timbrellstar

While reading a church website this morning about how they planted a new church community I read the following wonderful words:

The rush for this adventurous community was in getting to be the Church – not just attend it. It was clear church was experienced best when we were in living it, not simply watching it happen. ROCKHARBOR had been marked by a heart of passionate involvement.

If you’re watching something happen, then you’re not really part of it. You’re not engaged in it, it’s not costing you anything.

I read something else yesterday about the 80/20 rule, which is about 80% of the work in a church being done by 20% of the people, or members. It’s a common problem. The article was saying that in many ways the way we structure church, the way we set it up actually results in this 80/20 situation. When the focal point of church is a Sunday meeting(s) where a smaller group of people are creating a time of ministry/worship/teaching, then it stands to reason that the rest of the people gathered are spectators to some degree.

I’m not sure how valid that is in every context. There are people in church who are there because they’re seeking, people who need healing and rest and teaching, but then there are a lot of Christians sitting in church each Sunday who come and go, and don’t actually take part in what church is about at all.

I think there’s room to think about how we are best to function as a church.  What is important is truth, and I’ll come back to that in a future post. Community is important.  Contextualising Gospel truth into the culture(s) we live in is important. Doing everything we do for King Jesus and His Glory is of uppermost importance.

I certainly want to be part of a local church where we can say ‘ The rush for this adventurous community was in getting to be the Church!‘.

I am currently reading, or have lined up to read, in no particular order;

Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith, Rob Bell
Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist, John Piper
Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper
God is the Gospel, John Piper
Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis
The God Chasers, Tommy Tenney
Seeing and Savouring Jesus Christ, John Piper
The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren

Ok, so there is a lot of John Piper! Any other suggestions are very welcome