Brother Van, Saint Ansgar and the New United Methodist Mission Field

Transcription

1 + Brother Van, Saint Ansgar and the New United Methodist Mission Field But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn t come from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

2 + Brother Van: step by step, little by little, faithfulness after faithfulness From Hunterstown, PA to Fort Benton, MT years of frontier ministry to preach, to sing, and encourage people to be good

3 + St. Ansgar: step by step, little by little, faithfulness after faithfulness From Hamburg, Germany to Denmark 831 Patron Saint of Denmark For a time Ansgar devoted himself to the needs of his own diocese, which was still missionary territory with but a few churches. He founded a monastery and a school in Hamburg; the school was intended to serve the Danish mission, but accomplished little.

4 + Frontiers! You ve had yours! I ve had mine! The reality is that the Mission Field surrounding the United Methodist Church is a new mission field for all. Where once the people of God have had to travel to the mission field today the mission field has come to surround us where we are.

5 + Post Christendom is stepping out of the established position! A post-local (global community) world! A post-modern (more than science and progress) world! A post- Christendom world: Church History in Three Ages The Age of Faith: faith in Jesus The Age of Belief: belief in Christ The Age of the Spirit: an experience of Jesus

6 + Post Christendom through the lens of generations! Generational Cohort Theory:! We understand and experience our world in the same way as those who were born at the time of our birth! Generational cohorts establish their values as a corrector of the excess that they see in the generation that went before them! There are watershed moments in which the values of one generation stand a full contrast to what went before

7 Bi-Modal Congregations Leading Multigenerational Congregations! Congregational Tenure Studies: How long have people been a member of a congregation? % of Members! New members are coming into our established congregations.! Short term members and long term members tend to carry different cultural values. Years of Membership

8 Bi-Modal Congregations Leading Multigenerational Congregations! Cultural Value System held by long term members: % of Members! group identity! sameness! deferred pleasure! spirituality of place Years of Membership

9 Bi-Modal Congregations Leading Multigenerational Congregations! Cultural Value System held by short term members: % of Members! individual identity! difference! instant gratification! spirituality of journey Years of Membership

10 Bi-Modal Congregations Leading Multigenerational Congregations! The two generational cohorts in our congregations like each other, but have difficulty speaking the same language. % of Members! For example:! vital worship! stewardship of resources! mission! women s groups! children s Sunday School! leadership and congregational structure Years of Membership

11 + Post Christendom through a Multi-faith lens Protestant Catholic Jew Protestant, Catholic Jew: An Essay in American Religious Sociology Will Herberg, 1983

12 + The Six Major Socio-Religious Groups 1. White Protestant 2. Black Protestant 3. Catholic 4. Jews 5. Other: (Mormons, Eastern Orthodox, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists) 6. No Religious Affiliations ( nones )

13 + A Simple Systems Model Input Throughput Output Nouns Verbs The difference to be measured Resources Activities

14 + Non-Profit Dilemmas! Non-profits routinely do not know what they produce.! Systems that can t measure their outcomes commonly measure their input! In non-profit systems inputs are commonly mistaken for outcomes

15 + The Shifting Paradigm The Old Paradigm Outcome: more members; satisfied clergy; satisfied congregations The New Paradigm Input: members, Clergy and congregations Outcome: disciples (changed people who will change the world)

16 + Who is your client? The Old Paradigm Our churches, our clergy, our programs and activities The New Paradigm The Mission Field (a.k.a. The Frontier)

17 + Missional Ministry! Steady in purpose flexible in strategy But we have this treasure in clay pots so that the awesome power belongs to God and doesn t come from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7