Mono-church?

​When a church or movement organizes around the vision, natural abilities, or spiritual gifts of a particular leader …

It will grow rapidly at first but then stagnate as it eventually bumps up against his limits.

This is not how it should be.

“Church” must never become a platform for one particular person, ministry or mission.

True church in Scripture is the wonderful, dynamic, fluid, multi-gifted and fully participatory Body of Christ …

Where we all minister one to another and to a waiting world, each according to the unique grace and differing gifts God distributes among us.

There is no mono-church in the New Testament!

Churches focus on meetings, hoping community will happen.

It seldom works.

What, instead, if churches were communities where gatherings happen?

Maybe it’s time to stop doing it backwards.

What if “churches” stopped being a “service” where the few try to usher the many into God’s “presence?”

(A concept nowhere found in the New Testament.)

What if, instead, they became gatherings where all can express God’s diverse presence already in each of us, as the Holy Spirit directs, for the mutual edification of one another?

(Just like it says in the New Testament.)

Wouldn’t that be amazing?

These days, church “leaders” seem more interested in an elevated stage and delivering prepared messages …

Than living among us and making disciples as a prepared person.

The problem is …

Many folks seem to want it that way.

The key to effective ministry …

Is becoming less and less indispensable.

A pastor introduced himself to me at a local ministerial association meeting and asked about “my” church.

As I considered how best to answer, it struck me for the first time that we didn’t have a name. I mean, the idea had just never even occured to us.

When I told him that, he seemed intrigued.

So I went on to shared how we were a simple, participatory gathering of believers who were the church, rather than folks who went to a church, and we never even considered the need for a “name.”

He thought about that and asked a few questions.

I responded by explaining that we don’t follow the post-New Testament model of a sole-proprietor “pastor” who preaches and runs the “service” every Sunday.

Rather, my role is to be an elder who – with others – unassumingly insures a safe environment where everyone can gather and feel free to minister one to another, each according to their own gifts as prompted by the Holy Spirit …

You know, just like the New Testament says.

He quietly considered what I said, then responded that he guessed that was OK – after all, “God once spoke through a jackass.”

Seriously, he said that.

Sigh …

​I’ll take relational simple church over staged scripted church any day of the week.

Is church supposed to be a staged event …

Or a functional community that ministers to one another?