Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good Shepherd Joint Meeting January 12, 2014

1. Sunday Morning Communities at The Church of the Good ShepherdJoint MeetingJanuary 12, 2014

2. Things to know . . .www.cgsonline.org Pulpit committee nominations due by noon today. Submit to AllysonWieland@cgsonline.org or via paper form. TODAY: 2nd Sunday Visitors Lunch In the Commons (next to the Kitchen) CGS Evening of Prayer & Praise Wednesday, Jan. 15th at 7:30p In the Chapel • TONIGHT at 6:30p: • Bonnie Whitney Retirement Party in the Commons • Hors d’euvre & desserts served • NEXT Sunday, Jan. 19th • Bring food for DRM lunch • Look for the signup sheets!

3. A few disclaimers . . . • This isn’t a bible study . . . • These concepts aren’t intended to be a style critique • This is about US (not the pulpit committee, ministers, etc.)

4. Our faith intersects with our culture on the northwest side of the research triangle • Cultivate Community • Practice Gratitude • Observe a Sabbath Rest • Maintain Digital Limits • Seek Biblical Social Justice • Wrestle With Suffering Recognize our predominant cultural influences. Practice winsome and authentic counter-cultural behaviors that engage others for the sake of the gospel.

5. The Air We Breath: Consumption and the Church

6. Consumerism pervades suburban culture on the northwest side of the research triangle What are your definitions of consumerism? We’re talking about this because: a.) It is hard to see what’s all around us b.) It impacts our souls and the church c.) It impacts our neighbors Economic emphasis on consumption vs. production I’m defined by what I buy or what I own Everything exists to satisfy me as a consumer One dollar, one vote?

7. What causes us to waste time, talent, and treasure? Idols: 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. (Romans 1:25) Sense of Entitlement and Immortality: 9All our days pass away under your wrath;    we finish our years with a moan.10 Our days may come to seventy years,    or eighty, if our strength endures;yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow for they quickly pass, and we fly away.11 If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due.12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90: 9-12) Love of Money: 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (I Timothy 6: 6-10

8. The Counterfeit Story of a Consumer Culture http://www.qideas.org/video/consumerism.aspx Chris Seay Chris Seay is a church planter, author, and third generation pastor. Currently, Chris is the President of Ecclesia Bible Society and Pastor of Ecclesia Houston 6:25 – 10:12

9. How does consumerism impact the church?

10. How do you know if you are a consumer in the church?

11. Observations from an academic “Modern American Christians go about the process of consuming the religious experience. What happens when there is a free market in religious products – commonly called beliefs? Why different than our European cousins? One answer is that we’re doing a better job of selling religion. Does the small church on the corner operate like the gas station? What about the mega-church out by the interstate – is it like a big-box store? If this isn’t true, how come the church downtown with exactly the same product is in shambles? If denominations don’t compete for consumers (and they say they are interested only in new believers or lapsed believers), why are many of them spending millions of parishoners’ dollars on advertising, marketing, branding, packaging, and delivery?

12. Observations from a pastor . . . http://www.qideas.org/audio/conscious-consumption.aspx 3:15 – 8:35 Skye Jethani Skye Jethani serves as the managing editor of Leadership Journal, a publication of Christianity Today International. Leadership’s purpose is to equip pastors and church leaders for the challenges of ministry in a complex world. Skye’s book, The Divine Commodity: Discovering a Faith Beyond Consumer Christianity, was released by Zondervan in 2009.

13. How does consumerism in the church impact pastors? How will our church culture impact the next senior minister called to shepherd us?

14. The “Disneyfication” of God? Millions of Americans live in the shadow of churches that have become consumer Christian centers, but pastors are ruined and the mission of God is cheated when consumers enjoy goods and services from their local church. In their book, God is Back, John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge described the state of the American church as the “Disneyfication of God” or “Christianity Lite – a bland and sanitized faith that is about as dramatic as the average shopping mall.” Believers who think like customers contribute to the underachieving church in America. The damages move far beyond ineptness at engaging the mission of God. The incessant demands of a consumer congregation causes irreparable damage to those who lead such congregations. Some of the consumer demands are based on pastoral perception too. Pastors often experience chronic anxiety because they fear their flock. - Ed Stetzer What are the “incessant demands” of a consumer congregation?

15. A “Co-Dependent Church”? A codependent pastor needs a needy congregation. And we have too many of both.  But relishing the applause that comes from being the local church superstar often results in performance anxiety and utter disappointment in an underachieving church. It is a vicious cycle where everyone ends up disappointed—including God, I think.The pastor who insists on being the focus of local ministry trains the body of Christ to sin; believers who demand all ministry to be done by “professionals” lead the pastor to sin. So who started all of this dysfunction? Was it the needy, consumer-driven congregation?  Or was it the pastor, hungry for significance? It’s hard to tell. But to break the cycle, the enablers must stop enabling. God cannot receive glory in the church when pastors are always up front receiving the credit and doing the things that their consumerist congregants should be doing. - Ed Stetzer, continued How do we guard against being a co-dependent church?

16. What is the difference between a consumer relationship and a covenantal relationship?

17. God designed the church to act as the body of Christ, and bodies have more than one part “Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve others” (1 Peter 4:10). “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)

18. Over the next 12-18 months and beyond What does it look like to be a covenantal member of the Church of the Good Shepherd and not a consumer?

19. We are the church • Disciple someone • Serve as an elder, deacon, shepherding group leader • Build authentic community • Practice a “counter-cultural” habit • Love your neighbor and share the gospel

20. Doug: bettsde@yahoo.com Grant: cgranthoffman@gmail.com Bill: bjames@cgsonline.org