Shift Happens
Thinking about Missio Dei primarily in the context of God’s eternal Love, in contrast to to thinking about Missio Dei as God’s ‘problem-solving activity’ does leave us with many questions.
I think it fits in a broader paradigm shift that many young Christians are experiencing today. Much has been written about the shift from Modernity to Post-modernity and it’s consequences for how people rethink their faith. Another (closely related, but distinct altogether) shift is happening in Europe: the shift from Christendom to Post-Christendom.
Without going into both shifts now, I would like to discuss one consequence of these changes. Thousands write about what these shifts have meant for their theology and the experience of their faith. They write about how stuff should be, what would be a more biblical way. What would be closer to WWJD. Many write about how they left ‘the old paradigm’ (intellectuals), ‘the old wineskin’ (charismatics), ‘the institutional church’ (house-churchgoers), etc. but few write about their new-found alternatives. How do these people live out their faith in daily life? What alternatives have they to offer?
Reactions to a paradigm shift
When foundations are shaken several things happen and people react in several different ways. When one is confronted with shifting paradigms in one’s thinking about faith, missions and church, similar responses can be seen.
Many (young) ‘PoMo’ Christians are wild revolutionaries. They battle old paradigms and they are so busy zealously ‘deconstructing‘ stuff that they fall into the trap of ‘destroying stuff’ in the process. “Out with the old, in with the new”.
These PoMo revolutionaries are often not very sensitive (and wise) and critizice ‘old-paradigm’ churchgoers and church leaders without offering practical alternatives. As we say in Dutch: “They chuck out the child with the old bathwater”.
That’s not good, not when we want to live missionally and we think of the Missio Dei primarily in the context of love…
Some people decide these changes are another fad, destined to disappear in the old Book of Church Fads. “We’ve seen this before”, they say, “and it has passed”.
That’s not good, not when we want to live missionally and we think of the Missio Dei primarily in the context of love…
One can dismiss these shifts as a fad. But one cannot honestly dismiss the fact that the Church in Europe is dying. The church has not been very successful in ‘reaching’ people with their methods, strategies and ‘purpose driven’ seminars. Ok, you can say these things are ‘fads’, but how are you thinking about living missionally? Are you thinking about living missionally at all?
Then there are people that stop, think, and lose their faith. They are so desillusioned with their ‘fading faith’ and simply do not have the strength to continue the search. Some decide to leave church because they simply ‘do not feel at home’ anymore. But they fail to find alternative meaningful, authentic and missional communities of faith. So their faith dries up, withers and dies.
That’s not good, not when we want … Well it’s terrible really.
There’s other reactions that I fail to mention. I am definitely a ‘category 1′. Oh, I can explain stuff, I explain to people why I think the Church in Europe fails, what went wrong, where it went wrong and what should be changed. But am I living missionally? What alternatives do I offer?
I am interested to know dear reader: “what alternatives have you found?” How do you value ‘where you come from’? (How) do you live missionally?
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Hopefully this is an interesting read.
November 7th, 06 at 9:26 am
Hi,
well - what about the following ‘alternative’:
- love God with your whole heart, as best as you understand how and with all you have
- love your neighbor as yourself, with your whole heart, as best as you understand how and with all you have
- maintain the relationships you have: pouring out into other’s lives where this is a natural thing to do
- enjoy life to the max!
Practically?
- if you know a place where you want to be with other believers: do it!
- if you find a needy person: love him and minister to him
- spend time on relationships, most of all your relationship with God, your wife, your kids, your family, your friends…
- be a giver
- be a lover
- be a friend
- heal the sick
- cast out demons
- do good
- raise the dead (God I haven’t done this though!)
….
And watch how Jesus is building His church!
And love life!
:-)
I don’t thing this in an alternative - I think it’s life!
The truth is: church is people believing in Christ connected together. The expression of church is according to the function, what God is doing or the need needed to be met.
November 10th, 06 at 2:33 am
Hi. I just found your site and I like seeing the heart of you and your wife. It’s nice to find other 20 somethings out there who love Jesus and proclaim it matter of fact. You have my respect. I’ve bookmarked the site so I can examine it more later.
