Speak to me...
Speak to me about this one.
What would your ministry or Church look like if you didn't have a building?
posted by Bob Carder @ 8:04 PM
12 comments
Sunday, September 03, 2006
What would your ministry or Church look like if you didn't have a building?
12 Comments:
Mine would look no different!
What does yours look like?
knowing me, it would look very disorganized -- the way the top of my desk looks right now.
Mike, do you mean disorganized or uncontrolled or both?
Can your church without a builing be disorganized and effective? Are you effective with your heaping desk of stuff?
Bob, Our church looks different from those around us. So different that even our congregation is challenged to adjust. Others say we really aren't a church. We meet in a park every other week as a church family. We sing, take communion, pray, teach, learn, and share a meal together. During the week we meet in small groups wherever God leads. Last week the men met at a Hardee's restaurant while the women met at Panera's. Others meet in homes throughout the week. When a Christian in our church get's the opportunity to share their faith they will normally invite the person to a small group before they invite them to our church in the park. We are seeing people disciple others and some of our congregation is starting to pray for opportunity to share Christ. While everyone says it is an adjustment to do church this way they all think it is Biblical. We don't have programs or structured ministries. These are a modern invention. I am really trying to put ministry into new terms for my congregation so we can be free from the man made programs to do God's work wherever He leads. I will keep you posted on this.
Well, I certainly hope disorganized can be effective! I like to think I'm effective because of (in spite of?) my desk.
But my gifts do not lie in organization and order. I am more comfortable in spur of the moment messiness.
I think the problem runs deeper than buildings. Buildings are neither inheritantly good or bad. Even the first century church met in buildings...called houses. A building can be a tool or an idol.
The idolization of buildings and property, not the missional utilization of them, is a major problem with the American church.
Just my 2 shekels.
It doesn't matter how it looks... it matters how it works. Does a sundial LOOK like it can tell time? Not to me. But it does.
This movement has enough structure to keep it accountable but not enough to stop it from being Holy Spirit led and fluid.
Contol or no control? Some, but not to much! We need accountability and community but it is never the main thing. You all know what the main thing is.
Oh I forgot: Mike, Discorganized may mean to some "not controlled". You tell me!
We cannot control the Holy Spirit. To control Him in our attempt is to quench Him and hinder His work.
Bob: I think the work of the HS is messy. And, I agree, it would be awfully presumptious of me to try to control him. Which is why I'm comfortable sitting back (metaphorically) and letting the HS do his work -- in me and through me.
How can we get people from the mentality of "just" going to Church to Being the Church?
Even the world thinks the church is a building. In the New Testament the met in different buildings but the buildings were never referred to as the Church. The people were always the Body of Christ -never a location.
However I do agree with Anthony and Bill. Your point/comments take us deeper in our discussion.
Let's keep fleshing this out to the deeper issues at hand.
Post a Comment
<< Home