True transformation must include this element of human development. Transformation in the biblical world is the metamorph word group (a word incidentally only occuring 4 times in the entire NT). Metamorphosis is stage by stage development. The inform- so I can get you to conform – models of ministry will not move people stage by stage to anything accept doctrinal acceptance, mental assent and rule and boundary acquisition. In other words in keeping with the socialized mind we looked at last post, the inform/conform models of “formation,” if they can even be called that, tell people what to believe, what rules to live by, what standards are in force, what to see. This stage of development is telling people what , not telling them how. Therein lies the crucial developmental distinction.
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Human development can go further than the socialized mind. Informing people and getting them to fit in or conform to everything from doctrinal statements to more pious sounding “requirements” so they can be accepted and belong is the doorway in and in some cases goal in many of our churches. James Fowler calls this the “mythic literal” stage of development and a remarkably high number of people stay here their entire lives. They conform to doctrinal standards, think denominational distinctives, to stock answers to the standard questions, if you don’t ask many questions or question the systems certainty or become too independent in your thinking you can belong for a lifetime. This is mythic-literal faith. If you haven’t read Fowler you need to.
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The church system is stuck. Admission is the first step forward. Informing, conforming and believing are what the modern church system are built on. You know what? I haven’t gotten any push back on that statement? I haven’t gotten one email, tweet or fb comment that people want to challenge the last several posts. But there is pain being expressed because many of us are still neck deep in the modern system and would love to try and make changes. I have heard from several friends, “but what about us Ron do we just abandon ship and all the people on it?” Fair questions and fair concerns.
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The church as we have it today in the West is largely built around a model of belonging not a model of transforming lives. If you join a club, organization or church and they ask you to believe in this set of values, these doctrines and these rules, at that stage you belong and are now part of the group. You are now part of the “in” group because you have done the things that put you “in.” But is that the point of the church? Affiliation and belonging based on subscribing to a doctrinal or ethical code? Obviously the answer is no! Few churches I know anywhere state their model for changing lives or when questioned can articulate one.
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