Mission For Our Day :An Adventurous Vision

Missionary WOWEE 2009

Doctrine and Covenants 163

• Despite the challenges involved, it is my pleasure to be able to serve you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, who have been claimed by the adventurous vision and spirit of the Restoration movement.

Steven M. Veazey

President of the church

March 29, 2007

The Challenges Involved

Understanding the Times

• The World We Once Knew– A world of enlightened, rational thought– A world of answers– A world where scientific method promised to

bring order out of any chaos– A world where humans are the ultimate of all

God’s creation– A world where progress was inevitable

The Modern World

• Individualism - “I did it my way…”– Society is subservient to the individual – “I gotta be

me…”

• Idealism – “To dream the impossible dream…”• Rationalism – “Like a circle in a spiral…”• Humanism – “John Henry, he could hammer”• Work ethic – “Hi-ho, Hi-ho, it’s off to work we go”• Materialism – “Money makes the world go

around…”

The Modern World

• The triumph of Western culture

• Industrialization

• Urbanization

• Advanced technology

• Universally accepted truth

• Promote change toward progress

But the World Changed

• Two World Wars shattered idealism

• Nuclear weapons called into question the wisdom of science and progress

• Disillusionment with organized religion began

• Questions no longer had answers

• Truth, morals, ethics were relative

• Television, computers and internet

Post-modern Chaos

• The impossibility of truth

• Rejection of institutional religion

• Rebirth of magic, myth, paganism

• Permanence of chaos, fragmentation

• Rejection of history, which is useless, unknowable, and unexplainable

• Lack of meaning and purpose

• Rise of escapism in media and life

Decline of Churches

• Growth of a “secular” society

• Rise of radical fundamentalism—and the reaction against it to reject all faith

• Scandals involving ministers

• Multiple options for fellowship, for finding meaning, for connecting with others

• Religion perceived as dry, boring, staid, irrelevant, ridiculous, or dangerous

Traditional Church

• Centered on the building – “If you build it, they will come” doesn’t work

• Isolated and insulated from the struggles of life

• Loyalty to the institution has disappeared

• Comfort replaced active discipleship

• Church is perceived as a social club rather than social transformation

What Can We Do?

• Offer something other than “traditional church”

• Meet people where they live and make the Gospel relevant

• Provide a small, safe community where people can be real and share themselves

• TRACK 2: EFFECTIVE SMALL GROUP MINISTRY

Welcome to the Adventurous

Vision

There’s More to the Story

Postmodernity has a positive, hopeful side

The Post-modern World

• Each person’s story is as important and valid as every one else’s

• Celebration of community

• New emphasis on spirituality and Spirit

• Embracing multi-cultural diversity

• Non-sexist, non-agist, global

• Participation and collaboration

Community of Christ

• Community of Christ provides the kind of community that is needed in the postmodern world:– Zion – The Kingdom of God than Jesus proclaimed– Communities of joy, hope, love, and peace

• Our emphasis on the peace of Christ is desperately needed in people’s lives

• Our values and principles fit the positive side of “postmodernity!”

• Each person’s story is as important and valid as every one else’s - WORTH OF PERSONS

• Celebration of community - ZION

• Spirituality and Spirit – HOLY SPIRIT, DISCERNMENT, CONT. REVELATION

• Multi-cultural diversity – UNITY IN DIVERSITY

• Non-sexist, non-agist, global – A WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT

• Participation and collaboration – ALL ARE CALLED AND GIFTED

What Can We Do?

• It’s easy to reach people! Just be yourself, and let God do the rest!

• People aren’t looking for religion; they’re looking for something real – so be real!

• Evangelism can be as simple as listening!

• TRACK 1: INTRODUCTION TO MISSIONARY OPPORTUNITIES – THE NATURAL WAY

Capture the Adventurous

Vision

Looking to the Future

• When you look at an average congregation, how many youth are present?

• How many young adults are present?

• What is the average age of the leadership in the church?

• What’s going on?

Survey of Young Adults

• 93% aged 12-25 believe there is a spiritual aspect to life

• 55% said they are more spiritual now than 2 years ago

• 32% do not trust organized religion

• Church-goers are about as loyal to their brand of toothpaste as they are to their church denomination

Where do you feel spiritual?

• 1. Spending time in nature

• 2. Listening to music

• 3. Helping other people in the community

• 9. Attending religious services

Our young people are …

• Finding spirituality in meditation practices• Feeling everything is connected in a

larger whole• Rejecting the idea of making distinctions

(“and religion is all about making distinctions”)

• Looking for new and diverse experiences that transcend cultural and traditional barriers

What can we do?

• Listen more and talk less• Ask open-ended questions• Build bridges of understanding • Learn from their search and

their vision

• TRACK 3: YOUNG ADULTS AND ENVISIONING THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

Live the Adventurous

Vision

Welcome to the Adventurous

Vision

THEADVENTUROU

S VISION

Live the Adventurous

Vision

Capture the Adventurous

Vision