Congregational Life Centre
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effective in their ministry
Epiphany Explorations 2010
Report by Clair Woodbury
Think you know what TGIF means? Think again. That was the message delivered by that guru of the acronym, Leonard Sweet, at this year's Epiphany Explorations.
Victoria was ready with its green grass and open water to greet those of us attending this years' Epiphany Explorations sponsored by First Metropolitan United Church. The event had a rich agenda of presenters, with great musical leadership by Linnea Good and Bruce Harding.
TGIF stands for Twitter-Google-Internet-Facebook, the digital information world our young adults and so many others live in. The keynote speaker Leonard Sweet's challenge was clear - if you want to have anyone under 40 in your congregation, you have to communicate in their language. 1973 was the dividing point. Before that we lived in what was essentially a Gutenberg world, one based on the printed word. After 1973 it morphed into TGIF. "There is a very different culture out there," he told us. "We in the church need to master the way young people communicate."
That's where the next acronym comes in - EPIC. Every event, be it worship or study group or gathering of any kind, has to be Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich and Connecting. That is the interface any organization has to use that wants to communicate with people who are part of today's culture. Leonard Sweet's presentation was itself a example. He was an Experience, looking the part of a guru to the "with-it" culture - full coiffure and beard, casual flowing shirt, and jeans. He is Professor of Evangelism at Drew University. There was no danger of falling asleep as he modulated his voice between full volume and intimate whisper.
His presentation was Participatory, inviting us as he did to finish his sentences. His use of live Internet to project images meant it was Image-rich. He is a gifted communicator and held the audience's attention for every minute of his three presentations.
When we are buying a cell phone it is not a piece of hardware. We are really buying the ability to connect. Computer networks, Facebook, and Twitter are all part of that desire for relationships. The digital world, however, has limitations, and that is where the church can come in. Deep down, Sweet believes, we are spiritual people who hunger for a personal connection, one that can come only through personal contact and participation in a real community.
Too many churches, however, operate in the ABC mode. It's all about Attendance, Building and Cash.
Sweet's answer lies in the acronym MRI. Churches that are going to survive in the future are the ones who are truly Missional, Relational and Incarnational. As far as mission is concerned, we need to be clear, says Sweet, it is not the church's mission but it is God's mission. It's not about preserving the church institution but rather meeting the needs of God's people in the community. We may think of the church as a sanctuary. According to Sweet's definition, "a sanctuary is not a safe place from risk, but a safe place to take risks." The MRI definition is elaborated in Sweet's latest book, So Beautiful.
Leonard Sweet's theology tends toward the conservative side and his approach is definitely American. What was compelling in his presentation however was the unmistakable challenge that those in the church have a choice. The church can continue to live within the culture it has inherited from the past, and eventually die as that culture fades away. Or it can move into the digital image-rich culture of today, using modern means of communicating to reach the younger generations.
Congregational Life, February 2010. Volume 16 Issue 3.