The challenges of Europe

Martin Robinson (on the picture right with Andrew Jones) is now teaching on the challenges we face in Europe. Let me share my notes with you, for what it's worth. He mentions four:

1. Demographic: a declining population.
2. A militant, intolerant secularism, that refuses to acknowledge the contribution of Christianity, while overstating the validity of her own 'secular story'. Christianity is only recognized as a kind of chaplain to society: a place of honour, but not a powerful movement.

3. New spiritual realities, of which Islam is the most visible. But at the same time: for every person in Europe that converts to Islam, ten turn to Buddhism. For secularists Buddhism is much more attractive: it's a spirituality without much compromise to the secular perspective, but without ethics as well.
4. Christians have to learn to live as creative minorities, because the time of Christendom is over and will not return. Monastic disciplines like dialogue and accountability help to model a Jesus-centered spirituality and discipleship. The hermeneutic of images: telling the Story in a way that's convincing to visually-oriented people. Practical action is needed, especially in restoring family life.

A church planter from Denmark comments: over the past few years 150 new churches have been planted in Denmark, but all of these are immigrant churches, who are not really reaching/discipling Danish culture. Vision among Christians is weak on the local and national level, because there's not much imagination to envision the impact of the Gospel in our culture, it's still easier to lend on tradition, even when this will eventually die out.

Reinhold also presents five challenges of Europe from a strategic missions and church planting perspective:

1. Overcoming Christendom-thinking and becoming a missional-incarnational movement.
2. Seeing multiplicative church planting movements (several generations).
3. Finding ways as Evangelicals to join with Catholic and Orthodox Christians.
4. The need to see apostolic leaders emerge who see beyond the church and see whole regions.
5. Igniting Jesus-centered community-forming movements in the cultural context of Islam.

Martin raises a question: what are the deep values that have to be re-established in society, to see a true re-christianisation of our continent? In the Celtic times it was that the warriors needed to work instead of loot. The monks fed themselves, and in so doing gave testimony to the dignity of work. We have to mobilise the capacity of the church to create social capital, and build into society (instead of 'playing church').

He mentions five key components for Emerging Mission:
- training/recruitment/imagination;
- team: the five-fold debate, apostolic genius;
- cells as the initial goals;
- people of peace: to deeply influence society you need indigenous leaders;
- multiplication DNA.

And five fluid groups that need Fluid Mission:
- youth;
- immigrants;
- the marginalized;
- professional/business groups;
- temporary communities.

And finally three components of training:
- character;
- specific skills;
- missiology for western europe.

Comments

[Rogier Bos]

Mark, thanks for the report. Very helpful and insightful!

Question: is there not a contradiction between the statement "the time of Christendom is over and will not return" and the question "what are the deep values that have to be re-established to see a true re-christianisation of our continent?"
I ask because I think many of us struggle with the recognition on the one hand Christendom is over and we should not wish for its return -- and on the other hand we long to see our continent and nation and places turned upside down by Christ-centred communities living in the power of the HS. Maybe it's not an either-or, but it does feel like one. Which is it: is Europe going to be turned upside down by a powerful move of God and be christianized -- or will Christianity in Europe never again be a strong influence?

On another note: the most insightful line in the article (and there were several) was: "For secularists Buddhism is much more attractive: it's a spirituality without much compromise to the secular perspective, but without ethics as well." I recognize the truth in that.

[Marc]

Hi Rogier,

My interpretation of what Martin said is that we're talking here about bottom-up rechristianisation, or disciple-making Kingdom-living influence. For instance the break-up in family life, a main problem in society: how can Christians as a creative minority live and 'teach' a healthy family-lifestyle?

[Dave Hund]

Rogier: my thoughts exactly! I was wondering what Martin meant by re-christianizing...

I do not want to 'go back to Christendom' with all it's abuses of power etc. But I DO want to see the Kingdom of God expanding in Europe...

It seems, indeed, to be a difficult issue to grapple with. It has to do with our theology of 'influence' (and our eschatology!). Dificult topics.

I agree with you Marc, that we need to seriously rethink and redefine 'influence' and 'power'...

I mean: God seems to always be working from the margins, with the marginalized (the 'power-less'?). Still that is how the Kingdom seems to function. Power in powerless-ness.

One of the main issues the post-Christendom Church needs to grapple with is how they define their 'influence' and 'success'.

It will not need to be in 'professionality, popularity, numbers, or size' but rather in Kingdom values such as meekness, justice, righteousness, and being 'poor (in spirit)'.

Check the Beatitutes in Matt 5, just before the Salt/Light [=influence] parable... Who were Salt and Light (= the influential)? I think the powerless of the previous verses...

Bless, Dave

[Rogier Bos]

OK, Marc and David (nice to see you here :-)!),thanks!
I am not sure that answers the question.

