Critical Issues Facing Missions in NA in the 21st Century

1. Critical Issues Facing Missions in NA in the 21st Century Dr. Bob Scudieri Director: LCMS WM North America

2. What are the issues districts face in missions today? 1. Understanding and communicating what it means to be faithfull. 2. In all our planning remembering diversity of the US. 3. Challenge to make use of technology. 4. Understanding a new approach to funding new mission development.

3. Faith is a four letter word: Risk Being faithful: Faith of those doing the work: risk takers, entrepreneurial � daring to do things everyone else though impossible. In order to create disciples, people who have faith, live in faith, in the One who loves them. �By grace you are saved, through faith. It is a gift of God, so that no one can boast.� How do we learn to make good decisions?

4. 2. Embracing diversity: All we do, all we are, reflects the face of not just NA, but heaven. Gospel preached in more than the languages of Pentecost. Hymns sung every Sunday in every language and accent under the Son. Didn�t John see a group from �every nation� standing around the throne of God? Heaven is not a room filled with white English speaking people, or black, or brown or yellow or Hispanic people only!� Pentecost 2000�.

5. 3. Challenge to make use of technology: Technology embraced as a good gift of God. There are computers in every room of the 21st century LCMS church � including the sanctuary, projecting sermons, illustrations, maps, video clips, web casts, etc. Districts are �wired�, technologically rich��

6. Acording to George Barna: Presently, 8% of adults and 12% of teenagers use the Internet for religious or spiritual experiences. This application rated eighth among the eight possibilities explored.

7. However, the Barna study also found that people are in the early stages of warming up to the idea of cyberfaith. When people were asked about their likely future use of the Internet to seek or engage in specific types of religious experiences, more than two-thirds indicated that they were likely to engage in such pursuits on a regular basis as the decade progresses.

8. In fact, if the research projections hold true, even the least appealing of the 11 Net-based faith alternatives tested (online worship) would likely attract some 30 to 35 million adults. The most attractive option (listening to religious teaching online) would likely draw more than 100 million adults.

9. Of special importance was the finding that teenagers have a very different profile of cyberfaith interests than do their elders. Activities such as reading devotional passages online and submitting prayer requests were of much greater interest to younger people.

10. Hispanics and blacks have a far greater level of hope and trust relative to the cyberchurch than do white adults. Other population segments that are more willing to give the Internet a try in regard to significant faith dimensions are men and people under the age of 35.

11. . �By the end of the decade we will have in excess of ten percent of our population who rely upon the Internet for their entire spiritual experience. Some of them will be individuals who have not had a connection with a faith community, but millions of others will be people who drop out of the physical church in favor of the cyberchurch.�

12. Does prayer over the telephone count? What about over the tv? Alaska�. Led to a publishing revolution. Led to an information glut. Led to decentralized communication, power and authority.

13. 1. Current thinking and technology have moved decision making to the edges. 2. Over time organizations grow larger and more complex -and have to invest more time in integrative functions to keep from falling apart. As they do this there is less time for direct services. 3. A "most appropriate size" concept is necessary - vs. modernity, which was enamored with becoming larger and larger.

14. 3. Based on collaboration. We do not start new missions from St. Louis. All we do we do to help districts help every LCMS congregations reach 1.5 unchurched per day. We cannot spend $35 million � we partner with districts to help churches. District role: changing, from administration of mission to leadership�

15. Old Model: District does mission, i.e., District identifies site, Calls worker Buys land, Subsidizes work New Model District comes along side of congregations and circuits, Congregations and circuits identify opportunities, Bi-vocational workers, District gives vision, support, ongoing help.

16. 4. Funded on a shoestring�.