Depending on who you stop on the street, you will most likely receive wildly varying opinions to the question “What is the purpose of the Church?”
Is the Church meant to do good? Feed the hungry? Care for the orphan and the widow? Is the Church’s purpose to be a light to a dark world or to edify the saints? Does it have to be one or the other?
As my husband and I are venturing into the new world of house church, we have been “talking church” and this question inevitably came up. We have also met some resistance from other Christians (big surprise) who question the practice of house church because they feel it falls short in the area of evangelism.
Most Christians are really good at saying “Yes, all I have is His,” and what we are saying (or what we pretend to be saying) is that our “things” and our money ultimately belong to God.
We make grand gestures about it all belonging to Him. We talk about the fact that our earthly possessions are just that…earthly. We nod our head in conversation with other believers about our financial responsibilities. We use words like “tithe”, “give”, and “steward.”
But when do we really give? And how generous is this so-called giving? Does it make us uncomfortable when we fill out the check or do we not give it a second thought? Do we tithe our 10% consistently? Or forget that, do we tithe above and beyond that 10%? Do we tithe even when our rent or mortgage is late and our fridge is empty?
Today’s post is a guest post from my awesome, talented, and brilliant husband. I asked him to write this and he kindly agreed.
It’s not a competition. So why use such a divisive title? Because, somehow, that’s what it’s become.
When Nicole and I started down the road of beginning an organic church–The Foundation, for those interested (pardon the placeholder website)–we knew in our earliest of conversations with people that the greatest “persecution” we would face would be from those we loved most. From other believers, friends, even family.
The reason Nicole asked me to write this was due to my sadness, confusion even, in reading some of the comments she’s received the past few weeks when writing about organic church. They are the same types of remarks we have become accustomed to hearing firsthand. Things like… Continue reading Organic Church vs. Traditional Church
Last week I shared with you some of my thoughts following a 4-day conference I attended discussing organic churches. Many of you had questions regarding the actual model and structure of an organic church.
I thought I’d try my best to address those questions. Firstly, let me state that while I tend to use the terms “house church” and “organic church” interchangeably, many who take part in organic church do not. The distinction they draw is that house churches are usually just shrunken, smaller versions of a Sunday morning service. Organic churches, on the other hand, are something all together different.
For starters organic churches do not have a pastor. That’s right. There is no one guy and no one leader. Sound weird? Well, it is.Continue reading The Organic Church Model
Over the last few days my husband and I attended an organic church (house church) conference, THRESHOLD, in Orlando. Despite being sore and tired both emotionally and physically from the car accident, we boarded a plane, knowing God had something for us there…and He did. I have so much that I hope to share and write about on Modern Reject over the next few weeks, including today’s post…
Growing up I used to love Chinese food buffets. I loved the variety, the endless row of choices. I would gorge myself of crab rangoons and sweet and sour chicken. My single mom liked buffets because they were cheap and easy. She could feed her growing girl for half the price.
The traditional Sunday church is very much like an all-you-can-eat buffet. There are 3 reasons, in fact, why Sunday morning church as we know it resembles a buffet: Continue reading The Buffet vs. the Potluck
When my husband and I were engaged, I asked him if he would be willing to stay home once we had kids and I could go off the the office each day. He laughed and said sarcastically “If that’s what you really want.” I never really joked about it again.
Last year while attending a blogger conference, I met a stay-at-home dad/blogger/author. I have to admit, I was kinda shocked. I had never known a stay-at-home dad, or” house husband,” or my personal favorite, “house spouse”. Needless to say, I asked him a lot of questions.
Soon after, a family member of mine decided he needed to stay home with his boys while his wife pursued her education. Now, it seems SAHDS (admittedly, not the best abbreviation) are on the rise.
To every mom who has sacrificed her body to stretch marks, baby weight, and labor pains.
To every mom who has woken up for middle-of-the-night feedings and woken up just to make sure that little baby is still breathing.
To every mom who has watched helplessly as her child learns to do something new for the first time…wanting to step in, but allowing their “baby” to learn for themselves.
When I was a child, I was given a Bible filled with the most detailed and elaborate illustrations.
The one that most fascinated me was the drawing of Lucifer. His darkened wings spanning wide to display his might and power. He was beautiful, captivating really. Other angels cowered before him in the picture, yet the background showed darkness drawing near.
The illustration had such a mesmerizing and yet ominous feeling and even then, at the age of perhaps 6, I knew he was real. I had no doubt, some 10 years before accepting Jesus, that this Satan fellow was a real person. So why can a 6 year old believe and yet many in the church refuse to acknowledge Satan’s existence and power?Continue reading The Disappearance of Satan
I had the privilege of meeting pastor, and now author, Scott Williams, at last year’s Catalyst Conference. I can say, with not a shred of mockery, that he might just be the coolest guy on the Internet.
A week or so ago, I broke open the race can here on Modern Reject and personally shared with you all of my feelings as a “mixed” race Christian. I have long struggled with the lack of diversity within the Church and I am not alone. Scott Williams has just published a compelling and stirring book, “Church Diversity-Sunday The Most Segregated Day of the Week.
I was lucky enough to get my hands on an early copy. In it, Williams strategically explains how and why, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s declaration that Sunday is indeed the most segregated day of the week rings true, even today.
I wanted to share a video with you that emotionally touches on this topic. (It is only 1:35 long, too. Bonus.) Then, I’d like to open up the conversation.
Here are some questions to consider:
How do you feel after watching this video? Hopeful? Angry? Frustrated? Indifferent?
Why do you think the American Church has continued to remain segregated?
Have you ever struggled with the lack of diversity within the Church? If so, how and why?
Have you ever had the blessing of being in a racially, economically, and/or socially diverse church community? If so, how did that experience affect you?
How do you think theChurch as a whole can combat and conquer the racial divides so prevalent in our churches?
I am beyond excited to start this dialogue with all of you. This is a conversation that needs to be had by every believer. As Scott Williams explains in one of his compelling videos, the church is “not a white church or a black church. It is God’s church.”
P.S. For everyone that leaves a comment, you will be entered to win a free copy of Church Diversity-Sunday The Most Segregated Day of the Week. I’ll choose a winner at random on Friday. Good luck!
