Archived Posts For Church
suburban christian
Posted on February 11, 2008 by Rebecca Matheson
Filed Under Church, Emerging Questions | 1 Comment
I was having a conversation with a friend recently about her mum’s thoughts on being a Christian in middle class suburbia and how both natural and difficult it is. (Some of these are my extended thoughts).
The Church and Christian events such as conferences are exceptional at preaching the ‘go get out there’. There is nothing acclaimed what-so-ever about living to your fullest from your house in the suburbs in your everyday job. We uphold these ‘Christian’ Heroes as those who have gone long and far and done big things.
I am not saying that there aren’t individuals that should wind up as overseas missionaries - because I grew up in a household where that was precisely the case and it’s something that has deeply influenced who I am now. There is a need for cross cultural mission. And it’s not as glamorous as it sounds.
Likewise, we shout the praise of working in a church, as a pastor, youth pastor, as someone who runs some enormous ministry. And we jump on the assumption that many church ‘attendees’ are just that. Attendees on Sunday. And many of them are.
I would like the encouragement put there for the majority of Christian suburbia. To actually be effective right where they are.
Yes I help lead a youth group. A very strangely small youth group for the size of our church, but it’s not the role that I love. Geoff tells me that I fluctuate a lot in how much I like leading youth. There is usually several times a year I swear not to be involved any more and hate rocking up on Friday nights. But I love, I love the kids I’ve gotten to know. I love seeing their growth and maturity. It’s so much more important.
Just be interested in people. Just love Jesus and what he’s on about. What more is there to being a Christian? The collective claim positives on fame, but individuals don’t give a rats at position really.
And position is so far from the point, church is sometimes a scary place.
Take risks at home.
(This post has is an edited extract from “Suburban Christian” at all said and done)
christianity in australia - trying to grow up
Posted on January 26, 2008 by Geoff Matheson
Filed Under Church, Culture | 3 Comments
It is a difficult thing to talk about Christianity in Australia. So much of the Christian tradition, structure and even culture in this country has been imported: historically from Britain and Europe and more recently like the rest of the western world from the US of A. It’s a difficult thing to do, therefore, to put your finger about what Christianity in Oz actually looks like.
The problem can’t be a lack of intelligent voices speaking into the local context. Guys like Hirsch and Frost are at the centre of the emerging/missional conversation, at the other end of the spectrum we have guys like Jensen and (dare I say it) George Pell who are at very least opinion leaders even if you happen to disagree with them. Likewise the contribution of Hillsong and Brian Houston. So the people are there, we’ve matured as a nation to the point of being able to participate meaningfully in the wider Christian dialogue, and yet there’s still this feeling that anything or anyone that has come from America must surely be better and brighter than anything home-grown.
But the world is changing. While most Christian conferences would hesitate to proceed without an international guest to bring in the crowds, there is a recognition amongst some that it’s often the local voices that can best speak to what it should mean to be a Christian in the local context.
Because this is a unique place to be a Christian. The challenges of “being religious” (a term which I don’t like but it seems like we’re stuck with from the rest of society) in a nation whose reaction to any significant belief system can often just be pure apathy, need to be discussed. When the message of the Kingdom can’t be heard because calling your messengers “church” or “Christians” brings too much baggage, the methods of advancing God’s Kingdom must therefore be a whole bunch more creative.
There’s hope. As long as people are asking these questions, and as long as there are people trying things, this country has a chance to see God’s kingdom advancing. This post is part of the Christianity In Australia synchroblog which a number of Australian Christians are participating in to celebrate Australia Day. For more on Christianity in Australia see:
a taster
Posted on January 20, 2008 by Geoff Matheson
Filed Under Church, Quotes | 4 Comments
I’m back from honeymooning, and we’ll be kicking back off here soon. But to keep you interested, I thought I’d better post this tidbit from the wider blogosphere:
I recently heard someone say that the motto of Christianity nowadays is
“And now these three things remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is truth.” - From “The Corner”
Feel free to discuss as you feel necessary.
the church lobby
Posted on November 15, 2007 by Geoff Matheson
Filed Under Church | 13 Comments
*WARNING* - You are reading a post on politics by a self-confessed lefty. Be careful.
