Class Reflection 10

I loved participating in the Jesus prayer. I found myself distracted pretty much the whole time, which was a welcomed reminder of how much I need to come before the Lord in ways like this - to quite my soul and listen for his voice. The prayer is significant for me because I find that when I am merciful with myself -which is not very often - I am merciful with others. I need a constant reminder of God's mercy towards me, and therefore of his mercy towards others. I also found myself thinking about iconography (mentioned in the video) - and how along with meditating on the mercy of the Lord (and how much we need it!), we've also lost other typically eastern practices, like icons. Western Christianity has much to learn from our Eastern brothers and sisters. 

Class Reflection 9

It seems like a common thread in church history is the implementation of greater control by church leaders in response to anything that was unsettling: a move of the Holy Spirit (sometimes legitimate, perhaps sometimes not), division in the church, or the introduction of questionable ideas or practices. Whereas the motivation for such control seems to have been the protection of orthodoxy, it seems like as time went on leadership became more and more rigid and exclusive. For example, the apostolic succession, or the ordination of a bishop by the laying on of hands, developed out of the need for protecting the teachings of the church. However, with this structure came the prohibition of anyone other than the bishop to administer baptism or communion. In sum, it seems like guidelines and correction were needed, but I am left wondering how the church could have also safeguarded against control at the expense of spontaneous worship, the priesthood of all believers, and space created for the move of the Holy Spirit. 

Class Reflection 8

I found myself wondering about the actions taken by the church in reaction to lapsed Christians, alternate canons, and those seeking to join the church for their own benefit (women to get protection in marriage...). It seems like the Church, in order to protect orthodoxy and maintain a purity of the message and its connection to practice, ramped up their control. It seems like it would be the best thing to do. However, it resulted in rigid structures and priestly control, which later in history came to be abused. Was there a better way to protect against heresy, maintain truth, and still do life together in communities that were open and affirmed the giftings of the members? It challenges us to think about the way we do ministry today.

Class Reflection 7

It is so interesting that Christianity in the First Century grew through such a grassroots sort of way. What a contrast to the large scale evangelism of recent centuries, effected through conquest and resulting in nominal Christianity. The implications are huge. We need to think strategically about the methods we use for evangelism, and if we are building authentic relationships or creating nominal converts through cultural conquest. In the first century, it seemed like Christianity spread through networks of people living their lives as merchants, slaves, business women, etc. Do we empower our congregations to be missionaries in their businesses, medical practices, social networks? Mission is both extremely complex and very simple. 

Book Reflection 3: The Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why by Phyllis Tickle

Part 1: The Great Emergence: What is it?

Chapter 1: Rummage Sales: When the Church Cleans Out Its Attic

Tickle cites the Right Reverend Mark Dyer, contending that every five hundred years “the empowered structures of institutionalized Christianity…become an intolerable carapace that must be shattered in order that renewal and new growth may occur.” (p 16) We are currently living in the midst of such a transition, which she likens to a “rummage sale.” She says that there are three consistent results of upheaval of this nature: the emergence of a new, more vital form of Christianity, the “refurbishment” of the formerly dominant expression of Christianity, and the spread of the faith into new geographic and demographic areas.

Chapter 2: Cable of Meaning: The Loss and Discovery of a Common Story

In this chapter, Tickle compares religion to a cable that connects the human social unit to some purpose and/or power greater than itself. The cable has as its components: the shared story (the rubber casing), the common imagination, or worldview (the mesh sleeve), and a three-stranded center cord, spirituality, corporeality, and morality. Inevitably, cultural/social/political changes (water) creeps into the center part of the cable, which leads to the examination of each of the three strands.

Part 2: The Great Emergence: How did it come to be?

Chapter 3: The Great Reformation: A Prequel to Emergence

Tickle uses the Great Reformation as an historical example of the process she described in the former chapters. She demonstrates the political/social/cultural changes that lead to/flow from the question, “Where is the authority?” This question, she states, is common in every re-formation.

Chapter 4: Questions of Re-formation: Darwin, Freud, the Automobile, and the Power of Myth

This same question of authority is asked in events/developments/thoughts of more recent history. Particularly, the work of Darwin, Faraday, Freud and Jung, and Campbell has been the tipping point of a questioning of the identity of the self and reality. Thus, the complimentary questions of the Great Emergence are: “What is the human consciousness and/or the humanness of human?” “What is the relation of all religions to one another?” This is the context of Emerging Christians.

