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Mission-Shaped Church St Mark's Review No 200 (2006 - 1)

The latest edition of St Mark's Review contains a series of excellent articles which will be of assistance to those reflecting on mission whether in 'traditional' or 'emerging' forms of the church. Here is a 1,000 report on the seven articles. To find information about obtaining a copy of St Mark's Review go to http://www.stmarksntc.org.au/thl/review/default.htm

The first article, 'Introducing Mission-Shaped Church' by Michael Stead (pages 3-7) explains the context for the articles: In 2004 the Church of England produced a report 'Mission-shaped Church: church planting and fresh expressions of church in a changing context'. This was a refinement of an earlier 1994 document, 'Breaking New Ground: church planting in the Church of England'. The more recent report continues to affirm the importance of church planting but also acknowledges that things have moved on significantly in 10 years. Amongst other things, the document says that the existing parochial system alone is no longer able fully to deliver its underlying mission purpose. If the church is to truly engage with its society, the centuries old parish based 'You come to us' approach is insufficient. 'Mission-shaped Church' argues for a radicalisation of the church's mission strategy that goes beyond the strategy of church planting, articulated in the earlier report. It recognises a much greater range of 'fresh expressions' of church including, small communities, cafe churches, cell churches, churches arising out of community initiatives, multiple and mid-week congregations, network-focused churches, school-based congregations, seeker churches, traditional church plants and youth congregations. The theological basis for mission shape the church revolves around five principles; (1) that God is a missionary God; (2) the incarnation; (3) the Holy Spirit, who provides the first fruits of the kingdom; (4) Contextualisation; (5) the church is designed to reproduce.

The second article is 'A Theology of Church' by Glenn Davies (pages 8-13). Davies comments on the definitions of church (preferring the notion of church as assembly) and mission (preferring to utilise the concept of accommodation rather than incarnation). Then Peter Adam discusses 'Incarnational Theology for a Missionary church?' (pages 14-21). The report argues that the principle if the incarnation is fundamental for the missionary work of the church, but more of a focus on the cross, verbal revelation and the resurrection is needed. He critiques the history of the Anglican understanding of the incarnation as applied to the churches mission and the geographical parish system of mission, which has some uses, but also disadvantages - as when it is used to pretend that the mission of the church has been achieved because the whole nation is covered by dioceses and parishes. He lists 23 criteria for mission-shaped churches.

In 'Church and community: the church at mission transforming society' Don Edwards discusses the church's involvement in matters of social concern, The way Christians respond to social issues can be quite different but he expresses concern that that the list of common features of the various forms of mission-shaped churches does not include social involvement and transformation as an essential. These appear as part of some models of the church, but not, unfortunately, in all. Social transformation is important for the church gathered and also and for Christians when dispersed during the week, for the body of Christ exists then as well.

John Dunnill discusses 'The Mission-Shaped Church and the Formation of Christian Disciples'. The report well expresses the fact that a genuinely missionary church makes disciples and that evangelism is only the beginning of a process of transformation. Unfortunately, the reality is often different. Churches are frequently crippled by being content with kindergarten level information in a world which is increasingly ignorant about the substance of the Christian faith. A divorce of mission from formation results in a failure to produce a Christian lifestyle and a counter-cultural challenge to the community. This must be overcome. Some suggest the church has failed to provide an account of the gospel adequate for the contemporary world because certain images of Christ and God have buttressed a culture of retreat from the world. It is also suggested that the source of this problem is an overemphasis on the divine and changing Christ.

When examining new possible expressions of the church the issue of maturation must be considered. For example, 'alternative worship communities' typical of postmodern, post institutional and post denominational thinking are more likely to stress ' my exploration into God' rather than 'God's mission to the world'; 'Seeker churches' can have a weakness in the area of deeper transformation; 'Network focused churches' which reject the idea that life and identity are lodged primarily in a place may not have the capacity to provide the full substance needed for true community; 'Base ecclesial communities', which originated in Latin America, may not transplant into Australian society; the more Western-style cell church can create a high internal level of intentional discipleship but there may be a problem with the quality of leadership and its ability to main continuity between group life and the full life of the church catholic.

Dunnill also examines various instruments of formation such as Alpha and Emmaus and Credo. These may be useful, but it may be argued that the group experience which they offer may be difficult to sustain integrate with the wider life of a congregation.

Dunnill argues that 'Mission-shaped Church' does not give sufficient attention to the maturation processes. Fresh expressions of church will emerge, but will not achieve spiritual maturity without specific programs or educational structures.

Andrew McGowan explores 'Worship and the Mission-shaped Church'. The church's liturgical life is a vital dimension of its mission calling. 'Mission-Shaped Church' recognises the diversity of liturgy within Anglicanism, but lacks clear criteria by which the adequacy of present and future diversity could be assessed. The emphasis upon diversity often relates to the consumer orientated character of worship as understood today. That is, worship is understood to be required to meet a number of needs of the participants rather than being an imperative to exist or act in a certain relationship to God. Consequently, for example, (a) music is often regarded as closer to the heart of worship than the Eucharist; (b) the liturgy is not itself seen as part of the heart of the commitment and calling of the church but as a changeable outward shape or manifestation of a stable reality, whose essence is elsewhere; (c) the question of what lies at the essential core of worship is in dispute; (d) the call for worship on days other than Sunday, does not acknowledge that worship on Sunday was not a piece of value neutral cultural borrowing but an ideologically driven form of the sanctification of time and the celebration of the Day of Resurrection.

'Being mission shaped' is sometimes interpreted as 'being market-driven', with the need for the liturgy to be attractive to outsiders and be the primary means by which they receive encouragement to join a faith community. Should worship have to bear the weight of this? Is the assumption that the liturgy should be revised to make worship immediately comprehensible and attractive the appropriate response to secularisation?

In 'Holy Spirit and Mission: captivity and charism in 'Mission-Shaped Church'. Scott Cowdell discusses ministry and authority and the role of the episcopacy in the mission church.

Altogether these are valuable evaluations of the mission of both traditional and emerging forms of the church. To find information about obtaining a copy of St Mark's Review go to http://www.stmarksntc.org.au/thl/review/default.htm