Like so many planters I set out to be something different than everything else out there. Not that everything else out there is bad, but I think everyone who sets out to create desire that it be unique, one of kind, or at least fill a gap. We want to believe there is a point to the efforts, sacrifice and dreaming that comes along with starting something new from nothing.
Ironically, in church planting the accepted formula for success is simply one that leads us down a path to becoming the very thing we didn't want to be... the same old thing. Let's face it, how much difference is there really in the American church today? Not much. Different songs, service order, sermon style, etc. The most, "unique," churches are the ones that are seen as cutting edge, or highly technological. What makes that different?
Here is my point. Through the past few months, I have begun to see a different church emerge in the pages of Acts, that has caused me to ask,
"If the church is meant to reflect the heart of Christ, what should it look like?"
The book of Acts is simply stories of the apostles faithfulness to the mission that Jesus gave them when He left the earth, and empowered them with the holy spirit. His instructions were clear in the final days he had withe them
"Feed my sheep."
"Go make disciples"
"Bear witness to the gospel"
These words have nothing to do with church, especially not the brand that we immediately think of when we hear the word church.
Really what happened in the book of Acts is, people unified around a mission by the power of the Holy Spirit, and it was explosive. As a result of the centrality of the mission in individual lives, that mission spread corporately resulting in the start up of the local church. IN fact there are places in Acts where it seemed the formation of the local church might get in the way of mission and the apostles worked to protect from that.
The appointing of the first church leaders in Acts 6 is a great example of that. The congregation was growing, and there was no one to take care of the needs of the people, so Peter and John appointed people to do so for what? To expand church attendance? No, so they wouldn't have to waste there time on less important things.
They got it! Mission came first!
The truth is, the church as we see it, was never supposed to be what we have made it into. It's actually a bi-product of missional community.
I am not saying that we should imitate every aspect of the early church, but when it comes to the main points, I think the book of Acts accurately portrays the heart of God for the role of the church in the world, and we cannot miss that. It is a people first, program second mentality that we must cultivate. We cannot get so wrapped up in maintaining our comfortable structures that we lose sight of why we exist.
What matter's most is people finding Jesus. If the church is existing for any other reason it will become lifeless, and will soon stop reflecting the heart of God. It's time we get our priorities straight and begin living out the calling we are left upon this earth for.
The world needs Jesus, we are His chosen vehicles to bring the message of hope, and our church structures are actually getting in the way of that possibility for transformation. The sad thing is, it's all in the name of God.
My prayer for this coming series is that we as a church would recognize our calling to mission, and put it first! This could mean significant changes, I don't know, but it has to be taken seriously if we want to follow in the footsteps of the apostles... men and women who had greater impact than we have ever seen in the world since.
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