The Peril Of Setting Up Church As An Organization
The nation of Israel had a unique way of governing that was completely different than the nations around them. They had the Creator of the Universe, the living and true God as their sovereign Ruler and He raised up those He pleased to speak to His people and guide them during seasons as a nation.
But then, something changed. The people started wanting what the nations had around them. They asked for a King. They wanted a flesh and blood ruler to rule over them and give them orders and set up a kingdom.
God spelled out for them in advance what would happen if they were to have what they asked for. It was a life of slavery to the needs of this king and to his kingdom. It would drain families of resources, time and take family members away from families.
I have had the wonderful privilege of enjoying a group of believers in a home setting. The love and fellowship in these settings were rich. Heart needs were filled and the sweet presence of God exuded in these precious times together. There was rich fellowship and getting to know one another over time. We all wanted to be there together. We couldn't wait to see each other week after week. Everyone pitched in with a dish to share and helped keep an eye on each other's children. There was mutual encouragement as we spoke into each other's lives out of depth of caring - a caring free of agenda because there wasn't an agenda. No one there was pushing anyone to join a team or be in charge of this or that. There was freedom from having to maintain a building and programs. There was no building or programs. There was no need for a greeting committee or a hospitality team. Everyone greeted each other as we walked in and the hospitality of the home we entered exuded authentically and warmly as our hosts loved having us there and it showed in every way. It was a small group of anywhere from 12-20 people. It was small enough to share our struggles and to pray over one another. It was small enough to meet needs as they were shared and needed. No one was made to feel like they were not wanted if they didn't perform or overly welcomed if they did or could. The ones who had much to offer were loved as much as the ones who seemingly did not. In that type of setting, people bloomed and those who had been used to being asked to do a lot because they could lead worship or been trained in the various church needs, could rest and wait on God for His timing to offer and others could rise up to share new-to-them types of things to bless those around them as they could. Sweet sweet times.
If I could say something about the way a church organization is set up these days, it would be to say how little of what it has become has helped people blossom as the beloved people that we already are.
Because of the needs of the building structure - its maintenance, its allowance for large numbers of people, its call to produce something that has to look worthy in the eyes of the community for the amount of expenditures this thing takes just to keep it open and running, we are losing so much of the beauty of the freedom we already possess as people of God and we herd all that freedom into a box and try to press out a show from it......exhausting the freedom and liberty for the sake of bragging rights.
I ask why would anyone take a beautiful thing birthed through freedom and take it and put it into slavery? Have we not learned anything from history as this kind of thing has been done over and over and over with nothing but regret and anguish and pain in its wake?
I long for the freedom in Christ experienced with one another apart from the stage and the crowd control and the need to pay for a box to stage it all in.
I long to get to know others and express our love for God with one another in a way that is real and genuine and socially normal. To rub elbows and share food and just be together.
I recently met with another couple in their home. They had us over for food....a delicious meal and then a delicious cup of coffee. The time together in their livingroom talking of life and hearing the passions of their heart was just the best and the desires God placed in our hearts was spoken of naturally and not coerced and the atmosphere of the sweet presence of God and hearts loving Him in the normal setting of friendship was rich.
I long for more of this without agenda or organizational staging. I want it real and raw and uncoerced. Freedom is a precious thing and it was for freedom that Christ set us free. What did He set us free from? Definitely a question to ponder on this beautiful winter day.
But then, something changed. The people started wanting what the nations had around them. They asked for a King. They wanted a flesh and blood ruler to rule over them and give them orders and set up a kingdom.
God spelled out for them in advance what would happen if they were to have what they asked for. It was a life of slavery to the needs of this king and to his kingdom. It would drain families of resources, time and take family members away from families.
I have had the wonderful privilege of enjoying a group of believers in a home setting. The love and fellowship in these settings were rich. Heart needs were filled and the sweet presence of God exuded in these precious times together. There was rich fellowship and getting to know one another over time. We all wanted to be there together. We couldn't wait to see each other week after week. Everyone pitched in with a dish to share and helped keep an eye on each other's children. There was mutual encouragement as we spoke into each other's lives out of depth of caring - a caring free of agenda because there wasn't an agenda. No one there was pushing anyone to join a team or be in charge of this or that. There was freedom from having to maintain a building and programs. There was no building or programs. There was no need for a greeting committee or a hospitality team. Everyone greeted each other as we walked in and the hospitality of the home we entered exuded authentically and warmly as our hosts loved having us there and it showed in every way. It was a small group of anywhere from 12-20 people. It was small enough to share our struggles and to pray over one another. It was small enough to meet needs as they were shared and needed. No one was made to feel like they were not wanted if they didn't perform or overly welcomed if they did or could. The ones who had much to offer were loved as much as the ones who seemingly did not. In that type of setting, people bloomed and those who had been used to being asked to do a lot because they could lead worship or been trained in the various church needs, could rest and wait on God for His timing to offer and others could rise up to share new-to-them types of things to bless those around them as they could. Sweet sweet times.
If I could say something about the way a church organization is set up these days, it would be to say how little of what it has become has helped people blossom as the beloved people that we already are.
Because of the needs of the building structure - its maintenance, its allowance for large numbers of people, its call to produce something that has to look worthy in the eyes of the community for the amount of expenditures this thing takes just to keep it open and running, we are losing so much of the beauty of the freedom we already possess as people of God and we herd all that freedom into a box and try to press out a show from it......exhausting the freedom and liberty for the sake of bragging rights.
I ask why would anyone take a beautiful thing birthed through freedom and take it and put it into slavery? Have we not learned anything from history as this kind of thing has been done over and over and over with nothing but regret and anguish and pain in its wake?
I long for the freedom in Christ experienced with one another apart from the stage and the crowd control and the need to pay for a box to stage it all in.
I long to get to know others and express our love for God with one another in a way that is real and genuine and socially normal. To rub elbows and share food and just be together.
I recently met with another couple in their home. They had us over for food....a delicious meal and then a delicious cup of coffee. The time together in their livingroom talking of life and hearing the passions of their heart was just the best and the desires God placed in our hearts was spoken of naturally and not coerced and the atmosphere of the sweet presence of God and hearts loving Him in the normal setting of friendship was rich.
I long for more of this without agenda or organizational staging. I want it real and raw and uncoerced. Freedom is a precious thing and it was for freedom that Christ set us free. What did He set us free from? Definitely a question to ponder on this beautiful winter day.
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