partisan ministry and mission...
If we are not careful we cross the line of creative tension and spend more time trying to convince each other rather than convincing those who really need to be convinced!
A recent e-mail conversation with a friend made me think about the dangers of being partisan in our approach to ministry and mission and how that the freedom of publishing that comes with blogging encourages it.At the risk of exacerbating any schisms ! I found Dan Kimball's "The Emerging Church Vintage Christianity for New Generations" a stimulating read a while back. He made reference to George Hunter, and his book The Celtic Way of Evangelism and his contrasts between the Roman model and the Celtic model for reaching people. Simplified it looks like this:-
Roman model for reaching people:
- Present the Christian message;
- Invite them to decide to believe in Christ and become Christians;
- If they decide positively, welcome them into the church and its fellowship.
- You first establish community with people or bring them into the fellowship of your community of faith.
- Within fellowship, you engage in conversation, ministry, prayer, and worship.
- In time, as they discover what you believe, you invite them to commit.
(BTW - I kind of feel guilty as charged - sorry! :o))
Comments
Gordon, in response to the question, I would say that the biggest warning sign is when we start pushing our own camp as the only way. When we cannot accept that the opposite view is also valid (which I truly believe it is in this case) then we have crossed the line.
The second thing I would say is that when the opposing views start raising the blood pressure and you want to ite back immediately, then this is probably a warning sign as well.
I am at a loss?
We do not need any method be it Roman or Celtic we just need another Pentecost. We don't need to examine ourselves or formulate ourselves along certain lines.
Why do we always want to pigeon-hole everything with titles and fads - I saw the earlier debate:-)
Personally I do not engage in mission or evangelism, I do not preach or witness, I do not practcie friendship evangelism, I am neither passive, aggressive nor primitive - I am (by God's grace) a Christian and I do what the spirit prompts me to do.
Is this not what we need more of? Is this not what happens when 'the word of God takes flesh in me me'.
Let's have more Christains - holiness is the hallmark of true Christianity - true Christianity is: radical holiness, all things to all people, always fruitful and totally organic. Let's have more Christians!
Love and prayers Andrew
First and foremost I am a Christian, trying to live a life of holiness!
I have to be honest and admit that I don't really understand what you are saying. It appears that if you don't do mission or evangelism, or preach, or witness, then you can't be doing that the Spirit prompts you to do, unless all the Spirit prompts you to do is holiness.
Yes we need another Pentecost but unless it going to touch every single person in the world at exactly the same time (which I admit is certainly possible!) there will still be a need to witness and preach and do mission in both passive and aggressive ways! The Spirit will prompt people to do these things!
I was trying to make the point that Christianity should be our only pursuit, if Jesus rules then everything we do will be right, approriate, fruitful - we don't need books, or strategies, or models, or plans all we need is 'Christ in me the hope of glory'.
Sorry, I hope that is much clearer.
Love and prayers Andrew
"First and foremost I am a Christian, trying to live a life of holiness!"
Concerns me - I hear this far too often and it seem to reflecta misunderstanding of holiness. Anyone who is interested dmplease check out my latest post at http://www.beyondthebrook.blogspot.com/ where I ask some fairly radical questions about holiness, hell and what it might all mean...
Love and prayers Andrew
Now, we have in our midst those like myself who follow the "Celtic Model" of accepting people as they are and then loving them into faith which we have proven over and over again to be working.
One of challenges originally was to get our long-term members to accept this change from Roman to Celtic. One of our social workers would continually remind me that I needed to view the world from their perspective as well and not be single minded about my own views and she is so wise. The result being that most of them have been able to do the shift...
Possibly had we banged them over the head with our views we could have done more damage.... however, we do not accept people being rejected from our church either because of their looks, dress etc etc
Glenda
Phoebe Palmer/ Wesley; Brengle/ Coutts etc... I know what you mean ;o)
What does it matter so long as we identify our role as individuals and as a church in God's plan and do it - I guess such dialogue helps as long as it is that - dialogue.