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Seeing with new eyes

Seeing with new eyes. “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust. “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, He is Lord of All .”. Where are we now?.

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Seeing with new eyes

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  1. Seeing with new eyes

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

  3. “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, He is Lord of All.”

  4. Where are we now?

  5. ‘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

  6. Five implications for the church in Australia

  7. A decline in religious affiliation Christian 1947 88% 2006 64% No religion 1947 0.4% 2006 19% NCLS

  8. 27% do not go to church and are negative 36% do not attend frequently and are unsure about their attitude 1999 Building Church

  9. A Fall in Church Attendance 1950-2007 frequent attendance fell from 44% to 19% In a typical week 9% population attend church. NCLS 2001

  10. “ 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.”

  11. The absence of the younger generation The average age of a churchgoer is 53 Typical churchgoer is 40+, female, with a University degree, in first marriage, employed or retired. NCLS

  12. The growing influence of spirituality “ The world today is as furiously religious as it ever was and in some places more so than ever.” 66% of Australians claim their spiritual life is important to them. 33% pray or meditate weekly. Australia survey of Social Attitudes 2009

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

  14. Changes in the church culture Increased openness to new initiatives NCLS

  15. A missional re-engagement with society

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

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

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

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

  20. A re-orientation towards whole life discipleship.

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

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

  23. A fresh expression is a form of church for our changing cultures established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church.

  24. 1. Context is king

  25. Continuity and change

  26. “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

  27. ‘ 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

  28. 2. Church is multi level

  29. ‘listening to the space opened up by Jesus.’

  30. church viewed as a verb • importance of leadership

  31. church viewed as a verb • importance of leadership • recovery of church as domestic

  32. 3. Community is central

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

  34. “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

  35. 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

  36. Discipleship not • attendance is the • measure

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

  38. Some dangers

  39. 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

  40. http://davemale.typepad.com/churchunplugged/

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

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