Recalibrating Concepts of Church

Yesterday I had the unique chance to learn from Dan Kimball, Leonard Sweet, Frank Viola, Alan Hirsch, and Mary Kate Morse. It was a day to look at all things about the church universal and the local church in order to question: why and how. Here were some the highlight thoughts and quotes from the day for me (I’ll bold my favorites of the favorites):

• “So much of church is creating a sub-cultural bubble but not engaging with culture.” Dan Kimball
• “Everything has to be mission. There is a heaven and there is a hell.” Dan Kimball
• “Organic church life is not native to this planet. It began before time in the Godhead.” Frank Viola
• The winning of souls is not the end it is the beginning.
• “Leadership is not just something that someone brings into a room and accomplishes.” Mary Kate Morse
• “Most churches teach that the church is a living organism, but in my experience it is pious rhetoric.” Frank Viola
• “We need to do ministry to the body and be missional to the world.” Len Sweet
• “There are burning bushes everywhere.” Len Sweet
• “If the cutting edge is not Jesus Christ, you are chasing trees that have no squirrels.” Frank Viola
• “God does not exist in order for people to be saved.” Frank Viola
• “God is Christ-like.” Alan Hirsch

I carry 3 main things away from today.

1. My passion for reaching the lost must flow out of my passion for Christ.
2. There is no “one size fits all” model or approach to the local church that works everywhere. Each pastor and Christian has to understand the context of where they live and have relationships. What works for you probably won’t work for someone else.
3. One of my biggest desires is for the local church to take to heart this thought: “they don’t need to come to us because we’re going to them.” I think if that were true across the board it would change everything. If only it were that simple.

What resonates with you?

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