Church Morphing: "moving toward" theology

We often talk about spiritual life from God’s perspective as revealed in His Word. This entry, however, will look at life from a finite, human perspective — the only vantage point we have without the help of the Holy Spirit and divine revelation. And in this life, in every sphere of her/his being a disciple never “arrives,” but “moves toward” the goal, the ultimate goal being relational theology — knowing God.

To explore this positive growth aspect of sanctification we will look at dichotomous, fuzzy and relational mindsets.
(See also October 14, 2005, “Am I bound, fuzzy or centered?”)


DICHOTOMOUS MINDSET
The person with an "in or out" (bounded) mindset spends most of her/his time and effort in defining a clear “boundary and maintaining the boundary” (Paul Hiebert, Anthropological Reflections on Missiological Issues, 112). Variation is unacceptable because this "black or white only" thinking utilizes uniformity to preclude chaos in order to form a homogenous group.

The central question for the in or out, dichotomous person becomes, “Is the doctrinal position or person in or out of bounds?”

Exercise 1: Imagine that your church elders asked you to do year-end statistics. They want to know how many people came to Christ through their church’s ministry. What criteria would you use to determine the number of conversions in 2007?

Or, another way of looking at a similar question is, let’s imagine that you led Jack to Christ; upon what would you base your belief that he is regenerate? Possibly it would be something like this…

Me: “Do you think that Jack is truly a Christian?”
You: “Well yes. He prayed the sinner’s prayer in the Penn State locker room at 11:43 A.M. on Friday, June 15th, 2007.”

But can you or I, based upon Jack's locker room profession, unequivocally know that he is regenerate? No. Our understanding of his spiritual state is fallible; Jack may or may not be truly “born again”. Only Jesus can know that because He knows the heart. And Jesus tells us, “By their fruit you will recognize them.” (Mt. 7:16)

"But," we Westerners rejoin, "is Jack a McIntosh, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, or… a bad apple?!"

Exercise 2: Which of these apples does NOT belong: a) McIntosh b) Granny Smith c) Golden Delicious d) Red e) Macintosh
(see answer below*)


FUZZY MINDSET
In or out / black or white only thinking precludes confusion and chaos, but it tends to exclude diversity and transform unity into uniformity.

Now Evangelicals typically seek clarity and eschew fuzziness. And with reason. A fuzzy mindset has no boundaries and accepts managed chaos.

One type of “fuzzy” thinking (extrinsic) says that Truth might exist, but we cannot know it (early liberalism). A fuzzy mindset views truths as pluralistically local, thus they can contradict other truths (pragmatic postmodernity). Another type of “fuzzy” thinking (intrinsic) believes that Truth does not exist (philosophical postmodernity).


Fuzzy example A: The Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita are different expressions of ultimately compatible spiritual truths (pragmatic, extrinsic fuzzy).

Fuzzy example B: “I swear that I am telling the truth, not necessarily the ‘objective truth’, but the truth of what I believe to be the truth… my testimony may be false, but I am sincere and of good faith; it is not a false testimony.”
(philosophical, intrinsic fuzzy from Jacques Derrida’s Faith and Knowledge, 97)

"testimony 2" from www.spookdesign.fr

Whether it be pragmatic or philosophical, the fuzzy mindset rejects either the knowability or the existence of metanarrative — any unifying story. But the Bible is a metanarrative, THE metanarritive, explaining the past, present, future, seen and unseen essentials for a life with God.

The people of God therefore cannot adopt a fuzzy mindset that denies universal, objective, knowable Truth of both God and His Word.

Exercise 3: Describe these snowflakes.

We tend to look at the commonalities that all snowflakes have. For example, each and every one is an ice crystal with six-fold symmetry.

But fuzzy thinker Michel Foucault, essentially sought the uniqueness of each and every individual snowflake. Foucault would have asserted, All you see is a block of frozen water. Or in Foucault-speak, All you see is an accumulation of hexagonally symmetrical ice crystals. You miss the fact that each and every one of those trillions of snowflakes has its unique beauty. By focusing on the commonalities, diversity is lost; the individual flake melts into oblivion.

