So What's Next?
Some Reflections on the Next 20+ Years of Your Church
Mari Ikeda & Minori Nagahara
1. The Church: Bounded Set Approach vs. Centered Set Approach
a) Bounded Set
b) Centered Set
2. Focusing on the center = Crossing boundaries
a) Jesus: The ultimate boundary-crosser (Philippians 2:6-8)
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
b) Our challenge (Matthew 14:28-32)
"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
c) My dream: A church where homeless people feel welcome (Matthew 25: 34-40)
"Then the King will say to those on his right, `Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' "The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
Summary
As grateful as we are to reflect on the past of Your Church and as fun as it is to enjoy what we are in the present, we each have a responsibility to look toward the future. Our desire is to be a church in which we love God, love one another, and love the people in our world. To that end, the Centered Set approach reminds us of our one true focus: Jesus. Are we facing Jesus and moving closer to him? Are we living in a way that introduces others to Jesus? If we are not careful, we can easily become a Bounded Set church in which people have to be like us and think like us in order to connect with Jesus. Let's celebrate the diversity of the people God has created, and live in such a way that we are constantly moving toward Jesus and encouraging others to move toward him as well.