I don’t care what form in which it comes . . . be it organic church, simple church, house church, para-church organizations, or traditional churches that are strong on community . . . what I address in this conference message is off the radar screen for many Christians today.
And even if they’ve read or heard about it, when pressure is put upon them or their expectations aren’t met, they forget all about it.
Failure to lay hold of this element is why groups divide, split, and why members sometimes even begin attacking one another.
I could have entitled this talk “how to prevent a church split” as that title applies also.
However, Warning: Christian Community Doesn’t Work Without This is just as apt.
I delivered this message at the 2009 “Reimagining Church Conference” in Toronto, Canada.
Recently, I posted the transcript of a shortened version of this talk in response to three separate questions from our blog survey last year.
You’re Putting God in a Box!
I really needed to hear this, thank you. Taking a pause to count the cost, as I may soon have opportunity to connect with others in organic church… I have to say, after listening to this word I had a personal reaction ironically self-sufficient (“So, I really have to figure out how to bear my cross for this Christian community to work!”), followed immediately by feeling overwhelmed and even somewhat abandoned to the process.
The Lord came back quickly with:
“Hey, I am Lord of the cross. I went through Forsaken on my cross so you wouldn’t have to on yours. I work in you to will and act according to my good purpose, able to complete what I began…Even though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, fear no evil, I am with you, my rod and staff will comfort, leading you in paths of righteousness for my name’s sake… And, boom. Let’s start with nailing self-reliance. Trust me.”
😉 With us in all our brokenness, raising beauty from ashes; thank you, God.
Once again… This is not your average, grade A, pasteurized milk. This is organic meat!
Thanks.
chewing,
rob
Frank – Thank you for posting this audio. I had to listen to it 3X, it was so poignant. Many of these church topics come back to those two trees in the garden, don’t they? Are we consuming Christ, the tree of life, truth and (right)eousness personified? Or are we binging on that “other” tree; the tree of self-sufficiency, self-indulgence and self-realization? My experience has been that the real me, created in Christ Jesus as His masterpiece, comes alive in direct proportion to my willingness to die. It’s not asceticism, it’s living into the mystery for which we were created.