sustain:if:able kiwi

I have a new job. A responsible job!

That the Standing Committee:

1. APPOINT Rev Dr Steve Taylor to the position of Principal, Uniting College for Leadership and Theology, for a period of three years commencing 1 July 2012.

The job is becoming vacant because the current Principal, Andrew Dutney, (much loved, big shoes to fill!) is becoming the President of the Uniting Church in Australia.

So a new Principal at the College I work at, Uniting College, was needed. The position was advertised in August and one Sunday I had a sort of God encounter in the midst of a children’s talk. The Moses and the burning bush story was being told and I realised that I was being Moses – that a number of folk had suggested I consider the role of Principal- but that I was simply compiling a list of reasons for wanting to hide. And that God was asking me, like Moses, to simply give what was in my hand, not a literal shepherds staff, but my leadership experiences and gifts.

So I put in an application, still with lots of questions esp re workload(!). And after 3 interviews, the job was offered. And after 4 Team Taylor family conferences, we decided to let my name go forward to the Synod of South Australia Standing Committee. They met during the week past, with the news becoming public Friday, once College staff and Leadership Development Council had been informed.

It’s a responsible job – a staff of 13, offering training from certificate level all the way through to PhD and at distance locally and nationally, training ministers and lay leaders. The College is in a major change process, wanting to train leaders to be more innovative and outward looking and I think the panel thought I could bring some skills and passion in that area.

Uniting College for Leadership and Theology isn’t a repackaged version of what we’ve always done in theological education. It’s a fresh start – a fresh departure. It’s not a comment on what we’ve done in the past. It’s a response to the demands and opportunities of mission today. It’s not the best thing that’s ever happened in theological education. It’s simply the next thing that has to happen for the College to serve this pilgrim people on the journey.

For more, go here.

I’m nervous and scared, but also really excited.

a Drane-ing day

All go here at Uniting College, with a wonderful first day with John and Olive Fleming Drane.

First up, and throughout the whole day, Olive worked in our post-graduate programme, exploring spirituality2go and everyday life rituals. The invitation was for folk to engage with Olive in a way that enabled them to begin to design their own rituals for life, ministry and mission. Judging by the feedback and group engagement when I popped in, it looked to be a really energising day.

In the afternoon, John taught two sessions.

First was a session on the relationship between Scripture and human experience. I asked John to stretch us and he uncorked some of his most recent thinking, reflecting on the nature of Scripture and the implications for mission and ministry. It engaged head and body, with a real challenge about what it means to teach and lead.

Second was a session on emerging church in Scotland, with John presenting his research over the last few years. His commission from the Church of Scotland was to explore what is church from the ground up, from the perspective of new communities. And then to trace the implications for the inherited church. This session connected at many levels, in the telling of stories of new forms of church in Scotland, in the implications for structures and denominations and in what good research practice looks like.

Both of John’s sessions attracted a really diverse group of people – candidates, ministers, post-graduate students, denominational staff.

It made for a hectic day personally, but a really rich day, exactly where I want Uniting College to be – talking mission and leadership, spirituality and life – in ways that connect with many different folk from across the span of the church.

Well done John and Olive for being such human, interesting and connective people.

being spiritual, being reflective, being emerging

Three excellent learning opportunities coming up at Uniting College next week.

Spirituality 2 go with Olive Fleming Drane. 
Thursday, 17 November, 9:30-3:30. This informative day will explore the spiritual in everyday life and daily routines as opportunity for divine encounter. It will offer input, examples and space to explore. Topics include – The craft of ritual, Transitions, Ordinary time, Extraordinary time.


Trends in theology: experience, Scripture in practical theology with John Drane
, Thursday 17 November, 1:30-3:00. This will explore what is often a weakness in theology and practice, the way Scripture is brought to bear, to illumine, challenge, even reframe, human experience.

Reformed, Reforming, Emerging, Experimenting: Insights from the church emerging in Scotland with John Drane. This will explore fresh expressions of church on the edges of the Church of Scotland, and outline the opportunities and challenges for being church today. Given historical links between the Church of Scotland and Uniting Church, this should be of particular interest.

