Some good thoughts from Gailyn Van Rheenen

I was recently emailed an article written by Gailyn Van Rheenen. I started reading it and realized that so much of the writing was right on target for the church today...in any country. I immediately wrote Gailyn and asked for permission to post parts of it on our website. I hope this challenges and encourages you like it did for me:

“I have found that many church leaders assume that the first step in church planting is purchasing a piece of property and constructing a church building. A church defined as “a place where things happen” (Guder 1998,79) necessitates property and place. A second assumption is that church is a public “service” organized by a staff for the giving of information or for celebration. Church becomes, to somedegree, a spectator engagement. These ideas are so culturallyembedded in the term “church” that we commonly say, “Let’s go to church,” inferring place, or ask “When does church begin?” inferring service. When American pragmatism is added to this mix, church planting becomes “getting the largest number of people to a service in the shortest period of time.” Within the North American cultural environment where “success” is defined by numerical growth, church planting is frequently the reapportioning of the Christian population. Christian sometimes flock to new churches who because of abundant financial resources have brought together the best personnel to offer better preaching, enhanced children’s ministry, superior classes, and/or inspirational services than other churches. Megachurches consume smaller churches in what might be called the Wal-Martization of Christianity. The goal becomes providing more and better services, fulfilling the felt needs of a consuming population. We no longer live in a world where people ascribe to basic Christianvalues. Church planting which focuses on meeting people “where they are” is doomed to synthesize the values of the dominant culture with those of Christ. We must, therefore, seek a new and different way of church planting, one which primarily looks to God for its identity and purpose and then incarnationally contextualizes these missional perspectives in local cultural contexts. This missional church understands itself as a community of disciples on a pilgrimage through life helping each other to be Christ’s disciples and encouraging others to join them as they journey through life to heaven. Imagine the life in such a counter-cultural church:

* Spiritual formation: Every member is passionately, whole-heartedly pursuing full devotion to Christ. Their very lives exist in relationship with God.

* Community: Christians are nurtured in Christian community to grow as disciples of Christ. They are not mere spectators.

* Lay Equipping: Leaders are equipping “God’s people for works for ministry” (Eph. 4:12).

* Evangelism: Christians make disciples through personal relationships, through intimate spiritual friendships.

* Multicultural: Christ breaks down racial and ethnic barriers so that planted churches are “red and yellow, black and white.”

* The Strong in Christ Serve the Weak: The Church compassionately cares for the children and the poor.

* Kingdom: The church is a unique community, formed by the calling and sending of God.

* Missions: Christians are passionate about God’s mission to the nations.

I would like to again thank Gailyn for his insights, permission for use of this article and encourage you to go and visit his website. It has a lot of great mission related ideas, and resources.

http://www.missiology.org/