The Vanishing Middle

The vanishing middleChurch in a post-covenantal contextMark Sayers

SHRINKING CHURCHES

VILLAGE & TRIBE

TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE

META

COMMUNAL

INDIVIDUAL

STATE, NATION, EMPIRE

Village, Tribe

MOVE TO THE CITY

NEW MODELS FOR NEW CITIES

TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE

META

COMMUNAL

INDIVIDUAL

STATE, NATION, EMPIRE

GUILD, CHURCH, VILLAGE, TRIBE, TRADE, LODGE, FAMILY, MARRIAGE, CLAN, CLUB, ASSOCIATION, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MARKET, VOLUNTEERS, UNIONS, FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

GuildsRed CrossFriendly SocietiesSocietiesKiwanis RotaryMasonsRotaryProbus ClubsCountry Women's assoc.AlumniBurial Societies Fraternities & SororitiesPolitical PartiesTemperance MovementsClubs

TRADITIONAL STRUCTURE

META

COMMUNAL –VOLUNTEERISMCOVENANTALITYDUTY & SERVICEINDIVIDUAL

STATE, NATION, EMPIRE

QUANTAM CHANGE 1962-1970

POST-COVENANTAL

BROADCAST & ENTERTAINMENT

ME-ISM

CONTEMPORARY STRUCTURE

META

COMMUNAL/COVENANTAL

INDIVIDUAL

STATE, NATION, CORPORATION, MASS MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY/INTERNET, UNIVERSITY, CITY.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS, FREEDOM,CHOICE, PERSONAL HAPPINESS

GROWTH OF NON-EUROPEAN CHURCH

NEW URBAN TRIBES

CONNECTED? THE NEW INDIVIDUALISM

META + INDIVIDUAL –COMMUNAL/COVENANTAL =

META + INDIVIDUAL –COMMUNAL/COVENANTAL =

ISOLATION

USING COVENANTALITY AS A RESOURCE