What Color is What Color is the Grassthe Grass

in Your World?in Your World?

What Color is What Color is the Grassthe Grass

in Your World?in Your World?

Paradigms and the ChurchParadigms and the ChurchParadigms and the ChurchParadigms and the Church

Jesus’ Model of HisJesus’ Model of HisChurch is aChurch is aJesus’ Model of HisJesus’ Model of HisChurch is aChurch is a

PARADIGMPARADIGMPARADIGMPARADIGM

Counterfeit ModelsCounterfeit Modelsof Church are of Church are Counterfeit ModelsCounterfeit Modelsof Church are of Church are

PARADIGMSPARADIGMSPARADIGMSPARADIGMS

LOCALLOCALCHURCHCHURCHLOCALLOCAL

CHURCHCHURCHLOCALLOCAL

CHURCHCHURCH

CHURCHCHURCHCHURCHCHURCHCCHH

UURRHH

COUNTERFEITCOUNTERFEITCOUNTERFEITCOUNTERFEIT

CCAUTHENTICAUTHENTIC

CHURCHCHURCHAUTHENTICAUTHENTIC

CHURCHCHURCH

YourYourChurch’sChurch’sParadigmParadigm

YourYourChurch’sChurch’sParadigmParadigm

Paradigms

• Organize

• Explain

• Establish values

• Tell us how

Our Paradigms

• Filing systems• Provide structure / rules for

perceiving

categorizing

evaluating

integrating

storing / retrieving

acting

Plans for theNew Church

Building

As seen by ---

The Music

Dire

ctor

The Music

Dire

ctor

The Preach

er

The Preach

er

The Youth M

inister

The Youth M

inister

The Church

Secreta

ry

The Church

Secreta

ry

The Finance

Committ

ee

The Finance

Committ

ee

WhatWhat Is a ParadigmIs a Paradigm??WhatWhat Is a ParadigmIs a Paradigm??

1. A way of 1. A way of thinkingthinking about about1. A way of 1. A way of thinkingthinking about about thingsthings thingsthings

As they AREAs they AREAs they AREAs they AREAs they OUGHT to beAs they OUGHT to beAs they OUGHT to beAs they OUGHT to beAs I deal with themAs I deal with themAs I deal with themAs I deal with them

A mental mapA mental mapA mental mapA mental map

•Mind-set / habit of mind•Frame of reference: values, premises,

convictions•System for integrating information /

thoughts•Window-on-the-world (Weltanschauung)•Guidance system

•Mind-set / habit of mind•Frame of reference: values, premises,

convictions•System for integrating information /

thoughts•Window-on-the-world (Weltanschauung)•Guidance system

A Paradigm is:A Paradigm is:A Paradigm is:A Paradigm is:A modelA modelA modelA model A patternA patternA patternA patternAn exemplarAn exemplarAn exemplarAn exemplarA representationA representationA representationA representation

A comparisonA comparisonA comparisonA comparison

A world-viewA world-viewA world-viewA world-viewA set of values, rulesA set of values, rulesassumptionsassumptionsA set of values, rulesA set of values, rulesassumptionsassumptions

2. 2. A way of A way of doing doing things;things;Our:Our:2. 2. A way of A way of doing doing things;things;Our:Our:

•operating systems, operating systems,

•programs, plans, programs, plans,

•structures, organizations,structures, organizations,

•procedures, traditions, procedures, traditions,

•habits, customs, routineshabits, customs, routines

•operating systems, operating systems,

•programs, plans, programs, plans,

•structures, organizations,structures, organizations,

•procedures, traditions, procedures, traditions,

•habits, customs, routineshabits, customs, routines

A Paradigm is like:A Paradigm is like:A Paradigm is like:A Paradigm is like:A mapA mapA mapA map

A blueprintA blueprintA blueprintA blueprint

A chartA chartA chartA chart

A diagramA diagramA diagramA diagram

A planA planA planA plan

A jigsaw puzzleA jigsaw puzzleA jigsaw puzzleA jigsaw puzzleA knotholeA knotholeA knotholeA knotholeMac / WindowsMac / WindowsMac / WindowsMac / Windows

