Hope for the Sake of Creation

From the final session of the Mainline Emergent/s gathering by Brian McLaren…

We must be concerned with the earth and not just the church. The substance of the message that is being presented in a local congregation is important - is the gospel one of escape or transformation?Possible action steps after the gathering:

1. Stop focusing on saving the church and think about the good news of the presence of the kingdom of God.

1. The gospel is a matter of life and death for the earth.

1. Find a cohort - remember that thinking is a social process and that change is an agonizing process.

1. Make friends: non-utilitarain relationships.

1. Be a friend to yourself...

1. If you can start something new, do.

1. You have more power than you think. You do not need permission to serve God.

1. If the people of your context are not interested in change, consider what you may be able to do in other areas.

1. Realize the positive relationships between innovation and imitation

1. Support experiments

1. Expect failure

1. Adaptively imitate success

1. Innovation and imitation are not enemies - small organizations may be able to innovate in ways that larger organizations can not. Larger organizations may be able to imitate this innovation and use it effectively.

1. Don't criticize anybody

1. Think of us / us, not us / them.

1. Include people in a circle of love, whether or not they include you in their circle.

1. Criticism can make you bitter or better. Criticizing will not make you better.

1. Emphasize "first order practices."

1. 1st order - pray; 2nd order - a theology of prayer

1. 1st order - giving to the poor; 2nd order - an economic theology

1. Hope against hope and ask... What if this works "exceedingly abundantly beyond all we can ask or think"? (Ephesians 3:19-20).