One of the most popular themes I encounter at the moment is that of 'getting rid of buildings'. Time and time again I find myself in a meeting or conversation where this issue is raised.
"Why don't we get rid of our buildings, they are a money pit and not fit for service (or services)," they cry. "We'd be much more flexible and could meet in [insert your location here], where everyone in the area would come!" Having been privileged to have planted a few churches over the years I generally sit and smile at these words and the wondrous naivety of the speakers. the problem is that they, generally, have been Anglicans for all of their Christian life and know no different. BUT . .
Not having a building is great, especially on a Sunday when you arrive with all the kit for the service (which now occupies your garage, spare room or most of the house) and, having loaded it into the vehicle, unload it. You take it into the building (one of the plants we did was up four flights of stairs!) and set up. Having done the service you then pack everything up (which takes ages) and take it out to the vehicle, load it and take it back home and unpack it.
Alongside this there is the gathering, and arranging, of the chairs followed by the stacking and removing same back to the place where they live (and they never seemed to live in the same place that you were going to do your service).
Drop into the mix the caretaker, who often appeared to be lurking somewhere that made them visible enough to let you know they'd like you to finish and clear the building so they could get back to their Sunday off!
ADD to this . . . .
The fact that even though you'd like to be doing a service on a bank holiday weekend, the building just isn't available and we'd love you to do something on Ash Wednesday but we'd love you to do it somewhere else! Christmas? Not a chance - could you do it somewhere else?
CONSIDER this . . .
The 'if we do it they will come' approach doesn't work when you're in a sports hall or a school hall. You might be doing a great job and the services may be sublime but whilst you will have your regulars the reality is that the casual drop-in visitor, the seeker of God because of some amazing epiphany and those who want a pretty 'looks like a church' venue just are going to make it. Mind you, if you are in a small place more will be aware that you're meeting (but will still want something more like church!).
THE REALITY is . .
One of the biggest dreams in every church plant I have done is that glorious day when the church has its own building and the lugging in and out of equipment ends; when there is a 7*24 presence and the ability to put something on the wall becomes more than a dream. That wonderful moment when you realise that the all night prayer meeting can happen and that almost indescribable feeling that rises up at the reality that you can walk in and everything is already set up (for those who doubt the frustration, niggle and eventual throwing out of the toys that is the bringing and taking, setting up and breaking down of kit all I can do is suggest that they give it a try for three months - and that's without the fact that it adds a couple of hours to the Sunday, EVERY Sunday).
We don't need to get rid of our buildings but we need to engage with the planners, the (never go to church but wants a say) Victorian, Dickens, 'Whoever was here' and 'whatever happened here' societies and those who want to conserve 'their' church and tell them the realities. If they want to pay for the roof restoration (£250k please) or the essential work on the organ (£75k) or rewire, replumb or whatever else needs doing (just give me all your money) then they can have a say in what is going on. BUT . .
Church is living stones and the building that houses them needs to be fit for purpose. Where we have buildings that don't do what we need, then we need to re-order them. Where we have buildings which are special because of the many generations of additions, modifications and the leaving of fingerprints, we need to preserve them and change the interiors sympathetically. But change them we must! And where this is not possible then we should perhaps bite the bullet and, as an extreme last resort, hand them over to the councils, preservation societies or the state.
Note the 'last resort comment though, for when we let go of our landmark buildings; when we leave a place without a visible (or invisible, done in some school, hall or house) church presence we are leaving that place, barring a great revival, without a Christian influence (and place of safety, welcome and salvation) for good.
Time to stop saying we need to get rid of buildings and time to start making buildings do what we 9and the community) need them to do and if this means a Post Office, newsagents and general store in the church hall (or even the back of the church or in a spare room) then so be it. Church should be seen and felt throughout the communities we serve and church buildings should serve the Church and the communities in the same way.
believe me - not having a building is bigger than you think (as I hope you'll see with the next bit).
Pax
Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church planting. Show all posts
Thursday, 31 May 2012
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Pioneer Ministry - What People Want!
conversing with a colleague on their journey towards having a Pioneer Minister, this outline document came to mind:
JOB DESCRIPTION
Working with others to plan, develop and sustain a fresh expression of church for those who are non-churched. Task and roles includes:
1. Exploring and engaging with the culture and context of the community where the fresh expression of church is to be established. Consulting and liaising with others who are working both within the local church community and in the wider community.
2. Leading the emerging Christian community in ways which are culturally relevant and authentic having an obvious connection with the church and subscribing to the views and practices of orthodox Christianity and the Anglican tradition.
3. Assembling a team of committed volunteers who subscribe to the vision and who have the suitable gifts and potential to assist in establishing the fresh expression of church. Supporting, pastoring and mentoring those team members as they grow in personal and Christian formation and in effectiveness in leading a fresh expression of church.
