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Sam
Wheatley
www.newsong.org
New
Song Presbyterian
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?
Authentic
-- genuineness must pervade everything. By
genuineness/authenticity I mean a sense of reality. When we talk
everyone (regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey)
must be able to say "they really believe that." This
comes from 1) consistency -- when we talk about a love for the
arts or the poor, there must be actual embodiment of those
statements 2) first-hand experience -- we speak about what we know
and how we came to know it -- not just from books and classes
(though those are important), but also by the school of life. 3)
Vulnerability -- there is a "porousness" about our lives where
people see the messiness, ambiguity and doubts they share, and
simultaneously a stubborn grasp on Jesus.
Jesus-centric
-- Jesus is the center of all we do -- our goal is to facilitate
an encounter between our city and the risen Lord Jesus Christ. We
are not Jesus' agent, we can't demand He show up to our bookings,
but we can create space (in every nook and cranny of Salt Lake)
for that encounter to happen. We have confidence of that encounter
happening regularly because His heart is to show mercy, to rescue
His people, to come close to the broken.
Connected
-- We are not disembodied from the culture(s) of our city. We are
engaged with the ideas, people and issues that are part of the
rich dialogue of life. We read the books; go to the movies; sing
the songs of our culture not as an exercise in
observing/analyzing/dissecting but in order to participate and
join in. Redeeming the world is loving it into being what it was
created for in the first place. We also place a premium on being
connected to one another as friends, neighbors and fellow
disciples.
2)
what do you see as the four (because three is too traditional) differences
between the community of faith you are serving, and those churches
in your area?
1.
Love for the arts -- the arts are not propaganda. They are not
there for our use to illustrate our points; the arts are there to
evoke/to raise up a hunger that only Yahweh can fill.
2.
Appreciation of the history of the church -- we love the church in
all her messiness and missteps. We love the faithful women and men
of our heritage who lived out the gospel in their cultures. We
seek to understand why they did what they did in worship and in
life in order for them to speak to us about how to live today.
3.
Common Grace -- we easily use the stuff of this world to talk
about the gospel (films, books, nature, history, life-stories,
songs, etc.) because we know that no matter how much you try, you
can't squeeze Yahweh out of the world He has made. His heart keeps
popping up all over the place, our job is not to "prove"
His existence as much as it is to point out His obvious presence
among us at all times.
4.
Preaching that engages both Christian and skeptic -- Most churches
speak only to Christians. They use language only an insider would
understand. We avoid such language and we seek to show how Grace
is equally relevant to all. This comes from a theological
understanding that it is the gospel that rescues as well as
returns us home.
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 benefits and problems without being connected?
Yes,
we are part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). I love
being part of a group of people broad enough to keep me honest. I
need people to the right and left of me prodding me to think
through theological and practice matters from their perspective. I
really don't see a down-side of being in a denomination that at
it's core loves Jesus and exists to proclaim His mercy to a world
in need.
4)
what would you say are the two hardest things connected to
planting an emerging/postmodern community of faith?
I
Regularly have to deal with misunderstandings about the nature of
pastoral authority. Most have come from backgrounds where
authority was not exercised well -- either it was never used or
excessively used. Hence, people are gun-shy about approaching a
pastor. It takes a lot of time to develop the trust of people.
Money. Building a church primarily through conversion is not the
most economically practical thing to do.
5)
how does your community of faith develop connections with those
outside the community?
By
Living -- we all live in community with all kinds of people;
evangelism isn't a "how do we infiltrate them" exercise;
rather it is a "how do I love the people already in my life
(yes, all of them)?" Most Christians become ghettoized by not
living their lives (i.e. doing the things they love to do, being
good neighbors, working for a living) but by retreating from
living into a 2D version of it (demanding that something have the
adjective "christian" in front of it (music, community,
concert, art, TV, etc)) instead.
6)
what do you believe are the key elopements in an
emerging/postmodern worship service?
Participation
-- being engaged as a worshipper, not being an
"audience".
Meaning
-- grasp of the purpose of things as well as a clear understanding
of the central thrust of the gospel.
Relevance
-- not the "7 steps to a better marriage" approach to
relevance, but the connection of grace to what I've already been
thinking, but couldn't quite figure out.
Honesty
-- an invitation to life without masks
Community
-- we are here worshipping together, we are not a random
collection of marbles in a bag.
Transcendence
-- the work of Yahweh (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is anticipated
and made room for.
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?
Don't
do this for any other reason than God is calling you, others are
affirming your gifts and this kind of church won't get out of your
head.
any
closing thoughts you would like to share?
I
haven't said anything specifically about mission, yet in almost
every way, this is what is behind all else. The church is -
because of the collapse of Christendom & the wise plan of
Yahweh - rediscovering it's call to embody the kingdom of God. We
no longer are living off the capital of a previous generation's
faithfulness to Jesus, we are having now to actually follow Him,
trust Him and love the people He loves.
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