DOSDOS

WINDOWSWINDOWS

AppleApple

A Current A Current Ferment of Ferment of ParadigmsParadigmsin the Worldin the WorldAround UsAround Us

A Current A Current Ferment of Ferment of ParadigmsParadigmsin the Worldin the WorldAround UsAround Us

Examples of Paradigms:Examples of Paradigms:Examples of Paradigms:Examples of Paradigms:

•In EducationIn Education•In EducationIn Education

Charter Schoolsto look forward toCharter Schools

to look forward to

Fundamen-talist School

WesternValuesSchool

WesternValuesSchool

Afro-AcademyAfro-Academy

Islamic JihadCenterIslamic JihadCenter

The MilitiaInsti-tute

The MilitiaInsti-tute

~

The PublicSchoolThe PublicSchool

Example: The UniverseExample: The UniverseExample: The UniverseExample: The Universe

Flat earth / globeFlat earth / globeFlat earth / globeFlat earth / globeSun revolves around theSun revolves around theearth / vice versaearth / vice versaSun revolves around theSun revolves around theearth / vice versaearth / vice versa

Big BangBig BangBig BangBig Bang

Expanding / shrinkingExpanding / shrinkingExpanding / shrinkingExpanding / shrinking

Creation / evolutionCreation / evolutionCreation / evolutionCreation / evolution

Example: politicalExample: politicalExample: politicalExample: political

Divine right of kingDivine right of kingDivine right of kingDivine right of kingFeudalismFeudalismFeudalismFeudalismTown hall democracyTown hall democracyTown hall democracyTown hall democracySocialismSocialismSocialismSocialismCommunismCommunismCommunismCommunismBureaucracyBureaucracyBureaucracyBureaucracy

RepublicansRepublicansRepublicansRepublicansDemocratsDemocratsDemocratsDemocrats

Examples: Etc.Examples: Etc.Examples: Etc.Examples: Etc.

ScienceScience

MedicineMedicineMedicineMedicine

EducationEducationEducationEducation

News / entertainmentNews / entertainmentNews / entertainmentNews / entertainment

Sociology, anthropologySociology, anthropologyarts, music, etc. etc.arts, music, etc. etc.Sociology, anthropologySociology, anthropologyarts, music, etc. etc.arts, music, etc. etc.

ParadigmParadigmDynamicsDynamics

PliantPliantPliantPliant

ResistantResistantResistantResistant

RigidRigidRigidRigid

Dynamics of ParadigmsDynamics of ParadigmsDynamics of ParadigmsDynamics of Paradigms

Growth

Shift

Dinosaur

A Real A Real LifeLife

ParableParable

The Nature of Paradigms

•Necessary•Accurate or inaccurate•Adequate or inadequate•Integrated, disintegrated, or

partitioned•Help or hinder

•Function unconsciously•Form in groups•They persist

Paradigms are:Paradigms are:

IndividualIndividual

andand

CollectiveCollective

Constructing a paradigmConstructing a paradigm

The Biblical paradigmThe Biblical paradigm

Espoused paradigmEspoused paradigm

Working paradigmWorking paradigm

The Biblical paradigmThe Biblical paradigm

Espoused paradigmEspoused paradigm

Working paradigmWorking paradigm

Evaluating a paradigmEvaluating a paradigm

Principle:Principle:

““Back to the Standard”Back to the Standard”

DreamDream

BeliefsBeliefs

GoalsGoals

StructureStructure

InstitutionalizationInstitutionalization

NostalgiaNostalgia

QuestioningQuestioning

PolarizationPolarization

DropoutDropout

XX

An example ofAn example ofparadigms at workparadigms at work

TheTheUniverseUniverse

AccordingAccordingtoto

PtolemyPtolemy

Habits tied to:

•Physical experience•Accepted theology•Prevailing philosophy

TheTheUniverseUniverse

AccordingAccordingtoto

CopernicusCopernicus