Here’s the basic structure of how a church meets together,
1) Call to worship
2) Songs
3) Bible reading
4) Songs
5) Sermon
6) Songs
We have a pretty much professionalised service, we have priests, altars, rituals, non members and a lot of members are in the audience as spectators. Leaders have power and authority. This structure really doesn’t change. It hasn’t changed since it came into being in the fourth century when Constantine made Christianity the official religion.
My last blog showed how ineffective that structure is for getting people saved and discipled.
Up until Constantine the church had been meeting in homes and in open spaces as a big group for a celebration. People were added to their numbers daily. Jesus never said anything about congregations. If we look at all churches around the world, the ones that are actually growing are the ones that have small groups that multiply themselves.
Is it a coincidence, that when Christians get together in their homes, share their possessions and lives, pray and eat together and include all people whether saved or not, that people get saved and discipled? Why do we bother with this other structure that only works once in a blue moon?
What would happen if we stopped all Sunday congregations and instead decided to have house churches or cell/Bible study groups? How many people would we loose? Now, why would we loose them? Because they like the structure of the church as it is, they are comfortable with it, even though the structure we have is not effective!
There can be some problems with house churches, please raise them with me and I’ll discuss them in my next blog! Until then, how bout this as a picture of church:
42They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47
Monday, March 19, 2007
Structure of the church
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8 comments:
Hi Jimmy, i think you raise some good points, and i think the key word with the small groups is 'reproduce'. So often these small groups become little cliques that an 'outsider' is excluded from. While i believe that small groups are vital, i also believe that 'church' is important. the passage in Acts 2 that you have included here shows that ALL of the believers met together in the temple courts IN ADDITION to meeting in thier small groups. Paul says "And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching." in Heb. 10: 24 -25. Is it that the model of church is not working, or is it that the people who go to church aren't doing the required leg work before they bring thier friends to church, are people even brining their friends to church??? I might expand on this a bit more on my blog, 1servantsoldier.blogspot.com
read my previous blog, the way church is done does not work because it is not Biblical.
The church is full of power games, professionalisation, lieing and hypocrisy... Over 90% of Australians believe in God while only 6% or something actually go... Why?
Why do we make punk rockers, or bikies, prostitutes, emos, surfers, business men, ppl who like opera, all go to the same servic thing? Theyre all different and respond to different things. 90% of churches are aimed at 12% of the population.
Im not saying meeting together BIG is bad, but the way we do it is. The way meeting together big is described is ALL THE BELIEVRS. (that means no denominations...) church as we know it are basically over sized house churches... hmmm might blog more later
I would dare to say that it is not necessarily the structure that isn't effective. Iw ould say that it is some people who aren't. The Acts 2 example shows us that aswell as meeting in their homes they all met together in the temple(congregation?). At times Jesus spoke to extremely large groups of people(congregations?).
I really am getting tired of people bagging and paying out on the church and The Salvation Army.
On Sunday morning I was at a corps and a young teenage girl got up and testified of how her friend brought her to church (which fits the structure that you spoke about) and she loves it so much that she has started bringing her friends.
James, this structure is working. Not in all places, I admit but it is working. Too often we look at the mega-churhces and we want to be like them. Well, The Salvation Army wasn't meant to be like that.
Another thing! Church doesn't just happen on a Sunday. Walk in to one of our social centres and you will see that "church" and worship is happening every day. Everyday people are taking small steps and making small changes in their lives that will help them in their walk. Maybe they aren't all being slain in the spirit or having the lighting bolt experience that we are expecting or wanting but it's not about us.
I am saddened to hear that you think the church is full of power games. Maybe you have been stung, I don't know. Church and small groups are all about helping people to fit into a loving community where their talents, gifts, needs and interested and valued and considered important.
I know that this isn't the case in all places and no I am not walking around with rose coloured glasses on but i really feel that you are referring to a small percentage of churches.
Anyway, thats enough from me!
