Scott Scrivner
by: John O'Keefe
Rating: Not yet rated
1) planting a church in an emerging/postmodern culture, what do you think are the key elements of a community of faith in an emerging/postmodern culture? A few things that we are finding in our culture--in the lives we’re “rubbing shoulders with”--is this great need for Truth (but when has that ever NOT been the case). I am sure there is nothing truly insightful from me here, but when we sit down with people and find that if they could just see Christ being represented---truly Christ, not our version of Him---then they would have a much healthier concept of who God is and why we follow Him. I’m not saying if we just get this mysterious combination down perfectly (following Christ accurately), then the entire world would turn and follow Him. We say around here a lot that Jesus will either completely draw you in or you will be completely offended. Maybe there is some middle ground in there, but mostly He is either offensive or lovely to us--and it is by God’s grace that any of us follow Him. It seems like the church has done a great job of offending people in the name of Christ without representing Him at all, at least not representing Him the way I see in Scripture. So, we are in a culture hungry for the Truth . . . to be LIVED and expressed.
Another thing we have seen is this relational need. Once again, this ‘key element’ not limited to an “emerging/postmodern” cultural timeframe. It’s just that the TRUTH I mentioned above must be transferred through relationships, relationships that are vulnerable, humble, and transparent. In some ways that really sucks, because we have come to understand from Scripture that the Truth must be lived out (somewhere I think Jesus appealed to that when He said, “Come follow me”) and that we aren’t “off the hook”. We can’t just go around firing off these truth statements at everyone we don’t like or don’t understand and not give a flip about them. We must transport this Truth through real-life relationships. They will know us by our love---NOT by the way we say we love others but couldn’t care less. I believe that our culture needs some context to the Truth, and that context is always going to be changed lives.
I know it’s not new or original or cool, but the key elements to a community of faith in this culture (and every culture past, present and future) are that we, the Church, would simply love God (He is the Truth) and love others (showing context for that Truth).
2) what do you see as the four (because three is too traditional) to differences between the community of faith you are serving, and those churches in your area? We are in an area that is probably the most “liberal” of the greater Oklahoma City metroplex. The region from where we live all the way down to the downtown area--which like most American metros is enjoying a revitalization--consists mostly of historic neighborhoods. The area is pretty artsy and young, while containing much diversity economically, ethnically, and socially. The OU Health Science center is just over the highway, so many young residents and their families or roommates are living in these areas. We have found a lot of older churches that have not transitioned from decades of change. They existed, and may have flourished early, but then the community changed either ethnically or socio-economically and the churches didn’t transition with the community (same old story). Now, we live in Bible belt central and most are not traveling across the metro to find a church, if they are looking at all--and the growing numbers are not. In the Suburbs, we have the Innovative-Creative-Going Huge Churches that are connecting with those bored of church. These churches are reaching a lot of people. We also have the semi- and very-traditional churches of large and small scale. So, ours is a very churched environment. Yet, the growing number of people in our area have a respect for God but are no longer connected to a church. Either bad experiences or simply “growing out of their parents Christianity” has led to this growing number of unchurched people in our area.
With that in mind, we are finding ourselves to be different. This does not mean that we are here finding the exclusive truth or exclusive way. I always hate when guys arrogantly say that the way they are doing things is THE “IT” WAY, and you can only find out that “IT” way by buying their book. However, for the people we are reaching and for us, this is IT. Sorry. But we really see some screwed up stuff going on in churches today. So, I’ll just get to the question . . .
Two of the big deals I’ve already mentioned. Truth. Relationships. Sure, there is not a church around that wouldn’t agree, right? However, we’ve created an environment that is open to RE:THINK EVERYTHING (church, spirituality, life, God, etc.). Not that we are tossing everything out, clearing our minds, and just filling them with all new ideas, but that we are willing to say, “You know what, maybe I don’t have God all figured out. Maybe, this neat little carrying case container that I’ve packed Him away in is a little too confining for all the Mystery I’m discovering about Him.” You see, when we come with a little humility, and no pat answers, maybe God will actually begin to break our callous hearts and change our jacked up religious lives. I know that in my life, there is a revolution going on. Jesus is becoming Jesus again. I made Him into my ticket for a career and an object to pursue for the good of building a church. I am now finding that Jesus is becoming my life again. Let’s face it, do we really need another church to exist to give some preacher a reason to have a job or sell a book? Do we really need another church to exist simply to build the name of the organization? We need Jesus. We need life in His Body for HIS FAME.
