An Organic Church
In this space I want to discuss the idea of ours being a church that is Missional, Organic, Relational and Holistic. All of these words are dangerously close to becoming jargon so I want to give specific content to them. I want to do this for our benefit so we can speak effectively with one another, share our hearts, and build a dialogue that will move us forward as we continue to seek God's will for our church. Here is this week's word:
organic: 1. occurring or developing gradually and naturally, without being forced or contrived; 2. consisting of elements that exist together in a seemingly natural relationship that makes for organized efficiency
I borrowed these two definitions from the many that are in the dictionary to illustrate what I believe we are aiming for as a new church. Definition 1 highlights the fact that we are involved in a ministry that is natural and an outgrowth of our personal lives. The corporate gathering of believers is to be an amalgam of all of our experiences with God along with the combined experiences of that gathering, that specific church. We don't seek to import something foreign that does not have it's roots in our journey, both corporately and as individuals, with Christ.
Definition 2 speaks to how we function as an organization, or better yet as an organism. Organic language is often more helpful to describe the Church, and more biblical, than the language of business, government and non-profit institutions. Jesus spoke of organic relationships, such as the relationship between Father and Son, and the Apostle Paul spoke of an organic unity, the Body. Each of these were meant to give us a picture of how God's people are to function in the world. Each of these organic images gives the Church a picture of how we are to participate in the further advancement of God's Kingdom.
Included in the last post, A Missional Church, there is another "organic" image that Jesus used as a description of God's Kingdom. Yeast was a common household item of that time and a familiar one to us today. In Matthew 13:33 Jesus highlights the small yet pervasive quality of yeast and how the Kingdom of God is similar. Think of the paradox. Jesus takes the biggest and most important subject known to man and compares it to baking ingredients!
Jesus used other "organic" imagery such as the Shepherd and the Sheep, the Parable of Seeds and Soils, the Mustard Seed and the Great Tree and many others. Jesus love for nature was not the primary factor in his use of these images but the reality that they represented. We will do well to pay close attention to His metaphors.
When you think of an "organic" church what comes to your mind?
organic: 1. occurring or developing gradually and naturally, without being forced or contrived; 2. consisting of elements that exist together in a seemingly natural relationship that makes for organized efficiency
I borrowed these two definitions from the many that are in the dictionary to illustrate what I believe we are aiming for as a new church. Definition 1 highlights the fact that we are involved in a ministry that is natural and an outgrowth of our personal lives. The corporate gathering of believers is to be an amalgam of all of our experiences with God along with the combined experiences of that gathering, that specific church. We don't seek to import something foreign that does not have it's roots in our journey, both corporately and as individuals, with Christ.
Definition 2 speaks to how we function as an organization, or better yet as an organism. Organic language is often more helpful to describe the Church, and more biblical, than the language of business, government and non-profit institutions. Jesus spoke of organic relationships, such as the relationship between Father and Son, and the Apostle Paul spoke of an organic unity, the Body. Each of these were meant to give us a picture of how God's people are to function in the world. Each of these organic images gives the Church a picture of how we are to participate in the further advancement of God's Kingdom.
Included in the last post, A Missional Church, there is another "organic" image that Jesus used as a description of God's Kingdom. Yeast was a common household item of that time and a familiar one to us today. In Matthew 13:33 Jesus highlights the small yet pervasive quality of yeast and how the Kingdom of God is similar. Think of the paradox. Jesus takes the biggest and most important subject known to man and compares it to baking ingredients!
Jesus used other "organic" imagery such as the Shepherd and the Sheep, the Parable of Seeds and Soils, the Mustard Seed and the Great Tree and many others. Jesus love for nature was not the primary factor in his use of these images but the reality that they represented. We will do well to pay close attention to His metaphors.
When you think of an "organic" church what comes to your mind?
posted by The Wheatland Mission at 12:21 AM
5 Comments:
There is such an emphasis in our culture on doing things naturally. From growing food, to having children, to dealing with illnesses. There is a good impulse behind this although all of these can be taken to extremes.
It seems to me that an organic church would be one where people would be trying to get back to the basics of following Christ. Simple, straightforward, and without unnecessary attachments.
I like what you said there Brad. It is true, organic means free from artificial intrusions that distract from growth.
Tom, I appreciate the point you make about how what comes "naturally" to us may just be an expression of our sinful nature. Without a doubt, we need the unnatural intervention of God's Spirit to make us new. Your point about us longing for that "pre-fall" state, that natural state, is right on target.
Along this same line, however, we must remember that we are new creatures in Christ. (I Cor. 5:17) As a result we now have new "natures" and new natural inclinations which, over time, as we grow in Christ begin to reflect Jesus' desires and not our own.
Organic, in our context means working with what God gives us rather than trying to import programs and methods that don't fit our group or our context.
Along the lines of organic, I was sent the link to an article about George Barna's new book called Revolution. Talk about organic! There's a movement that sounds very much like what we are experiencing. It's a must read link about the change in the American culture of people moving out of local churches in pursuit of a more intimate relationship with Christ and seeking to BE the church! Sound familiar? Here's a quote about this book: Revolution, published by Tyndale House, is what the author calls “a brief introduction to the most important spiritual movement of our age.” He believes that fifty years from now historians will look back at this period and label it one of the most significant periods in American Church history. “I would not be surprised,” the California-based researcher noted, “if at some point this becomes known as the Third Great Awakening in our nation’s history. This spiritual renaissance is very different from the prior two religious awakenings in America, but it may well become the most profound.”
Haven't we spoken of seeing the movement of the Holy Spirit here with Wheatland Mission? Cool! To God be the glory as we partake in the 3rd Great Awakening! =)
Thanks for the input Marci. That is some great information. Excellent stuff.
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