John Drane and Olive Fleming Drane are both Fellow’s of St John’s College, Durham, adjunct faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary and are becoming Chaplain at International Christian College in Glasgow, Scotland. They are well known and appreciated as writers, educators and creative thinkers on mission.

Being spiritual, being reflective, being emerging – all themes and conversations central to who we are and are becoming. Or from our logo design

“The logo design speaks of the different journeys people take in their growth in discipleship and service. At key points these converge. That convergence sometimes involves the educational programs of Uniting College. So the pathways converge and then disperse, as people continue their journeys in mission. The cross at the centre of the logo is not just there as a matter of form, but as a real commitment, as Uniting College is consciously Christ-centred.”

For more information on any of these, contact me: steve dot taylor at flinders dot edu dot au

John and Olive Fleming Drane Adelaide, Australia input

During the November period, John and Olive Fleming Drane are in Australia. Fellows of St John’s College, Durham, adjunct faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary, about to be Chaplain at International Christian College in Glasgow, Scotland, they are well known and appreciated as writers, educators and creative thinkers on mission. They are personal friends and some of the most creative and grounded people I know. While in Adelaide, these are some of the things they are involved in —

Spirituality 2 go with Olive Fleming Drane. Thursday, 17 November, 9:30-3:30, Uniting College. The day will explore the spiritual in everyday life, daily routines as opportunity for divine encounter. It will offer input, examples and space to explore. Topics to be covered will include – The craft of ritual, Transitions, Ordinary time, Extraordinary time. Cost – available as audit (cost tbc) or as Master of Ministry topic.

Reformed, Reforming, Emerging, and Experimenting: Insights from the church emerging in Scotland with John Drane. Thursday, 17 November, 3:30-5, Uniting College. Free.

mission shaped ministry training with John and Olive. Friday 18, Saturday 19 November. These 2 days are designed to offer training in order that people can offer the mission shaped ministry course in their own context. Content will include: The Story so Far, Getting a Feel for Things, Practicalities and Processes, Sampling the Course, Beyond an English accent. (For more on this particular event, download the brochure msm nov 2011 training brochure). Cost free!

Faith in stories. Mission and Discipleship in a Liquid Culture. People today are happier with stories than with abstract propositions, and knowing how to tell a good story—whether in traditional sermons or in cutting-edge evangelism—is an essential skill for effective Christian ministry. This intensive combines exploration of the importance of storytelling in the Biblical tradition and in post-modern culture with practical skills training in the effective use of stories in ministry and mission for the twenty-first century. A five day intensive (code-shared with Tabor College) Monday 21-25 November. Cost – available as audit (cost tbc) or as Master of Ministry topic.

For information about any of these events contact myself or Uniting College.

some serious theology

It’s been great to have Stephen Garner, practical theologian from University of Auckland here with us for a few weeks as a Visiting Scholar. He’s lectured in our new Bachelor of Ministry introductory course Media and Communication in Contemporary Culture. He gave the Annual Theology Lecture – Sacred Texts in a secular world: How should we teach sacred texts in a pluralistic, multi-faith, modern university. He’s helped resource a new 2012 topic design – Bible and Popular Culture. He’s met with Australasian Theological Forum, which is based here in Adelaide, and done final edits on a book project. He’s worshipped and cup of tea’d with us.

It’s been great to have a fresh face around the place. Personally, it’s been great to have another Kiwi voice, a familiar accent and shared stories and history. Today Stephen left me a parting gift, a sign of the serious theology search we share

Serious?!

Brotown! A primetime animation, about a group of boys growing up in Auckland.

Serious?!!

Well Brotown Annual volume 1 begins with “letter from God” and for those who want a more explicit Christ focus, Annual volume 2 begins with “Jesus welcomes you.” Which I’ve written about in much depth, seriously!, in The Bible in/and Popular Culture: A Creative Encounter (Semeia Studies) in a chapter titled “Reading “Pop-Wise”: The Very Fine Art of “Making Do” When Reading the Bible in bro’Town by Steve Taylor” (more on the book here). And Stephen Garner has written about in a journal – Morningside for Life!: Contextual Theology Meets Animated Television in bro’Town – in Studies in World Christianity.

a kick in our guts? Luke 1:39-45

Day 2 of the Living the text intensive began by Dwelling in the Word, in Luke 1:39-45.

