William Hunter
20th January 2006, 04:34 PM (16:34)
I've been asking my congregation what we need to do/change/add that would help our current Christians grow in Christ and in their faith. Also, how do they think we could more effectively reach lost people, bring them to Christ and disciple them.
Recently I took a few minutes to explain the origin of the Communion Table as we know it, and our altars. The mourner's bench ype of altar is a purely American inventing that came out of the 1800's. As I read more and more lit. on the ancient church, the beingings of the New Testament Church, I am finding more and more ideas to use that are connecting with our post-modern culture.
Very briefly, it seems the Altar of Sacrifice used in the Temple was used in gatherings of the New Testament church only renamed the Table of sacrifice. It seems that is where people brought their offerings, and where they came to share in Communion (there was none of this serving people in their pews---which we do not do here). The table is not sacred for it is only a piece of furniture. I told why there are usually two candles on the table, etc.
Then on Christmas Sunday morning as part of the service, we explained the Advent Wreath and candles, naming the significace of each candle, etc.
I have been in the mnistry for about 32 yrs. now and I do not remember any one thing I have done that has caused so much feedback as these two things I took time to do---both from my long time Nazarenes and our 70-75% of our congreation who were not in the church or in Christ when we came here 8 years ago. Without any other statements for other things, they want more of this type of teaching. They want a discussion format where we can talk about the hard questions of faith and life. I'm thinking about a small capochino (sp) machine or something similar, hang a banner announcing coffee and discussion much life a coffee house, setting our fellowship/worship area up to look like a coffee house setting, etc.
They want teaching about the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds, etc. Thom Rainer was right in his research when he said those who have been in Christ and in the church two yrs. or less want strong doctrinal teaching and preaching and community. We've been doing some of that and I have been looking at what we need to do to moce our congregation to the next level spiritually. I have several at work in the context of Eph. 4:11-16, and I have taught in pieces about the culture in the New Testament church was birthed in and is similarity to our day and the near overwhelming search for spiritual roots and stabilty by people. It seems they are getting it for they are talking back to me about wanting to connect with the early church. I have tried to help them see how powerfully effective the ancient church was in reaching and changing a lost world in their day, and now I am getting that back in stated desires in their own lives and the life of the church. This is exciting to me and challenging. In trying to lead my congregation to live out in faith territory where God is at work I realize I am leading a people into place they have never been before. We do not have resources for most of this for much, if not most of the resources available to us today, is in the contest of a modern culture, not one that is postmodern.
For too long we have watched children from Christian homes, products of our SS, come to the teen years not knowing the love of God, the Golden Rule, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the 66 books of the Bible, the Beatitudes, the 23rd Psalm, the Apostle's Creed, and not having a firm grasp on a life changing relationship with Christ. And when they hit the teen yrs. they are pretty much gone to the church. My people are buying strongly into our mission of bringing our world to a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ and what that means. And now, my adults are wanting to connect with the ancient church (true tradition), and the power that caused them to impact the world, starting within their own hearts. It is this "stuff" that at 59 yrs. of age, makes me more excited about pastoring than I have been in these last 32 yrs. of ministry. It has taken 8 yrs. to teach and train my people to get to this point, but it is so well worth it. We are entering the most productive years this congregation has ever had! What a day to be alive, a Christian, and a pastor!!! I'm not sure it gets any better than this.
Recently I took a few minutes to explain the origin of the Communion Table as we know it, and our altars. The mourner's bench ype of altar is a purely American inventing that came out of the 1800's. As I read more and more lit. on the ancient church, the beingings of the New Testament Church, I am finding more and more ideas to use that are connecting with our post-modern culture.
Very briefly, it seems the Altar of Sacrifice used in the Temple was used in gatherings of the New Testament church only renamed the Table of sacrifice. It seems that is where people brought their offerings, and where they came to share in Communion (there was none of this serving people in their pews---which we do not do here). The table is not sacred for it is only a piece of furniture. I told why there are usually two candles on the table, etc.
Then on Christmas Sunday morning as part of the service, we explained the Advent Wreath and candles, naming the significace of each candle, etc.
I have been in the mnistry for about 32 yrs. now and I do not remember any one thing I have done that has caused so much feedback as these two things I took time to do---both from my long time Nazarenes and our 70-75% of our congreation who were not in the church or in Christ when we came here 8 years ago. Without any other statements for other things, they want more of this type of teaching. They want a discussion format where we can talk about the hard questions of faith and life. I'm thinking about a small capochino (sp) machine or something similar, hang a banner announcing coffee and discussion much life a coffee house, setting our fellowship/worship area up to look like a coffee house setting, etc.
They want teaching about the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds, etc. Thom Rainer was right in his research when he said those who have been in Christ and in the church two yrs. or less want strong doctrinal teaching and preaching and community. We've been doing some of that and I have been looking at what we need to do to moce our congregation to the next level spiritually. I have several at work in the context of Eph. 4:11-16, and I have taught in pieces about the culture in the New Testament church was birthed in and is similarity to our day and the near overwhelming search for spiritual roots and stabilty by people. It seems they are getting it for they are talking back to me about wanting to connect with the early church. I have tried to help them see how powerfully effective the ancient church was in reaching and changing a lost world in their day, and now I am getting that back in stated desires in their own lives and the life of the church. This is exciting to me and challenging. In trying to lead my congregation to live out in faith territory where God is at work I realize I am leading a people into place they have never been before. We do not have resources for most of this for much, if not most of the resources available to us today, is in the contest of a modern culture, not one that is postmodern.
For too long we have watched children from Christian homes, products of our SS, come to the teen years not knowing the love of God, the Golden Rule, the Lord's Prayer, the Ten Commandments, the 66 books of the Bible, the Beatitudes, the 23rd Psalm, the Apostle's Creed, and not having a firm grasp on a life changing relationship with Christ. And when they hit the teen yrs. they are pretty much gone to the church. My people are buying strongly into our mission of bringing our world to a life-transforming relationship with Jesus Christ and what that means. And now, my adults are wanting to connect with the ancient church (true tradition), and the power that caused them to impact the world, starting within their own hearts. It is this "stuff" that at 59 yrs. of age, makes me more excited about pastoring than I have been in these last 32 yrs. of ministry. It has taken 8 yrs. to teach and train my people to get to this point, but it is so well worth it. We are entering the most productive years this congregation has ever had! What a day to be alive, a Christian, and a pastor!!! I'm not sure it gets any better than this.