While I'm gtting back into shape, think about this...
The Collapse of the Church Culture
"The current church culture in North America is on life support. It is living off the work, money and energy of previous generations from a previous world order. The plug will be pulled when either the money runs out (80 percent of money given to congregations comes from people aged fifty-five and over) or when the remaining three-fourths of a generation who are institutional loyalists die off or both..."The first Reformation was about freeing the church. The new Reformation is about freeing God's people from the chruch (the institution). The original Reformation decentralized the church. The new Reformation decentralizes ministry. The former Reformation occurred when clergy were no longer willing to take marching orders from the Pope. The current Reformation finds church members no longer willing for clergy to script their personal spiritual ministry journey. The last Reformation moved the church closer to home. The new Reformation is moving the church closer to the world. The historic Reformation distinguished Christians one from the other. The current Reformation is distinguishing followers of Jesus from religious people. The European Reformation assumed the church to be a part of the cultural-political order. The Reformation currently underway does not rely on the cultural-political order to prop up the church. The initial Reformation was about church. The new Reformation is about mission."
Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, pp.1 and 43.
What do you think?
Via.
I think there isn't actually a new reformation. Those that have been christians (rather than religious) have always taken the church to the world. Plus body ministry isn't new, only neglected by 'traditional' churches. Likewise 'mission' is frequently seen as something a strange or eccentric minority do, however historically it has not always been that way.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to be careful not to read into it what isn't there. I'd say that the restoration of the baptism in the Spirit and use of spiritual gifts was a real reformation in the latter third of the last century. There is a call to mission and a call for a recognition of the body of Christ that has been shouted from the rooftops for the last 30+ years. I should be glad that people are still talking about it. Guess my reservations are about what it's being wrapped up and presented alongside.
I think I'm caring less about what the structure will look like for the next generation. But I am caring a lot more that the people I know in the generation that now is taking over and the generation to come will know Christ and not just be part of an irrelevant institution.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what "The current Reformation finds church members no longer willing for clergy to script their personal spiritual ministry journey." will mean exctly - that we won't have clergy or that we will all have a role to play doing things that traditionally have been left to the "trained clergy". Maybe that the leadership roles will be more shared?
And I hope that we do leave behind a legacy of faith, not just dead institutions, as we become the older generation.
I think something is bound to happen. Our society, in general, is reaching the edge of how far it can go towards, well, towards wherever it is we're headed, and it's no place good. That said, the current church seems to be having little effect, in its current form, inable to make any significant progress in breaking through to make any large, positive changes through the Holy Spirit.
ReplyDeleteOf course all you can do is speak of broad, general trends, as there will always be followers of Christ living out there lives to the glory of God within the world, as well as there being those who do not.
Having slept a little on this, I'm considering again what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually what I was expecting to happen all those years ago, when I was a new Christian in a baptist church, and it felt like the old wineskins were laying flacid on the floor. I was really looking forward to the destruction of the 'traditional' structures, and their replacement with living spirit filled churches of people determined to go on with God.
I know what it is that bothers me. There's a sub text here, that suggests the structures are being destroyed, not because God's spirit is calling people up, but instead that un-christian society has chosen to persue a path increasingly away from God. I also think that postmodernism is the map that guides this increasing un-godly path.
Having slept a little on this, I'm considering again what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually what I was expecting to happen all those years ago, when I was a new Christian in a baptist church, and it felt like the old wineskins were laying flacid on the floor. I was really looking forward to the destruction of the 'traditional' structures, and their replacement with living spirit filled churches of people determined to go on with God.
I know what it is that bothers me. There's a sub text here, that suggests the structures are being destroyed, not because God's spirit is calling people up, but instead that un-christian society has chosen to persue a path increasingly away from God. I also think that postmodernism is the map that guides this increasing un-godly path.
Having slept a little on this, I'm considering again what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteThis is actually what I was expecting to happen all those years ago, when I was a new Christian in a baptist church, and it felt like the old wineskins were laying flacid on the floor. I was really looking forward to the destruction of the 'traditional' structures, and their replacement with living spirit filled churches of people determined to go on with God.
I know what it is that bothers me. There's a sub text here, that suggests the structures are being destroyed, not because God's spirit is calling people up, but instead that un-christian society has chosen to persue a path increasingly away from God. I also think that postmodernism is the map that guides this increasing un-godly path.
NUTS!
ReplyDeleteSorry for the multiple postings. This is confirmation that Mozilla firefox really is in beta still.
The church as we know it is going to under go a radical change. In many cases it will be the lack of money that will do it. It is very difficult for long established institutions to take any risks and are moved to change only when when money is in short supply. I think a lot of institutions will refuse to change and just die off.
ReplyDeleteThe institutions that replace them will have to be lighter and more efficient with cash. Leadership training is still going to happen but it will shift from classroom/book learning to mentoring/experiential learning. There will be less of a focus on degrees.
I hope the new reformation isn't about mission, I hope it is about Jesus.