Flourishing Churches
We were sitting at table, talking about the
Teacher of the Year Awards in our state. A friend was
This is what it’s like for churches who find themselves
in a Postmodern context. Those who really want to be there (in existence) will
flourish. Those without a laser-like sense of purpose and spiritual
invigoration will go the way of all things. Last week we described
congregations wherein grief permeates the culture. For those on their way to
flourishing, a culture of grief is a temporary state of affairs. Flourishing
congregations are those who move through their grief so they are free to
discover the opportunity in this Postmodern culture for the gospel. This
beautiful way of life organized around Jesus Christ is never outdated.
Flourishing churches discover ways to embody their faith in new wineskins.
There is great opportunity in every crisis. I’m
very excited about the form of Christianity and church which is rising in this
Postmodern Era. It’s too soon for church models to be identified, but it’s not
too soon to describe the rising strength in the church. Here are some
descriptors of the flourishing Postmodern church.
The Postmodern
church believes the gospel can transform the world.
These congregations are not into a watered-down,
tepid faith. They actually believe the power of the gospel can liberate the
oppressed and basically set things right in a world gone wrong. Transformation
at every level of society is what these congregations are about. They are caught
up in the movement of God who is bringing the kingdom to earth, as it is in
heaven. They are invigorated and hopeful as they partner with God’s world
reclamation project (kingdom of God).
The Postmodern
church embraces its alternative story.
Those who are afraid of appearing unconventional
or different probably won’t make it in this Postmodern church. Like those early
Christ-followers who were definitely counter-cultural in their cultural
contexts, the Postmodern church is unintimidated by being “different” than the
larger culture. This church recognizes its history, understanding that the church
itself will wax and wane when it comes to cultural popularity or acceptance.
These lesser things are not the primary drivers for the Postmodern church.
Being alternative, misunderstood, or unconventional does not intimidate.
The Postmodern
church removes each impediment in its practice which distracts from its
purpose.
The Modern Era, wherein the church was mainstream,
enjoyed the luxury of doing many things which were peripheral to its purpose.
The Postmodern Era church does not have this luxury. The numbers, budget,
facilities, and overall capacity to do less purposeful activities are not
available. This drives the church to purposeful, on-task activity. When the
church robustly embraces its purpose and is a cultural minority, the chaff is
burned away quickly.
The
Postmodern church is focused on the imperatives.
Remember the old saying, “Don’t sweat the small
stuff?” In the Postmodern world, many of the concerns of the Modern Era church
are irrelevant. Debates and arguments over the fine points of eschatology,
denominational fighting that leads to splits, arguments over worship style….The
Postmodern Era church doesn’t have the luxury of time, energy, or interest to
engage these issues. Instead the Postmodern church is focused on embodying
faith in a broken world. The very essence of what it means to live in the Way
of Jesus is the focus of the Postmodern church, since this is where the hope
for planet earth is centered.
So, may we lay aside the weights and assorted
baggage that holds us back, forsaking them for the beautiful and transformation
Way of Jesus Christ. Certainly life for Christ-followers is different in this
Postmodern world. At the same time, more and more congregations are discovering
the shifts in our culture are like the wind blowing on the dormant embers of
faith. Flourishing churches, they are.
Mark Tidsworth, President, PLA