This week I am blogging just outside of Asheville, N.C. at the Accord Network conference for Christian Development and Relief organizations. Excited to be here representing Multnomah and MA Global Development and Justice program. After a red eye flight and a quick stroll up Chimney Rock here close to the conference, I headed for the Ridgecrest Conference Center. Today we had our initial conference opening.
Here are some takeaways from todays talk:
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Integral mission needs to be our operating framework in development work.
- Integral mission seeks human flourishing and Christ-centered solutions to poverty
- Integral mission seeks to enter into communities as guests, not as intruders or invaders. If we are not guests of the host communities, we are likely acting in messianic ways.
- Principles of Integral Mission include:
- Christian faith is at the center
- Recognizing spiritual world realities
- Recognizing the Church is central in our work
- Recognizing that transformational practices start with us.
- We recognize the whole system of poverty, not just pieces.
Looking forward to networking and connecting with organizations in development and relief that impersonate these best practices of integral mission.
For more on the conference see Accord Network
Development and Justice 