‘Emerging’ Church

The first thing to say is that McLaren doesn’t like the term Emerging for all kinds of reasons.  But with no other word to replace it I’ll use it as a catch all definition of new developments on the fringe of church.  He spent some time unpacking where we are and where we might be heading.

Trees

Trees grow taller by accident.  They really grow fatter and that’s how we measure their growth.  So instead of thinking about the emerging church as a slice of a pie, think instead of the new ring of growth on the outside of a tree.  People on the outside, in this new place may have more in common with the others in that ring than with people from their tradition towards the centre.  This ring of new growth reflects how the church has responded to the current climate.  Like a tree, some years will see more development than others given the prevailing climate and nutrients.

3 Worlds - Pre-modern, Modern and Postmodern

Theology is framed by modernity.  It’s language and world view are informed by the modern world, the world of the industrial revolution, colonisation, empire and domination.

We don’t all live in that world now.  There is a move towards a new era but the problem felt is that the people making that move first are very dissatisfied with those who don’t want to move yet.  The point of movement has lots of tension and friction, between the established church and the new models and expressions of church. (This had a useful diagram to explain it… not that I can reproduce it at the moment but I’ll have a go later and add it in.)

The challenge for the early movers/adopters is to imagine the new world and describe it to those they are trying to convince to move.  It’s no use shouting at someone, telling them there is a better way if you can’t describe, or better show, how it can be.

Downward Pressure

McLaren used another diagram to show the downward movement from ‘high church’ through the reformation to ‘lower’ expressions.  This showed:

Orthodox

Roman Catholic

Anglican

Lutheran

Presbyterian

Methodist

Pentecostal

Charismatic

with new expressions at the bottom.  This describes the movement from control to shared responsibility, from high to low and from structure to network and micro-church.

So, is McLaren right?  Does this downward pressure explain church development?  And if it does, what drives the downward pressure?  Are you on the fringe?  An early adopter?  Do you shout or convince?  Complain or paint pictures of how it could be?

Neal has some good links to other bloggers who’ve heard McLaren over the weekend.

Last night I went to hear author and pastor Brian McLaren speak at Vertigo in Strathclyde Uni’s Student Union.  These are my notes and some attempt to make some sense of them.

Jesus didn’t come to start a religion.  He came to start something else which he called the ‘Kingdom of God’.  But would Jesus use that term now given that the world is not organised in what we would know and understand as kingdoms?

If Jesus wouldn’t use ‘kingdom of God’, what would he use?

The Dream of God?

What is God’s dream for the world?  What does God hope for his creation?  How can we help to achieve that?  By working at what we think is important or by finding out what God is doing and joining in?

The Peace Revolution of God

Violence met with violence legitimises violence.  Peacemakers are blessed.  How can we actively make peace?  Not just abstain from violence but work for peace and reconciliation?

The Mission of God

What is God up to?  Is there a difference between the ‘evacuation gospel’ which says that this world is doomed so salvation is a ticket to somewhere better and the gospel that says God sent Jesus to redeem the world, so we should join in that work and make the world a better place now.

The Party of God

Like it sounds.  Jesus seemed to hang out and have a good time.  Is life for living and enjoying?

Or what would the political party of God look like?  Instead of pointing out why the ‘opposition’ is wrong might it highlight good ideas, areas of co-operation and opportunities for reconciliation?

Network of God

Like an online network.  A coalition of radicals joined in a common cause

Dance of God

Some of the early church fathers described the Trinity as a never ending dance where the Father is poured into the Spirit who is poured into the Son who is poured into the Father…

Ecosystem of God

Or the never ending dance of creation (it got a bit Circle of Life here)

God’s New Planet

A redeemed and restored world.  I had an interesting conversation today about whether the second coming would be at the end of the 6th age on the day of Restoration, the Sabbath.  A time of healing and renewal.

Beloved Community

Not just the people we live near but a world where we truly love our neighbours.  All of them.

God’s Economy

Can we imagine a world where economic growth is not measured in consumption but in how much we give back?

Or how about the Unterror Network of God?  Little cells of people meeting in secret, intent on doing good.  Planning guerrilla acts of kindness.

This reimagining of terminology may seem a little flippant or pointless but it points to some wider thinking about what the ‘kingdom of God’ is.  If the terms above describe the Kingdom then the question which follows is ‘How do we live in the Kingdom?’

