|
Word on the street is that people out there are fed
up with organized religion. Rather, they are longing
for a genuine connection with "the supernatural"
and with a community of friends.
The typical answer provided by the church falls short
among most people in our postmodern culture. The church
says, "OK…come to our religious building.
We'll give you a religious program and you'll get to
hear a religious person talk in religious language about
religious topics. After it's all over, you can go home."
"No thanks," comes back the beleaguered response,
"I'd rather stay home…"
In light of this, maybe we ought to think about taking
church to the people instead of bringing people to the
church. Maybe we ought to think about planting churches
where people live and then cooperate with God as he
brings about the growth.
The organic church is an attempt to do just that. It's
based in the belief that living things grow naturally.
Its based in the conviction that "kingdom"
things are organic things -- they start small and eventually
reproduce. Organic church planters don't think about
planting a church. They think more like the Apostle
Paul - about churching a region. While churches following
organic principles often meet in homes, they are not
- by definition - about a building, whether the building
has a steeple on the roof…or a chimney.
Organic church planters see it as goodnews that the
fields are white for harvest! So, rather than starting
"in the barn" they get to work where lost
people are. They sow the gospel seed in the soil of
the surrounding community. And, just like an organic
farmer with a variety of crops, they may start a number
of churches at once. In fact, when organic church planting
is happening, things can be expected to multiply at
every level: from disciples to leaders; from churches
to movements.
Leading an organic church planting project is not for
everyone. It is for those more interested in empowering
others than being employed. It is for those willing
to give up their pulpit in order to prepare indigenous
leaders. It is for people who are willing to take disciples
to where lost people are instead of organizing an event
that attracts lost people to come to them. It is for
leaders who will listen to God, find out what he's doing
and join him vs. making plans and asking God to bless
those plans. It is for leaders who will lovingly look
after a cluster of churches instead of pastoring a single
congregation.
On other hand, planting an organic church can be for
everyone. As the body of Christ is activated and released
into the harvest, the simplicity and freedom found in
letting Jesus build his church is one of life's greatest
thrills! It builds trust, deepens compassion, normalizes
evangelism, enlivens prayer, and results in a powerful
integration of life and faith. When ordinary believers
participate on an organic church planting team, the
potential for a fruitful ministry skyrockets.
The organic church is as old as the early church meeting
from house to house. But for many of us it's a new thing.
These days we are seeing global shifts of massive proportions
and it has become very appropriate to get back to our
roots as believers. Missionaries and martyrs have shown
us the way in China and India, for example. But it can
happen, it should happen, here in North America - and
beyond - for the glory of God and the gladness of all
peoples!
 Pastoring
in the GlobaLocal CONVERGENCE seminar infomation
Conversations
seminar information
Speakers bio
ReEmergence of
the GlobaLocal Church
Life
Transformation Groups
|
