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Ministry in Emerging Context

Ministry in Emerging Context. Rev. Ruben Duran ELCA. The Constant: Revealed in Christ. God is working to reconcile the world and bring about the Reign of God and in Baptism invites us to participate. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21). The Lord’s Prayer.

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Ministry in Emerging Context

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  1. Ministry in Emerging Context Rev. Ruben Duran ELCA

  2. The Constant: Revealed in Christ God is working to reconcile the world and bring about the Reign of God and in Baptism invites us to participate. (2 Corinthians 5:11-21)

  3. The Lord’s Prayer Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen

  4. GOD AT WORK: 2 ways • God operating in and through the Church • God operating in and through the public arena; society. • 2 ways of working, only one history

  5. Biblical Principle • Jeremiah 29:7 • Seek the welfare of the people where I have placed you, and pray on their behalf, because in their welfare you will find your welfare.

  6. ELCA: Reading the Context • A crucial initiative of every community of faith, in order to be relevant and adjust the ministry entrusted to us by God to the reality of the world around us. • ELCA is 25 years old: it is time to get out of the house and re-discover that God is active in the world; not just being a guest, but also a host; inviting us and welcoming us to exercise our vocation for God’s purposes. • So, “time to get out of the boat”, out of our comfort zones • Key: trade judgment for curiosity.

  7. HISTORICAL CONTEXT • Changing rapidly • Shifts in how culture/society relates to the church. • Christianity, a voice among many • Losing its seat of privilege • Pushed to the margins of society • Pluralistic and secularized

  8. The changing context

  9. Emerging Reality • We are free (for the first time in centuries) to shape our message without the culture telling us what we have to say (or be)!! • We have great company at the margins (we are not the first to be there, ie. global voices, people experiencing poverty….) • Being at the margin will require us to be serious about discipleship, lifestyle, etc. We must “be the change we hope for” to be taken seriously.

  10. The Proclamation of the Gospel:Lesslie Newbigin (1969) • The Reign of God has come near in Jesus • To accept it means to be able to understand and direct all your action – both private and public • There is an apostolic fellowship of those already committed and at work • This is the call to you to like commitment

  11. “Culture will eat strategy for breakfast” Peter Drucker

  12. Challenge/Opportunity of Context 1. GEOGRAPHICAL: local/national 2. SOCIO-ECONOMIC: a church for all 3. GENERATIONAL: emergent church 4. ETHNIC- specific: 6 communities 5. MULTICULTURAL: a church from all KEY: acting/reflecting out of our missional identity, empowered for any context.

  13. Learnings from Missional Churches Insights and suggestions from 3 key studies: • 1. From ELCA New Congregations • 2. From Natural Church Development • 3. From ELCA Evangelism Strategy

  14. ELCA Study of New Churches • From 2006 to 2011 • LEARNINGS: • A. Growing churches connected to their context • B. Network of church partners praying and supporting these new churches

  15. What the pattern shows: NCD study • Passionate Spirituality: How intentional are we about cultivating a relationship with God? • Contextual Evangelism: How intentional are we about cultivating a relationship with our neighbors? • Holistic Small Groups: How intentional are we about cultivating a relationship with ourselves?

  16. Three Keys to Transformation(From an evangelism study of the ELCA) • Leadership – a culture of team leadership where clergy and laity work together as a team. Leaders help congregations develop the following: • Purpose – a clear sense by the congregation of what God is calling them to do • Willingness to change – a spirit of openness that is willing to initiate change to be faithful and effective

  17. Visionary LeadershipWhat’s Involved? VISION Vision Emerges 2. Contextual Engagement:Assets, passions and needs 1. Missional Identity (Purpose and Guiding Principles) 3. Faith Community: Assets, passions, and needs

  18. Engaging your Emerging Context Church and community In mission

  19. Engaging Your Community • 1. Helicopter View • 2. Street View • 3. Community Capacity • 4. Power Analysis • 5. Collective Impact

  20. Discover Community Capacity • Use the asset mapping methodology • Involve leaders in church and community • Villages and communities around the world discover assets to help them deal with their ever-growing needs • Combine gifts you already have and put them in action for church and community. • Assets: gifts in action

  21. Resources • “The Great Permission”, an ELCA resource; Augsburg Fortress • Asset-Mapping resources from Luther Snow (Iowa) • Asset-Based Community Institute, at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; Dr. Jodie Kretzman

  22. GOD’S VISION FOR COMMUNITY How should we live together? Who’s at the table? Left out? What’s difference between God’s vision and our reality?

