Middleware and Models

Most of the books, conferences, and blogs available these days seem to fit into one of two categories:

• Practical - I love reading about best practices. I want to learn from anyone I can, including business stuff. But the practical stuff doesn’t seem to go deep enough. I’ve attended entire Christian conferences, for instance, in which I can’t remember opening a Bible. It’s as if we believe we need to leave the Bible behind in order to be practical.
• Theological - I love theology, and I love Scripture. But I’ve often been exposed to lots of material that is heady, but not translated into the life and ministry of the local church. It’s as if we think that we just need to get the doctrine right, and everything else will take care of itself.

This is a problem. It often feels like I’m bouncing between the pragmatic and theological, instead of applying theology to life and ministry.

We need two things:

Middleware - Tim Keller talks about this in his book Center Church. He calls this space between theological foundations and ministry models middleware. It's a theological vision that bridges the gap between our doctrinal foundation and the particular forms of ministry. He writes:

This is something more practical than just doctrinal beliefs but much more theological than “how-to steps” for carrying out a particular ministry. Once this vision is in place, with its emphases and values, it leads church leaders to make good decisions on how to worship, disciple, evangelize, serve, and engage culture in their field of ministry — whether in a city, suburb, or small town.

I’m convinced we need more books, conferences and blogs that dwell in this middle space, bridging the gap between theology and praxis.

Models - For a long time it seemed like all the people with good theology had unhealthy churches, and all the healthy churches had slightly wobbly theology. I had a hard time finding churches that were theologically thoughtful and effective in ministry. I’m sure it wasn’t really that way, but it sure seemed so. I’m grateful now for dozens of churches locally that model both. We need more models of good theology married to effective ministry.

We need more middleware and models. I’m praying to this end, and I hope you will too.

Setting Gospel Grassfires

My latest column at ChristianWeek:

There’s no question that ministry in Canada is a challenge. According to Bill Hogg, National Missiologist with C2C Network, that’s not a surprise. “Canada is further down the track in terms of liminality, the marginalization of religious ideas and religious institutions,” he says. “Canada prizes social pluralism and religious pluralism, which is obviously a challenge as you seek to proclaim Jesus.”

Not only is Canada pluralistic, but many churches are stuck. “The reality is that 85% of North American churches have plateaued or declined.” Hogg believes that churches often follow a life cycle that resembles a sigmoid curve. “Something that started, where lives are being transformed, can eventually decline, and needs to experience renewal, refocus, restructuring, or replanting.”

Despite the external and internal challenges, Hogg is encouraged. “There are pockets of hope across Canada. There are little gospel grassfires.” The C2C Network exists as a nationwide, indigenous Canadian church planting and renewal network. “If we want to reach Canada for Christ, it’s going to require fresh, vibrant, innovative, gospel-centred, Spirit-led, mission-focused new churches,” Hogg believes. “But it’s also going to require the established church to get on mission, steward the gospel well, and embrace the mission fields where God has placed them.”

According to Hogg, the Canadian church faces three challenges. The first danger is gospel drift. “A lot of evangelical and charismatic churches are not centred around the gospel,” he says. “There’s a danger that evangelicals are no longer evangel people.” Hogg identifies the danger of preaching the prosperity gospel, or its “kissing cousin success,” moralism, or just old-fashioned legalism instead of the gospel. Churches must continually recalibrate around the gospel.

The second danger is missional retreat. According to one author, the dominant North American ecclesial motif is church as private club. Our challenge, Hogg says, is to first look to Jesus, and then to look outward to the town, village, city, and community in which God has placed each faith community.

The third danger is seeing the church as human enterprise. This means that we often look for technicians, not ministers, and for techniques and programs that promise success. “We have to be Spirit-empowered, Spirit-dependent, and Spirit-led. This is messy and defies the cookie cutter approach.” Our starting posture is important: “It’s not about coming up with a plan. The first order of business is to surrender to Jesus. The idea is not to work a plan but to hear from the Lord, and then from dependance upon Him walk in obedience to what he speaks into the life of the church.”