At the moment, in Australia (where lots of your Amateur Theologians are living), we are in the midst of a Federal election campaign. I’m also aware that our poor cousins in the You-nited States are revving up for a big presidential election next year. So politics, and political campaigning is everywhere. And there’s no doubt that some of the really loud voices on both sides of the pacific come from christian churches and lobby groups. From the hard-right conservatives, through to the environment-loving lefty christians - it seems that Christianity is involving itself in the political process more and more. For the moment I’m not really looking to the “what” of their message (although that will inevitably seep into the conversation), but the “why” and “how” of church involvement in politics.
The way I see it, there are a few different approaches to politicking that churches and para-church groups take:
- The “Jesus would vote for…” approach. It’s not that hard to spot, but it’s certainly around - even from pulpits. It’s distasteful to many (myself included), but it does have one thing going for it: it’s transparent and honest. There’s no “read-between-the-lines-to-see-who-you-should-vote-for” - it’s this guy or you’re going straight to hell. I’d include in this basket the approach of: “we think you should be very serious about who you vote for so we’ve invited one candidate from a certain party to speak at church”.
- The “this position is the Christian position…” approach. A slight deviation from the “vote for Bob” but it can often end up being a thinly veiled attempt to say exactly that. At it’s best, this approach shows genuine concern for a specific issue and asks people to vote for whoever they feel best responds to that issue. At it’s worst, it reads from a party policy document (or words to that effect), highlights who might be aligned with that particular view.
- The “these are things that Jesus spoke about” approach. A deviation further away from number 2 - this presents issues as less explicitly political, but more issues of morality or justice. It has the advantage of not patronizing the people being presented to, but also has the potential to have people miss the connection between their Christianity and the rest of their lives (duality, etc.)
I can see people in churches and church-organisations adopting all three of these approaches. So I’m interested to see what people think? Should churches be voicing their opinions on political issues? Should that come from the pulpit? Is the line between issues that are “political” and “non-political” a furphy? Is it more OK for Christian organisations than it is for churches?
Rhetorical questions over. Comment away.
a spectrum of approaches to leadership
Posted on November 7, 2007 by Tim Ogilvy
Filed Under Church | 15 Comments
I’m currently re-thinking my beliefs about the role and nature of leadership, and I thought it might be interesting to share some of those ideas here.
While I’ve learned a lot about the values and traits that make ‘good’ leaders from church and family, most of what I’ve learned about the skills and attitudes that make it all happen I’ve learned from being an adventure guide, and studying education and psychology. Sometimes these things dovetail and complement each other, and sometimes they conflict rather badly.
Of particular interest to me at the moment is the interaction between risk, responsibility, and control… and the implications for how we lead as those parameters change. As a member of a fairly liberal church, we aren’t especially ‘hands on’ with our leadership, often preferring to let things find their own way, with love and encouragement… and I think this can be justified with reference to Mathew 20:25-28. On the other hand, there are other circumstances, where we have a duty of care, or where a situation is life-threatening, where an increasingly direct approach to leadership might be mandated. Especially in reference to Mathew 18:6. The diagram below illustrates the need for an adaptive approach, and is based on theory from Kurt Lewin, and Priest and Gass (Effective Leadership in Adventure Programming, 1997).
Some churches, especially larger and more traditional ones seem to find it easy to justify staying at the authoritarian end of the spectrum, even in low risk conditions… but I find this difficult to justify, both in the light of Mathew 20, and because I believe that excessive authoritarian control can stand in the way of young people and even adults moral development (Kohlberg).
The sources of leadership power and social power, and the risks involved in misuse of power, and failure to understand the servant heart of leadership are other very interesting issues, and these ideas all have interesting implications for Christians in leadership… but I’m going to have to do more reading before I can bring a theological angle to that discussion!
