Embodying Missional Culture and Developing Communal Rhythm of Life
Explore the essence of embodying a missional culture and developing a communal rhythm of life as crucial aspects for local congregations. Delve into the questions of credibility, open fellowship, care for neighbors, and living as a foretaste of God's blessings. Dive into the manifestations of maturity and cultivating virtues amidst life's challenges. Reflect on the balcony or basement culture dilemma in fostering a missional ethos. Unpack the layers of language, artifacts, narrative, rituals, institution, and ethics within the cultural web of church life.
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Presentation Transcript
DEVELOPING A COMMUNAL RHYTHM OF LIFE Embodying Missional Culture
EMBODYING A MISSIONAL CULTURE The question which has to be put to every local congregation is the question whether it is a credible sign of God s reign in justice and mercy over the whole of life, whether it is an open fellowship whose concerns are as wide as the concerns of humanity, whether it cares for its neighbors in a way which reflect and springs out of God s care for them, whether its common life is recognizable as a foretaste of the blessing which God intends for the whole human family. Lesslie Newbigin
EPHESIANS 4 Scripture Key Word in Greek English Translation Implications I Cor. 12:7 Phanerosis Manifestation Situational Romans 12:4 Praxis Action Practical Ephesians 4:1 Kalesis Calling Vocational
EMBODYING A MISSIONAL CULTURE What does maturity look like?
EMBODYING A MISSIONAL CULTURE Someone who cultivates a lifestyle of love in the midst of Market-Style Exchanges; someone who cultivates a lifestyle of joy in the midst of Manufactured Desire; someone who cultivates Peace in the midst of fragmentation; patience in the midst of productivity; kindness in the midst of self-sufficiency; goodness in the midst of self-help; faithfulness in the midst of impermanence; gentleness in the midst of aggression; and self- control in the midst of addiction. - Phillip Kenneson (Author, Professor of Theology and Philosophy Milligan College, TN)
EMBODYING A MISSIONAL CULTURE Balcony or Basement Culture?
Language Artifacts Narrative (Theology, Stories, Doctrine) Rituals (Rites, Practices, Liturgy) Institution (Structures, Symbols, Systems) Ethics (Being, Doing, Reflecting)
THE CULTURAL WEB Language/Artifacts Narrative What is God s calling for our church? Rituals What are our core practices? Institution How will we fulfill our calling? Ethics What does it mean to be faithful and fruitful?
NARRATIVE What is God s calling for our church? Reflect One, Restore Many, Renew All Joining God in the Renewal of All Things
RITUALS What are our core practices? The caterpillar must yield up the life it knows and submit to the mystery of interior transformation. It emerges from the process transfigured, with wings that give it freedom to fly. A rule of life [or rhythm of life] gives us a way to enter into the life-long process of personal transformation. Its disciplines help us to shed the familiar but constricting old self and allow our new self in Christ to be formed the true self that is naturally attracted to the light of God. - Marjorie Thompson
THICK PRACTICES TO START WITH Equipper Identity Focal Concern Practice Environment Hope Apostle [Dream Awakener] Disciple Living out our calling Thriving Faithful to our calling Prophet [Heart Revealer] Activist Pursuing God s shalom Liberating Spirit-formed people Evangelist [Story Teller] Missionary Incarnating the good news Welcoming Blessing our neighbors Pastor [Soul Healer] Priest Seeking wholeness and holiness Healing Authentic community Teacher [Light Giver] Learner Inhabiting the sacred text Learning Signpost of new creation
THICK PRACTICES TO START WITH Equipper Identity Focal Concern Practice Environment Hope Apostle [Dream Awakener] Disciple Living out our calling Sabbath Thriving Faithful to our calling Prophet [Heart Revealer] Activist Pursuing God s shalom Stop/Look/List en Shalom making Liberating Spirit-formed people Evangelist [Story Teller] Missionary Incarnating the good news Pray for 5, Bless one daily, Eat w/ one weekly Welcoming Blessing our neighbors Pastor [Soul Healer] Priest Seeking wholeness and holiness Triads Confession & Peacemaking Healing Authentic community Teacher [Light Giver] Learner Inhabiting the sacred text Immerse ourselves in scripture, share scripture daily Learning Signpost of new creation
INSTITUTION How will we fulfill our calling?
ETHICS What does it mean for us to be faithful and fruitful?
ETHICS Cultivating a people who can risk being peaceful in a violent world, risk being kind in a competitive society, risk being faithful in an age of cynicism, risk being gentle among those who admire the tough, risk love when it may not be returned, because we have the confidence that in Christ we have been reborn into a new reality. Stanley Hauerwas (Professor, Duke Divinity)
ETHICS Followers of the way are people who see and do things differently. They are the kind of people who serve rather than dominate, who forgive and seek reconciliation rather than bear grudges and persist in alienating others, who feed the hungry and visit those in prison without any fanfare or expectations of return.They are the kind of people who speak out against injustice, who are more concerned about other s welfare than their own, the kind of people willing to risk their lives so that others may live. Stephen Fowl and Gregory Jones
ETHICS Equipper Focal Concern Living out our calling Pursuing God s shalom Incarnating the good news Telos (Destinations) Marks Creating a discipleship ethos and calling people to participate in advancing God s kingdom Calling the church to God s new social order and standing with the poor and oppressed Proclaiming the good news by being witnesses and being redemptive agents Cultivating life-giving spirituality within community and embodying reconciliation Immersing ourselves in Scripture and dwelling faithfully in God s story Apostle (Dream Awakener) Prophet (Heart Revealer) Evangelist (Story Teller) Seeking wholeness and holiness Pastor (Soul Healer) Inhabiting the sacred text Teacher (Light Giver)
ANNUAL VISION Qualitative and Quantitative Goals We are a place where no one stands alone where people are elbow deep in each other s lives. May I ask you, who is your 2 a.m. friend? By this time next year, we will have four discipleship communities of 20-40 people and multiple leaders for each community Faith and Work Goals
