A New Kind of Church Clothes
Found a good post on the topic of diversity in our communities of faith here. Here are some more thoughts:
Of all the things that we have gained and appreciate from standard issue, legacy-style churches, we have learned that to a great degree they are carbon copies of one another. The basic premise of their worship order is exactly the same each week, and basically looks like (given a few flavors) the order that the church down the street is doing. High church, penecostal - it doesn’t matter; the institutionalized church has lost her sense of creativity.
And not just in what they do when they come together. If America really is the melting pot for the nations, then we should clearly be able to see such diversity within church systems throughout this great nation (and especially the cities). I don’t need to tell you that this just ain’t happening. The typical Christian in America may be the White Anglo-Saxon Protestant and male, but research shows that the typical 21st century Christian is either a sub-Saharan african woman in sordid conditions and absolute poverty, or a Brazilian mother who has more mouths to feed than she can afford. How would a typical American church welcome these two women? Would they feel not only welcomed but able empowered to lead the forming of a new, unique faith community that met them where they were at?
Paul in Ephesians 3 explains, “Through the church the wisdom of God in its RICH VARIETY might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.”
Not only are we to look for diversity in our churches for our sake and for the sake of the world, but we are out there to show off the “rich variety” of Christ’s bride before the rulers and authorities in heavenly realms! God wants to show off HIS creativity. When we plant the same church as we did in Toad Suck, Arkansas we violate God’s ability to show off his manifold wisdom.
The American church has become a one-stringed guitar. This can be true even the so-called “simple” or “organic” faith communities. Latest research shows that 60% of house churches follow the same routine every time they get together. 3 songs, a prayer, and a sermon… Where is the variety in that? What will cause them to change when they relocate to a part of town that is fully Cuban, or Russian…will their paradigms be able to shift then?
Everytime we find a band of disciples, we find a pocket of God’s creativity. Why we as leaders squelch God’s rich variety by forcing square pegs into round holes I’ll never understand. I just hope God is merciful and gives us a chance to help him show off his bride to the heavens!
Last 5 posts by Mark
- God is Wholly - October 2nd, 2008
- The Great Moderation - September 30th, 2008