Christian Community

Thanks to Wiggy and Julie for your recent comments. I do - increasingly - believe that was is desperately needed in our churches is a new sense of community. We need a body of Christ who actually like each other and want to spend time together, and I agree that the community life of the other faiths around us puts us to shame!

I loved Wiggy's idea of upending the church and tipping us all out into the community (where we should be), so that we can find new ways of coming together rather than trying to discover new ways of doing mission.

There was a report in the Guardian last Saturday about why people go to the gym. And a study has suggested they do it because they find community there. When even the local gym is offering a better sense of community than the church, we really have got it very wrong indeed.

Left Behind

A complete set of the 'Left Behind' novels suddenly appeared on the church bookshelf. I have quietly removed them (not because I want to control what people read in their own homes, but because their presence on a church bookshelf indicates our - and my - condoning of the contents) and I'm waiting for someone to claim them. (Although leaving them there might have been the best way to be sure no one would read them!)

I did read the first one in the series - a couple of years ago - to see what all the fuss was about. I concluded that the God portrayed therein bears little relation to the God I worship. But just because Tim La Haye quotes the Bible, people believe what he writes!

I might now read the rest and let you know how I feel about them.

Viv Lassetter (of the BUGB) made this comment in the Baptist Ministers' Journal (July 2002):

"In his 'Left Behind' series La Haye is so sure, so uncompromising. The good are godly and go to be with the Lord, the bad are wicked and will go to hell to be tortured forever. What are Christians in our congregations reading? Who or what is influencing them? ..."

Consumer Christianity: or what do I want from a church?

John Smulo (http://johnsmulo.com/) has written a challenging post on Consumer Christianity, and there are loads of interesting comments. Thanks, mate.

In response, I am increasingly of the opinion that by looking for (or by providing) great worship music, comfortable seating, a good children's programme, etc., we have lost touch with what being the church is all about. We need to find new ways of connecting faith with our children than simply 'doing Sunday School better. We need to find better ways of worshipping God than just singing the latest Matt Redman (or whoever's trendy now) songs. We need to rediscover a way of being church than takes us out of our comfort zones, pushes us beyond the four walls of our institutions, and takes the Good News to the not-yet-believers in our communities. I don't know how we do it - but I might try to think of what I might be looking for in a new church myself (or what I might be aspiring for my current church to be like). Watch this space!

Jesus' (step-)grandfather?

Luke 3 vv 23-24: Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli. Heli was the son of Matthat. Matthat was the son of Levi. Levi was the son of Melki. Melki was the son of Jannai. Jannai was the son of Joseph.

While preparing for a carol service this coming Sunday, I was looking at Jesus' 'family tree', and noticed the name of Heli. Heli was the father of Joseph, and presumably prepared the way for Jesus himself by passing on the story of faith to his children. Heli is as important in this genealogy as king David!

Perhaps it's more important simply to pass on what we know about God than it is to do something impressive. If Heli had not passed on his faith to his son, Joseph would not have had the faith to trust that God was doing something new and wonderful. And if we do not pass on our faith, our Christian family tree will die with us …

Those of us in the established churches who look for something new to emerge could do worse than take Heli as a model and example ... or Matthat, or Levi, or Melki, or Jannai ...

Advent Blog

I’ve been invited to contribute to this Advent ‘group blog’
(http://hopefulimagination.blogspot.com),
and will be doing so (indirectly) on 19th and 21st December.

I’d be doing it directly if I could get Blogger to do what I’m reliably informed I should be able to get it to do!

Anyway. Check it out!

Blog Silence

Sorry about the blog silence! I've been trying to get nativity and carol services prepared. Normal service should be resumed shortly!

Tough God Questions

Some really tough God Questions from http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/

• Why do kids suffer?
• Why did God invent cancer?
• What about Buhddists, they seem ok to me?
• Why do you priests fiddle with kids?
• Does God have an ego problem?
• Why do Christians fight each other?
• Would God forgive Hitler?
• What about all the killing in the Old Testament?
• In the same sense that a heroin addict only has an illusion of choice over taking some heroin that is in front of him, does a child born to Fundamentalist Muslims in Saudi Arabia ever really have a choice to follow Jesus?
• If we really have free will, how come it's impossible for us to choose to not sin at all tomorrow?
• If a devout Christian gets true amnesia and forgets who they are and stop being a Christian, then was he ever saved? And which begs the question of, if our soul is clearly not attached to memory, for memory is an aspect of the brain, what knowledge will we take to Heaven?
• Does a Christian still go to heaven if he/she commits suicide?
• If a Christian converts to another religion, are they still saved?
• What happened to people before Jesus? Did they all go to hell? If not, where did they go?
• Did God create life in the universe outside of earth (i.e. aliens)?
• Who made God?
• Why does God chose to condem some people to hell?
• When Jesus died for your sins, so that your sins were removed, when you backslid away from God, did Jesus "undie" for your sins?
  

Any Answers?

The Annunciation

Another great post. This one’s from http://www.sanctus1.co.uk/blog/:

"In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"Sorry, you lost me at the 'highly favoured' bit," Mary said.The angel repeated, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"No hold on," said Mary. "What happens first? I get pregnant. Then what?"

"You are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High--"

Mary replied, "You haven't got this in the Message version, have you? That's all a bit NIV to me, and that's so seventies, it's wack."

"Okay then," frowned Gabriel. "Ahem... Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob's house forever — no end, ever, to his kingdom."

"Nah, I prefered the first one."

"Oh shut up and wear something blue, we need you to pose for a luminous statuette."

(Luke, chapter1)"

Time to ‘come out’: I am not straight!

Great post from http://hopefulamphibian.blogs.com/:


"… it is time for all Christians to cease to refer to themselves as 'straight'.

Why?

Because to describe oneself as straight, in light of the dominant discourse of our culture and the history of the use of that term, carries with it the implication that 'I am normal' (whereas others are not), 'I am sorted' (whereas others are not), 'I have got it right'.

And I'm not, no I'm not, and I haven't.

I am not straight. Nor, I would suggest, is any Christian I know.

My sexuality has a brokenness to it, a part of that going back to childhood, a lot of that discovered or accumulated along the way. My sexuality contains veins of selfishness, of wilfulness, of the capacity to hurt another. When I bring my sexuality out of the dark and into the light of God's presence these things become apparent, alongside the capacity to give and receive delight, to make love... And by the grace of God, who is transforming me into the likeness of Christ, I am (being) made a new creation (sanctified).

Not straight. Broken - but being restored - like all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

That has to be the starting place for any discussion. I will not claim to possess a superior sexuality to any of my brothers or sisters - I will not speak with them under the illusion that they are broken and I am not. And I will trust that the Lord can heal and transform them as he is healing and transforming me.

Now the difficult part - because what I am about to say may sound as though it contradicts all that has gone before. Believe me, I hope and pray that it doesn't.

I believe that to hear the word of God, the safest and best place to stand is within scripture (with all the care for context and literary form and openness to the Holy Spirit which must accompany that).

And as I do so, I have to say that boundaries are set for my sexuality - I do not have unlimited freedom in its expression. There are boundaries which all of us, without exception, with all the varying degrees of fluidity in our sexuality, find difficult at different times and in different ways. (Maybe not now, but in the past or in the future.)

And one of those boundaries is this - and there seems to be no way around this - that the given place for sexual expression at its fullest is within a lifelong marriage partnership between a man and a woman.

But I think that those who share this viewpoint should cease to pretend that any of us find this easy. (Such pretence has caused untold damage in the church.) If none of us are straight, if all of us are broken, then how could we?

