by Don Wood
Culture is the visible expression of invisible spiritual reality. We all know something is going on in the world. Pressures already released are necessitating real change. This change must happen in the church to effect culture. We must redefine church and leadership in light of the Kingdom of God and organic growth-regardless of previous traditions.
George Barna documented in Revolution that approximately 23 million Americans have dropped out of local churches, yet many pray, read their Bible, and share Christ. They should be included, motivated, and engaged-but it cannot be church as usual. My experience with unchurched businessmen is they respond to Jesus and the message of the ever-expanding Kingdom of God, but they react negatively to church terminology. One man I befriended was not interested in church, but I sensed he was hungry for God. I invited him to my office and shared scripture with him. I told him the Kingdom was always expanding, and if we grounded our families and businesses on Kingdom principles, they would be strengthened and grow as well. He said, “I’m in-where do I sign up?” He has continued to grow in relationship with Christ-reading his Bible, focusing on his family, and gaining insight in business. There are multitudes like him, looking for ways to join God in what He is doing.
Frank Viola, scholar and author on house churches from Biblical and historical perspectives, offers fresh understanding in Rethinking the Wineskin and Pagan Christianity-Origins of Modern Church Practices. [Editor’s note – these books are now out of print – see Reimagining Church and Pagan Christianity: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices (with George Barna) for similar content.] A great book on reforming the existing church is Mark Driscoll’s Confessions of a Reformissionist Rev-Hard Lessons from an Emerging Missional Church.
I heard Sunday Adelaja, CHURCHSHIFT author, say it is sad that churches copy one another. Could the house church movement energize to be the change agent America needs? Move beyond just a new wineskin or structure to a new content? Become carriers of the Kingdom of God-the Good News, the influence of the invisible Kingdom in the visible world? Imagine-the seeds of reformation coming from the stable of house churches instead of the temple of religious tradition!
Who are the workers, evangelists, real heroes? Who prays in lost teens, behaves as fathers or mothers to young disciples, encourages pressured families and businessmen? Its leaders on the front lines with the “dirty hands.” Real, new, creative leaders smell of sheep because they’ve been among the sheep-living with, working alongside, hanging out in the pastures.
I long to see the influence of the Kingdom affect families, business, arts, science, and government. In ministry, the Kingdom paradigm births the “organic church.” The building structure is irrelevant, unless the structure becomes an end in itself. Tithes and finances should support actual hands-on ministry out where real people live.
A true, clean prophetic and apostolic mindset is multigenerational thinking which resists the religious paralysis stopping the next generations of the church. Multigenerational thinking must become a way of life-not just for a few dynamic church planters-for all the members of the church. The church needs a brain transplant so the predominant view of the world is apostolic multigenerational thinking-a transferable concept-not a new title on an old structure.
“Every member embracing the Kingdom mindset” will produce new churches and transformed families, culture, marketplace, media, and governments. How can I cooperate with the Holy Spirit in my realm of responsibility? How can I train and impart this to my next level of leaders (disciples, sons and daughters, middle managers)? A Kingdom mindset allows ministry unthreatened by the emergence of new leaders. It works to release people off the pew and out of the box of typical church paradigms, rethinking who can plant a church and what constitutes a church. It authorizes and encourages folks at the bottom of the spiritual authority ladder.
When angels appeared in Scripture, they usually said, “Don’t be afraid!” God wants direct, courageous, face-to-face interaction with men and women. We must quit hiding behind inadequacy or inferiority and reject religious condemnation or management patterns of “only ‘officials’ can approach, speak for, or represent God.” We each have a calling, a ministry, a destiny in Christ to fulfill in everyday life.
Our families need to see us walk with an open face toward Heaven, in real relationship with the living God. Our neighbors and businesses need to see us demonstrate the ever-expanding, creative influence of Heaven-God’s Kingdom on earth. We need to “Do the stuff!”
I heard John Wimber, Vineyard church founder, tell how he dramatically met Jesus. After encountering God, he visited a church. After service, he asked some men, “When do you do the stuff-the stuff like in the Bible-raising the dead and healing the sick?” They answered, “We don’t do stuff; we just talk about it.” John ultimately started churches closer to the Biblical pattern-allowing room for the Holy Spirit. He and Peter Wagner taught the popular “Signs and Wonders” course at Fuller Theological Seminary. They “did the stuff!”
Quit copying other people, waiting for religious institutions to release you to ministry, or holding back until you are perfect enough! Start now-in your own home, with your own neighbors, and in your own business.
Cell, house, home, marketplace, and simple churches are as legitimate as box and mega churches. They are a new church in progress, extending the Kingdom of God into the community. Not just “life, care, or purpose” groups, they should be autonomous, incubating a new expression of the Body of Christ, the next generation of leaders. With them, perhaps, the American church will energize and expand, causing governments and institutions to bow to the influence of the King of Kings.
I am for the reformation of the American church. I am participating in “the spontaneous expansion of the Kingdom of God.” Let’s do the stuff!
© 2009 Don Wood
PO 1201, Bedford, TX 76095
www.fatherpower.com
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I found this article contained a lot of jargon, for instance, “apostolic multigenerational thinking”. While I think I can figure it out I wonder if such “in-house speak” is really helpful. I also thought there were overtones of things coming out of church groupings that seem to be managed by self-appointed apostles and prophets.
Maybe this article is for USA consumption rather thatn the UK.
Michael Yarrow
Michael -
Your comment on jargon is spot on. On self appointed – I know the author and would say this is not the case. It is an American author, which may be a factor.
Thanks for the comments!
Paul Byerly