My Philosophy of Ministry

Biblical texts:

Isaiah 43 – “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. (2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you…when you walk through the fire you will not be burned…For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One, of Israel, your Savior.”

This Isaiah text speaks to me of God’s providence. Our God is a living God and chooses to live in relation with us. This text echoes the theme of covenantal relationship throughout the scriptures, where God promises to walk along side us, even through the dangerous waters and fires of life. This text is significant to me personally because it reminds me not only who God is, but who I am – a beloved child of God. God has chosen me and given me hope far better than I could imagine. This love that God shares with me is the love I am called to share with God and with others.

Matthew 22:36 The greatest commandment: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

This text combines two commandments in the Old Testament: The shema “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” (Deut 6:4) and Levititcus 19:18: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is my philosophy of ministry. I am called to love God with my whole being through worship and praise and service. Out of my love for God, I respond by fulfilling the call (obedience to God’s law) to love others as I love myself.

Pentecost – Acts 2 – In the event of Pentecost we learn that diversity is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We learn to value different languages and that communication (sharing Christ’s love) is only possible by the power of the Holy Spirit. This text is formational for how I do ministry because I believe that we can only minister to others if we posture ourselves first toward the Triune God. The Holy Spirit is already at work in our world and it is our calling to listen and pray, asking God how we can join in God’s mission.

Context:

My context is currently seminary. The fires and rough waters I have faced include broken relationships in need of forgiveness and reconciliation. These broken relationships sometimes include the death of a loved one, the distance between friends and family, and most often broken relationships as a result of our own human sin. It is through these rough times, that scripture especially the Isaiah text has become my rock. I have rested in God’s providential grace, knowing that in Christ there is ultimate forgiveness, reconciliation, and resurrection.

My most recent context of Presbyterian Campus Ministry taught me the values of love and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In our Campus Ministry, we were in relationship with the Muslim Student Association and the Hillel Jewish Student Association. Together we embraced loving the “other” by learning about one another and doing service together. On the anniversary of 9/11 we gathered together to praise God together asking how we can be agents of peace, love, and reconciliation on our campus and in our world. I am reacting against fundamentalist evangelicals that have condemned friends of mine in the international dormitory for not being “saved.” I react negatively to this language and find myself skeptical of believers who seem to push their agenda over God’s.

I appreciate the ambiguities of scripture – that Jesus preached on the Mount of Beatitudes blessing the poor and that he also loved the rich man. I love that Jesus’ parables resist reduction to one meaning and that the Hebrew language gives us several definitions for one English word. I believe that God works through different languages to communicate and reveal Godself to us.

I react negatively to exclusivism, “I am in and you are out” theologies. I do not believe that God calls us to judge, but that God calls us to love one another. I do not deny God’s judgment, I just deny our human attempts to claim the knowledge, or worse power, of judgment.

Implementation:

I believe in the importance of creating space. I like to arrange the physical space of room so that people are in circles. It puts people physically equal to one another and I think this is a visual symbol of how we view and value one another. I believe that it takes away power plays in which one or a few try to dominate others. Creating space allows room for us to posture ourselves toward God and not try to control or dominate God’s work. This reflects the spiritual value of loving God and loving neighbor. By having more people around with equal access to contribute, there is more accountability to one another and to God. As humans, we are prone to sin and take more than our fair share (money, power, etc), but in community we are forced to care for those outside of ourselves. In Jesus’ ministry, I see that he created space among his disciples and followers for praxis (action and reflection). Often in the gospels, we are told that Jesus acts and then provokes his disciples to reflect upon the action. When someone asks a question of Jesus, he rarely responds with a direct answer, but creates space for the person to figure it out on their own (Matt. 19:16-30; Matt. 21:23-27; John 4).

