The Missional Leader

Summarize:
The first agenda of “The Missional Leader” was to describe the culture and environment in which the North American church currently exists. The authors distinguish the difference between a missional orientation to life, ministry leadership verses a repackaging of church growth strategy using missional language. The pastor as shepherded and the pastor as CEO are compared and contrasted with what they call the missional leader. Building on the theological foundations of Darrell L. Guder, Leslie Newbegin and others Roxburgh and Romanuk seek to outline the skill and structures needed by those who wish to create missional environments for the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus.


Observe:
In describing the context of the church in North America the authors label three zones of missional leadership. These zones assume the church is in a state of change and will continue to experience high levels of change. The emergent zone is a time of pioneering, creativity and experimentation. The performative zone arises out of the emerging success and has a galvanizing, systematizing and controlling effect on the culture of the organization. The reactive zone describes the crises that occurs when the system and structures of the performative zone stop producing the great results they once did. In the reactive zone leaders often respond to the confusion and instability by managing and reinforcing (working harder and longer) on ineffective systems. These situations need leaders who will transition into a time of creativity and emergence. Many North American congregations and denominations are currently in the reactive stage of organizational life. The temptation of these organizations is to focus on programs, alignment and a quick fix. The road to becoming a missional organization requires the leader to address both the culture they exist in and the culture they hope to create.

Believe:
Roxburgh and Romanuk believe there is a model for leaders to follow to address the rapid change and instability in our organizations and culture. The skills they hope to share with leaders are focused on engaging culture and the Spirit of God through what they call a “Missional Change Model.” The model has five steps that are not linear, but can be described as sequential. The first step is “awareness” and is what I would describe as an environment where listening to God and others is the number one value of leaders. The second step takes what has been learned through listening and seeks “understanding.” The skill articulated for engaging in these activities are: Dwelling in the Word, the Daily Office, and Hospitality to the Stranger. Leader are then encouraged to connect their awareness and understanding with a process of critical evaluation including culture, the organization and their leadership. A leader is encouraged to undergo a 360 evaluation in the areas of authenticity, self awareness, conflict management, personal courage and trustworthiness. Once the first 3 steps are in motion it is time to “Experiment.” This is when people who have been taught to hear from God and each other are challenged to action. The final stage of the change model requires a commitment to what is essentially the new structure and system for engaging culture with the Gospel of Jesus.


Doubt:
The authors speak of creating a safe place for imagination and experimentation. They also encourage leaders to maintain a sense of stability in worship and teaching during these times of confusion and change. This seems like the appropriate advice for those hoping to transition or turn around and existing organization. Those who are starting new organizations do not always have these standard safe places of worship and teaching. Can an organization successfully re-imagine their structures of worship, or pedagogies for teaching? This is precisely what some new churches are attempting to do. They are finding new ways to re-image their Worship Gathering as a community participating together and teaching one another. They are transitioning out of a consumer based (expert) culture of teaching and worship. In this situation they find themselves desperate for stability, but still yearning for creativity.

Assess:
“The Missional Leader” treads the dangerous water of presenting models and applications for the postmodern condition of the culture and church. The “Missional Change Model” asks the right questions and forces leaders to acknowledge their need to learn. Becoming a missional leader seems to present an incredibly high and difficult challenge of both engaging culture and creating new environments. Roxburgh and Romanuk suggest a return to several spiritual disciplines to navigate these challenges by hearing and following the Spirit of God. They present a model of leadership that honors both God and the people who make up the church.

