Missional Church Conversation … On TBN?

Did you know that Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne have their own TV show … on TBN?!?

That’s right. “Red Letter Christianity” airs Mondays at 9:00pm EST, Tuesdays at 2:30am EST, and Fridays at 12:30pm EST, although you can watch a lot of previous episodes online.

I think Tony looks a little more comfortable on the flashy TBN set, in his Eastern University sweatshirt (does he have an endorsement deal from Eastern?), than Shane, who wears his own hand-made clothes (as is his custom).

On This Episode …
One particular episode I wanted to share features Campolo and Claiborne interviewing Phileena Heuertz, the International Director of Word Made Flesh, an organization that combines global care for the poor and “the least of these” with living in intentional, neo-monastic community. Phileena is also a younger leader who is becoming a prominent proponent of contemplative prayer and spirituality, which she talks about on the program as well.

Claiborne says that Word Made Flesh is “really on the cutting edge of thinking through what it means to be missional in the world that we’re living in, not just seeing missions as a little trip you do in the summer but as something we do with our entire lives.”

I think when people question whether the missional church has become disengaged from the traditional global missions of the past, I want to point them to examples of younger leaders (like Phileena) and newer organizations (such as Word Made Flesh) that are deeply engaged globally in issues of social justice for those affected by human trafficking, poverty, and other tragedies.

What do you think about Campolo and Claiborne doing a TV show on TBN? What is your reaction to the story of Word Made Flesh?