Posted by Len over at Resonate. I found it via Jordon Cooper.
"The current church culture in North America is on life support. It is living off the work, money and energy of previous generations from a previous world order. The plug will be pulled when either the money runs out (80 percent of money given to congregations comes from people aged fifty-five and over) or when the remaining three-fourths of a generation who are institutional loyalists die off or both...
"The first Reformation was about freeing the church. The new Reformation is about freeing God's people from the church (the institution). The original Reformation decentralized the church. The new Reformation decentralizes ministry. The former Reformation occurred when clergy were no longer willing to take marching orders from the Pope. The current Reformation finds church members no longer willing for clergy to script their personal spiritual ministry journey. The last Reformation moved the church closer to home. The new Reformation is moving the church closer to the world. The historic Reformation distinguished Christians one from the other. The current Reformation is distinguishing followers of Jesus from religious people. The European Reformation assumed the church to be a part of the cultural-political order. The Reformation currently underway does not rely on the cultural-political order to prop up the church. The initial Reformation was about church. The new Reformation is about mission." (Reggie McNeal, The Present Future, pp.1 and 43.)
We had an interesting talk last night with our "pot-luck group" regarding the changing face of missions today. This quote seemed to echo many of our feelings.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2004
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1 comment:
Hey Jeff,
I appreciate the blog... though I am not in a hurry to run off and start my own I appreciate much of the thinking and sharing that is out there. I got to go out for a little Thai food with Len and his wife, among others when I was in Idaho. Great people. I also appreciate your comments about the Anabaptists. Whatever I may be denominationally or not, I definitely appreciate the perspective that they (they seems odd here, because in many ways it creates an "us" and "them" and in many ways I see myself as belonging to them) bring to the table, not least of all more lately through the work of Yoder and Hauerwas. We'll definitely have to chat next time I am up in Hope... I will try and give you a heads up when I know I am coming and maybe we can hit up the Blue Moose.
Your Brother In Christ,
Brent Mansfield
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