I also think that creating space in a community allows for us to benefit from the diversity of God’s people. God communicates to us through different languages, thus we must not limit ourselves to one cultural or linguistic understanding. We must expose ourselves to the “other” in order to gain more perspective – to see a more holistic view. My philosophy of ministry is to connect people beyond barriers. In this process, it is important to meet people where they are by taking their needs and concerns into consideration. This is how scripture teaches us to recognize them as children of God, regardless of how different they may be from us. Caring for our neighbor in this way is how we can love them (Matt. 23:26). Then, I believe it is important for the diverse people to interact, to eat together, to worship together, to come into conflict, and to learn from one another. This reflects Jesus’ ministry. The root of the “border crossing” part of my philosophy of ministry is grounded in the Pentecost story. I trust the Holy Spirit to work among the interactions between diverse groups of people and I trust that when we are focused on the deeds and powers of God (as they were in Acts 2), that we will truly be able to live into full community promised to us in Jesus Christ.

My ministry is focused on participating in God’s mission. God is already at work and we must be a people of God, attentive to God, praying and watching to see how we might participate in God’s work. God acts first and then we respond. My leadership style is one that is shared. I believe that we better discern the Spirit in our midst and better recognize the nudges to move forward when we work together.

--- Question for Steve:

There is a lot of first person (“I”)…is this ok? Does my language communicate how I want to lead?

Rah Part 3: Cultural Intelligence in Action

Ch 7: Tell Me a Story

*Importance of shared story. Problem today is that people are not connecting back to God's redemptive story.

Jesus was the master story creator.

Layers of conversation: (1) Presentation of facts and information (2) Expression of feelings and emotions (3) Communication of identity (132-136)

Storytelling is an art. When people connect to a story (book or movie), they can begin to explain their own faith journey in story.

A Good Story has four key elements:
(1) Setting
(2) Character
(3) Conflict
(4) Resolution

* Leader may use this format to encourage others to plot biblical and secular stories and also to write their own faith stories.

Practical ways to develop storytelling: tell the truth, reveal yourself (not just facts and figures), share pain honestly, share your identity
"Story has the capacity to transcend cultural limitations" (145)

Ch. 8 Journeying Together: You've Got to Be There

Group learning is important
Opening Up - Rah shares his story of feeling invisible because of the racism he received as an Asian American. When he shared his story, pain, and identity with the group, they grew closer now having a shared experience, vocabulary, and emotions.

Learn the history of your community. Ex: Japanese Internment survivors

Take Risks - story of undocumented immigrant woman. Tells the human side of a politically charged/controversial issue (156)

Create safe space - level the playing field. Disarm power dynamics.

Challenge to those of us that are white - be in a posture of learning (158).

Rah's journeys remind me a lot of the mission and service trips that I have taken with the church that tend to break down our racial/ethnic stereotypes and learn from others in a new learning environment.

McKee proposes four levels at work during the journey: (1) theology (2) pursue history (3) cultural competency (4) spiritual formation (162).

Ch. 9 Embracing the Other: Facets of True Hospitality

Power of the table - communing together. Food is a great way to communicate across cultures!
*Never turn down food :) More often than not, it is offensive to the culture. Eating (and accepting seconds) is a way of accepting and appreciating culture (Korean and Haitian experiences shared in this section). Central to understanding of communion.

Learn Language - Just a few simple phrases go a long way. As I interned at Conyers Presbyterian Church this last year, I observed the unintentional lack of hospitality due to language barriers. Conyers Pres has hosted a Hispanic immigrant ministry (Iglesia Horeb) now for 10 years. Still, in the parking lot, members of each church will walk quickly into the church building without even a word, smile, or wave to acknowledge each others' presence. After inquiring from some of the members I know, I have learned that it is out of embarrassment that they turn away from one another. They need the basic knowledge of how to say hello or to know that certain gestures are appropriate greetings. I informed them that smiling is always a good place to start - it is a simple way to share Christ's love and hospitality with one another.

Welcome all to worship - key test of hospitality. This has been the LAST thing to occur at churches I've seen trying to be multiethnic/multicultural.
"It is imperative...that different cultural expressions manifest themselves in the setting of the public worship life of the church" (171).

Leadership must present diversity.

