Transcript The Emerging Journey

Establishing and developing youth work in
a post-modern context
Church on
the edge
“The Emerging
Journey”
Models??
You have to think
for yourself
Developing Critical
dialogue& analysis
Cultural differences in the
New Testament church
1
What is Your Start point?
What is Youth Work?
What is the Gospel?
How do you view Jesus?
Do you approach faith as a journey?
2
Informing Themes
Is youth work about Social or Spiritual
change?
Is Youth Ministry more linked to social
control or social change?
Youth and/or Community?
Orthodoxy and Orthopraxis
Do you have any holy cows? Eg Church
3
The Emerging Journey
Back to our roots
4
The Overview
Evangelical Youth Work
Cultural Plants
Youth Worship
Fresh Expressions
Church Planting
Mission Shaped Church
Relational Expressions
Emerging Church
Missiological Youth Work
5
Missiological Youth Work
Incarnational in nature
Wholistic
Concern for the margins
Kingdom centred
Counter Cultural
Parallel approach
6
Church Planting (verb)
o The transfer of part of a
congregation into an area of
need with the evangelistic
expectation that new people
will find faith and the
renewal of their spiritual
lives….
(Archbishop George Carey
1988/1991)
o Creating new communities
of faith as part of the
mission of God to express
His Kingdom in every
geographic and cultural
context.
(Bob Hopkins)
Anglican Church Plants
'78 - '97
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78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96
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Evangelical Youth Work
Your thoughts
Well resourced
Creative
Attractional
Proselytising
Sub cultural
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From Missiological Youth Work to
Relational Expressions of church
 Same values pervaded
 Drawing from BEC’s, and
local theology
 Arising from effective
work and efforts to
remain parallel.
 Failure of church planting
in UPA
 Examples include fast
game, road, relational
meetings
9
From Church Planting to Cultural plants
Several successful churches established
Part of the response to decade of
evangelism
Most successful where planted into similar
culture
Failure of church planting in UPA
Examples in most denominations in UK
10
Evangelical Youth Work to Youth Worship
Attractional in nature
Pre soul survivor Watford, event rather
than church focussed
Often linked to large MC church
Global village influenced
Chorus and song always key part of EYW
Examples inc SS, The Mix, The Path
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12
The Overview
Evangelical Youth Work
Cultural Plants
Youth Worship
Fresh Expressions
Church Planting
Mission Shaped Church
Relational Expressions
Emerging Church
Missiological Youth Work
13
3 Approaches to Church
 Attractional Church
 Engaged Church
 Emerging Church
= COME!
= GO! and
invite
to
COME!
= GO! and
stay …
see what
ARISES
14
Emerging Church
A world wide conversation about the future
or church in a post modern paradigm.
Local communities, learning, living and
contextualising and conceptualising the
gospel, geographically, culturally, socially.
Missionally holistic, with a robust humility
Christ and Kingdom centred
15
Emerging Church
Pro church
Pro culture
Pro participation
Generous Orthodoxy
16
Mission Shaped Church
A missionary church is …..
- Focussed on God the Trinity
- Incarnational
- Transformational
- Makes Disciples
- Relational
Mission shaped Church p81-82
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Fresh Expressions (noun)
Institutional ordering of the
conversation and missionary impetus
Language without the commitment
Lack of openness
Some Positive structural changes
Important advocates
Resourcing and communication to
existing and traditional structures
creates space
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What is church?
 Your thoughts
 “Community of Jesus’ disciples mandated by God to
reproduce and fill the earth towards the return of Christ.”
(George Lings)
 “I suppose that wherever the presence of the risen Jesus
takes on community form… I’d have to call that church.”
(Rowen Williams when in Wales)
 “Church is what happens when people encounter the
risen Jesus and commit themselves to sustaining and
deepening that encounter in their encounter with each
other.” (Rowen Williams Mission Shaped Church p vii)
 “A Jesus community of disciple-making disciples.” (Bob
Hopkins)
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What can we learn from this history?
In front not out from
Church is less fixed
Youth work and church are linked but in a
different way
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Next
Session
21
Models???? –
An introduction to and reflection
on church and missions centered
models of youth ministry.
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What is
Youth
Ministry?
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Church Centred Models
 Inside Out
 Outside In
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Church Centred Models
Semi Formal
Non Formal
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Church centred Models (semi formal)
Willow Creek
hello
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Church centred Models (semi formal)
 Purpose Driven Youth
Ministry
 fundamental
purposes YM
- Evangelism
- Discipleship
- Fellowship
- Ministry
- Worship
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Church centred (non formal)
 The Message Trust
- World wide message
tribe
- Eden
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Church Centred Models
 What impact does post
modernity have on these
models?
