(posted February 26, 2008) As Christians, we're charged to continue the Mission of Jesus Christ until he returns and we're called to do it together. In episode 12 of The Six, the first part of a series on "Resourcing the Mission," Pastor Dion will say that resourcing the community's mission must also be a community endeavor. Next week's question brings further focus to this issue by asking,
"Can you imagine what the Mission would be like here if EVERY person were bringing to the table all that Christ apportioned to them?"
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Not just what it could be.....
I like that picture of Jesus giving small portions to everyone with the intention that we would bring it together and use it for His purposes. But in some ways, I think that the question is phrased incorrectly.
If Jesus gave us all of the resources we would need to accomplish His goals, then the question isn't so much about what could it be if we all brought our parts fully. It's more about what aren't we accomplishing that Jesus intended us to if we don't. In other words, are we standing in the way of God doing what He wants to do?
We did a study at our old church that figured out if we increased the church's overall regular giving by a mere 1%, we would make up for our church's budget shortfall and create a surplus, which hadn't been seen in years. Not to say that even that is an easy task, especially these days, but it goes to show some of the potential when EVERYONE does even a little bit.
As far as creative thinking goes...the sky is the limit!!!
As a youth person, I can speak to my vision of what these kinds of resources could do for a youth program. On the practical side, it means better resources, increased training for workers and leaders, and greater opportunities for young people to be involved and engaged. Additionally, imagine if church's could financially support members who feel called into professional church work, making the decision to enter the seminary or other path a Spirit-led decision, rather than a wallet-led decision.
On a more exciting front, imagine the outreach potential to teens if you could eliminate or severely reduce the financial requirements put on individuals and families. Imagine the kinds of things that young people could experience if the church was willing and able to say, "We believe you should be a part of this so badly, that we are willing to foot the bill." Additionally, I believe that God has placed a vision on my heart, ever since I was a teenager myself, of a youth center. A place that is always (or just frequently) open to teens from anywhere that operates as a social (or maybe a dance) club, yet is staffed and organized by trained counselors and leaders who can be there to guide teens when they need it. It could be a meeting place for Bible studies and missional work for teens and adults looking to engage teens, a non-threatening hangout that is filled with Christ's love for all people, and a place for young people to live and grow together, with the Spirit, to survive what was for me, at least, one of the most trying periods of my life.
The sky is the limit, friends...and my heart longs to fly. =0D
I stand by my phrasing of
I stand by my phrasing of the question ;)... but either way, I want people to do what you did here, to imagine what God might do and to do a little missional dreaming. Even if it's not what God leads us to in the end, i don't think it hurts.
It's funny i JUST brought up with some people the idea of renting out one of these many empty storefronts we've got in Walled Lake and Wixom from development that has been stalled and turning it into a community youth hang out center (video games, table tennis, and concerned adult volunteers) it's like what churches do in their "youth rooms" only it's out in the community where all kinds of kids might be reached!
Crazy thing is, it's very doable for a congregation with our resources!
God at work....
It's funny i JUST brought up with some people the idea of renting out one of these many empty storefronts we've got in Walled Lake and Wixom from development that has been stalled and turning it into a community youth hang out center (video games, table tennis, and concerned adult volunteers) it's like what churches do in their "youth rooms" only it's out in the community where all kinds of kids might be reached!
Crazy thing is, it's very doable for a congregation with our resources!
<=0o
A Nazarene church in Flint recently constructed a multi-million dollar facility on their site specifically for youth. They've even got future plans to build a walkway to the church from it and add an indoor walking track, among other things. I was kind of upset that they stole my dream. =0/ All for the kingdom, though.
Not just youth - but entire community
I liked the comments about a youth area (they are very important - they are now, not just in the future). But what about a true community center (daytime for seniors), etc. At an outreach think tank last year, this topic was mentioned because Walled Lake does not have a community center on their own.
With the economic forecast for Oakland county, I think we also might need to start thinking of seniors and potentially reach their children and grandchildren through them as well.
May God continue to work through us for what He wants us to accomplish for Him.
How Do We Deal With?
There seems to be a strong trend with kids when they leave their youth groups and go off to college or other things in life. They leave the church and pick up other activities. Part of this trend, from what I have read, is that the youth groups are centered on activities. So, when they move on they just replace that activity for a different one. Notice how this is activity centered and not God centered?
