In chapter one, Cole discusses the importance of rooting churches (especially new church plants) in a foundational understanding of who Jesus is and what he says about the Church rather than in a particular church model, style, or approach. I desire to have such a Christ-focused approach in my own plant, for without taking Jesus into account we fail to see the power that the Church has to do the work of his redemption in the world.
Chapter two was not particularly relevant for my final paper, as Cole merely tells his personal church story in this section of the book.
In chapter three, Cole debunks several of the myths that the Western Church has come to believe about itself. Of greatest importance to me is the notion that the Church is an organic movement of growth that is not bound to one location but which should rather be decentralized. This idea runs counter to the modernist trend still found in the Church that suggests remaining entrenched in order to fight against culture and thus survive.
As Cole discusses in chapter four, we must begin with one of the most basic questions when starting any new church plant--"What is church?" I recognize that I must begin my own plant with this question and also that I must be prepared for any answer that God gives me, even if that answer does not follow typical or historical church convention.
In chapter five, Cole begins to flesh out his argument that the church is organic. He does this by looking at the first in a series of three parables in Mark 4. According to Cole, planting seed is the most important step in the process. In other words, in order to finish well we must start well; we must have both good seed and good soil rather than being so concerned with the end result of the harvest. This involves neither delaying the initial steps of the planting process nor rushing headlong into the process in order to reach the end.
In chapter six, Cole examines the second of three parables in Mark 4 and makes the point that we expend too much energy on working hard and making plans (on the growing phase of his analogy) rather than allowing the Spirit to move and take care of the growth. We instead need to focus on the sowing and the harvesting steps. This chapter provided me with a perspective different from most that I have encountered in the church in the past. Such a point of view takes the pressure off of a church planter and moves the focus away from numbers and results.
Cole wraps up his discussion of Mark 4 in chapter seven with his examination of the parable of the mustard seed. He uses this parable to discuss the importance of church planting and growth and how it is vital to start small and multiply disciples who can go out and multiply other disciples (and thus eventually entire church communities).
In chapter eight, Cole breaks the Body of Christ down into its essential elements--what he calls DNA, or Divine truth, Nurturing relationships, and Apostolic mission--and how these elements interact. This chapter raised questions for me regarding what elements or core values need to be essential to any church plant regardless of context. In other words, what elements of the Body of Christ are defined by cultural context and what elements transcend even culture?
In chapter nine, Cole examines the notion that with all of the changes occurring in the Church (e.g. becoming more decentralized, having less order, being more spontaneous), we need to turn to the DNA and to what God wants for the Church rather than to our own attempts to structure it. Cole argues for the formation of an internal structure rather than the sort of external strategy that has been imposed on the Church throughout history. Such an idea affects how I will look at issues such as leadership and decision-making processes within my own future plant.
In chapter ten, Cole calls for the church to care for people, to extend compassion, and to be moved to live a life rooted in compassion just as Christ was. These ideas are relevant for church planting because they cause us to stop and consider what people groups in our communities most need help and the love of Jesus. We we reflect on such a question we are then moved to make conscious choices to act in compassion rather than merely allowing it to be an afterthought to all that we do.
Building upon such an idea, in chapter eleven Cole argues that relational community (the oikos) is the most effective way to do the work of the Kingdom and spread the Gospel.
Next, in chapter twelve, Cole examines the five principles that are crucial in planting reproducing churches: the practice of prayer, pockets of people, power of presence, person of peace, and people of purpose. Both chapter eleven and chapter twelve provide material for me to consider as I am thinking about what elements must be foundational to any church plant.
In chapter thirteen, Cole discusses the value of failure in the church planting process and of not allowing our plans and strategies to drown out the voice of God. The chapter is, in general, about Coles's own stories of failure and thus is not particularly relevant for my paper.
Finally, in chapter fourteen, Cole shares specific stories of people involved in the planting movement. This chapter was not specifically helpful for my final paper.