4. Establishing suitable processes for mutual and individual accountability within the project.
5. Reflecting prayerfully on the most appropriate ways to establish a form of church for non-churched people (adult and young people) within that community.
6. Co-ordinating appropriate worship (having due care for the need for an appropriate sacramental life), prayer, fellowship, outreach and social engagement within the life of the community.
7. Putting in place a strategy for the continuing development and future sustainability of the project. Identifying and securing the necessary resources for all, and any, new forms of church.
8. Drawing up and managing the budget for any fresh expressions of church that may come into being.
9. Convening and facilitating the management group for the project.
10. Sharing within the wider parish/diocesan/denominational setting the experience and learning gained from the project as might be fitting.
11. Contributing to the evaluation of the project as required, preparing such reports as may from time to time be requested.
12 . Acting as coach/mentor to other pioneer mission leaders within the project/area [optional - depending upon experience and skills]
13. Engaging in any continuing professional development or other appropriate ongoing training as is required.
14. Any other duties reasonably requested by the incumbent or project manager (where applicable).
Not a job for the fainthearted when it is put on paper like this is it? More than just sitting in cafés and dossing around with non-Christians, more like a load of work (often without the support structure that a standard parish role which perhaps indicates some benefit in a curacy of sort being with those starting out?)
Pax
V
JOB DESCRIPTION
Working with others to plan, develop and sustain a fresh expression of church for those who are non-churched. Task and roles includes:
1. Exploring and engaging with the culture and context of the community where the fresh expression of church is to be established. Consulting and liaising with others who are working both within the local church community and in the wider community.
2. Leading the emerging Christian community in ways which are culturally relevant and authentic having an obvious connection with the church and subscribing to the views and practices of orthodox Christianity and the Anglican tradition.
3. Assembling a team of committed volunteers who subscribe to the vision and who have the suitable gifts and potential to assist in establishing the fresh expression of church. Supporting, pastoring and mentoring those team members as they grow in personal and Christian formation and in effectiveness in leading a fresh expression of church.
4. Establishing suitable processes for mutual and individual accountability within the project.
5. Reflecting prayerfully on the most appropriate ways to establish a form of church for non-churched people (adult and young people) within that community.
6. Co-ordinating appropriate worship (having due care for the need for an appropriate sacramental life), prayer, fellowship, outreach and social engagement within the life of the community.
7. Putting in place a strategy for the continuing development and future sustainability of the project. Identifying and securing the necessary resources for all, and any, new forms of church.
8. Drawing up and managing the budget for any fresh expressions of church that may come into being.
9. Convening and facilitating the management group for the project.
10. Sharing within the wider parish/diocesan/denominational setting the experience and learning gained from the project as might be fitting.
11. Contributing to the evaluation of the project as required, preparing such reports as may from time to time be requested.
12 . Acting as coach/mentor to other pioneer mission leaders within the project/area [optional - depending upon experience and skills]
13. Engaging in any continuing professional development or other appropriate ongoing training as is required.
14. Any other duties reasonably requested by the incumbent or project manager (where applicable).
Not a job for the fainthearted when it is put on paper like this is it? More than just sitting in cafés and dossing around with non-Christians, more like a load of work (often without the support structure that a standard parish role which perhaps indicates some benefit in a curacy of sort being with those starting out?)
Pax
V
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Pioneer Ministry - 1
Mention this and you usually get the question, "What is it?" or perhaps, "Who does it?"
The most common definitions appears to be that a 'Pioneer Minister' is 'a person who is among those who first enter or settle a region, thus opening it for occupation and development by others' and so pioneer ministry is 'doing and being Church where no Church is to be found'.
The reality is that once this country knew the Bible stories, understood the times and seasons and was the physical embodiment of the Christian message. Then, following a couple of World Wars, this situation started to change and secularism and its servant consumerism began to rise up. The situation now is that amongst the indigenous british citizen (and they are white multi-generational british not immigrants as many seem to assume) the situation is the many have no idea what Christmas of Easter is truly about and the stories some assume as being commonplace are untold and thus unknown!
The problem is that some, not all, of those in the organised church assumes that anything new must look like it and must bring people into it (and quickly!) whilst others in the pioneer church assume that whatever it is it must not look like organised church and thus they are free from the constraints and demands of the former. This causes some to sneer when dog-collars in 'organised church' say that all are pioneers, because, "If they were, where are the new members, where are the new congregations!" Some claim that the organised church dog-collars are merely archaic protectionists who are frightened by the new breed of bright young (and not so young) things that are coming to do Church in a new and 'real' way!
In return, there are many established dog-collars who see the unstructured, 'let's do coffee', abstract efforts of some of the pioneers as unproductive, elitist and separatist. "They want Church on their terms and set themselves us as something different and better that us," whined one cleric recently. The reason for this being that they'd tried to embrace (not physically) someone doing 'pioneering' and been totally blown off by them!
