All semester, in my Culture and Evangelism class at RC, we've been talking about what it means/looks like to be the church in a post-modern culture. We read Blue Like Jazz, A New Kind of Christian, Father Joe, The Shaping of Things to Come, and The Shack. We also read the Bible for those of you a bit nervous from this reading list. We listened to each other's stories. We dreamed. We laughed. We got upset. We imagined. We pondered.
Today, their final exam consisted of only one essay question: what does it mean to be the church in a post-modern culture? It's one of the most important questions many churches ask . . . it's one of the most tragic questions some churches fail to ask.
I'm curious . . . readers in the blogosphere . . . what practices do you think are extremely important for churches to participate in as they travel on the journey?
Please wait one moment . . .
About the Book (The Feast)
About Me
- Josh Graves
- Nashville, TN, United States
- I'm the best friend of Kara, father of Lucas, minister, author (The Feast), life-long Piston fan . . . I am the Preaching and Teaching Minister for the Otter Creek Church (Nashville) and I am working on a doctorate degree (second year) at Columbia Seminary studying the relationship of postmodernism and Christianity.
Some of Josh's Published Work (essays, books, articles, reviews)
Links
- Barbara Brown Taylor
- Brian D. McLaren
- Bronx Fellowship of Christ
- Chris Lindsey
- Columbia Seminary
- Donald Miller
- Doug Sanders
- Dry Bones--Denver
- Duke Chapel
- Focus: HOPE
- Greg Boyd
- Greg Stevenson
- Greg Taylor
- Jason Steckel
- Jesus Creed
- Jinja Mission Team
- John Mark Hicks
- John York
- Jonathan Storment
- Josh Ross
- Kara Graves (My wife and best friend)
- Kibo Group
- Larry James Urban Daily
- Lauren Winner
- Lee Camp
- Luke Norsworthy
- Mark and Lori Manry
- Mark Love (Missional Church)
- Mike Cope
- My Twitter Page
- New Wineskins Magazine
- Otter Creek Church
- Patrick Mead
- Randy Speck
- Rochester Church
- Rochester College
- Rubel Shelly
- Sean Palmer
- Stockman Family
- The One Campaign
- TOKENS (Lee Camp and the Arts)
- Wade Hodges
- Walter Surdacki
- Will Willimon
Blog Archive
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13 comments:
Love. Humility. Grace. Some more love.
I just finished my last paper for my first seminary class. It was an essay on Marva Dawn's "Powers, Weakness, and the Tabernacling of God."
I came away with the realization of how much like the powers the church often acts. And how much better we would be if we could recognize and declare our weakness...allowing God to give us His strength.
On one hand, some postmoderns are at a disadvantage here...since truth is the only way to demythologize the powers...and since truth is relative at best, and imaginary at worst these days. But the upside is that most powers, especially those of spiritual origin, are impossible to quantify and analyze. In other words, modernity didn't know what to do with them. Maybe today we have a better chance.
Scott,
Congrats on finishing your first class. That's great news. How's the program thus far?
Interesting comments on truth. In Acts, at least as I read it, the church is much more interested in embodied truth (praxis; truth delivered on the streets, marketplaces, etc.).
Let me know how your program is going.
I remember sitting in “theology of the church” and Camp asking for us to define church. I remember thinking to myself “why have I never thought about that question before?” I then remember visiting an AA meeting and discovered a particular openness we were missing in the church. I remember understanding grace differently; how it is imparted to us, but also how we impart it to others. And I remember reading Bonheoffer’s “Life Together” that really explained what it means to be a community of believers living together.
What practices should we implement: Confession, imparting grace, and a hands-on Christianity. You know, I think many churches today try to create hands-on programs for the neighborhoods in which they live (which they should), but many churches doings this often neglect the brokenness within their own community of believers. And I think because we now live in a post-Christian culture where the media mostly exposes the corruption of the church instead of its holiness, people need to see authenticity in our lives more than ever. “Outsiders” need to observe the brokenness and confessions of yes, even those of us who are new creatures in Christ.
Phil,
I could not agree more. Confession is huge. I am convinced that there are ways to make corporate settings (200-1k or more) more confessional. We can pray prayers of confession each week, do teaching series on the role of confession.
