Missional with a Capital “M” – Part 4

I am writing this from Nags Head, NC where I am on vacation with my family. It has rained thus far, but rain on vacation, is better than sunshine off it! Or so THEY say.

This is Saturday evening. Tomorrow will be the first of two weeks for me to be away from Fountain Park, the faith community I lead. I learn a great deal about where folks are in their spiritual walk by what I hear upon my return. It is a gauge for me of sorts.

Funny, just a week ago, I was returning from LA and Origins. I stood last week with my feet in the Pacific Ocean. Today they were in the Atlantic Ocean. So stinking cool!! That being in my head, here are some more misc. quotes from Origins and Ethos. Everything in this entry is from Erwin.

“When you are in bondage, the first thing to go is the vision that you could be more. In Acts 2 you have Peter telling a nation that has become accustomed to being in bondage that their visions will return and dreams will come back.”

“When most churches talk about their great fellowship, it is great fellowship with one another. It is great fellowship with their great Christian friends that they have not seen in seven days. However, to an outsider it feels like walking in on two people who are making out.”

Our language informs us regarding our culture and informs our culture. We have a lot of language for what is important to us. In Alaska there are 30 distinct words for snow. In the Christian world how many different words do we have for “salvation?” (“Saved,” “redemption,” “come to faith,” “believe in Jesus” – the list could go on and on.) How many words do we have in our church cultures for being missional to non Christians? –
(Compiled)

“The stories we tell on Sunday, affect the culture on Monday.”

How do we move our church culture from requirement to value? We brush our teeth when we are young because we are required to do it by our parents, but at some point we see a cute girl or guy and it moves to being a value. Our culture wore seat belts as a requirement at first, but for most it has now moved to a value. How do we affect values? – (compiled)

“Adults only learn in crisis.” Child seminars reach those with that issue. Marriage seminars reach those who have that issue in the forefront of their mind. It is their particular “crisis.” A part of leadership is creating crises for folks in the areas where we feel the leading of God.

“Every word in the Bible that describes what happens when a human being meets God is all about change. So, why does the church not change? Here is a scary thought, Maybe we are no longer helping people change.”

“We need commonality in our values, not in the way we look.”

As a leader we have to ask, “What structural changes can we make that will affect the Ethos of our community?”

“Do not try to be a church for everyone. There are plenty of ‘blue’ churches.”

“People do not burn out because of stress. They burn out because they are doing the wrong job. We should seek to get them on the right job.”

More to come . . .