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Changing Church Leadership. How is the Church changing?. How is church leadership changing?. Post-Christendom?. Church attendance 2005. 76% of New Christians Come from 26% De-Churched finding faith today 1992. 65% Non Churched.
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How is the Church changing? How is church leadership changing?
Post-Christendom? Church attendance 2005 76% of New Christians Come from 26% De-Churched finding faith today 1992 65% Non Churched This section of the population is older and decreasing over time 26% De Churched 9% monthly
‘The reality is that mainstream culture no longer brings people to the church door. We can no longer assume that we can automatically reproduce ourselves, because the pool of people who regard church as relevant or important is decreasing with every generation’ Mission shaped church report p11
“ this majority (66%) presents a major challenge to churches. Most of them are unreceptive and closed to attending church; churchgoing is simply not on their agenda.”
How have we defined a ‘searcher’? • Someone who has had cause to reconsider their core values, or think about the big issues like ‘the meaning of life’, in the last year • 2000 interviews with a nationally representative sample of UK adults, conducted 24-27th April 09
Are People Searching and why? • 73% of people are searching • All ages, male and female, all but the lowest of social grades • 70% of people are searching because of either the credit crunch, concern about personal finances or job insecurity
Australian Gen Y – like Britain? Rationalist humanist Non believing 14% Moral relativism, pick ‘n’ mix, truth in all religions but not just one, something ‘out there’ occult and paranormal experienced BUT open rather than committed or seeing as important Includes neo pagans and followers or frequent participants in the esoteric/occult growing shrinking ‘new spiritual’ 23% Religious 17%
“ we understood mission one way and organised life to accomplish it. We have awakened to find out the mission moved on us. To keep focusing on mission, we have to turn the furniture around and face a different direction. We may even have to move into another room.” Loren Mead. The Once and Future Church,1992 Alban Institiute
Hungry for us to be a Church that connects with every person and every community.’ + Stephen Cottrell Our call to evangelise the whole country or decline into a sect
Missional leadership is the key • Most models repackage old paradigms • Discontinuous change is the norm • Congregations still matter • Leaders need new capacities & frameworks • A church is a unique organisation Alan Roxburgh. The Missional Leader
What does a leader for the open seas look like?
“a person with a detailed knowledge of an area of water, who goes on to a ship to direct it safely.”
Spectrum of pioneering Pioneer Starter Pioneer Sustainer Sustainer Pioneer Sustainer Developer
“ re-infect the world with worship.” • People’s homes • On the street • At work • The calendar ‘It’s so important to remember that what we counted as an appropriate response to God in one generation and culture will be very different in another.’ Abbot Stuart Burns
Imagination “ Imagination is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited.” Albert Einstein ‘ people who open up major new possibilities with God.’
“listen to the space opened up by Jesus Christ.” Rowan Williams
Able to listen and discern ‘ if Christian mission is about, “seeing what God is doing and joining in”…. then discernment & the cultivating of an environment which enables discernment are the leadership capacities most needed at this time.’ Graham Cray, The Discerning Leader Grove Book 2010
“We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein
Three pieces of advice about imagination • Forget everything you know • Remember everything you know • Re-arrange everything you know
Exploring Creativity and Innovation • CREATIVITY – The ability to develop new ideas and discover new ways of looking at problems and opportunities • INNOVATION – The ability to apply creative solutions to problems and opportunities to enhance or enrich peoples lives • Creativity is THINKING • Innovation is DOING
“Creativity is no more than looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking somethingdifferent.” Albert Szent-Gyorgi
Who is the mission for? • Who is the mission by? • Who is the mission with?
YOU CAN’T PREDICT THE OUTCOME • DETAILED PLANNING WILL BE LESS EFFECTIVE • MORE A MATTER OF DISCERNMENT • SEE WHAT GOD GROWS • New church members? • A small group? • A project? • A church?
Stickiness ‘faith is a community experience not an individual one.’
‘How can we serve the people with whom we have contact in such a way that the gospel is intriguing, challenging and appealing.’ +Stephen Cottrell
‘do the work of an evangelist.’ • envision • encourage • equip • example
Church forming and nurturing
‘…do not try to call them back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, beautiful as that place may seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have been before.’ Vincent Donovan
Reorientation- look out • Reconnection- walls down • Recreation- sent out
