i sent my stuff to a church in amherst mass. which is looking for an associate pastor. they ask for a vision statement for ministry in the new world of postmodernism, here is what i wrote if you feel lead email me a comment or two.
An embrace of mystery: God is undefinable and unknowable at many levels
yet, approachable and open. Exploring and
embracing this mystery will intrigue the minds and
spirits of postmodern people. Allowing people to
ask and ponder questions that can not be answered
with precise and controlled formulas shall be
valued.
An attitude of transparency: To reach postmodern people respect and authority
must be earned by a life that is open and willing to
admit that we don’t have all the answers. A
willingness to let people see the struggle
within ourselves and allowing that transparency
draw people to the power and love of God.
An attitude of humility: Allow people to search, explore and experience
God in ways that allow them to process and come to
know God in ways that will transform them. This
attitude is marked by an ability to admit we don’t
have all the answers.
Ardent Worship: Create and atmosphere of reverence and awe
through the use of technology and creativity.
Remaing open to divergent and varied forms of
worship and connection with God. There is not one
way to worship that can be called postmodern.
Worship will become a creative adventure to
expreience God
A friendship of dwelling: Risk and commitment to friendships that allow
others to see the pain and joy that comes with a life
committed to following Christ. These friendships
will create a place for God to work through people
open to love others. These friendships will be
relationships that embrace discipleship and
mentoring as a way of life.
A willingness to change: As followers of God we must be willing to change
our own understandings and existential
understanding of God as we dwell with others who
are journeying with us towards God.
Amorphic leadership: Leadership must be non-hiearchal. It will
be earned through action and attitude. Leaders will
be developed as a cultural value. This leadership
will be marked by a team attitude that allows each
person to use the abilities and gifts they have to
reach others for God. Top down hiearchal
systems will fail in this paradigm.
A reverence for God: All these hallmarks of postmodern ministry will fail
without a fear and awe of the Creator of all things.
Through all the outreach, friendship, discipleship,
teaching and living God must be respected and
embraced as our source of life, power and meaning.
God must be the center and source of all
things we do to reach people in the postmodern
world.
I believe God has placed a challenge before the church that we must seize or we will
allow an entire generation to live and breath and have their beings without a knowledge
of God. The Postmodern shift has changed the world we call home in ways that are
profound and we must change how we interact and reach out to that world. The church
has lost its place in the postmodern world and we must once again allow God to use us to
transform our world and ourselves as we fulfill the commands of our Lord to tell the
world of the love that is there for all of them to claim.
for what its worth
::..:: gathering my way ::..::
September 13, 2002
|September 12, 2002
i spent yesterday driving back and forth to anderson indiana. it was for a project and had a good talk with my client who i have known for many years. when i got home my family had the tv on and all the stories all the rehash of last year made me angry. my wife let me have it after all the kids were in bed, which is usually a pretty easy feat at our house even with 8. anyway she ralied me about not letting my kids process things the way they wanted and forcing my own desires on them, she was right. after her scolding we sat down to a great veggie pizza and a glass of red wine and watch 9/11 on cbs. what struck me about the documentary wasnt the attacks or the violence of it all but once again people doing and being extraordinary. helping others without care for themselves. i dont think we should be attacking and lashing out with violence to retaliate for the attacks, but thats out of my control. we need to step back and hear the words of christ and love our enemies, pray for them, understand them. how do we end the violence with more violence? i have no answers on this one just a personal conviction that we must strive for the path of peace. how we do that is the tough one, its hard following this god sometimes harder than i want to live out and i fail, but i must get back up and continue amid all the pain and sorrow and flashes of overwhelming joy.
adoption wise we are still waiting for the girls to arrive looks like october now, waiting is very painful at times.
and this weekend i get to meet some new peeps, visit and chill with good friends and meet others how i know over the internet at vineyard central's gathering, for this i am grateful and joyous and it is a beacon in a recent aura of grey.
|
adoption wise we are still waiting for the girls to arrive looks like october now, waiting is very painful at times.
and this weekend i get to meet some new peeps, visit and chill with good friends and meet others how i know over the internet at vineyard central's gathering, for this i am grateful and joyous and it is a beacon in a recent aura of grey.
