Church plant or worship gathering?

I’ll get back to the “why” series after this post, but hopefully this post will foster even greater discussion.

For a while now I’ve been struggling with what to do to reach my generation. Should I approach my leadership and ask them to change or adapt the Sunday morning service to make it more emergent friendly? Should Hayley and I leave, looking for a new church home? Should I, with a team of like-minded individuals, attempt to start something new?

I feel like approaching my leadership and asking them to change is the wrong way to go. Who am I to change the way my fellow congregants worship? They’re perfectly happy with the way Sunday morning looks, and have little to no desire to see anything different. And while I recognize the importance of stretching and growing, I also appreciate the importance of peace and harmony. Adding instruments, videos and a radically different service style would not promote peace and harmony.

I also hate the idea of leaving our current congregation. I know Hayley wouldn’t enjoy that and leaving Central would upset people that I’ve grown to love.

Which leaves the final option: starting something new. I feel like this option is the best, but I’m not sure to what level this “new thing” should go. Should it be an alternative gathering on Sunday nights? Should it be a concerted church plant effort? Do we need to get the support and blessing of congregations to do this or do we just go for it?

So many questions, so many barriers and so much that needs to be done. So, I ask all of you for advice and guidance.

What should I do?

Just ask "Why?"

In marketing, it’s essential to ask, “Why are we doing what we’re about to do” before any campaign, project or promotion. That seems obvious and simple, but if you look at some billboards, television and radio ads, promotional giveaways and newspaper ads, it becomes obvious that many organizations fail to ask the question.

I believe that churches should take this same strategic approach to everything that they do. Church attendance is dwindling, emerging generations are not coming into contact with God and the post-Christian environment is hostile towards modern Christianity. Something’s got to change.

We need to step back, look at what we’re doing and ask “why?” Why do we preach 30-minute sermons? Why do we have sermons? Why do we do communion the way we do it? Why do we have small groups? Why do spend $X on X?

This process isn’t fun, easy or safe, but it is essential if we’re going to be relevant in this generation.

So, even though we all attend different churches in different states, (for the most part anyway) let’s get the conversation started.

Today’s topic:
Why sermons?

Eucharist

One of the staples of the church of Christ faith has been its observance of the Eucharist. Every Sunday, Christians in the church of Christ brotherhood break bread (or Matzo, pie crust or some other unleavened treat) and take a sip from a small cup (each has their own, typically). The elements are also brought to those not sitting in the sanctuary, so they can partake (nursery, bouncers, etc.) If one is unable to attend on Sunday, usually an opportunity is provided to take it on Sunday night.

The emphasis is typically placed on the day that it is taken, not on the reason WHY it is taken. This is, in a word, bad.

While reading a blog post on Evotional.com I had a realization.

Celebrating communion is something that we should do as often as possible, maybe everytime we come together. However, I don't know if it is necessary or best-used as a part of the corporate worship service. Very rarely is the focus of the service on communion. It's usally done as quickly as possible with cursory devotional to "prepare our minds" for what we're about to do. (A quick aside: when I was in high school, my fellow tray passers and I would draw up "plays" for the passing out the trays. We would figure out the most efficient way to pass out trays. It was pretty awesome.)

I think we've missed the point.

The early church came together to break bread. (Acts 20:7) This verse has been used to argue that communion can ONLY be taken on the first day of the week. However, the emphasis of that verse has been distorted. Rather than arguing for a certain day to partake in the bread, the verse "argues" for the purpose of coming together. How many of our churches come together to "break bread?" If an unbiased outsider were to visit our church and we asked them why they thought we were meeting, would they say to take communion? Probably not.

We need to be intentional about taking communion. We need to pay attention to what we're doing and why we're doing it. I have no problem with traditions as long as they serve a purpose. I fear that our every Sunday tradition has lost its purpose.

Churches that take communion every Sunday without being intentional are no more "right" than a church that takes it sporadically. Let's stop missing the point.

On more AD post...

This Maeby my last post on the loveable Bluths...

Check out this MSNBC Commentary about Arrested Development.

