Week of April 18th
Sermon Noodles - The New Mission Era
The four pictures outlined in the devotional guide of what has changed in recent times and the genesis of this work is from Dr. Scott Hagley, Associate Professor of Missiology at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. The four pictures of the new mission era are difficult stuff.
But I suppose sometimes God has to slide God’s fingers up our nose and pull us forward. Part of that moving forward to is become a community of discernment and not just programs. We become wise. Our task is to pause and discern what the Spirit of Jesus is doing, and then cooperate with it. It is a simple but also complex task. It is a call to deepen ourselves in the faith and practice the discipline of the presence of the Risen Christ. When faced with such a task, it is always a benefit to do so with a blessing.
We always need a blessing! Receive this one from Rev. John O’ Donohue in the poem “For the one who is exhausted”:
You have traveled too fast over false ground;
Now your soul has come to take you back.
Take refuge in your senses, open up to all the small miracles you rushed through.
Become inclined to watch the way of rain when it falls slow and free.
Imitate the habit of twilight, taking time to open the well of color that fostered the brightness of day.
Draw alongside the silence of stone until its calmness can claim you.
Be excessively gentle with yourself. Stay clear of those vexed in spirit.
Learn to linger around someone of ease who feels they have all the time in the world.
Gradually, you will return to yourself, having learned a new respect for your heart
And the joy that dwells far within slow time.
Devotional Guide
Devotional guide for the New Mission Era
Below are four pictures of our ministry context. The pictures come from the work of Dr. Scott Hagley, Associate Professor of Missiology at Pittsburg Theological Seminary.
#1 The ground beneath our feet moved: The ________________ of the Church
We are at the end of a seventeen hundred year run that began with Roman Emperor Constantine with Christianity as the official/unofficial religion of the state. In addition, in the USA have a spiritual context of a “religious economy” where places of worship regularly compete with one another for members and attenders.
#2 The air we breathe is increasingly toxic: Our _________ Age
“Belief” has undergone a fundamental shift in American life. Once we believed we were all affected by spiritual forces and beings. Now we don’t. 70% of Americans believe God loves them but doesn’t believe God has the power to affect the future.
#3 The water we drink is drying up: The Crisis of __________________
The American religious economy requires congregations to function as voluntary associations. Volunteerism is dramatically down in non-profits across the country. What happens to the church when people stop volunteering? We are entering a post-congregational and post-volunteer age.
#4 Our shelter is crumbling: The _____________ of Western Christendom
We have inherited a faith that in many ways is divided by race and morally unpersuasive, especially when it comes to the role of women in the church, attitude toward immigrants, and the exclusion of gay, lesbian, and trans people. Diana Butler Bass refers to the years between 2000 and 2010 as “The Horrible Decade” that impacted the way our society views religion and the church. According to The Barna Group, 91% of young adults believe the church is bigoted against gay people; 89% believe the church is hypocritical; 87% believe the church is judgmental; 72% believe the church is out of touch; and 70% believe the church is irrelevant to daily life.
Key:
Disestablishment
Secular
Congregationalism
Bankruptcy
Resources: “Christianity After Religion” by Diana Butler Bass; “Canoeing the Mountains by Rev. Dr. Tod Boslinger; “Almost Christian” by Kenda Creasy Dean; “Divided by Faith” by Christian Smith and Michael O Emerson; The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Haulter. Also read research from The Barna Group, Gallup, and The Pew Foundation for the changing landscape of religion in America .