Can the Christian community flourish in a post-Christian context?
This is the main question behind a landmark study of the state of faith and effective ministry in Scotland, a Post-Christian context—which has been undertaken by the Barna Group. Visit https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/730-scotland-lessons-for-effective-ministry-in-a-post-christian-context#.Vfcpnfmqqkq to view the study.
Showing posts with label post Christendom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label post Christendom. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Article: What God has Joined Together': Recovering Christian Identity Amid the Ruins of the Reformation Era
Ephraim Radner is Professor of Historical Theology at Wycliffe College in Toronto in this article argues that the Reformation, the Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Renewal and all the rest: are not only over, but their particular concerns have waned, and explores the consequences of this. Read the article at http://www.abc.net.au/religion/articles/2015/06/10/4252260.htm
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Paper: Churches after Christendom - synopsis and comments
Church After Christendom is a book written by Stuart Murray
William H. Gross of Colorado Springs has made a synopsis of each chapter with some further comments in the article that is available here
His opening comments are:
The Church as we know it isn’t going away like yesterday’s news. And the postmodern world isn’t overtaking us as quickly as some might fear. But the interaction between the existing Church and the changing world is never going to be what it was – it never has been. The Church must change its tune for a world that needs our lyric but has stopped listening to our music. This doesn’t mean we need to “accommodate” the world, in the sense of adopting its thinking and its ways; but we do need to “adapt” our message in a way that takes them into account. We need to recognize the times (Matt 16:3), tailoring our language, form, and outreach to match what we see. But what are the signs, and how should we adapt to them? Murray proposes that there was a pre-Christendom world prior to the 4th century, an Age of Christendom that extended to the 18th century, and then a gradual metamorphosis into a post-Christendom world. What characterized Christendom was its cultural predominance – its universal expression in society and government, and the general membership of those who lived in Western culture.
This book identifies the cultural changes that have been taking place over several decades, ostensibly in England, but in America as well. It also examines the current “condition” of the Church. Murray raises a number of questions, and he brings to bear a number of relevant facts. He then presents a series of alternative approaches for our serious discussion and review. It’s still a fresh millennium. We need to set some appropriate goals and develop a reasonable plan of action for this generation in which God has called us to arise. We need to do it corporately. We need to do it quickly, humbly, shrewdly, and biblically. We need to stop using worldly ways and return to our spiritual foundations. We need to stop making our churches ends in themselves. We need to rebuild them as a means of equipping the saints for works of ministry (Eph 4:12). These are Murray’s primary points. While I disagree with some of his premises and a number of the solutions in this book, I wholeheartedly agree with the issues he raises. I’m also grateful for all the information he provides. So be cautious in what you take away from all this.
William H. Gross of Colorado Springs has made a synopsis of each chapter with some further comments in the article that is available here
His opening comments are:
The Church as we know it isn’t going away like yesterday’s news. And the postmodern world isn’t overtaking us as quickly as some might fear. But the interaction between the existing Church and the changing world is never going to be what it was – it never has been. The Church must change its tune for a world that needs our lyric but has stopped listening to our music. This doesn’t mean we need to “accommodate” the world, in the sense of adopting its thinking and its ways; but we do need to “adapt” our message in a way that takes them into account. We need to recognize the times (Matt 16:3), tailoring our language, form, and outreach to match what we see. But what are the signs, and how should we adapt to them? Murray proposes that there was a pre-Christendom world prior to the 4th century, an Age of Christendom that extended to the 18th century, and then a gradual metamorphosis into a post-Christendom world. What characterized Christendom was its cultural predominance – its universal expression in society and government, and the general membership of those who lived in Western culture.