Maybe it was time for the show to bow out, after all. Where would we go from here? How could Michael return to his family without turning from long-suffering and loyal to a simple glutton for punishment? And what would be funny about George Michael and Maeby in a normal teenage relationship? No, “Arrested Development” has developed as far as it can, and I can accept that, let go and look forward to new shows from the people responsible. Still, there’s a Pismo Beach motel called the Blue Seal I pass frequently, and it always makes me think “Ah yes, Lucille.” - Wendell Wittler

While I could've enjoyed several more seasons of the show, I have to agree that it's best to not drag it out.

Farewell Bluths.

Hope is lost...

Despite months-long rumors of Arrested Development having been picked up by the Showtime Network, and star Jason Bateman's confirmation that two new seasons of the series had been ordered, the San Francisco Chronicle reported on March 28, 2006 that creator Mitch Hurwitz will not be returning.

As Showtime had made it clear that Hurwitz's involvement was a requirement for the continuation of the show, Arrested Development is considered by both its creators and fans as having reached its end on television.

However, one small, tiny, microscopic bit hope remains: Hurwitz has previously alluded to the possibility of a feature film.

Binding and Loosing...

In Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis, he mentions the concept of binding and loosing from Matthew 16:17-19. I’ve never really thought about this idea before, never really knowing what it meant. Bell proposes an interesting explanation for binding and loosing.

He says that the disciples are given the liberty and the responsibility to interpret and explain the teaching of Jesus. I’m still working this out, but the implications of this are pretty incredible.

First of all, the liberty aspect. For a long, long time interpretation of scripture has been anything but liberating. It has been dogmatic, uniform and resistant to questioning and change. Imagine the possibilities for growth and open mindedness when we’re open to new ways of reading God’s words! Our eyes, hearts and minds could be opened to radically new truths about who God is and His will for our lives! His words could be new every morning and the lamp unto our feet could receive a brighter bulb.

However, as the great poet Stan Lee once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.” We can’t be careless in our new reading of the scriptures. We can’t add to God’s words. God still speaks, God may have spoken in other mediums than the Bible, but any words, written or spoken, contrary to the words in the Bible lack credibility and authority.

We must be responsible in our binding and loosing. Jesus has given us incredible authority to communicate His truths. We don’t create truth or reality, but we certainly have a hand in shaping it. We can’t be flippant or careless with this responsibility.

Todd's Theses (Thoughts) - Part 3

The third (and final?) chapter in my theses posts.

33. Being mean or offensive isn’t the best way to point people towards truth.

34. Churches should be transformational. When people come in contact with Jesus’ love, they should never be the same.

35. God’s will isn’t unfurled before us so we can know His entire plan for our entire life. It’s revealed in small pieces so we can take next steps.

36. Every member is a minister.

37. Educational institutions, political organizations and Focus on the Family are NOT the Church.

38. We don’t go to church. We are the Church.

39. Mission work (and money) doesn’t have to occur (be spent) in another country.

40. Truth isn’t contingent upon me. Just because I believe something to be true doesn’t make it so. (Caedmon’s Call)

41. Women and men are equal in Christ. We do females a great disservice when we tell them they can be anything they want professionally, but they’re restricted in church.

42. The Bible is NOT an answer book, rulebook, instruction manual or textbook. It is a narrative, and it’s important that we understand it as such. (See #18)

43. Unity doesn’t equal uniformity.

Todd's Theses (Thoughts) - PART 2

Addendum to #2:
The Bible provides an incomplete, human picture of who God is.

17. The Bible is the perfect word of God. (2 Tim. 3:16)

18. The Bible was written to a specific group of people, with a specific purpose and a specific situation. To read the scriptures out of their historical context is a dangerous practice.

19. The mission of churches shouldn’t be to get bigger. The mission should be creating disciples and sending them out to do ministry.

20. Individualism is one of the worst things that have happened to the faith. Churches are communities. We can’t ignore the importance of community in study, prayer and worship.

21. Healing is still possible.

22. Our faith has become incredibly logical; it’s all about what you know. We need to tap into our emotions and experiences and recognize they are as valid to our understanding as cognitive knowledge.

