Eucaview

On being a 'Resident Alien'

If you read my song you were either there for the class, completely baffled or able to read between the lines. But some of these themes a worth further comment.

One of the emerging themes from the corse was “Paroikoi” - being a resident alien - Like in the Letter to Diognetus (c AD120) that said of the early Christians “They live in their own countries, but only as aliens” and “They are in the flesh but they do not live according to the flesh.”

Affirming both the indigenous and pilgrim nature of Christian mission embodies the Biblical principle of being in the world but not of the world. Evangelists need to both inhabit a culture and be prophetically counter-culture, and I understand this will always requires faithful discernment to keep these in balance.

However I struggle with a tension here on a very practical level, that I am still trying to work out. Taking the idea of pilgrim literally (and the early church was literally geographically mobile) how do we live in a community being committed to its welfare – if we always intend to move on?

I lead a small missional team that has bought homes and moved into a fringe suburb to intentionally be Christ’s hands and feet in the neighbourhood and hopefully form a new church congregation. Yet what does it mean if I will move on in 3 or 5 or 10 years time?

The Old Testament prophets had to tell the exiles to stop making plans to go back to Jerusalem and put down roots in Babylon for the time being. Where was their Pilgrim urge?

How did Paul establish so many churches in so many cities if we was always travelling. Where was his indigenous witness?

Christ the Good Shepherd from the Priscilla catacombe

Evangelism in Early Christianity

I have just finished a subject Evangelism in Early Christianity at the Melbourne College of Divinity. The lecturer was Alan Kreider and here is my vocal tribute (to the tune of there once was a woman who swollowed a fly.)

There once was a church who swallowed a lie.

I don't know why she swallowed the lie, perhaps she'll die.

There once was a church who listened to Kreider,

who wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.

She listened to Kreider to uncover the lie.

I don't know why she swallowed the lie, perhaps she'll die.

There once a church who forgot catechesis;

she didn't train people to follow Jesus.

She forgot catechesis 'til she listened to Kreider,

who wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.

She listened to Kreider to uncover the lie.

I don't know why she swallowed the lie, perhaps she'll die.

There once was a church who forgot baptism sponsors;

When nominal God parents replaced true mentors.

She forgot baptism sponsors when she forgot catechesis

She forgot catechesis 'til she listened to Kreider

who wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.

She listened to Kreider to uncover the lie.

I don't know why she swallowed the lie, perhaps she'll die.

There once was a church who forgot non-violence;

In came the Empire and peace-makers were silenced…

There once was a church who forgot the Jews;

what a relationship to lose!...

There once was a church who forgot the women;

They all drove utes with battle axes swingin’…

There once was a church who forgot apologetics;

it was less arrogant but full of heretics…

There once was a church who forgot lived ethics;

It was so like the culture there was no difference…

There once was a church who forgot voluntary conversion;

Its compulsion was a perversion…

There once was a church who forgot the Sermon on the Mount;

I couldn’t think of a rhyme except Bishop Marcellus had gout…

There once was a church who forgot not to fear death;

She worshipped youth and held her breath.

She forgot not to fear death when she forgot the Sermon on the Mount.

She forgot the Sermon on the Mount when she forgot voluntary conversion.

She forgot voluntary conversion when she forgot lived ethics.

She forgot lived ethics when she forgot apologetics.

She forgot apologetics when she forgot the women.

She forgot the women when she forgot the Jews.

She forgot the Jews when she forgot non-violence.

She forgot non-violence when she forgot baptism sponsors.

She forgot baptism sponsors when she forgot catechesis

She forgot catechesis 'til she listened to Kreider

who wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her.

She listened to Kreider to uncover the lie.

I don't know why she swallowed the lie, perhaps she'll die.

There once was a church who listened to Kreider.

Who retold the story of the martyr.

She listened to Kreider and uncovered the lie.

She learnt how to die. Perhaps she’ll rise.

Give me an 'N', Give me an 'O'

We have just got back from State Youth Games with about 25 people from Northern Community. As usual it was fun, the weather was as good as it has ever been for the midle of winter in one of Victoria's wetest regions, and our church came 10th in the small church category.

Well done team!

"The major challenge we face?"

Churches of Christ Theological College registrar John Williamson (that's him left) writing in our Alumni Association Newsletter raises the issue of the shortage of ministers:

At the moment, the College has a dozen ministry candidates ... These students are a year or two away from graduation and final endorsement. They are high quality candidates and I believe they will go on to be among the best long-term leaders and ministers our movement has ever had! ... The quality is not in question but in truth we are not producing enough good ministers for our Churches. We need to do more to attract people into ministry and we need church communities to contribute by identifying and challenging people who have gifts and potential for ministry. This is the major challenge we face.

I have never seen this shortage of ministers quantified but certainly share the perception that there is not enough quality leadership around.

I talk up the vocation with a few people that I see having potential and at Northern Community our Kaleo Team of interns are also encouraged to explore a call to full time ministry.

Do you think there is a shortage? How do we address it?

'Praise God' for Jude

On Pentecost Sunday, we had a special service of blessing for our third child Jude Aariel Mann, followed by a barbecue for family, friends and neighbors back under the eucalyptus at our place.