"Don't fake it." If a group is not present in your church or if you do not know the culture well, do not perform a superficial representation just for the sake of diversity

"For most of the history of the church... [hospitality] meant response to the physical needs of strangers for food, shelter, and protection, but also a a recognition of their worth and common humanity"(174).

Hospitality is not an option, it is part of who we are - being the household of God.
In Household of God, we cease to use "other" language.

"One of the most significant ways to increase your cultural intelligence, therefore, is to be mentored by individuals who come from different cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds" (177).

Gain cultural intelligence through reading books by minority authors (especially look for Christian ones), books, music, dance, etc.

Ch. 10: The Challenge of Systems Thinking and Organizational Change

The newbie pastor failed to recognize the complex stories tied to the piano.
"Systems thinking requires understanding the entirety of a complex system. Understanding interrelationships and how a system works are just as important as actually solving a problem" (184).

Simplistic linear thinking is not enough -
"A more comprehensive, holistic, systems thinking approach is necessary to develop a cultural intelligence for the local church" (189).

Cat and Toaster - different systems cannot be fixed the same way.

Clarification on "cultural intelligence" -
"Intelligence implies knowledge. Cultural intelligence implies the acquisition of a skill set that will make us more efficient in our dealing with other cutlures" (182)...."Cultural intelligence is actually cultural intuition"

Rah Part 2: A Constructive Cultural Paradigm

Ch. 4 A Multicultural Worldview

Metaphors for seeing life/world from different view points. Rah gives the metaphor of viewing from the ground and then from a plane or mountain top. Yesterday, you talked about in science using different lenses to see different things. "What is invisible in one light, becomes visible in another."

Cultural Intelligence - the ability to know your own culture and also to observe/critique it from another culture (84).

Creating the environment - being open to other cultures means acknowledging that others may not (often will not) react the same way as you do to a particular situation. Again, Rah emphasizes the need for corporate/individual confession of racial barriers in the past (85).

I'm reminded of a conversation I had with some Haitian leaders while in Haiti on a mission trip. They gave our group (of college students) their story (our shared history) from the Haitian perspective. Their story revealed many failures on our part as Americans and as Christians to love our neighbor. At the end, I remember weeping while I apologized for all I had done. A real friendship blossomed out of my confession and their forgiveness. God indeed moves in wonderful reconciling ways!

"While self-awareness is important to our work in the church, a social-cultural awareness is just as critical in how we connect to the church and world around us" (86).

Individual focused culture - people are judged on individual traits and individual priorities are often above that of the group (89) Group focused culture - children are taught that they belong to the family, tribe, village. "I belong; therefore, I am" (90).

Guilt vs. Shame " 'true shame cultures rely on external sanctions for good behavior, not, as true guilt cultures do, on an internalized conviction of sin. Shame is a reaction to other people's criticism...Guilt [is] not." Quote by Ruth Benedict (91).

Power dynamics in different cultures: Equality vs. Hierarchy
ex: Asian American male child's grade went down because the teacher asked for volunteers and he never volunteered. He respected authority. However, when called on, he would answer. Need to be invited to speak (94).

Communication: Direct vs. Indirect (95)

Task vs. Relationship
Ex: meetings, motivated by the tasks and time or the relationships of those in the room.

This chapter has revealed to me some of my "red zones" for leadership. I score high for individual-oriented, equality-oriented, direct-oriented, and task-oriented. These qualities for leadership mark my efficiency and individual success, but I really need to be pushed and push myself to be more respectful of authority, more intentional about the way I communicate things, and have more concern for relationships instead of pushing agendas ahead. Being aware of this is key if I want to work with people of other cultures.

Chapter 5: Enhanced Connections

Primary vs. Secondary Cultures
My the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" Toula's family (Greek) represents a primary culture and Ian (WASP) represents a secondary culture.

"A healthy interaction between two disparate cultures can challenge those from each to bring out the best in both" (104).

Another model - Hot vs. Cold Cultures (Sarah Lanier) - geographically based
High vs. Low (Edward Hall's Beyond Culture) In high culture everything matters (who you know, what you wear, etc). In low culture things matter little.

