Changing Church?

How can the Church respond to changes in society and culture? This course will explore how recent and ongoing changes in our society and culture affect us as individuals and churches. The starting point will be the insight gained from cross-cultural mission over generations; that the gospel must take on a form appropriate to the local culture, yet not be too conformed to it.
We will explore various ways in which our culture has changed and is changing. We will consider the impact this has on us as individual disciples and as churches – in how we understand our faith, how we live a life of discipleship and how we organise our life together.

Week 1
Changing Church – changes in society and culture and how the church has been responding

Week 2
Expectations - what do we/should we expect church to do for us, for other people, for society?

Week 3
The Life of Faith – how cultural changes impact how we learn and grow in the faith teaching/learning, spirituality, worship?

Week 4
Community – how cultural changes impact the community life of the church, including its organisation and leadership?

Week 5
Mission – how do we engage effectively with a society that is pluralistic and in which we have less influence?

Week 6
Changing Church - what might church look like and how do we get there?