Accountability. We understand that as a believer, Christ is our righteousness. We aren’t acceptable by the good stuff we do---we’re messed up! With that said, we also are very aware that Scripture lays out a high standard of living. We believe that the Truth is our guide for life and our community of faith is our relational accountability and encouragement that spurs us on toward living this life in Christ. We see that the New Testament shares patterns for discipline, and yet there seems to never be a week go by that I don’t hear of some church or pastor that opts out of stepping up and taking on the junk going on in his church. We have pastors who are unwilling to be called to accountability and therefore refuse to hold others to a Biblical standard. Let me first say, if someone is in our community or searching it out and is not a believer, then we won’t hammer them for the junk in their life, because they haven’t yet submitted their life to Christ! However, when we have a believer who comes in and just sucks everyone dry from not making efforts to build community or has a life that is constantly defined by sin . . . we’ll sit down and deal with it. We refuse for our community to become a weak, leaderless existence. God has a standard for our lives, and we’re serious about walking alongside people as they follow Christ.
3) is the community you serve connected with a denomination? if "yes," what do you see as the benefits and problems with that relationship, and if "no," what do you believe are the benifits and problems without being connected? Yeah, we are connected with the Southern Baptist Convention. Really, the benefits and problems are probably unique to each person/church. I’m neither endorsing nor not-endorsing denomination. For us, it is a benefit in that we get some financial support. We really aren’t asked to do much—so it is a benefit. The focus for us is our local church, building relationships with those in our community and building networks in order to plant more churches. The minute we would be expected to make our focus to build the SBC or become a spokesperson for all the politics of denomination—we would lose the cost/benefit ration and be out. The main problem we watch out for is making the denomination the focus. Those organizations were built to better equip the local church. My real and honest opinion is that for many denominations, they now exist for existence sake—not to support the local church.
4) what would you say are the two hardest things connected to planting an emerging/postmodern community of faith? Ambition. Ego. Value. Career. I believe these things must be in check before a pastor can go in and plant. Ambition is God-given, and men are made for careers, but there is a subtle shift and danger when ambition infiltrates a pastor. You see, there is a fine line between vision and ambition for the Christ and the Gospel and vision and ambition for me to be the best in my career (pastorate). The corporate ladder doesn’t belong in the church. Why? Because the church is relational. The church is living---the Body of Christ. We are dealing with people and their spiritual lives. We aren’t selling products or growing a corporation. You see, the tough thing for church planters is that many times the “success” of the new church is equal to the amount of food they place on the table for their wives and crying babies. So, when people come to the church we begin to see them as commodities. A well-dressed family walks in, and we picture more money coming in. We have a young but knowledgable guy come in, and we see the next leader of our small groups---and on and on. It’s a reality. We want people to learn to give, to grow into leaders for their development AND the good of the church. However, we can become very church-growth oriented, and people see through that. People are used in dating relationships, in corporate America, and in all areas of life. Should the church continue the trend? We believe the church should free people from that cycle. We believe the church should be the voice of value in their life, not because of what they bring, but because they are God’s image bearers. They are the “beloved”.
Relationships. I may be able to share the beautiful picture of valuing people and making relationships the biggest deal. I may be able to talk at length about the importance of community and the beauty of people caring for each other, loving each other, and living in generosity toward each other. However, relationships are messy. People are jerks. I am a jerk! People don’t fit into our systems and formulas. Caring costs us something. Speaking truth in love means that I’m going to have to back up my teaching by walking with people through the messes they’ve created, or by opening my home orclearing my schedule. Relationships ARE meaningful and draining all at once. In our short existence as a community (Sept. 2004 start date), we have already dealt with some pretty messy stuff, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I see the refreshing looks on peoples faces when we tell them they are valued—not by what they bring to us (a new church plant with lots of needs)---but because they are real people, real lives, created and cherished by God.