Stuck for ideas for gifts?  Want to buy your loved one an iPod but feeling a little bit guilty?  Want to help make the world a better place?

could be the answer.  There are a growing list of great (RED) products available.  You buy the (RED) product and money goes to AIDS work in Africa.  Sounds simple.  It is.  So what can you buy?

Dell laptops, Apple iPods, GAP t-shirts, Converse shoes, Armani fragrances, Windows Vista, Hallmark Cards… Everything you could ever want for Christmas.

Go shop for (RED) stuff this Christmas.

Join the Advent Conspiracy!  Give your presence this Christmas!

I’ve just finished reading Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell.  I know it’s taken me a while to get round to this but I’m kind of glad I waited because I think I’m probably in a place now where it makes more sense to me that it might have when it came out a couple of years ago.

The book is full of gems.  For me, Bell’s engagement with the Jewish Jesus is illuminating and helpful but the line that struck me most was:

If it’s not good news for everybody then it’s not good news for anybody.

His explanation is that if person X starts to follow Christ that should be good news for the Muslim next door or the Hindu across the road because person x will be a better neighbour.

I’ve asked the question ‘What difference does it make to the world that we follow Christ?’ in a few sermons over the past months.  I think Rob Bell’s observation gives at least a place to start looking for an answer.  The Good News isn’t just Good News for us.  It should be Good News for the people we live with, the people we work with, the people we share our street with, the people we meet and all the people we come into contact with.

The lectionary for this week is Matthew 25: 31-46 (the sheep and the goats/i was naked, hungy, sick, in prison) and in his Chocolate teapot for 28 Nov Roddy Hamilton has posted some thoughts:

There is no way Jesus intended to start a church. Nothing he did was designed to grow a great institution that has fought over how many angels you can get on a pin head, the colour of cups in the cupboards and who should be allowed to use them, should the minister raise three fingers representing the Trinity during the benediction, should we stand for the bible, what should be the balance of hymns between traditional and contemporary etc, etc, etc. You can add to the list as you feel the need.

All Jesus did was tell folk there are forgotten folk in the world and there ought not to be, there are people who starve and there shouldn’t be, there are folk imprisoned in memories and pain and guilt and marriages and illness who should rather be free to life fully, there are people who can’t afford clothes for their own backs let alone their children’s backs and that is a shocking thing to let happen. Sort it.

The principle is dead straight forward. This is quite simply all there is to do as a church, a nation, a company of people, an individual. Here, and rarely anywhere else will you find Jesus. He never said he’d be found among those who wanted pews or those who didn’t, those who wanted everything sung with the organ or the piano, those who wanted Moody and Sankey or those who wanted John Bell.

But he did say, if you want to find me, look among the poor.

Which bit did the church fail to understand?

My answer? All of it.

We, the church, the supposed people of God, the followers of Christ, have forgotten that the Good News should be Good News for everyone.  If it’s not Good News for everyone then it’s not the Good News Jesus was talking about.

Any thoughts?

Think that’s shocking?

Barnardo’s released a report called Break The Cycle today.  The research conducted by YouGov shows that:

• just under half (49%) of people believe that children are increasingly a danger to each other and adults
• 43% agree something has to be done to protect us from children
• 45% think that children are feral in the way they behave.

A survey conducted amongst Barnardo’s young people – just over half of whom have been in trouble – found that most of them thought that young people get into trouble because of boredom and peer pressure.

Of the 393 youngsters, aged between 10 and 23:

• 44% said bad behaviour is encouraged when the media portrays their peers as misbehaving
• 84% said young people get into trouble because of boredom
• 88% said having more things to do and places to go might stop young people getting into trouble
• 32% would go to friends for help if they were in trouble

This report reminded me of a couple of things.

The first is that very wise saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’.  Children are not aliens. They don’t materialise on the streets from outer space.  They are ours.  Our children, grandchildren, cousins, newphews and nieces and friends.

The Scottish Children’s Commissioner found last year that 64% of adults would like to volunteer to work with children and young people but only 5% actually do.

The blame, if there is any blame to be had, is squarely with us, adults.  We ignore our children.  We leave them to do what they please because it suits us.  We don’t get involved with them.  We don’t provide clubs, organisations, sports, art, music or education because we can’t be bothered.  We’d rather watch tv and complain.

