Are we there yet?

I've been encouraged as I reflect on some wise insight about simple church, derived from years of hard work "in the trenches". Particularly some from organic church practitioner and author, Frank Viola. He's been writing and practising it for 20 years, so I am paying special attention to his "5 Unmovable Principles" of organic church life. It explains how hard it is to take a genuinely fresh approach to what Jesus wants to do in our gatherings and there are practical tips about how to offload 'baggage' we naturally bring to this new form.

He suggests a "clearing phase" before we attempt spiritual endeavours - as we unlearn old patterns and learn about each other. 

...the main need of the group for at least the first six months is to learn to get to know one another outside the context of religious duty. By doing so, you will encounter freedom and reality as well as cultivate an environment of safety. These are the necessary foundations for anything spiritually meaningful to take place.

What do you think about this? Six months sounds like a long ice-breaker to me. Is that too extreme? It's something I'm pondering.

I've summarised Frank's five principles below. I have a more detailed outline if you would like to contact me for a copy.

Principle 1: Become like little children.

“If you wish to discover Jesus Christ corporately in a fresh way, then become like a little child. Drop your agendas. Drop your ambitions. Drop what you think you are in the Lord. Drop what you think your gifts are. And become a humble brother or sister in Christ…. I assure you whatever comes up out of the ground will look quite different from what it did in the past. This is the principle of resurrection: It is only by death that new life is produced. And what dies comes back in a different form.”

Principle 2: Your feelings will get hurt.

"Institutional religion has a way of hiding our flaws. It also has a way of safeguarding and insulating us from each other. In an organic church, we get to know one another very well. That means that what we are in the natural gets exposed. Authentic church life is a house of mirrors.... The members of an organic church are living stones that are being welded together to form a dwelling place for the Lord. In order for those stones to be built together, they require a great deal of cutting, chiseling, sanding, and refining. "

Principle 3: Be patient with the progress of the group.

"Your first six months (plus) are the “clearing phase” of your life as a new church… During this clearing phase, a great deal of unlearning will occur. A great deal of deprogramming and detoxification. A great deal of tearing down of the old mind-sets, the old mentality, the old vocabulary, and the old practices. A discarding of the methods of operation that you picked up by being part of institutional Christianity. In place of that, there will grow up among you a new mind-set, a new mentality, a new way of operating, a new vocabulary, and a new way to know the Lord and express Him together."

Principle 4: People will leave your group.

"When people leave, I beg you not to pressure or persuade them to stay. And more important, do not speak ill of them when they go. On top of that, it’s of utmost importance that you refrain from imputing evil motives to their hearts. I have watched the profound destruction that judging motives does to relationships. The damage is devastating, and it has a ripple effect that injures others... I implore you, therefore, to take the high road when people leave your group. Accept what they say at face value instead of second- guessing their intentions. In fact, if you really wish to hit a high watermark, bless and speak well of them when they leave. Especially after they leave."

Principle 5: People will experience exciting spiritual growth and healing.

"Time and again people have testified that experiencing open- participatory meetings and authentic community has accelerated their spiritual maturity, love, devotion, following of the Lord, and the expression of their gifts. Therefore, the combination of knowing the cross of Christ in close-knit community and learning to live by God’s life rather than our own creates transformation."

Taken from Finding Organic Church (Chapter 3)

A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities

Frank Viola

2014-02-17 Partisapatory Model of Small Church

If you haven’t already, have a read of this article before reading my comments - Partisiparoty Model of Small Church - Article

Author link

Open-participatory model - thoughts and discussion.

Quote,  "...while this means everyone can contribute, it does not mean everyone should."  

Opening Remarks

This is a very important point. Often in the traditional small group meeting, through to Bible studies, discussion groups, etc, this is the style that we are acustomed to. Both as attendees and as leaders / facilitators of these meetings it is clear that we are schooled in trying to draw out responses from each other. Kirkby is redefining how we should function, if we are to hear the most of what God, through the Holy Spirit is communicated to the group.

For me one of the most significant points that Kirkby makes is that as a group, we are, …to discern together what God is revealing to us. Leaving from a time of focus together as a group should leave us with a clear, un-ambiguous, usefull and poignent message - for the group.

What this means, on the ground is that beyond just attempting to practically apply scripture, or asking for prayer points, the group is placing those methods aside and intern are waiting on the Holy Sprit to set the adjenda.

Quote- And it probably goes without saying that to “judge” what God has said is not a dry, clinical hair-splitting analysis; rather as we clarify and affirm what appears to be revealed, we engage enthusiastically and intentionally with the heart and will of God.  

Where does this leave conversation, community and supporting each other?

Using this model of group meetings does present some challenges that need to be addresed. Without the oportuity to communicate / converse / share between members of the group, I believe that the ability for the group to hear the voice of God clearly will be difficult, as members of the group can be distracted, simply from a desire to know, with genuine love and care, what is going on in the lives of the others in the group.

This places great emphasis on the need to have meaninful connections, regularly throughout the week - so that the need to ‘chat’ is not imposed on the focus time together. This is most difficult for the ‘day job’ workers, and some clear, well-defined and intentional times need to be established to make sure this happens - especially when there are real challenges that require support, encouragement and prayer for.

