British society and the church

British society and the church Biblical spiritual leadership and missional church

We are missionaries in our own country • Britain: a post Christian nation

We are missionaries in our own country • Britain: a post Christian nation Sunday School attendance (%)

We are missionaries in our own country • Britain: a post Christian nation • Britain: a post Christendom nation • From the centre to margins in society • From majority to minority • From settlers to sojourners • From privilege to plurality • From control to witness • From maintaining an institution to a movement on a mission

We are missionaries in our own country • Britain: a post Christian nation • Britain: a post Christendom nation • 70% don’t want to come to church. How do we reach the 40 million (165,200 in S’ton)?

What are we going to do? • What are the implications for how we ‘do’ church? • How would it affect our teaching? • What rhythm changes will need to occur in your life?

What are we going to do? • Not Panic • God builds the church (Matt 16:18) • The church is growing worldwide

What are we going to do? • Not Panic • God builds the church (Matt 16:18) • The church is growing worldwide • Our purpose and values stay the same

The church and the future • Know our identity (1 Peter 1:2. God’s elect) • We are a family - community • We have dignity • Strangers and exiles in world (1:2, 1:17, 2:11) • Face Hostility (1:6)

The church and the future “At this stage it seems that state action was rare and that what Christians had to fear was more in the nature of social ostracism, unfriendly acts by neighbours, pressure on Christians wives from pagan husbands, masters taking it out on Christian slaves and other actions of that kind. It was sufficient, in any case, to make life uncomfortable”. I. Howard Marshall

The church and the future • Remember early church was marginalized and grew phenomenally (1 Peter 1:1-8) • Know our identity (1 Peter 1:1. God’s elect) • We are a family • We have dignity • Strangers and exiles in world (1:2, 1:17, 2:11) • Faced Hostility (1:6) • Served an unseen Lord (1:8) • Realise the gospel is bigger than we think (Eph 1:9-10) • Equip people for the whole of life (Col 3:16)

Neighbourhood

Networks Workplace Zumba Pub Quiz Choir

Quote from ‘Building a discipleship culture’ by Mike Breen and Steve Cockram: ‘In our world the ‘in’ relationships’ are breaking down at an ever increasing rate. We are a nation of fractured families, disenfranchised friends and increasingly independent individuals. Reality TV lets us experience living life together by proxy. Many faith communities have become little more than isolated individuals, while the number of on-line communities continues to grow. Loneliness has been described as an ‘epidemic’. We are a society of disconnected people longing for connections.’

Values of the early church Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts. Acts 20:20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house. 1 Thess 2:8 Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

Values of the early church Prayer Scripture Meals Sharing resources Mission

Communities on mission • In a Christian community you are in (small group, prayer triplet, staff team) is it possible for you to develop prayer, devotion to scripture, eating together, sharing resources and being on mission together? • What would need to do to make this happen? • How could people who are not Christians be integrated into these groups?

Above Bar and the future Communities on mission

British society and the church