I think we often make church much more complicated than it needs to be.
What defines a church? Most denominations have their own definitions of church. Many mission organizations have documents on what defines a church.
But I think sometimes we have the tendency to add things to the truest definition of church.
I like this section of Scripture in Acts 2:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42)
I think the early church kept its understanding and definition of church pretty simple:
- They devoted themselves to prayer.
- They devoted themselves to community (doing life with one another).
- They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.
- They devoted themselves to the Lord’s Supper.
Do you think we as Christ-followers in the 21st century make church more complicated than it needs to be? If so, why?
These are not rhetorical questions. I would love to read your opinions, if you’ll be so kind to chime in with your comments.
Is church about having a certain number of people?
Having a building?
Our weekend services?
A full-time paid pastor?
A staff or ministry team?
Programs or ministries?
Multiple sites?
Our approach to missions?
I write this blog entry out of my own journey. I know I have made church more complicated than it needs to be. One danger in complicating the church and getting caught up in our forms of “doing church” is that we forget the function: being church. The function of the church should remain simple.
A result of our complication of church is that we can limit reproducibility. The church, if it is to truly grow – not by addition, but by multiplication – needs to be easily reproduced. The more complicated the church becomes, the harder it can be to reproduce.
Of course, reproducibility is another missiology and church planting topic altogether, but what are your thoughts on the church today? Do you view it as simple or complicated? How can we make it more simple in function even if the forms vary?
Good thoughts Larry. Yes, I think overall, we have made the church much too complicated, taking on missions, goals, objectives, etc, that are not presented in the person and work of Jesus, and which take us off His intended mission. I’m not sure how we got to this place; this is something that I’m processing as I begin the church planting process here in Seattle. I’m becoming more and more convinced that the church is most effective when it focuses it’s collective energy on it’s most primary mission; which I think falls somewhere in the love, serve, participate in redemption realm. For me, I have to consider, how do Christ followers in Seattle love their city exceptionally well, serve, with no strings attached, those who are experiencing injustice, and invite everybody, everywhere into the redemption process that Jesus is accomplishing? I think the answers to these three questions help us to stay on Jesus’ mission, instead of our own. Also, the lived out expression of these answers will look different from setting to setting. The mission that Jesus has for his church in Seattle is lived out differently than the mission he has for his church elsewhere. So the practics will naturally appear difference from place to place, but the focus and primary mission is the same.
Appreciate your thoughts! I’m just thinking out loud here.