The aim of pioneer ministry is to create congregations (gatherings) of people who know Christ, accept that He died for them and live within all the traditional tenets of the Christian faith but perhaps in ways that are not traditional or within traditional buildings. The hope is that at some stage the two will coalesce - but in partnership not ownership! The work of pioneering is carried out in people that are wild and separate from God (just like the open prairies of the Wester US). The desire is to see them 'become Church' not 'Come to Church' and you know when a pioneer settlement has become Church because it will possess within it it the two Anglican sacraments (oooh, using the term sacrament often throws some into a flat spin - too possessive, too controlling, 'not what we are about man!') of baptism and communion.
Pioneer ministry is about doing what Church has always done, meeting the people where they are and helping them to recognise the hand of God on their lives and come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is not the panacea for that formidable parish share, neither is it a declaration of independence from the rest of the (tired, old and irrelevant) Church - it is yet another facet of the ministry of the Church and, as per Eph 4:11, gives us:
Apostles (ἀπόστολος)
Prophets (προφήτης)
Evangelists (εὐαγγελιστής)
Pastors (ποιμήν), and
Teachers (διδάσκαλος)
Not in isolation but in partnership. In an army you need bayonets (infantry), bridges (engineers), communications (signallers), medics, people who can 'soften' up the enemy and their positions before the bayonets go in (artillery), understanding of the enemy, their strength and tactics (Intelligence) and some AFvs too (why walk to war when you can ride?). Some of these are regular, some of these are volunteer reserves - but we need to have a 'one army' approach if we are to fight well and work together.
Seems this is a lesson some within Church circles could do with learning!
Pax
The most common definitions appears to be that a 'Pioneer Minister' is 'a person who is among those who first enter or settle a region, thus opening it for occupation and development by others' and so pioneer ministry is 'doing and being Church where no Church is to be found'.
The reality is that once this country knew the Bible stories, understood the times and seasons and was the physical embodiment of the Christian message. Then, following a couple of World Wars, this situation started to change and secularism and its servant consumerism began to rise up. The situation now is that amongst the indigenous british citizen (and they are white multi-generational british not immigrants as many seem to assume) the situation is the many have no idea what Christmas of Easter is truly about and the stories some assume as being commonplace are untold and thus unknown!
The problem is that some, not all, of those in the organised church assumes that anything new must look like it and must bring people into it (and quickly!) whilst others in the pioneer church assume that whatever it is it must not look like organised church and thus they are free from the constraints and demands of the former. This causes some to sneer when dog-collars in 'organised church' say that all are pioneers, because, "If they were, where are the new members, where are the new congregations!" Some claim that the organised church dog-collars are merely archaic protectionists who are frightened by the new breed of bright young (and not so young) things that are coming to do Church in a new and 'real' way!
In return, there are many established dog-collars who see the unstructured, 'let's do coffee', abstract efforts of some of the pioneers as unproductive, elitist and separatist. "They want Church on their terms and set themselves us as something different and better that us," whined one cleric recently. The reason for this being that they'd tried to embrace (not physically) someone doing 'pioneering' and been totally blown off by them!
The aim of pioneer ministry is to create congregations (gatherings) of people who know Christ, accept that He died for them and live within all the traditional tenets of the Christian faith but perhaps in ways that are not traditional or within traditional buildings. The hope is that at some stage the two will coalesce - but in partnership not ownership! The work of pioneering is carried out in people that are wild and separate from God (just like the open prairies of the Wester US). The desire is to see them 'become Church' not 'Come to Church' and you know when a pioneer settlement has become Church because it will possess within it it the two Anglican sacraments (oooh, using the term sacrament often throws some into a flat spin - too possessive, too controlling, 'not what we are about man!') of baptism and communion.
Pioneer ministry is about doing what Church has always done, meeting the people where they are and helping them to recognise the hand of God on their lives and come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is not the panacea for that formidable parish share, neither is it a declaration of independence from the rest of the (tired, old and irrelevant) Church - it is yet another facet of the ministry of the Church and, as per Eph 4:11, gives us:
Apostles (ἀπόστολος)
Prophets (προφήτης)
Evangelists (εὐαγγελιστής)
Pastors (ποιμήν), and
Teachers (διδάσκαλος)
Not in isolation but in partnership. In an army you need bayonets (infantry), bridges (engineers), communications (signallers), medics, people who can 'soften' up the enemy and their positions before the bayonets go in (artillery), understanding of the enemy, their strength and tactics (Intelligence) and some AFvs too (why walk to war when you can ride?). Some of these are regular, some of these are volunteer reserves - but we need to have a 'one army' approach if we are to fight well and work together.
Seems this is a lesson some within Church circles could do with learning!
Pax
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