I think all three of us agree we do not ever want to go back to a top-down Christendom mentality or era.

But: are you saying you do have hope that Europe can become Christianized again through a bottom-up Kingdom-mentality? Or, are you saying you don't think/hope that Europe will ever become Christianized again, and that from now on, Christians will always have to operate from the margins?

In the one scenario, Europe will become Christian again, but not adopt a Christendom culture or state. In the other scenario: Europe wll never become Christian again; Christianity will always be there as one of the religions or faiths in the continent, but never the main one, or the one held by the majority.

The question really is: what are our expectations of the future? What are we praying and hoping for? What are we working towards. It seems to me that in Emergent circles both scenarios are represented, but the tension between these two views is seldom articulated. I thought Marc's report on his meeting displayed that tension as well. I think it's a good tension, and I would like to see us reach clarity on this issue.

Speaking for myself, I don't know. That's why I am so interested in the question! Your thoughts?

[Marc van der Woude]

Hm... good question. Perhaps the term 'christianization' is too loaded with history, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianization and 'discipling a culture/nation' is a better term.

I'm wondering... hasn't true Christianity (following Christ in His Spirit) always been a minority stream, also in the Christendom age? Isn't that what Christ intended or foresaw anyway - a minority exercising a force for good that has an impact way beyond its size?

Of course there also have been (and still are today) times and places where we see such an outpouring of God's grace, that a majority of the population decides to follow Christ, leading to (partly) transformed societies.

[Dave Hund]

Rogier (nice to 'see' you too!) and Marc,

"The question really is: what are our expectations of the future?" - That was exactly what I was trying to point out when I said that this was (primarily) an issue of our eschatology.

I do not know. I used to think in premillenial terms (world gets worse until Jesus comes and ushers in the Kingdom). But I am not so sure any more (of a lot of things ;-)

I have difficulty believing in a (post-millenial, reconstructionist) position in which super-Christians (filled with the HS and spectacular giftings) will 'take over the world' and 'establish' Gods Kingdom. The whole rhetoric sounds just so 'anti-Kingdom', so 'warfare-like'...

On the other hand, I do see the Kingdom described in the Gospels as a growing (underground) force that will 'overcome' the world... And I do believe that, in the end, 'All things will be summed up in Christ' (whatever that exactly means)...

Although I believe in widespread revivals etc. I am a little skeptical about the final outcomings. Have nations truly changed (long-term) due to large quantities of people becoming Christian?

So often I think these things can be seen in the (familiar) 'wave-form'. Seasons come and go, the pendulum swings... Things start out great, turn corrupt and next thing you know an 'emerging' generation shouts for opposite values, which (in time) become formalized, structured, and corrupt. etc...

Right now, the prospect of having Christians 'control' the world is kind of scary. Christians with too much power are scary people...

Quite a bleak outlook on things, I know.

I agree with Marc. True Christianity (the revolutionary, radical, take-jesus-literally kind) has always been a minority, marginalized, seen as heretical, etc...

In the end, I believe, I need to constantly remind myself that GOD is expanding His Kingdom, not I. That He is on a Mission, and invites me to cooperate. I need to be faithful (not 'successful') in cooperating with Him. Do as I see Him doing.

[Bob Bakke]

Thanks, Marc. I'm hoping Martin's comments were recorded and are available. I would be eager to hear him out.

As for his assertion that Christendom is finished, I, too, am inclinded to think that he means a certain kind of Christendom; perhaps feudal and/or imperial.

But there are two reasons to be hopeful about a new Christian era. First, the biblical hope declares that Europe will be filled with the knowledge of his glory. A wave of Christianity has crested and flowed along Europe's beach, only to recede and decline. The next wave will be farther up and a more glorious thing that God has ever done.

Secondly, I hope because this next season will not be like the last. There are residuals left behind by the past centuries. The present paganism is not like the one St Patrick confronted. The present paganism is seeded with grace and glory of Christ. When the rains come again, these seeds will blossom. David Bryant sent around a picture a few months ago of a desert in the USA that had been absoutely barren for generations, until a few months ago unusual rains came. To the astonishment of everyone, the desert became a radiant field of flowers. Seeds had lain dormant for generations. They were there all the time.
I believe this is true for Europe, too.

We got a taste of this during John-Paul's funeral. The crowds stunned everyone, even the most hopeful in the Vatican. Their is a latent power, and perhaps it will take the threat of Islam to help awaken it.

I pray for Europe, especially for my ancestral home of Norway.

[Marc]

Thx Bob for speaking hope. Yes, I also see a lot of hidden seed in Europe. And indeed Martin is an excellent speaker, very British, you should check him out, but I don't know if it was recorded.