Missional Church

Summarize
The “Missional Church” was edited by Darrell Guder but much of the books richness and depth come through its diverse voices. A great team of theologians and practitioners have joined their knowledge and experience under the banner of resending the Church in American. Unlike many how to books the challenge of reaching America with the good news of Jesus and his Kingdom is presented as a monumental challenge. The “Missional Church” undertakes the task of presenting a missional theology of the church that is: biblical, historical, contextual, eschatological, and practical. Under girding this theology is the assumption that mission is understood and derived from the very nature of God, mission Dei.[1]


Observe

The Missional Church” describes the context and environment for sharing the gospel in both North America and Canada. Craig Van Gelder describes the postmodern condition and its transitions in culture and society in connection with consumerism, the self, and truth. Van Gelder does a useful overview of the Church as it experienced Christendom, denominationalism, and the church growth movements. After establishing the context of the mission George Hunsberger provides and inspirational call to be the people of God bearing the Good News: The Reign of God is at Hand. Hunsberger describes the Reign of God as the teaching objective of Jesus and the historical prophetic visions of shalom characterized by peace, justice, and celebration. The church experiences the Reign of God through the biblical images of gift and realm which are received through the acts of repentance and faith.[2] Lois Barrett provides specific direction for a church seeking to have an apostolic ministry in our present day context. Barrett uses the familiar example of Jesus as preacher, teacher and healer to illustrate how these objectives look different in the environment of God’s reign and new citizenship. Inagrace T. Dietterich help make missional theology a practical reality in his chapter on “Missional Community: Cultivating Communities of the Holy Spirit.” In this chapter he applies missional theology to the practices of Baptism, Communion, accountability, discernment, and hospitality. Alan Roxburgh is the one who helped me see the amazing spiritual formation that can take place through the practice of hospitality in his book “Missional Leadership.” Roxburgh uses several diagrams in his chapter entitled “Equipping God’s People for Mission” to illustrate a community that is both open and committed. He uses the language of creating a pilgrim people of God seeking God’s reign and a bounded Covenant Community committed to living out God’s Reign.

Believe

Guder describes the belief and commitment of the “Missional Church” in his chapter on “The Particular Community.” This quote is found in the context of describing a churches move from Parish to Mission Community.
We believe that we are the church, that is, we are a community of God’s called and set apart for witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to be a blessing. As the Father has sent Christ, so Christ sends us. Jesus Christ has defined us as his witnesses where we are. We believe therefore that the Holy Spirit not only calls us but also enables and gifts us for that mission. Our task is to determine the particular focus and direction of our mission. We are to identify the charisms given us by the Spirit for mission. We have the responsibility and the capacity through the Holy Spirit, to shape ourselves for faithful witness. Our purpose defines our organizational structures – which means that our mission challenges us to re-form our structures so that we can be faithful in our witness.[3]
This statement encompasses many of the teams values: a sent people, Trinitarian, gift driven, and changeable. Guder communicates with accuracy the most foundational beliefs and values for those who hope to be apart of a missional church.



Doubt
Guder speaks highly of the churches worship gatherings and recognizes their importance in forming a people of God. He has equally high expectations for a dynamic of people on the edge of God’s Church and those who are in the center of covenant community. He believes worship should be carried out by “God’s called and sent people,” but it should also “welcome and make room for the curious, the skeptical, the critical, the needy, the exploring, and the committed.”[4] I don’t want to disagree with his vision or goal. I simply have not seen a worship gathering for worshipers that can make room for the skeptic and the critic. Worship should be forming us into people who love the skeptic and the critic, and invite them into our lives. I believe they will feel uncomfortable in sharing their true questions and concerns in a gathering of worshipers. Our worship should seek to continually convert and form the people of God. Those who do not want to be people of God yet are probably not ready to be in our worship Gathering.

Assess

The “Missional Church” reestablishes the eschatological call for the church live out the mission Dei, bearing the Reign of God. The team of theologians and practitioners have skillfully joined together to create a consistent and coherent Missional Church theology. Guder has achieved the goal of presenting a picture of the Missional Church that is biblical, historical, contextual, eschatological, and practical. The “Missional Church” will serve as a primer for anyone seeking to lead or participate in a church in North America or Canada that seeks to missionaly share the God News of Jesus Christ.
[1] pg. 5
[2] Pg 96
[3] Pg 236
[4] Pg 243

