These notes are from Joseph Myers’ seminar “Organic Community” given at Northern Seminary, May 2008. They are rough. I’ll post a session each day (6 total).
Language. Growth.
Language has huge power
English is taking a major shift from noun-centric to verb-centric
Greek and Hebrew are verb-centric (most important part of sentence is verb)
Indication of changes
Word clustering (more words used to describe words – ex “small group”
Internet
Acceptance of quantum theory
Don’t use nouns to describe something that is alive.
Growth
master plan leads to bankruptcy, organic to sustainability
large lump models ——- incremental maintenance patterns ——– bankruptcy
ex: big house, can only make payment, no $ for repair, bankrupt
ex: 100% in small groups – they drop out as youth leaders, etc
piecemeal model ———- quantum leap growth patterns —— sustainability
Do one semester and see how it goes
Flash growth – ex 40 days of purpose. OK and healthy but don’t expect it to remain
Consider before you launch next initiative:
Will it deplete resources? Community life? Devastate the whole?
Compassion
Community (good fun)
Hope
This all leads to . . .
Challenge
Reasonability
Commitment
example – Get married out of compassion, community, hope. That lead to challenge, reasonability, hope
Raising money – don’t head close to challenge, reasonability, commitment. Limit scope.
Studies show that most people who come and claim your church want to give.
Salvation Army raises almost more money than any other org – they use compassion, community, and hope