My pal, Cam Roxburgh of Forge Canada, asked me to answer a few questions for their publication. He’s got a pulse on what questions church leaders are asking. So I thought my answers would be worth posting. What would be your answers?
1. What two cultural issues would you say face the church in the next 5-10 years in North America
On a broad basis, the church in N.A. continues to face the massive shift out of Christendom into a secularity that gives the church little room to operate. The church can only survive therefore by learning new languages and by inhabiting a local humble posture in the context. As far as more specific issues are concerned, it is incumbent that we engage the cultural issues of sexual confusion and pluralistic tolerance as people faithful to the gospel in both word and deed.
2. What internal issue do you think the church most needs to address?
Leadership. The predominant hierarchical ways of leadership of the past may have been efficient, but they centralize the church out of context instead of dispersing it into the world. The business approaches are just as unhelpful. We need to learn how to model team-based mutual leadership that relies on the authority of Christ as manifest in the gifts by the Holy Spirit. Then the Kingdom shall break loose and the gospel go forth where we live.
3. Many are talking about a deeper level of discipleship these days – desiring to help their people follow Christ more completely. What encouragement would you give to local Pastors and leaders who want to see their people grow in their relationship with Christ in the midst of a world that has so many competing voices?
My advice is don’t fight too hard to call the “well entrenched” into the discipleship of the Kingdom. Of course we offer discipleship to all but don’t be discouraged if few actually come and commit to this way of life – following Jesus as Lord into the world. Instead, start with those who are not entrenched in society’s commitments. They have not yet been “entrenched.” This is where Jesus says discipleship will be blessed (blessed are the poor … unless they come as children …etc. ). So look among the young, look among the poor. Start will small numbers, 6-12 at a time. Cultivate over time. The harvest shall be great!
4. Where have you seen signs of “the church” being faithful in your travels in the last few months? What were they doing that made them faithful? Do you have any websites or you tube clips you could point us to?
I see over and over again tiny communities forming in neighborhoods seeking God and the salvation He is doing in Christ for their neighborhoods. They are not on the radar of the media because they don’t sell books or keep statistics. But they are crossing boundaries, inhabiting neighborhoods, proclaiming the gospel. My prayer is we see more and more of this in the years to come, regardless of size or denomination of our churches,
Missio Alliance Comment Policy
The Missio Alliance Writing Collectives exist as a ministry of writing to resource theological practitioners for mission. From our Leading Voices to our regular Writing Team and those invited to publish with us as Community Voices, we are creating a space for thoughtful engagement of critical issues and questions facing the North American Church in God’s mission. This sort of thoughtful engagement is something that we seek to engender not only in our publishing, but in conversations that unfold as a result in the comment section of our articles.
Unfortunately, because of the relational distance introduced by online communication, “thoughtful engagement” and “comment sections” seldom go hand in hand. At the same time, censorship of comments by those who disagree with points made by authors, whose anger or limited perspective taints their words, or who simply feel the need to express their own opinion on a topic without any meaningful engagement with the article or comment in question can mask an important window into the true state of Christian discourse. As such, Missio Alliance sets forth the following suggestions for those who wish to engage in conversation around our writing:
1. Seek to understand the author’s intent.
If you disagree with something the an author said, consider framing your response as, “I hear you as saying _________. Am I understanding you correctly? If so, here’s why I disagree. _____________.
2. Seek to make your own voice heard.
We deeply desire and value the voice and perspective of our readers. However you may react to an article we publish or a fellow commenter, we encourage you to set forth that reaction is the most constructive way possible. Use your voice and perspective to move conversation forward rather than shut it down.
3. Share your story.
One of our favorite tenants is that “an enemy is someone whose story we haven’t heard.” Very often disagreements and rants are the result of people talking past rather than to one another. Everyone’s perspective is intimately bound up with their own stories – their contexts and experiences. We encourage you to couch your comments in whatever aspect of your own story might help others understand where you are coming from.
In view of those suggestions for shaping conversation on our site and in an effort to curate a hospitable space of open conversation, Missio Alliance may delete comments and/or ban users who show no regard for constructive engagement, especially those whose comments are easily construed as trolling, threatening, or abusive.