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Reflections on 11/24 Class
After discussing our small groups' core values at length during today's class, I realized how the value of incarnation is foundational to our lives as Christians yet also manifests itself in a variety of ways depending upon the cultural context in which a church exists. What it means to live like Christ and incarnate the Gospel within the slums of an international city differs drastically from what it looks like to do the same in a church plant located in an affluent neighborhood in Los Angeles, for example. Knowing and understanding the population with whom we desire to work is crucial. And yet, as we have discussed throughout the quarter, we must continue to remain open to the moving of the Spirit, in this case not falling trap to cultural context dictating our every decision within a church plant. Culture is a key aspect of how we live our lives incarnationally, but God is bigger than any cultural context will ever be.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Tom Sine's The New Conspirators
Conversation one of Sine’s work examines the four streams—emerging, missional, mosaic, and monastic—that have surfaced as the significant movements to renew and reimagine the Western Church in recent years. This section of the book provides a succinct description of each of the movements without resorting to absolute definitions or pigeonholing each group into specific categories. Therefore, Sine begins his book with a foundation through which to understand the new directions in which the Western Church is moving and thus which will have an influence on my own future church plant.
Conversation two then examines the impact of globalization, how the world has changed post-9/11, and how it is being influenced by the Western values of individualism and materialism. Therefore, we as the Church must make a conscious effort not to promote a direct link between Western cultural values and Christianity at large. We must also be aware that globalization and materialism have defined our eschatological hope and have a direct effect on other cultures. As a future church planter, I and my team must seek ways to combat these influences proactively.
The third section of Sine’s book continues the conversation begun in section two. This section is essential because of the way it reimages Christian eschatology as a homecoming of sorts in which God’s creation will eventually be restored and thus in which we get to participate now through the work of the Kingdom. Such a theological notion is essential for how we as the Church work to embody the missio dei and strive to be missional. Furthermore, it influences the sorts of celebrations that we have, the way in which we live our daily lives, and how readily we pay attention and respond to the injustice occurring around us—aspects of a church which are all important to consider throughout the planting process.
I found conversation four to be the most helpful out of all of the sections in Sine’s book, as it outlines specific examples of ways existing and new churches can research the cultural changes occurring around them and thus look ahead to the future accordingly. This allows a church to be proactive and combat the challenges that they might face (i.e. environmental issues, poverty and economic disparity, the declining church) while also seeking to provide positive alternatives to these situations.
Finally, conversation five of Sine’s work is important because it tells stories of specific ways in which church communities are creatively addressing the changes occurring within the world and thus within the church. This section is important for the final paper because of the wealth of first-hand accounts it provides on things like the use of ancient liturgy, missional approaches to church, and kingdom-living practices.
Conversation two then examines the impact of globalization, how the world has changed post-9/11, and how it is being influenced by the Western values of individualism and materialism. Therefore, we as the Church must make a conscious effort not to promote a direct link between Western cultural values and Christianity at large. We must also be aware that globalization and materialism have defined our eschatological hope and have a direct effect on other cultures. As a future church planter, I and my team must seek ways to combat these influences proactively.
The third section of Sine’s book continues the conversation begun in section two. This section is essential because of the way it reimages Christian eschatology as a homecoming of sorts in which God’s creation will eventually be restored and thus in which we get to participate now through the work of the Kingdom. Such a theological notion is essential for how we as the Church work to embody the missio dei and strive to be missional. Furthermore, it influences the sorts of celebrations that we have, the way in which we live our daily lives, and how readily we pay attention and respond to the injustice occurring around us—aspects of a church which are all important to consider throughout the planting process.
I found conversation four to be the most helpful out of all of the sections in Sine’s book, as it outlines specific examples of ways existing and new churches can research the cultural changes occurring around them and thus look ahead to the future accordingly. This allows a church to be proactive and combat the challenges that they might face (i.e. environmental issues, poverty and economic disparity, the declining church) while also seeking to provide positive alternatives to these situations.
