2012
Paul S. Nahirney
On Becoming a Mission-Shaped Church: A Progress Report on a Diocesan Engagement with Marks of Mission
This thesis explores the topic of what it means to be a mission-shaped church. Factors that have contributed to the decline of the Christian Church in the Western world, specifically in Canada and the United States, and the centrality of an overreliance on a pastoral model, are examined. Traits of what constitutes a mission-shaped church, and in particular the application of the Marks of Mission as a missional guide for parish and diocesan development, are reviewed. The research undertaken for this thesis presents preliminary finding from the Diocese of Edmonton in its endeavor to introduce the Marks of Mission and to lead the Diocese in becoming more mission-shaped in its orientation.