"The three paradigms...are insufficient to describe the complexity and layers of the range of cultures in the world" (106). However, they do present some trends and patterns.

Identify the church culture.

Ch. 6: Power Dynamics

Power Dynamics in the Early Church (Acts 15). Judeo-Christians want to establish norms (circumcision) and generate racial/ethnic hostility toward the Gentiles. Paul and Barnabas remind the Jews that God Incarnate (Jesus) did not distinguish between the two groups, but granted grace for salvation for all.

Rah demonstrates how similar this power dynamic between ethnicities is today for the Christian Church. White Christians are in the minority, yet we are still trying to "run" the church.

Situation described of an Anglo church desiring to reach immigrant communities. It is not about a handout or a hand up - it is a hand across (121). We are now co-laborers and co-seekers of the kingdom of God. Partnerships, not paternalism.

" 'Equality came only after they [dominant culture group] had recognized the inequality of power and that it was through giving up of power that equality could occur' " Eric Law (124).

Pushed meaning of Ephesians 5 - what does it mean to lay down one's life for another? Giving up of everything for mission, goal, relationship. How committed are we to the multicultural calling?

Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah (Part 1)

"As the church in the United States seeks to fulfill the biblical mandate for unity, we are coming to the realization that we desperately need proper motivation, spiritual depth, interpersonal skills, and gracious communication in order to live into God's hope for the church" (11).

Cultural intelligence: This is not one of Howard Gardner's seven intelligences, but I sure think it needs to be.

Chapter 1: Understanding Culture

Is culture merely a human creation or is it ordained by God? (21) Fascinating question to start the conversation.

Kenneth Myers - high culture (European/Western), folk culture (African drumming, Korean fan dancing, Native American jewelry), low culture (pop culture) - reflect our social and political biases and the ability for the "high culture" to define all others.

Culture is a "shared, socially learned knowledge, and patterns of behavior." It is both human formed and it forms humans (23). Culture is foundational in social life. Passed down through generations (historical significance).

Culture may operate on 3 levels: (1) behaviors that are learned (2) ideas that reinforce beliefs and values (3) products that reinforce beliefs. Example of hardware (physical body) and software (downloaded programs that distinguish computers from one another) (24-5). Takes place on the social and individual levels.

Genesis 1:26 - made in image of God. It is interesting to me that Rah focuses on the spiritual likeness to God. I would think he would focus on the material (embracing the physical, cultural differences). However, Rah does not seem to separate the two - spiritual from physical (27).
Cultural mandate - "be fruitful and culture-fy." We are similar (imitate) God in our capacity to create.

"Our goal in cultural intelligence, therefore, is not to erase cultural differences but rather to seek ways to honor the presence of God in different cultures" (29). Missio Dei - mission is God's initiative.

Corporate Cultural Responsibility - this is awesome! Using the story of fallen Jerusalem and Jeremiah's lament, Rah notes the importance of both individual and corporate confession. Rah affirms that God promises to redeem both individuals and the corporate body (34).

Cycle of Social Construction of Reality: Externalization (of values) -> objectification institutionalization -> internalization -> Externalization (37)
In this process, the externalized values of the individual members at the beginning shape the organization. If these values are grounded in scripture, the organization will outlast the original individuals.

Ch. 2: Understanding our History

"The history of passive and complicit silence or even the outright support of slavery challenges us in the twenty-first century to consider ways to lament this period. Often, majority culture Christians are unaware of its lasting import, while African-Americans may be acutely aware of its deep-rooted impact. Given the deep wounds left by slavery, the work of racial reconciliation becomes an essential step toward multi-ethnicity and cross-cultural ministry" (52).

