Chaplaincy and Church - Word, Prayer & People

One of the very interesting discussion to be had is that which relates to Chaplaincy and Church - a place where many similarities, differences, opportunities and restrictions converge.

For instance with Church the people (generally) want to be there and are not only happy to be engaged with but often demand or desire such engagement with a 'God-botherer'. The other side of the coin is that in a chaplaincy setting we find ourselves invited into a place or group of people but not all of those we encounter are perhaps so demanding. The key here is to remember that we are present and ready, willing and able to serve those around us regardless of their faith (or none faith) choices and that we are a presence of some form of what is best described as 'otherness' for those we seek to serve.

In a discussion recently the descriptor: 'Presence, Prayer and Proclamation' was used to describe the chaplaincy role and this is pretty close I guess for in the Christian world the word 'incarnational' (being physically 'in the flesh' present) is a most important one indeed for it speaks of Jesus, God made man. This is of course what we Christian Chaplains seek to live within and make real in our own ministry - working on the premise that 'the Kingdom of God' is where we are and that being filled with God's Holy Spirit we take Him into the settings we find ourselves like a lampstand that enables all to see by that light:
'No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.'

Lk 8:16

The prayer element within the Chaplain's ministry is something quite unusual in that whilst many are embarrassed at the offer of prayer, many seek it for themselves and (even more often) for those they love. Pray in the shape of petitioning for those we serve is a valid and oft rewarded element of the role and I personally have found myself praying for needs of a loved one and finding myself to be rewarded with the news that the crisis has passed and 'something amazing' (not my words) has happened.

We stand before God for those we serve and intercede for them asking for forgiveness, protection, healing and many other things and we also find ourselves standing before them speaking on God's behalf in the shape of:

Proclamation. That is 'preaching the Good News' (AKA Gospel) of Jesus, the Christ, and the power of the cross - his death, resurrection and enabling. Whether we do this by providing 'Padre's Hours' or perhaps engaging in lectures on 'Values and Standards' or leading discussions on aspects of attitudes and behaviour and the like, this is what we do. The key is to state the truth and point to that which is right without condemning or belittling - we do it as Jesus calls us in that we (who are hopefully spiritual) 'restore them gently' (taking care to check that we don't become hypocrites or promote double-standards).

The reality is the the Chaplain, regardless of setting must be someone who is:

A person of the Word,

A person of Prayer, and

A person of the people.

Mission-Shaped Church - Blessing or Curse?

I think Mission-Shaped Church (MSC) is a good thing and I base this on the 1994 CofE report of the same name and my experiences of same.

MSC, as I recall, has roots in a great book by George Carey and Charlie Cleverly and I see nothing sinister in the name or the reality. In fact the five values for a missionary church are exemplars of what Church (and church) should be (for the official words see 'Mission-Shaped Church p. 81 onwards).

A missionary church is:

Trinitarian  - A relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that brings forth prayer, praise and action with, and and through the three members of the Trinity is our goal and purpose.

Incarnational  - It makes visible the invisible God in the communities in which it is called to serve in such ways that whilst remaining counter-cultural is also a part of that community.

Transformational -  It changes the community by preaching the Gospel in word, action and intent by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the example of Christ and the Love of God the Father.

Discipling - It draws people to Jesus, the Christ, and helps them, individually and corporately, learn to follow Him on the faith journey that leads to the Cross.

Relational - It builds relationships with others by being open and welcoming not rigid and restrictive. An inclusive (yet not permissive) approach to those who come in from outside; a structure free for cliques and power groups.

These are what I see as the basics of being a Mission-Shaped Church - are there other outworkings of this that I do not understand?

Pax

Being a Missionary Church

I hear so much about 'missionary churches' these days and it seems that so many of the people who are speaking about them have almost as many ideas about what they are as there are people with the ideas! They range from putting on Alpha and other evangelistic stuff through to going outside the doors to bring people back and leafleting (telling them that the big pointy building at the end of their street is a church!).

Following a conversation today I thoughts I'd re-ignite the round that is Mission Action Plan (MAP) writing for the APCM (the Annual General Meeting of a church) where the MAP is supposed to be part of the proceedings by bringing people back to the five ‘Mission Values’ of the Church of England an a definition (of sorts) of 'missionary church'.

The 'mission values are

To proclaim the good news of the kingdom (Evangelism and Outreach)

To teach, baptise and nurture the of new believers (Teaching and Nurture)

To respond through 'loving service' to the (human) needs around us* (Justice and Care)

To transform unjust structures of society by our engagement (Justice and Care)

To work to safeguard creation and sustain and renew the earth (Justice and Care)

These are the five Marks of Mission of the whole Anglican Communion - in them we find three of the four 'Primary Purpose' groups, the only one missing being 'Worship and Prayer' which should be the hallmark, driving and responsive force for all that we do (so I will forgive them).


A 'missionary church' has five characteristics. A missionary church is:

Focused on God the Trinity
Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the orthodox understanding of the Trinity! It is therefore concerned with the Word, with keeping the laws and honouring God and celebrates the things of the Spirit (in a balanced and positive way).

Incarnational
Just as Jesus is God incarnate, so too are we to become, as Luther succinctly put it, 'little Christs' in that we take God into engagement, taking the initiative, with those who are 'not Church'.

Transformational
Romans 12 tells us: "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." we need to be transformed and from that position lead others into being transformed that they might have the mind of God, for from that comes the heart of God and from that the actions that take Christ into all places.

A disciples-making church
Matthew 28: "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them ina the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." We go in obedience and reach out, celebrating God where He is to be found in the lives of those who are not 'Church' and we lead them, by example and by love, into a place where they come to know God and become followers of Christ, taking up their own cross and, denying themselves, follow Him.

Relational
as I understand this, we bring together God (and the Church), the world (all creation including humans) and 'self'. We are concerned with how these and 'I' connect. We seek to show how none of the elements exist in isolation but in relationship with each other and with God throughout creation celebrating the reality that 'man is most certainly not live alone'.

So here's a bit of an outline for some future thinking. There are so many buzzwords and so many interpretations and fine sounding theological considerations but the reality is this:

That we know God, three-in-one, and taking Him into places where He is perceived not to be see lives transformed such that they follow Christ and see Him entering into all of their realities such that they can know Him, three-in-one, and taking . . . .

Pax

* I love the way 'human' is stipulated, guess it stops us going off at a tangent and doing animal rights stuff though!