The fuzzy thinker focuses on discontinuity, variations, facets and différance (Derrida). There is no “normal” because there are no norms. And a fuzzy, postmodern mindset rightly points out that by solely focusing on unifying elements one can miss, even destroy, uniqueness. It errs, however, when it becomes the polar opposite of the dichotomous mindset by denying universals.

Unfortunately, Evangelicals often equate the fuzzy mindset with a centered, moving toward mindset.

RELATIONAL MINDSET
Paul Hiebert explains that the moving toward (centered) mindset is a dynamic way of knowing. It describes how things “relate to other things, not what they are in and of themselves.” One defines the center and describes relationships of things or people to that center. “Greater emphasis,” therefore, “is placed on the center and relationships than on maintaining a boundary” (124).

"Centered" by Ruth Palmer http://eu.art.com/

So reconsidering the question of people coming to Christ, we focus on Christ who is the center of all that is (Col. 1:17). And all people (Christian or not) are either moving away from or toward Him. Instead of boundaries, there are signposts indicating the direction that the person is moving in relation to Jesus.

Signposts can be language like, “Jesus is the way,” as opposed to, "All paths lead to God." “I have never attended communion, but could I?” “I would like to be baptized.”

In Jack’s case above, only God can know with absolute certainty whether he is regenerate. “The Lord knows those who are his” (2Ti.2:19). We simply see Jack take a positive step toward Jesus through his “sinner’s prayer.” And we look for change (fruit) such as, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness” (2Ti.2:19). This is directional, an observable turning away from evil toward that which the Word of God has revealed as good.

The moving toward mindset goes beyond memorizing and teaching True facts about God. This qualitative orientation pursues relationship with God as He truly is — omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and immutably so. We imperfect, finite people seek better, deeper relationship with the Perfect, Infinite One, to know Him more fully. This is moving toward theology, ever growing experiential-spiritual-intellectual-relationship with God.

The faith is ultimately relational. The Hebrew mind was centered upon its covenant relationship with YHWH, the Creator, Judge and Lord known as “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Hiebert, 125).

The gospel message is one of reconciliation. Trust in Christ’s atonement causes the believer to enter into relationship with God and reconciles one with others (2 Cor. 5:20; 1Jn.1:3).

We receive eternal life through faith in Christ. Jesus Himself said that eternal life is relational knowledge with God. “Now this is eternal life: that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). An absolute Truth about the nature of eternal life is that it is relational.

Two primary criticisms that the emerging church levels against the inherited church are that it is weak on relationship and mission. I agree with both of those accusations.

One proponent claimed that the emerging church movement focuses like a laser beam on these two very biblical issues, “a reformation built around mission and relationship” (cited in D.A. Carson, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, 24).

Tim Boal (Building Authentic Community, 7) reports that an emerging church advocate complains “that the church uses structure to evaluate its effectiveness in culture rather than seeing its relationship to God and to Christ as the appropriate means for measuring such effectiveness.”

"Americans must count religion in order to see or show its value," observes Kanzo Uchimura (in Andrew Walls, The Missionary Movement in Christian History, 221). Instead of quantifying our religion, could we not imagine ways of looking at depth of relationship as a criterion for evaluating an individual's or church’s fruitfulness? The Apostle Paul did. He aggressively moved toward this qualitative goal (Phil. 3:8-15):

That I may gain Christ… I want to know Christ… Not that I have already obtained… this…. But one thing I do… I press on toward the goal… All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.

Paul's entire being — body, soul and spirit — was centered on Christ! He had a moving toward theology; he sought an ever growing relationship with Jesus.

Last exercise: If we were to establish the Holy Trinity as our center, how might we employ a moving toward mindset in our:

• understanding of His Truth (the Scriptures)?
• relationships with God and others?
• mission — evangelism, discipleship, church planting?

