What do you think? Where are some good places for us to start, out of this list?
12 hard truths C09 taught me
After 16 months the formal phase of the Connect09 campaign has wrapped up, and the Diocese is now moving into the ongoing Connecting for Life phase.
The Rev Andrew Nixon, Executive Director of Connect09, shares what he has learnt over the last couple of years.
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Rather than ‘Connect09 principles’ these are some broader conclusions that I have come to as I have been forced to think about the big picture over the past two years.
1. The status quo isn’t working.
2. The fact that so many of us are converted before 20 doesn’t mean we have youth work under control; it means few adults get converted.
3. Churches usually grow by being more attractive to Christians than surrounding churches, rather than by converting unbelievers.
4. All of our churches must be ‘missional’ churches, led by and populated with missionaries.
5. The parish system is (to my surprise) an excellent thing.
6. People long for belonging and community – especially local community.
7. Church is rightly the locus of our lives as believers, but it is just too big a first step for un-churched unbelievers to attend.
8. Regional or ‘mega’ churches have a place, but they can never be a substitute for multiple local congregations engaging with local communities.
9. Our church members are a wonderful gift from God and the greatest untapped resource we possess.
10. Our senior ministers are first class people who we have failed to prepare properly for the mission situation we place them in.
11. We could do so much more if we helped each other more.
12. We must pray more for those who need to know Jesus.
St Jerome said “If an offence come out of the truth, better it is that the offence come than the truth be concealed.” Are these truths?
St Jerome said “If an offence come out of the truth, better it is that the offence come than the truth be concealed.” Are these truths?
(The same author also warned, “the scars of others should teach us caution.” I post these very cautiously indeed.)
What are your thoughts? Which ones are easiest for us to fix? Which ones are going to be the most challenging?
It's great that they've had a solid crack at a big, public, diocese-wide campaign to learn these things from.
ReplyDeleteHere's another, older list from the same blog more related to the local church and point 8 on this list: how are we visible in our local community?
http://www.sydneyanglicans.net/ministry/churchlife/our_churches_are_invisible/
I'm struck by item 4 - being missional. It's so easy to think church is about being friendly and nice on a Sunday - but to quote the movie '... we're on a mission from Gard ... sorry God'.
ReplyDeleteThat mission is deeply involved with the community at church (and the making of disciples) but it is also about drawing (nXn) seekers to Jesus through our lives and inviting them (in)to church.
Personally I'm not so convinced about item 7 - it seems to me that the 'way we do church' needs to be better targeted. That may mean different 'types' of services and different forms of communication - but to my mind, that is all still church?
Not sure what Andrew means by 'Church' in no.7 - but I tend to agree with the point that 'church as locus of believers' lives' is a big step for a nonXtn to take. It's a huge transition from an unchurched life to the kinds of activites that committed Xtns prioritise on a regular basis.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess the issue is: what are the 'easy' transition pathways, or points of contact into the inner life of 'Church'? One ancient church answer was: it IS hard, so make people stand outside the doors/ the communion rails until they work out that they really want to come in!