Finally found some language for this quest I have been on while reading Dallas Willard's "The Great Omission":
"Now, some might be shocked to hear that what the "church" -- the disciples gathered -- really needs is not more people, more money, better buildings or programs, more education, or more prestige. Christ's gathered people, the church, has always been at its best when it had little or none of these. All it needs to fulfill Christ's purposes on earth is the quality of life He makes real in the life of His disciples. Given that quality, the church will prosper from everything that comes its way as it makes clear and available on earth the "life that is life indeed...
So the greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as "Christians" will become disciples -- students, apprentices, practitioners -- of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from Him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence. Will they break out of the churches to be His Church -- to be, without human force or violence, His mighty force for good on earth, drawing the churches after them toward the eternal purposes of God?"
The Great Omission, Introduction, pps.xiv, xv
This is the thing I can't shake, the call that keeps drawing me forward, the quest that has gripped me -- to rediscover the stripped-down, simple reality of following Jesus into the everyday places as His disciple and to make Him known in environments that are not defined by "church" in the outwardly churchy sense. And I can report that after nearly a year and a half this quest is getting both easier AND more difficult. Easier, because I have been cut loose from so many distractions that used to occupy my attention and complicate my Christian walk and more difficult because it feels, at times, lonely and counter-(church)cultural. And also because I have less excuses.
I'll be 54 next week and I can tell you that ever since I was 15 this is the core of what I really wanted from life -- the opportunity to follow Jesus in a "really real" way. After all these years, I still feel like a beginner but "where else will (I) go? You alone have the words of eternal life!"
2 comments:
Great quote and great post.
Maybe it would be helpful if you posted what some of the things that seemed necessary were that now you considered to be distractions. Obviously you've mentioned that with the general administrative tasks and building and all that stuff that is involved in "running a church" for so many. But is there more than just churchy stuff?
Andrew
I think I could include a whole list of things that have to do with the idea of leading from the top down -- "casting vision", telling people what programming, outreaches, and the like they should be participating in as "the flock", and -- in that sense -- sermonizing.
I am more inclined nowadays to believe that my role is to "extract vision" as much as cast it, and to trust that God is quite capable of empowering ministry endeavors through the flock.
It is still important for me to be with "the flock", but differently -- more to coach them on how to hear God's voice, discern His guidance and empower it rather than "speak for God" (as it were) as the head honcho. I find that they do all these things quite well.
Of course, this creates new challenges of a different order but I like these new challenges alot more than the old ones!
Hope that helps...
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