23. We need to stop studying (so much) and start doing. We have too many classes and not enough service.

24. We should never stop learning.

25. Christianity is not a political movement. Moral legislation will not bring anyone closer to Jesus.

26. A cappella worship is not the sole way to worship from the heart.

27. Questioning God, the Bible, traditions or leaders is necessary for some people’s faith. Rather than discourage that, we should facilitate it. Church should be the most comfortable place to seek the truth.

28. If people are truly seeking for truth, they will find it. (Matt 7:7-8)

29. Tracts won’t change people’s lives.

30. Disfellowshipping entire churches isn’t Biblical.

31. Pointing out doctrinal errors of other churches is a waste of time.

32. Having nice things isn’t a sin.

Todd's Theses (Thoughts) - Part 1

1. God and His ways are bigger than human comprehension. (Ecclesiastes 8:16-18)

2. The Bible doesn’t provide the entire picture of who God is. (John 21:25)

3. The Bible is living, breathing document that needs to be read, reread, interpreted and reinterpreted. Its truths are everlasting, but the way we understand and apply them will change. (Matt. 16:19)

4. To be a Christian requires all of our selves. There is no such thing as a “Sunday” Christian. (Luke 9:23)

5. Eternity is now. When we are baptized, we aren’t changed, cleaned and reconciled for tomorrow; we’re changed, cleaned and reconciled for the right now. We need to do everything in our power to bring heaven to earth for today, not earth to heaven for tomorrow.

6. Christ is bigger than politics. Conservative and liberal, republican and democrat, libertarian and socialist all find common ground in Christ. (John 14:6)

7. Worship is not about what I get it out of it.

8. Worship is not incorporated. Worship is life. There should be no such thing as a “worship service.”

9. The way we observe communion today is not the way it was observed in the Bible. (Acts 2:41-43)

10. God’s grace covers our mistakes, ignorance and stubbornness. (2 Cor. 12:8-10)

11. Salvation doesn’t follow obedience. Obedience follows salvation. (Eph. 4:2-9)

12. You cannot be a Christian and ignore the fatherless and the widowed, the hungry and the naked, the lost and the ignored. (Matt. 25:35-45)

13. Seeing people based on negative attributes is not the way God sees us. Our identity is not in our failures; our identity is in Christ. (Eph. 4:10)

14. The question of “who will be saved?” is of little importance in the life of a Christian. The question should be “How can I show Christ in my life to everyone around me?”

15. The Christian faith is not an institution; it is a movement. We should spend less time, money and energy on maintaining the institution and more on carrying out Jesus’ vision for his disciples. (Matt. 28:19)

16. For too long the great commission has been the method rather than the vision. We are to make disciples, baptize and teach others to obey. We must be creative and relevant to carry out that vision. (Acts 17:22-34)


(Rob Bell and Brian McLaren created this list through their writings. I'm merely spewing my reactions.)

I'm an emergent!

As I stated in a couple of posts back, I’ve been reading A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren. It’s been a pretty incredible experience for me. I don’t think I really like McLaren’s writing style, but what he talks about is almost dead on with where I am in my faith today. (Aside from his failure/refusal to claim that absolute truth exists). This book, in addition to Velvet Elvis by Rob Bell, has helped me put words to what I’ve been thinking for a while now.

It’s time that we stop comparing the best of our views against the worst of theirs (whoever “they” are, be it liberal vs. conservative, evangelical vs. fundamental, etc.). Let’s recognize that we don’t have it all figured out, and that we don’t even have to have it all figured out! This journey that we’re on is less about knowing truth and more about exploring and sharing the truth we’ve come to.*

I hope we can realize we’re not called to “bring God” to people. God’s already with them! We just have to do our best to recognize where He’s at work and point that out.

I’m tired of being a defensive Christian. I’m tired of being an offensive Christian. Frankly, I’m tired of being a Christian (as the term stands today). I want to be a disciple of Christ. Nothing more.

I hope that we can emerge from our currently held factions and unite as the body of Christ to create a church that is passionate about making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching others to obey everything he has commanded us.




*I believe that we can know truth (i.e. God) but knowing and understanding fully are two distinct things. We will never fully understand God, but for too long we’ve held our understanding of God in opposition to other’s understandings. All I’m trying to communicate is that it’s less about being right and more about doing the best we can to be like Christ.