Thursday, February 03, 2011

The problem with culture

So Saturday seemed to be spent grappling with the problems of culture. More specifically where the church sits within modern culture and how the church speaks into modern culture. Acknowledging that we now live within post-Christendom the latter is increasingly hard to do. The church is no longer an influence on many peoples life. As a minister I suppose that I should grieve for that day but to be honest I don't. In fact waking up to that fact I believe can liberate the church or more importantly set faith free.

This is not an issue of theology of ecclesiology but one of faith. We as Christians I believe are charged with making disciples. Encouraging others to share a journey that is walked with Jesus. Studying his life trying to understand how God wants us to live alongside one another. Understanding that God wants to have a relationship with us.

So much of what we do in the church has nothing to do with this, yes some of the other stuff we do is important and I guess the statement I have made above is not all encompassing but it is a starting point it gets us to the heart of what matters.

Sadly, the church seems to have exalted itself above Christ, it has fallen into the trap of thinking that it is the church that is important, not the faith it gathers to proclaim. If we can get back to sharing faith and not maintaining institution, if church can once again be the place where we give praise and thanks to God, feel encouraged and equipped and challenged as to how we should serve and share our faith, then surely we will then be more authentic towards our own faith and be better placed to share it in the culture that we all are, after all, part of. Or as Paul puts it:

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

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posted by Stuart @ Thursday, February 03, 2011 4 comments

Friday, January 28, 2011

Failing Forward

I started the Mission Shaped Ministry course last Tuesday. They encouraged us to keep a journal. Many have gone before them and encouraged me to do that and they didn't succeed. Perhaps I'm mellowing. perhaps I've run out of the energy to argue, perhaps I'm just putting off that which I really need to be doing who knows? Regardless of the reason here I am, my attempt at recording my thoughts.

It is two hours before the church weekend at home, we are looking at mission, how it has changed in a post modern, post Christendom society, what should the response of the church be? Perhaps I'm in the wrong place, my glass is half empty. I just can't help shake the feeling. What is the point, why go through the motions, what will change as a result of our efforts. People will still argue over chairs, flowers, coffee and the myriad of other tiny insignificant details and fail to argue or debate the challenge the gospel presents. Mission will still be how much we should give to Christian Aid or the church on the council estate down the road.

The MSM course on Tuesday encouraged us to be prepared to fail. Fail but fail forward for failing forward means we learn from our experience we grow, we carry on trying new initiatives because of our past experiences and not despite of them.

So I'll go tonight, I'll offer my presentation I'll argue in favour of the large body of evidence and hope that by Sunday lunch time God may just have challenged some people to think and act a little differently. At least if I fail I will have done going forward!

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posted by Stuart @ Friday, January 28, 2011 0 comments

 

STOP THE TRAFFIK