A lifelong learning community of deepening discipleship for the sake of the mission of God

-- some notes on the Pop Up Study with Dr Craig Mitchell October 2019.

Craig Mitchell has brought before us what I would argue is the key question we face as a congregation. It is not a new question: each generation in every place has faced it.

What is God calling the church to be in the 21st century?
How might God Bind a place in people’s lives in Glen Waverley?

Key answers according to Dr Mitchell:

A lifelong learning community of deepening discipleship for the sake of the mission of God

… The mission of the church is the mission of Christ.

This was an informed and challenging dialogue which sought to focus our sense of who we are as a Christian congregation and what our mission might be in the local community. Along with a clear theological view Craig brought analysis about the ways in which society has changed rapidly over recent decades as well as ABS data on the nature of the Glen Waverley community.

CONTEXT: A changed and changing society – some notes

Change in Glen Waverley – statistics on educational levels, languages spoken at home, whether born in Australia, age proIile of population

Cultural changes

• Changing family structure: 60% of women now working
• Longer life expectancy; better health; ageing population.
• Abundance of leisure options.
• Society is increasingly consumer orientated.

• Globalization of culture & religions: “…a spiritual marketplace”

• Shift from reason to experience – “what works, what feels good”

• Questioning & mistrust of traditional institutions e.g. government, banks, churches, media, scientists, experts.

• Media corporatized, ubiquitous, doubted.
  • too much information

• Our newsfeed and consumer choices targeted —>narrowing of perspective —> division, tribalism and separation.

• Divisions within churches and politically.

Technology changes:

• data base = no 1 technological invention – store & retrieve

• nano technology; biotechnology

• technology has become fashion & multi sensory – immersive not just information.

• technology as an appendage – part of our body
• we are reliant on technology we cannot see
• we have an over-abundance of information – more than we can take in.

Environmental change:

• global warming
• species extinction
• waste
• death of bees

From the audience feedback most people who attended felt overwhelmed by all these challenges/ crises

How do we live responsibly?

“God will save us” = unreal salvation narrative – we are not a haven from these problems.

In this context HOW IS GOD CALLING US TO BE A FAITHFUL CHURCH?

Models of church – Avery Dullies

• Mystical communion – world wide communion – all one of God’s children
• Sacrament
• Servant of suffering, lost, poor and marginalised
• Herald
• Institution

• Community of disciples – seek to follow Jesus: spiritual & practical – working together (not the institution)
  

Which one shapes our sense of being Christian?

QUESTIONS WE FACE: questions raised by Dr. Mitchell

Where are we as a congregation? With whom are we building a community?

Is the church only for people like us? What is the mission outside our doors in a “pagan society” – full of unrecognized gods? People yearn to be part of a community – do we have the heart to go out and draw people in?

What is God’s purpose? What is God doing beyond us?
God’s mission chooses and creates a church: shapes who we are.
God is on about changing the world – calling us to be a missionary church in our neighbourhood…. we need to be shaped by God’s mission.

God is in the business of renewing creation: God in Christ is making all things new.

Our mission is to participate in Jesus’ work now…. a declaration and a participation in the renewal. Jesus said “God has come to you”. The kingdom of heaven is here and now, we are part of the reconciling work. That is what we are called to do: communion and community.

CHALLENGE: What do you think? Put pen to paper via the Monthly Bulletin or the quarterly NewView magazine.