FollowUp to Missional in Suburbia from Al Hsu

Questions to consider. Link to Al Hsu’s (pronounced shee) post from The Suburban Christian.

Part 1: Exploring Your Suburban Context

Describe your suburban context, where you live/work/worship/minister. How did you come to live here? What brought you to the area?

What would you say is distinctive about your particular location? Consider these cultural cues:

· What institutions are important in your suburban area? Commercial, governmental, nonprofit, educational, entertainment, etc.?

· What major employers are based in your area?

· What kinds of local festivals or community events are held in your area?

· What different kinds of residents live in your area? Where do they live?

· Why do people move to your local suburb rather than others?

· How is your particular suburb different from others nearby?

What are the needs of your suburban area? Assess the “as is.” Consider physical, economic, social, emotional, relational, spiritual dimensions.

What would your suburb look like if the kingdom of God became more manifest there? What problems might be alleviated? How would your suburb be different?

What is your vision for your suburb, your neighborhood, your community? Describe the “could be.”

Part 2: Identifying Your Church’s Role

Why do people come to your church? (If you don’t know, call some ordinary church members right now and ask them, “Out of all the churches in the area, why did you decide to visit our church? What made you stay?”)

Why do people leave your church?

What’s your church’s distinctive DNA? How is it different from other churches in your area?

What does your church do that other churches don’t do? What can your church do that other churches can’t do?

What do you wish your church could do? Is that hope anchored in reality?

Consider the “as is” and “could be” discussed in part 1. What is your church’s role in contributing toward this “could be”?

How can your church partner with other churches in moving toward this “could be”?

Advertisement

Missional in Suburbia Seminar with Al Hsu

Missional in Suburbia one day conference with Al Hsu

Al Hsu‘s a great guy. I had the privilege of sharing the platform with him as well as my old prof Dr. John Franke amongst others at The Well’s Missional in Suburbia Seminar responding to some of the things Al shared with us. His book, The Suburban Christian, offers very practical insight to something that a lot of leaders have not considered very carefully at least not so practically. It’s easy to see the needs in the city and follow Tim Keller’s lead to minister in the city to impact culture and overlook addressing the problems in suburbia. The Suburban Christian is a great companion to the groundbreaking classic,  “The Urban Christian” by Ray Bakke.

Download the Sessions Here
Part One
Part Two

Missional in Suburbia

I should have posted earlier about this but it’s not too late. My good friend Todd Hiestand, Pastor at The Well, is hosting in partnership with the Ecclesia Network and C4ML at Biblical Seminary, “Missional in Suburbia” inviting Al Hsu, author of The Suburban Christian, this weekend August 8-9, 2008.

The Well has really done some great things helping us retool our thinking about Suburbia. They recently invited local community leaders from Bucks County to discuss the unique issues of suburban poverty.

So this seminar should really be worth your while. See you there!