Finally, conversation five of Sine’s work is important because it tells stories of specific ways in which church communities are creatively addressing the changes occurring within the world and thus within the church. This section is important for the final paper because of the wealth of first-hand accounts it provides on things like the use of ancient liturgy, missional approaches to church, and kingdom-living practices.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Reflections on 10/6 Class
I have taken several classes at Fuller that underscored the importance of viewing the West and the variety of cultures present within the West from a missional viewpoint—as though the West was itself comprised of “mission fields.” Discussing McGavran’s mission station model and its similarity to the current state of the Western Church helped to emphasize this point for me even more strongly. I wonder, however, to what degree McGavran’s solution for creating more people movements is applicable to the West. His work is significantly strategic in nature, at times even outlining the specific steps that can be taken to replace mission stations with people movements. I am not convinced, however, that the Western Church should adopt more strategic plans and goals to make such a missional shift. If anything, the Western Church has been overrun by strategy for years, often reducing what should be organic, life-giving acts of mission, mercy, and justice to committees, procedures, mission statements, and projects. I think that overall the Western Church would benefit from a little less structure rather than seeking change in the form of rigid structure.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Donald McGavran's The Bridges of God
Chapter one of McGavran’s work posits a crucial question: namely, how are people groups and cultures—rather than simply individuals—changed in order to become Christian. Such a question is foundational to understanding the processes of church growth and church planting, for if we subscribe to the notion that church is intricately tied to the construct of community, then we must look at cultures holistically in order to transform a people group most effectively.
In chapter two, McGavran continues his examination of the perils associated with a Western individualist viewpoint and discusses the need for Christianization to occur from within a culture. McGavran argues that a culture makes its decisions as a group, and thus a “people movement to Christ” is the most effective form of Christianizing a culture. I found McGavran’s discussion on the two stages of Christianization—discipling and “perfecting the people” (e.g. making ethical changes in a community, moving the people towards a Christian way of life, etc.)—to be the most beneficial for my understanding of the kinds of needs that must be met when establishing a new church plant. Transformation must occur from within the culture or community rather than pulling individuals out of their known world of daily living. Key to this transformation and the establishment of a new Christian community is a reorientation of a culture around the figure of Jesus, his teachings, and his way of life.
Chapters three and four examine Biblical and historical examples of successful “people movements to Christ.” These two chapters are not particularly beneficial for my final paper.
In chapter five, McGavran discusses the “mission station approach” to mission that was prevalent in the 1800s and early 1900s. Such an approach is invitational and individualist in nature and involves expecting new converts to Christianity to set themselves apart from their culture. According to McGavran, the mission station approach frequently fails and has little success in bringing large groups of people to Christ. Furthermore, such an approach turns the practice of mission into something that is programmatic and institutional rather than a changing and growing organic process that occurs within a culture.
Chapter six moves to a discussion on the new stage in which mission praxis finds itself—people movements—and examines examples of such movements in non-Western settings. Because my final paper most likely will be focused on a church plan for a Western context, the specifics of this chapter do not apply readily to me. Of importance in this chapter, however, is the notion that people movements are immersed in a particular culture which then sets the tone for the rest of the movement. Equally important is the idea that the exploration of new ecclesiastical traditions within these people movements allows for a community to discover to what Christian practices its people will most respond.
In chapter seven, McGavran addresses the importance of critically analyzing a mission endeavor and not merely supporting it indiscriminately even when such a movement bears little fruit of discipleship and growth. In order to do so, we must make a mental shift and view the church, which lives and works in particular cultures, rather than the mission station as the focal point of our mission endeavors.
Chapter eight addresses the importance of cooperating with churches that are growing and allowing indigenous movements to flourish and become independent as the most effective ways of expanding the Kingdom. Such an approach emphasizes the linking together of churches so that they can provide support and stability to one another and thus continue to expand outward into culture rather than bringing converts inward.
Chapter nine raises the question of how the older approach to mission praxis—the mission stations—can and should relate to the rising number of people movements around the world. A similar question exists today about how to incorporate Western ecclesiological tradition with the new manifestations of the church that are on the rise. Overall, I found McGavran’s answer to this question to be a bit heavy handed in terms of the employment of specific strategies. While I agree with him that the church is growing in certain areas of the world more than it is in others, I do not necessarily believe that priority should thus be given to people movements in these areas of the globe. Such a strategy brings with it the potential for certain cultures and communities to be neglected by mission efforts.
