TK Chapter 12 :: Tip It Over

"The pyramid structure was an appropriate form when a large portion of the culture valued and looked for a good church to go to - when leaders

 were respected by the culture and when people assumed you to go

 church to find God.  The form fit the function.  But when the culture is no longer looking for a church to go to, isn’t that interested in church music,

 sermons or programs, when they don’t innately value or trust church leaders, the functions of the church must be adjusted.  And thus the form must adjust in kind." (p108)

Are the people in our culture today looking for a good church?  Do they believe that to find God, they have to go to church?  From my experience with those who don't attend church, I hear things like "I don't have to go to church to meet God" and "Church doesn't really help me connect with God."  Those statements do tend to show that something is different with this culture than with that of my grandparents.  

I'm not sure that the deconstruction of the "image of the church" is such a bad thing, either.  In just about any given community, 80% of the people do not attend church on a given Sunday morning.  That's a lot of people.  In my city, that's more than 53,000 people.  Obviously the form is not working for these people.

Halter proposes a new structure, he calls "The Missional Diagram."  If we are going to begin to reach into this culture that is drifting away from the church, but often looking for God, we would do well to consider his ideas.

Here is a short description of the diagram - Missional People are those of us who have considered the calling of a relationship with Jesus and surrendered to that way of life.  We have clear beliefs and practices, and God is forming something new in us.  We are committed to penetrating the culture we live.  Sojourners are those who have not yet surrendered to the same relational way of life, but are interested in things of the Kingdom of God.  They are often dabbling in the community expressions of the missional people because they are appealing.  Pew Sitters are those who call themselves Christians and maybe even attend church on a regular basis, but they are not on mission - they are not out and penetrating their communities, living as Jesus would live in the midst of our culture.  It is interesting to note that sometimes "sojourners" are more missionally committed than pew-sitters.  They serve more, give more, love more.

My questions right now center around how to incorporate Sojourners into the life of our church - and I'm not primarily referring to the Sunday gatherings.  How do we invite Sojourners to our Tables?  How do we "come alongside" them in the journey of life?  Are there certain "convictions" that I might need to put down in order to live with those who don't know Jesus?  Do I continue to create the security bubble for my family, or do I trust that God will work all things together for good in our experiences with those who live outside our value system?  If 80% of my neighbors do not go to church on Sundays, how can I step into that world with them?  Should I?

"The dotted line around the Sojourner oval is very important.  Unlike the missional people, Sojourners can come and go as they like.  They can sin, cuss, swear at their kids, yell at the ref, spend their money on useless endeavors, vote any way they want, chew tobacco, and hold any sexual orientation they like, all without judgment or pressure."

This is what we mean by inclusive Christian community. (p116)