To pretend otherwise is not only to do an injustice to my brothers and sisters who discover within themselves a sexual desire for the same sex, it is to do an injustice to those who never have (and maybe never will) discover a marriage partner, to those whose wife or husband is unable to have full sexual relations due to illness or disability, to the bereaved aching for the touch of their beloved, to the teenager whose sexual desire seems to consume their every waking thought, to the abused for whom sexual contact reawakens nightmares, to those called by the Lord to serve him in ways that actively prevent any hope of marriage - and to many others besides.

So, no pretence that this is easy, no pretence that this is something with which we can live without the help and support of the body of Christ, no pretence that any of us are straight.

Connecting the Christian Faith with Children

From 1st January 2007 I will be spending three days a month on a research project for the Yokshire Baptist Association and the Baptist Union of Great Britain: Connecting the Christian Faith with Children. (Many thanks to the people of Trinity Church, Rawdon, who are willing to second me to the YBA for that time.)

The whole subject fascinates me. I'm not sure we often do a very good job at connecting with the children in our churches. I'm looking forward to some sustained thinking about how we can improve. But here are some initial thoughts ...

The whole culture of our churches - even the layout of seats/pews and lectern/pulpit - suggests that the primary activity of worship is listening and learning. The fact that we send our children out to Sunday School 'classes' with others their age reinforces that. But is learning really what worship is all about? Perhaps we should be doing other things in church? If so, what? Perhaps the children's parents could be encouraged to do the 'teaching about God' stuff?

What about visitors to our churches? In what other walk of life would it be considered 'welcoming' to separate the children from the parents and send them off with a total stranger for the duration of the service (even if the 'stranger' has been CRB-checked)?

In a society where families increasingly see very little of each other during the week, does the church not have a responsibility to be providing oportunities for families to worship together.

Let me know what you think. I'll keep blogging my thoughts as I get them (although I don't officially start thinking until 2007)!

What's my theological worldview?

Thanks to http://hopefulamphibian.blogs.com/ I took this theological worldview quiz (http://quizfarm.com/test.php?q_id=43870). I've taken it before, and I note that I'm now slightly less fundamentalist than I was. But I'm still worried by that 4%.

Here's my profile (not sure I agree with it all, though) ...

You scored as Emergent/Postmodern.

You are Emergent/Postmodern in your theology. You feel alienated from older forms of church, you don't think they connect to modern culture very well. No one knows the whole truth about God, and we have much to learn from each other, and so learning takes place in dialogue. Evangelism should take place in relationships rather than through crusades and altar-calls. People are interested in spirituality and want to ask questions, so the church should help them to do this.

Emergent/Postmodern ... 96%
Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan ... 79%
Neo orthodox ... 79%
Roman Catholic ... 50%
Modern Liberal ... 36%
Charismatic/Pentecostal ... 32%
Classical Liberal ... 29%
Reformed Evangelical ... 14%
Fundamentalist ... 4%

I got an e-mail today from Julie, asking if I think an evangelical can be a universalist (could someone be an evangelical Christian and also believe that one day all people will be saved?), along with a link to an article on the generous orthodoxy website: http://www.generousorthodoxy.net/thinktank/2006/11/gregory_macdona.html

I sent her back this quotation (below) which has given me much cause to think. Go figure …

"To believe in God is to believe in the salvation of the world. The paradox of our time is that those who believe in God do not believe in the salvation of the world, and those who believe in the future of the world do not believe in God.
"Christians belive in 'the end of the world,' they expect the final catastrophe, the punishment of others.
"Atheists in their turn ... refuse to believe in God because Christians believe in Him and take no interest in the world ...
"Which is the more culpable ignorance?
"I often say to myself that, in our religion, God must feel very much alone: for is there anyone besides God who believes in the salvation of the world? God seeks among us sons and daughters who resemble Him enough, who love the world enough so that He could send them into the world to save it."
- Louis Every, In the Christian Spirit (Image, 1975)

Authentic Christianity

Heathrow check-in worker Nadia Eweida has lost her appeal against British Airways. She wants to wear a cross outside her uniform as an expression of her faith; her bosses object.

So what is all this about? Can wearing a cross (brooch? necklace? badge?) seriously be considered an authentic expression of the Christian faith? When was it that Christ's followers began wearing tiny model instruments of torture around their necks? Where was it commanded by our Lord?

I've just found a great quote on the subject by Austen Ivereigh, a Catholic writer and journalist: "There are a lot of ways to demonstrate your faith. The true Christian witness is the love you show people that makes people wonder where you got that from, and you can tell them. A crucifix has become a fashion item worn by rap artists."

Absolutely!! Surely, a person's lifestyle marks them as a Christian, not the jewellery they wear?

Towards a Greener Church

Andy Goodliffe's church have been discussing ways in which they can help the church take more responsibility for the ways in which they use energy and dispose of waste. They came up with 10 initial proposals for the church:

1. The church to work towards becoming an eco-congregation

2. The church to explore spray-on double glazing for windows of church buildings as a form of insulation. I didn't know about this, but apparently its fairly cheap and sounds useful for churches where its difficult to double-glaze.

3. The church to organise a list of those people within the congregation who grow their food. The idea here is can find ways of encouraging more people to grow food in their gardens and share it among the congregation.

4. The church to ensure that all light bulbs where possible are low-energy.

5. The church to recycle all paper it produces and has recycling bins in the church office and the main church building. This to include plastic bottles (i.e. milk bottles) and any cardboard packaging.

6. The church to encourage small groups to be collection points for those who are unable to recycle their waste – cardboard packaging, paper, plastic bottles, glass, tins/cans, etc.

7. The church to produce meeting agendas on A5 paper where possible. Often there is no need to waste a whole A4 page.

8. The church to encourage Twinklers (their church toddler group) to only use bio-degradable emergency nappies.

9. The church to have a ‘Green’ tip of the week in the weekly notices.

10. The church to only use recycled toilet roll and environmentally friendly cleaning products (e.g. the Ecover range).

Thomas' Parents' Consultation Evening

Claire, Thomas and I went up to his school this evening for his first Year 3 Parents' Consultation Evening. He seems to be doing very well indeed, and his teacher has entered his name on the 'Gifted and Talented' register for ... R.E.! It must run in the family (or not, as the case may be)! Well done, Thomas.

Ecological Responsibilities

Steph said:

"Hi Marcus, I am enjoying reading your posts and the debates around the various issues. When you say 'ecological responsibilities' do you mean our individual responsibilities for not buying apples with more air miles than Richard Branson when there are gorgeous UK apples? Or driving when we could walk? Going to Mozzers [Morrisons Supermarket] instead of using the local shops selling local produce? Not boiling more water than we need? Using a water butt? Composting? OR do you mean the 'church' ensuring it's energy efficient, not serving food that 'unsound' at functions, recycling? Or all of the above?"

The answer is, of course, "All of the above." Not sure how we do it, though! Or how we persuade others to do it. One problem is that, for those on low wages, using local shops rather than the 'cheap' supermarkets is just not an option. (And those £4.00 jeans from Asda are a bargain compared to the £200.00 pair I was given (I had to make it clear I DID NOT pay that much myself) in Los Angeles.) How can we prevent ecological responsibility becoming just the preserve of the rich?

Advent Card

I think we'll use this image on the Christmas cards we deliver to the area. Thanks Ben (http://benbell.typepad.com/benbell/2006/11/advent.html).

Trinity Church's website is here. (I'm playing with the Html editing stuff!)

A Parable: The Cruise Liner

In reponse to the 'Re-Imagining Church' day last Saturday, one of Trinity's members (Frank Lyden) has written this story:

The Cruise Liner

Once, a long time ago, there was a magnificent cruise liner. Everyone who saw it was impressed by how big, strong and modern it looked. People longed for the chance to board the ship, and were excited when those in charge announced that it was going on a long journey to a new and exciting place, and that anyone who wanted to come on board was welcome.