This underlines the importance of prayer. “Jesus, who commissioned the 72, said that he’s sending them out as lambs among wolves. There is peril and danger. We’re in a spiritual combat zone, and we need the wisdom and power of the Lord.”

Hogg believes that we have every reason to hope. “The gospel hasn’t lost its power. God is still on the throne, and Jesus has not rescinded the Great Commission even for such a time as this.”

Ministry in a Post-Christendom Context: An Interview with Barry Parker

Barry Parker serves as rector of St. Paul's Bloor Street in downtown Toronto. He's a capable preacher and leader, and a careful thinker. On top of that, he's a really fun guy to be around.

Over the past few years I've had the privilege of getting to know Barry. I always walk away from our meetings sharpened and grateful for our time together.

Barry has been kind enough to answer some questions about ministry in a post-Christendom context.

The Church is no longer a significant cultural influence. This is often seen as bad news, but is there a bright side to this?

If the Church is busy seeking to influence culture as an end unto itself, it gets distracted from the essential focus of its existence—obedience to the call of Jesus Christ and following Him. Following Jesus (versus following culture) issues in both individual (the believer) and the community (the Body of Christ) transformation. Perhaps there will be collateral impact on the culture, a good thing. I do not believe it is the primary objective of discipleship formation. Without worrying about cultural or societal affirmation, which is a historic cornerstone of Christendom, then the Church doesn’t have to conform to external, secular and ideological agenda’s. It allows the Church to be the Church—a good thing.

What do we need to unlearn in a post-Christendom context?

• Our self-focus and self-regulating engagement with the world. 
• Our innate love (hence very difficult to see, let alone part with) of power, preferment and entitlement. 
• Our myopic worldview that the culture is waiting with bated breath to be “Christian".

What new skills do we need to learn?

• A radical love of the other, no matter who or what the other is.
• Learning to listen carefully and wisely to others all the while letting go what we once gave us meaning, stability and security; i.e. buildings, polity, tribalism, etc
• A radical humility that is grounded in the Saviour of the World because we are not the saviour of anything.

How is reaching the un-churched (people with no church background) different from reaching the de-churched (people with some church memory)?

The closed de-churched, usually those burned by an experience in churchland, need a lot of time and a genuine apology from Christians and the Church. However, I do not think the un-churched and open de-churched require different approaches as both groups, all groups at minimum, need to experience the Gospel and encounter Jesus. Both groups, as loosely defined and boundary-less as they are—operate out of stereotypes of faith, Jesus, the Church and Christians. Both need listening and humble witness that is grounded in a genuine love for them and not for our agenda.

• listening without advice, 
• community without conformity, 
• hospitality that is relational, not positional, 
• service without expectation or exception 
• learning opportunities that encourage active questioning and identity formation. 

How can we pray for you in your role as Rector of St. Paul's?

That I stay close to Jesus in obedience and that we as a particular faith community pay attention to all that is mentioned above.

Going to Pastor an Established Church?

I’ve spent twenty years pastoring established churches, and about a year beginning to plant a new church. I’m not really sure which one is harder. I do know, though, that I’d go about pastoring an established church differently than before. Here’s what I would do differently.

Ask deeper questions. When a pastor candidates at a church, both the candidate and the church see what they want to see. It’s easy to miss some of the deeper issues that really need to be surfaced. Tom Rainer recently posted a list of questions to ask as a potential pastor, and they’re really helpful. Here’s a few questions from his list: What was the topic of your last contentious business meeting? What is something I might say from the pulpit that would cause a number of members to cringe? What is the biggest mistake made by any of your previous pastors? Questions like this will help unearth issues that may otherwise not come up.

