Are you a solid or liquid Church?
For people who love options. Who are you and which appeals to you?
1. Come to our church located on 46th and Main. We meet every Sunday & Wendnesday nights. We have been at this location for 20 years. We have programs for everyone at every age. We have great teaching and worship services. People are invited and people find Christ. New believers are discipled in our offered classes. Our people enjoy being together. You can finish the paragraph with so much good happening here.
OR,
2. Our people enjoy each other, we meet in different places throughout the week. The building or location is not important, fulfilling the Great Commission ( everyone's mandate) is our greatest value. Everything we do reflects that value. We meet in small and larger settings. We meet in bars, coffee houses, or parks. We move into communities and then we burst forth into another and then another and then another. As we all reach people for Christ we keep spilling over into new areas touching more lives.
Are you solid or liquid? Which description bests fits you or your church?
Don't get defensive just think about this question.
posted by Bob Carder @ 1:44 PM
9 comments
9 Comments:
We are a liquid church. It is difficult for solids to turn to liquid. In most cases it requires a lot of heat. Think about your high school science class.
Terry, how was your gathering today? I am soooo sorry I missed it. God is really working in your life. Now you know what it looks like in New Testament measures.
Bob, I promised not to preach for an hour again unless God led me to do it. We started with sharing what God did in our lives since the last meeting. A couple of people shared. We prayed together and several shared in the prayer. Joe was sick and was hoping to show up late so we decided to move the worship to the end knowing how much he enjoys leading our worship and how we enjoy his lead. I did an interactive message where everyone could ask questions and add input. That lasted for an hour and fifteen minutes. We talked about making disciples and getting rid of consumer mentality in the church. We talked about moving from attraction and invitation to disciple making. People were struggling with how to describe what we are doing to their friends that ask. The name Disciple Driven Church was considered a good starting point. When we finished we decided to eat our lunch and then do worship and communion. Joe did not make it so Tanya filled in for him and led worship with Michelle. At the end of the day we all had a better understanding of what God wants us to do. People are taking serious the Great Commission. Commitments were made to make disciples. I described the formation of our church as a recognition of peoples commitment to make disciples. Five more people made that commitment and became charter members of our church. Joe never did feel well enough to make it but Jesus was there and people knew it.
Good question Bob. But I think it is an unneccesary and unfortunate dichotomy. Since the church isn't bound to the laws of physics, as liquids are, I believe it can and should be both.
The large group temple-court celebrations were as much a part of the Acts 2 church as the meetings from house to house.
Unfortunately, we tend to make it one way or the other and then all shout that our way is best. Why not do both? Why not canvas the city with a network of "organic" churches who are all connected to the mission and who all come together regularly to celebrate en masse?
I think there is something to be said for both the intimacy of small group discipleship and the holy energy present as hundreds & thousands gather and worship together.
Bill,
I think we are doing that.
Hi Terry,
As a native midwesterner I've been watching your story unfold here through Bob's blog. Very exciting. I love what you're doing and am eager to see where God takes you and your ministry.
Bill: What you describe as organic is also the liquid -even in the group or larger gathering together. Remember that liquid settles down and then it needs a good shaking and then it settles.
Solid Church is just settled, they sit, and they Amen, and the serve in buildings so much they have no time to serve the world. Solid Churches do not change the world. They keep working on changing themselves.
Before I forget, what you describe is what we are talking about. It just isn't happening in far too many places or come and see CHurches.
Terry is St. Louis will just not let people slip into consumerism. Why?
He is part of a fluid movemement that meets across the city almost every night of the week somewhere and in different groups. But twice a month they gather somewhere as a larger group and not on Sunday either (at this point).
They are a liquid church with some settling and then more re-shaking and then....the liquid expands (Explodes) much like a shaken up coke Now you get the picture!
Hey Bob.
I think I must have not read option number 1 they way you intended it. I read it to say that people are finding Christ and being discipled...which sounds like a good thing, just in a different format.
I now see what you were getting at.
Bill, that's why you should be the writer and I should stick to simple thoughts with few words.
You inspire me and even egg me on...
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