Thousands upon thousands came, and all were welcomed. There was room for everybody, although there were some difficulties with complaints from certain travellers about noisy neighbours, or people who behaved in ways that they felt were inappropriate. However with a little bit of re-arranging, and the designation of certain parts of the ship as “quiet” or “noisy”, everyone lived in relative comfort, and for the most part were at least civil with each other.

The Captain gathered everybody together and told them that they were all travellers on a long journey. He knew the way to go, had checked the co-ordinates and had set the course. It would take a long time, but so long as the ship did not waiver from that course, everyone would get to their final destination, which he had heard was beyond their wildest dreams.

For a long time the journey went well. The different groups of passengers generally kept apart, doing their own thing in their own way. However once a week they gathered together to have a banquet and a ball. On these occasions popular songs were played, everyone learnt the words and sang along. During the banquet the Captain would stand up and remind everyone of the course he had plotted, and that by sticking to this course they were getting closer every day to their destination.

However, as time went on disagreements began to arise. Some of the travellers from the lower deck tried to introduce some new songs, and even suggested that instead of the ship’s orchestra, they might use their accordion to accompany the singing. This was roundly condemned by the other travellers, who insisted that everyone knew the songs they had always sung, and they were a way of remembering the land they had come from. When the lower deckers realised that they could not win, they asked the Captain if they could take one of the lifeboats and set sail on their own. He agreed, thinking they were troublemakers. They left, setting their own course, but telling the Captain that they hoped to arrive at the same destination.

The journey went well for a while, until one day one of the crew posted as a look out reported that there was a large object ahead, right on the course they were heading on. Everyone gathered to discuss the problem. Several people suggested that the Captain should alter his course to bypass this obstacle, but he insisted that once a course had been set it could not be altered. A number of travellers decided to abandon the ship, taking life rafts, feeling that they could find a different way through the difficulties ahead, and still arrive at the final destination.

At the banquet that night the room was only half full, but the songs were sung, and the Captain read out his usual message, and confirmed that nothing would change.

The following day the obstacle was much closer. Many people, including some of the crew, came to the Captain to ask if there was maybe a different way of achieving their aim. They could see no way of continuing if they carried on in the same way. The Captain accused them of lacking faith in him and the magnificent ship they were travelling in. The travellers looked at the ship, and realised that though it had been just what they needed when they set out, now if they were to complete their journey something very different was necessary. They took some of the best and most useful parts of the ship, those they felt would help them on the journey, and built a new craft. It still had something about it that told you it was a boat, but it looked very different from the cruise liner. So they cast off and began to steer and row their own course, aiming for the final destination that the Captain had told them so much about.

At the banquet the captain was amazed to see just a few travellers left. He could not understand why the others were not there any more. After all, everyone had always enjoyed these banquets, and nothing had changed. So they bravely sang the usual songs, though it was more difficult with hardly any musicians or singers, and the Captain read out the course, and reminded them that once a course is set it must never be changed.

The next morning the obstacle was very close. The remaining travellers spoke to the Captain, and he confirmed his intention to plough straight on. He insisted that the ship had always sailed in this direction, and it had got them this far. He said that if people really believed in the ship they would not doubt the course it had sailed on since it was built. When he had said that a number of travellers decided they would rather take there chance swimming, and jumped overboard.

That night at the banquet the Captain was alone. He sung the songs, and read out the course, and reminded himself that it must never be altered.

The following morning the ship struck the iceberg and the Captain went down with his ship, still holding the wheel firmly on the course he had always followed.

The other travellers reached their destination safely.

Negotiables / Non-Negotiables in Church

I (and 6 others from Trinity) attended a day conference this weekend titled ‘Re-Imagining Church’. Very stimulating indeed. We spent some time asking about negotiables / non-negotiables in church, and there were a variety of opinions and perspectives.

What about a church name? Membership? Evangelism? Prayer? Preaching? Baptism? Communion? A building? Sunday services? Ecological responsibility (that stopped us in our tracks!)? Equality? Scripture? All ages?

Thanks to Jonny Baker (http://jonnybaker.blogs.com/jonnybaker/) for this in a similar vein:

can we imagine...church beyond gathering?
church beyond once a week?
church as always on connectivity to christ and one another?
church where community is the content?
theology and resources of church being open source?
church valuing the wisdom of the crowd rather than the knowledge of the expert?
our church/spirituality being easily found by seekers because we tag it that way?
an ethos of low control and collaboration?
an economy of gift?
church as spaces for creative production and self publishing?
church as providers of resources for spiritual seekers and tourists?

Thanks also to David Fitch (http://www.reclaimingthemission.com/2006/11/warning-list-for-those-who-would-join.html) for this:

TEN THINGS ANYONE WHO JOINS IN A TWENTY FIRST CENTRUY MISSIONAL CHURCH PLANT SHOULD NOT EXPECT
1) Should not expect to regularly come to church for just one hour, get what you need for your own personal growth and development, and your kids’ needs, and then leave til next Sunday … 2) Should not expect that Jesus will fit in with every consumerist capitalist assumption, lifestyle, schedule or accoutrement you may have adopted before coming here. Expect to be freed from a lot of crap you will find out you never needed.
3) Should not expect to be anonymous, unknown or be able to disappear in this church Body. Expect to be known and loved, supported in a glorious journey.
4) Should not expect production style excellence all the time on Sunday worship gatherings. Expect organic, simple and authentic beauty.
5) Should not expect a raucous "light out" youth program that entertains the teenagers, puts on a show that gets the kids "pumped up," all without parental involvement …
6) Should not expect to always "feel good,"or ecstatic on Sunday mornings. Expect that there will ALSO be times of confession, lament, self-examination and just plain silence.
7) Should not expect a lot of sermons that promise you God will prosper you with "the life you've always wanted" if you’ll just believe Him … Expect sustenance for the journey.
8) Should not expect rapid growth whereby we grow this church from 10 to a thousand in three years. Expect slower organic inefficient growth that engages people’s lives where they are at and sees troubled people who would have nothing to do with the gospel marvelously saved.
9) Should not expect all the meetings to happen in a church building. Expect a lot of the gatherings will be in homes, or sites of mission.
10) Should not expect arguments over style of music, color of carpet, or even doctrinal issues … Expect mission to drive the conversation.
OH, AND BY THE WAY: Should not expect that community comes to you! I am sorry but true community in Christ will take some "effort"and a reshuffling of priorities for both you and your kids. .. assuming you are a follower of Christ (this message is not for strangers to the gospel) you must learn that the answer to all those things is to enter into the practices of "being the Body" in Christ, including sitting, eating, sharing and praying together.

Do you know any preachers like this? (It's a great joke!)

Two little boys, aged 8 and 10, were excessively mischievous. They were always getting into trouble and their parents knew all about it. If any mischief occurs in their town, the two boys are probably involved. The boys' mother heard that a preacher in town had been successful in disciplining children, so she asked if he would speak with her boys. The preacher agreed, but he asked to see them individually. So the mother sent the 8 year old first, in the morning, with the older boy to see the preacher in the afternoon.

The preacher, a huge man with a booming voice, sat the younger boy down and asked him sternly, "Do you know where God is, son?" The boy's mouth dropped open, but he made no response, sitting there wide-eyed with his mouth hanging open. So the preacher repeated the question in an even sterner tone, "Where is God?!" Again, the boy made no attempt to answer. The preacher raised his voice even more and shook his finger in the boy's face and bellowed, "Where is God?!"

The boy screamed and bolted from the room, ran directly home and dove into his closet, slamming the door behind him.When his older brother found him in the closet, he asked, "What happened?" The younger brother, gasping for breath, replied, "We are in BIG trouble this time ... (I just LOVE reading the next line again and again) ... GOD is missing, and they think we did it !"

So what makes church church?