- Suspicion of meta-narrative
- Mistrust of institutions
- Bricolage and Intertextuality
- Truth is less fixed
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Mission Centred Models
 Youth work rooted approaches
 Relational rooted approaches
‘In working with young people, do not try to call
them back to where they were, and do not try to
call them to where you are, as beautiful as that
place may seem to you. You must have the
courage to go with them to a place that neither
you nor they have ever been before’
Donovan, Vincent Christianity Rediscovered: An
epistle from the Masai SCM Press 1982
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Mission Centred Models
 Relational Centred approach
- Christian relational care (Pete Ward)
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Mission Centred Models
 Youth Work Rooted Approach
- Empowerment
- Informal Education
- Participation
- Equality of Opportunity
32
Mission Centred Models (youth work
rooted)
 Detached youth work is the process of building mutual
relationships with young people on the streets, in the
park, or other areas of the community where young
people are, in their free time. This process offers a
distinct context where relationships are free from
traditional notions of adult power, offering a unique
environment and opportunity to engage in long term
holistic youth work underpinned by the values of informal
education, empowerment, participation, equal
opportunities and a theology characterised by humility
and orthopraxis.
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Mission Centred Models (youth work
rooted)
Evangelistic Activity
Ministry Activity
Detached Activity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conversion
focussed
Street based
evangelism
e.g. Street
preaching/
drama
Evangelical
outreach
seeking to
encourage
young
people to
attend clubs
or church
e.g. summer
activities.
May
also
include
short term
projects
such as The
Noise.
Youth
Ministry
based
Streetwork
responding
to
young
people’s
needs and
interests
with a clear
end point of
conversion
and
then
integration
to
established
churches
e.g.
Eden
Project
Social
Christian
Engagement
Longer term
service
to
the
local
community
in variety of
ways
e.g.
Street
pastors,
Mobile
projects
Christian
Relational
care,
engaging with
young people
on
the
streets
in
long
term
relationship
or
volunteering
for secular
detached
projects.
Missiological
Incarnational
work seeking
to
engage
with
young
people
responding to
their
needs
and interests
and
where
appropriate
grow
communities
of faith with
young people
in
their
context
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Mission Centred Models
 What impact does post
modernity have on these
models?
- Suspicion of meta-narrative
- Mistrust of institution
- Bricolage and Intertextuality
- Truth is less fixed
35
Next
Session
36
Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysis
in a post modern landscape
 Deconstructive eg
Derrida and Foucault
 Constructive eg Stiver
- a critique of
modernism
- a paradigm shift
- a ‘sketch of the future’
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Developing Critical Dialogue and
Analysis
Spirit led
As other
The Bible
The Pattern
Within
community
Tradition
The Culture
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Developing Critical Dialogue and
Analysis
The Bible
Spirit led
Tradition
Local
The Culture
Belief Mosaic
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Developing Critical Dialogue and
Analysis
The Bible
Cultural
Creators
Tradition
The Culture
Critical and
Constructive
Engenders
meaning
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Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysis
The Bible
as theology’s norming norm
Tradition
theology’s hermeneutical context
The Culture
theology’s particular and historical context
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Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysis
in a post modern landscape
 Conclusions
- 3D use of framework
- Local Balance
- Truth is less fixed
Tradition
The Bible
The Culture
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Developing Critical Dialogue and Analysis
 Theological
reflection as
model for
dialogue
Context
Text
The event
Christian
Tradition
Learning from
the Context
Learning about
God
Theological critique
How will you now address the issue?
What broader lessons can be learnt?
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Next
Session
44
New Testament Church
Role Play
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Next
Session
46
You Have to think for Yourself!
 An Introduction to
Youth Ministry and
Contextualisation
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You Have to think for Yourself
Youth Ministry and Contextualisation
1. Sex before marriage is wrong
2. Youth workers should hand out condoms
3. Soft drugs should be legalised
4. All drugs are bad
5. You should allow young people to verbally abuse you
6. The Gospel is always good news
7. Violence can be used in a healthy way
8. Swearing and offensive language offends you
9. It is wrong to be homosexual
10. I would receive stolen goods as a thank you present
11. Censorship on films and videos is outdated
All sins are the same in God's eyes
1 Agree with stand on chair with hands high
5 Disagree Crouch low with hands on floor
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Philosophy of Youth Ministry
In working with young people do not try to
call back to where they were and do call
them to where you are as beautiful a
place as that may seem to you. You must
have the courage to go with them to a
place that neither you nor they have ever
been before.