A Generous Orthodoxy

Summarize:
Brian McLaren’s book “A Generous Orthodoxy” spends more time introducing, qualify and summarizing its purpose then any book I have ever read. Chapter 0 is essentially an invitation to take the book back, but serves to illuminate many of McLaren’s assumptions about Christianity and the Church. The word generous is used to describe a posture toward others involved in the pursuit of Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy is then defined as “right thinking” in reference to truth, doctrines and theologies. McLaren suggests that along side a pursuit of Orthodoxy an Orthopraxy (right practice) of creedal Christianity should be a primary concern. In the pursuit of right practice (Orthopraxy) people lives and beliefs will be formed by the truth and glory of God. The book illustrates the short falls of Traditional Orthodoxy (right thinking), and how it has not led the church to its goal of unity and love. Each chapter has a unique voice and character contributing to a thesis of generosity and right practice among diverse doctrines and thinking.

Observe:
“A Generous Orthodoxy” acts as a set of glasses for those who move and interact only within their tradition. There is a chapter in the book for almost every major movement in Christianity. The movement is affirmed for their unique and valuable contribution and then challenge to see the weaknesses in their approach. Unlike a frontal attach that would cause people to become defensive, McLaren uses positive stories from alternative traditions to help people see outside their boxes and buildings. Few other writers have dared to identify themselves by so many names: evangelical, liberal, conservative, baptist, fundamentalist, charismatic, contemplative and catholic. Most other works of this kind have attempted to appear objective and removed from the traditions they are describing.

Believe:
McLaren seeks to lead people to an acceptance of both their commonality and diversity. He believes providing understanding will produce a love and appreciation for people of other traditions. He has made the assumption that a Christian who thinks they are finished and right is a dangerous and often narrow minded person. McLaren leads his readers to a place of believing and experiencing a God who is experienced in different ways at different times and places. The chapter on “The Seven Jesuses I have known” illustrates this belief that our relationship and knowledge of Jesus is changing and emerging. Each understanding of who Jesus was had a measure of truth and a focus (sin, healing, teaching ect…), but living with one focus always led to a problem or distortion of the whole person. As one form of Jesus breaks down is allows a person to experience another measure of who Jesus can be in their life and in the world.

Doubt:
I found myself excited, educated and inspired by McLaren’s work to create Christians who are more generous with one another and God. I question weather this journey in greater understanding will produce an atmosphere of practice or apathy. I am interested to know what a Generous Orthodoxy church would look like and practice. In politics the moderate position has been unable to inspire the masses to its mission and purpose. It seems possible that church communities without a strong sense of identity and mission apart from the holy, catholic, apostolic, “Generous Orthodoxy” church will lose momentum and commitment.

Assess:
McLaren makes the correct observation that Orthodoxy is often hostile to those outside of its boundaries. Orthodoxy can be used to abuse as easily as it can be used to encourage and unite. I believe he is correct in pushing the church to believe generosity and orthodoxy should and can be combined. Many would rightly argue that the Holy Spirit is the protector of the church and orthodoxy. This should not cause us to assume that the church has always had the right definition of orthodoxy. McLaren creates a beautiful picture of the church shutting the door to the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit entering back in through the window. The Holy Spirit was at work in the early church guiding them towards truth. The Holy Spirit is still working to bring us into all truth. A Generous Orthodoxy is the consistent practice of humility, charity, courage, and diligence. This does not eliminate the existence or need for doctrines. Doctrines that do not find their root in the statements of the Apostles and Nicene creeds should not be seen as primary or essential for Christian salvation. Secondary doctrines may have importance within a particular denomination, but not as a measuring stick for Christian Orthodoxy. The doctrines required and essential for salvation in Christian orthodoxy can be found in the creedal statements of the Apostles and Nicene creeds. In the final analysis a Generous Orthodoxy is to be caught up in the practice of loving God and all of his creation.

