Five themes suggest what we might learn about “missionary ecclesiology” from the ancient Celtic Christian movement.

      First, in significant contrast to contemporary Christianity’s well know evangelism approaches of “Lone Ranger” one to one evangelism, or confrontational evangelism, or the public preaching crusade, (and in stark contrast to contemporary Christianity’s more dominant approach of not reaching out at all!), Celtic Christians usually evangelized as a team by relating to the people of a settlement; identifying with the people; engaging in friendship, conversation, ministry, and witness with the goal of raising up a church in measurable time.  John Finney observes that the Celts believed in “the importance of the team.  A group of people can pray and think together.  They inspire and encourage each other.  The single entrepreneur is too easily prey to self doubt and loss of vision.”

      Second, mission community prepared people to live with depth, compassion, and power in mission through a five-fold structure of experiences.

1. You experienced voluntary periods of solitary isolation in a remote natural setting, i.e. a grove of trees near a stream where you can be alone with God.

2. You spent time with your “soul friend”, a peer with whom you were vulnerable and accountable; to whom you made confession; from whom you received absolution and penance; who both supported and challenged you.

3. You spent time with a small group.

4. You participated in the common life, meals, work, learning, biblical recitation, prayers and worship of the whole Christian community

      Through your small group, community life, and soul friend, you observed and gained experience in ministry and witness to pre-Christian people.

      The community’s purposes for the seeker, through this fivefold structure, were to root the seekers consciousness in the Gospel and the Scriptures; to help them experience the presence of the Triune God and an empowered life; to give them experience in ministry with other seekers.

      Third, Imaginative prayer:  Makes the Gospel’s meaning vivid, engages people’s feelings, and energizes their response by engaging their imaginations. (More later)

      Fourth, Hospitality in ministry with seekers, visitors, refugees, and other guests:    

      The Benedictine Rule #53 explains that “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: ‘I was a stranger and you welcomed me.’” A guest (seeker) would soon be given a soul friend, a small group, and a place for solitude.  A guest would learn some Scripture; worship with the community; one or more members of the community would share the ministry of conversation and pray with and for the guest daily.  After some days, weeks, or months the guest would find themselves believing what the Christians in the community believe.  They would then invite the seeker to commit their life to Christ and his will for their life, leading the new disciple in continued outreach ministry to other seekers.

      Fifth, the seeker’s experience of the Christian community in the process of conversion:

      The Roman model for reaching people says: 1) Present the Christian message; 2) Invite them to decide to believe in Christ and become Christians; and 3) If they decide positively, welcome them into the church and its fellowship.  The Roman model seems very logical to us because most American evangelicals are scripted by it!  Presentation, Decision, Assimilation.  What could be more logical that that?

      The Celtic model for reaching people says: 1) You first establish community with people, or bring them into the fellowship of your community of faith. 2) Within fellowship, you engage in conversation, ministry, prayer, and worship. 3) In time, as they discover that they now believe, you invite them to baptism and discipleship.

      Compare and contrast Roman vs. Celtic evangelism:

 

 Roman Model               Celtic Model

(American Evangelical Model)         (Cell Community Model)

 Presentation                           Fellowship

Decision                                  Ministry and Conversation

Fellowship                               Belief; invitation to
                                                discipleship and baptism

      The Celtic model reflects the adage that, for most people: “Christianity is more caught then taught!”

      Many new believers report that the experience of the fellowship enabled them to believe and to commit their lives to Christ and His church.  For many people, the faith is three fourths caught and one fourth taught.  In his book, “Finding Faith Today: How Does It Happen?” John Finney reports that most people experience the faith through relationships: that they encounter the Gospel through a community of faith; that becoming a Christian involves a process that takes time.  This can be summarized in four words: “belonging comes before believing.”

      Finney contends that the Celtic way is more effective with postmodern Western populations than the American evangelical Roman model.  Finney’s data shows that more people come to faith gradually (the Celtic cell community way) rather than suddenly (the American evangelical Roman way).  Furthermore, the ongoing contagious common life of the congregation that permits people to discover faith for themselves, connected to others, at their own pace, now appears to be much more influential than special event-preaching evangelism.

      A typical journey of faith that most people will experience today:

      A person is introduced to the faith community through a member of their family, through friendship with a Christian, or through market place contact with a minister;

1. They begin to ask questions;

2. They are invited to explore further and come to a knowledge and practice of the faith through a small community group;

3. They discover over time that they have come to embrace the faith through these relationships, and come to Christ through baptism;

      They continue to grow in discipleship, in turn bringing others into fellowship where the cycle of new growth continues.

       Since for most people, “belonging comes before believing,” evangelism is now about helping people belong so that they can believe!  As we adapt to a changing Western culture and step boldly into the postmodern era, we will observe a widespread shift away from the Roman (American evangelical) way of evangelism to a more community centered Celtic cell model.

Five Themes on book:

The Celtic Way of Evangelism

As we adapt to a changing Western culture and step boldly into the postmodern era, we will observe a widespread shift away from the Roman (American evangelical) way of evangelism to a more community centered Celtic cell model.

To Contact Me:

Rev. Ed Krueger

866-264-6079 or 925-245-4000

Fax: 925-245-1107

ed@cnh-lcms.org