November 10th, 06 at 9:24 am
Hi Korah,
Thanks for your kind remarks…
November 15th, 06 at 11:28 am
Hi Dave,
Nothing profound sorry. I just want to say that I can really relate to what you are saying in this post. I am at the stage where I have left my old tradition and a lot of the CRAP that went with it but need something to replace it with. I find my self wondering sometimes: ‘What is the right way to live as a Christian?’ ‘How can I meaningfully live out my faith?’ Henjo has made some positive remarks but these are not all that helpful to me because they are so general–what does it mean when we get down to the nitty gritty–the details of life? For this I think that we need to be in a community, and this is what I am hoping for in my immediate future.
Love ya mate.
November 15th, 06 at 11:42 am
Josh,
I recognize what you say. In my opinion that is the real challenge for ‘emerging folks’ out there. It is so easy to criticize many things, but what alternative do we offer?
This is what I want to be about at this time. I’ve had it with my time of ’spiritual puberty’. I need to ‘grow up’ and offer some healthy, biblical and missional alternatives.
Bless you mate, Love to keep in touch!
November 18th, 06 at 9:29 am
@Josh: why would we describe details of living out your Christian faith more detailed? I think the commandments of Jesus sums it all up - leaving room for the personal relationship to fill in the details. Which again will be or might be different for all.
Why would you want a pinned down alternative?
I know it’s not a clear answer that provides safety through form, but isn’t that our whole quest? Finding safety in relationship?
I recently read a description about defining boundaries in life. The guy said basically the following:
- boundaries show you where your freedom lies, but also your responsibilities.
- when it comes to relationships: we will set boundaries for a healthy relationship and we take responsibility for them. We do this in relationship loving others: our intention is not to look at each other’s mistakes but to forgive them and help them grow.
- this safety, defined by the set boundaries and the love, will enable us to set our boundaries ‘wider’ and so freedom increases…
Putting this concept on ‘Body’-relationships we need community that provides safety through clear boundaries (definitions of our relationships) which will be our form of expressing, or our alternative, in the style of this discussion. But when love increases, we desire to reset our boundaries and see more freedom come: the expression changes - the form changes.
So: alternatives are a specific matter defined by personal relations, personal boundaries and commune love!
Filling in the details would be in first defining the boundaries of present relationships with the body, their purpose and their love. This all mirrored to the commandments of Jesus: love God first and your neighbor next - as yourself.
Secondly: see these definitions as a specific definition of ‘church’ - where you are right now.
Thirdly: don’t make the mistake to think ‘this is it!’ It will not only prevent us from growing, it will also kill where we are!
Sorry to be this long - I wanted to stir the debate. Oh Dave: if it doesn’t fit your purpose: just take it off
Nice thoughts to be wondering on!
December 5th, 06 at 1:49 pm
I am currently studying the Dutch pietism of the seventeenth century, which relates to English puritanism and German pietism. It is an important influence for my own church background, one of the many reformed churches of our lovely country. This piece of our tradition is incredibly reach, with a warm, Christ-centred, meditative spirituality, and strong ethics.
However, this the first time I find out about the treasury of my own tradition. I have been born and raised in church, been a member for 20 years, but have only see restrictions our tradition gives, not the riches.
I think part of this post-whatever journeys is to discover and value the treasury of tradition, not just our own, but other traditions as well, and at the same time leave the restrictions, leave the prison of tradition.
Because God just doesn’t stop and will never stop leading us to new grounds, giving us more revelation, and shaping his Church and his followers more and more to fit his image.
O yeah, I really think Henjo is right when he says we should look for security in relationships, and commit ourselves to relationship, not to a specific form, idea or structure. You commit yourself to one person first, Jesus, and then to other people. Just like in the two greaters commandments. Love God above all, and your fellow man as yourself. If that’s the basis of christian life, it should be the basis of church life.
December 24th, 06 at 2:06 pm
Something profound please
Hi Henjo- Yes! Authentic, serving relationships and let Jesus build his church.
We want the security of a structure rather than love relationships and then wonder why we feel unconnected, unfufilled and unloved.
And leaders all want some means of expressing success! How many were in your meeting on Sunday morning?
After three years of ministry, Jesus had a church of 12! Success is not in how many you attract but in the quality of relationships that you multiply!
Success is in the grandchildren!
Steve