This book identifies the cultural changes that have been taking place over several decades, ostensibly in England, but in America as well. It also examines the current “condition” of the Church. Murray raises a number of questions, and he brings to bear a number of relevant facts. He then presents a series of alternative approaches for our serious discussion and review. It’s still a fresh millennium. We need to set some appropriate goals and develop a reasonable plan of action for this generation in which God has called us to arise. We need to do it corporately. We need to do it quickly, humbly, shrewdly, and biblically. We need to stop using worldly ways and return to our spiritual foundations. We need to stop making our churches ends in themselves. We need to rebuild them as a means of equipping the saints for works of ministry (Eph 4:12). These are Murray’s primary points. While I disagree with some of his premises and a number of the solutions in this book, I wholeheartedly agree with the issues he raises. I’m also grateful for all the information he provides. So be cautious in what you take away from all this.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Resurgence R13 Conference - online free
The focus of the conference was Will Christianity have a funeral or a future? with many of the speakers exploring what it means to be church in a post Christendom world!!!The
Resurgence R13 recently took place in November 2013. You can now view the entire conference or part of the conference free of charge
Speakers include:
Mark Driscoll
Greg Laurie
Matt Chandler
Judah Smith
Crawford Loritts
Dave Brushes
Rick Warren
James MacDonald
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
Sutton Turner
Visit the Resurgence R13 Conference Page
Resurgence R13 recently took place in November 2013. You can now view the entire conference or part of the conference free of charge
Speakers include:
Mark Driscoll
Greg Laurie
Matt Chandler
Judah Smith
Crawford Loritts
Dave Brushes
Rick Warren
James MacDonald
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
Sutton Turner
Visit the Resurgence R13 Conference Page
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Post Christendom and its consequences - Book and webcast resources by Mark Driscoll
Mark Driscoll is about to release a new book A call to resurgence: will Christianity have a funeral or a future where he examines what it means to be church in a Post Christendom environment....
Here is what he says the book is about
It’s tempting to believe that the Christian faith is alive and well in our country today. Our politicians talk about God. Our mega-churches are filled. Christian schools dot our landscape. Brace yourself. It’s an illusion. Believe it or not, only 8 percent of Americans profess and practice true evangelical Christian faith. There are more left-handed people than evangelical Christians in America.
In this book, Mark Driscoll delivers a wake-up call for every believer: We are living in a post-Christian culture—a culture fundamentally at odds with faith in Jesus. This is good and bad news. The good news is that God is still working, redeeming people from this spiritual wasteland and inspiring a resurgence of faithful believers. The bad news is that many believers just don’t get it. They continue to gather exclusively into insular tribes, lobbing e-bombs at each other in cyberspace.
Mark’s book is a clarion call for Christians. It’s time to get to work. We can only do this if we unite around Jesus and the essentials found in his Word, while at the same time, appreciating the distinctives within each Christian tribe. Mark shows us how to do just that. This isn’t the time to wait or debate. Join the resurgence.
Web casts of what is in the book
Leading up to the release of the book Mark Driscoll is releasing 3 web casts to introduce us to the book.....
they can be found here
Part ONE = New Challenges Christians face
Part TWO = 6 punches that KO'd the church
Part THREE (to come)
to preorder the book
To discover more about the book and get some free stuff visit
http://theresurgencebook.com/#will-christianity-have-a-future
Here is what he says the book is about
It’s tempting to believe that the Christian faith is alive and well in our country today. Our politicians talk about God. Our mega-churches are filled. Christian schools dot our landscape. Brace yourself. It’s an illusion. Believe it or not, only 8 percent of Americans profess and practice true evangelical Christian faith. There are more left-handed people than evangelical Christians in America.
In this book, Mark Driscoll delivers a wake-up call for every believer: We are living in a post-Christian culture—a culture fundamentally at odds with faith in Jesus. This is good and bad news. The good news is that God is still working, redeeming people from this spiritual wasteland and inspiring a resurgence of faithful believers. The bad news is that many believers just don’t get it. They continue to gather exclusively into insular tribes, lobbing e-bombs at each other in cyberspace.
Mark’s book is a clarion call for Christians. It’s time to get to work. We can only do this if we unite around Jesus and the essentials found in his Word, while at the same time, appreciating the distinctives within each Christian tribe. Mark shows us how to do just that. This isn’t the time to wait or debate. Join the resurgence.
Web casts of what is in the book
Leading up to the release of the book Mark Driscoll is releasing 3 web casts to introduce us to the book.....
they can be found here
Part ONE = New Challenges Christians face
Part TWO = 6 punches that KO'd the church
Part THREE (to come)
to preorder the book
To discover more about the book and get some free stuff visit
http://theresurgencebook.com/#will-christianity-have-a-future
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