research into mission

i am on the e-mail list for the sheffield centre research bulletin. it's always onto something interesting. but each time you have to download a pdf and then get round to reading it. for bloggers like me if i find something interesting i often want to hyperlink directly to an article and when i download a pdf to read later i often forget. so following the last bulletin which was on larger churches and mission i sent a cheeky suggestion that they put the articles online as well as in a pdf. and to my delight and surprise they have done exactly that in the space of a couple of weeks. so there is now a sheffield centre research blog which links to the separate articles as well as the bulletin as a pdf. thank you for listening!

the summer issue explored larger churches and mission. i really hope this gets read by larger churches rather than those of us in smaller missional communities or whatever. 

in his article george lings suggests that what is needed most is the nurturing of the following attitudes...

• Generosity to give away resources, believing it is more blessed to give than to receive.
• Humility to enquire what is needed in the new place, not assume we know already.
• Trust in the people, the word and the Spirit that renounces the tendency to control.
• Confidence to let diversity flourish, as churches best multiply through a bipartite process. Within it, the gospel embodied by a church engages with context, and this leads to non-identical reproduction. The next generation of churches will have our DNA but they are not us.

clare dalpra explores what maturity might look like in sending and sent churches and their independence or interdependence.

beth keith's article caught my attention the most (and yes i think i am probably in her fan club as i always seem to highlight any research she does). she discusses ethics and finds that where there is a tension between the practice of every day life and the church's stance young adults move on rather than finding a safe space to explore questions. she suggests...

The expression of faith embodied by the church was too rigid, too controlled and leader-led for many of the young adults I spoke to. Whilst this style of leadership in part contributed to the growth of the church, it left many people short changed over time. Perhaps a less controlled, multi-congregational approach which allowed for variation in belief and practice, would have enabled the members to move beyond the inflexible faith approved by the church, and in doing so create safe spaces for them to worship and explore.

there is actually a lot of discussion and interest in larger churches in the missional conversation - i think al hirsch for example is apeaking at the new wine leaders conference. there is a genuine desire to turn outwards in mission which has to be a good thing. if that's your interest you might like to dive into something like al roxburgh's introduction to the missional church which i reviewed here

the latest issue explores leadership succession . the overriding thing that comes through that is for pioneers starting something, think about succession and longevity now and not in 5 years time when you about to move on. stuart murray willimas shares some wisdom and clare dalpra makes some great suggestions which also highlight the challenge this poses within existing structures of ordained leadership

Once again, this proposed solution for leadership succession within fresh expressions seems at odds with ‘the system’ which is geared towards finding outside successive leaders for long-established churches. It’s a shame. Our young churches would certainly benefit from more realistic time frames, participation before application by potential successive outside leaders and ways of championing young churches who raise up successive leaders from within (rather than regarding them a strange anomaly). It’s a tall order with so many financial and ministerial pressures facing the wider church. No wonder we have a problem.

anyway have a browse and add this to your selection of feeds and so on....

Comments

[Richard Dawson]

Really interesting hobby, love the topics on leadership succession and styles of leadership. On observation I have found that after a pioneer has devolved a missional church or organization, there is the temptation for the group to bring in a manager rather than another visionary. This has numerous issues but one that seems to come across the most is that it suggests a defensive approach, more concerned in not losing what you have rather than moving forward and seeing how they can continue to work alongside God in His mission.

[Kim]

I wonder if anyone is talking about leaders who embed for the long haul in a community and don't plan to move on? (Is the moving on part of some kind of career plan or is it about funding - I'm not sure where the impetus comes from to move) It's not unhealthy to plan to stay, but it means that the model will change and be more about enabling and developing other team members to take over more and freeing them to create more as confidence builds.

I read a pioneer once say they would move on once the initial start up was over as they didn't like maintenance and would be bored, but that seems potentially as if they were never really embedded in their community fully, looking at all the possibilities holistically. There are always new things the Spirit is birthing that we can join in with all around us, once the initial activity is in good health and stabilised. If we drop the idea of career progression, is staying and developing organically and synergistically a good option that reaps great results?

[jonny]

Kim this is a great question/issue. I think there are definitely some people who do kick start things and move on. But I think there is lots of space for starting something and sticking with it as it grows and evolves and roles then change. I think commitment to a place and community over time also opens up things in a different way. Perhaps it's what the vow of stability is about for benedictine monks or equivalent. I have been part of Grace for about 15 years. It doesn't mean we haven't done lots of new things!

[Kim]

Jonny, the point about a vow of stability is a brilliant way to think about it. I've been working in community dev type stuff in the small town where I am for almost 20 years now and the result is knowing most of the key players really well, stable and trusting relationships have been built and a good network (non church aswell as church). It means now we are trying to start a Foodbank we have a lot of goodwill and contacts and it is a hugely collaborative venture. There's something about the commitment and intentionality to stay through the good and bad that communicates itself.