tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post5283815103063308978..comments2023-11-02T10:50:42.128-05:00Comments on CLOSED: "We are a SMALL church"TLF+http://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-59009731983409994242009-06-19T19:46:15.352-05:002009-06-19T19:46:15.352-05:00Just read Evening Prayer, Pewster, and the lesson ...Just read Evening Prayer, Pewster, and the lesson from Luke 21. Interesting that Jesus says this to get his followers' eyes and thoughts off of the great stones and treasures of the Temple!<br /><br />Man, that doesn't make my night any more comfortable.TLF+https://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-2648199969455350782009-06-19T08:21:43.624-05:002009-06-19T08:21:43.624-05:00Luke 21 is in the lectionary for today and I submi...Luke 21 is in the lectionary for today and I submit for the group to consider as we go out into the world,<br /><br />"13 This will give you an opportunity to testify. 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defence in advance; 15 for I will give you words* and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 You will be hated by all because of my name. 18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls."Undergroundpewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10182191422663119484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-13616465392077199262009-06-18T20:51:11.650-05:002009-06-18T20:51:11.650-05:00Tim+,
If anything, you've understated the pro...Tim+,<br /><br />If anything, you've understated the problem with the non-evangelistic culture of TEC. Unfortunately, it's still the case that many, many Episcopal clergy as well as laity regard evangelism with great discomfort as an embarrassing topic that they avoid like the plague. But Cursillo and Alpha have helped to change that disastrous attitude in many congregations, as well as the milder Faith Alive movement.<br /><br />Perhaps a place to start might be with prayer along the lines of Matthew 9:35-38. The harvest is plentiful, but it's mostly being reaped by other deonominations. Let us dedicate ourselves to praying the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers who are able and eager to reap that harvest, whether those witnesses and disciple makers are ordained or not.<br /><br />Personally, one of the many reasons why I'm glad to be leaving TEC at last and joining the ACNA (by the end of the month, after the ACNA is officially launched) is that its leaders encourage, rather than implicitly discourage, zeal in sharing the gospel and planting new churches.David Handy+noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-84098745311464464462009-06-18T14:14:50.524-05:002009-06-18T14:14:50.524-05:00Archer and Pewster (man, that's a law firm wai...Archer and Pewster (man, that's a law firm waiting to happen) point out some areas worth considering.<br /><br />Archer talks about clergy education and formation. Congregational development is waived at but never really engaged by TEC seminaries. Consider that most seminary faculty are clergy who never lead organizations. One of the ways that TEC marginalizes the gifts of church developers is to shut them out of teaching other clergy. Applied leadership skills cannot be taught by people without application experience. <br /><br />And Archer's point about the need for "extrovert training" is painfully accurate (he's an archer, after all). The process selects for introverts who can excel in academics or one-on-one pastoral care (which are certainly needed), but the process weeds out extroverted entrepreneurs who might not appreciate the "best in sacred music" or be up on the newest stylebook for footnotes, but who can bring people together and lead them into fruitful action.<br /><br />This leads right into Pewster's point, one I neglected to develop in my post: No, I can't imagine many of our lay people getting up and going out to bring others to Christ... or even to church. We have a culture of insularity that is self-perpetuating. Lay people put forward non-evangelistic candidates to become clergy, and said clergy keep teaching congregations to avoid evangelism.<br /><br />This is actually noted in TEC's <i> State of the Church </i> report, but there are no ideas put forward as to how to correct the deficiency. <br /><br /><i> Ephesians 4 </i> tells us that Christ places the gift of evangelism in His church. He is faithful - we have evangelists among us but we are not honoring their gifts because they make us uncomfortable.TLF+https://www.blogger.com/profile/01650010433581488888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-57915225176245696682009-06-18T11:07:59.176-05:002009-06-18T11:07:59.176-05:00There is no substitute for on the street or door t...There is no substitute for on the street or door to door evangelism/apologetics in teaching an individual the "how to" of bringing people to Christ. While I have never been a fan of the young Mormons or the Jehovah's witnesses who come a knocking, I admire their dedication, their smiles despite being turned down, and I know the experiences they get will shape their future ministry and lives. Could you imagine asking today's pewsitters to get up and go out on such a mission?Undergroundpewsterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10182191422663119484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-873059253261642303.post-53796122831508042392009-06-18T10:22:54.165-05:002009-06-18T10:22:54.165-05:00I've often wondered upon reflection of my trai...I've often wondered upon reflection of my training at Seabury Western (ironically a seminary now basically closed except for largely the D.Min. program and extension classes) how well the Episcopal Church seminaries actually train future clergy to grow churches. <br /><br />We did have a few upper level classes on Mission and Church growth and dynamics that I thought we all theory and no practice. We never once had an assignment that forced us to actually go out into the streets or somewhere off campus and talk to someone about God/church/theology/recruit/whatever. <br /><br />I was always disturbed by that, given that Anglican clergy are notoriously nondescript introverts to begin with. I never once saw an actual scheme for implementation that might actually grow a church in practical ways other than weird innovations and gimmicks like U2charists and HipHop masses. (I saw a few when I was at Westcott House.) It was all Meyers Briggs/Family Systems theory psychobabble. Helpful in diagnosing problems, yes, but not in growing congregations. <br /><br />I think if I was to design a seminary curriculum, a must have on the list would be extrovert training and actual models of church growth other that the 1950's Beaver Cleaver evangelism method of "Golly, Wally, we're such the bestest place ever, why doesn't anyone ever come in our doors?"The Archer of the Foresthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03075768526819990250noreply@blogger.com