Postmodern

Postmodernism is a global and cross-generational shift in culture. The focal center, or if you prefer, ‘the heart of the sociological bell-curve,’ has moved. Some of what used to be common sense, in terms of the way people understood the world, has become passé. Most of us oscillate between modern and postmodern worldviews depending upon the particular circumstances that we are encountering. Gradually, however, modernity is losing its sway in the public arena. The church lives in the public arena and must adapt; even if it requires the sacrifice of cherished institutional structures.

The following generalizations may illustrate this shift:

· Where moderns are materially oriented, post-moderns are relational.

· Where moderns develop and use hierarchical systems, post-moderns use networks

· Moderns analyze and dogmatize, seeking to distill objective truth. Post-moderns believe truth to be relative to the observer. They prefer general guidelines and utilize narrative to understand experience.

· Where moderns control situations by limiting access to knowledge, post-moderns expect transparency

· Where moderns think of technology as good or evil, post-moderns use technology without being afraid or impressed by it.

· Moderns value work ethic and success, post-moderns value authenticity

Some Postmodern principles for the church:

1) Be transparent: Post-moderns know that knowledge is power and that those who control knowledge are usually up to no good.

2) Redefine membership: Each congregation must take its own approach, but gone are the days when we could say that our members are the baptized ones who have agreed to a set of exclusivist doctrinal questions. If we continue to keep membership lists at all, they must reflect a person’s commitment to sacrificial discipleship. Further, we must honor the people outside our doors above our members.

3) Expect knowledge to flow uphill: Don’t look to your denominational office to tell you how to be church. Network with those in your neighborhood and allow your models for mission, worship, and witness to arise organically out of your community.

4) Constantly Teach: Post-moderns expect their gadgets to have an intuitive human interface. When they come to church, they expect every aspect of their experience to inform them. They don’t want to read a rote prayer from the bulletin; they want to be taught how to pray. They don’t want to hear a dry report of how mission dollars were spent; they want to be guided through a hands-on experience of helping someone.

5) Be Global and Local: The post-modern’s world is paradoxically global and local at the same time. Communication technology has removed the barriers. The church needs to redesign its structures and language to reflect this change. Fellowship can now occur 24/7, how does that change our definition of community? Who is my neighbor?