I have found this to be especially true at Columbia Seminary. As I reflect with my peers who are African-Americans, they share with me the cultural irrelevance that they feel. In social events of students, they have felt like an outcast. In courses, they are acutely aware of the missing stories. Most recently, in Theology class, they are frustrated that we read James Cone from the 60's instead of his more recent work. They are pulled over by police officers in Decatur (racial profiling) because they drive nicer cars and are on or near Columbia's campus. They are asked by board members and supporting community members to pour drinks for them at Columbia gatherings. I see truth in Rah's chapter on corporate confession/knowing your history because I have learned from my friends how the dominant culture (white Christians) does not take notice of "others" cultural concerns.

Boarding schools for Native American children. Genocide of culture (55).

The only way to move forward is to share our stories. Most importantly, to listen to the stories of where we (dominant Christians) have failed our neighbors. We have to hear their stories and lament our historical behavior.

Ch. 3 Church and Culture

Are we aliens (immigrant - a part of community) or strangers (removed, unwanted)?

Architecture of sanctuary: 20th c. - ceilings shaped like Noah's Ark implying that the sanctuary is where Christians could be safe from God's judgment on the world outside. 21st c. -sanctuaries built like shopping malls. Culture of consumerism takes over biblical values (68-69).

1 Peter - we are not called to be removed from the world but to be actively engaged in it (72).
Our purpose - to create God's shalom in the world.

Tower of Babel - biblical values of diversity. Seen as God's punishment or God's creation?

Christmas - pagan origins of both the symbols (holly, mistletoe, evergreen trees) and the timing (Jesus was thought to be born during the spring). Rah's message - God has taken something unholy, pagan, sinful and made it good. Redemption (79). God works through culture.

The Missional Leader (chs 9-11)

Ch. 9: Forming a Missional Culture/Environment

Southside Community Church in Vancouver: single church with congregations built around missional groups. Goal - small congregations that are incarnationally present in neighborhoods (165).

Process of forming a missional culture:

- Member Integration - "important to continuously teach, train, and communicate the values and commitments of the whole church and then invite people to live into this commitment in their context" (167). I understand the need for this for church unity, but the communities may be very different in their neighborhood values and needs.
- Missional Culture - common habits, beliefs, values, and practices. Southside put them in writing.
- Missional Practices - North America churches have lost the church culture (habits, beliefs, values, etc). Practices are not forced on people, but they are invited to experiment.
- Missional Theology - Community must live in continuous engagement with the narratives. Leaders as local theologians.

Ch. 10 Engaging Context

"They (leaders) live in the neighborhood and love the people around them" (172).
Shift from a shopping mall model (attraction to building to meet personal needs) to a cathedral that trained and formed people in their own neighborhoods (174).

- must understand society. "It is not adequate to take a self-righteous view and ignore the realities of our society" (175). Leader's role is to define reality.
-Another important skill - "empowering people by way of letting the biblical narratives ask their own questions of our social context" (176).

Leaders must watch, listen, and nurture gatherings of energy. In one sense, the leader has no control. However, it will not happen unless the leader continues to encourage (180).

Biblical Foundations for Change. Folks will fear the loss of tradition. It is important to remind them that change is a part of being God's people. Challenge is to communicate the connections between the biblical narratives and the cultural narrative that community experiences (fear, anxiety, etc).

Pastor who returns to Greek in sermons: "The pastor found that he was no longer providing answers; he was disrupting their world and causing them to think deeply about their own lives in the context of biblical story" (182). Wow! This is what our preaching should do!

Ch. 11 Conclusion

Form teams for mutual development of leaders. 8-12 trusted pastor/leader peers in a geographical area.

Need for community in times of change. Sola pastora model of leadership is killing pastors (190).

This chapter outlines the process of becoming a missional leader (transforming your community into a missional church). Includes survey, team of leaders, covenant for working together, engage scripture, agenda given for the first three meetings (includes homework and feedback on growth and practices, autobiography of congregation, interviews, and reflection).

"Leadership is about cultivating the kind of environment that frees God's people to feel again the winds of the Spirit and to sail the holy gusts of the Spirit's directions in waters where we no longer have good, clear, definitive maps" (204).

MIssional Leader (Part 2 chs 6-8)

Ch. 6
It is a true gift to receive feedback about yourself as a leader (112).

