• Archive of "stewardship" Category

    Bi-Vocational Ministry & the Missional Church

    October 11, 2009 // 1 Comment »

    I’ve appreciated the conversation that has taken place on my previous post on bi-vocational ministry.

    I’ve got a few ideas for follow up posts on the subject – thinking about how and where this practice intersects with theological education, community/spiritual formation, support raising, stewardship & sustainability, etc.  However, I think it might be most helpful to clarify how I understand the relationship between bi-vocational ministry and missional ecclesiology.

    As I have said numerous times before, being missional is no mere add-on to current church practice.  Nor is it a shift any particular church community might make without rethinking those things which are most fundamental.  A truly missional ecclesiology arises out of a particular way of doing theology and the understandings of things like the gospel and salvation that emerge as a result.

    While I can see why people from various ecclesial backgrounds might resonate with bi-vocational ministry as a model for church leadership, I think it makes most sense within a truly missional framework.  Here’s a few reasons why.

    Missional churches gain their identity from the Missio Dei.  Their understandings of the gospel and salvation are defined by the very notion of participation in the life and mission of God in the world.  Appropriately, they would happily embrace a model of church leadership which creates a participatory context.

    Since missional churches see Christendom as a cultural condition which distorts rather than enhances Christian discipleship and witness, it is no wonder that they would shy away from models of church leadership predicated on its very existence. As Christendom continues to crumble, the viability of multiple full-time church staff will continue to crumble with it.

    Because missional churches seek to shape a people who are passionate about God’s redemption of the whole world, it would be second nature for them to embrace a kind of ministry in which the leaders of the community model the practice of vibrant Christian witness in the marketplace.

    For me anyway, it’s the theological connection and not the pragmatic rationale of bi-vocational church leadership that is most motivating.

    Posted in bi-vocational, church, community, leadership, missional, spiritual formation, stewardship, sustainability, theology

    Theology of Ecology

    August 20, 2007 // 1 Comment »

    Here’s a great short paper by Matt Krick on the relationship between how we understand God and how we understand creation. I’m inclined to side with Matt in asserting that our salvation is inexorably linked with our stewardship of all of creation.

    Posted in creation, salvation, stewardship, theology

    Missional Church and the Future of Theological Education: Follow Up

    July 14, 2007 // 1 Comment »

    In this original post I decried the unfortunate separation of the typical Christian church and theological education. I said that in a future post I would try and offer some more constructive thoughts – and so I shall.

    I would say that churches, in as much as they have ceased to be a people who seek to be deeply theologically challenged, and therefore formed, have lost a vital dimension of what it means to be the people of God. Moreover, centers of theological education, inasmuch as their approach to and practice of learning has become disconnected from the actual living out of the Christian faith in various contexts and cultures, fail to do that which they claim to do – prepare men and women for lives of Christian witness and discipleship.

    If the church in western culture is to bear Kingdom fruit in the future, these two dimensions of Christian existence must find fresh expression in their unity. I see two primary ways forward, neither perfect, but each necessary if something truly new is to emerge in the end.

    First, centers of theological education, Seminaries and theological graduate schools, must explore ways to partner with in-service Christian leaders. Even better, they need to think strategically and creatively about partnering with entire communities of faith rather than simply individuals. This would have the following results…

    1. Those engaged in theological education would be able to use their present ministry, context, culture and so forth for practical trial and reflection. Theory would be joined with real life practice and experience thus resulting in a mutually interpretive system which would enhance both educators and learners.

    2. By necessity, theological education would become more of a dimension of life as opposed to just a season. As people are in-service, they will hardly be able to take the work of full-time students and will instead study and reflect at a slower pace.

    3. By abandoning our current system of theological education whereby only a few have the opportunity and resources to pursue theological education, the number of people who could participate would sky rocket.

    Second, churches across the board need to choke down their share of humble pie and realize the current and growing state of crisis the church in the west is in (theologically, I am more inclined to understand this as God’s judgment, but that’s another post). In short and on the whole, authentic discipleship is simply not happening, division amongst Christian brothers and sisters is painfully spreading, our world is not in awe over the works of God amongst his people, and the Jewish people are certainly not becoming increasingly jealous over Gentile believers (Rom. 9-11).

    All this ought to combine to compel us to revisit our understanding of who God is and his intention for his people and the world. How do we do this? I have a few ideas, all of which have to do with discipleship as it relates to the sort of theological education I described above.

    1. In studying and reflecting on the nature and purpose of the gospel, we need to walk with others into “Kingdom praxis” – studying and reflecting on theological issues and then ingraining practices into our lives whereby the implications of those reflections and insights are lived out.

    2. In studying and reflecting on the nature and purpose of the church, we need to get way more serious about church discipline. This isn’t something that many people enjoy talking about as it sounds so very unloving and intolerant, but I would suggest that if this is how we think of it, then our understanding of God we profess to worship is sorely lacking. God, for the sake of the world has seen fit since the dawn of creation to discipline his people when they failed to be what he called them to be. Should the church as the incarnational witness of God in the world be any different? Of course God’s discipline has and is always done for the sake of restoration and reconciliation. I am not advocating rigid and intolerant churches, only ones which are consumed with the importance of being for the world what Jesus was for us.