  23. TWO PATHS--TWO SOLUTIONS NeedsAssets (What is not there) (What is there) Services to meet Connections & needs contributions Consumers Local leaders Programs are answer People are the answer

  24. Community Assets Local Institutions Businesses Schools Associations Churches Block Clubs Gifts of Residents Parks Income Artists Libraries Youth Elderly Labeled/Marginalized Social Groups Self-Help Groups Nonprofits Hospitals

  25. Community Needs Map Unemployment Housing Projects Crime Child Abuse Gang Members Teen Mothers Illiteracy Poverty School Dropouts Mentally Ill Homeless Truancy Addiction Delinquency Uninsured

  26. Mapping Your Community Other churches & faith communities Public Spaces God’s Mission Associations Institutions People

  27. COMMUNITY ACTIONGo to the peopleLive among themLearn from themLove themStart with what they knowBuild on what they have;But of the best leaderswhen their task is doneThe people will remark“We have done it ourselves.” Lao-Tau, 700 BC

  28. INVITATION • God is inviting all children of God to get OUT of their comfort zones to see God at work in the world. • Building relationships and partnerships we will find many who are doing God’s work without knowing it. • We might be able to connect and learn together how God’s dream is becoming a reality there. By God’s grace, new communities will be called into existence.

  29. Good News from the Margins • God is knocking at the door of our ELCA churches; not so much to get in, but to invite us out……..into the world God loves. • Out of our comfort zones • Out of the usual • Out of our control TO SEE GOD IN ACTION 24/7 in the world

  30. Threshold, toledo, oh • IT’S NOT ABOUT THE SHOW. • While we have great music during worship, don’t expect a concert atmosphere. And while we have sermons, we don’t shy away from the Gospel of Jesus and how we live in relationship with Him. Our goal is to engage everyone is worship together, as one unified body. Sunday worship is relational, interactive, and real.

  31. -Gift Utilization -Flexibility -Resilience -Spouse/Partner Cooperation -Commitment to Multicultural Ministry -Commitment to the ELCA

  32. The Catacomb communities, Mount Vernon, WA • So far there are three house churches meeting. The first, in Mount Vernon, Wash., is made up of people from a variety of faith backgrounds — Nazarene, Baptist, Roman Catholic, Buddhist and Presbyterian — all of whom “were kind of sick of church.”

  33. The Leaven Project, Portland, OR Leaven Project is an open and growing community. We aim to be in intentional relationship with one another, listen to others and share our own stories, and build power among in order to organize for justice and the common good. This is our definition of beloved community. Now called Salt and Light Church, ELCA.

  34. Beach Progressives, Long Beach, CA • Beach Progressives is an innovative, start-up Christian community rooted in the Episcopal and Lutheran traditions, with a special focus on helping young adults and college students connect with God, neighbor, and their deepest selves.  Located in Long Beach, California, we're committed to living lives of love, justice, and inclusion in the way of Jesus.

  35. Public safety ministries, • Public Safety Ministries Inc. • “Serving Those Who Protect” • Our Mission: • Promoting Spiritual Fitness in the Public Safety Professions. • Our Vision: • To provide public safety leaders with the spiritual care and support resources they need for personal spiritual fitness development. In turn, those leaders will possess the resources needed to promote and support the spiritual fitness of their employees and organizations. The end result will be organizations with spiritually fit employees providing quality public safety services to our communities.

  36. Come 2 go, fort wayne, in • From it’s inception in 2003, Come2Go Ministries has always been about community. Beginning with musical expression as a common thread, c2g has grown from a small number of music lovers into a dynamic Christian community that is actively reflecting God’s love in their lives. • Come2Go claims a transformed warehouse as its home. Located on the edge of downtown Fort Wayne, this ministry is accessible by all, recasting the community of Christ in a relevant setting that comfortably accommodates an amazing variety of church activities. • We express our faith in the community through our GoTeams.  Teams of volunteers serve God by serving others by regularly feeding the homeless and under-resourced, at the Allen County Juvenile Center (Wood Youth Center), nursing homes, tavern bible studies and more. • Today, come2go meets weekly for worship, studying God’s word, encouraging one another in Christian community, praying fervently, giving freely, serving all people, and inviting everyone to know Jesus.

  37. St. lydia’s, New york, nyLet’s do dinner! Sharing the Meal: Our worship takes place at the table around a big, delicious meal that we cook together. Communion is made as we share food and ourselves by exploring scripture, singing, and praying together. Telling Our Story: Jesus told a lot of stories, and so do we. We tell the story of Christ's dying and rising, and through it, uncover the daily dyings and risings that comprise our lives. Working Together: When you arrive at St. Lydia's, you'll be put straight to work preparing dinner or setting the table. Working together unites us as a community and brings us closerto God.

  38. San Francisco: St Gregory of NyssaEpiscopal-ELCA

  39. San Francisco: St Gregory of NyssaEpiscopal-ELCA

  40. San Francisco: St Gregory of NyssaEpiscopal-ELCA

  41. San Francisco: St Gregory of NyssaEpiscopal-ELCA

  42. Old Fremont Lutheran Church, now known as the Fremont Abbey Arts Center Seattle: Church of the Apostles ELCA

  43. Seattle: Church of the Apostles ELCA

  44. Seattle: Church of the Apostles ELCA

  45. Seattle: Church of the Apostles ELCA

  46. Luther’s Table, Renton, WA Café? Church? Bar? YES!

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