I have already argued (below) that we in the established / inherited churches can learn much from the Emerging Church movement about how to be Faithful, Creative, Missional Communities. But I wonder what whether there are certain things about church that are non-negotiable – things that we must be careful not to lose or change no matter how much we contextualise or reach out in mission?

One of the books I read during my sabbatical (John E. Colwell, Promise and Presence: An Exploration of Sacramental Theology) particularly challenged me in this regard. The amazon.co.uk ‘editorial review’ describes John’s book like this:

“A ground-breaking, evangelical sacramentalist approach to the seven sacraments …

Following an introduction that briefly reviews the development of sacramental theology the book begins with an exploration of God’s Triune identity and the implications of this doctrine for the gracious and mediated nature of God’s relatedness with the world …

A central section follows in which a doctrine of the Church and a doctrine of Scripture are expounded in response to this understanding of the gracious and mediated nature of God’s relatedness. Both Church and Scripture are identified as conferring context, definition, and validity on all other sacramental events …

The final section reconsiders the seven Sacraments of the Catholic tradition in the light of an understanding of sacramentality developed in the first two sections of the book. The Sacraments are discussed from a Baptist perspective but with a committed ecumenical intent and an underlying awareness of the contemporary British and North American context within which the Church exists and Scripture is heard.”

I think I’m right in saying that John describes a sacrament as something (an event, ritual, etc.) through which God has promised to be present in a special way. In the second section of the book, he sets out how both the church and God’s Word are ‘sacramental’: certainly I don’t hear any EC groups denying the central place of Scripture. Perhaps more controversially, though, John’s third section deals with the seven ‘traditional’ sacraments: baptism, confirmation, Eucharist (Communion or the Lord’s Supper), penance (or cleansing), healing, ministry and marriage.

If God has promised to be present of at work in and/or through these things, then do they constitute a set of ‘non-negotiables’ for any and all churches? Or has anyone got a different list?

I’d love to know what folk out there think!!

Learning from the Emerging Church

There is much that the inherited, established churches need to learn from the Emerging Church movement. My own analysis has led me to believe that, among other things, we must learn from them how to be faithful, creative, missional communities.

Being faithful …
We must learn to push the boundaries of our church traditions. Much of what we do in church, and many of the ways we do it, are simply one form, one expression of our faith. We have been conditioned by Christian-subcultures which can trace their roots back hundreds and hundreds of years, and there are things that are worth holding on to. But we must begin to discern which elements of our church lives are unneeded clutter, and which are necessary for the faithful continuation of our religious faith. We must ask ourselves to what we will remain faithful. Faithfulness to outdated, centuries old church traditions may well simply keep us locked in the past. But true Christian faithfulness is to the person and way of Jesus Christ. It is true that Jesus continued to go to the synagogue and temple, as did His followers in the early church. But it was Jesus’ whole life that witnessed to the love of His heavenly Father. One hour a week is simply not enough; Christianity is more about a lifestyle than a worship event.

Being creative …
Having said that, worship is important. But we must not use the worship event as an opportunity to slip back into language and ritual that none but the ‘insiders’ understand. The Gospel must be communicated in the language of the contemporary world, not just so that ‘outsiders’ can understand what we are talking about, but so that ‘insiders’ are able to relate their faith to what they face in the world outside of church. Worship should also provide space and opportunities for all people to reconnect with themselves, with other people, and ultimately with God. This is where some of the practices of the ancient church (meditation, silence, etc.) can help us by acting as a corrective to much of our modernist ‘churchy-ness’.

Being missional …
The cenripetal (outward) focus of the emerging church also acts as a corrective to much of the centrifugal (inward) forces in the established church. We tend to focus on ourselves and our needs first, and only secondarily (and if funds allow) do we consider those outside of our four walls. But this preoccupation with ourselves is a denial of the generous nature of the Christian Gospel. Arguably more time, more effort, more finances should be committed to connecting with those who are not yet a part of the church than to anything else, and where our buildings, our worship events and our preoccupations hold us back we must urgently reprioritise.

Being community …
Another corrective offered to us by these new expressions of church is their emphasis on community and relationship. We in the church are too quick to judge others, to fall out, to hold back from genuine openness with one another (the standard Christian response to the question, ‘How are you?’ is ‘Fine’). We must learn to ‘be’ Christian in our whole lives and in all our relationships, rather than ‘go’ to church.

A challenge to leaders …
Of course, for a church to operate in anything like this way will involve a re-imagination of the role of the leadership, from authority figure to facilitator, from controller to mentor. It is perhaps this that will present the greatest challenge of all – to our churches, to our denominations and to our ministers themselves.

But, surely, faithfulness to the Gospel of Christ, along with a passion to communicate it to all those whom God loves, compels us to begin to make a journey of change in all aspects of our Christian lives together. The Gospel is as relevant today as it has always been, and the Gospel remains the same. But the ways in which we communicate God’s love must change if we are to reach as many as possible with the Good News in this current culture and age.

Learning from the Emerging Church: being community

Another corrective offered to the inherited, established churches by the Emerging Church movement is their emphasis on community and relationship. We in the church are too quick to judge others, to fall out, and to hold back from genuine openness with one another.

In 1991, David Bosch wrote these words: “The ‘me’ generation has to be superseded by the ‘us’ generation … Here lies the pertinence of the rediscovery of the church as Body of Christ and of the Christian mission as building a community of those who share a common destiny” (Bosch, Transforming Mission, p.362). Emerging Church groups agree: “Jesus was not a church planter. He created communities that embodied the Torah, that reflected the kingdom of God in their entire way of life. He asked His followers to do the same” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.61). And: “The term church (Greek ekklesia) is more a verb than a noun. It refers to the calling out of a people … The modern church has identified too closely with the centralised temple worship of the Jerusalem church rather than with the household basis of the Pauline model of church … a first- century Christian would have been puzzled by the question. ‘Where do you go to church?’ for church was a network of people to which one belonged. It was not a once- or twice-a-week association but rather a community of continuous interaction …” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.100).

So, those in the emerging church are convinced that church should operate not as institution but as family:
“Families consist of relationships that are not based on choice. Individuals typically do not choose their families and are connected to them whether they like it or not. One does not choose when to be a family member. People are part of a family when they are asleep, when they are at school, or when they are with friends. In addition, people do not even need to like their families. They are with them when the feelings are there or not. Whether a family meets one’s needs is rarely considered.
If a church begins to look like a family, then all its institutional practices will undergo change. Church as family is primarily about relationships. It is not about meetings, events or structures … People are part of [the] kingdom community even if they don’t get their needs met and often whether they feel like it or not” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.97).

Local Ecumenical Partnerships (LEPs) like Trinity Church, Rawdon, have long realised that true Christian community is about respecting and learning from one another, acknowledging the brokenness of our church communities, and seeking reconciliation in diversity. However, despite this undergirding of all they do, many LEPs still have much to learn from the emerging churches in terms of the practice of a community committed in relationship above all else. Because we will most “resemble the kingdom when [we] contain many differing perspectives yet remain committed in relationship” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.122).

Some Definitions

Mission (Christian) broadly means any activity in which Christians are involved for the purpose of world evangelization. But the church’s mission “is a matter of identity before it is ever a matter of activity” (Colwell, ‘Mission as Ontology: a question of theological grammar’, in The Baptist Ministers’ Journal (July 2006), p.10). What we do is not as important as who we are and how we relate to others.

Ecumenism refers to the movement towards unity among Christians, based on the idea that there should be a single Christian Church, a single Christian faith.

The Emerging Church is a diverse movement within Christianity that arose in the late 20th century as a response to the declining influence of Christianity as a cultural force in the West. Proponents of the emerging church embrace the reality of postmodernism and seek to deconstruct and reconstruct Christianity in order to meaningfully engage with Western society which is pre-dominantly post-Christian.

