A Little R & R

Acts 10 Peter & Cornelius 1.What do we learn about God? 2.What do we learn about Peter? 3.What do we learn about mission?

1. What is your biggest encouragement ? 2.What is the biggest challenge we face? 3.What is the biggest challenge I face?

Seeing with new eyes

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust

Where are we now culturally ?

‘What is taking place is not merely the continued decline of organised Christianity but the death of the culture which formerly conferred Christian identity upon the people as a whole.’ Callum Browne Death of Christian Britain

Five implications for the church in the UK

A decline in religious affiliation Christian % % No religion % % British Attitudes Survey But 2011 Census 71% of population Christian

Belief in God

Christian Affiliation UK

A Fall in Church Attendance A decline in church attendance of 55% is forecast from

2007 Tear Fund survey of 7000 adults in contact or not with church

“ this majority (66%) presents a major challenge to churches. Most of them are unreceptive and closed to attending church; churchgoing is simply not on their agenda.” simply not on their agenda.”

The absence of the younger generation The average age of a churchgoer in 2010 was 51 The average age in 1980 was 37 Tear Fund

The growing influence of spirituality “ The world today is as furiously religious as it ever was and in some places more so than ever.”

‘Spiritual’ experience in 2000 Vs % saw a patterning of events – up 90% 38% felt God’s presence – up 41% 37% had answered prayer – up 48% 29% felt sacred in nature – up 81% 25% the presence of the dead – up 39% 25% the presence of evil – up 108% % report a spiritual experience risen to 76%

‘ It is very difficult to build bridges to sailing boats.’ George Lings

Changes in the church culture Increased openness to new initiatives

A missional re-engagement with society

Playing Away

‘ It is becoming clear that many of the people for whom Christ died are unlikely to be drawn to our existing churches however spiritually alive, hospitable and attractive they are.’ Bishop Graham Cray

‘ the church is missionary by it’s very nature……. the church does not have a mission a mission but the mission has a church.’ Prophetic Dialogue. Bevans and Scroeder

A re-imagination of what church is (and could become)

‘We are seeing what corporate forms of life actually happen when people meet Jesus.’ Rowan Williams

‘The illiterate of the 21 st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.’ Alvin Toffler ‘The Third Wave’

A re-orientation towards whole life discipleship.

The glory of God is the human person fully alive Irenaeus of Lyon

‘a discipleship movement shaped for mission’

Questions for discussion? Is this how it feels for you? Are there any other key movements?

1. Context is king

Continuity and change

“church planting is a process by which a seed of the life and message of Jesus, embodied by a community of Christians is immersed for mission reasons in a particular cultural or geographic context. The intended consequence is that it roots there, coming to life as a new indigenous body of Christian disciples well suited to continue in mission.” MSC report

‘ I have become all things to all people, so that I might by any means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.’ 1 Corinthians 9;16f

Incarnational mission – Phil 2 Jesus as part of Trinity Takes on the form of those to whom he is sent God exalts him All must kneel before him

Incarnational mission – Phil 2 We take off our current form and put on that of those we seek to reach and affirm their culture We die to ourselves in incarnation in order to be obedient to God God will use this to exalt Jesus All must come to accept Jesus as Lord and this will involve challenging culture as people become like Christ.

2. Church is multi level

‘listening to the space opened up by Jesus.’

church viewed as a verb importance of leadership

church viewed as a verb importance of leadership recovery of church as domestic

3. Community is central

accessible & accepting missional and focused outwards transformational for the individual, community and world

“To live in one place no longer means to live together and living together no longer means to live in the same place.” Ulrich Beck

There is no ideal community. Community is made up of people with all their richness but also their weakness and poverty.. Humility and trust are more at the foundation of community than perfection. Jean Vanier

4. Discipleship not attendance is the measure

“We should give up the foolish task of trying to be saints and get on with the more important task of being human.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Simple in its natureSimple in its nature Relational in its emphasisRelational in its emphasis Transformational in its outcomesTransformational in its outcomes

How we see God How we see ourselves and others How we see our community How we see creation and society

What kind of people are we called to be? What kind of community is capable of raising people like that?

If not part of a mutually “ If not part of a mutually discipling community the culture will disciple you.” Graham Cray

5. There is NO one size fits all model of church

Questions for discussion? Which of these 5 points struck you? Why? What might it mean for your context? Comments Questions Insights/examples

Some dangers

We already have too many churches Beware of the default position The danger of domestication Change of language does not necessarily mean a change of mindset