    3. In studying and reflecting on the life and ministry of Jesus, we need to let love abound. This can’t be overstated. By stepping into the life that Jesus has called the church to – seeking the good of others, blessing enemies, siding with the forgotten and oppressed, we will mysteriously and graciously find our capacity to love radically and captivatingly enhanced.

    These are just a few of my thoughts as I dream about the reunion of serious theological reflection and missional living.

    Posted in church, Jesus, missional, stewardship, theology, western culture

    Spreading the Wealth

    November 18, 2006 // 1 Comment »

    America is a unique place.  I don’t think there is anywhere else in the world where capitalism has taken so strong a hold (for better or for worse).  As a result, everything that can be commodified – is.  Even things like personality, charisma, and giftedness have come to be seen as commodities.

    America is unique for another reason.  There is perhaps no where else in the world where the effects of Western modernity and the Enlightenment  have become so pervasive, if for no other reason than the enormity of the US’s population.  One of the central distinctives of enlightened modernity has been the pursuit of sure knowledge for the sake of certainty and progress. 

    Combined, these factors have had the following effect on the Church in the US.

    1. Because of the second distinctive, we elevate the teacher and his or her role above all others.  Preaching and teaching are typically the central elements of worship services, small groups typically function primarily as Bible studies, churches offer sunday school classes and other options that are geared toward the dissemination of information, and the list goes on.

    2. Becasue of the first distinctive, those who teach well (either insightfully or pleasingly) are looked upon with celebrity status.  They are often revered and sought after as quasi-saviors.

    Consequently, churches within the US come to be built around the personality, charisma, and giftedness of their teachers having at least 2 negative effects.

    1. The rest of the gifts of the spirit end up playing second-fiddle to that of teaching resulting in a one-dimensional type of Christian witness, in effect distorting even that dimension.

    2. When the teachers whose personality, charisma, and giftedness the church is built on or around need/must/choose to leave, the church suffers – either by losing many of its members who were there primarily to sit under that teacher, by second-guessing all the teaching they received if the circustances surrounding the teachers leaving are questionable, or by feeling let down if an equally inspiring teacher can’t be found.

    All that being said, I would be the first to say that God uniquely equips some individuals with a teaching gift so profound that we would be remiss (to say the least) not to allow them to use their gift.  However, I fear these individuals do the church a disservice when they allow themselves to be thought of as pastors, those who called to shepherd people by knowing and being known by others.   They do a further disservice when they allow themselves to be the central figure in a community’s regular worship because of all I said above.

    If Christian communities desire to center around the person of Christ and not a gifted teacher, then those blessed with this gift in a culture like ours need to take extra precautions to ensure that they do just that by spreading the wealth of their giftedness to the larger body of Christ.  Perhaps they would beter steward their gift by embarking on a mission of itinerant teaching, creating resources, and equipping others identified as gifted teachers.

    By the way, I say all this as one whom God has used as a teacher and preacher.  What I am after is the decentralization of myself and people like me for the sake of the Gospel and the health of Christian communities within the US.

    Posted in church, community, culture, stewardship, western culture

    A Talk With the Boys

    October 28, 2006 // No Comments »

    So, I got back to the states a week ago now.  I have already managed to take a weekend trip to DC with three good friends to visit another.  I have been spending time with my mom and grandma, and I am slowly, but surely taking the time to visit with former students and families that became dear to me during my time at RiverTree.  The other night I was able to hang out with some of my favorite guys, Josh, Adam, Nate, and Shawn, – and I got to meet two new friends, Matt and Brian (think I got those right.)  I met up with Josh and Nate at Penn Station for dinner and then we joined the others at Starbucks.  Since these guys are some stellar emerging theologians, we ended up having a really great conversation about how Christians in the suburbs ought to understand and use (or not use) money.
       
    It seemed like one of their concerns was that if we took Jesus at his word, we would end up communists because everyone would have to be the same by giving up all of their posessions.  I could see where they were coming from, but I was glad that our conversation didn’t end there.  I brought up the notion of the tithe and how the purpose of the tithe hadn’t been to make everyone equal, but rather to make sure that everyone was provided for.  In fact, it was precisely because equality wasn’t expected, that God instituted the tithe.  It was evident that in any given year some people would be prosperous and others would suffer.  Some would harvest large amounts of crops, and others small.  Therefore, people were obliged to set aside a tenth, their best tenth, to, not give away, but share (it’s different in a very important way!).  So, when people came together for fetivals and celebrations, those who had less, though they would still be affirmed in contributing, would be blessed by others – and chances are nearly everyone would experience their time of lack and need.

    These are smart guys and I really enjoyed having this conversation with them.  It reminded me just how much ideologies like consumerism, materialism, and individualism invade our souls and distort how we see the world and reality.  It also reminded me of how incredible it is when we truly allow Scripture to illuminate us as to who God is, what He is like, and what His desires for His people are.

    Posted in bible, culture, Jesus, money, stewardship, theology

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