missionary churches in a post-churched world. what blessed my marriage
TRANSCRIPT
Recalculate for the Kingdom of God is at
hand. Matthew 4
• Use the right map
RecalculatingRecalculating
Using the Right MapUsing the Right Map
Three different worlds (contexts) in Three different worlds (contexts) in which we live and serve as God’s which we live and serve as God’s peoplepeople
Pre-church
Churched
Post-church
Using the Right MapUsing the Right Map
Each mission context has its set ofEach mission context has its set of
Cultural “Insiders”
Cultural “Outsiders”
Using the Right MapUsing the Right Map
Who? Where?
When?What’s the
starting place?
Answered by Cultural Insiders
Using the Right MapUsing the Right Map
It is essential to know which world It is essential to know which world we are in order to serve effectivelywe are in order to serve effectively
– Are we cultural insiders?Are we cultural insiders?
– Are we cultural outsiders?Are we cultural outsiders?
The Pre-Churched MapThe Pre-Churched Map
Church has no identity, thus no credibility
Non-Christians are Cultural “Insiders” Missionaries begin as
Cultural “Outsiders”
Pre-churched MapPre-churched Map
Who? Where?
When?What’s the
starting place?
Answered by the Unchurched
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
First step in mission work is to First step in mission work is to become become permeable
To remove as many “foreign” or To remove as many “foreign” or “outsider” elements as possible“outsider” elements as possible
Learn the Language and Culture Learn the Language and Culture of the “insiders”of the “insiders”
Share life experiencesShare life experiencesGet to know and be knownGet to know and be known
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
Three steps in permeatingThree steps in permeating
• Learner
• Trader
• Story Teller
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
Starting PlacesStarting Places
First Article BridgesFirst Article Bridges
(I believe that God has made me and (I believe that God has made me and all creatures. That He has given to all creatures. That He has given to me . . .)me . . .)
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
Note: The missionary might never Note: The missionary might never become a cultural insiderbecome a cultural insider
Get Gospel communication into the Get Gospel communication into the hands of cultural insiders ASAPhands of cultural insiders ASAP
Missionaries focus on multiplying Missionaries focus on multiplying cultural insiders who speak the Gospelcultural insiders who speak the Gospel
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
Focus on the unchurchedFocus on the unchurchedHigh engagement with the unchurchedHigh engagement with the unchurched
Maintain a porous boundary with Maintain a porous boundary with unchurchedunchurched
Operate with Several Word gifts (Eph. 4)Operate with Several Word gifts (Eph. 4) Unchurched → evangelist Unchurched → evangelist
Churched → pastor/teacherChurched → pastor/teacherBoth → apostle, prophetBoth → apostle, prophet
Develop Little structureDevelop Little structureVocationalVocationalOrganizationalOrganizational
The Pre-Church MapThe Pre-Church Map
Potential impediments Potential impediments – Professionalize the witnessProfessionalize the witness– Over structure Over structure
The porous boundary between church and The porous boundary between church and community thickens, eventually becoming community thickens, eventually becoming impermeable.impermeable.
Cultural “insidership” of the unchurched Cultural “insidership” of the unchurched community gives way to the cultural community gives way to the cultural “insidership” of the churched community“insidership” of the churched community
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
Church is essential to the communityChurch is essential to the community
The unchurched are cultural The unchurched are cultural
““outsiders”outsiders”
The churched areCultural “Insiders”
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
The churched are now the cultural “insiders”.The churched are now the cultural “insiders”.
Church has great credibilityChurch has great credibility
Central to the shared story of the cultureCentral to the shared story of the culture
Know (shape) language and cultureKnow (shape) language and culture
Socially and culturally in chargeSocially and culturally in charge
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
Who? (Communicates)Who? (Communicates)When? (It happens)When? (It happens)
Where? (It happens)Where? (It happens)What (is the starting place)?What (is the starting place)?
These questions are now answered These questions are now answered by the church.by the church.
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
The unchurched are now the cultural The unchurched are now the cultural “outsiders”“outsiders”
Their relationship to the churchTheir relationship to the church
Share the church influenced language Share the church influenced language and and cultureculture
Value the church’s role in the societyValue the church’s role in the society
Church is a FIRST ARTICLE BRIDGEChurch is a FIRST ARTICLE BRIDGE
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
The unchurched are now the cultural The unchurched are now the cultural “outsiders”“outsiders”
The church’s relationship to themThe church’s relationship to them
The unchurched are Invisible The unchurched are Invisible (assumption that everyone is a (assumption that everyone is a
Christian)Christian)
Possibly suspicious Possibly suspicious (non-Christians hold something (non-Christians hold something
against the against the church church or God)or God)
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
Pastor is a cultural insider (holds high Pastor is a cultural insider (holds high credibility)credibility)
Knows the language and cultural at a high Knows the language and cultural at a high levellevel
Considered the guardian of the cultureConsidered the guardian of the culture
Local outreach (Jerusalem, Judea) is the Local outreach (Jerusalem, Judea) is the vocation of professionalsvocation of professionals
Respected by unchurchedRespected by unchurched
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
Focus on the churchedFocus on the churched
Non-Christians will come to church to hear Non-Christians will come to church to hear the Good Newsthe Good News
Operate with Fewer Word gifts (Eph. 4)Operate with Fewer Word gifts (Eph. 4)Unchurched atrophy Unchurched atrophy Churched consolidate → pastor/teacherChurched consolidate → pastor/teacher
Build permanence (structure)Build permanence (structure)Focus on securing the BoundariesFocus on securing the Boundaries
The Churched MapThe Churched Map
Potential impediments to Gospel spreadPotential impediments to Gospel spread
– Increased professionalization of the witness (only Increased professionalization of the witness (only the pastor can do this)the pastor can do this)
– Preoccupation with church permanencePreoccupation with church permanence(Fixation with protecting the boundaries)(Fixation with protecting the boundaries)
– Increased concern for the needs of the already Increased concern for the needs of the already “churched”; concern for the lost slowly atrophies.“churched”; concern for the lost slowly atrophies.
The Post-Church MapThe Post-Church Map
The community around the church is The community around the church is increasingly unchurched, more and increasingly unchurched, more and more reflecting the “pre-churched” more reflecting the “pre-churched” context of ministry.context of ministry.
At the same time, the church continues At the same time, the church continues to operate with the assumptions of a to operate with the assumptions of a “churched” society or context.“churched” society or context.