Towards Vision 2/4

through such knowledge positives can be affirmed and negatives can be addressed as the personality of the church can be matured so that it becomes a richer reflection of Jesus.

Robert Warren ( here ) makes an interesting application of Walter Wink's work on church essence. In terms of identifying vision for church, Warren reflects on the story of Moses, to encourage churches to discover that 'what is in your hand' is where courage can be found for the task ahead.

Warren explains what it is to discover the 'Angel of the church'; the letters in Revelation 2 and 3 he notes are addressed mysteriously to the Angel of the Church. This points, he suggest, to the letters being written to the essence or character, the corporate identity or personality of the church.

"The Angel of the Church is the coincidence of what the church is - its personality - and what it is called to become - its vocation" Walter Wink

In other words the angel of the church is about seeing the church as a whole and being able to discern the church's character; spirit or feel in order to speak into it. Getting to grips with a church personality through identifying its 'Angel' will mean an understanding of the interweaving of:

• Where the church has come from –its history
• Where it is – its context
• What it is – its personality
• What it is called to become – its vocation

The more fully we know someone or a group the more likely we will know how to help them address new realities, importantly Wink suggests "real change must affect not just the visible forms an institution takes but somehow must alter the spirit, the core essence, of the entity as a whole". Then through such knowledge positives can be affirmed and negatives can be addressed as the personality of the church can be matured so that it becomes a richer reflection of Jesus.

Warren, R. (2004) The Healthy Churches Handbook.Church House Publishing

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7 marks of a healthy church...