© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Session 1What is Church?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Session 1What is church?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Community of Faith

Looking at the shape and mission of the church– Biblical foundations– Forces shaping the church– Form and function– Call to God’s people

Five sessions1. What is church?2. Incarnate people3. Growing people4. Kingdom people5. Witnessing people

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Keys

• Key Point

– The shape of the Church has developed over two thousand years: humanly in response to political, social and economic pressures; spiritually in response to God’s calling, equipping and sending.

• Key Skill

– Appreciation of diverse views

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Module-Wide Reflection

• Chose 1 topic from Handout 5• Week by week make notes from each

session• At the end of session 5 write a reflection

on the topic, bringing together what you have learned

• Your reflection is personal, it is not assessed, but you may ask for feedback.

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Today• Introductions

– Us & the Module

• My ideal church

• 5 Forces that shape the church

• Form and Function

• What is church? – the call to God’s people

• My church – a reflection

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

My Ideal Church

• Brainstorm– What ingredients would I like in my church?

Form Functione.g. Coffee bar… e.g. Hospitality…

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

5 Forces that shape church

• Formation (reflected in the Bible)

• De-formation (consequences of political power and cultural pressures)

• Re-formation (the call back to integrity)

• Transformation (the impact of the Holy Spirit)

• Consummation (new heavens and new earth)

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Five Forces - Exercise

• Choose one of these 3 study topics:– Greek Widows (Handout 1)– Circumcision (Handout 2)– Locked in (Handout 3)

• What in the biblical passages characterises each of the five forces?

• Which of these do you see at work in the local, national or international church today?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Form and Function • Form:- Our shape, who we are• Function:- Our calling, what we are to do

• Form usually follows function (we design something to work)

• Since God resources His mission:-– Does Function follow Form? – Should we look to who we are to understand

what we are called to do?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Form and Function - Discussion

• What are the implications for our local church of function following form?

• How can we discern what God is saying to us in the local church?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Coffee Break

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

What is church?• Incarnate People (God in us)• Growing People (…until you reach maturity)• Kingdom People (aliens in a foreign land)• Witnessing People (Go, make disciples)

• Using HANDOUT 4 (Shaping the Church – scriptures) either:– Choose the passage that best describes Church to

you, and feedback why.– Say how the passages describe the four dimensions

of church above.

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Reflection

• My church– Its shape and calling

• My place in my church– My gifts; my role(s)

• How can I best support God’s call on my church?– What might I need to change?

© Diocese of Guildford 2012What is Church?

Wrap Up

• HANDOUT 5 Community of Faith reflection

• Comments and Feedback

• For next time:• Check out the notes for Session 2• Bring a Bible