Dwelling the word is a process which encourages a deep listening to Scripture and to each other. A passage is read, folk share in 2’s what strikes them or what question is raised. What people hear (not say), is then shared with the whole group.

As this group listened to each other, themes began to emerge. In the words of one “Is knowing only cognitive?” It began with the observation that it was in response to the the movement of a baby (“leapt for joy”) that the Spirit was shared. In other words, to know the Spirit required a woman (Elizabeth) being sensitive to her body and an unborn baby to be responsive to the work of the Spirit. God’s revelation, through the body of a woman and a child.

This was laid alongside the fact that Mary also is carrying a child and comes to Elizabeth perhaps in an act of affirmation and confirmation. She has a belief, that she carries a child, but probably senses that this belief runs counter to her Jewish faith. Thus her knowing is in process, is being reshaped by her experiences of God.

In other words, moments of experiential knowing, of paying attention to God in our bodies, need to be affirming and confirmed in community, with other humans.

Of course, what is even more intriguing is that this theme would be a subtext running throughout the lecture input during the rest of the day. As we explored the place of imagination and the role of community, time and again we returned to Luke 1:39-35 and our work written on the white board, to the lovely interplay around revelation as a process, of being embodied, of requiring community.

pioneer training: well Dave Male said …

We had a great day as a Uniting College staff team yesterday sharing notes on Pioneer training with Dave Male. I suggested a number of questions to get the conversation rolling

• What should be dropped from training to avoid priest+plus?
• Should our candidate formation panels (meet 3 x a year with candidate to review training) be separate for pioneers, or mixed?
• What to do with folk who see pioneer training as “exciting” and want what they see as the juicy bits – church starting, ministry – but show less interest in the core topics like Bible, theology etc?
• Can we train both lay pioneers and ordinand pioneers in same processes, or are they unique?

Here are some note that I wrote as the conversation proceeded. Some are what Dave said, others emerged in the to and fro of conversation.

“Pioneers need Greek.”

“You can’t create pioneers. But you can domesticate them.”

“Folk should leave college even more excited by their charism than when they arrive.”

“There is no such thing as a generalist in ministry. People are on a spectrum. The task of the church is to help people discern this. The task of training places is to then provide a tailored learning.”

“The goal is not to create a pioneer college but a mixed economy training in which all training is through a mission lens, and within which pioneers find space to explore their questions.”

I left feeling that we at Uniting College are further ahead in some areas (particularly the commitment to do all training through a mission lens and our thinking on how to train both lay and ordained pioneers, not just ordained). But a bit further behind in others (particularly clear discernment/selection processes and the need to establish a cohort experience). (Although, 6 months into intentional, 3 year, training of pioneers, as our second semester starts, we now have 5 folk in the pioneer stream, so almost enough to have a viable cohort.)

We also talked briefly at the end about establishing a formal network between places that are actually training pioneers.

Living the text intensive – learning from Rob Bell, Brian McLaren and U2

I’m teaching an intensive – Living the text – in a few weeks (11 -15 July). It has become a bit of signature course for me. I first taught it at Fuller Seminary in 2006, again in 2007, then at Tabor in 2008, a couple of times in Christchurch and finally a segment by distance last year at the University of Otago.

So this is number 7 and it’s been fun over the last few days to update the readings, ponder the case studies, hit a few refresh buttons and consider what we can learn from the likes of a Rob Bell or a Brian McLaren or a Bono Vox about communication.

There’s still space for a few more, so if you want a week of story, community and creativity that seeks to resource the use of the Bible in local church communities, then drop me a line.