Hope that helps!!

Learning from the Emerging Church: being missional

For many in the emerging churches, their presence, or witness, is much more important than their worship events. They know that “nonchurched people can pick up the gospel from us as we form relationships, as the gospel is a holy virus that is spread from person to person (the most effective means of transmitting anything). We are carriers of Christ. In our very bodies we are carrying the life, death and resurrection of Christ both in and for our world” (Karen Ward (Church of the Apostles, Seattle, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.109). And they claim that, “if we are not bringing justice and transformation to the world, we should ask if we have a right to exist … Our mission defines us more than our worship” (Andrew Jones (Boaz) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.58).

Those in emerging churches have long realised that “some of [our] most cherished church forms may be more a hindrance than a help in regard to creating space for God” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.91), and that “nineteenth-century (or older) forms of church do not communicate clearly to twenty-first-century cultures” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.17). But they believe that worship should not be foreign to their friends. Indeed, they have realised that, often, “witness [can take] the form of overheard praise” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.184). Therefore, the emerging churches seek to include outsiders in their worship and their way of life. They do their best to create safe places where anyone can worship and connect with God, offering sanctuaries and sacred places where healing and reconnection can take place. Some would argue that one of the key missions of today’s church is “to be a playful space, providing the images, the spiritual ‘colored pencils’, and the space for people to make connection between God, themselves, others, and God’s world” (Taylor, The Out of Bounds Church?, p.72).

However, the ‘whole life’ spirituality of emerging churches leads them to more than simply including others in their worship events. They realise that the church’s mission is far more holistic than that. Yes, the “church gathers to praise God, to enjoy fellowship and to receive spiritual sustenance” (Bosch, Transforming Mission, p.386), but then it “disperses to serve God wherever its members are” (Bosch, Transforming Mission, p.386).

So, emerging churches seek to “empower [their] members to engage more effectively in the ministry and mission that God has already entrusted to them in the world” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.142). They encourage members to “serve the world through their vocations rather than through church-administered programs” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.142). They do not “want to pull people away from their life but push them farther into it, [challenging them to consider] if they, through their work, are participating with what God is doing in the world” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.152).

If, in this way, the church becomes a network of Christians who serve the world through their vocations and everyday lives, then the church service / worship event will effectively be de-emphasised as the primary expression of church!

An Apology

Thanks to Rodd, Ross and Anonymous (even though I know who you are) for your comments on the 'Learning from the Emerging Church: being creative' post from last week. It just goes to show that those of us who are ministers in the established church are so fixated with our own context that we can't even talk about anything outside that context without slipping back into 'Christianese' (and I thought I was doing so well)! I apologise. Perhaps terms like 'mission', 'ecumenism', and 'the emerging church' need to be more clearly defined, and I'll try to do that soon(ish).

On the mysticism thing - my understanding is that many in our (postmodern) culture (oops, do I need to define that, too?) are very interested in spirituality indeed, but they are not looking to the Church for answers to their spiritual questions. Rather, they are consulting astrologers, playing with Tarot, doing Bhuddist meditation, etc. I have heard that the Pagan Federation in the UK is now bigger than the Baptist Union of Great Britain! These practices are all, arguably, 'mystical'. Or perhaps it would be better to say they are 'contemplative'.

I agree that some of this stuff (lectio divina, meditation, drumming, chanting) is unfamiliar to us, incomprehensible and even frightening. But they are part of a long-neglected Christian contemplative tradition. I have found that, not only in my personal spiritual life, but also when I use some of these techniques in leading worship, that they are a very powerful way of connecting with God.

But let me know what you think?

Blessing

Lovely prayer of blessing. Thanks Fernando (http://www.fernandogros.com/).

“May God bless you with a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.

May God bless you with holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.

May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.

May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God’s grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.

And the blessing of God the Supreme Majesty and our Creator, Jesus Christ the Incarnate Word who is our brother and Saviour, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate and Guide, be with you and remain with you, this day and forevermore.

AMEN.”

Learning from the Emerging Church: being creative

Christianity is more about a lifestyle than a worship event. I’m not suggesting that worship isn’t important! But we must not use the worship event as an opportunity to slip back into language and ritual that none but the ‘insiders’ understand. The Gospel must be communicated in the language of the contemporary world, not just so that ‘outsiders’ can understand what we are talking about, but so that ‘insiders’ are able to relate their faith to what they face in the world outside of church.

Unfortunately, most forms of (modern) Christian worship demand very little from most of the congregation, reducing people to passivity or to routinised responses. Often, congregations are made to watch in virtual silence because they can’t play the guitar and they can’t preach. These are often the only two gifts that seem to be acceptable as worship. Which seems such a waste.

But congregations of emerging churches are not an audience watching the people at the front as the principal performers. Rather, the entire congregation is actively and creatively engaged in offering worship. They consider that “unless every person makes an effort to use his or her gift, the community is not healthy, and as a result they see participation and involvement as key: “In a consumer culture it’s all too easy for worship to be something else we consume. So … we consciously want to get people involved in worship creation rather than in worship consumption” (Jonny Baker (Grace, London) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.159).

Here’s what some of them do:
- “We pray a lot … do a confession, the Eucharist, and have incense every Sunday. We have a … candle stand for people to use to light candles in prayer after communion” (Debbie Blue (House of Mercy, St. Paul, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, pp.224-5).
- “… communion each week … pray an abbreviated office … silence and antiphons … lectio divina, chanting, a discussion of what they have read, and the reading of Scripture (not necessary teaching)” (A description of worship at Vine and Branches (Lexington, USA), Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.225).
- “We read the book of common prayer together … and we read the Psalms …” (Jason Evans (Matthew’s House, Vista, CA, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.225).
- “… drums start … call everyone together … sing one song … light the Christ candle as a poem is read … congregational drumming …pray … prayer of confession … We listen and pray, and we imagine that Jesus comes. Sometimes the sermon is art … read Scripture through lectio divina … The room is dark, relying on candlelight for the whole service … We gather everyone for communion, the words of institution. We use wine, pass the cup around, and say the Lord’s Prayer together. After a benediction, we bring food in and everyone eats together” (Rebecca Ver Straten McSparran (Tribe, Hollywood, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.225).
- “… soup, bread, wine, an Irish blessing, and a communion prayer” (A description of worship at Thursday PM (Seattle, USA), Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.225)
- “… communion and prayer techniques such as the Jesus prayer and body prayers (prayers through gestures rather than through words)” (A description of worship at Sanctus1 (Manchester), Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.226)
- “We have a stations of the cross service on Good Friday … We use the traditional Catholic liturgy to walk the stations” (Debbie Blue (House of Mercy, St. Paul, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.226)
- “… lectio divina … times of silence … meditate with PowerPoint images” (Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.226)

In these ways, their creative worship provides space and opportunities for all people to reconnect with themselves, with other people, and ultimately with God.

What goes wobble, wobble, nee, naw, nee, naw?

Must have been confusing!

Check out this great news story: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6035821.stm

In the Church but not of it!

Thanks, Maggi, for this:

http://emergingchurch.info/reflection/maggidawn/

You're scratching just where I'm itching!!

Learning from the Emerging Church: being faithful

As we move into a new era the established, inherited churches are facing a number of huge challenges! It is not even slightly far-fetched to suggest that the Christian church in the West has never before faced a context and a missional challenge like that of the early 21st Century. However, we are surrounded by some pioneering practitioners of a new Christianity. They are too often ignored or even maligned by the rest of us. And even they would recognise that they do not have all the answers. But they are asking some of the right questions, questions many of us in the established churches fear to ask. And there is much we can (and must) learn from them if our faith is to continue to be relevant for a new generation.