It takes a village to raise a child means that the whole of society is responsible.  We all need to take an interest, provide opportunities, volunteer.  Not someone else, you.  We’re happy to drop our kids off at clubs and organisations and Sunday School but how many of us offer to help out?

I’m not American.  I’m Scottish and I wouldn’t trade that for anything… but I’ve said before, my dream job would be Sam’s in the West Wing - writing speeches for the President.

Obama’s speech writer is 26 years old Jon Favreau.  That’s right, he’s 26.  He obviously has one of the most gifted orators in the world to work with and Obama has huge input into the process, but to have a hand, or even a little finger in this shows real talent.  Obama’s victory speech will, I think, come to be regarded with some of the great speeches of all time.

If you didn’t hear it, spend 15 minutes listening to what a political speech, a sermon, a lecture or a presentation should sound like:

America lived up to the promise of the Declaration of Independence last night.  This was the day that America grew up.  This was the day that the promise that all men are created equal was realised.

Change was the message, but I think in the end that people voted for Hope.  They voted for the hope of a positive outlook, the hope of a positive world view and the hope America was built on and is embodied in Barack Obama.

This election has shown that people are ready to embrace a future which embraces all.  People are hungry for leaders who will rise above the tit for tat of party politics and grasp higher ideals.  The world is ready for hope.

If you live in America then today you have the chance to make the world a better place.

I’ll repeat that.

If you live in America then today YOU have the chance to make the world a better place.

How many days like that come along?  Not many.  And when they do you really have to make the most of them so today go and VOTE, please.

Over the past 21 months the US election campaign has been captivating.  It finaly boiled down to Obama v McCain.  In an era of consensus politics the process couldn’t have thrown up a more stark choice.  Some people in America won’t understand why I’m posting this.  Some people in America don’t understand that who they pick for President matters greatly to how the rest of the world will live for the next 4 years and beyond.

If you need an example then look no further than the current economic crisis or the ‘war on terror’.

So please, as they said in the West Wing, VOTE early and VOTE often!  Some change would be good, for all of us.

I mentioned that I had recoreded a discussion on Tribes for the Something Beautiful Podcast… well it’s edited and part 1 is online now… HERE.

Some further thoughts:

Tribes are everywhere.  We are all part of tribes.  Tribes form around interests and passions.  Tribes are big and small.  Tribes share a sense of purpose and belonging.

Godin’s book is one that all churches should read.  Not just church leaders.  But church people.  This is a book for leaders.  Some of those leaders are already leading tribes but some are waiting for their moment or waiting for their tribe.

So, what’s the book about?

Faith, Religion and Heretics.  Those aren’t necessarily words you would expect to read in a marketing book, but then Godin isn’t just any marketer.  He’s a heretic.

Faith, according to Seth, is a good thing.  Faith is something we all share.  Some have faith in God, others faith in Apple or Starbucks but that faith is mostly that the world can be better, that we can do better.  Faith helps us to reach further, to attain, to aspire.

Religion, well that happens when people who share a faith get together and start a club.  There are rules for the club and sooner or later those rules become more important than the faith they were made to celebrate.  This happens because people want to protect the status quo.  People want to preserve their faith.

Heretics are the people who lead change.  Martin Luther was a heretic.  Joan of Arc, Ghandi, Rob Bell…

Rob Bell?  Yes, Rob Bell.  The connection is that heretics change the rules.  Bell started a new church.  A new kind of church.

The thrust of Godin’s argument is that there are lots of people who are waiting to be led.  People are dissatisfied with the status quo.  Others have left their religion and are out there with their faith waiting and hoping for someone to come and lead them.  Waiting for someone to inspire them.

These people need leaders.

Leaders are all about how it could be.  Managers are about how it is.

Leaders are about what’s possible.  Managers are about what is.

Leaders deliver change.  Managers deliver the status quo.

Simple really.  Leaders lead.  People want to be led.  They want to form tribes around ideas and create movements.  Once the tribe is formed the leader’s role is to tighten the tribe.  To find ways to bring people together, to deepen relationships and to grow the tribe… if the tribe wants to grow.

Sound familiar?  Sound like something you want or need?  What’s the catch?

Leading is hard.  It takes committment and effort.  It takes people who don’t mind being called a heretic.

Seth Godin’s audiobook Tribes is available on iTunes ahead of the release of the book in a week or so.