My Smart-Aleck Response
AUGUST 17, 2012 BY JIM WRIGHT
On Facebook, I posted a comment supporting a recent blog by Neil Cole about why the “organic church movement” is important. One of my smart-aleck Facebook friends responded:
Organic Church Movement? Is that a movement naturally fertilized? Or maybe movement marching only to organ music. Could also be a church movement of Kidneys, Livers and Colons?
Ministry One to Another?
So I thought I’d be a smart aleck in responding:
Organic church is the antidote to artificial church – you know, the kind where you go to a directed “service” and are expected to be passive, while the rock-band performance is called “worship”, the monologue podium speech is called “sharing”, the fifteen seconds of being told to stand up and shake hands with some anonymous folks around you is called “fellowship”, and looking at the back of the head in the pew in front of you is called “relationship”.
It is the antidote to sole-proprietor “pastors” who build organizations around their gift and calling, as opposed to community and participatory meetings where we minister one to another as commanded in the New Testament.
It is the antidote to “clergy” who are over “laity”, as opposed to elders who come from among, and are of, the people.
It is the antidote to “rah rah” youth ministries that isolate our children and perpetuate false spirituality through continually induced emotional highs that leave little substance – or maturity – when they eventually go out into the world.
It is the antidote to passive, spoon-fed Christianity that revolves around the Sunday morning “show”, controlled programs and manipulative “vision”.
Next question?
Ekklesia Chicago by Frank Coleman 