While financial aspects are important to consider when creating a church planning model, I do not feel as though chapter ten of McGavran’s book provides any insight for my final paper.
Chapter eleven and McGavran’s call for increased research on the mission practices of people movements likewise are inapplicable to my final paper.
Finally, in chapter twelve, McGavran sums up his book by arguing that mission ultimately is a call for us to march alongside God and to have a heart for the nations just as he does. This idea complements the notion of the missio dei.
In chapter two, McGavran continues his examination of the perils associated with a Western individualist viewpoint and discusses the need for Christianization to occur from within a culture. McGavran argues that a culture makes its decisions as a group, and thus a “people movement to Christ” is the most effective form of Christianizing a culture. I found McGavran’s discussion on the two stages of Christianization—discipling and “perfecting the people” (e.g. making ethical changes in a community, moving the people towards a Christian way of life, etc.)—to be the most beneficial for my understanding of the kinds of needs that must be met when establishing a new church plant. Transformation must occur from within the culture or community rather than pulling individuals out of their known world of daily living. Key to this transformation and the establishment of a new Christian community is a reorientation of a culture around the figure of Jesus, his teachings, and his way of life.
Chapters three and four examine Biblical and historical examples of successful “people movements to Christ.” These two chapters are not particularly beneficial for my final paper.
In chapter five, McGavran discusses the “mission station approach” to mission that was prevalent in the 1800s and early 1900s. Such an approach is invitational and individualist in nature and involves expecting new converts to Christianity to set themselves apart from their culture. According to McGavran, the mission station approach frequently fails and has little success in bringing large groups of people to Christ. Furthermore, such an approach turns the practice of mission into something that is programmatic and institutional rather than a changing and growing organic process that occurs within a culture.
Chapter six moves to a discussion on the new stage in which mission praxis finds itself—people movements—and examines examples of such movements in non-Western settings. Because my final paper most likely will be focused on a church plan for a Western context, the specifics of this chapter do not apply readily to me. Of importance in this chapter, however, is the notion that people movements are immersed in a particular culture which then sets the tone for the rest of the movement. Equally important is the idea that the exploration of new ecclesiastical traditions within these people movements allows for a community to discover to what Christian practices its people will most respond.
In chapter seven, McGavran addresses the importance of critically analyzing a mission endeavor and not merely supporting it indiscriminately even when such a movement bears little fruit of discipleship and growth. In order to do so, we must make a mental shift and view the church, which lives and works in particular cultures, rather than the mission station as the focal point of our mission endeavors.
Chapter eight addresses the importance of cooperating with churches that are growing and allowing indigenous movements to flourish and become independent as the most effective ways of expanding the Kingdom. Such an approach emphasizes the linking together of churches so that they can provide support and stability to one another and thus continue to expand outward into culture rather than bringing converts inward.
Chapter nine raises the question of how the older approach to mission praxis—the mission stations—can and should relate to the rising number of people movements around the world. A similar question exists today about how to incorporate Western ecclesiological tradition with the new manifestations of the church that are on the rise. Overall, I found McGavran’s answer to this question to be a bit heavy handed in terms of the employment of specific strategies. While I agree with him that the church is growing in certain areas of the world more than it is in others, I do not necessarily believe that priority should thus be given to people movements in these areas of the globe. Such a strategy brings with it the potential for certain cultures and communities to be neglected by mission efforts.
While financial aspects are important to consider when creating a church planning model, I do not feel as though chapter ten of McGavran’s book provides any insight for my final paper.
Chapter eleven and McGavran’s call for increased research on the mission practices of people movements likewise are inapplicable to my final paper.
Finally, in chapter twelve, McGavran sums up his book by arguing that mission ultimately is a call for us to march alongside God and to have a heart for the nations just as he does. This idea complements the notion of the missio dei.
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