Vincent Donovan Christianity Rediscovered
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Youth Ministry
• Responding to the Needs and Interests of
young people
• Underlying values
-
Educative
Designed to promote equality of opportunity
Participative
Empowering
Incarnational
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Empowerment
Supporting young people to understand
and act on the personal, social and
political issues which affect their lives, the
lives of others and the communities of
which they are a part.
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Participation
Through a voluntary relationship with
young people in which young people are
partners in the learning process and
decision making structures which affect
their own and other young people’s lives
and their environment.
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Equality of Opportunity
Through the challenging of oppressions
such as racism and sexism and all those
which spring from differences of culture,
race, language, sexual identity, gender,
disability, religion and class; and
Through the celebration of the diversity
and strengths which arise from those
differences.
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Educative
Enabling young people to gain the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes needed to
identify, advocate and pursue their rights
and responsibilities as individuals, and
members of groups and communities
locally, nationally, and internationally.
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Educative
 Formal – Control over Physical and Social
environment. Set Syllabus Time frames
 Non Formal – As above but Curriculum notions
rather than set and looser time frames.
 Informal – Little or no control, conversation or
experience orientated, value informed rather
than curriculum based.
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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need
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Philosophy of Life
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Self Actualisation also called
Growth motivation or Being needs
Self Actualised People
are : Reality-centred
 Problem-centred
 Different perception
of means and ends.
Other keys: enjoyed solitude, deeper personal relations
autonomy. They resisted enculturation, had an un-hostile
sense of humour. acceptance of self and others, humility and
respect, a strong sense of human kinship
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Identifying Development Needs
What were the needs of the disciples at:
-the outset of their time with Jesus
-the crucifixion
-prior to Pentecost
How were these needs met?
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My Core Values
Learner learner
Process of becoming fully human
Good news not “the” good news
Shalom, restorative kingdom theology
Key 4
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You Have to think for Yourself
Youth Ministry and Contextualisation
What would you say are the key scriptures
for youth work in your context?
Write a sentence to sum up your
philosophy of youth Ministry?
What are your key values?
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Aims and Objectives
Aim
Where are you going?
Objectives
How are you going to get there?
SMARTA
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic,
Time Limited, Agreed
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Contextualisation
 Theology as
Translation
 Theology as
Presence
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From translation and presence to
contextualised communication
 Resources
- Tradition
- Imagination
- Young people
- Community
- Bible
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Beyond Contextualisation
 The incarnation as
rupture
 Theology of faithful
betrayal
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Next
Session
66
Church on the Edge
An Interactive case study
Exploring the connections between,
Ambiguous Evangelism, Christianity
Rediscovered, and Meet Them Where
They’re at and missiological implications
for engaging with young people on the
edge
67
Church on the Edge
Ambiguous Evangelism Bob Mayo with
Sara Savage and Sylvie Collins SPCK
London 2004
Christianity Rediscovered Vincent
Donovan SCM Press London 1982 (2nd
Edition)
Meet Them Where They’re At Richard
Passmore SU Milton Keynes 2003
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Ambiguous Evangelism
Research into worldview of Gen Y via the
popular arts
Lack of knowledge and Generally happy
and positive (p33)
Did not connect spirituality with images
(religious or otherwise)
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Ambiguous Evangelism
 “The assumption here, however is that the content of the message
will be understood if it can be got across in an appealing way. Our
conclusions from the research findings, however were that this is
not the case; the lack of underpinning religious narrative means
that people are not going to recognise the Christian message for
what it is – however well it is presented.” p 7
 Early stage unconscious ignorance to conscious ignorance
 How is it possible to share the Christian message in the cultural
context in a way that will get over the barrier of ignorance and
enable people to interpret what they are hearing?
 “The son is the only way to the father, but there are many ways to
Jesus Christ.” (Fung,2002:3) p9
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Ambiguous Evangelism
 Current Context
 People are broadly sympathetic to Christian beliefs and church.
 Majority of population Unchurched (never been in contact) or
Dechurched (been but not longer)
 Christian Faith does not have a conscious impact.
 Generally people give little thought to the matters of the ultimate or
transcendent on a day to day basis but live their lives more in terms of
the immediate realities.
