Youtube Tuesday: Faith Noel

Transiberian Orchestra and their song Faith Noel.

Whose Religion is Christianity - Origin, Feedback and Values

We are now continuing our look at Lamin Sanneh’s book, Whose Religion in Christianity? The Gospel Beyond the West.

We continue in this section where Sanneh writes in a more question and answer format. This second section of questions form around the topic, Christian Origins, Local Feedback, and World Order Values.

Sanneh asks, “What is the significance of the growth of world Christianity for the West?” His answer is intriguing. The interaction of Western culture with the indigenous world Christian movement which did not embrace the Enlightenment offers the Western church the ability to gain insight into the culture that shaped the origins of the New Testament Church. This would give us in the West a greater appreciation for the New Testament background of Christianity.

What are the possible results of movement of world Christianity? Might it not produce violent political upheaval? Sanneh admits that this is possible. He states, “…the post-Christian West should see in the rise of a post-Western world of Christianity the potential for a major global cultural disruption and grave historical setback.” However, he doesn’t see this as a plausible scenario. He finds it hard to see how world Christianity, which has arisen without any kind of colonial political structure propelling it, to be suddenly be thrust forward as a crusading political ideology as occurred with Christendom.

Finally, Sanneh, wonders: You have spoken of the twilight of European religion expression. “Is the decline the only problem of the churches, or do you think the moral nerve has been touched?” He answers:

I think there is something deeper. About the decline, the statistics are unequivocal. But beneath and beyond that has been a strategic retreat into isolation where the spirit seems to be wilting. It has taken the form of a mood swing in which people have been preoccupied with taking stock, with the setting sun and lengthening shadows, with memorial armbands, with shades of gray, with requiem. As Sir Edward Grey declared, brooding on the dark clouds of his time, the lamps have gone out all over Europe. The religious imagination seems to have been hit with a bout of melancholy…It’s as if Europeans have the Nunc Dimittis constantly on their lips, and so regret having to celebrate Christmas or Easter.

The Big Idea: Changing Churches One Big Idea at a Time

Over the past few weeks we are spending some time working through The Big Idea: focus the message, multiply the impact. The book is part of the Leadership Network Innovation Series. It is written by Dave Ferguson, Jon Ferguson, and Eric Bramlett, who are staff leaders at Community Christian Church in suburban Chicago. Today will look at Chapter 5 entitled, “Changing Churches One Big Idea at a Time”.

Implementing the Big Idea doesn’t have to be an all or nothing proposition. The implementation is open source, and can be implemented in as many or as few areas of your church’s ministry as needed. The authors state that the process of implementing the Big Idea is a BIG task.

B is for Basic
Start the process in one area of the church’s ministry. The question to ask is this, “What is the first, definitive way to take what are currently several little ideas and craft them into one Big Idea?” This may be in the main worship service. It could start in the children’s ministry. To see movement, you have to start somewhere.

I is for Integrated
The next step is to find processes that will allow another branch of the Big Idea to grow. This begins to integrate the Big Idea into other aspects of the church’s ministry. More people get involved in the idea planning meetings and slowly the system begins to work throughout the organization. People who serve in children’s ministry or student ministries are coming together in planning meetings to create the idea. The synergy and movement of the team grows and the church begins to move in one direction, not fighting itself for resources or ideas.

G is for Global
When the church is buzzing from the movement of the Big Idea, begin to create a network, or partner with a network that enables the church to do what it could not on its own. For some who are denominationally connected, this may me remaining in the denomination, but aligning with networks outside the denomination to accomplish what the denomination cannot do because of resistance to change or an entrenchment of processes or theology that will not allow for this type of connectivity. It could also mean detaching from the denomination. Regardless, the church should seek to reproduce itself in some form, as that is the nature of organic beings. Not only does this create a reproductive DNA in the body, but adds more creative power throughout the entire network.

Youtube Tuesday: Simply Christian Part 2

Part 2 of 7 with N.T. Wright discussing his book Simply Christian.  This is audio only.

You would think they would have at least asked

I called Joel Rainey today just to check on him. I really like Joel; he’s been an influence on me theologically as well as practically. So we’re chatting away, and he said to me that congrats were in order! I had no clue what he was talking about. He told me that he was told by one of our state convention staffers that I was elected 1st VP of our General Mission Board.Now, let me explain that for you non-SBC’ers out there. We have the national convention. But the SBC is really made of local associations who make up state conventions who make up the SBC nationally. In my state convention, the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware, the majority of the decisions are made by the General Mission Board. We meet three times a year and are presented with things our state staff need to do and we discuss them and vote on them. Most of the decisions are made this way, though some decisions do have to be voted on by the convention at its annual meeting. So I was told today that I was elected 1st VP of the board that makes approves/makes most of the decisions of our state convention.

Now, you know if you read this blog much, a couple of things. First, I don’t talk about the SBC very much. You know, I went out with a girl one time who ordered a steak extra rare. They brought it, she looked at it and said, “It’s too done”. The thing was still mooing. Extra, extra rare is how much I talk about the SBC any more. Now I USED to, but I gave up on the national version of SBC for the most part about a year ago. The second thing you know is that I do not like politics. And I for sure couldn’t tell you Roberts Rules of order any better than I could a menu at a Orthodox Jewish pork BBQ joint. That is, to say, that I ain’t got a clue.

Now, our GMB had a meeting this past Tuesday. I had another meeting scheduled (I forgot about the GMB meeting) and didn’t make the 90 mile one way trip there. So I’m talking to Joel today, and I hear this story. I wasn’t even there! So I contacted the state staffer and he confirmed it and was shocked that I wasn’t at the meeting where I was voted on. I told him, no one asked me if I would serve and I still haven’t heard from anyone at the state about the vote. I was, and am clueless about the job and what it entails, or even who nominated me.

I don’t mind serving, because we have THE best state convention in the whole SBC, and yes, we are mavericks. We, unlike some state conventions, are more worried about the kingdom and the gospel than whether a church partners with a group whose leader happens to drink a glass of wine or two. However, in a stroke of irony, one of our seminaries does participate with a group whom the SBC on multiple occasions has deemed heretical. Isn’t that odd?

BTW…I’m happy to serve. I just wish someone would have asked.

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