Chapter 5: The Century of Emergence: Einstein, the Automobile, and the Marginalization of Grandma

The 1900s is a century of rapid and innumerable change. Themes that run through the list that Tickle lays out for the reader include the increasingly accepted believe that the only certainty is uncertainty, doubt and an emphasis on what is becoming rather than what is, the increasingly “unnecessary” place of the Church in broader society, and a move towards spirituality and away from religion.

Part 3: The Great Emergence: Where is it going?

Chapter 6: The Gathering Center: And the Many Faces of a Church Emerging

At this point, Tickle focuses the discussion on the Church. At the end of the 1960s, she claims, an assessment of North American Christianity would place congregations within one of four quadrants with the following titles: Liturgicals, Social Justice Christians, Renewalists, and Conservatives. With social and cultural changes, however, the conversation between these quadrants increased significantly, and the lines between them became blurry. A center where all four quadrants overlapped began to emerge – it was a hodgepodge of “things” cherry picked from each quadrant. Groups of people who felt out of place within just one of the quadrants began to meet together independently, thus beginning the house church movement. Finally, the currents surrounding this cherry picked center are these groups: traditionalists, the re-traditioning group, progressive Christians, and the “Hyphenateds.”

Chapter 7: The Way Ahead: Mapping Fault Lines and Fusions

Even within the Emergent Church, there is discussion about where authority lies. Tickle asserts that the Emergent Church is “a self-organizing system of relations, symmetrical or otherwise, between innumerable member-parts that themselves from subsets of relations within their smaller networks…in interlacing levels of complexity.” (p. 152)  Many answer that the Emergent Church is a “conversation.” John Wimber’s idea, similar to network theory is that a “center set” group is clear in their vision and about the work of the Kingdom, while letting people sort themselves out by how close they each wanted to get to the center. Here we see the principle “belong-behave-believe,” instead of “behave-believe-belong.” 

Class Reflection 6

The concept of the Roman household is interesting to me. The fact that it was more like a "network" - families, business partners, tenants, etc. - then it has pretty significant implications for us today. Who are those in our network? Friends, colleagues, family, business partners to name a few.... How do we do life with them? Most Christians, it seems, have friends at work, but they rarely associate with them outside of the office - they spent most of their free time with church friends. However, people in the Early Church "did life" with their entire network. I think this has significant implications for the communities we create today. In other words, we should spend less time doing "churchy" things and more time getting to know our co-workers, neighbors, over a beer at Lucky Baldwins.

Class Reflection 5

I enjoyed class discussion, especially in small groups. In our group, the question of the definition of "sacrament' came up. We looked up the word, and found that it refers to rituals that have their roots in specific teachings and works of Jesus. Some sacraments make perfect sense - like that of baptism and Eucharist. Others are a bit confusing for me. For example: holy unction, or a blessing for the dying. Yes, I think it's meet and right to pray a special prayer over those who are passing on for several reasons. However, Jesus didn't pray a prayer of blessing over the dying - he healed them. What does this mean for us and for ministry?

Reflection on God’s Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local Church by Charles Van Engen

Mission/Witness

Part 1 – Local Churches: God’s Missionary People

Ch. 1 – A New Perspective of the Local Church

In this chapter, Van Engen introduces the purpose of his book. He hopes to call people to a deeper understanding of the close relationship between the concept of mission and the idea of church. He wants to focus the discussion on the missionary nature of the congregation. His thesis is that mission is the way church members live everyday life.

Ch. 2 – The Impact of Modern Ecclesiology on the Local Church

Van Engen asserts that ecclesiology has developed in such a way that the “visible,” or the natural, has become distinct from the “invisible,” or the supernatural. He claims that we must move towards a vision articulated by Bonhoeffer (and others), which holds both parts of the church’s nature together. In other words, the church must live out its missionary nature in the “here and now.” He states: “Only as we join the human and divine aspects of the Church’s nature in a unified perspective ca we possibly arrive at a true understanding of the Church’s mission.” (p 44)

Ch. 3 – The Essence of the Local Church in the Book of Ephesians

Paul’s missionary ecclesiology, which includes the church’s mission in unity and holiness to all people, is foundational.

