New Wineskins - Same Jesus
I thought I would pull some things out of Steve Collins description of worship from the alternative worship website and just a hint, it is a lot more than projectors, new technology, programs and buildings.
Does this type of worship environment and elements interest any of you?
- authentic faith expression that truly represents the people
- faith as journey, to be facilitated rather than controlled
- giving people space for their own encounter with God
- an exploration of creativity - in everyone, not just a gifted few
- risk-taking, experimental - openness to failure and mistakes
- holistic - life not divided into sacred and secular
- any part of our lives and abilities as potential material for faith expression
- participation - involvement encouraged, passive consumption discouraged
- minimal exclusion - shaped by whoever gets involved
- consensus - not one person imposing their direction
- low threshold of permission - in general if you want to do something go ahead
- high quality, as good as we can make it - culturally aware
- awareness of ourselves as part of God's creation, and a concern for its welfare
- the entire expression of the faith community seen as 'church' not just one event
- reluctance to draw boundaries that determine who or what is in or out of God's kingdom
- openness to God's presence in any area of life or culture
How an event is made:
- events generally planned around a chosen theme
- everything that happens communicates aspects of theme
- no fixed or obligatory elements
- almost anything permitted if it communicates
- shape of event worked out in group
- individuals take pieces of the event to do
- event comes together on the day without rehearsal, in accordance to the shape agreed during planning
- high level of trust in people's ability to deliver appropriate content
- events not restricted to conventional church timetables or venues
What usually happens:
- event led by many people not one or two
- relaxed, informal
- congregation are active participants
- discussions - small groups or whole congregation
- rituals and liturgies - ancient eg Holy Communion or newly created
- moving around the space
- interaction with installations and artworks
- periods when people can do different things at the same time
- learning by exploration and interaction, not located in a single 'teaching' slot
What usually doesn't happen:
- sermons or didactic teaching
- sitting in one place all the time
- worship bands, choirs or organs
- one person at the front directing everything
- Powerpoint presentations
New forms of church environment:
- no pews or rows of seats
- no pulpit
- no stage
- non-directional space - no front to face, things happen all around
- soft seating, beanbags, sit or lie on floor
- cafe spaces - chairs and tables, sofas, food and drink
- intimate lighting - spotlights, candles, TVs, projections
- installations and artworks
- ambient music - as background to everything including speech and prayer
- ambient video - relevant to event content but not attention-grabbing
- creative use of available technology and media, including from home or work
- technology and media used as environment or art as well as presentation tools
- venue may not be existing church building
posted by Bob Carder @ 9:48 AM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Wow Bob!
This sounds just like what I described in an old post from an old blog last fall. Some of my friends thought I was crazy. Glad to hear I'm not alone in these thoughts!
Here's the link to that blog post:
http://billsodyssey.blogspot.com/2005/10/im-giving-up-on-church-part-2.html
Bob, This is great, but you must be committed to some things:
1. staying small
2. intential discipleship from the get go
3. a willingness to "shake off the dust" to move on so God has space to work
4. a great sense of humor, a willingness to forgive always, and a willingness to cry and pray.
Hey Don.
I agree with everything you've mentioned here except number 1. Staying small does not have to be an expectation. In fact it can't, because staying small means that we are not reaching the lost and making disciples.
We just have to redefine what it means to grow. If we are talking about one group of people under one roof, then yes...you cannot maintain this format much past 100, if even that far.
But, what if we grew to 100 and then sent 25 people across town to start another church? Now we're at 75. What if every time we hit 100 we sent out another group of 25 and then every one of those groups did the same thing.
And what if all of those groups remained inter-connected as a network with a common vision, sharing leadership, sharing resources, etc.
You would very soon have explosive exponential growth of congregations with a common "dna" that are reaching the young people of this generation.
That's huge!
Bill/Bob: What if? What if? I say we see "what if?"!
Like the way you think, brother.
We will see What If as God leads this new movement. I love you guys.
And why not do what the Early Church did and allow everyone the opportunity to participate in the edification, exhortation and encouragement of others through the expression of their gifts?
Sounds to me that while you're trying something "new" it's still keeps the same structure that has strangled the Church, especially in America.
Ricky, What you describe is what we hope and pray to see in America. Let's trust God for a new or old "New Testament" model for doing it.
One thing for sure is this: We must not duplicate what is already a p[roven failure in America today. While some are finding Christ in the Americanized version of Christianity, there are millions who will never be reached in this system.
The Missionary Church is longing for less structure and new wineskins and New Testament living.
It's all about Jesus and life transformation with in incarnational leadership of Christ.
I'm with you brother...I'm not for repeating the failures of the American Church.
Post a Comment
<< Home