Cultivate realistic expectations. I talked to a pastor who was discouraged about his church’s lack of growth under his leadership. The reality is that he had walked into a very bad situation after years of decline. It was like being called to pitch at the bottom of the ninth inning when the score is 17-2 against you. We want to believe that turnaround will be quick, but it’s often very difficult. Brian Croft writes, “Remember what you have inherited and if it took 30 years of decline to get your church where you find it today, it might take 30 years to change the pattern.  But God’s gospel and word is powerful enough to do just that over time.” Are you prepared to invest the time and do the work if it’s longer and harder than you expect?

Voice convictions. I think Al Mohler is right: convictions are the key to leadership. If you don’t have firm convictions, then you aren’t going to be a good leader. If you aren’t honest about your convictions, and ready to turn down opportunities that don’t line up with those convictions, then you’re not being fair to yourself or the church.

Find allies. We somehow buy into the myth that a single pastor can come in and turn things around. It’s bunk. It takes a team, and even then it’s hard. If you don’t have people (staff or key members of the church) standing with you, it’s going to be very difficult to turn a church around.

Look for footholds. I’d look for a few key areas. Is there an attitude of humility and teachableness? That attitude will make up for almost anything else. Does the church value preaching? That provides a foothold to apply God’s truth to the situation. Without a few footholds like this, it’s going to be very tough indeed.

Pray. I really love what Bill Hogg, missiologist with C2C Network, says about church turnaround: “It’s not about coming up with a plan. The first order of business is to surrender to Jesus. The idea is not to work a plan but to hear from the Lord, and then from dependance upon Him walk in obedience to what he speaks into the life of the church.” Strategic plans may be important, but we can’t strategically plan our way out of deadness. More than anything, we need the Lord.

Pastoring an established church in need of turnaround is tough work. If you’re pastoring one now, don’t be discouraged. If you’re looking at pastoring one, do your homework and be prepared for the task ahead of you.

Learning Missional Community

A month or so ago, I met a couple of people who live in two condo units on the same floor in Toronto. They work together during the day at a Christian ministry, but on their evenings and weekends they’re living intentionally in the condominium to build relationships with neighbours.

I’ve read and listened to a lot of material on missional community, but this is one of the first examples I’ve seen of people living this way in Toronto. Here’s some of what I’ve learned from this couple so far:

Pray. One of the two began praying about living in community and on mission ten years ago. It took nine years before God worked to make it possible. Don’t underemphasize the importance of praying that God will work in your life to make it possible for you to do this.

Don’t do it alone. One of them tried doing this alone, but it didn’t really work. It takes two or more together. People don’t need another friend; they need a community. If you are just one more friend, even a good one, then people see it as just being your personality. When two very different people live on mission together where they live, then people begin to understand that it’s God working in you. Besides, it can be a lot less creepy than if you try to initiate significant relationships alone.

Be intentional and be yourself. Living on mission together is not complicated, but it’s hard. It takes time, which is incredibly costly. Make deliberate decisions to build relationships with those around you, and be yourself. Be honest about your shortcomings and your own struggles.

Eat. Living on mission together, they say, is pretty much one meal after another. You see this in the gospels. You’re going to eat anyway, so use meals as a way to connect relationally with others.

Follow your interests. Use your passions to connect with others. This couple started a writer’s group. Use whatever hobbies or interests you have to build relationships with others.

Keep short accounts. You can’t live on mission together without working through relational issues. Deal with them before they impede God’s work. You will make mistakes; apologize quickly to those around you, both Christians and those who aren’t.

God works through imperfect people. This couple is far from perfect, as are all of us. Don’t wait until you arrive before you start to live on mission.

Trust the Word. One of the two runs a Bible study in the condo. It’s only one of the things they do as they build relationships, and not everybody is interested, but they strongly believe that God does his work as people encounter the power of God’s Word.

Expect small things. Don’t underestimate that God will work in significant ways through seemingly small things. You don’t know what God will do through the one person you love in Jesus’ name. Even if you only ever build deep relationships with six people, God can do a work through those.

This is just some of what I’ve been learning. For more on missional communities, check out some of the following:

Soma School Session Four: Building Missional Communities

Missional Community Resources by Todd Engstrom