Question
Dream with me for a moment: What would the church look like if you could jump off the New Testament example of her? Forget everything you know about church (strip it all away) and rebuild her the way you think she should be in America. If you had the freedom to change the way we do ministry and fulfill the Great Commission, how would it look - what would the church look like?
Before you begin -this exercise will have an unexpected impact on you.
posted by Bob Carder @ 3:02 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
I am very interested to hear what your other readers say about this. I have been given this gift from the Missionary Church. I am exploring this very thing and trying to do my best to hold onto what is good and discard what is not. Any feedback from your readers would be a great help.
I think they have their tongues tied!
The church would look smaller but be bigger. Seem to have less resource but have a bigger impact on its community. Would utilize its people instead of making them automatons. Lastly it would be the most powerful governing body on the planet, because it would be led by a holy design and not succumb to the ebb and flow of human principalities.
Big assignment, Bob. No wonder we're quiet.
To start, I'd look at how the church disciples new believers. But I wouldn't necessarily throw the baby out with the bathwater. I am intrigued by the idea of believers in the church (of course not all members fit that description...as you know) mentoring/discipling one on one with one or more (but not many) new believers to help them find their spiritual feet.
Not to set them on "a" particular path/process, but to set them on the Holy Spirit defined path for their lives.
I do believe this could be done within the existing church and with some of the existing church programs as support, or secondary, pieces in the process. (I know many of you hate the word process, but you'll just have to trust that I'm not talking about a regimented, by-the-book program.)
CONCURRENTLY I would like to see a similar program (bear with the word, please...) for those who've been in the church a long time but have lost their fire -- a RE-discipling, if you will. Because the church didn't do it right the first time. :)
Mike, Our HCI Dept in Ft. Wayne is wrestling with this one. How about being our test pilot in Goshen?
If you and Deb would do this -it would catch on with some. And let's face it some in the church like sitting their. Others like you will have a growing discomfort with the way it has always been done.
I am coaching a church in Dever Conner Oregon and I beleuive some of them will catch this. If not, the church will continue to lose ground in the traditional sense of the word.
One thing is sure...Wine in old wine skins gets better and better int he right environment. They tell me that at a constant temp of 56 degrees, the wine improves over time.
Why not expect that for Americanized Christian influence. Until we are dead we have time to reverse the trend. Now keep talking, how would you suggest we do this, I mean how will we mobilize the Church?
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