Here’s the plan for the week

Monday
The text today: The text as strangely familiar
Case study: U2‘s Bullet the Blue Sky; Rob Bell “Resurrection”

Tuesday
Imagination: Community
Case study: Communal lectio divina by Brian McLaren

Wednesday
Environments: Spirit2go
Case study: Show and tell from the Taylor grab bag

Thursday
Storytelling in theory: Storytelling in practice
Case study: Amateur Godly play

Friday
Sunday’s coming: Structures, preparation
Case study: Participant offerings and discussion

And here’s the course blurb: This course will explore the communication of the Biblical text in a contemporary world, with particular missiological reference to the use of the Bible in a contemporary context. It will apply theological insights around text, community and culture, to the task of maintaining and communicating the integrity of the Biblical text with reference to postmodernity. This course will take for granted skills in expository preaching, and deliberately seek to critically explore other ways to engage and present the Biblical text.

mission really matters newsletter

Here is the 2nd edition (June 2011) of the mission really matters newsletter (an occasional communication from the Missiology stream at Uniting College intended to spark conversation, share resources and promote training). It includes an overview of mission progress in the last 6 months, some resources, comings and goings and upcoming events. If you want me to be on the e-mailing list, drop me a line.

teaching Jesus today

“…Theologians are now primarily called to provide not a theoretical argument for Christianity’s plausibility, but an account of how Christianity can be part of the solution—rather than part of the problem—on matters that make a life-and-death difference to people, especially the poor and the oppressed. Kathryn Tanner, Kathryn. “Christian claims: how my mind has changed.” Christian Century 127, no. 4 (February 23, 2010), 40. 

This quote (hat tip Paul) haunts me, a call for those who teach, research and train leaders.

It was hugely important in the new VET Christology distance course I have been writing this semester and in my own thinking, including the Flinders University debate.

once was lost but now am found: an ode to ecumenism

Confessions of a lost blue cup

Last week, I got lost. Someone kindly took me from Catholic World, transported me to Kitchen World and washed me.

Then, sadly, strangely, I was placed in a (Kitchen world) cupboard!

I wept for my owner in Catholic World. Alas, she heard me not.

Later, someone else opened the cupboard in Kitchen World. Seeing my attractive blue colouring, having no knowledge of my rightful owner, seeing no marks of possession on my pretty blue bottom, they filled me with coffee and took me to a new place, the broad and spacious halls of Uniting World.

Later, a third person collected me from a desk in Uniting World. Dirty, they decided to take me to Kitchen World. Suddenly a door in Catholic world opened. A cry was heard, “That’s our cup.”

Immediately, promptly, I was returned to Catholic world. I was lost (not stolen by Steve Taylor).

But now am found.

(For another ode to ecumenism, see I am a stealer of Catholic bread).

ministry study at Uniting College

Our new B.Min at Uniting College really excites me. It got a complete retooling last year. It’s made a focus on integration for ministry. It’s opened up the definition of ministry, to train not just for ministry within the church, but for chaplaincy, youth and pioneering. It has four streams – Bible, leadership, mission, formation and discipleship. This ensures a bringing together of the head and the heart, the world and the church and with huge flexibility to suit individualised learning paths. (Here’s the brochure)

Bachelor of Ministry – Promotional Video from Craig Mitchell on Vimeo.

twas the day that happens annually

College Graduation, so a chance to play dressups.

Big congrats to all those who graduated. So important to celebrate folk who work so hard, face the fears, hurdle the inevitable discouragements. And to honour the support people who invest so much in time and moral support.

Jesus today at Grow and go 2011

Grow and go is one of those joyful surprises you stumble across when you move to a new place. A weekend dedicated to learning. An invitation to the whole church across South Australia. Some shared input and worship. A whole lot of streams, so that a team can pursue different learnings.

If I was a minister, I’d use it as a key part of my leadership development. I’d ask my leaders team to commit to a retreat once a year, and a Grow and go learning experience once a year. One a chance to focus on the church, the other a chance to upskill.

It’s happening again May 13-14. The theme is God@earth: being present, real, local. There are 8 streams – on faith sharing, working with families, preaching, understanding Uniting church, pastoral care, preaching Matthew, creative worship and understanding Jesus.

I am doing a keynote address on the Friday evening. It will include stations and input exploring feelings, colour and the mission of God. I’m then doing the understanding Jesus learning stream over Saturday and Sunday, exploring more deeply how life can be shaped by Jesus as sufferer, liberator, culture-crosser, cosmic healer, reconciler.

For more details Grow and Go 2011.