Fishing nets or safety nets. Need to start outside the church culture.
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Transcript of Fishing nets or safety nets. Need to start outside the church culture.
Fishing nets or safety nets
Need to start outside the church culture
What are the differences in life between 1950 and 2010?
Going out Coming In.Going out Coming In.Christendom SpiritualityChristendom SpiritualityAuthority AuthenticityAuthority AuthenticityConforming ChoosingConforming ChoosingCommunity Self referenceCommunity Self referenceSunday Time ChaosSunday Time ChaosOrganisations NetworksOrganisations Networks
Changing culture‘‘What is taking place is not merely theWhat is taking place is not merely the
continued decline of organised continued decline of organised Christianity but the death of the cultureChristianity but the death of the culture
which formerly conferred Christian which formerly conferred Christian identity upon the British peopleidentity upon the British people
as a whole.’as a whole.’
Callum BrowneCallum BrowneDeath of Christian BritainDeath of Christian Britain
“ “ create a linguistic community create a linguistic community which speaks to itself but gives up which speaks to itself but gives up responsibility to put the gospel in aresponsibility to put the gospel in alanguage which is understood by language which is understood by
the whole of society.”the whole of society.”
Five implications for the church
in Australia
A decline in religious affiliation
Christian
1947 88% 2006 64%
No religion
1947 0.4% 2006 19%
NCLS
A decline in Church Attendance
1960 41% attend at least monthly
1980 25%
2000 20%
NCLS
“ “ this majority (66%) presents a major this majority (66%) presents a major challenge to churches. Most of them are challenge to churches. Most of them are
unreceptive and closed unreceptive and closed to attending church; churchgoing isto attending church; churchgoing is
simply not on their agenda.”simply not on their agenda.”
“ “ this research helps us to understand this research helps us to understand that the further people are from church,that the further people are from church,(in terms of churchgoing) the less likely (in terms of churchgoing) the less likely
they are to attend in the future.they are to attend in the future.Mission opportunities are very differentMission opportunities are very different
when to step over the church when to step over the church threshold is an unknown experience…..”threshold is an unknown experience…..”
The absence of the younger generation
The average age of a churchgoer is 5353
Typical churchgoer is 40+, female, with a Universitydegree, in first marriage,employed or retired. NCLS
The rising influence of spirituality
“ The world today is as furiously religious as it ever was and in some places more so than ever.”
Rise in Wiccas from 1996-2001in Australia was 373%.
Are People Searching and why?
► 73% of people are searching
► 70% of people are searching because of either the credit crunch, concern about personal finances or job insecurity
Changes in the church culture
Increased openness to new initiatives
NCLS
“ we understood mission oneway and organised life to accomplish it. We have awakened to find out the mission moved on us. To keep focusing on mission, wehave to turn the furniturearound and face a differentdirection. We may even have to move into another room.”
Loren Mead. The Once and Future Church
7 principles for remodelling church
Public worship probably isn’tthe best starting point
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Prayer and Support
Connection
Listening and Following God’s call
Loving Service
Evangelism andDisciple- Making
Forming Community
EvolvingWorship
“ The foundation of being Christianis being community centred around
Jesus. Public worship is the consequence of this reality, not
its creator.”
George Lings
There is no return address
2
Ends of the EarthSamaria
Judea
Half the picture
Jerusalem
The ends of the earth
Samaria
The eccentric effects…
Judea
The centre and the Acts story shift Samaria is not a return ticketstory moves from a focus on Peter to Paulthe Church goes west church is done differently among Gentiles
“ cultural diversity was built intochurch for ever when so early in the
church’s life the decision wastaken to abandon the
Jewish proselytite model.”
Andrew Walls
Mission not modelsshape the church
3
‘‘The reality is that mainstream The reality is that mainstream culture no longer brings people culture no longer brings people to the church door. We can no to the church door. We can no
longer longer assume that we can assume that we can
automatically automatically reproduce ourselves, because reproduce ourselves, because the pool of people who regard the pool of people who regard
church aschurch asrelevant or important is relevant or important is
decreasing decreasing with every generation’with every generation’
Mission shaped church report p11Mission shaped church report p11
“ it is not the church of God which has a mission
but the God of mission who has a church.”
Tim Dearborn
This might change US
4
Dying to liveDying to live
“ “ I tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheatI tell you the truth, unless a grain of wheatfalls to the ground and dies, it remains onlyfalls to the ground and dies, it remains only
a single seed. But if it dies, it producesa single seed. But if it dies, it producesmany seeds.”many seeds.”
John 12; 23-6John 12; 23-6
TOGETHER TO GOD’S FUTURE
• ‘…do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, beautiful as that place may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have been before.’
• Vincent Donovan
“Safe, who said anything aboutbeing safe. Course he isn’t
safe. But he is good. He’s the King I tell you.”
Welcome the three eccentrics
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The 3 eccentrics • Who are the Philips?
– A Dangerous Deacon? – Allow space for the unknowns
• Discover Cornelius– who evangelizes who
• Pray for Pauls– Eccentrics will do it differently
The challenge of discipleship
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•Simple in its natureSimple in its nature
•Relational in its emphasisRelational in its emphasis
•Transformational in its outcomesTransformational in its outcomes
The Pattern of Jesus Life7
•IncarnationIncarnation
•Cross Cross
•ResurrectionResurrection
•Which of these principles do you find most helpful? Why?
•Which of these principles do you find least helpful? Why?
•Any questions/comments.
http://davemale.typepad.com/churchunplugged/