5) how does your community of faith develop connections with those outside the community? Relationships are everything. We cast a vision for the life of believers, that includes opening our lives up (vulnerable, authentic, transparent, whatever word you like) for others to connect and peruse through our daily living. The people that experience our life are free to see the crap, as well as the stuff God has done. I think when people see us letting other people into our homes, our lives, our families, and our friendships, it is then that that catch this idea and want to do the same themselves. We believe the Gospel is transferred through relationships. So, we do our best to develop patterns in life to stay open to others, to look for opportunities for hospitality and care. We also develop regular patterns in our community businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, etc., in order to spur new friendships.
I was recently at a mandatory (denominational) meeting. There was an entire session on “Visitation” (the going and knocking-on-door kind). That’s cool and all, but my biggest issue was that we were being told the mechanics and systematized version of how to connect with someone enough to get them to come back to your church. Where exactly do we find in scripture that pastors are to robotically go through the motions in their love for people? In fact, in the Message (Matt. 7) Jesus warns against those who have perfected “practiced sincerity”. The vast majority of Seminaries don’t produce real people, they produce robots for church growth, of which our emerging culture is sick and tired. I know I am.
Our desire is to bring CONTEXT to the Truth, not relying on slogans, billboards, flashy commercials, clever t-shirts, or glitzy mailers to do the job we are called to do. We are so committed to NOT letting our lives “off the hook” from doing the hard work of building relationships, that we have done no marketing. Our website is really the only way you’ll find out about us if you don’t hear it from some real live person’s lips. Often, that may mean slow growth, but what we have found is that we all have something at stake and that our friends (lost or unchurched) are important. God is big enough, in our minds, to connect us relationally with those who are seeking answers, those who are hurting and in need of community. We just have to develop a sensitivity to live by the Holy Spirit. This is a new way of living for many of us. We don’t have it all figured out or working like “clockwork,” but I have great hope that it will make the difference in our specific context. So far, it is a beautiful thing.
6) what do you believe are the key elements in an emerging/postmodern worship service? Worship today seems to have been cheapened. Music and style and image are the focus. The popularity of “worship music” has just increased the problem. It seems we can live our lives, day in and day out, never thinking of God, but at 11:00am on Sunday morning we are apparently overrun with thankfulness, humility, and celebration before our God. Maybe, we are just really into that cool music, that latest Nashville hit. It just seems to us that worship should be more sacred, that worship should be out of the natural flow of God working in our life together, that our _expression to God should involve more than music, more than music written by someone we don’t know.
We really see worship (that is the worship done corporately, either as a small group or a larger gathering) as an element that should be an _expression unique to our community. Our worship pastor functions a lot more like a community pastor (in fact, we’re pretty much in the process of doing away with the title “worship pastor”). This pastor is an amazing musician and leader of _expression, but he is also really gifted with relationships. We are moving toward a community that learns how to speak about God and who He is and what He is doing in our life. We believe the more we learn how to tell these stories in our relationships together, we will find this _expression of worship back to God as one that is unique to us. If we’ve had a few people go through some rough stuff, then that week we need to cry out to God on their behalf. If we’ve seen God answer some on-going prayers, we need to be thankful corporately. It isn’t a one-size-fits-all worship, but it is more of a ‘honed in’ personal (to our community) _expression. We become more unified during this kind of _expression, as well. We are in the beginning stages of retraining our community to understand what worship really is. Though it’s been tough, it’s already been a meaningful and important journey.
7) what two key areas of advise would you give to a person looking to plant a community of faith in your area, or any area? Number one. Check your motives. Are you doing this to become the next _______ (place your favorite church pastor here)?
Number two. Go after God, first and foremost. Live a life defined by loving God and loving others. Don’t lose your family over this. Don’t abandon your God-given responsibilities to your family for your church plant. I read something that got this into perspective for me.. It was simply the idea that there is always someone better than you out there. There is always someone who can replace you in your job, no matter how good you are as a pastor, but no one will ever be able to be a husband to your wife like you or a father to your son or daughter like you. Scripture places the bar high for an elder/pastor---one who can manage his family well. Therefore, the foremost shepherding role is to your family.
any closing thoughts you would like to share? Thanks for the opportunity to share what is going on in our context. We pray Christ will become famous around here.
Total views: 594
Word Count: 3009
