Renewing the vision: Challenges and opportunities from Resourcing Sunday to Saturday Faith (2)

Jan 17, 2020 | Extra Articles (Subscribers Only), Features

Rosemary Walters suggests some practical ways of responding to Bishop Martyn’s vision for the future of lay ministry. ‘What next for Lay Ministry?’ – Transforming Ministry Magazine

[This article is from our Spring 2020 back issue. To read back issues dating back to 2015, please activate your subscription]

The recent booklet from CRC, Resourcing Sunday to Saturday Faith contains a wealth of exciting and practical ideas for living out our vocation as lay ministers, encouraging our congregations in their weekday witness and living out that witness ourselves.

Here are some thoughts from the Key Characteristics of Theme 2: Teaching the Faith.

Characteristic 1 (p.15):

The Christian teacher loves God and has a thorough knowledge of God’s story (Scripture and tradition).

Opportunities: Study, Interpretation as if it were Shakespeare!

Challenges:

• What would you regard as a ‘detailed study’ of the Bible? Does your study of the Bible help you to ‘see the big story’?
• How does ‘tradition’ and ‘reason’ inform your study of the Bible? Has your training or CMD given you a ‘thorough study of theology’? If not, how might you rectify this?
• How far do you identify with the NT Wright invitation quoted on page 15 to see the Bible as like a Shakespeare play with the final act lost, and ministers as those who work out the final act consistently but with improvisation?

Characteristic 2 (p.16):

The Christian teacher loves people and learns how to listen well to the stories of individuals and communities (experience).

Opportunities: Deep Listening, Open Questions and New Perspectives.

Challenges:

• Do you think you have learnt the skill of ‘deep listening’? How would you define this? Can you give examples of Jesus engaging in deep listening from the Gospels?
• How do you know if you have asked ‘the right question’? Can you think of an example where you uncovered ‘issues of concern’ to the person you are listening to and learnt from them while questioning?
• Look at the example of Jesus ‘subtly shifting the question’ (page 16). How does this lead to looking at people and situations from ‘new perspectives’?

Characteristic 3 (p.17):

The Christian teacher loves learning and has a good understanding of how people learn (pedagogy).

Opportunities: Andragogy, Apprenticeship and Trust.

Challenges:

• In your teaching ministry do you subscribe to the theory that adults learn best thorough ‘self-directed learning’ and ‘previous experience’?
• Look at the ‘apprenticeship model’ (p. 17). Can you think of an occasion when this has worked for you as teacher or student?
• Would you say that your preaching and teaching stimulates ‘faith’ and ‘trust’ as defined on page 17? What is the balance between the two for you?

Characteristic 4 (p.18):

The Christian teacher makes time for prayerful reflection on Scripture, experience and the process of learning (reflective practice).

Opportunities: Life-long learning, Contexts and Reflection.

Challenges:

• Do you think you would have benefited from longer training with more learning done in the context of local ministry, internet material and small tutor groups?
• Since you finished training would it be fair to say that in your ministry ‘learning’ has taken second place to ‘doing’? If so, how might you rectify this?
• Would an ‘Individual Learning Plan’ (p. 19) after training and renewed regularly help you to exercise the ‘habits of learning’: of approaches to Bible Study, skills for community listening and discernment and reflection on experience? Does your current Ministry Review achieve this?

Characteristic 5 (p.19):

The Christian teacher prays with imagination and creativity.

Opportunities: Formation, Creativity and Gamification.

Challenges:

• What is your definition of Christian formation? Do you find it in the description of ‘the language of formation’ on page 19?
• Do your Intercessions include imagination and creativity? Do you think the desirability of these qualities precludes set prayers or prayers written by someone other than yourself?
• Look at the explanation of ‘gamification’ on page 19. Do you see this as a dilution of or an aid to enriching prayer?

Ideas for resources

• Donovan, V. (2001) Christianity Rediscovered. London: SCM.
• Verney, S. (1985) Water Into Wine. London: Fount.
• Grove Booklets see www.grovebooks.co.uk/evangelism
• Paul, I. B 86 How to Interpret the Bible: Four Essential Questions.
• Bewley, R. B 61 Transforming Conversation: How Jesus Talked to People (Insights from Mark’s Gospel).
• Mills-Powell, M. S 140 Passion and Purity: Feeling, Living and Loving in the Fullness of the Image of Christ.
• Marsh, K. S 146 Writing Prayer Poetry: How to Deepen Your Prayer Life.

[This article is from our Spring 2020 back issue. To read back issues dating back to 2015, please activate your subscription]

Rosemary Walters is a Reader in the parish of St Martin and St Paul, Canterbury and a member of General Synod.