Forum for Change, Bristol

forum-for-change-disucussions Forum for Change (F4C) is an initiative facilitated by the Evangelical Alliance to bring together prayer, strategic thinking and action for the future of our children. It is a network of Christian ministries combining the expertise of research and campaign groups, individuals and churches acting as a catalyst for spiritual and social change in society.

F4C is beginning to be expressed regionally, such as in Bristol, through gatherings such as the one detailed below.

For more information, check out the website at www.eauk.org/forumforchange

The fourth Forum for Change day in Bristol was held at Easton Christian Family Centre, in inner city Bristol. Over the morning and a lunch, it brought together five or six key Christians from each of the six 'Change Drivers' of society in the Bristol region (Business, Politics, Education, Arts, Media and Sport) in addition to some key prayer networkers; a total of about thirty in all.

The idea was to encourage networking and dialogue both within each sphere and across the spheres, in order to spark fresh relationships, to encourage working together during the day, and action beyond.

The keynote speakers were Stuart Murray-Williams (Anabaptist Network), who shared about the nature of change F4C is looking for in the Bristol region, a continuation of a discussion F4C has been having over the past year: "Are we seeking to return to 'Christendom' or are we looking for new ways of engaging with a “post-Christendom” society?” (See his notes at the bottom of this article, or listen to his recorded talk at www.bristolregionleaders.net).

Marijke Hoek, who facilitates F4C in the UK, explained its aims and the need for the strategic Change Drivers to bring change.

Later, Graham Sims, Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Bristol City Council and John Savage, Chief Executive, GWE Business West, both shared about their vision and heart for Bristol over the last 25 years or more.

Others interviewed across the five Change Drivers included Ali Hull (EA's Media hub), who spoke about the need to get good news stories into the local press, as well as Simon Bale, who, as chair of the Multi-Faith Forum, is the Faith communities' representative with Bristol Council. In 2010, there has been an emphasis on politics in the Bristol F4C, particularly engaging with Bristol region councils. Bristol Partnership's 20:20 Plan (and Neighbourhood Partnerships) was launched to Faith groups at F4C in March, and both Graham and Simon gave an update on progress and the new opportunities and threats related to “Big Society”.

In addition, Grant Sheppard (World Sports Ministries) talked about his work across the region, and More than Gold's plans for the 2012 Olympics in the South West.

Rachel Noyce (Youth for Christ, the Mix and CROSS) also talked about the work she is involved in with young people, networking youth workers and in education.

Plenty of opportunity was given to chat and network both within, and across, the different Change Drivers. Feedback from those who attended has been very encouraging. People were glad to hear about all the action resulting from the growing F4C relationships, saying the event was a “really positive experience to be able to meet each other and find out what is going on across the region” and that they “loved the richness of each story”. The Forum was “a great opportunity to stop doing and reflect”, “an interesting mix” and “inspiring”. It was a “good morning, with helpful networking. Carry on!” “A superb event. More please!”

There were also some constructive suggestions for improvements and for ways forward. In 2011, F4C will develop the role of facilitators across the different Change Drivers and we look forward to seeing some more positive change as a result!

Notes on the talk by Stuart Murray-Williams, Forum for Change, Bristol

‘The nature of change or transformation we are working for in the Bristol region’
1. Two brief disclaimers:
(a) I’ve not been to any Forum for Change events before so I don’t know what kind of change or transformation you have been talking about or praying for.
(b) I’ve only lived in Bristol for four years and much of my work is beyond this region.

2. As I understand it, this invitation is related to the work I have done on the issue of post-Christendom. So I’ve summarised on the hand out what I mean by this concept:
(a) The definition
(b) The transitions

3. My own ministry is mainly concerned with church planting, especially in poor urban communities, and with helping churches to engage missionally with a changing culture. But I believe the transition from the Christendom era into what we can only at present call post-Christendom is the backdrop to ministry and mission in all walks of life and all regions in western societies.

4. I wholeheartedly celebrate the end of Christendom – the end of imperial Christianity, civic religion, the collusion with status, power, wealth and coercion that distorted church and society.

5. Of course there were saintly people, creative initiatives and magnificent achievements in the Christendom era. But I think the system was profoundly wrong and I think we will find post-Christendom liberating once we embrace it.

6. What I am definitely NOT arguing for is withdrawal from society, limited ambition for transformation, or defeatism. The fact that I am so often assumed to be settling for this is an indication of how wedded we are to Christendom assumptions and methodology and how difficult we find it to think about social and spiritual transformation in other ways.

7. What I am arguing for is a change of perspective, tone and time frame:
(a) We Christians are now a minority and we need to start acting like one, hopefully a prophetic minority with creative alternatives to the dominant culture, but operating as a minority, not hankering after our former majority status and privileges.

(b) We need to adopt a tone that is appropriate for a minority – not hectoring, moralising or posturing, but winsome, subversive, questioning and invitational.
(c) And we need to be patient. The coming years will be rocky as we journey through this transitional period. Our resources are limited and declining. There will be opportunities, some of which are already becoming evident, but we will need to go gently, humbly and persistently. The Christendom approach was to outgun or outmanoeuvre the opposition. In post-Christendom we will need to out-narrate, out-love, out-pray, out-imagine, outlast and maybe out-suffer those who are not seeking the kingdom of God.

Post-Christendom

Post-Christendom is the culture that emerges as the Christian faith loses coherence within a society that has been definitively shaped by the Christian story and as the institutions that have been developed to express Christian convictions decline in influence.

Post-Christendom includes the following transitions:

From the centre to the margins: in Christendom the Christian story and the churches were central, but in post-Christendom these are marginal.
From majority to minority: in Christendom Christians comprised the (often overwhelming) majority, but in post-Christendom we are a minority.
From settlers to sojourners: in Christendom Christians felt at home in a culture shaped by their story, but in post-Christendom we are aliens, exiles and pilgrims in a culture where we no longer feel at home.
From privilege to plurality: in Christendom Christians enjoyed many privileges, but in post-Christendom we are one community among many in a plural society.
From control to witness: in Christendom churches could exert control over society, but in post-Christendom we exercise influence only through witnessing to our story and its implications.
From maintenance to mission: in Christendom the emphasis was on maintaining a supposedly Christian status quo, but in post-Christendom it is on mission within a contested environment.
From institution to movement: in Christendom churches operated mainly in institutional mode, but in post-Christendom we must become again a Christian movement.