* Answer: a, b, c and e are truly “apples” based upon their intrinsic nature. The red apple "d" is actually a plastic table decoration ;-)

Church morphing: the return

After a three-month intermission and before I launch into thoughts on a “moving toward mindset” and the “hermeneutical community,” I thought it would be good to recapitulate the discussion on “church morphing."

These are principles that I firmly believe will help emerging leaders guide local expressions Jesus’ Church through the current postmodern era into the whatever-is-next epoch.

"What's Next?"
http://www.artbywicks.com/poetry%20page%202.htm

The blogs from which this list is taken (see Sept.19-Dec.17, 2007 entries: "backdrop of modernist church," "a worldly church?" "is truth the ONLY issue?" "truth or interpretation?" "secondhand convictions" and "imperfect understanding") also attempt to explain why expressions of true Church according to Jesus, ekklesia, must morph into fresh expressions in order to truly embody the essence of Jesus' desire for His Church in the 21st century.


BACKGROUND: MODERNIST CHURCH
The secular modernist promise was that ideology-embodying institutions would create a utopia-on-earth on behalf of the autonomous individual.

The Great Disillusionment that ushered in postmodernism occurred when Modern Man with his noble ideology, technology, transportation, medicine, and a progressive understanding of history… created highly efficient means of killing men before they could die from the diseases that modern medicine could not heal.

Instead of ushering in utopia-on-earth, Modernism's focus on intellect/reason created hell-on-earth—the fires of Auschwitz. 

Auschwitz, the archetypal expression of the modernist “death industry” (Zygmunt Bauman)

Modernism believed that: the intellect can deduce truth with absolute certainty, man will act logically, progress is inherently good, and the real world is material.

And lamentably, many 20th century Evangelical churches embraced philosophical modernism becoming reason-led, ideology-embodying institutions that catered to the autonomous individual. All too often intellect stifled spirit, institution squashed organism, and the individual dominated over community. Biblical essentials were filtered out of local churches’ ethos and praxis due to modernism's surreptitious influence.

FRESH EXPRESSIONS OF EKKLESIA
A widely accepted summary of postmodernism: “In simplifying to the extreme, one holds as ‘postmodern’ incredulity regarding the meta-narratives.” (Jean-François Lyotard, The postmodern condition, 7).

Postmodern people employ a hermeneutic of suspicion

In the pre-modern West the Roman Catholic Church was the arbiter of “truth"; under modernity, Science determined "truth"; in post-modernity, the individual is the final arbiter of "truth" - iTruth.

Modernism was hard, crystal clear ideology characterized by "seeing is believing." Postmodernity is a soft, liquid mood where "feeling is believing" and "friends" are all important.

While modernism’s deleterious effects have been descried, one must also remember that philosophical postmodernism has its own toxins; it inexorably leads to the loss of absolutes.

In contradistinction to the emergent church movement that is increasingly adopting philosophical postmodernism, thus questioning the existence of absolute Truth, Tim Boal observes:

“The emerging church… primarily focuses on the forms and experiences of the local church community and how these contribute to or diminish true community. Many young evangelical leaders support and promote the idea of absolute truth” (Getting Real About the Emerging Church, June 2007).

And a primary motivator of the emerging church movement is reaching unchurched postmodern people for Christ, their structure being “missional in nature” (Bolger and Gibbs, Emerging Churches, 107).

“Imagine that! A reformation built around mission and relationship…”
(D.A. Carson quoting Chris Seay, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church, 24).

Melding emphases of healthy modernist and postmodernist expressions of local church results in a tripartite focus in dynamic tension — the absolute Truth of Scripture, rejuvenating community and pertinent mission.

I believe that a path with promise for the future is that of gifted people (Eph.4:11) accompanying young leaders of missional communities, guided by the Spirit of God, studying and applying the absolute Truth of the Living Word in fresh ways in their localities. This forecasts firm footing and fresh expressions of true ekklesia in the whatever-is-next epoch.

