S BELONGING TOGETHER IN CHRIST
Vision
Our vision statement is: “Living the Mission of Jesus”
The 3 dimensions of that vision are:
Passionate personal spirituality
Pioneering faith communities
Prophetic global citizens
Growing into the fullness of Christ
Under God, delighting in His grace and rooted in the Diocesan rule of life, we will be a Diocese in which:
We belong together in Christ, practising sacrificial living and good stewardship of all that God has entrusted to us. We will combine radical generosity, care and capacity buildingwith a clear focus on directing finance into the mission of Jesus. Sharing and multiplyinglocal good practice, using people, buildings and other resources wisely, we will seek toboldly prune, plant and invest in building for the Kingdom.
I puzzled about this theme – so diverse: belonging together, sacrificial living, generosity, stewardship of people, buildings and money, pruning and planting.
I have come to the conclusion that these are primarily spiritual issues, rather than resource management issues. That the issues to be addressed are more cultural and spiritual, than strategic.
Start by saying the grace together.
‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ……..
S But one thing unites this theme and shows how it can be fulfilled is ‘the fellowship created by the Holy Spirit’
What is fellowship – much more than ‘tea in green cups after everything!’
Fellowship ‘koinonia’a seriously under explored biblical theme
S – inseparably linking the Christian’s relationships with the Christians resources.
S Rooted in a shared participation in the Spirit
'For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the ‘body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.' 1 Corinthians 12:12-13
S ‘The people of God as a community of believers owe their existence to their common, lavish experience of the Spirit.’ Gordon Fee GEP 872
SIn Acts 2 ‘fellowship’ a consequence of Pentecost
2:1When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ….
41So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. … 44All who believed were together
S‘Fellowship is created by the Holy Spirit, but is sustained by consistent habits –
Note ‘devoted themselves’
Ongoing learning (the apostles’ teaching)),
Community,
Holy Communion,
Shared patterns of prayer.
(Diocesan rule of life)
SA new form of life together – the fellowship of the Holy Spirit takes tangible form.
2:44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God
They shared their homes, their needs, their meals, their time, their possessions, as well as worship, spiritual gifts and mission.
4:32Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.’
When given free reign the Holy Spirit brings about a radical change in attitudes to other people and to money and possessions.
S'The sign of the Holy Spirit's coming and abiding in a particular place is the emergence of a common life, an openness to one another, a sharing in each other's lives, becoming the pattern, rather than the exception' Gordon Abbott (Community of Celebration)
‘the fellowship of the Holy Spirit’ is an interdependent life shared within the mission of Christ.
SIts characteristic is generosity.
Its foundation is gratitude.
It is a response to grace
S2Cor.8:9For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
This shared life in and created by the Spirit continued as the gospel spread acrossthe Roman world..
SSo when Paul addresses the Corinthians he is clear about what ‘God has arranged’. What the body of Christ, formed through the action and presence of the Holy Spirit, is to be like.
12:13For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
24 God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, 25that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it..
The next time he writes to them it is clear that this mutuality is not just to apply within churches but between churches as well.
S2Cor. 8:We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing (koinonia)in this ministry to the saints.
9:6The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.
13Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing (koinonia) with them and with all others.
Rom 15.26 26for Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to share their resources (koinonia) with the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.
What is remarkable is that this gift is to the church from which Paul’s critics came!
SThe tradition continued through the centuries, and not just as mutual care in the churches.
Julian the Apostate ‘the impious Galilaeans support not only their own poor but ours as well’
SThe fellowship of the Holy Spirit involves money!
Counter cultural by the power of the Spirit
S‘The activity of consuming has become a kind of template or model for the way in which citizens of contemporary Western societies have come to view all their activities.’ Colin Campbell
SCountering consumerism - calling people to something better
•A more captivating motive for daily choices
•A more powerful set of character forming habits
•A proactive supportive Christian community
All in the power of the Holy Spirit
Why?
S'Once upon a time there was a Man who lived in Scarcity. After many adventures and a long journey through Economic Science, he met the Affluent Society. They married and had lots of needs.' Jean Baudrillard
SIdolatry (Misdirection)
Misdirection services the idolatrous element of consumerism.
Misdirection is ‘the advertising strategy of associating commodities with needs, desires and values that are not directly related to the given products. Misdirection works by encouraging consumers to fulfil more profound needs and desires through consumption.’ Vincent Miller P109
False Hope (Seduction – Miller following Bauman)
Seduction is not really about the seductive qualities of particular products, but the ongoing process that keeps us moving on from one consumer choice to another.
‘Seduction concerns our relationship to objects of desire. Contrary to what is generally assumed, consumer desire is not focussed on particular objects, but is instead stretched out across an endless series of potential objects.’ Miller P109
‘Consumer desire is not focused on particular things; it is constantly enticed to go beyond what has been acquired to consider something new.’ Miller P141
Provides a consumer hope, a consumer promise of the future.
A Counterfeit of Christian Spirituality
‘Seduction spurs consumption by prolonging desire and channelling its inevitable disappointments into further desires.’ Miller
A striking parallel to Augustine: ‘You made us for yourself and our heart find no peace until they rest in you.’
‘Consumer desire mimics the restlessness of our earthly pilgrimage.’ Miller P130
An Assurance Mechanism
‘The deeper underlying human need for reassurance concerning the reality of the self.’Campbell P35
‘A kind of default philosophy for all modern life.’ Campbell P42
Consumerism is habitual and character forming. (A disciple making practice)
It makes religion seem unnecessary, or turns it into a consumer experience!
Two key words undermine it:
SEnough
2Cor. 9:6The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 9As it is written,
‘He scatters abroad, he gives to thepoor;his righteousness* endures for ever.’
10He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.*11You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.
SContentment
1Tim. 6:6Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; 7for we brought nothing into the world, so that* we can take nothing out of it; 8but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
Phil 4:11 I have learned to be content with whatever I have. 12I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. 13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
SThese passages are an advertising agency’s nightmare!
SBasic discipleship
Mt. 6:25‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?28And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, 29yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. 30But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? S31Therefore do not worry, saying, “What will we eat?” or “What will we drink?” or “What will we wear?” 32For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
SBut it is not just money and possessions, it is people as well.
SActs 13:Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. 2While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ 3Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.
Releasing your best to follow the Spirit’s call to the unreached.
Stewardship of people implies the recognition and release of their gifts.
SThe body of Christ
It is the environment of koinonia in the Spirit in which all can contribute their gifts which enables vocation.
SSSSFresh expressions data re 10 dioceses
‘Lay lay’ leaders in fresh expressions in 20 dioceses.
Locked away resources, waiting to be released.
SIdentify people who can, support them and train them ‘on the hoof’
Just in time, not just in case
Conc.
SThe release of money and people is a consequence of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
We are to receive this gift, and nurture the resulting culture
‘devoting ourselves’ to the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
S'Luke's interest lies elsewhere than institutional arrangement, and his challenge to the church is less to do with how the assembly structures itself, than with the character of the assembly's response to the Holy Spirit at work in the world.' Luke Timothy Johnson
S‘Our theology would improve if we thought more of the church being given to the Spirit than of the Spirit being given to the church.’ John V Taylor
I cannot offer you a strategy for achieving this goal, but I can offer you a prayer.
SCome Holy Spirit
+Graham Cray – October 2016