Church forChurch forthe 21the 21stst Century Century

•ImaginingImagining

•EvaluatingEvaluating

•NurturingNurturing

Imagination

“ “ ImaginationImagination is more important than is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited.”knowledge, knowledge is limited.”

Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein

•theological- missio Deo

•contextual mission

“listen to the space opened up by Jesus Christ.”

Rowan Williams

•theological- missio Deo

•contextual mission

“We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking

we used when we created them.”

Albert Einstein

Listening•to God•to your locality•to the team•to other people/ churches

“Creativity is no more than looking at the same thing as everyone else

and thinking something different.”

Albert Szent-Gyorgi

Three pieces of adviceabout imagination

1.Forget everything you know

2.Remember everything you know

3.Re-arrange everything you know

DD X VV X RR x F F > PCPC

Modal & sodality

Lakes and rivers

Ralph Winter. Two structures of Gods Redemptive Mission

Questions for discussion?

• What is feeding my imagination?

•How am I Listening ?

•Any questions

EvaluateEvaluate

•Who is the mission for?

•Who is the mission by?

•Who is the mission with?

WHO IS THE MISSION FOR ?

•unchurched/dechurched•neighbourhood/network•cultural context•progression/pioneering

Vision- what are we called to do

Values- what is held in high esteem, prized, of worth

Mission Focus

By knowing and loving God By knowing and loving God and each other,and each other,

we seek to enable non churched peoplewe seek to enable non churched peopleto develop a real and relevant relationshipto develop a real and relevant relationship

with Jesus.with Jesus.

God centredGod centredAnchored in scriptureAnchored in scripture

Authentic relationshipsAuthentic relationships Focused on Focused on unchurchedunchurched

Relevant faithRelevant faithDeveloping DiscipleshipDeveloping Discipleship

Open to changeOpen to change

Listen

GET VISIONSHARE

VISION

Define

DiscernConfirm

Own

Cast

From God to the world

GETTING & SHARING VISION

VISION EMERGES FROM...

VISION

Danger of 3 primary obstacles for visionDanger of 3 primary obstacles for vision

•successsuccess•failurefailure

•everything in betweeneverything in between

Andy Stanley; Making Vision Stick

•Clarity

•Movement

•Alignment

•Elimination

Simple Church. Thom Rainer

You are responsible for this!!

• Repeat it regularly- vision leaks

• Celebrate it at every opportunity

• Embrace it personally

• Be careful of the new

• Listen carefully to requests, stories & complaints

YOU CAN’T PREDICT THE OUTCOME

• DETAILED PLANNING WILL BE LESS DETAILED PLANNING WILL BE LESS EFFECTIVEEFFECTIVE

• MORE A MATTER OF DISCERNMENTMORE A MATTER OF DISCERNMENT• SEE WHAT GOD GROWSSEE WHAT GOD GROWS

– New members?New members?– A cell?A cell?– A project?A project?– A church?A church?

Questions for discussion

•Who is your mission for?

•Do you have definable vision & values?

•Any questions

NurtureNurture

“ What is our product ?”

  Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Disciple makingDisciple making

•Going •Baptizing•Teaching

“ faithfulness is defined more to a close walk with the Master than by membershipof any organisation.”

John Drane, After McDonaldization

“ transformational communities for the wider community, rather than existing purely

for themselves or being inculturated intoan (for them) alien church culture.”

Graham Cray.

•living in Christ

•living out Christ

•becoming Christ like

I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.

Discipleship

•whole of life•relational

•learning and nurture•communal

•intentional and accidental•making more disciples

•transforming work of the Kingdom

Long term issues

•resources•leadership

•mission•community

•autonomy and accountability

Questions for discussion •How and where is discipleship

happening?

•What makes discipleship difficultin your situation?

•Any questions