For a start, we must learn to push the boundaries of our church traditions. Much of what we do in church, and many of the ways we do it, are simply one form, one expression of our faith. We have been conditioned by Christian-subcultures which can trace their roots back hundreds and hundreds of years, and there are things that are worth holding on to. But we must begin to discern which elements of our church lives are unneeded clutter, and which are necessary for the faithful continuation of our religious faith. We must ask ourselves to what we will remain faithful.

Faithfulness to outdated, centuries old church traditions may well simply keep us locked in the past. But true Christian faithfulness is to the person and way of Jesus Christ. It is true that Jesus continued to go to the synagogue and temple, as did His followers in the early church. But it was Jesus’ whole life that witnessed to the love of His heavenly Father. One hour a week is simply not enough; Christianity is more about a lifestyle than a worship event.

Those in the emerging church
“have come to see that it is all about Jesus and not just a methodology. It s not about mission, not about church, but it’s about Jesus and His glory, His life. To know Jesus is not an event, a ritual, a creed or a religion. It is a journey of trust and adventure. [They] don’t believe in any religion anymore – including Christianity – but [they] do believe in following Jesus. [They] no longer need religion with its special buildings, dogmas, programs, clergy, or any other human inventions that displace genuine spirituality. Why do [they] need a name and address to be church? [They’ve] come out of religion and back to God.” (Jonathan Campbell (Seattle, USA) quoted by Gibbs & Bolger, Emerging Churches, p.47)

We in the established church, too, must learn again to be faithful to Jesus, rather than to church structures or traditions. We must recognise (to borrow some words from one of Brian McLaren’s books) that Jesus is the Saviour. Christianity isn’t. The church isn’t. Jesus is.

Specks and Logs

Just read this on the A-Team blog (http://ateam.blogware.com/blog):

“Satan was the original sinner. It was his pride that led him to be cast out of heaven. He thought himself superior and sought to proclaim his own authority. He did not and will never willfully submit to God’s authority. In his refusal to submit to proper authority, Satan is a theological liberal.”

So theological liberals are, by definition, sinners … even Satanic? Seems rather sweeping, as well as a bit strong. (Don’t want to be offensive, but I am offended. And I’m not even sure I want to label myself theologically liberal. Even so, check out the Giant Redwood in your own eye, fundamentalists!)

worship songs

My answers to a questionnaire on Fernando’s blog (http://www.fernandogros.com/):

1. One worship song that has changed your life. Without a doubt, this is ‘And Can It be’ by Charles Wesley. Memories of my early Christian life are dominated by versions of this song with six-part harmony (at least) and the sound of the organ rattling the fixtures. Verse four, in particular, still raises the hairs on the back of my neck and a lump in my throat: ‘My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed Thee.’ Awesome!

2. One worship song that you rarely get tired of playing. ‘Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise’ by Steve McEwan is a ‘modern’ worship song that I think has stood the test of time. I love the words and the music (and it’s one of very few Christian songs that manage to rhyme ‘love’ and ‘above’ without sounding really naff).

3. One worship song you wish had never been written. Can’t remember exactly what it’s called or who it’s by, but I think it went something like: ‘I get so excited, Lord, every time I realise … I’m a gibbon.’ Awful, awful song.

4. Best worship experience you’ve ever had. This summer, on sabbatical at the Bossey Ecumenical Institute in Geneva, worshipping with 42 others from 20 different nationalities, singing simple English children’s choruses (‘cos they were pretty much the only things we all knew) and saying the Lord’s Prayer in a myriad of voices and laguages. Amazing!

5. Worship songs you wish there were more of. I always struggle to find appropriate music for my services, generally ‘cos my sermons don’t fit into the neat categories listed in the index of the worship book. I’d love to see some songs that are more narrative in nature than ‘I love you, Jesus, oooh yeah’, and more too that address contemporary issues without reverting to biblical jargon.

6. Pass it on. Your turn!

Learning from Pentecostal Evangelism in Africa

The African universe is a spiritual universe, one in which supernatural beings play significant roles in the thought and action of the people: a worldview that assumes the effective presence of numberless spirits, and regards all life as one with no clear distinctions between the material and the non-material, the secular and the religious, or even between man and the other beings. And Pentecostal spirituality is popular in Africa because its interpretations of and responses to evil are not discontinuous with these traditional African religious ideas.

In this context, Pentecostal evangelism refers to the conscious attempt to proclaim ‘Christ as Saviour’, trusting the Holy Spirit to convict the hearers of sin and to convince them to accept Christ as their Lord. Personal testimonies are very important in Pentecostal evangelism. And evangelistic crusades often include prayers for the sick and the casting out of demons: affirming the power and credibility of the message.

Thus, the ministries of healing and exorcism are important hallmarks of Pentecostal/charismatic evangelistic activity in Africa. Healing and exorcism take place in the context of what Pentecostals call ‘spiritual warfare’. Satan, demons, principalities and powers are all considered sources of evil in life and in existence. But the Name and Blood of Jesus are powerful instruments for the conquest of such evil.

Like Paul in Athens, our evangelism must be appropriate to the mindset of those with whom we engage. There is certainly a place for signs and wonders accompanying and authenticating the proclamation of the Gospel. Perhaps there's a lot we can learn from African Pentecostals, particularly with regard to their openness to spiritual realities, their acknowledgement of the power of evil, and their conviction that Christ’s power is even greater.

Some Everyday Prayers

A Celtic prayer from the Carmina Gadelica:

I make this bed
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,
In the name of the night we were conceived,
In the name of the night that we were born,
In the name of the day we were baptised,
In the name of each night, each day,
Each angel that is in the heavens.

A prayer by Michael Leunig, cartoonist and writer of prayers in The Age, an Australian daily paper:

We give thanks for the invention of the handle.
Without it there would be many things we couldn’t hold on to.
As for the things we can’t hold on to anyway, let us gracefully accept their ungraspable nature and celebrate all things elusive, fleeting and intangible.
They mystify us and make us receptive to truth and beauty.
We celebrate and give thanks. Amen.

And a prayer (adapted slightly because our bins are green and black, not purple) from the end of John Davies’ article ‘Reading the Everyday’ published in Third Way magazine, but downloadable (free!) from http://urblog.typepad.com/urblog/files/john_davies_3rd_way.pdf. We could even make this one responsive (!):

We give thanks for the wheelie bin
Receptacle of all our rubbish
Carrier-away of our cast-offs, unused goods, undigested foodstuffs, nappies, wrappers, broken electrical items and all the discarded clutter of out cupboards and our lives.
A blessing on those who make it their work to collect these bins together and pour their contents into a waiting lorry, labouring through soaking rain and stinking heat on behalf of the rest of us wasteful citizens.
A blessing on those who wheel out the bins for their forgetful or frail neighbours, and wheel them in again afterwards.
A blessing on those who brighten up their wheelie bins by painting on them pictures of flowers, favourite TV characters or cartoonish self-portraits.
We give thanks for the wheelie bin
Receptacle of all our rubbish
Give us patience with those who use our wheelie bins as playthings: climbing on them, racing down the road in them like plastic chariots, setting them on fire;
Give us strength to push our full and heavy bins to the roadside when we are feeling feeble on bin collection morning;
Keep us clam if in a moment of panic we should think our bin has gone, wheeled away up the road or into oblivion.
Help us to recycle, and bless those who want to help us to recycle more.
Help us to use less packaging, and bless those who want to sell us things with less packaging on them.
Give us grace to care about our waste and the way it affects our city’s space.
We give thanks for the wheelie bin
Receptacle of all our rubbish

Dear Lord …

I’m going to print out this prayer and stick it up over my desk.