 YP framework more from friends and family and pursuit of self
fulfilment
 “when matters of ultimate concern, such as birth and death,
occasionally penetrated normal life and more immediate loci of
meaning were insufficient to explain events, the young people
generally turned to Christianity as their back up system; but there was
little sense of the faith tradition which lay behind the beliefs and
practices to which they turned – there were just echoes of a memory”
p28
71
Ambiguous Evangelism
The Claims of Christ can be presented:
Playfully appealing to imagination rather
than intellect
Through story so people can appropriate
the concepts into their own context
In an understated manner
Through dialogue
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Christianity Rediscovered
Best summed up by the quote
“In working with young people do not try
to call back to where they were and do
not call them to where you are as
beautiful a place as that may seem to
you. You must have the courage to go
with them to a place that neither you
nor they have ever been before.”
73
Christianity Rediscovered
 To approach each culture with the respect due to it
as the very place wherein resides the possibility of
salvation and holiness and grace.
 To approach people of any culture or nation, not as
individuals, but as community.
 To plan to stay not one day longer than is necessary
in any one place.
 To give the people nothing, literally nothing, but the
unchanging, supracultural, uninterpreted gospel
before baptism.
 To help them expand that gospel into a creed and a
way of life after baptism.
 To enable them to pray as Christians.
 To leave them the bible towards the day when they
can read it and use it as a living letter in their lives. 74
Christianity Rediscovered
 To insist that they themselves be their own future
missionaries.
 To link them with the outside church in unity, and the
outside world in charity and justice.
 To agree with them that baptism is indeed
everything; that the reception of baptism is the
acceptance of the total responsibility and the full,
active sacramental power of the church, the
eucharistic community with a mission.
 To encourage them to trust in the Spirit given at
baptism, and to use the powers and gifts and
charisms given to the community by the Spirit.
 The final missionary step as regards the people of
any nation or culture, and the most important lesson
we will ever teach them – is to leave them (page 16275
163)
Meet They Where They’re at
Drew from a number of years detached
practice in a range of contexts
Author committed to relational,
incarnational Youth work
Model translates to a variety of contexts
and value bases
76
Meet They Where They’re at
1. SURVELLENCE -Working out which geographical areas or groups of
young people to engage
2 COLD CONTACT. Visual stage where we acknowledge the groups
3 COLD CONTACT. Introductions where we introduce ourselves and the
project
4. AREA BASED WORK This is when starting in an area or patch and a
wide variety of contacts are being made.
5. PEER GROUP WORK This happens as the work becomes more defined
and consists of natural groupings of young people. This stage is often
where larger groups are identified usually around a shared interest.
e.g. football or hanging out and may be too many work with or
inconsistent attendance.
6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK As key young people are identified the
work should be forward to this stage. This group is made up from the
groups that exist within the larger peer group.
77
Meet They Where They’re at
7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK This is about taking calculated risks to
move the work and relationships forward such as 1-1 work, a relaxing ,
perhaps having a meal with the young people etc. However this is not
about putting yourself or the young people at risk.
8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF SPIRITUALITY Young people
should be introduced to aspects of Christianity in practical supportive
ways. It can range from events to raise their consciousness of Bigger
things, e.g. watching the sunrise, exploring creation, to going to an
event. The worker should explain some of the things that may happen
at events and translate what is happening at the event and use the
opportunity to explore spiritual issues in a supportive way.
9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION OF CHURCH This refers to
supporting the young people in local churches or relevant groups, and
developing new groups based around the young people developing
their own expression of a discipleship group with the worker.
78
Church on The Edge
Background
Research
Good practice and missiology
No holy cows
79
Church on the Edge
A Contacting
Community
regular contact,
mutual support
activities and trips
residential experiences ,
g
owin
A Gr unity
m
Com
An E
c
Com clesial
mun
ity
Detached and
Mobile work
Rite of Passage
Wilderness
experience
Action
Research
A
d
te
ec ty
nn uni
Co m
m
Co
A
n
Co Exp
m
m lorin
un g
ity
Connecting
Stories
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Church On the Edge
1. Contacting
Community
2. Growing
Community
3. Connected
Community
4. Exploring
Community
5. Ecclesial
community
1-3 SURVELLENCE and COLD
CONTACT.
4. AREA BASED WORK
5. PEER GROUP WORK
6. BASIC SMALL GROUP WORK
7. RISKY SMALL GROUP WORK
8. EXPOSURE AND EXPLORATION OF
SPIRITUALITY
9. RELATIONAL BASED EXPRESSION
OF CHURCH
81
Church on the Edge
How does Donovan sit alongside this
process?
What are the key questions Donovan
would raise about the project?
What are the implications of the findings
from Ambiguous Evangelism for the
project?
What resources could Ambiguous
evangelism provide for the project?
82
Church on the Edge
Drawing from the previous answers review
the alignment of the detached plan and
five stages identifying key tension points
and solutions?
83