God Bless
Hi James
I think you're spot on! I think radical changes are needed to the way we 'do church' if we are to reach the 90% of unchurched Australians. (As a CO I need to turn my thoughts into action!) The current Salvo model of church in Australia hasn't brought growth during the past 10-15 years. I think it's time to try a whole new approach. I am convinced that house churches/organic churches have the best chance of success. Check out 'Organic Church' by Neil Cole or go to www.cmaresources.org
Hi James,
your blog is thought provoking as always, thanks. I am currently the leader of a 'church' but we do way more than meet on a Sunday. Our gathered community involves sharing meals and coffees with the people on the fringes of society and yes some of them are coming to know Jesus. Our sunday worship is often guided by me but many people participate and the form is not as you have suggested but is incredibly varied. It is an exploration of worship and what it means to be human beings in relationship with one another and God. It often resembles a three ringed circus, at times we rejoice together and at times we mourn, at other times we are silent together, sharing our common humanity. In my experience of leading 6 different corps I believe we can and must do church differently but the gathered community still has an important role to play in this. The attitude of the leadership is of course vital, whether the group be small or large the motives and attitudes of the members and any leadership will be what determines its success as a kingdom building activity. Small groups are undoubtedly vital for personal development but I urge you not to give up on the gathered community but to look for ways to make it all it can be.
May hope guide us.
Warmest regards.
Sandy
Just to clear something up, Im not against meeting together in big groups, or on a corps level. But I trully believe that 'Church' is not how it should be.
One of the ideas that I really like if Yonggi Chos prayer mountain idea, that on a sunday everyone gets together to pray...
also, i may have exaggerated by saying the church is full of the things i said it was.
But at the same time those are very valid problems within the church that need addressing. i really dont like the idea of leadership that gos for power and control. That is anti-Jesus, look at His model of leadership= SERVANT LEADERSHIP...
also thanks everyone for commenting!
tim you hit the nail on the head
sandy, sounds like your doin well! good to hear from you!
anonymos, sorry you think im paying out TSA, Im really not, i love TSa. i see our potential as Kingdom usherers and dont think we're doing this very well atm... looking for better ways...
Our growth as TSA doesnt match the growth the gospel deserves...
I've just done a tutorial on this @ College. So I've done a fair bit of research on church & small groups etc.
I've heard people ask 'How was the service today?' (Referring to church on a Sunday) I struggle with this because the obvious assumption is that we go to church to get 'serviced' or have our weekly 'top-up' This is not how it is suppossed to be. Worship is active, not passive. If the church is to regain relevance and connect with this rapidly, drastically altering
Culture, then they must embrace and experience new forms of worship. They must be radical in their approach and incredibly prayerful. Churches all across the world are missing the point and are failing to be relevant to their communities. People these days, particularly those who are in the 18-35 age bracket are missing from churches. They fail to see the relevance and therefore simply don’t attend. They want to be seen as ‘active’ in their faith. We are living in a time where people have become very relational. They long to be loved, accepted and appreciated. As a result of this they are leaving the church and joining worship gatherings that are generally small in number and held in someone’s home. These ‘Worship gatherings have many different names – small groups, care groups, holistic groups, Incarnational communities and the list goes on.
This is a great quote from Dan Kimball's book 'Emerging worship'
‘We need to realise that going to a worship service is not about us, the worshipers. It is not about God’s service to us. It is purely our offering of service and worship to God – offering our lives, offering our prayers, offering our praise, offering our confessions, offering our finances, offering our service to others in the church body.
Spiritual growth shouldn’t really happen on a Sunday, it should happen, by attending Bible studies, or house churches. Growing in the Word. Sunday corporate worship gatherings should be a celebration of all God has done, is doing and will do. A time to celebrate His goodness and provision and a time where people join together to serve God and others. Worship is an act of service!
In this relational world, there is a need for meaningful relationships. Our world needs Jesus, no matter what their age. The world sees the church as a bunch of people who only care about themselves. Slowly, but surely, small groups, holistic groups, Incarnational groups are changing the worlds view of the church. They are embracing small group communities are going from strength to strength. This is no longer just a future direction of worship, because it is a present reality. It is emerging and will continue to emerge at a rapid rate. Albin Toffler states that ‘Change is the way the future enters our lives.’ If the church is to continue to be relevant, then they must embrace this style of emerging worship. Encouraging and equipping people to lead these groups and soaking them in prayer. This is one of the emerging directions for worship. Many people have been won for the kingdom by this method of worship and if it is embraced, many, many more people will be won for God’s Kingdom!
We need to continue to be focussed on Jesus and what HE wants. Sunday worship gatherings should be a celebration of all that has been learnt during the week @ small group gatherings. Community is more than Sunday gatherings, Worship is more than Sunday gatherings. Let's be empowered by the Holy Spirit and recognise and DO what God wants us to do with regards to this subject. God Bless you all!!
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