I was told by my supervising pastor that I will receive high praise from people that think I can't do anything wrong and harsh criticism from people who will never like me. He said the real positive and constructive feedback will come somewhere in the middle. He also taught me that in harsh criticism, try to objectively reflect if any of it could be true. Acknowledge the truth and dismiss what is not true.

Figure 6.2 (114) Interaction of Personal Attributes and Congregational Readiness Factors:

Self: Personal Leadership Attributes
Congregation needs a high level of confidence in leader's character = trust pastor.
People: Attributes for Cultivating People (mentors)
Able to hold listening conversation with one another at levels of awareness and understanding.
Congregation: Attributes for Innovating a Missional Environment
Develops through life of people. Emphasis on dwelling in Scriptures, habit of listening, daily prayer, silence, regular hospitality to the stranger (115)
Context: Attributes for Missional Engagement
awareness and understanding cultivated in neighborhood, community, social reality, and changing issues. Leader must be a good "navigator" or "orienteer" of community.

Missional leaders still need skills of other community leaders: forming effective staff, developing teams, communicating processes, etc. However, the missional leader's purpose (telos - end) is different (117). Our telos is to know God.

Discussion today is about cultivating safe spaces for seekers without any expectations or demands. This is different from the telos of Tertullian. "Tertullian's primary concern as a leader was formation of a people around a specific set of habits and practices that came out of his engagement of Scripture" (119).

Incarnation - Participation in God meant forming a community of God's people whose lives often challenged the political and social institutions of their day (120). God chose to meet us in our place and time, thus the material/physical matters.

Missional leader is called for the formation of a people in the nature of the Triune God. Relational, engaged in disciplines of Jesus.

"The gift of the Spirit means the church is the place where we are invited to risk, in relationship to the open-ended adventure of the Spirit's presence" (123). I love this! We are really not comfortable with risk in the HS. I want more adventure in the church!
"God eludes our systemizing; God's ecclesia cannot be mastered or managed or made. God gives us our future by the Spirit..." (124). Maybe the PCUSA is needing to seek a little more ardor and a little less order.

Ch. 7
Characteristics of a mature leader: self-aware, authentic, present to realities and concerns of those being led (127). Need for an inner compass. "In North America, success entails ability to control and manipulate the external environment to produce certain outcomes" (128). This is the standard for success for which I have been judged. In my MCA, I discovered that too much of my energy was being spent on outward success and not enough on my own inner self.

Trusting the pastor is key, but also building a community of leaders that trust one another is vital for space to discern the spirit (130-31). "Trust is built as you (or they) demonstrate consistency in values, skills, and actions" (139).

"The authentic leader is one whose actions and words are coherent and internally consistent" (131). Leader = self aware. Attributes described: calm, watchful, confident, always listening, with direction, will not judge or criticize others (133).

Conflict Management (134): Conflict is normal in change. Personal courage is necessary.

Biblical story of trust - In the book of Hosea, God uses personal and intimate language. You are my people. Another example - Moses.

Ch. 8
Begin call by listening to the members' stories instead of beginning by implementing change. Rodger Nishioka tells us in Christian Education to wait a full year before implementing any change. "God's future is not a plan or strategy that you introduce; it is among the people of God" (145).

"Imagination is... about the capacity to use forms of thinking other than linear, cause-and-effect, and ordered" (146). It is creative, outside the box, intuitive, unexpected. We encounter imagination in the biblical texts (ex: Jesus' parables). "Imagination also deals with the capacity to entertain what is not yet present but can be encouraged to emerge from the core of one's deepest convictions" (148).

"Cultivation involves working with the plant in its growth" (152). From gardening/horticulture. Release the peoples' imaginations. Worship, the sacrament of the Lord's supper, is a way of cultivating growth.