Ch. 4 – The Essence of the Local Church in Historical Perspective

Historically, the church is one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. These four attributes are both gift and task. They are task in that: The Church is “one” in that it is a unifying force. The Church is  “holy” in that it is a sanctifying force. The Church is “catholic” in that it is a reconciling force. The Church is “apostolic” in that it is a proclaiming force. The Church is “the unifying, sanctifying, reconciling, and proclaiming activity of Jesus Christ in the world.” (p 70)

Ch. 5 – Restating the Missionary Intention of the Local Church

In addition and in relationship to the four attributes mentioned in chapter four, the following are descriptors of the missional church: The church exists for the sake of others. The Chuch identifies with the oppressed. The Church is a sending force – as Jesus sent the apostles, so the Church is sent into the world. The Church proclaims that the Kingdom is near. Finally, the Church yearns for growth in numbers, in holiness, in fellowship, and in discipleship.

Part 2 – Local Churches: A New Vision of God’s Missionary People

Ch. 6 – The Purpose of the Local Church

The missionary Church emerges when its members increasingly participate in the Church’s being-in-the-world in the following ways. The Church will love people. The Church will proclaim that Jesus is Lord and the Kingdom is near. The Church will minister to people in need. In all of this, the Church demonstrates and proclaims the Good News.

Ch. 7 – The Local Church and the Kingdom of God

Missionary congregations are local manifestations of the covenant community of the King, As such, they are ruled by the King, they are the central locus of the rule of the King, and they are an anticipatory sign of the rule of the King. Their mission is to spread the knowledge of the rule of the King. Where the Church is defined in terms of the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom is also defined in terms of Church. The Church points to the rule and reign of the King over the cosmos, and is the unique instrument of the Kingdom in the world. Practically, all of this means that the Church is called to work for justice, to serve in the world, and to preach the whole Gospel of the Kingdom.

Ch. 8 – The Role of the Local Church in the World

The Church’s ministry is received from, guided by, and patterned after the ministry of Jesus. Jesus, and therefore the Church after Him, is prophet, priest, king, healer, and liberator. As prophet, the Church calls for love and justice, challenges, discomforts, and warns. As priest, the Church consoles, comforts, accepts, and forgives. In the “kingly” role, the Church wisely and effectively administers resources. As healer and liberator the Church is a conduit for physical, emotional, and spiritual wholeness and freedom.

Organization/Leadership

Part 3 – Local Churches: Becoming God’s Missionary People

Ch. 9 – Missional Goals in the Local Church

As we become God’s Missionary people, we should keep certain things in mind. We should seek to bridge the gap between the natural and the supernatural, and between theory and practice. We should respond to the systems within our environment and context. We should think strategically and set priorities, goals, and plans.

Ch. 10 – Missionary Members in the Local Church

The “laity” is the “people of God.” Within the laity, there is distinction in gift, function, and ministration, but NOT in holiness, prestige, power, commitment, or activity. The people of God have undergone and are undergoing conversion – conversion to Jesus Christ, to the Church, and to God’s ministry in the world. Leaders are responsible for educating the people and equipping them for ministry outside the walls of the church building. In the biblical view of leadership, clergy are not elevated above others, and their success is based on the degree to which the people become the people of God in the world.

Ch. 11 – Missionary Leaders in the Local Church

Leaders are catalysts who the Spirit uses to mobilize the people of God for mission in the world. There are many types of leaders, and missionary leaders take the role of the servant. A missionary leader should implement a leadership style  appropriate for the context and situation.

Ch. 12 – Missional Administration in the Local Church

Dynamic administration includes understanding the context, articulating the vision, setting appropriate goals and strategies, recruiting, structuring ways train, equip, and support lay leaders, holding leaders accountable, and effective evaluation. Administration focuses the church’s ministry, seeks contextualization, helps avoid manipulation, and facilitates evaluation. Through effective administration, leaders are motivators who integrate leadership and empathy, respect and appreciation, assertiveness and caring, and expression and guidance. 

