I like people who are smarter than me. Which I guess means I like most everyone. 2 people I started liking as of late look and act in polar opposite directions. They both impressed me for different reasons, but are both committed to the same mission. One is a large man (I do mean very big), clean cut with a southern accent, the other is short, hippy hair soul patch on the chin and nerdy glasses, however he also has a southern accent just in a different way more down under than just down. Ed Stetzer and Al Hirsh both converged on Ottawa during the National Church Planters Conference this past month and it was a sight to see side by side during the open question period. Ed is a wealth, really a cesspool of statistics. His brain works in way I can not fathom recalling this study and that study. And Al (yes we are all on first name basis. Dave who?...) he is a drainage ditch of Missional process. I suggest you look both up www.theforgottenways.org and www.theresurgence.com/es_blog . Hirsh (sorry Al) talked about a couple things that hit a cord, most which can be found in his book forgotten ways (I better be getting some commission). Anyway, he spent some time asking the question as to why we see unprecedented exponential growth in both the persecuted churches of first century and the china while post Constantine/western church see only minor and now declining growth. He plays with a couple of factors that the persecuted church must emphasis that contributes not only to its survival, but success. However one area that was more convicting than just good teaching was his comments about congregants. It made me start thinking that although I profess priesthood of the all saints and ministry is for the multitudes. I still think we have sold them out. What I mean by that is that I don’t think we challenge or empower them enough. Hirsch commented that if the church was reduced to only one person and maybe even only a baby Christian at that, there is enough power and presence of God within him or her to advance His kingdom. I think of some of the people in my church who might be newbie’s or shy or whatever and I think about that statement. I think about some of the ministry projects we invite people to get involved with and I just don’t think it is far enough. As a pastor I wrestle with decentralizing things away from the clergy. Maybe its some insecurities about control, maybe it’s a concern about burning people out, maybe its just laziness (its easier just to do things myself rather than teach people to do it). It’s probably a bit of all three. All I know is that mission isn’t just for the professional rather it is for the fisherman, the tax collector, the contractor, the teacher, the Mom, the Grandpa. It’s probably time we started recognizing that and forming our churches around that way of thinking. I would love to hear how some of you are doing it or maybe why it’s not happening. Talk back and leave a comment www.emergingtrax.blogspot.com
Do what I do. Show up Sunday morning and say, Dang, I forgot my notes. Anyone else want to preach?
Okay, not really. The point of this isn't to turn everyone into a preacher, it's to recognize that most of what the church is called to be and do doesn't really take place during the Sunday homily. The more we can make mission the organizing principle of the church, the more we all see our role and the less we expect to outsource our spirituality to professionals.
My best idea has been to create space for things: space for worship, space for teaching, space for people to dream and plan about fulfilling the mission. Pastors/leaders feel this need to fill all the space, but that's simply not the case. We're to create these spaces, tend them, prepare people for them, but the whole church is to fill them with the best they have to offer.
2 comments:
The tale of two southerners
I like people who are smarter than me. Which I guess means I like most everyone. 2 people I started liking as of late look and act in polar opposite directions. They both impressed me for different reasons, but are both committed to the same mission. One is a large man (I do mean very big), clean cut with a southern accent, the other is short, hippy hair soul patch on the chin and nerdy glasses, however he also has a southern accent just in a different way more down under than just down. Ed Stetzer and Al Hirsh both converged on Ottawa during the National Church Planters Conference this past month and it was a sight to see side by side during the open question period. Ed is a wealth, really a cesspool of statistics. His brain works in way I can not fathom recalling this study and that study. And Al (yes we are all on first name basis. Dave who?...) he is a drainage ditch of Missional process. I suggest you look both up www.theforgottenways.org and www.theresurgence.com/es_blog . Hirsh (sorry Al) talked about a couple things that hit a cord, most which can be found in his book forgotten ways (I better be getting some commission). Anyway, he spent some time asking the question as to why we see unprecedented exponential growth in both the persecuted churches of first century and the china while post Constantine/western church see only minor and now declining growth. He plays with a couple of factors that the persecuted church must emphasis that contributes not only to its survival, but success. However one area that was more convicting than just good teaching was his comments about congregants. It made me start thinking that although I profess priesthood of the all saints and ministry is for the multitudes. I still think we have sold them out. What I mean by that is that I don’t think we challenge or empower them enough. Hirsch commented that if the church was reduced to only one person and maybe even only a baby Christian at that, there is enough power and presence of God within him or her to advance His kingdom. I think of some of the people in my church who might be newbie’s or shy or whatever and I think about that statement. I think about some of the ministry projects we invite people to get involved with and I just don’t think it is far enough. As a pastor I wrestle with decentralizing things away from the clergy. Maybe its some insecurities about control, maybe it’s a concern about burning people out, maybe its just laziness (its easier just to do things myself rather than teach people to do it). It’s probably a bit of all three. All I know is that mission isn’t just for the professional rather it is for the fisherman, the tax collector, the contractor, the teacher, the Mom, the Grandpa. It’s probably time we started recognizing that and forming our churches around that way of thinking. I would love to hear how some of you are doing it or maybe why it’s not happening. Talk back and leave a comment www.emergingtrax.blogspot.com
Do what I do. Show up Sunday morning and say, Dang, I forgot my notes. Anyone else want to preach?
Okay, not really. The point of this isn't to turn everyone into a preacher, it's to recognize that most of what the church is called to be and do doesn't really take place during the Sunday homily. The more we can make mission the organizing principle of the church, the more we all see our role and the less we expect to outsource our spirituality to professionals.
My best idea has been to create space for things: space for worship, space for teaching, space for people to dream and plan about fulfilling the mission. Pastors/leaders feel this need to fill all the space, but that's simply not the case. We're to create these spaces, tend them, prepare people for them, but the whole church is to fill them with the best they have to offer.
As always, it sounds good in theory . . .
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