Shaping

I like reading about the modern American church. It is my family. We can be ugly and insensitive with a strong pension for inflicting damage to those close to us. I like reading about church history too. It comforts me to know that we come from a long line of grace soaked people.

Currently I am in a book by two men from "down under" Australia way. Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch have written a book dealing with things to come in the western church, as they see it. There are many graphs, charts and lists that explain and compare many of the concepts they cover and I would like to share two that have stuck with me. I think they have done so because I have either experienced or would like to within a body of fellow fools (see 1 Corinthians 1).


The first list is as follows:
1. The missional church proclaims the gospel. (Jesus:Where have they all gone, will you go too? Peter: Lord, where else would we go?)

2.The missional church is a community where all members are involved in learning to become disciples of Jesus. (Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. Ps 119:2)

3. The bible is normative in this church's life.

4. The church understands itself as different from the world because of its participation in the life, death, and resurrection of its Lord.

5. The church seeks to discern God's specific missional vocation for the entire community and for all of its members.

6. A missional community is indicated by how Christians behave toward one another.

7. It is a community that practices reconciliation. (Having worked with student I know what a testimony this could be for those who live in so many broken relationships. Not to mention all the times I have watch brothers and sisters tear new wholes for each other in the name of Christ.)

8. People within the community hold themselves accountable to one another in love.

9. The church practices hospitality. (This is a gift I do not have and dearly wish I did have. I have a hard time sharing with my friends, never mind with strangers)

10. Worship is the central act by which the community celebrates with joy and thanksgiving both God's presences and God's promised future.

11. This community has a vital public witness.

12. There is a recognition that the church itself is a incomplete expression of the reign of God.

This is a list of attributes found in a missional/incarnational church. Quickly here are some definitions use in the book; missional: A church whose primary commitment is missionary calling of the people of God. Also it is a sent church with one of its defining vales being the development of a church life and practice that is contextualized to that culture to which it believes it is sent. Incarnational: in relation to mission it means the followers of Jesus similarly embodying of the culture and life of a host culture in order to reach that group of people with Jesus' love.

The second list has a set of exercises that I would like to practice in my own life. Then I would like to come together with others of like mindedness and do the same. Would I consider being a part of a "start-up" church? I don't know, but I wouldn't throw out any possibilities.

1. Keep that which is not unbiblical
2. Reject that which is unbecoming for Christians
3. Modify practices to give them explicitly christian meanings. (This is dangerous territory, for here is where many stupid church people are labeled. Sometimes for good reasons.)
4. Reject current unbiblical practices and replace them
5. Adopt rites drawn from the christian heritage
6. Create new symbols and rituals

This is a list of hard work. Lots of study, prayer and examination have to take place to make sure wheat is seperated from chaff. The result, hopefully, is a church that will be better suited to communicate to the world in which it finds itself.

If you want to read these ideas in more context you should get "The Shaping of Things to Come: innovation and mission for the 21st-century church" Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch. ISBN 1-56563-659-7

Any mistakes found here-in are mine, deal with it.