Charis Europe (final report): creation process

As a starting point for the Charis Europe weekend, we adopted the theme, "Toward a love incarnate on mission." As people shared their hearts and thoughts, that evolved into "Good News incarnate and articulate on mission."

Creation process
Alfredo was mandated by the representatives to take the next step toward common vision. He will draft a vision statement for Charis Europe based upon all that transpired during the Stuttgart weekend in February.

(See preceding four entries for details about this gathering of representatives from European Grace Brethren churches, Charis Partners and GBIM church planters.)

Fred and Alfredo (Charis Partners in Madrid & Lisbon respectively)

The members of the vision and direction workgroup will then refine the statement and submit it to the European Grace Brethren Churches for their modifications and approval.

Vision and direction workgroup: Marcus (left), Paul, Alfredo (yellow), Malcolm, Florent (right) and Rainer (behind the camera)

Once the vision is embraced by all, workgroups will begin fleshing out the concerted action that could possibly flow from the Charis Europe vision.

The various workgroups are:

Vision & direction
Where are we going & how will we get their together?

Discipleship, equipping, theological parameters & issues
How can we promote disciple reproduction (people who obey Jesus' teaching from a heart of love)? How can we share resources in order to equip more and more women and men in the European churches for apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, shepherding, teaching and other ministries? What are the pressing theological needs of European believers today? What constitutes the theological component of our identity (common beliefs & convictions)? What are the essential doctrines and what are the differing convictions about which we will choose to practice Romans 14 acceptance of one another?

Youth & communication
European youth are a key to the present and so must be part of the creation process; they communicate constantly and are technologically savvy. Our hope is that a select group of young people will promote frequent and engaging communication utilizing sundry media to promote connections across Europe.

Franck does the web page for the Dijon church and graphic work for various groups

Mobilization for mission
The great need of our day is to move out in the name of Christ, to GO. And in doing so we hope to cultivate deep relationships one with another across Europe, relationships nourished, purified and deepened by the Truth of God's Word. The Château of St. Albain, the Saint James Way, Serve the City, Life Project and other groups, provide opportunity to serve together in Jesus' name.

Alan at the computer heads up Serve the City Dublin

Personal & collective spirituality
Without love for God, one another, and the people of the world, we are nothing (John 13; 1 Corinthians 13; Revelation 3). How can we fan the flame in our hearts for God and people in the midst of the 21st century cacophony of time and financial pressures, and leisure distractions?

Representatives of Charis Europe seeking God for guidance toward collective vision leading to concerted action

All of the representatives believed God had called us together. All recognized that God gave us unity. Now may God be pleased to give us that clear vision that leads to concerted action for His glory on the European continent and beyond.

Charis Europe (4): paths into the future

The objective of the consortium (Stuttgart - Feb. 1-3, 2008) was to seek God, asking Him for common vision leading to concerted action for the 12 churches, 25 embryonic spiritual communities and European and American missioners of Charis Europe.

Everyone present felt that God was incontrovertibly leading and guiding; the unity was palpable and desire for cooperation unanimously expressed.

Uli and Marcus Breimaier (Leonberg, Germany) at the Charis Europe consortium

Following Alfredo's and Florent's talks ("Why are we here?" and "How did we get here?"), I led sessions entitled, "Who are we?" and "What should we do?" In pursuit of identity, I shared both negative and positive lessons from history, to help discern who God would have Charis people be, and what he would have us do in 21st century Europe.

Paul & Rainer at the consortium

Negatively, Brethren isolationism caused us to separate ourselves from other true members of Christ's Body. And insistence on uniformity of understanding caused us to separate one from another. Both types of separation marred our witness and hindered growth.