Dear Lord,
Thank you for this day.
Hold my hand
and give me courage to carry the cross You have chosen for me.
Let me never complain.
Let me smile and give strength to my family and friends
and to all I come in contact with …
(my daily prayer - betty mcelwee – 1984)

Thanks to http://markjberry.blogs.com/safespace/

Post-Sabbatical Report to Trinity Church

We had a busy day on Sunday, but good fun. Morning service (10.30 a.m.), Church Meeting (4.00 p.m.), Shared Tea (5.00 p.m.), All Age Worship (6.00 p.m.). In the Church Meeting I made a presentation to the church about my recent sabbatical. An edited version of My Post-Sabbatical Report can now be found on the church website: www.trinity-rawdon.org.uk (or see the link on the right hand side of my blog). Look for the section titled "Marcus' Message"!

Negative Energy

This came from

http://www.fatherbob.com.au/father_bob/2006/08/where_do_your_a.html

via

http://mattstone.blogs.com/eclectic_itchings/

Thanks, guys!

Learning from Rural Evangelism in Germany

Rural evangelism is vitally important, and must be kept high in the churches’ list of priorities. It is important biblically, because the journey of the Gospel reached into the cities and the countryside, from Jerusalem to Galilee, and from Galilee to the cities and rural regions of the world. It is important pastorally, because rural Christians and churches are very sensitive to any attitudes that seem to marginalize or devalue them. Rural and urban churches must be held together and seen as equally important if the unity of the church is to continue. And it is important statistically, because, despite the processes of globalisation, a very sizeable proportion of the world’s population is going to remain living in rural settings. In 2003, 12% of the population of Germany lived in rural areas, and that figure is projected to decrease to 9% by 2030 (the equivalent figures for the UK are: 11% decreasing to 8%; for Europe as a whole: 27% decreasing to 20%).

But rural churches and Christians are facing some very real difficulties. The decline of rural congregations, and the closure of rural churches, is a reality we cannot ignore, and forces us to think very creatively about mission in rural settings. For instance, in the rural parish of Altenhagen Germany:
- 2400 church members (53% of the population) in 1953 had decreased to 600 (35% of the population) by 1992;
- a second minister’s position was cancelled due to financial constraints, and one pastor is now responsible for 2 houses, 8 church buildings and 10 cemeteries;
- the church can no longer afford to employ anyone to assist the minister with administrative tasks;
- the number of funerals is now twice the number of baptisms;
- many young families and professionally trained people have moved to the western part of Germany, or to the bigger cities;
- those without any religious affiliation (the ‘Konfessionslose’) are now the largest and fastest growing group in the community.

Rural parts of Germany are no longer the solid, unshakeable foundation of safe church life they once were. On the contrary, rural church life is now under severe pressure, and the rural church cannot take its own survival for granted.

What is needed, therefore, is a new vision for rural life in general, as well as for the rural church. Rural settings present a huge richness in terms of the beauty of nature and close contact with the natural world. Rural settings are also places where many of those who are exhausted by the noise, pace and complexity of urban life like to withdraw for recreation (in the UK context, many ‘professionals’ work in the city but own second homes in the countryside where they reside at weekends). And it is in such rural settings that renewable sources of energy and low-cost marketing strategies for natural (organic?) products can develop. Urban society neglects and bypasses rural development only at the expense of its own survival and quality of life.

And how can the church fit into such a vision? Well, the rural church building is often the only symbol of local identity, the focal point of the community, providing historical memories as well as reminding inhabitants of the balance between life and death. Also, rural life forms an essential component of biblical imagery and language, reminding people of the fundamental dependency of human existence on the rhythms and energies of God’s creation. So, here are some suggestions for ways in which a church presence and active church life could be maintained in a rural setting:

- Church life must be re-organised to address the needs of the urban and semi-urban ‘immigrants’ to rural life (e.g. those with second homes in the countryside) as well as the traditional village inhabitants. Where there are increasing numbers of second-home owner, and the rural population has become migrant or transient, traditional patterns of belonging may no longer be appropriate.

- A physical and personal church presence (i.e. a building and a minister) needs to continue. Our denominations must make the decision to keep a presence in as many villages as possible, even where that decision is costly for the church as a whole. We must avoid any suggestion or impression that the Gospel can only be present and communicated where the money is.

- Church buildings must be maintained and used creatively in the service of the community. Involving secular people, and those not strongly associated with the church, in initiatives to ‘rescue the church-building’ can, in itself, have an evangelistic impact.

- Lay readers/preachers and/or elders (unpaid or on a partial-stipend) must be trained and allowed to perform some essential pastoral functions.

- Rural evangelism should have a focus upon creation spirituality, and a theology of care and protection of the environment.

- Rural settings are those in which the tensions and contradictions of modern life can be highlighted (and where our evangelism should include challenges concerning unsustainable consumption). (What does it mean for our understanding of development and quality of life and nutrition that only farms with hundreds of cows, and huge agricultural business centres, can survive economically; that the animals and their meat are transported 1000s of kilometres to be processed and marketed; that German wool is processed in Asia or Northern Africa, and then returns as cheap clothing for the European market?) Who if not the church is there to listen to the cries of animals and nature violated, and to reflect on unsustainable life-styles?

- Religious orders, Christian communities, and missionary cells could be planted even in those areas where the church has ‘died’ and regular and normal pastoral work have come to an end. (‘Rural Expression’ rather than ‘Urban Expression’?) Even in very remote rural areas, perhaps new forms of Christian service and witness can be developed.

- Perhaps it would be better to have one radiant Christian centre of spiritual life in a vast rural region to which people can travel some distance than to have dozens of slowly dying parishes. (And it is vital that ecumenism remain on the agenda!)

What do you think?

Learning from Evangelism in India

The context of mission in India highlights the needs for a holistic approach to our proclamation, as well as illustrating some of the tensions that exist.

For many Indian Christians, the very term ‘proclamation’ has come to mean speaking out or speaking about faith and belief particularly to those who are not Christians. For others, though, the concept has led to feelings of uneasiness about what that sort of proclamation might look like.

1. The Christian Youth Fellowship (KTP) of the Mizoram Presbyterian Church has as its motto, ‘Saved to Serve’, and they follow four objectives:
- to lead young people in the faith and likeness of Jesus Christ
- to prepare young people to be the instruments of the church
- to fulfil the tasks of the church
- to proclaim the Gospel of Christ.

However as 99% of those who live in Mizoram are already Christians, evangelism is understood in terms of spiritual renewal or revival of those who are already believers, as well as bringing back those who have ‘strayed’ from the church. Open-air preaching is a primary feature of their proclamation, accompanied by music, singing and offering prayers in the homes they visit.

2. The Student Christian Movement of India (SCMI) also engages in evangelistic work, but takes a rather different approach. They are concerned to address some of the issues faced by young people in their society and nation (globalisation, global warming, deforestation, women’s issues, etc.) and invite members of other faiths to gatherings which present a Christian perspective on these issues without propagating Christianity or trying to convert anyone! The meetings do, however, begin with prayer and Bible study, and a small number of young people have begun to attend church as a result of this initiative.

3. Campus Crusade for Christ, based in Bangalore, believe that evangelism is about fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28.19. They focus their efforts on those who are college students because, apart from anything else, they see these youngsters as the greatest source of manpower for spreading the message of the Gospel across the nation. But, in small groups and short, 20 minute presentations (involving games, drama and testimonies) they encourage the non-Christian students to ‘give Jesus a try’ and emphasise a relationship with Christ rather than a ‘conversion to Christianity’. CCC also put together seminars on issues such as HIV/AIDS, or discussions of films such as The Da Vinci Code. In this way they are able to reach 600-700 students each year, of whom 10 or 20% become Christians.

4. The Youth Fellowship of Wilson Garden Methodist Church, also in Bangalore, encourage college students to visit villages on the outskirts of Bangalore to share the Gospel message with the non-Christians there. Interestingly, however, of a group of 20 young people who engage in this ministry, 3 are Hindus! The villagers with whom they have interacted have shown some considerable interest in the message they have shared.

