God as an Active Agent in the World
In addition to our messages on Sundays, Rev. Marty sits down with Mike Wasyluk and talks about some of the themes and topics in the book Turing Ourselves Inside Out that help us dig a little deeper into our role as a congregation in change, growth and rediscovering St. Andrew’s role in the community and in the kin-dom of God.
This podcast will be a brief history beginning in the Dark Ages to the Enlightenment, to Modernity and then Post Modernity – all from the perspective of the question, ‘Where is God and what is God doing?’ We will end with the strong affirmation of the belief that God is an active agent in the world today. We expect to be surprised each day by what God is up to
Notes:
Purpose of the Discussion:
Explanation of the need for a more in-depth conversation beyond Sunday sermons.
Desire to explore important ideas from the book "Turning Ourselves Inside Out."
Book Overview:
Introduction to the book's depth and its impact on individuals and the church community.
Acknowledgment of the difficulty in encompassing the book's ideas in a sermon series.
Hope for the Future:
Discussion on the perception of decline in the mainline church and the quest for hope.
Emphasis on the danger of manufacturing hope through human-defined concepts of God.
Experience vs. Understanding God:
Exploration of the tendency to focus on defining God rather than experiencing God.
Reflection on the power of God's incarnation and presence in our lives for genuine hope.
Historical Perspective on God:
Historical overview from the Dark Ages to modernity, highlighting shifts in understanding God.
Reference to the impact of scientific materialism on the church's perception of reality.
Liberal Church Dilemma:
Personal anecdote about a conversation highlighting the risk of the liberal church neglecting the need for God.
Emphasis on the essential experience of God and the values of inclusion, love, care, and compassion.
St. Andrews' Current Position:
Recognition of St. Andrews' strong history but acknowledgment of a potential reluctance to face current challenges.
Call to recognize where God is actively working, both within and beyond St. Andrews.
Moving Forward:
Shift in attitude: It's not all about creating a church that solely meets personal needs.
Emphasis on the covenant as a call to be a blessing to others, especially those in need.
Attitudinal Changes:
Challenge to move away from a self-centered view of church selection.
Encouragement to embrace a mindset of service and support for those struggling or disenfranchised.
Dependency on God:
Acknowledgment of personal limitations and the need for God's presence.
Stresses the importance of recognizing that it's not about individual capabilities but about God's work.
Buy the Book for Yourself
Turning Ourselves Inside Out emerges from the Thriving Christian Communities Project started by the authors in 2015, as well as from a Facebook conversation where someone asked, "We always hear about the problems in our churches. When are we going to talk about the good news stories?" This got the authors thinking: How do we learn about what is exciting and what the Holy Spirit is doing? How do we broaden the conversation beyond how sad, afraid, and grumpy we often are as church people?