Let's look @ a few examples of core values or guiding principles or defining visions or whatever you want to call them. Things that help describe and prescribe who we are (becoming). We have talked about our 5 (or 6) C's as potentially special and unique aspects of our particular community, so somewhere along the line we should also discuss what are universal requirements in every local community of Jesus followers and what are potential characteristics unique to a local community?
Mars Hill - Grand Rapids: (The following is taken from http://www.marshill.org/)
1.
<-- ROOTS
We affirm the central truths of historic orthodox Christian faith, seeing ourselves in a long line of generations taking part in the endless conversation between God and people. We believe the Bible to be the voices of many who have come before us, inspired by God to pass along their poems, stories, accounts, and letters of response and relationship with each other and the living God. To know where we're going, we have to know where we've been
2.
--> JOURNEY
We have great confidence that God will restore all of creation under the authority of Christ. We believe that every church has to ask the question: "What does it look like for us to live out that future reality today?" We are constantly exploring, questioning, and wrestling with new and creative ways to live out and communicate the teachings of Jesus. Because we see faith as a journey, change is assumed, innovation is expected, and rebirth is welcomed.
3.
-><- WHOLENESS
We believe that God wants to bring about a new humanity by redeeming every part of us. We embrace the salvation Jesus offers as the only hope for the healing of our relationships with God, each other, ourselves, and creation. We believe that all of life is spiritual, and that all of our fears, failures, and brokenness can be restored and made whole. We value the inner journey, because we want to be fully integrated people-mind, body, and soul, emotions and experiences all offered together to God.
4.
-->
--> COMMUNITY
We value the image of God in all people, everywhere. We believe that we were created to live deeply with one another, carrying each other's burdens, sharing our possessions, to pray for and confess our sins to each other, to suffer and celebrate together. It's in these honest, loving relationships that God transforms us and truth becomes a reality. The way of Jesus cannot be lived alone.
5.
<--> SERVING
We believe that Jesus is God in human form and that the church is God's ongoing presence in the world. Led by the Spirit of God, we are passionate about relieving suffering and fighting injustice, joining the God of the oppressed in living out the transforming message of the resurrected Jesus. Jesus calls his church to be a compelling force for good in the world, and we believe that the church is at its best when it serves, sacrifices, and loves, caring about the things God cares about. We were created to live for something larger than ourselves.
6.
^
| CELEBRATION
We take great joy in partnering with God to change the world, embracing the truth that all of life is sacred, hope is real and tomorrow can be better than today. We celebrate the divine in the daily, pursuing lives of hope, gratitude, and worship. God invites everyone everywhere into this way of life, and we believe it is the best possible way to live.
5 Identified Biblical Purposes by Purpose Driven Churches:
1. Worship
2. Fellowship
3. Discipleship
4. Ministry
5. Mission
5 C's of the Wilton/Withrow Discernment Process (initial thinking):
1. Community
committed to living out our life with God in the company of other Christ-followers and rediscovering the biblical concept of the family of God.
2. Compassion
committed to extending ourselves to those in need psychologically, spiritually, and physically.
3. Creation
committed to Earth-care as stewards and beneficiaries of God's good creation.
4. Creativity
committed to discovering and using all our creative gifts to live out a life of worship, both in private and in public, and in word, thought, and deed.
5. College
committed to Biblical teaching and the transformation of the mind for the glory of God.
(6. Cost)
committed to pursuing Christ in radical discipleship
The obvious advantages of the Mars Hill "Directions" in my mind include a language design virtually seamless with the surrounding culture. The Purpose Driven stuff doesn't seem to have been designed in an atmosphere where this was any sort of concern. Both the Directions and the 5 (or 6) C's seem to take the whole witness of Scripture more seriously than the Purpose Driven 5. I guess the obvious question for us is what are we trying to do? Do we need or want to have a vision and defined direcitons/purposes at this point or does that come later? What do we need to work on right now? How comprehensive? It isn't as if we can't change things later!
--The Withrow
3 comments:
I've just been reading Peterson's "Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places" and on pg.252 he says, "even after forty years of intense wilderness training, they are far from an ideal community. And...they never will be, any more than we will be." And a little bit farther, "Community is intricate and complex. It consists of many people of various moods, ideas, needs, experiences, gifts and injuries, desires and disappointments, blessings and losses, intelligence and stupidity, living in proximity and in respect for one another, and believingly in worship of God. It is not easy and it is not simple. The conditions, established by the Ten Words, at least make it possible. None of the conditions is onerous. All are both necessary and non-negotiable. No community worth its salt has ever existed very long in ignorance or defiance of the conditions."
There is some overlap with your 5(or 6)C's, I guess The Big Ten may fall under ROOTS, but may need to be more central. Unless I'm way off base with what you're trying to accomplish.
Interesting point.
What is vision? Are the Ten Words vision? Peterson uses the word "conditions".
The point about being defined, at least in part, by the very complex makeup of your community is something what I was trying to get at in my post: is it too soon to be too specific about who we are (becoming)? What role do gifts (and weaknesses) play in our specific and local expression of being the church?
To be hesitant, as in lacking readiness is a good thing. Not hesitant in doing it, but hesitant before you approach something like forming community for the good of community because it can be such a hairy and great thing. Being too ready spoils sometimes.
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