
Welcome to the Bonfire Conversations!
The North American Baptist Bonfire Conversations are an ongoing movement that seeks to provide a renewed theological vision with the church on mission serving as a sign, symbol, and foretaste of the kingdom of God. The recorded conversations below will: (1) Identify current disruptions within the western church, and (2) Invite followers of Jesus to a renewed practice of presence with God, with one another, and with our neighbors. Join us as we learn the importance of practicing presence from Roy Searle, David Fitch, and Matt Canlis.
How to Get Started
1) Download the Bonfire Study Guide below and read the "Facilitator Instructions" (See p.1)
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2) Gather a small group who will commit to meeting for seven sessions.
3) Print out enough "Bonfire Study Guides" so that each person has one.
4) The seven videos for the seven sessions are found below.
01
Exposing Our Weaknesses
The pandemic of 2020 was a shock to everyone, particularly churches. Some have believed that the pandemic made our practice of church weaker. However, what if the pandemic did not make churches weak, but, in reality, exposed the weaknesses that were already there?
02
Restocking the Reservoir
The weaknesses of churches in the western world have been exposed, but what has caused them? Roy Searle suggests that we have often neglected being present with God and instead have loved other things more than God.
03
Failing to Be Present
We have not only failed to be present to God, we have often failed to be present to one another. The current disruptions of church operations, political systems, and meaningful relationships shows that we have neglected the practice of being present to one another.
04
Opening Up Space
When churches fail to be present, the solution is not to give up on church, but to give a renewed vision of church. In this video, David Fitch provides a renewed vision of what it means to be the church that is good news for a society that is starving for presence.
06
Starting Where You Are
One real barrier to being present to our neighbors, is trying to be omnipresent. We cannot be present to everyone in every place. Matt Canlis offers five geographical allies that remind us who we are and where we are. Presence starts where we are.
07
Inviting Church to Our Neighbors
Often times we approach mission as sending our neighbors to church. However, Jesus sends his church to our neighbors. Matt Canlis shows us that being sent to our neighbors doesn't always mean doing more, but it does involve re-envisioning what we are already doing.