Comments, Concerns and other Thoughts

1. Being able to discern what God is saying needs to happen through the lens of scripture Acts 17:11, and it may be very important that we seek to confirm what God is saying through scripture.
2. God has a purpose and plan for his church. Not only is this in practical, pragmatic terms, but also in his church, through the incarnation of Christ living in us, act as a proclimation of the Lordship of Christ, expressed in part by living in freedom from the chains of sin and death. It is in this way - that through this type of meeting, we can corporately, seek God for more. Not in terms of experiential goose bumps, but in regards to growing in holiness, christ-likeness, humility, joy and love (not to mention the fruit of the spirit* Galations 5:22.
3. It is exciting to look towards a new season that may usher in personal and corporate growth - that we might be effective agents of God in our city. To God be the glory, for ever and ever.

2014-02-15 Notes on James1

Notes on James 1:

2014–02–15

#Notes on James

##Chapter 1

• vs.2 … count it all joy when you fall into varoius trails, 3. knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

What are the types of trials people face?

Perhaps the trials that I am experienceing at the moment are not the conventional ones - or maybe it just isn’t the type that gets the headlines or publicity in ‘christian’ circles.

Often what seems to get mentioned is the people under persecution, suffering, poverty, etc. Not the ‘having it together guy’ who just has no motivation, excitement, pasion and drive for reading the bible, praying, fellowshiping. It is a tabu topic - resulting in Christians having the perception that they just have to get it together, or obviously they don’t have their priorities right, or if they spent longer in their quiet times…

Point is that this is more difficult than it sounds. When God’s voice appears silent - when the scripture you read, and the sermons that you listen to appear bland, un-inspiring, repetitive, wishy-washy - what do you do to deal with this?

It is easy to afford lipservice as possible solutions - I know - it’s (in a sense) what I do every day with students and the varoius challenges that they are going thorugh.

The truth is that sometimes you just have to ride it out. You continue in the disciplines that you have learned, you try and reflect on the lessons, journals, and experiences that history has given to you.

Certainly, it is easy to just say - God doesn’t want you to live that way, or Jesus wants more for you… What would be useful would be acceptance, kindness, encouragement, community and conversation.

What I have found in my past down times - is that I have had a sense of community - people who are able to share out of their up times - the life and vibrency of their faith - which challenges and inspires and allows God’s voice to be heard.

Not in a way that is communicated via here’s what I think you should do to get out of your rut (akin to the less than helpful companions of Job), but when people flow out of their own experience of faith, and the insights and experiennces that they discovering and coming to know.

This leads to another question, How does God speak to us?

Certainly, the body of the word of God, both in herminutical and exergettical study, in specific and general revelation (in the world aroud us), and through the body of believers that is the church.

Ideally, all of these aspects of communion (and communication) between God and people should be present - the responsibility existing between both the individual in their personal communion with God, and in the body of the Church - in relationally loving oneanother - as the church.

I find it very difficult to force or fake emotion or response, or to change my disposition. I am what I am. Yes, I feel like I have been in a rut for sometime - but this is not for lack of trying to get out. It is like saying to someone who is depressed - just stop and start being happy or someone who is struggling with a learning difficulty just do it the same way as me. It just doesn’t happen like that.

The question I have is how does the church community - the small group - respond?

Is the correct response rebuke, get over it and start meeting the churches need? How can it be?

What does support and loving kindness look like? It seems easy to exercise these qualities to an impoverished, low socioecconomic person who is not a Christian - but when the person is in question a capable, successful in life Christian - it isn’t good enough.

What help is beeing offerd or afforded? Where is practical support?

I spend a lot of my work life encouraging, motivating, young dissalusioned teens to learn in my classes. I provide them with spiritual, emotional and relational advice in addition to the technical and aesthetic skills that I am responsible for teaching them.

6 lessons a day - five days a week, plus daily devotions and rehearsals.

I bring something to all of these. It is my job to show up with something. It takes a lot of energy, emotion, consideration, and planning - not to mention the additional flexibility required to at the last minute change the program through different cercumstances.

Do I want more? Sure do. I want to be able to lead my family, contribute to my church community, and be in communion with God in a vibrent and thriving way.

Do I have all the knowledge, skills and equiping to achieve this? No I don’t.

The standard Christian response is to say that, we have everytihing we need in Christ - sure, easy, all I need to do is let God take control. I know the standard response.

My question is, what can the church community do to support those of us in this kind of trial beyond the pat response above? What is actually going to make a difference?

Is having demanding expectations on the individual by way of contribution to the gathering time going to help?

All I can see that doing is placing more pressure on the struggling person.

When you say, your not contributing because your lazy, unmotivated and dispassionate to the person, it actually reinforces the underlying problem.

Understanding, compassion followed by practical support, loving community and gentle encouragement with practical advice might be a start…

But hey, I’m the one in the middle of it - is it even possible for me to suggest the solutions to my trials to those around me who don’t even understand - who just see a percieved lack of contribution?

James says - count it all joy. Am I finding it a trial. Certainly am. Am I letting it get me down?

The truth is, that I am struggling through - I am fighting. It may not be at the pace that others think I should be going - but I am doing my best.

Am I letting it impact on my family?

The reality is that it does and will. Can I lesson the impact? I don’t know - but that is my desire and motivation.

Perhaps the solution is in vs 4 - *But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Patience.

When you are on a journey, you know the destination - but you have to be patient along the way - you can’t get there straight away - especially when you don’t know how long it will take!

Nuf said.