wfn.org | Presbyterians Urged to Lift up The Gospel at Redevelopment

[PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org]

Conference 
4-February-1998 
98030 
 
                    Presbyterians Urged to Lift up The 
                    Gospel at Redevelopment Conference 
 
                            by Julian Shipp 
 
ATLANTA-Gathering more than 400 strong here Jan. 22-25, Presbyterians were 
urged to proclaim Christ's gospel in the midst of the growing diversity of 
postmodern society by three keynote speakers during the denomination's 
Second National Redevelopment Conference. 
 
    The changing cultural context in the United States, which can be seen 
in everything from the evolution of computer science to new categories on 
the U.S. Census Bureau's forms, has radical implications for many 
congregations. While these cultural changes have frightened many 
congregations into retrenchment and survival lifestyles, many others are 
opting to explore and even embrace the changes. The conference sought to 
give participants an opportunity to examine some of those cultural 
transitions through networking, workshops, field trips to area churches and 
spirited worship services. 
 
    Highlighting the three-day event under the theme "God Says `Behold I'm 
Doing a New Thing'...Now If Only We Could Figure Out What It Is!" were Dr. 
Leonard Sweet, vice president of Drew University and dean of its 
theological school in Madison, N.J.; Dr. Walter Brueggemann, professor of 
Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga.; and the 
Rev. Eugenia Gamble, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, 
Ala. 
 
    Sweet used the current MCI slogan "Is This a Great Time or What?" as 
the topic of his address. He said mainline denominations in this country 
have largely failed to come to terms with the fact that the world has 
changed despite the enormous opportunities afforded to them through 
computers, the Internet, video and other technological tools of mission and 
evangelism. 
 
    "God is going to be in our future - I am absolutely, positively certain 
with every fiber of my being that God will be there," Sweet said. " I know 
God will be there, whether we are or not." 
 
    Sweet said the church should "work smarter,  not harder" -  that is, 
find new and innovative ways to do what it's always been charged to do, to 
convey "the power and rapture of a living Christ to the world." 
 
    "The new stained-glass window for the postmodern culture is the 
screen," he said. "God has called you to lead the church during this 
postmodern Reformation. I believe this Reformation that we are now in the 
process of going through is even more difficult than the Protestant 
Reformation. The invention of the microprocessor will have a greater impact 
on planet Earth than the discovery of fire, than the invention of the 
wheel. The invention of the printing press is nothing, virtually nothing, 
by comparison." 
 
    Sweet has held leadership positions throughout the United Methodist 
Church and is the author of more than 100 articles, 11 books and more than 
300 published sermons. He is also the creator of "Sweet's SoulCaf‚," a 
magazine-format spirituality newsletter. He is also a frequent speaker at 
national conventions, pastors' schools and denominational assemblies. 
 
    Brueggemann drew from Isaiah 40-55 during his lecture, titled "We've 
Got a Story to Tell to the Nations." He said today's church parallels the 
Israelites' captivity in Babylon, since both experienced "a deep 
displacement into a hostile environment that did not carry the faith." 
Bruegemann said congregations, which he described as "a distinctive 
community of faith," must do the following six things in order to survive 
in the 21st century: 
 
   *  practice memory in a world of amnesia 
   *  practice grief in a world of denial 
   *  practice sacrament in a world of technique 
   *  practice generosity in a world of scarcity 
   *  practice obedience in a world of indulgence, even when that obedience 
      seems futile 
   *  practice hope in a world of despair. 
 
    He also strongly cautioned the Presbyterian Church against divisive and 
destructive internal conflicts, particularly the ongoing debate on the 
proposed Amendment A, saying the denomination is severely limiting its 
relevancy and witness to the secular society by continuing to do so. 
 
    "The redevelopment of the church cannot tolerate for five seconds the 
silly, internal quarrelsome mess of clawing each other's eyes out," 
Brueggemann said. "The world loves to see Jesus people shooting at each 
other." 
 
    Gamble spoke from the perspective of a pastor currently leading a 
redeveloping congregation. Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in 
Birmingham, Ala., the city's oldest church, Gamble cited 10 points she said 
are necessary in order for redevelopment to occur. They are the following: 
 
   *  Expect people to seriously engage in Scripture and teach them how to 
      do it. 
   *  Pray more than may be fashionable and use fewer words. 
   *  Personally and as a community, develop the discipline of tithing. 
   *  Treat others with extraordinary respect, as we would treat Jesus 
      Christ. 
   *  Rehearse daily our identity in Christ Jesus. 
   *  Choose to love the church, but to love God more. 
   *  Take some risks and do it scared. 
   *  Be careful what you hate, because the line between what and who is 
      easily crossed. 
   *  Learn to cherish failure, not just accept and learn from it. 
   *  Choose as a discipline of life to give more air time to our good 
      news rather than our bad news. 
 
    "At the heart of the church there should be an incredible longing for 
something more, something that will break open the night," Gamble said. 
 
    Organized by Steve and Kari Kolmetz, the worship services helped 
participants experience the worship of God in a variety of ways and drew on 
different styles of music and liturgy. Preachers were the Rev. Lonnie 
Oliver, pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church in Atlanta; the Rev. Steve 
Austin, pastor of Riverdale (Ga.) Presbyterian Church; and the Rev. Judy 
Hay, pastor of Calvary Saint Andrews Parish in Rochester, N.Y. 
 
    The conference was sponsored by the National Ministries Division's 
Evangelism and Church Development Program Area and the Presbyterian 
Churchwide Redevelopment Network. It was co-sponsored by Percept, the 
Presbyteries of Baltimore, Central Florida, Central Washington, Charlotte, 
Chicago, East Tennessee, Flint River, Grand Canyon, Greater Atlanta, 
Kiskeminetas, New Brunswick, Ohio Valley, Philadelphia, Twin Cities Area, 
and Tropical Florida. 
 
    According to conference officials, since the mid-1990s, staff members 
of the Evangelism and Church Development Program Area have pioneered a 
redevelopment exploration program that has empowered pastors and lay people 
to forge new trails into the denomination's future. 
 
    The project of training and exploration has spread rapidly across the 
nation and continues to gain momentum. In the fall of 1995, 40 people 
representing presbyteries considering or actively sponsoring redevelopment 
clusters came together in Denver, Colo. At that event, a Churchwide 
Redevelopment Training Network was created. 
 
    Last January, the first national redevelopment gathering was held in 
San Antonio, Texas. During that event, a steering committee was put in 
place and plans were laid for this second gathering in Atlanta. 

------------
For more information contact Presbyterian News Service
  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
  E-mail PCUSA.NEWS@pcusa.org   Web page: http://www.pcusa.org 
  mailed from World Faith News <wfn-news@wfn.org>  

--