As a church with a rich history of 50+ years City Life is in a season of generational change. We’ve seen key leaders who have been in significant roles for decades passing the baton to the next generation of leaders as the original leaders head into a new season, a different stage of life, for some a different location.
What are some of the positive transitions we have blessed with?• Joe Liow passing the baton to Godwin Shim
• Kim Hammond passing the baton to James Thompson
• Greg Baust passing the baton to Sam Grimshaw
• Andrew Chisholm passing the leadership of the World Impact ministry to Paulos Djini
• A new Multi-Site Leadership team formed; Daljit Gill has been celebrated as he heads into a new season, Peter Leigh has transitioned into a key role at WCC
• Paul Molyneux appointed to the inaugural role of Knox Lead Pastor
• A new Multi-Site Leadership team formed
Having said that, transitions can be tricky seasons as they sometimes challenge our sense of security, certainty, and tradition. Two scriptural passages have been selected to highlight the challenges of transition seasons, but also the joy and hope offered through renewed trust, strengthened faith, and fresh revelation.
Optional Pre-workMarg referred to the writing of a Franciscan monk Richard Rohr, from his work Falling Upward – A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life. This is not essential reading but may offer further insights.
As a group discuss transition seasons you have witnessed or experienced in your life to-date. Consider CityLife’s demographics – over 100 nationalities represented, and 70% of congregation born overseas.
Scriptural Passage 1Esther 3:12-13 read together (Marg used NIV)Summary of story and history:
Esther and Mordecai, 2 cousins who were part of the Jewish community dispersed by the Assyrians and Babylonians, now living in Susa / Persia. They faced major change as exiles in a foreign land, lacking citizenship rights and powers that might protect them. Unexpected circumstances placed them in a transition season, in totally unfamiliar territory.
• Esther is an orphaned Jewish girl, raised by her older cousin Mordecai.
• Wins a beauty pageant and finds herself thrust into the role of Queen after King Xerxes chooses her as his 2nd wife
• Presents as pliant and cooperative to her guardian Mordecai, who continues to watch over her from a distance
• Her cousin Mordecai, also rises to prominence in the King’s court
• He has nurtured and trained Esther, been a father figure and mentor
• These roles are about to be reversed with very serious consequences
• Mordecai sends a messenger to tell Esther she must go to the King and beg for mercy
Esther 4:11 Esther’s response, read together• Esther replies to Mordecai, gather all the Jews and fast for me and although it’s against the law I will do it, If I die, I die.
• V17 So Mordecai went and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
• Esther takes charge and makes the decisions, role reversal
• Mordecai releases control to Esther who he has trained and nurtured
Notice the role reversal here that would have challenged Esther and Mordecai’s sense of stability and order. They both understood the necessity for leaders to be In authority and also Under authority and to lead as the circumstances required.
1. Discuss examples you have experienced of being Under Authority2. Discuss examples you have experienced of being In Authority3. What are the challenges and highlights of both experiences?The space Esther and Mordecai find themselves is known as a liminal space, from the Latin word ‘limen’ meaning threshold, boundary
• It’s a thin space, a tender space, a threshold between the old and the new, like letting go of a trapeze without grabbing onto the next swing
• These are painful uncomfortable places, they can’t be explained away easily with platitudes
• They happen after a major life change – like the passing of a loved one, or a migration to a new country, or the loss of a relationship or role, or a health challenge. Any experience that results in a seismic shift in our thinking and experience
• Pentecost Sunday represents a liminal space, the time between the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, and the visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit that followed 50 days later. Recognise Pentecost Sunday centuries later because what happened was so profound – uncertainty of promise to fulfillment
• The 3 days between Crucifixion and Resurrection were a liminal space
• God is there whether we feel Him or not, and these are opportunities to deepen trust in God
You might like to
listen to the section of the message on ‘Loyal Soldiers’ and the WW2 analogy from Richard Rohr (¾ way through). He has studied liminal space extensively, and emphasises the 2 stages of life:
1. The first stage where we establish our values, routines and consolidate structure
2. The second stage where we re-examine these structures and beliefs to see if they’re fit for purpose.
Scriptural Passage 2Genesis 22:7-8 (NIV) read togetherSummary of story
Abraham believed God wanted him to sacrifice his son Isaac, so in obedience to God’s command they were heading up the mountain with wood and fuel but no sacrifice. Both of them were confused. This was a time-honoured custom they had followed many times, always with an animal / offering to sacrifice.
They were in a liminal space. Abraham couldn’t understand how God could request he sacrifice his son, when his entire worldview had been constructed around thou shalt not murder, and of a loving God who had miraculously given him his son. Isaac couldn’t understand why his loving father was taking him up the mountain without a sacrifice.
Story culminates with Isaac placed on the altar but God intervenes. Isaac was never intended as the sacrifice. The story is a typology of Jesus, of God sending his Son to die for our sins, He became the sacrifice not us.
During times of deconstruction or instability in our lives we can absorb the idea that we are the sacrifice. But we need to know, you are not the sacrifice. Abraham and Isaac didn’t know where the sacrifice would come from, they were in a liminal space. But God provided a ram in the thickets. Isaac was never the intended sacrifice. He was a metaphor for what was to come, for God sending his son Jesus to die for us and rise again so that we can live under grace.
1 John 4:10 NLTThis is real love not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.Key ObservationWe are called to a life of sacrifice, but we are not the sacrifice - that’s a loyal soldier we need to lay down. We recognise that while life happens to us, we continue the climb in the uncertainty and wait with faith for God to provide, Abraham continued his climb up the mountain not knowing there would be a ram in the thickets. God will provide a way for us too, whatever we’re facing in our lives, in our church, in our community, in our world.
How do both stories finish? What lessons can we learn from the stories and their endings?Esther 8:16-17Gen 22:14Pray together regarding the transition seasons the church is facing or LIFE group members are facing.
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