Due to the length of chapter 5, and the significant amount of material to cover, we recommend splitting this chapter into two or three sessions. For your convenience, we have broken the chapter into three themes. The first theme covers culture in general, the second covers the 3Hs (Hospitality, Hymns, and Homilies), and the third covers the community of believers.
Takeaways
Theme 1 – Culture - pages 87 – 95
• “If the human foundation of the Church is not healthy, then no matter how intense or sincere our spiritual commitment is, the foundation will be a fragile blend of clay and iron.” (p. 89)
• To start the rebuilding process, one must start with a foundation. Culture is what is truly valued, not only in words but more so in action and inaction. (p. 89)
• “The culture of any organization is reflected in what is truly valued… If we wish to identify the values of a particular parish, we must look at how is spends its time and money.” (p. 89)
• “An honest evaluation of a parish budget will remove any doubts about the true values of any parish, regardless of what statement may be framed on the wall. The sum of what a parish values will constitute its culture.” (p. 90)
• “It’s not about changing our theology, but about how we already live out an already rich theology of the Christian life. This cultural change means a deep, deep change. It means changing what we consider normative for the Christian life.” (p. 92)
Theme 2 – 3Hs - pages 95 - 135
Giving Priority to the Weekend
• We must be intentional about every aspect of our Sunday celebration. This is when we see 80% of our people, yet only spend 20% of our time in a given week investing in planning, preparing, and executing.
• The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith — this is a sacred ritual that must be at the core of our ministerial efforts and we must not capitulate to minimalism and convenience. (p. 95–100)
Hospitality
• As pastor, my role was to “lead an army of missionaries to reach those who were not yet part of our church.”
• “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” Mt 25:35
• Create an intentional process to welcome, invite, and encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to experience, learn, live, and share their faith. (p. 101–110)
Hymns (Uplifting Music)
• “When it is beautiful, it mediates the divine…” (p. 113)
• Music is an integral part of the liturgy. Love for beautiful music is universal — having diverse types of powerful music enhances the liturgical experience for all. (p. 110– 122)
Homilies
• “Faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17)
• Always preach in love.
• Homilies are to be “intentional about speaking to the entire person — mind, heart, conscience and will.” (p. 125)
Theme 3 – Community of Believers - pages 136 – 195
Meaningful Community
• “Authentic community is a place where we are known and loved. It is a place where we find others to whom we are accountable and who are accountable to us. This is the heart of Christian community, of koinonia, the Greek word can be translated as fellowship.” (p. 137)
• Belonging is central to building a strong community. “The old model of behavingbelieving-belonging has been reversed…beliefs are changed not by preaching and teaching, but by building trust through relationships, through caring, through belonging.” (p. 139)
• A key indicator of a healthy community is engagement. This is “a sense of belonging, a psychological connection to the local church and its mission, and a sense of ownership of what is happening and of where the Church is headed.” (p. 150)
Clear Expectations
• Healthy and growing churches “have clear expectations of members and are not afraid to communicate them in a way that builds community and encourages participation.” (p. 153)
• “We believe that God will work in you and work through you; we expect it, and you should too.” (p. 154)
• What parishioners can expect from the parish and what the parish expects of parishioners should be clearly communicated. (p. 156–162)
Strength-based Ministry
• “… having the opportunity to do what we do best is the leading contributor to engagement. Remember, engagement is what drives spiritual commitment, which in turn drives changed beliefs and changed behavior.” (p. 166)
• Seek to find and invest in people’s God-given talents. When people lead and serve with their strengths they have great impact. (p. 166–167)
Formation of Small Communities
• “This community must be a safe place within which the good work that has begun in them can be brought to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) (p. 169)
• To care for people and encourage their growth as disciples, there is a need for both “temporary, community-based formation and permanent groups where people truly belong and are cared for.” (p. 175)
Experience of the Holy Spirit
• Experiencing the Holy Spirit was crucial for the beginning of the Church and for the New Evangelization. The issue we have is that “we continue to be more comfortable with the idea of the Holy Spirit rather than the experience of the Spirit.” (p. 182)
• “A healthy Church is one that does not discredit or exclude experiences of the Holy Spirit that touch the affect. Rather, it encourages such experiences and values authentic diversity of expression, not a pseudo-tolerance that unconsciously demands uniformity of expression. It has robust respect for how the Spirit of Power is manifested within the community of believers and seeks to evaluate every experience according to the fruits that the experience brings with it.” (p. 186)
Becoming An Invitational Church
• We need to design opportunities outside of the liturgy through which we can personally invite those who are disengaged, disillusioned, or disconnected from the Church and offer places of welcome and engagement. (p. 191–194)
• We must create an invitational culture within the life of the parish. Parishes which embrace the values listed above, are more likely to have parishioners who naturally with joy the experience they have on Sunday, inviting others to join them.