Positively, Tom Julien has recognized that full-orbed Truth includes relationship and mission, both of which challenge and enrich our understanding of the Truth. Striving for a catalytic combination of biblical mission, relationship and truth, as Charis people in 21st century we therefore:

seek to love Jesus, his sisters and brothers, and all the people of the world. According to Jesus, love is the mark of the Christian — Mt. 22:37-40; Jn. 3:16, 13:34-35; 14:23; 1 Jn. 4:19-21

are theologically conservative and culturally progressive. We are the daughters and sons of Henry Holsinger (1) & Alva McClain (2), both Progressive and Grace Brethren — 2Ti. 3:14-17; 1 Cor. 9:19-23

are Jesus’ disciples on mission, like Jacob Cassel (3) & Tom Julien (4). We evangelize, make disciples and plant churches. — Mt. 28:19-20; Acts 2:42-47; 19:8-10; 2 Ti. 2:2


Learning from history and flowing from these identifying traits I believe some helpful paths into the future are:

• Being disciples on a mission to reproduce ourselves
  
• Valuing & mobilizing all five-people-who-are-gifts for itinerant ministries
• Graciously embracing God and His Word as absolute Truth
• Unrelentingly applying Romans 14 to interpretation & strategy
• Cultivating relationships between members of spiritual communities by serving on mission together

We often pooled and sharpened our thinking in regional discussion groups

More specifically…
All too often, in standing for the Truth we have been harsh. In addition to standing for the Truth of "saving grace," we must embody the qualifier "Grace" by being gracious (Eph.4:32; 2Ti.2:24).

All too often we have violated the Truths of love and unity that are to characterize Jesus' disciples, dividing over theological constructs and missional strategies. We must live the biblical acceptance of Romans 14. While fully embodying the traits of our identity, we must have relentless respect for differing convictions & strategies. Maintaining unity must enter our praxis (John 17, Philippians 1:27 & 2:2, Eph. 4:1-6).

All too often we have swung from an emphasis on one gift to another; all are necessary. While valuing equally all five people-who-are-gifts (Eph.4:11) could lead to gridlock, doing so should lead to fruitful dynamism if we incarnate self-abnegation, acceptance, unity and love. We should seek a Spirit-led, nationality-blind consensus in convictions and strategy by synthesizing the perspectives of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, teachers and shepherds among us.

All too often our autonomy has degenerated into debilitating isolation. We should commit to connectedness and interaction between European churches through concrete initiatives. By regaining itinerant ministries, the people-who-are-gifts can serve as tendons and ligaments connecting various parts of the European Charis Body.

All too often we have made evangelism or church planting our emphasis; Jesus put the focus on making disciples — believers obedient to the Word out of a heart of love for Him. All to often our attempts at making disciples have merely yielded intellectually instructed bible students. We must be disciples on a mission to reproduce ourselves.

Members of the German contingent

We need to embrace our historical identity founded upon biblical mission, relationship and Truth; we must embody all three components without compromise. We need to birth missional, relationally-connected spiritual communities nourished, guided and purified by Truth.

Postmodernism questions the existence of Truth; we must cherish our heritage of embracing the absolute Truth of Scripture. An equally great challenge in 21st century Europe, however, is that of postchristendom that perceives Church as, at best irrelevant, but most often as culpable of heinous crimes and a stifler of spirituality. We should therefore make biblical mission our highest priority. People will no longer come to church, so we must "Go and make disciples" of Christ. In so doing we will cultivate biblical relationships, as together we incarnate and articulate biblical Truth.

My hope is that we will send Euro-International, gift-based church planting teams throughout Europe. And possibly the Europeans who will go are in European Grace Brethren churches right now.

Next up Charis Europe (last): the creation process

1 Henry Holsinger led the so called "liberals" (culturally so in the 1890s) to become the Progressive Brethren by rightly distinguishing between essence and form.
2 Alva McClain in the face of liberal theology's assertion that the Bible is a book of merely human origin (1940s) rightly embraced the Bible as absolute Truth.
3 Jacob Cassel At an annual meeting of the Brethren (1900) the session considered the choice of color of the yet-to-be-purchased hymnals to be a higher priority than world mission; Jacob Cassel rightly disagreed.
4 Tom Julien rightly helped us to distinguish between absolute Truth and our understanding of that Truth (1980s), stating, "we must not attribute certainty to theological inference."