Testing the Limits of Familiar
"The special operation keeps testing the limits of familiar procedure - its own side's and the other's" (Leebaert, p. 21).
I've been reading quite a bit and thinking even more about what I envision for a church. I'm involved in a church plant right now and we're doing things differently to some degree, but for the most part it is church as usual. I'm so ready for something different, but I'm also very concerned about how we get there.
Inspiration continues to flow through this book I'm reading, To Dare & To Conquer. Special operations often evolved out of irregular problems that conventional military units do not have the ability to address. From my reading, there are a lot of people looking at the American church with the same mind - these familiar methods of "doing church" are not meeting the needs like they used to (if they every really did). There are plenty of books out to criticize and challenge the effectiveness of church methods and even some that outright reject the idea of having any kind of "church" as you and I would define it. What is coming of all these opinions?
I'm having a hard time putting my thoughts together on this concept of doing church differently. The ideas are everywhere but channeling them and making them readable is difficult. There are certainly many ways to build and sustain a spiritual community. I don't think we're in search of the right way. However, I do not believe that any way will work. This is part of what Paul imposes his apostolic authority to correct in Corinth. People were doing just about whatever they wanted to do and calling it a fellowship of believers. So Paul writes to them with instructions like, "Eat dinner at home. Don't come to church and gorge yourself, calling it the Lord's table."
So some Corinthians had their opinion of how church should be done. Paul tells them they can't do things that way and call it a meeting of God's house. Instead of changing, the Corinthians begin to express their opinion about Paul and his apostleship. Who did he think he was to tell them how they would put on their Christian community? What makes Paul think he can tell them how many people are allowed to prophesy or speak out in church? This is the "spirit of this age," if you ask me. We're in the age of opinions, and no one is allowed to challenge the opinion of anyone else. Sure, we can "dialog" about it - we can have conversations but no one is going to change his opinion.
We just don't have an apostle available to put the foolishness to rest. When Paul's authenticity as an apostolic leader was called into question, he wrote back to the Corinthians and seems to be doing his best to give them the benefit of the doubt. His letter has the tone of, "maybe you haven't heard some of these things about me..." But toward the end of his letter, Paul declares that all the signs, wonders, miracles and authority of an apostle had been demonstrated among them. Paul had legitimate power through God's Spirit. He had the authority to put an end to the droning on of the opinions of the opinionated because his message was not composed of the enticing words of men's wisdom, but of the demonstration of the Spirit and power.
As a church, we need to be testing the limits of familiar. We need to be willing to take risks and bear criticism for the sake of getting on board with something fruitful. But the pursuit is toward a demonstration of the Spirit and power. I'm not looking for the next really cool church. I have no intention of being part of something void of God's power. How can we call it a spiritual community without the power?
Scott Bane
5 Comments
View Printer Friendly Version
Email Article to Friend
Reader Comments (5)
So, what does a church look like that the Apostle Paul and more yet Jesus would be happy with? Like, you said, I'm not sure there is AN answer to this one.
At the place I'm in now, I feel like I'm back to square one. I'm personally having a problem with myself in that how can I sit week after week, and do the same thing as always. It feels wrong to me. Like I'm being a hypocrite in that I know there should be more to this thing we call "church", but what is it? I am not the kind to take charge and start a movement (even if I knew where to go.) One thing I've been thinking about is finding a small group to attend at another church. We're all the body of Christ, right. So why does everything we do have to be within that one church we've chosen as your "home church?"
I don't think there is one answer! I believe God is What He is wherever and if the church that is planted has the right people and God's Words are heard and the church continues to grow, than that is your answer, not THE answer.
There does not seem to be any one answer to me either, although we would not say that "any" answer could be the right one either. What occurs to me is that a great deal of church effort goes into taking care of a very small few. This is a result of the way churches often form in the first place. They form around a Sunday morning meeting - they gather an audience and hope that some disciples emerge from that larger crowd.
What if we started with the disciples? That is, instead of gathering around the Sunday morning meeting (which attracts many people who have no intention of doing anything more than coming and enjoying the show) we gather around the mission of the disciple. Does that distinction make sense?
Testing the limits of familiar: I must say that and testing traditional church.
I am a child of God that has seen so much "holier than thou" in the Assmebly of God churches that I finally took my teen son and have stepped out. Not one person in there felt God would have them repent but everyone felt I should because I was obviously hurting....I do know that whenever God gets us( My son and I) through this spiritual battle we have been going through I will show MUCH commpassion and intersessory prayer to hurting people. How else can you take back the ground that satan tries to steal from Gods children!! My son and daughter have fought addictions and I have fought the strongholds. Their dad continues to live in his alcoholism and he tries to harrass us over the phone. If you have ever felt like you were in the struggle of you life than we have something in common! Just don't send a overzealous pastor in my path that would rather spout off his memory versus than allow the Holy Spirit to lead him!! After he made me the church spectacle I actually felt like I knew my Greek-Hebrew study bible alot better than whatever he was studying....Since when do you take church members and go over to someone's house and then more if that didn't work? I am not aware of a blatant sin that I did that deserves that???? I've confessed my all. That was his deduction from the first time he ever laid eyes on us....So much for a stand in pastor, the other moved away.....
What you are saying about the power of the Holy Spirit is where I am waiting and I won't leave the foot of the cross until God grants it to me...
Jenn