Conference Report March 2002

Speaker: Rev. Dr. Tony Sargent, Principal ICC

International Christian College, March 2002.

Morning Session 1130 - 1300

Preaching and the Contemporary Situation

Background and Introduction

Dr. Sargent began by outlining his background as pastor for 28 years in London, and as director of Operation Mobilisation for many years. From his experience, he felt that using the term "lay" in lay preaching or other forms of lay ministry had no validity. Everyone involved in Christian ministry had been ordained and commissioned by Christ, and the distinctions of "lay" or "clergy" were not often helpful.

Reference was made to two ministries in the Bible: Miriam (Moses' sister) and Malachi.
Miriam was called a prophetess, has the potential to form a leading role in Israel, yet ended up with leprosy and a failed ministry.
Malachi - see chapter 2 - give inspiration and challenge as a pastor-prophet and explained God's covenant with others. He reminded people that God was the Almighty, not the "all-matey".

Lessons from West Sussex

The situation in West Sussex was that of small churches in the villages, with attendances spiralling downwards, supported by faithful lay preachers. In one church situation there had been splits over music and charasmatic issues.
Obstacles impeding renewal were observed as:

• A neglected building
• A fixed tradition
• The dominant personality
• A lack of leadership
• Discontinuity of teaching
• A dearth of young people
• Threat of popularity of local, successful "mega church".

In West Sussex, some of these churches asked for help from the local mega church, and were supported by lay people coming in from the larger church to pioneer recovery work.

Group discussion

The session ended by breaking into discussion groups, which looked at the following statements:

Two Different Views

(a) The realist / pessimist:
It is better that some churches be allowed to die and not be propped up.
This is a felt opinion by many in the church growth movement. It is easier to strike something new than waste time on something which is dying; the latter prolongs the agony.

(b) The optimist / idealist:
Any church, given some factors, can be renewed.
Do you agree with this statement? What is your evidence? What are "the factors" to which the statement refers? What do you do if these factors are not visible?

(a) A lay preacher's role is to paper over the cracks.
Be realistic in response to this. Plastering over cracks is no more dishonourable than, in a different context, the work ofthe St. Andrews Ambulance. To help maintain a situation, to keep the doors open and some testimony going has a value. Is lay preaching an honourable maintainance ministry?

(b) A lay preacher can help a church to strategise, change and move things forward.
How can you go about this? What priorities will emerge? What will determine these priorities? What problems personally will confront you?

Afternoon Session 1400 - 1530

Preaching and Envisioning

Introduction

The opening remarks referred to the leader of a Korean church with a large memebrship, who said "Imagine what the church could become - then pray it". Proverbs said that "without vision the people perish". What do we anticipate our church will be like in five years, ten years? The lay preaching task can involve a lack of opportunity and continuity.

Vision - the basic necessity