to us, identify and purchase a venue with facilities to host full NieuCommunities year apprentice training as a North American NieuCommunities site to national and international emerging church leaders.

Intended Contribution:

My intended contribution to the ministry of Church Resource Ministries and NieuCommunities is to be a catalyst in a renewed missional presence in North America likened to the one started twenty-five years ago by the founding leaders of CRM. I know this will be a team effort. I also know the dynamic of the team will be defined by the needs presented to us as we move forward in this emergent venture of ministry. These needs will continue to change and, as a result, my role and the roles of those on our team will change, grow, and diminish as organically as the needs arose. I am prepared and even hopeful to work myself out of a job as it immediately may be defined with anticipation of different ventures emerging as we keep an eye on the needs presented to us in the future.

Proposed Ministry Steps for Sean Fraser in Long Beach California and the region of Los Angeles, Orange, and extended Counties 2006-2007

1. Listening  - Scouting, research, prayer.  Getting settled and finding out what God is doing both in our local context and in the region

2. Submerging - Participating in the local and regional work of CRM/NieuCommunities, learning from and participating with the CRM Recruit Team.  Connecting with local churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities

3. Inviting - Recruiting, developing friendships and collaborative partnerships as we connect with emerging leaders within these churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities

4. Contending – Host Taste-n-See events that promote recurring/on-going venues for dialogue with these emerging leaders within these churches, schools, ministries and emerging missional communities

5. Releasing – Directing apprentices from Taste-n-See events and recurring/on-going venues to both Beyond Borders Road Trips and NieuCommunities Apprentice Years

6. Imagining – Begin process of envisioning North American NieuCommunities site