-Daily offices (time for daily scripture and prayer): important bc (1) one is shaped in the imagination that life is a gift from God and bc (2) we realize how easily stories other than the gospel shape our lives.
-Practicing Hospitality: genuine and complete welcoming of the stranger. Outward focus.
-The Practice of Learning: congregations are increasingly composed of people without knowledge of the biblical story. We must emphasis learning - giving back biblical language.

Enabling Change. Must distinguish between change and transition. "Internal emotional responses are crucial for a congregation caught up in the change. The transition determines how we react to" the change (161).

Build coalitions (groups sharing mutual support) and not committees. Echoes formal ->Informal. Coalitions can birth mission (163-4).

Missional Leader (Part 1 chs 4-5)

Chapter 4: Missional Change Model
Systems analysis (62) "A congregation is made up of a series of relationships, traditions, and networks ceaselessly interacting and affecting one another."

Principal One: Focus on the Culture, Not the Organization (63) - only way things will change
"The culture of a congregation is how it views itself in relationship to the community, the values that shape how it does things, expectations of one another and of its leaders, unspoken codes about why it exists and whom it serves, how it reads Scripture, and how it forms a community"

Principle 2:Focusing on Culture Does Not Change Culture
Instead of viewing places and relationships as potential church growth, view them as places and people where God is at work and calling us to listen with love. In other words, be open to learning from culture, not trying to assimilate it to church culture.

Principle 3: Change Takes Time and Small Steps and Principle 4: Baby Steps

Principle 5: Starting with "Alignment" Is Not the Answer (64)
Lining up congregation's strategy, structure, staff, resources, etc in a common goal. Performative
Alignment is not something that we can plan. It has to emerge from experiments and dialogue.

(65) Changes throughout our culture since the end of the Cold War.
Post- September 11 world - insecurity and threat. Sense of being together in community is replaced by smaller group alliances that protect against those who appear different.
Job insecurity. Need for church to address the anxiety and confusion of people. Allow expression of these frustrations. People are losing orientation (66).

Bible used as a tool for people in their private lives. It is "colonized by narcissistic, private anxieties in the service of therapy" (67). Need to make this more communal. "People no longer have the language with which to articulate the meaning of their experience of discontinuity and anxiety except in terms of the private and personal" (69). We need to find ourselves in the larger biblical narrative. Importance of language in shaping how we see the world (72).

Missional congregations formed through the interaction between Christian narrative (passed down through generations) and listening to the people in their community (73).

We often masks our fear and anxiety in the wrong thing. Look for source (74). Paulo Freire- gave space and language for people to name what is happening to them and how God is calling them to action (specifically the oppressed) (77). Parker Palmer - teaching is creating space.

"Hospitality creates a safe place where people can risk expressing their experiences, emotions, and concerns about being the people of God today" (78).

Ch 5: The Missional Change Model
Change rarely happens in a straight line.
1. Awareness - start with where people are. (story of woman's pain - her children not in church)
"Giving something or someone speech, giving words to an experience or an unformed feeling, can foster relationality and transformation" (88). Amen! This process of naming experience takes time (90). 4-6 months
2. Understanding - using dialogue to integrate thinking and feeling. Goal - get beneath the surface of awareness to underlying questions and issues (tree metaphor). Time to gather additional information, try out ideas and receive feedback from others. (94) 3-5 months
3. Evaluate - examines current actions, attitudes, and values in light of new understanding. Questions on pp. 95-96. Not time for action, only evaluation. Process can create anxiety. 3-5 months
4. Experiment - risking some change (not all). Not tactical change - assumes same approach as used in past, rather adaptive chnage - design a new approach. (ex: seniors picking up trash, not assuming trust of multicultural community). 3-8 months
5. Commitment - signing on to new ways of being Church. Experimenting gathers new people and confidence grows. Being a missional church is not dependent on one person/leader, but the personality of the whole congregation.

Readiness for this movement is key. Timeline (104) for percentages of church that will be ready for change. Who to work with when.

Steps for Missional Leader: (1) Take Stock of What You Know (2) Know Yourself as a Leader (3) Listen (4) Focus on Key Areas and Issues (5) Develop an Action Plan (6) Commit