ANIMATING ‘COMMUNITIES OF HOPE & COMPASSION’ Part One Dr Andrew Menzies Download audio at churchesofchrist.org.au
MATTHEW 9:35-38 ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”’
AUSTRALIAN CENSUS: PERCENTAGE GROWTH IN RELIGIOUS GROUPS 2006-2011
ABS 2011 CENSUS - GONE MISSING
CHURCH GROWTH There is only one category of Christian church/denomination that is growing (immigrant churches) Every other category is: In decline In plateau
IMAGE OF PROFESSIONS – CLERGY 1996: 59% of population rate high for ethics and honesty 2016: 35% of population rate high for ethics and honesty - Source: Roy Morgan Research, Image of Professions Survey (2016)
“Given the steady fifty-year decline in church attendance, it’s not hard to find people who can tell you why they stopped going to church. Nor, these days, is to hard to find younger people who have never been churchgoers and can’t imagine taking it up.” - Hugh Mackay Beyond Belief
PROFOUND IMPACT OF MIGRATION Twice as many immigrants attend church than other Australians 29% immigrants attend monthly or more 15% of other Australians attend monthly 41% of all monthly attenders aged between 18 and 65 are immigrants! Lack of immigrants have a great impact on rate of decline in Anglican, Presbyterian and Uniting churches Immigrants are the major cause of growth in other denominations.
WHY DO MIGRANTS ATTEND? Looking for community in Australia Shared language Shared values Confirms identity Identity of many migrants in ethnicity which is tied to certain religious groups Sense of duty to attend
OUR CONTEXT Children may be born into a church community … but as • they grow into adults, they realise that can make their own decisions about involvement and identity: the vast majority leave in teenage and young adult years. Young families don ’ t generally return to church life when • children arrive. Involvement in a religious community has shifted from a • matter of duty to a matter of motivation. 300,000 to 500,000 Australians aged between 10-34 • moved to ‘no religion’ between 2006 and 2011 The average age of a church attendee is 53. • A quarter of church attendees are older than 70. •
SUMMARY Either Jesus was joking about the harvest or he didn’t expect it of us in 2017 in Australia or we are doing something dreadfully wrong. If we were farmers and these statistics were our harvest, year upon year, we would lose the farm.
SUMMARY Either Jesus was joking about the harvest or he didn’t mean it for us in 2017 in Australia or we are doing something dreadfully wrong. If we were farmers and these statistics were our harvest, year upon year, we would lose the farm. The only way we could continue farming would be through: A thorough root and branch assessment of what is fruitful and • what is not fruitful A reflective and intentional return to core purpose • A creative and adaptive investigation (with a plan) for the • purpose of reaping a harvest Focused recruitment and development of capable people into • areas of strength
LUKE 13:18-19 ‘Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”’
LESSONS FROM BASE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 1. Churches should give ministry back to ordinary people.
LESSONS FROM BASE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 1. Churches should give ministry back to ordinary people. 2. The work of the Spirit cannot be tied down in church hierarchy and structure.
LESSONS FROM BASE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 1. Churches should give ministry back to ordinary people. 2. The work of the Spirit cannot be tied down in church hierarchy and structure. 3. Disciples are best formed through regular practices combined with immersion in the local community.
LESSONS FROM BASE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 1. Churches should give ministry back to ordinary people. 2. The work of the Spirit cannot be tied down in church hierarchy and structure. 3. Disciples are best formed through regular practices combined with immersion in the local community. 4. The current model of local congregation is not God’s only model for church and has never been.
LESSONS FROM BASE ECCLESIAL COMMUNITIES 1. Churches should give ministry back to ordinary people. 2. The work of the Spirit cannot be tied down in church hierarchy and structure. 3. Disciples are best formed through regular practices combined with immersion in the local community. 4. The current model of local congregation is not God’s only model for church and has never been. 5. The current model of congregational church with a minister is limited in its ability at mission.
REFLECTIVE QUESTIONS… • What is your reaction to the data presented? • Where are vital signs of life and ‘harvest’ in your community? • Are there any examples that come to mind where you see ‘mustard seeds’ of the Kingdom growing in your church or local community? How can they be resourced, released and multiplied? ‘Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”’ (Lk 13:18-19)
ANIMATING ‘COMMUNITIES OF HOPE & COMPASSION’ Part Two Dr Andrew Menzies Download audio at churchesofchrist.org.au
DISTRIBUTED NETWORK
HUB & SPOKES STRUCTURE
Ea Early C Church Structure: Distributed network Leadership gifts employed (Eph 4:11-13): Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor & Teacher. Elders & Deacons in Nodes (Networks?) Expressions of Ekklesia: House churches (nodes) City wide churches (networks of nodes) Inter-city church networks (universal)
EARLY CHURCH LIFE & MISSION Nodes (house churches) were very aware of local situation and • need Mission responses came from nodes (sometimes resourced • through relational networks) Discipleship and formation occurred in nodes (occasionally with • resource from more experienced people) Breaking Bread was central and done regularly, over a meal and • accompanied by prayer, worship, fellowship and Bible Nodes accessed help from their relational network when needed • Leadership and authority was relational, not institutional • (distributed network) Nodes grew virally and organically (often in secret) • Baptisms were testimony of a transformation •
Early Ch Church Pres esen ent C Church ch Structure: Distributed network Hub & Spokes Leadership gifts employed (Eph 4:11- 13): A, P, E, P & T. P & T Elders & Deacons in Nodes (Networks?) Minister and Elders control church Expressions of Ekklesia: House churches (Nodes) Local Congregations City wide (Networks of Nodes) Denominations Inter-city church networks (Universal) Councils and Credal
MODERN CHURCH LIFE AND MISSION Mission is usually run as an optional program Mission Spokes often require permission from the hub before taking initiative (disincentive and disempowered) Hub often comes up with a program and expects the spokes to carry it out (disconnection and disruption) The major concern of the hub is alignment Discipleship and formation are increasingly missed or optional Breaking Bread is often a small part of a busy worship service Regular attendance is now anything more than once a month Leadership and authority are institutionally and structurally empowered (hub & spokes) Growth is usually via transfers (if there is any growth) Baptisms are generally biological
FROM NODES TO CONGREGATIONS
HALO ESPRESSO, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
Early Ch Church Pres esen ent C Church ch Structure: Distributed network Hub & Spokes Leadership gifts employed (Eph 4:11- 13): A, P, E, P & T. P & T Elders & Deacons in Nodes (Networks?) Minister and Elders control church Expressions of Ekklesia: House churches (Nodes) Local Congregations City wide (Networks of Nodes) Denominations Inter-city church networks (Universal) Councils and Credal
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