I wonder how we, as a congregation, could even go about handling something like that? What kind of congregation does a church need to have, character and responsibility wise, to pull something off in a missional way?
Maybe I'm being negative but, after several of the conversations I've had with adults around the church about something like this I don't see us, as a group, having the missional life down well enough to do this in a way that escapes the activity entrapment.
I wonder what it would take for us to get there?
What has attracted us to St. Matthew
As a youth leader, a lot of my program was activity-based. As an organization, I really struggle with how to do it any other way. I mean, our worship services are an activity, Bible studies are an activity, small groups are an activity...
I don't think that nature is all that problematic. Now it can be if it's treated as just an activity. Arranging a bowling night can be just another activity...something to do on Sunday afternoon with other Christians...or it can be about showing the community we live in that God's kingdom is a diverse place filled with love and life. With that mentality, all activities, whether orchestrated by a church for a group or randomly on an individual basis, become more than just an activity, and THAT'S what has to happen to avoid "The Trap." I don't think "The Trap" is an inevitability with church programs, it's a danger that needs to be checked...but certainly avoidable.
Which leads me to want to contribute something else to this. One of the things that has drawn us to St. Matthew in the first place--even to the point that we are considering moving away from everything else in our lives just to be closer to the community--is it's leadership.
A congregation can be WAY out of whack, but if it has, at its core, strong and faithful leadership, there's no telling what can happen (it works the other way, as well). We've been in all kinds of churches where the leadership might feel that certain things in the body need fixing, but are too afraid, apathetic, or simply unequipped to even try to fix them. Additionally, we've been in churches where the leadership feeds the negative aspects of the congregation and, through their actions, seems to discourage missional living.
From everything that we have seen and heard in our limited time at St. Matthew, this is NOT an issue. Nobody is perfect, obviously, but St. Matthew has shown us over and over again that it's leadership, whether pastoral, staff, or lay, is responsible and faithful to their calling, both in word and action. As a church, we may not "be there" quite yet, but with a head firmly focused on Christ and living missionally, the body can't help but follow along.
Some other ideas about a fully resourced church by the way...
-A 100-person worship choir that can shake the roofs with God's praises (what would happen if people realized you don't need to be Josh Grobin to sing in a choir)
-I think an total community center for Walled Lake is a GREAT idea...as long as it doesn't just become a hall for wedding receptions =0/
-As someone above mentioned, holding activities and support programs for seniors to continue including them in the mission and life in general...typically, senior ministry in a church is nothing more than a shut-in pastor
-A shelter for the area homeless managed by Christ's followers
-More campuses........?
The Mission
I'd go so far as to say when 2 or more people are doing something together it's an activity. If those 2 people are part of the church it's an activity of the church.
I think the thing we need to not forget is that all of our activities need to happen around the mission of the church in an intentional way, not a strapped on after thought.
In the youth area it can be easy to have a bonfire and throw on a short devotion to make it a 'church event'. It's something entirely different if it's about building up a little community of people to rely on each other when their faith gets beaten up. When the intention is about learning Gods teachings and putting a support system in place so those kids can stand firm with others who have their backs.
This may seem like a subtle difference, I'd say it isn't.
No, it is a difference
No, I'd say you're right. It is a difference. My point was activities aren't the issue and I would argue that they are unavoidable, especially with the definition you provided, which I would also agree with.
I guess I just got the feeling from your original post that you viewed this as a significant danger, and while I agree that it can happen, so long as the focus is kept on not doing activities for activities' sake, the danger is minimal.
From My Own Experience
From my own experience this is a significant danger. A majority of the events I've been involved with as part of a church in my life have realized this danger. Anything that wasn't church staff lead, basically.
The real shift from that came in recent years, for me, when I choose to do a different set of events and not participate in the ones I used to. They still happen. The people leading them are still leading with that style. And, I occasionally still see them.
This can, especially, be a problem with youth. Much of the current youth movements realize this danger while trying to be cool.
I've talked to leaders in church in the last year who do this.
Am I overreacting? Or, is this danger an elephant in the room that gets ignored too often?