Church and Farming

I once read of two analogies in farming practices that give us a picture of how church ministry is or can be done. The first is where farmers build fences around their properties to keep the livestock in (this is called the Bounded Set). However, in some places (outbacks etc.), the ranches are so vast that fencing is not viable. Instead, what the farmer does is he bores a well to create a water supply. The livestock roam but never stray too far from the source of water. The first farming practice is called a Bounded set, the second, a Centered Set. Where the Bounded Set represents the use of religious organization and boundaries to hold a community together, the Centered Set (with a strong center in Jesus) is said to engender the truly Christ centered approach to doing church.

Hence, rather than seeing people as Christian or non-Christian, i.e. “in” or “out,” we would instead see people by the degree of distance they are from the center. This approach would make more sense if we were to take into account the well-known Engels Scale that shows coming to faith and discipleship as a process. It allows for the concept of belonging before believing. No prizes for guessing which church model fully adopts the Centered Set approach.

(Note: You can read more about this social set theory in ‘Untamed’ by Alan Hirsh and Debra Hirsch)

Anyhow, the thought that crossed my mind when I read this was: maybe the reason the church isn't bringing more to faith and making as many true disciples is because the majority of our own lives are like shallow or dry wells that cannot attract nor sustain. And we consequently make up for that by doing more organizing and implementing more structure to keep our disciples and members “in”. This is why it is so vital for each of us to be ‘deep wells’. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'"  This is the challenge for us. We need to start believing and cultivating that intimacy with God. The deep wells of prayer, Scripture and spiritual direction must be dug deep in our own lives in order for the church to ‘attract’ again – regardless of which model we adopt. 

yew meng 

In/Out

Change is inevitable for any society. Society grows and improves itself as it learns (hopefully) out of force or by choice. Over the years, the church too has evolved and progress along the way. Society has often or not influenced how churches changed. Vice versa.

The question which I ask today is to what extend does society dictate how churches should be in the last days.

Very often we are concerned with big trends that are happening around the church stratosphere. We cannot deny that in some sense, these trends are a reflection of which direction society is moving into. But are these trends a reflection of what the church should become?

Jared

The Eagerness for the Second Coming of Christ by Galvin G. Lojingau

          Before I write this, as a student I have to admit my knowledge of eschatology haven’t fully sharpen yet, so do correct me with love if I made a mistake on this blog.

            I was taught; that Paul was living in the last days, the passion that burn him to serve and go beyond any ordinary missionary was in a question whether we as lay minister can catch up with Paul, and as a Bible school students, we learn that one of the secrets that urge Paul was the second coming of Christ, it is the hope and the encouragement not just to him but to the people that he is ministering to. It is, I may say was the confident of his ministry.

            Looking back at the history of our Pentecostal roots, many preachers preached with the second coming of Christ in mind, and indeed such as these many more were moved to go mission in a foreign land.

            I thought to myself, if Christ were to come tonight, would my view on the great commission change? Would I still sit in my office room doing assignments or going out now to save as many souls as possible before tonight? Would the Church still plan on their next year event or jump out from the seat and preach it on the road side that Christ is coming tonight.

            Although we live in a last days, we live in a time where everything is so advancing, little of thought that Christ is coming soon, how many Churches do preach of Jesus’ coming but rather an ordinary sermon on love, character building and holiness. How many of us as Christian have the great sense of His coming that would move us fearlessly in preaching the Gospel to our enemies because Jesus is coming soon.

            The Bible did mentioned about how it will come, but it didn’t mention when, but yet, it does ask us to be prepare in all times, being alert 24 hours that we do not know the time, and it is such awareness I pray it will move us with passion to move with the Holy Spirit, to know what is necessary and what is not, I believe with the second coming of Christ in mind, with that strong urgency, our daily routine of a Christian will change, and from this perspective we will know what makes Paul so eager to bring the Gospel the world.

By Galvin G. Lojingau

The Emerging Church by THEO

            Emerging catches into one term the global reshaping of how to "do church" in postmodern culture. While there are good as well as naughty or bad consequences of opting for a postmodern stance (and not all in the emerging movement are as careful as they should be), as Christians we can rightfully embrace certain elements of postmodernity.

            Some view the emerging church as they live with, work with, and converse with postmoderns, accepting their postmodernity as a fact of life in their world. Such Christians view postmodernity as a present condition into which we are called to proclaim and live out the gospel. Many would adapt to this view of not denying the truth, they don't deny that Jesus Christ is truth, and they don't deny the Bible is truth.

            On the other hand are some of emerging postmodernity attracts all the attention. Some have chosen to minister as postmoderns. That is, they embrace the idea that we cannot know absolute truth, or, at least, that we cannot know truth absolutely. They speak of the end of metanarratives and the importance of social location in shaping one's view of truth. They frequently express nervousness about propositional truth.

What does an emerging church really mean especially in our post modern culture? 

Emerging churches are communities that practice the way of Jesus within postmodern cultures. This definition encompasses nine practices. Emerging churches (1) identify with the life of Jesus, (2) transform the secular realm, and (3) live highly communal lives. Because of these three activities, they (4) welcome the stranger, (5) serve with generosity, (6) participate as producers, (7) create as created beings, (8) lead as a body, and (9) take part in spiritual activities.

            The best I would describe it as is that our church today need to be relevant to our culture and way of doing things. We need to be conservative in knowing what we believe but as to the balance of "Form & Function", sometimes we ought to be liberal. Of course being careful not to step out of what the word of God says.  

Theophiloas Daniel

Welcome to the Church and Last Things Explored (CALTEX) Station

Millard Erickson points out that at “no point in the history of Christian thought has the doctrine of the church received the direct and complete attention which other doctrines have received.” He goes on to state that “the question of the nature of the church can no longer be delayed, however.” In view of that, the church really is one of the last ‘things’ – a final frontier of sorts.

The word “church” itself is a loaded term, invoking strong emotions of scorn or love depending on the how the individual understands of it. John Phillips expresses the identity confusion prevalent today: “Most people have a poor opinion of the church. If they think of it at all, they think of the vast organized system of religion …” Phillips goes on to identify that as “not the church but Christendom”. People see the failures of Christendom and despise the church. A popular song title, “Jesus I love You but I Can’t Stand Your Wife” captures this sentiment.  Terminology cannot be ignored in this area.

That being said, ‘invoking of emotions’ could be a much preferred alternative to blatant apathy towards the church that permeates among some groups of post-moderns. The notion that “I am spiritual but not religious” seems to be the fad (i.e. ‘religious’ meaning into organized/institutionalized religion).  

           

            So, back to Millard - Could the question of the nature of church be delayed? After all, Millard does affirm, “The church is not a fixed form, but a project, a continuing task”. I presume, that if the nature of church is to be explored it should be from the point of ‘function’ and not ‘form’. The three biblical images given by Millard shed light on this: The People of God, The Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. The first function of Church could speak of experiencing community, the second – of expressing Christ’s compassion and the third, about encountering God. Forms may vary greatly so let us be slow to pass judgement as we explore this enigma. With that I conclude this stop at the CALTEX station.

umeng