Authentic church as commanded in the New Testament is simple and participatory …

But never easy.

In contrast, sitting in a “sanctuary” and enjoying a finely-scripted show and a carefully-crafted message – rooted in the “senior pastor’s” own vision and motivations – is easy.

Sitting in a living room and conforming to some “apostolic worker’s” own perceptions of Christ and His church – rooted in his own personality, sensibilities, likes, dislikes, and theological proclivities – also is easy.

But whether in a traditional “church” building or a gathering in someone’s home …

Is that what Christ wants?

Seriously.

Is that what Christ wants: Cookie-cutter “church” as an extension of one person’s own gifts, vision, and calling?

I think not.

Instead, authentic discipleship causes us to embrace the kind of vibrant, healthy relationship with Christ and each other that:

  • Compels us to gather together as His local assembly to encourage one another and stir up love and good works in each other;
  • Compels us to lay our lives down for one another as we mutually build up each other, rather than the “one” and his own ministry and agenda;
  • Compels us to be fellow-heirs and co-participants together in ministry one to another, each according to the diverse grace and gifts He’s distributed among us;
  • Compels us to be His functional, multi-part Body, with Him as the head and each of us being a vital part of the whole according our own unique, God-given gifts and abilities;
  • Compels us to find strength and unity through our God-ordained diversity, rather than man-imposed hierarchical conformity; and
  • Compels us to want to minister to one another when we gather together, and to others God places in our lives.

Simple?

Yes.

Easy?

No.

But is it worth it?

Yes, yes …

A thousand times yes!

Because stepping out in faith and learning to be the church together, as God actually commands in the New Testament, rather than a “church” by and about the one …

Always is.