We Are Here Now: A New Missional Era, a Missional Journey of Spiritual Discovery

This is simply a wonderful book for every one who are interested in missional transformation. Prof Keifert has the rare gift to integrate theology thinking and practical matters on the missional journey. Almost on every page the reader will find case studies that connects you in a real and practical way. Nico Simpson's wonderful drawings are much more than illustrations, they intive and stir the reader in a playfull way to re-think. The depth of research and years of experience as a church consultant, makes the book honest. The insights are well tested and carefully described. May be this is the reason why the book excites clergy and laity when they read it. Leadership teams in congregations that used We are here now! for a team reading, was challenged and recieved new hope that their congregation can become missional. May this book find a huge audience word wide!

This is an unusual book. On the one hand, it is a kind of cultural and congregational study in the traditional vein of materials that addresses change in the church. Keifert assesses "where we are", and is a participant in the on-going missional church, post-Christendom thing. The book is helpful as a summary of that discussion. But it is also a description of the way Partnership for Missional Church (PMC) works with clusters, judicatories, and congregations to effect change, to consult for missional church, asking the key question, "What is God's preferred and promised future for our local church?" As a springboard for reflection on the local congregation and its ministry, this is profoundly helpful. Since it is the description of a consulting process, it does not work well as a "how-to" book, since a finding of Keifert's is that partnership for missional church is effected most successfully when it is a partnership of 12-15 churches. Keifert writes, "To review, the purpose of this book is to describe a journal of spiritual discernment that is done communally within local congregations, among 12-16 partner churches, and with still other partners." Probably the most important insight from the book (there are an incredible number of these insights in the book- it is VERY rewarding): development of mission/vision for a congregation takes place in the late stage of a 4-6 year process of discernment that begins with "dwelling in the Word," includes experimentation, and then only begins after considerable time spent doing these things, as well as "listening each other into free speech." This is a crucial insight, because a lot of mission/vision resources will start you right away writing a mission/vision statement, without any insight into whether those will be effective over the long term, or appropriated culturally within the congregation. I recommend this book. It bears more and more fruit through multiple readings. Our leadership team is reading it this summer as part of discernment and dwelling in the Word process.