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I know we have 2-4 open churches on our district (Northwest Indiana) right now. I don't know how open they'd be to your particular approach, but Greg Arthur (from the Emergent Nazarenes blog) has found a home here, so who knows? :)
http://www.nwinazarene.org/ is the district website.
email me. you are in my thoughts and prayers...
My experience leads me to say that the chances are near zero. - Sorry!
I have a couple of suggestions that may be obvious, but if you email, I'll share them.
Praying God's direction for you, I am:
Your Brother in Christ,
Todd+
I guess I didn't really attempt to answer your question. Let me answer your question with a question. How hard do you think it is for a Nazarene Pastor who speaks Chinese to find a good match with an English speaking congregation?
The part of your question that stands out is "a like minded congregation..." I am sorry to say that I just don't believe there are very many... certainly far fewer than there are sacramentally minded pastors...
Thanks for the thoughts, prayers, comments and emails so far. Yea I was kinda afraid of that. I know that as a pastor in the CotN, often you have to fall in line with the local church. It is in my opion that only after years of teaching and practice can you even get close to where you might like to be as far as liturgy and the sacraments go and sometimes not then. But I'm not without hope.
In Christ,
Steven
Seriously, guys? Is it that bad out there?
Six years ago, the church that Greg Arthur's pastoring was a Willow Creek model seeker church. Then they had a pastoral transition, and it moved toward something a bit more like a traditional contemporary Nazarene church. Greg's only been there 6 months, and he's already moved them in a more sacramental direction.
There are lots of possibilities out there (including, perhaps, starting a new church). They just take patience and leadership to get the people from where they are to where you're leading them.
Hmm... Somehow your last comment wasn't showing up when I left mine, Steven. Now I feel like I'm just echoing what you said about needing time to teach them, etc.
But I think some churches are more receptive and don't necessarily take years and years. Newer churches, especially, seem to be open to new ideas. Not having decades of "we've always done it this way" probably helps. :)
Is starting a new church totally out of the picture? Maybe partnering with a larger established church that wants to start something new and different for a younger generation? Just a thought. As a church planter myself, I can't help but bring it up. :)
Planting a new work is something I have considered. The ancient/future form of worship and evangelism would be where my heart would be.
Peace,
Steven
The church plant is not a bad idea... I don't want to out someone, but there is a church plant in the CotN that is full smells and bells (though they do have a web site with pics). The DS is even seen in full vestmental wardrobe. I even beleive the liturgy is sung. So there is hope, fyi, this church is growing with a lot of disenfranchised Nazarenes and Episcopalians.
"Seriously, guys? Is it that bad out there?" I was thinking this myself. I feel like I am an example of how it is not hopeless. I went from someone who wanted more "lively" style to within the last few years, especially the last year craving a more liturgical style. I am at the point where my church's contemporary only style leaves me with a migraine. What changed? ME. I am crazy enough to think that if he can do it in me, he can do it in other hearts open to God's leading.
I just came across this blog and I nearly sang the doxology out loud. It reads like something I would have written and even saw several friends on here although none of which mentioned this to me. Reguardless I am excited to see a place like this exisits. I am just finishing my dissertation on Liturgical Renewal in the Church of the Nazrene. I was working specfifically with Dr. Webber before his passing. In all of the churches I have been working with I have found that many of them or much more receptive than I thought to some of these kinds of changes. Don't lose hope. At least in the pacific northwest more and more are moving in this direction.
I may know of a couple of churches that are leaning this way that may have some openings soon.
Grace and Peace,
Brian
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