A New Kind of Christian

Summarize

Brian Mclaren’s book “A New Kind of Christian” explores several shifts in theology, culture and philosophy using a novel/narrative style. Polarizing and divisive issues like evolution, postmodernism, hell, evangelism and the Gospel message are discussed through characters in conversation and relationship. Through their struggle for understanding the reader is given permission to engage in what has sometimes been a taboo conversation and line of questioning. In the process a New Kind of Christian emerges who seeks to survive and thrive in a new world. The books acts as a primer for continued conversation and begins to paint what a Christian in a postmodern world might look like.




Observe
A New Kind of Christian, is a tale of two friends on a spiritual journey, but it's also a description of the author's own spiritual journey. McLaren seems to be taking us into his own story and insights. Even though the book is packaged as a novel each chapter has a specific focus and purpose it hopes to achieve. The end notes for each chapter are a helpful place to discover the theologians and practitioners who have directed Brian’s thinking. Great resource books are referenced to process each thought provoking idea and ideological shift. In some ways it is a reading list for A New Kind of Christian including authors like Lenard Sweet, Stanley Grenz, NT Wright and Dallas Willard. .

Believe
The most helpful dimension of McLaren’s book is not Neo’s (character Neil Edward Oliver) articulate explanations for a new understanding of science, the Bible, the Kingdom of God, or education (those were great). Instead, I believe the true genius of Brian’s book is the detailed reactions of those with whom Neo relates with. The feelings and thoughts Pastor Dan and other congregation members express are the struggles a majority of people are having with these shifts. There is a normalizing effect that takes place through reading about the anxiety and fears of others. Pastor Dan is soaking up a great deal of what Neo has to say, but at several points (in reference to hell and other religions) he cannot handle the discussion and “freaks out.” Another helpful interaction is outlined in the last chapter of the book involving a youth worker, angry parents, and a senior pastor. The parent reaction is one that should be expected when they feel their children are being led astray, but through the patience and generous spirit of the pastor and youth workers the situation is eventually diffused. I believe the book provides a helpful picture of the long dialogue and hard work that will be required to emerge as New Kinds of Christians.
Doubt
Two themes that categorize many of the topics in the book are a call to diversity and interdependence. McLaren calls for softening our rhetoric (e.g., replacing good and bad with appropriate and inappropriate[1]). However, in many ways Neo speaks about a modernity that is bad if not evil. “the modern version of Christianity that you have learned from your parents, your Sunday school teachers, and even your campus ministries is destined to be a medieval cathedral. It’s over, or almost over,”[2] It seems possible if not probable for this to encourage many young readers to discard the faith they learned from their mentors. At times McLaren reinforces many dichotomies which follow the modern routine of forcing people to label concepts good or bad. In fact, a Christian could possibly care about being saved from Hell and sin, about getting into Heaven and being good, about having our sins forgiven and being good neighbors.[3]
McLaren’s intention seemed to be a transition from modern individualism to interdependence. Unfortunately, in many respects Neo often looks like a rugged individualist who refers to his church community experiences with a great deal of pessimism. At one point he makes the comment that he had become “isolated as a member of a religious sub-culture”[4] and this experience had not served him well in the long run. His alternative community included swimming with dolphins and going to soccer games with non-Christian friends. These activities illustrate how a Christian might enter into the reconciling work of God in the world. However, it does not illustrate the interdependence of an open community were Christian and non Christian seek and worship God. Neo provides a great example of a missional life on an individual level, but greater questions of community are left relatively unexplored.

Assess
McLaren calls all those who read this book to a self-examination of our “own modern viewpoint.”[5] I found this journey to be both exciting and difficult to navigate. McLaren also says that he hopes for every reader that “you will feel you have made real progress when you turn the last page.”[6] The conversations shared by Dan and Neo provide both hope and confidence for more Christians to engage in these important conversations and debates. The format of the book was critical to its ability to bring issues people are afraid of through a side door. McLaren uses his characters to share his own wisdom and depth as a pastor. While discussing deep seeded theological issues and the postmodern shift the reader is exposed to great pastoral care and relational reconciliation.

[1] Pg 22
[2] Pg 29
[3] Pg 130
[4] Pg 116-117
[5] 35
[6] (xviii)