5. The Youth Department of the Karnataka Central Diocese of the Church of South India primarily sees the need for its young people to be encouraged in their spiritual lives, and sees it as important that they meet together with youngsters from other churches in order to be spiritually ‘re-vitalised’. They also encourage the youngsters to visit hospital patients, old people’s homes and orphanages.

Interestingly, the concept of ‘Freedom of Religion’ causes some tension for all these groups (we may not agree with other faiths, but we must defend their right to hold their beliefs)! However, each one of the groups has a strong sense of ‘mission’, although their approaches and contexts are very different: holistic mission, evangelism, and the explicit proclamation of the Gospel are all emphasised (and defended!) by different Christian organisations working among the youth of India.

Unfortunately, in engaging in her study, the researcher who presented a paper on this subject at the Bossey Seminar (see earlier posts) discovered that it is sometimes easier to be polite and respectful to those of other faiths than it is to our fellow Christians. In this context, there is an urgent need for an effective ecumenism, understanding and respecting the contexts and approaches of other Christians as they engage in mission.

Kindness, consideration, thoughtfulness, courtesy and the ability to be non-judgemental must play a vital role as the church considers ‘Mission as Proclamation of the Gospel’ in this new century. After all, there is no single correct approach to mission or evangelism; no one church or tradition is ‘right’. Rather, in order to reach the variety of cultures that exist in all our communities, a variety of strategies are needed. There is a place for explicit evangelistic preaching to non-believers, as well as a need to meet the needs of those in society who are marginalized and suffering. There is a place for engaging in dialogue and debate with members of other faiths, as well as presenting Christian perspectives on issues that affect all people.

This is exactly why an effective ecumenism is vital if credible mission is to take place. Where one church or tradition is seen to be criticising or undermining the mission strategies of another, the Gospel message is discredited and almost certain to be rejected. But where Christians and churches can work together, supplement one another, and respect the diversity of gifts and approaches to mission, a holistic, effective, credible proclamation is possible.

Evangelism in Theological Education (University of Greifswald, Germany)

In 1999, the Federal Synod of Leipzig ‘rediscovered’ Mission and Evangelism as the major purpose of the Christian church, and challenged its congregations to set priorities for Mission & Evangelism on their agenda. They realised the urgency of developing a theology of Evangelism, and of providing practical support for churches (e.g. evangelistic strategies and events). Evangelism must become a permanent dimension of local (open and inviting) churches. “[The church] needs cultural diversity [in order] to tear down the cultural walls which separate unchurched people from the Gospel.”

As a part of this Evangelistic strategy, they are seeking to understand how unchurched people communicate in the postmodern context. They are developing more and deeper contacts with unchurched people, learning to communicate with them. They realise that preaching must no longer be like an academic talk, but more like narrative story-telling. And they are trying to make more use of the Biblical stories (as people don’t know them!).

But Michael Herbst, of the University of Greifswald, in the Eastern part of Germany, has suggested that none of these strategies will be effective unless we deal first with some major problems in the way ministerial students are trained:

- students are trained to be scholars, but they have to act as leaders/managers in their churches;

- students are trained for Christendom, but they have to develop church life in a mission context;

- students are trained to preach and teach for regular attenders, but not for unchurched people;

- students are trained to understand, but not to trust (they must be able to lead a personal spiritual life as academic theologians);

- students are trained to understand and act in a kind of one-man-show.

Michael concludes that evangelism has to become a major part of theological education, and so established, as a part of the university’s Theological Faculty, ‘The Research Institute for Evangelism and Church Development’.

I am probably not qualified to comment on the state of theological education in the UK. It is true, though, that I can identify some of the deficits noted above in my own experience. Much of my reading and study since leaving college has been on emerging church, the post-modern context, etc. (perhaps as an attempt to ‘plug the gaps’).

I am struck again, though, by the many similarities between the East German and the UK contexts. It is imperative that we talk to one another, share experiences and insights, and co-operate across our national boundaries.

Central to Michael Herbst’s convictions is that, in order to engage in meaningful mission we must at the same time re-imagine/re-think the way we do church. I think that is SO important. It is all very well to be more cultural aware when we talk about (and do) mission. But if we are simply inviting not-yet-believers to join us and do the same ‘churchy’ things that we have always done, they will certainly not stay with us. We HAVE to find ways of making our churches attractive and relevant for outsiders, stretching and challenging those who already attend, as well as meeting the spiritual needs of our members.

Do you like Big Bibles?

This got a mention on Sean’s blog (http://seanthebaptist.blogspirit.com/) and made me laugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EobF2TM9Fig&search=Bible

Labyrinth

In the post this morning came a pack of material from the Methodist Church, including a poster advertising a new online labyrinth.

It's not quite finished yet, but you can visit the first few 'stations'. Give it a try ...

www.lostinwonder.org.uk

Learning from Multicultural Ministries (USA)

As a result of globalisation, migrant communities are springing up in every major
city in the world; this is as true of the UK context as anywhere else. And migrant churches are increasingly being established. Growing numbers of urban churches hold their own service on a Sunday morning, and then allow (e.g.) a Nigerian congregation to use their premises later in the day. These ethnic congregations are generally lively and missionary, reaching other members of their own community.

However, segregation is surely not appropriate in the kingdom of God. What is needed, surely, is for the inherited, established churches to find ways of integrating members of other cultures, languages, etc. Initially, this may mean regularly worshipping together with the migrant congregation. But the goal must be the establishment of one church with a diverse membership. That is quite a challenge, and will not necessarily be an easy task. But it is essential for the credibility of our message.

The multicultural church movement in the USA uses three images to speak about different types of church in a multicultural context.

The ‘melting pot’ refers to a traditional attitude that expects outsiders (from diverse cultural backgrounds) to attend American churches and fit in with American ways of worshipping.

Many immigrants are unhappy with such an approach, and are beginning to form their own congregations, and the ‘salad bar’ image refers to these separate, segregated ethnic/racial groupings.

But the multicultural church movement rejects both of these in favour of a third image. The ‘salad bowl’ type of church sensitively mixes a variety of individuals and cultures in a way that respects and values everyone.

The conviction of this movement is that many churches in the USA are declining precisely because, where their communities have become multi-cultural, the churches have not: “… while most of us experience cultural and racial diversity daily, the majority of our churches remain racially and culturally homogenous … Sunday at 11.00 a.m. is still the most segregated hour across America.”

It is evident that, as social patterns change and ethnic populations shift, churches need to be creatively embracing their neighbours. The Office of Evangelism and Racial/Cultural Diversity of the US Presbyterian Church (http://www.pcusa.org/diversity/index.htm) seeks to assist congregations as they welcome all people in a diverse society. And they find a biblical mandate for multi-cultural church:

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2.1),
no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female (Galatians 3.28),
a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56.7b),
a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7.9),
all are one in Christ (Galatians 3.28).
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28.19)."

A (unified) multicultural church will therefore intentionally recognise, celebrate and incorporate a diverse membership in all areas of church life. The congregation will worship using different arts and languages, spiritual practices and theological expressions. The church leaders will ensure that the different cultures and ethnicities who make up the congregation are equally represented on church boards, in committee meetings, in executive positions, and in all aspects of power-sharing. And when the church engages in evangelism, it will ‘provide Good News in a cup that people recognise’ with great sensitivity and respect to their cultural and traditional backgrounds and needs.

Practising Christians

Great Tom Wright quote from Hopeful Amphibian:

"Christian ethics is not a matter of discovering what's going on in the world and getting in tune with it.

It is not a matter of doing things to earn God's favour.

It is not about trying to obey dusty rule-books from long ago or far away.

It is about practising, in the present, the tunes we shall sing in God's new world."