It was a beautiful day.

Despite all the pep talks from Phil, Jude cried like a baby when Phil carried him in the service. He was anointed with oil as a sign of blessing and promise, and told "Jesus loves you and invites you into his kingdom - even though you do not know it."

The whole congregation pledged to create a community in which all children can grow up to be all God has made them to be and they prayed for us as a family.

For a number of our friends, it was the first time they had been to a church service and their comments were instructive...

UnFreeze Unplanned

I spent three days last week with others from Churches of Christ at the Unfreeze2 conference facilitated by Alan Roxburgh as part of our conference's Future Directions process.

Alan is skilled in the twin arts of organisational change management and theological reflection. The focus of the three days was how to change our churches to be more missional.

The main leadership tool Alan introduced was the "Terry Wheel" also known as the Action Wheel by Robert Terry from his Authentic Leadership: Courage in Action. Alan encouraged us to prioritise 'meaning' and 'mission' and let 'structure' and 'resources' follow these two vital components of action - rather than let existing structures and resources dominate our mission, meaning and existence.

The main theological framework was the story of mission described in Luke 10. Where the disciples have to learn to receive hospitality from strangers as they go about proclaiming the hopefull yet subversive news that the Reign of God is at hand.

One of my favorite interactions of the three days was about this reading. After reflecting on and discussing the Gospel text in a small group people fed back to the larger group their reactions. Someone said they were surprised by how planned and structured the mission was with Jesus organising and sending out 72 people with certain instructions. Alan's reply was basically "yeah great plan: go, take nothing with you, knock on some strangers door and see what happens."

Two of Alan's ongoing themes are his aversion to prepackaged "successful" church programs that people seek to replicate franchise-style in their own context, and ministers (or boards) who arrive at "a big vision and strategy" that ignores the story of what God is already doing among the people. Alan had chosen this passage because it illustrated the way mission happens when we experiment within an environment we don't control yet the person reading the gospel had seen exactly the opposite.

The Pope Benedict XVI Game

The white smoke signals it is official. The Holy Spirit has led an appointed conclave of conservative powerful older (mostly) white men to appoint a conservative powerful older white man as head of the Roman Catholic church. (surprise, surprise.)

I am disappointed with the selection of Pope Benedict the XVI (the conservative artist formally known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) but not being a catholic I wasn’t really eligible to make the decision. If I was more diplomatic I guess I could say something more positive like I hope God will guide this man who faces many important decisions as he faithfully leads such a large section of the Christian church.

Now you can play spot the diplomat by trying to correctly match the following quotes about the new pope, with their speaker?

A: "A great honor for Germany

B: "I would have liked a more liberal man. He is probably a very holy man but he is too attached to the doctrine. I would have liked a pope from the Third World."

C: "If Pope Benedict XVI refuses to reform, the church's descent will go faster. There is a clear demand for reforms."

D: "Man of great wisdom and knowledge ... a man who serves the Lord."

E: "I think he's a man of great experience who has worked very closely with the late pope, and I hope will be able to make the same spiritual contribution."

F: "We are sure that considering the background of this new pope (a one-time Nazi youth member) he will be a strong voice against anti-Semitism in all its forms."

G: "Benedict XVI can rest assured about the fullest support on social, moral and political issues common between us."

H: "Look forward to working with the new pope on aiding Africa and encouraging economic development."

I: "A theologian of great stature."

1. Archbishop of Canterbury

2. British Prime Minister

3. German Chancellor

4. Israeli Foreign Minister

5. Muslim Council of Britain secretary general

6. Puerto Rican businessman

7. US President

8. UN Secretary-General

9. ‘We are the Church’ chairman

See below for answers

Maping the emerging church

The National Church Life Survey is trying to do the near impossible and map the emerging church.

Researcher Dr Ruth Powell said she hoped creating an exploratory map of new church ventures would help share stories of experiments and provide a point of contact to encourages mutual support.

NLCS is a significant, long-term research project in Australia that produces resources for a wide range of churches and mission organisations. Until now, it has focussed on things like surveys of members of mainstream denominations but your involvement in their latest research could expand that further.

So if you have been part of any new Christian venture such as a new house church, missional congregation, Jesus gathering, mission activity or network that started in the last 15 years, they would like to hear from you.

Even if the venture no longer exists they still want to hear from you. According to the Dr Powell: “Ventures that no longer exist, will help provide clues about sustainability."

You can contact her by email at "rpowell AT ncls DOT org DOT au"

All Age Easter Service

Once a quarter at the end of each term we have a service at our Blended Congregation where the kids take a special part in leading the service. Last Sunday we had a service with an Easter feel. We didn't cover the resurrection (stay tuned for next week!) so it was more a Passion Sunday service. I'm not in the habit of turning every order of service into a post, but this week was different so here's what we did:

Conference of Churches of Christ

The Conference of Churches of Christ in Victoria and Tasmania had its annual general meeting today. I was not a formal delegate this year but as a sucker for political processes (and a lover of the church) I went along as an observer.

So what did I observe: