I'm reading through Unlearning Church by Mike Slaughter for the tenth time, I believe. It's a great book and I would encourage you to read it. But if you just want the Cliff Notes, just read the next several blog posts to see highlights from each chapter:
INTRODUCTION - TIME TO UNLEARN
- this book is about leaders in churches, old and young, daring to leave the status quo and fearlessly stepping out into God's promising and yet unknown future. It's about "Unlearners" on the cutting edge of how God works best: through unique personalities localized to their context. It's about the prophetic witness to Christ's presence in individual communities with a ripple effect reaching around the world.
- I'm 'unlearning' the model of cloning someone else's blueprint.
- God's Kingdom is not best represented by franchises of McChurch.
- The Holy Spirit is empowering transformational leaders who demonstrate the kingdom of God in unique ways in each different community.
- Every church leader has a specific call and distinguishing base of talent. You already have the God-given gifts you need. Your mission is to use them to excel in a local implementation of the overall mission of Jesus Christ. Your effectiveness in the future will be measured by how well your church demonstrates the Kingdom of God in unique ways to your indigenous community and beyond.
- Today's emerging churches are anchoring themselves in the ancient truths of biblical authority, yet they're operating in an atmosphere of innovation and change.
- Armed with a strong sense of "first causes", they're forming distinctive communities of faith. They are safe spaces for spiritually hungry hearts, environments of deep connection, experiences of community, and centers of involvement in the pursuit of social justice.
- THE CALL IS TO UNLEARN - TO BREAK THE RULES OF CONVENTIONAL WISDOM IN ORDER TO TRANSLATE GOD'S ANCIENT PURPOSES TO TODAY'S POSTMODERN WORLD.
- It's time to go beyond knowing and believing God's truth to experiencing and demonstrating God's presence.
- God is calling people to develop faith communities that effectively reach unchurched populations for Jesus Christ in a postmodern, post-Christian world - radical disciples abandoned to the purpose of evangelism.
1 comment:
It's hard to unlearn years of teaching and doing it a certain way..but that's exactly what needs to happen.
"- It's time to go beyond knowing and believing God's truth to experiencing and demonstrating God's presence."
Most people think the first part of this sentence is enough..knowing and believing God's truth. The change that needs to happen is that people need to actually do...not just talk about it or teach about it.
In order to get people to do..as a leader you have to lead by example.
You have to pour yourself into those people and it DOES take time and energy and selflessness. You have to get your own hands dirty and you have to put yourself out there.
Things don't have to be done one way but it needs to be done grounded in biblical truth and compassion. You need both.
I was in a house church that had excellent teaching and biblical truth but there was little to no compassion and it failed.
"Your effectiveness in the future will be measured by how well your church demonstrates the Kingdom of God in unique ways to your indigenous community and beyond."
What works for one community and church doesn't necessarily work for another. You have to develop relationships and know where people are at in that community. Sometimes it doesn't work and you try again in a different way.
Your book sounds good Adam.esrn
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