CMBA Church Planters Forum:
Saturday, October 29th, 2005 10AM – 1PM
REACHING THE EMERGING GENERATION


1) Why is the North American church having such a difficult time reaching the people with emerging worldviews with the gospel of Jesus?
We assume people have a biblical worldview. We present it as an outline and apologetics vs the story form. We have gotten away from biblical terminology. We are too focused on apologetics. To us it is compromise to change our unbiblical approach. Training evangelists instead of missiologists. Fail to see it as mission field. Afraid to get their hands dirty. Afraid to live and work in our community. Afraid to be incarnational. People feel they have tried Christianity at some point and it didn’t work. What is the platform to present the gospel. They don’t even understand their worldview. The gospel has been oversimplified. Months maybe years. Not everybody is at the same point. We do everything one-size fits all, in a diverse world. Too much distance between the believer and unbeliever in privileges, but not enough distance between disciples and non-disciples in lifestyle. Don’t understand the many facets of the gospel. Rigid-ness in our approach. Hypocrisy…dishonesty. We have gotten to far into politics. Self deluded into a feeling of safety.

2) If we were to come up with a simple statement of the gospel for presentation to emerging generations what would that statement be?
Problem – solution
Love – the story of God is the story of love. Demonstrate to them love for each other and love to them. Not a simple statement.
(we all know what you guys believed, wasn’t until I experienced the community)
Words are not effective. All about our actions and emotion.
They have stolen compassion for the poor from us.
Jesus told stories that undermined their values.
And asked amazing questions.

3) What are the best means of communicating this gospel message to post-modern people?
Community. Story Telling. Start using all of our gifts. Musicals, Broadway. Movies. Doing ministry together. Pre-evangelism, climatism. Postmoderns are open to the story. Open the door in the ministry. Relational, but not traditional relational evangelism. As I personally die for my friends then there is supernatural power in the gospel. Experiencing true love. Self-sacrifice of the things the world goes after.

4) What can a standard traditional or purpose driven church do to become more inviting to those of an emerging generation?
Not much. Get out of your office. Become more missional as opposed to attractional. As the pastor does so the congregation will do. The church will be nothing more than you are as a pastor. First Baptist Arlington: Multihousing, empowering their staff to open warehouse to meet the needs of the people, separate service for apartment ministers doing church in housing units. Change their definition of success. Reach people for the Kingdom but probably not in their building. Resourcing house-church movements. Thinking many-many different models. Not just English language. Change or die, not just suburban. Easier to birth something different or new than to change. Too much into just one strategy. PDC&WC=FF
Lets become more biblical.

5) Will ancient traditions or spontaneity be more valued by emerging generations?
Yes. Some traditions are good or legitimate, but be careful not be ensnared against the Word. Crazy busy world: centered, focused, solid, true, in traditions. Confucions. Windows, stations of the cross, positive side. Back to the story foundation. Update the stations of the cross to look different.

6) How should discipleship look for those who find standard discipleship materials lame beyond explanation?
Laying down my life for another, that is the root of spiritual life. Not curriculum driven but love driven. Mutual accountability. Mentoring. Coaching. Spontaneous as life situations come along. Encouraging a lost person to follow Jesus. Where does discipleship start and evangelism end? Luke’s favorite word for believers in the book of Acts was “disciples.”

7) What role could our current structures (established churches, denominations, associations, seminaries, publications, etc.) play in an emerging revolution?
Financially supporting those who they are sending out. Prayer. Experiment. Willingness to accept more failures than successes. Not to feel threatened. Adopting as opposed to giving birth. Seminaries stop looking so much like higher education. Three people sign off on seminary graduation. Networking, doing missions together, missional fellowship. Asking them to reform and retool themselves. Southwest vs Northwest. Offering facilities. Many churches have limited their feeling of what is “theirs” only to what is under their control. Much more inclusive.