going around church
Christy and I have been debating what to do about church. We no longer feel called to be at the weekend services (outside my sound role) for a variety of reasons. But we do think that the Westwinds community is where we should be. What we don't really understand is how to be a part of that community without attending services. One of the problems of the modern church is that it is all but defined by the weekend service, with some having small groups as the 'verb definition'.
Yes, we started a small group through Westwinds. And it died. Quickly. It all felt rather, well, contrived. I guess I am coming to understand 'church' as a community of fellow travelers. And true community comes in small packages. Thus 'church' is a small group? But the Church method of doing small groups includes hierarchy. Each small group has a leader, that leader reports to a small group mentor, who reports to the small group directorship, etc. But true community breaks down the hierarchy. Each member begins to work from his gifting. Someone soon is viewed by others as a mentor or sage due to age or experience or wisdom, but even she will be learning from and growing with the others.
So I think what we want is to build community that is in contact with Westwinds. That has interaction perhaps, or dialogue with the Church. But that is just a community of believers.
I must admit that I've been surprised the past week how much community I have seen just on the blogs. With John and Christy and Daniel and Bethany and I all cross-commenting, sometimes quite quickly, between us. Sharing life, sharing theology, sharing ideas. It seems so strange in a way to build such relationships digitally. But then again, I can see how it is a great way for us to only see the person's true self; fewer psychological games about gender, appearance, eloquence, slow or fast processing time, etc. At the least it makes an interesting unintended experiment.
We still love the idea or Reel Scrutiny. Watch movies; discuss how they affect us. Commune together. But we need to find a way to be the group's hosts, not the group's leaders. Any ideas?
posted by nathan @ 6:57 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Reel Scrutiny is a whizbang name. It was a move toward God that he will not ignore.
There's this thing in Acts about being devoted to the apostles' teaching. An undeniable power in corporate worship, corporate prayer. A unity that embraces and holds tight. Effervescent joy sprinkling faces as far as I can see.
I offer up my best and worst, only to be surprised again by the soft kiss of forgiveness. Sigh. I nestle in kindness, both human and divine. Accepted. Cherished. Smiled upon with warmth and light.
What have I done to deserve such a sweet spot? Yummy feeding. Mmm..want more. Grace swirling, filling, bringing scattered parts of me back together.
Vaya con dios.
I understand being dissatified with weekend church. The biblical church has nothing to do with a building and more of who we are as a body of believers.
That being said, I think it's very dangerous for anyone's walk to go outside of a church body to build community. I think you need spiritual leaders to help you understand the truth of the Word and to make sure you aren't building on your own intellect.
I'm not sure how you keep up with Westwinds without attending on saturday/sunday. I don't know much about the 'winds at all. What I would encourage you to do, (just a suggestion) is check out some other churches and just take notes, look around and pray.
Just some ideas.
The question that I have started asking myself is : "What is the role of the Spirit in spiritual growth?" I hear folks talk about how important it is to rely on others for our spiritual formation, but it seems to me we have everything we need in the person of Jesus the Christ. Is it really that dangerous for a hermit to withdraw from the world to be closer to God? Or for a Christian to seek community in his neighborhood of Agnostics, Atheists, Hindi, Bhudists, Muslims, and Mormons? I do think that interacting and building with others (Christian or otherwise) is a good endeavor. Spending time sharing what God has been teaching each of us builds community. We can learn much from eachother, but I will not say that community with fellow humans (even Christians) is a prerequisite to community with God.
I'm with you Brother.
The longer I live the more I learn that without relationship there's just no point. The hermit does not need anything other than Jesus Christ. However, hermitage makes both incredible saints and incredible lunatics. (Waco, anyone?) I love the idea of developing a meaningful relationship with Christ based on, well, the relationship with Christ. But I also love the idea of participating in the relationship with Christ in the context of a community of believers at all points of their journeys. The only place I know how to really do that is church. For me, therein lies the dilemma.
Fresh off reading Paul's letters to Timothy and currently plowing through Luke, I can't help but note the rather explicit instructions given to the church regarding hierarchy. Learning from the older and wiser is part of the DNA of the body. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are part of "the church" for the equipping of the saints (Eph. 4:11). Without their influence in our lives, we're missing out on being equipped the way Christ intended.
Of course, learning from our peers is part of the body's DNA as well. It is necessary for all parts of a body to be participating and functioning for it to grow properly. So, I would say a necessary ingredient of spiritual growth is others—though OF COURSE all growth still does come from Christ. His is the vine after all.
That being said, it doesn't seem most churches or church go-ers do a good job of acting out this Biblical model. The hierarchy, touched on also in 1 Corinthians 12:27-29, is abused. Pastors and worship leaders are basically the only contributors. The rest of the body is stifled, leading to a starvation of spiritual gifts and confidence.
In our "knowledge" and "wisdom" over the years, we've come up with lots of programs and systems we feel work better in our modern times. People are encouraged to plug-in, mostly through service opportunities. While that is a spiritual gift for some, it's not for all.
Enamored by their own genius, churches have isolated themselves from each other, feeling they've developed "the Way." And now it's trickled down into the lives of individual church go-ers. We're enticed—if not trained—we can do-it-better and do-it-on-our-own.
And so the great exodus is happening: The Revolution. In some ways it's good: the Church does need an overhaul. In some ways it's bad: the body mustn't fragment further.
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