Church – From Community to Social Club

Church. Ecclesia. Assembly.

Communion, Participation, and Mission.

Communion equals encountering and accompanying.

The encounter of Grace in Jesus Christ,

Grace a strength for the journey and accompaniment. 

Participation equals embracing and valuing the gifts of each participant.

Using the gifts, not in a silo, but in communion.

Journeying to do what?

Journeying on Mission. 

An ongoing exodus.

Exodus towards the Kingdom and building the Kingdom.

No intention to build skyscrapers of Babel.

But, using a tent. Tent to pitch at night. Tent to pack up at dawn.

Tent to move.

To move towards and build the “Promised Land.”

No intention of traveling with “bag and pan and house and land.”

But, traveling light – hand luggage. 

Light to move freely.

Church. Ecclesia. Assembly. 

Have become permanent skyscrapers.

Building skyscrapers of power, possessions, and privileges.

Church. Ecclesia. Assembly.

An obese institution.

Overweight with clericalism, individualism, and pietism. 

Church. Ecclesia. Assembly.

Too heavy for missionary movement. 

In skyscraper mode

Church… Ecclesia… Assembly…

Like a social club

There is discriminate exclusion and inclusion,

Scuffling for privileged positions,

Scuffling for honour,

Scuffling for titles.

Communion turns to competition.

Participation turns to power.

The mission turns to maintenance.

The concrete Church needs to be demolished.

Return to the Tent lifestyle.

Possessions need to be sold.

Return to poverty.

Maintenance needs to be abandoned.

Mission movement adopted.

Remember the original mandate:

Not building and maintaining the skyscrapers of Babel,

But on a constant move toward the ‘Promised Land,’ 

And tell the world about the marvels the Lord has done.