Last month, I was part of a group that met with Phyllis Tickle and other emerging church leaders prior to the Emergence Christianity event. At that meeting, Brian McLaren hinted at a new movement that was going to be announced soon, but he wasn’t able to give us much information. He did share a bit from a document that was going to be released about the movement, and it piqued my interest. So often one of the critiques that we hear about Emergent is that it is too white. We’ve been hearing that from day one, and we continue to hear it at every Emergent event that I’ve ever attended.
Enter Mesa.
Mesa is a “global conversation among emerging Christian leaders.” And guess what? They’re not all white guys.
I’ve just spent a bit of time browsing their website, and this is some information from the site:
Several parallel conversations, networks, and movements have been emerging among committed Christians over the last century – in Africa and Latin America, in Asia and Europe, in the Pacific Islands and the Americas. These movements were characterized by a commitment to “integral mission” – integrating personal spirituality with social justice and compassion, based on a holistic understanding of Jesus’ core message. In recent years, these groups have begun connecting with one another more and more, and Mesa seeks to help their emerging ethos to deepen, spread, and move forward.
The website is clearly in its infancy, but it does offer some information about Mesa and the mission and hopes for this global movement:
What is Mesa?
La Mesa is a Spanish word for table. It suggests a way of coming together in mutual acceptance, respect, and service. It reminds us of the life and message of Jesus – who used a table to tell the story of God’s welcoming and reconciling love.
Our Mission:
To embody and articulate what we perceive to be an emerging ethos amongst diverse groups of followers of Jesus, and to help that ethos be expressed as a global spiritual movement.
When It’s Happening:
Beginning in 2013 with a gathering in Thailand October 24-30, Mesa will be completed in 2017 with a final gathering. Regional gatherings and local conversations will happen in between these dates.
How Can I Get Involved?
Sign up on our website to receive information and connect with others. Participate in our global online survey. And bring people together around a table where you live!
I’m excited to see how this group might become sort of an umbrella group for all of the emergence that is happening amidst different groups and organizations right now in the religious world. I know some of the folks involved in it, and so I look forward to watching the progress of this group as they help to usher in this new way of being Christian in our world today. You can check out more information about Mesa here. If you want to read their full document that has much more information, you can access that here.
