My whacked out ideas about Church?

Where did I get my wacked out ideas about Church? About how ministry is supposed to work, about what is important? This week I have been amazed by the idea about Church that I grew up with. No, more than that, that which I had been taught in my years in the Church and in seminary.

What happened? I had the privilege to spend this week with 9 individuals from different parts of the world. Two of us from South Africa(Devon is from Soweto), one from Egypt, one from Ethiopia, one from Nigeria, one from Tanzania. Two from the USA, one from Thailand and one form Germany. What a challenging group! Each one of us from a different denomination and cultural background. But most of all what an amazing spiritual experience!
We came together at Mabalingwe, a Game Reserve in the Limpopo to talk and think about the relevancy of church and what is happening in the world. What a glorious experience!
To the horror of the guys from Africa, Germany and Thailand, we started talking about everything happening at our churches. One cannot help but to boast a little about everything happening at our church even if this boasting is neatly cloaked in holiness. To our dismay they reacted in horror and not in awe as we had expected. Instead of praising us they had asked the following questions which I would like to cover over the next few weeks.
1. How many of your congregation is really active? – My whacked out idea of congregation!

1.1 What is your understanding of active members?
1.2 Where is the focus of your congregation?
1.3 How do we help our people to be “not relevant?”

1.4 What can we do to make a difference?

2. How do we demonstrate our faith in the community? – My whacked out idea of ministry!

2.1 What do we call ministry?
2.2 How do we as leaders demonstrate this ministry?
2.3 How do we help our people to be “not relevant?”
2.4 What can we do to make a difference?

3. How do we worship? – My whacked out idea of worship!

3.1 What is our aim in worship?
3.2 How much of worship takes place at church?
3.3 How do we help our people to be “not relevant?”
3.4 What can we do to make a difference?

I will try to convey something of the conversations during the following weeks. Feel free to comment and partake in the discussions.