Vital Church Planting – session 1

Vital Church Planting – session 1 Toronto: Feb 2008 The Sheffield Centre Church Army’s Research unit

We live in a creative time about church 2 Cheers? External factors • Institution based views won’t do any longer • “Church” is just religious not spiritual • One size fits all – don’t make me laugh ! • Consumerism has infected the church • Dissolving Christendom and • Double liminality – a scary transition • From centre to edge • To a world without centres

Or is it 3 cheers? Signs of the Spirit at work • Fresh Expressions of Church [FXC] question what church must be – and how that is answered • Old assumptions – Buildings, Congregation and Minister- are only assumptions • “Expressions” language makes us humbler “If Christ is the embodiment of God and the Church is his body on earth, then no single expression of church can ever exhaust Christ.” Archbishop Rowan Williams The what is church question is good We should not copy failing forms But we need to know what church is

DNA as the essence of Church • Isolating the essence of Church • What’s generic? • Without being simplistic • But is accessible Simplicity on the near side of complexity is useless. Simplicity on the far side of complexity is priceless

What is to be planted / reproduced? 2 distortions • Undue emphasis on Gospel Gospel is yeast, church is dough Does mission precede church? • Over emphasis on Church • Brighten up our worship • Falsely satisfied with attendance

Is that is then? Why is Gospel only mistaken? • There is no disincarnate Gospel – but always a bearer of it • “See how these Christians love one another” was the gospel embodied • Gospel only, leads to activism, guilt and burnout • It confuses the growth of the church with its purpose • Mission is not the Church’s ID – but it is in the DNA

Why is Church only mistaken? Have you ever noticed in those contexts • Where did Jesus disappear to? • Church as counter cultural went away too • Discipleship to change me – you’re joking! • We’re silent, content to be by ourselves • We’re into worship and pastoral care • Yes they are in the DNA – but are not the ID

Church planting is a life time love affair between church and Mission/evangelism More like More than “These are words that go together well..”

Which came first? • Yes Jesus’ mission preceded Jesus’ church • But then they intertwine – acting like a helix An unchurchly mission is as much a monstrosity as an unmissionary Church Lesslie Newbigin The Household of God 1953: 201

Why Church and Mission must co-exist • From the East: Trinity seen as Communion/Community • From the West: God and the Missio Dei • Together we get Trinity as Community-in-Mission • In that order because • That’s how it is in God • That’s how it was in Jesus • That’s what he modelled with the disciples • So it needs to be for us

What is being planted? Jesus centred Community–in-Mission Church planting is the 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. Planting is a process but unless and until the kingdom and mission are in the DNA of the seed of the church, what is planted will prove to be sterile. Mission-shaped Church p 32-33

How will we know its church? • One • Holy • Catholic • Apostolic • Adenine • Guanine • Cytosine • Thiamine Obvious really!

OHCA Holy “UP” Catholic Apostolic “OF” “OUT” “IN” Jesus centred community One Enduring dynamics of Church

Enduring dynamics of Church The 3 sided pyramid view In – Oneness Out– Apostolic Up – Holiness Of – Catholicity

OHCA Holy “UP” Catholic Apostolic “OF” “OUT” “IN” One Fourlinked Journeys

The regular tetrahedron UP - Holy IN - One OUT - Apostolic OF – Catholic Four linked Journeys Observe the connections

The regular tetrahedron UP - Holy IN - One OUT - Apostolic OF – Catholic Each dimension is connected to all others

It’s a mystery UP - Holy IN - One OUT - Apostolic OF – Catholic “The church is a mystery. It is a reality imbued with the hidden presence of God. It lies therefore within the very nature of the Church to be always open to new and ever greater exploration.” Pope Paul VI

Apostolic and Catholic • A dimension that connects across time and yet stays faithful • It looks back to origins, for authenticity • It looks forward with momentum – sending beyond itself • It is > outward facing; like the Trinity, it includes giving away • to make non identical new starts. • A dimension that connects across space and across difference • It expresses universality and particularity • We derive identity through relation with others – as with Trinity • Being planted is a good reminder of all this

Holiness and Oneness • A dimension of church – as belonging to God • The call is to become more like God – be holy as I am • Yet knowing we fail and confess • Election connects holiness to apostolic mission • Newbigin: “chosen to bear fruit” • Holy not Trendy, called not popular • A dimension of church – as belonging like God • The call is be united and diverse like the Trinity • One need not mean singular or uniform • Oneness is more about local relationships • Catholic is more universal but they intertwine

Of – Catholicity Enduring DyNAmics of Church • Adenine • Thiamine • Guanine • Cytosine Maybe, just maybe In – Oneness Out– Apostolic Up – Holiness

What’s in the DNA of Church? • Formed by encounter with Christ • Responding to the Spirit • Living and acting out signs of God’s Kingdom • By their presence, acts and words they communicate the reality of Jesus Christ, continuing his mission. • Living out faithful commitment to one another, they reflect the loving and diverse oneness in the Trinity. • Knowing they are an integral part of Christ’s universal people, they love, learn from, and support Christians beyond their own group. • By their worship, they encourage transformation into his holiness, including practices of attending to Scripture, Baptism and Communion

Trust the DNA …. You can’t know the results first !

Vital Church Planting – session 1