Bonhoeffer says that confession is the genesis of discipleship. I think he's right.
I'm working on the I Cor. 5 text right now for a writing/publication project.
The story about the man who's sleeping with his father's wife. Weird story.
I think this discussion about attributes of church coinsides with this text.
JG
Josh,
There have been a lot of scars inflicted on brothers and sisters by leaders who have used this text (1 cor.5) to support their cases.
When does this project come out? I will be interested in reading it. Can you tell me more about how you will coincide confession in this passage?
Phil,
The I. Cor. project won't be out 'til next fall. It's part of the Lipscomb Preaching Conference book on Preaching the Exodus.
I'm doing a sermon from the I. Cor. 5 text.
Everyone is welcome is die. It's an inclusively exclusive message. Ha.
The irony is that Paul wants the church to hold each other to Jesus standards. Typically, church people go easy on each other but hold outsiders to Jesus standards.
Is that funny or what?
Josh,
You said: “Typically, church people go easy on each other but hold outsiders to Jesus standards.”
The question I would have is “is it really that we(church members) go easier on each other when it comes to judgment or does it just appear that way because of the un-confessional atmosphere we create?
It’s almost as if many of our church gatherings have shifted into more of a formal dinner party environment rather than a body of fellowshipping believers; in many cases it has become a place where we wear our best attire, a place sure to find superficial conversations, and a place sure to find gossip circles. And who wants to be confessional at a dinner party? Perhaps it is our shallow ambiance in our churches that makes it look like we take it easier on each other.
Good question.
I'll have to think about this.
JG
"what does it mean to be the church in a post-modern culture?"
I think the important thing is to show that we are different than the world. Let's let our words and actions actually be different. Christ tells us to be set apart, and that means avoiding the aforementioned hypocrisy. People are drawn to us by our attitudes and character. They can confide in us as a result.
And as a modern day church in this society, I think we must be more willing to unite with other denominations other than our own. I am not saying that we can't disagree in doctrine, but there must be a way to see these disagreements as footnotes in our overall efforts. How about getting together to achieve service projects to serve EVERYONE not just a certain group?
The other thing that is a major need is equipping our congregations to know the Bible. I don't mean just to send them home with a bunch of Christian living books(although there is nothing wrong with that), but we must focus on why we believe what we believe. Apologetics is important so we can engage in spiritual warfare. Satan is trying to tell us lies everyday through our relativistic culture. Christians I grew up with no longer go to church because they have believed the lies of: "I am not good enough" and "God can't forgive because I did x,y, and z".
Part of that does rest with the church, but a lot of our churchgoers don't take responsibility for their own personal growth in faith. They want the cafeteria Christianity, but you cannot be spiritual fed if you don't delve into the Word yourself through devotions.
But my whole point has been(and always will be) that just because our culture is post-modern does not mean we have to be.
A Church in the postmodern culture (at least an effective church) will learn to accept people as they find the (i.e., not pre-judging how they become poor & homless, an adict, etc...) and being the presence of God admist their brokeness. This will demonstrate the truth for it is truth embodied.
What does this look like? Every context is different but it will look something like what you a doing in Cass park. For me it was spending two days last week with Olivia, a mentally handicapped homeless woman who has been the victim of past abuse. I felt completely helpless most of the time, not knowing what sort of help she needs. I came to realize, as she was helped with food, clothing, and temporary shelter, that perhaps I was simply there to be God's presence (though I feel very inadequate to do so) so that for at least two days she might know that God is here.
I also this this is what it means to live out Matthew's "Christmas Story" -- God with us in the midst of the world's shame and scandal.
Grace and peace,
Rex
David,
Good to have you back. I still would disagree with your notion that one can choose to be postmodern or modern. It simply does not work like that. We can talk about that another day. Just my opinion.
Love your statement about denominations coming together. You are so right.
Rex,
Good thoughts. Being the presence of Christ means going into any and all situations where broken people live. There's a lot of choices.
Our baptism compels us to pick one and immerse ourselves (pun intended).
Inclusiveness of both community and theologies.
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