Interview for a magazine today. This is what I wrote off the cuff. Let me know if you see any glarring errors or heresies.
- Voices of the Next Generation -
OM: Many people are discussing post-modernism today. Is post-modernism having an effect on the evangelical community?
IT HAS GOT THEM THINKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A MAJOR PARADIGM SHIFT WHICH IS HEALTHY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONVERSATION IS STAYING IN THE PHILOSPHICAL/METAPHYSICAL. IT HAS YET TO GO DEEPER AND HAS YET TO GET THE CHURCH THINKING ABOUT A NEW COSMOLOGY AND NEW ECCLESIOLOGY.
OM: In recent years, the mega-church model has been the prevailing model for the evangelical church. What new models do you see on the horizon?
AS WELL AS THE ECCLESIASTICAL MODEL (MEGA/TRADITIONAL/CELL/HOUSE-CHURCH) WE WILL ALSO SEE THE MONASTIC (INTENTIONAL/RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES) AND THE APOSTOLIC (TRAVELLING BANDS). ON THE ECCLESIASTICAL HOMEFRONT, HOWEVER, I THINK THE HOUSE CHURCH NETWORKS WILL BE THE NEW WAVE.
OM: For the last decade church growth and leadership have been two hot buttons for the church. Will these have the same priority in the future?
LEADERSHIP WILL ALWAYS BE NEEDED BUT IT WILL BE SEEN AS A TEAM RESPONSIBILTY, LIKE THE WAY DUCKS LEAD FOR A PARTICULAR DIRECTION. LEADERSHIP WILL BE MORE LIKE THE EARLY CHURCH - ELDERS AND MATURE PEOPLE RATHER THAN A PASTOR. LEADERSHIP TRAINING MUST HAPPEN FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH, NOT JUST THE ELECT OR THE MAN AT THE TOP.
CHURCH GROWTH WILL BE LESS FOCUSED ON NUMBERS AND FORMULAS AND, HOPEFULLY, WILL TRANSITION TO CHURCH REPRODUCTION/MULTIPLICATION. THIS WILL ENABLE CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENTS TO HAPPEN ON A WIDE AND RAPID SCALE, ASSUMING THE NEW CHURCH STRUCTURES ARE SIMPLE ENOUGH TO BE REPLICATED.
OM: How do you see the models of outreach changing over the next 5 to 10 years?
EXPERIENCE WILL PRECEDE EXPLANATION RATHER THAN COME AFTER. LESS PROGRAMS, MORE RELATIONSHIP, MORE INTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITIES, BETTER ATTITUDE TOWARDS "SECULAR" WORK AND ENVIRONMENT, COMEBACK OF THE KITCHEN AND DINNER TABLE. THE LINE BETWEEN UNCHURCHED AND CHURCHED WILL BE INCREASINGLY FUZZY. YOUNG PEOPLE WILL START LESS OUTREACH PROGRAMS BUT MORE CHURCHES.
OM: In what ways are you encouraging those within your faith community to reach out to the un-churched?
THEY ARE ALREADY SURROUNDED BY UN-CHURCHED. PRAYER AND INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES IS KEY.
OM: What books or materials are reading right now that you have found to be helpful guides in reaching the un-churched?
I WOULD NOT USE THE WORD "REACHING" - IT SOUNDS TOO COLONIZING. I AM READING SPIRITUAL BOOKS WRITTEN BY EASTERN AUTHORS SO THAT I CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET AND VALUES OF THE EMERGING CULTURE.
OM: If you could give pastors three pieces if advice on how to reach out to the next generation, what would they be?
1. LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE
2. LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN
3. LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE AGAIN.
- Voices of the Next Generation -
OM: Many people are discussing post-modernism today. Is post-modernism having an effect on the evangelical community?
IT HAS GOT THEM THINKING ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A MAJOR PARADIGM SHIFT WHICH IS HEALTHY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CONVERSATION IS STAYING IN THE PHILOSPHICAL/METAPHYSICAL. IT HAS YET TO GO DEEPER AND HAS YET TO GET THE CHURCH THINKING ABOUT A NEW COSMOLOGY AND NEW ECCLESIOLOGY.
OM: In recent years, the mega-church model has been the prevailing model for the evangelical church. What new models do you see on the horizon?
AS WELL AS THE ECCLESIASTICAL MODEL (MEGA/TRADITIONAL/CELL/HOUSE-CHURCH) WE WILL ALSO SEE THE MONASTIC (INTENTIONAL/RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES) AND THE APOSTOLIC (TRAVELLING BANDS). ON THE ECCLESIASTICAL HOMEFRONT, HOWEVER, I THINK THE HOUSE CHURCH NETWORKS WILL BE THE NEW WAVE.
OM: For the last decade church growth and leadership have been two hot buttons for the church. Will these have the same priority in the future?
LEADERSHIP WILL ALWAYS BE NEEDED BUT IT WILL BE SEEN AS A TEAM RESPONSIBILTY, LIKE THE WAY DUCKS LEAD FOR A PARTICULAR DIRECTION. LEADERSHIP WILL BE MORE LIKE THE EARLY CHURCH - ELDERS AND MATURE PEOPLE RATHER THAN A PASTOR. LEADERSHIP TRAINING MUST HAPPEN FOR THE WHOLE CHURCH, NOT JUST THE ELECT OR THE MAN AT THE TOP.
CHURCH GROWTH WILL BE LESS FOCUSED ON NUMBERS AND FORMULAS AND, HOPEFULLY, WILL TRANSITION TO CHURCH REPRODUCTION/MULTIPLICATION. THIS WILL ENABLE CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENTS TO HAPPEN ON A WIDE AND RAPID SCALE, ASSUMING THE NEW CHURCH STRUCTURES ARE SIMPLE ENOUGH TO BE REPLICATED.
OM: How do you see the models of outreach changing over the next 5 to 10 years?
EXPERIENCE WILL PRECEDE EXPLANATION RATHER THAN COME AFTER. LESS PROGRAMS, MORE RELATIONSHIP, MORE INTEGRATION INTO THE COMMUNITIES, BETTER ATTITUDE TOWARDS "SECULAR" WORK AND ENVIRONMENT, COMEBACK OF THE KITCHEN AND DINNER TABLE. THE LINE BETWEEN UNCHURCHED AND CHURCHED WILL BE INCREASINGLY FUZZY. YOUNG PEOPLE WILL START LESS OUTREACH PROGRAMS BUT MORE CHURCHES.
OM: In what ways are you encouraging those within your faith community to reach out to the un-churched?
THEY ARE ALREADY SURROUNDED BY UN-CHURCHED. PRAYER AND INVOLVEMENT IN THEIR LIVES IS KEY.
OM: What books or materials are reading right now that you have found to be helpful guides in reaching the un-churched?
I WOULD NOT USE THE WORD "REACHING" - IT SOUNDS TOO COLONIZING. I AM READING SPIRITUAL BOOKS WRITTEN BY EASTERN AUTHORS SO THAT I CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MINDSET AND VALUES OF THE EMERGING CULTURE.
OM: If you could give pastors three pieces if advice on how to reach out to the next generation, what would they be?
1. LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE
2. LISTEN TO YOUR CHILDREN
3. LISTEN TO YOUR WIFE AGAIN.
