There are a few lines I would like to highlight:
1) "I have been glad that my church is now marginalized in the secular culture, so that it might explore what it means to not be twinned with power." (Trinity Episcopal, Santa Barbara, CA)
In the 1950s and 60s, church and society were often indistinguishable from one another. I agree that without a differentiation of values, the witness of the church in the world simply confirms the status quo. The church is always stronger when it functions as a critique to society.
2) "It doesn't happen by osmosis! It had to be intentional for us." (Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church, Seattle, WA) The former pastor shared that every evangelism program they tried failed. He commented, "We didn't have an adequate way to embrace those people and give them the path that they needed to take." At first it sounds a little too directed to me, "just do this," however, he notes that in Seattle, 80 percent of people claim no religious affiliation and have no experience of church life (and certainly Denver must be similar). In such a context, unless we are seeking only those with prior church experience, we have to be conscious of how to help people find their way - otherwise they will leave with frustration, their needs never addressed. What might Park Hill do to help people transition into not only "church life" but the transformation of the spiritual life? After all, as I've said many times before, most people don't seek out a church for a place to serve on committees but to address a need they are feeling. I would suggest that all our boards and committees look at their work through the lens of those who are not yet here, that we begin to be much more intentional about looking outward.
3) "Nomadic spirituality, that sense of being alien, strangers in a strange land, is almost a given of contemporary life." How do we welcome them home?!
David
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4 comments:
I noticed the some of the same lines. I think we as Christians must see ourselves as different than the mainstream culture. We are supposed to be bringing in the kingdom of God which by its very nature is different than the popular culture. So where does that leave us at Park Hill? Probably in a mixed bag, different on somethings, not so different on others.
2. It doesn't happen by osomosis!
The Phinney Ridge pastor said that so many people at their church had been unchurched, and so they had to be intentional about "discipling" the members. (My quotes) I think you could safely include people who went to mainstream churches in the '50s, -the '80s. Diana describes themon page 36 as being the Christian equivalent of the Rotary Club. They go to services on Sunday morning, get a good sermon, sing outr of their intellect about what they "believe" about Christianity, and make a strong donation to keep the "club" going.
She also mentions on page 23 that she went on a journey that took her through fundamentalism, the charismatic movement, and classical evangelism until she returned to the "changed" mainline religion. I did the same thing. I really benefitted from participating with those churches because they are very good at "discipling" people.
She goes on in the next chapter to mention churches which are examples of this new kind of Christianity and describes them as places where people who don't think they have all the answers have re-learned, or learned for the first time the ancient practices, kind of a "porous monastism" (p. 39)where they have discovered an enchanted world, a holy place, where church is created as a sacred space by what the pilgrim community does for GOD and the world.
Talking to two very active members who I am surprised to say have just left Park hill, Mark Peterson and Dawn Collins, I think they are looking for this deeper spirituality and how to practice it.
3. How do we welcome spiritual aliens in a strange land? How do we make them feel like they are coming home? I think the only way to to this is to come home ourselves. We ourselves have to come home to these ancient traditions that so mobilized the original Christian communities. We have to be disciples of Christ, through prayer, healing, confession, bearing each others burdens, scripture study, (including the God is still speaking scriptures).
Great insights, Marie. And what I am particularly challenged by is how to facilitate a deeper experience of spirituality when everyone is so busy - busy with work, children, volunteer commitments at church and other areas of interest.
I also don't think most people at Park Hill are terribly dissatisfied with their lives (I could be very wrong, but it's certainly not as evident as it was in my last church) and therefore might not be seeking some thing life-changing - personally life-transforming. Our draw toward something deeper often comes when the conventional things of our lives are not going well. Might that have any resonance for people?
Hi David,
I do think one of the keys is that many people seem to feel that all is okay with them. I think that was the biggest challenge Jesus also faced. We can only do what we know. How did you get your sense of urgency?
I'vehad mine for a long time. Since I was probably six years old and sitting in front of my parent's
Christmas tree. But I have been so broken in my life that I couldn't continue to holp GOD's Pentecostal fiery Holy Spirit. It took many healings and many journeys into dead ends before I could be a container that didn't just leak out.
That's a good question - How did I get that sense of urgency. I don't know. It has felt more like a natural evolution than change via crisis... Good stuff for thought.
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