Reflections on Class, October 7, 2009

It is certainly a challenging word to the church today that mission in the Bible is both sending and living life in such a way that provokes a response from those in your community. It seems like many churches have opted for the "sending" half, as it is easier to write a check for an airline ticket and make salvation bracelets with children you will probably never see again than it is to invite someone into your home and into your lives. I feel like many of us need to hear this word over and over - that God's Mission is that the Kingdom has come/is come here, in our midst, and that we are invited to join in by welcoming the outcast and giving a voice to those who are voiceless. 

Reflections on Class, October 5, 2009

What struck me during this class was the idea that Jesus’ ministry wasn’t geared towards starting a new church, or an organization that was set apart, but rather on a renewal of the thinking and of the actions of those within the existing structure. Today, it is common practice for people to leave a church, small group, or ministry because they are dissatisfied with a particular aspect of the group. They either join a new church/small group/ect., or start their own. I stand guilty of this offense. What if we remained committed to people despite imperfections and the struggle that is relationship? It will take sacrifice, as Jesus modeled, but it seems that the fruit is worth it.

Reflection on Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Times by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger

Nature of Church

Ch. 2: What is the Emerging Church?

What drives the Emerging Church is God’s Mission to reconcile the whole world to Himself, and His call for people to join Him in seeing the Kingdom come. The Kingdom of God, as expressed in Scripture, defines the nature of the Emerging Church. They are particularly interested in what it means to be a community of Christ-followers in Western postmodern culture. Nine practices in particular flow out of this definition: identity with the life of Jesus, transformation of the secular realm, highly communal living, and from these three things flows welcoming the stranger, generous serving, active and creative participation, consensus leadership, and spiritual living. 

Liturgy/Sacraments

Ch. 8: Participating as Producers

“Worship arises out of a response to the grace of God at work in individual lives, their corporate experience, and the signs that God is actualizing his kingdom both among themselves and in the communities they are called to serve” (p. 172). Worship, for the Emerging Church, implies an active response to God’s grace. God is both the audience and participant in worship, and the community responds in praise and thanksgiving in forms varying from ancient liturgy to spontaneous contemporary forms. Where modern worship has adopted secular consumerism, Emerging churches seek to move towards a model where everyone participates creatively in ways that are unique to the way God has created them.

Ch. 11: Merging Ancient and Contemporary Spiritualities

Spiritual expression during worship gatherings is eclectic, drawing from a mixed bag of worship practices. Gatherings often embrace ancient liturgies, draw from monastic spirituality, place the Eucharist at the focal point, and integrate both tradition and contemporary culture. Ancient traditions and practices are chosen not simply because they are old, but because of the way they integrate body and spirit in worship. Flexibility and a value for worship that is indigenous also marks corporate worship and safeguards communities from being locked into a particular format.

Community/Service

Ch. 5: Living as Community

For the Emerging Church, the community is the church, and they see their role as participating in preparing the way for the Kingdom to come. Corporate life, they believe, should reflect the practices of Kingdom living exemplified in the life of Jesus. The church is therefore a family, not an institution, and a community rather than a meeting. Relationships are marked by mutual accountability and are fueled by God’s Mission. Their nature necessitates meeting in small groups and often reflect liquid qualities (they function as networked communities). Emerging churches thus create community that creates space for the Kingdom of God to enter in.

Mission/Witness

Ch. 6: Welcoming the Stranger

Emerging churches are orthodox in their beliefs, and affirm the uniqueness of Christ, and in that seek to welcome those who are different in their midst, as Jesus did. Hospitality is not a “Christian extra” but a central practice of Christ-followers. Welcoming the stranger takes several different forms. It means creating space that is “safe” for the pre-Christian. It means a willingness to welcome those who are different. It means embracing a position of humility in interfaith dialogue. It means apologetics through actions, not words. Finally, it means allowing the Holy Spirit to set the agenda. The Emerging Church’s view of mission is that it is not primarily verbally communicated, but demonstrated through radical generosity and authentic friendships.

Organization/Leadership

Ch. 10: Leading as a Body

The Emerging Church tends to embrace a consensus and team-based model for leadership. Leaders should model the servanthood of Jesus facilitate ministry. Such a leadership style calls for a relational approach that creates space for individuals in a community to realize their full potential as vital members of the Body of Christ. Leadership, therefore, is based not on willingness, but on gifting.