I’m using the phrase “authentic organic church life” simply because the term “organic church” is in vogue right now, and it’s being pasted on all sorts of church forms, some of which are not organic at all.
On the heels of the recent blog post entitled Are You in the Wilderness?, what follows is a real-life testimony of someone describing his experience in an organic expression of the church. More will follow.
Note that an authentic organic church is truly missional. That is, it’s been captured by a groundbreaking vision of the Grand Mission of God, which is His Eternal Purpose. And that purpose goes way beyond the reaches of salvation and redemption.
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I was raised in a Christian home and attended church every time the doors were open. I knew how to live and behave like a Christian should. You might say I was the poster child. Late in high school and early college, I met some Christians who sparked a passion in me that I never knew was possible. I saw their passion to know Christ in deep ways, and more than that, they actually seemed to know Christ much more deeply than I.
In meeting them, I discovered that my own faith and knowledge of Christ was very shallow. You see, I realized that although I enjoyed going to church to be with my family and friends, I really viewed church as an obligation to endure in order to “hang out” with them before and after Sunday school, services, or youth group meetings.
I quietly sat through sermon after sermon hoping it would hurry up so we could go to the restaurant afterwards. Minutes after the sermons I couldn’t actually remember what was said. I already heard that I needed to go to church more, I needed to tithe more, I needed to read my Bible more, and I needed to witness more. It wasn’t until I met these other Christians that I realized that all of the previous churches that I was a member of didn’t fulfill my thirst for Jesus. They gave me rules and regulations instead of something that gave life. Instead of growing in Christ, I was “dying on the vine,” filled with fear, shame, and inadequacy. I didn’t actually enjoy talking about the Lord. Nor was I near as bold to share Jesus with nonbelievers. I would ask myself, If I was such a good Christian like I thought I was, why do I feel so far behind the curve?
The more I was with these believers, the more I wanted to know Christ like they did. I was drawn to Christ like a moth to a streetlight. I gradually began to spend more time with them and started going to their meetings. Their meetings were free and open. There was no liturgy. There were no clergy. They didn’t actually need them. There were plenty of believers who had encountered the Lord and had encouraging things to share with the others.
They didn’t need someone to give them permission to speak. They didn’t need someone to bury them in rules and lifeless duties. They wrote many of their own songs. They prayed together, taking turns talking to Jesus unrehearsed and from the heart. They met together as if Jesus was actually in the room. They treated each other like a family that loved each other.
After just a short while, I realized that this organic experience of Christ was exactly what was missing from my own experience. I began to crave gathering with these believers. I would go to their meetings and see a much bigger Lord than just someone who died for my sins. I would see Him in much deeper ways.
I was no longer satisfied with watching a performance. In this organic meeting, I began to want to share with my brothers and sisters what I had seen of the Lord. Instead of being passive, I now thought it was easy to function and contribute. Every one of our meetings was free to be different. Sometimes we sang for hours. Sometimes the believers were bursting at the seams to share what Jesus had done in their lives that week. Sometimes we revered the Lord’s awesomeness in silence. No one had to tell us to do these things. The Spirit was moving in these ways and they just spontaneously happened. We often ate together as one family.
Sometimes we shared scriptures with each other. Other times we enacted scenes and stories from the Bible that shed light on Christ. We met all throughout the week. In the mornings, the brothers would find another brother or two, and the sisters would get together with sisters. And we would pursue the Lord in prayer and contemplate Scripture together. We would start our day with Christ. In the evenings, some of the members would open up their homes and share Christ over dinner. We had brothers and sisters meetings where we would collectively decide on matters relating to the church. And we would share responsibilities for caring for one another.
If there were no pressing needs, we would just sing to the Lord and pursue His presence together. If there was a member in need, we would think of ways to help them. Sometimes we would just plan ways to bless each other for the fun of it. Sometimes the single people would babysit for the parents and give them a night out on the town. Sometimes when one of the brothers or sisters went away on a long trip, the whole church would show up at the airport to greet them. And we would have a church meeting right in the airport.
There was always something happening where you could share Christ and love the Lord together. We would also have spontaneous times of outreach to the lost. Everything we did, the Spirit was free to move and change the direction of the event. When we did get together, I saw a Christ glorified and magnified. We were constantly making new discoveries in Him. Every time I saw Him in a new way, I wanted to see more.
The feeling of guilt, shame, and unworthiness was gone. I had a passion to know Christ in deeper ways. I am through with dying on the vine. I have now seen the freedom that Christians can really have in meeting together organically, just like the early church did.
(A male international marketing and business consultant)
Excerpted from Reimagining Church.
EXCELLENT! We are doing the same thing here in India about two hours by train outside of Mumbai (Bombay). PRAISE THE LORD! Don Wood
It reads like a dream, really. How do people live like this, so often together? And the person giving the testimony has the kind of career that would be all-engrossing.
And yet, in our own full lives (my family and I), I can see where the time would be. Incredibly, the Lord has so arranged for us to become more involved with a wide variety of brothers and sisters who lead equally full lives and we are slowly exploring what the Lord might have in mind for us.
It is possible, and the sacrifices don’t feel like sacrifices when they are made with such joyful anticipation.
Our group is growing oragnically here in Kentucky too. Praise God!
I did read Pagan Christiany, so I know where Frank is coming from here.There is much to be gleaned just from that book alone!
Tim from Orlando
Wow, what a story. I’m sure many felt the same way reading it… that it was a snapshot of their own lives. Many similarities and memories surfaced reading this gentleman’s words. Also many questions… How do I make this happen? Where do I find others led the same way by the Spirit? Am I just jumping on the bandwagon like everyone else and my desire for this type of Christianity, is it only emotionally driven rather than Spirit driven?
A great post. Thanks for putting it up, Frank.
Sam. In answer to your question, I recommend going to http://www.HouseChurchResource.org and filling out the ‘find an organic church’ form.
Many years ago, my husband and I started what we then called “home church”.
At that time, I was reading your articles , Frank . I don’t know if you had even written a book at that point.
It was a small group and because of that , we were able to operate quite fluidly. We were able to work with other denominal churches on projects, meet whenever we wanted to ( which was often), There was no building to contribute to, so we were able to put financial resorces into people instead. Worship is transformed into something totally different than we usually experience or think of. We were “one-anothering”. I could go on and on…but you’ve already read similar testimony.
Unfortunately, this kind of church life has it’s own peculiar problems. As imperfect beings, we manage to mess up; our sinful nature gets in the way of even the seemingly perfect form of church. I think your statement about some churches calling themselves organic, when they really aren’t, says that. Most denominations started with a move of the Holy Spirit and a small group but went the way of the Israelites…adding regulations, liturgy, etc. The most obvious being the first house churches after Christ. In fact, the home church group we started in is now very liturgical, with vestments, hierarchy… There are some who just can’t get away from all that.
In spite of all that , I think what we call organic church life is the best we can attain on earth.
Frank, what do you think is the key to keeping it that way? How does a small group keep from going awry: losing sight of the Shepherd and wandering off?
Lynne
Hi Lynn. only have a second. I actually discuss what I believe to be the ingredients to keep church life going in “Reimagining Church.” http://www.ReimaginingChurch.org
this is incredible. i haven’t been able to find an authentic organic church here in washington, dc. and i filled out the “find an organic church” form a while ago but got no reply. it’s possible it went to my “junk” folder in my email. anyway, i’m sincerely looking forward to meeting with other believers who want true biblical gatherings. i’m currently forcing myself to endure the rituals & minuscule wafers of my current congregation (!) mainly because i love my church family, but i’m not certain how long i’ll be able to continue.
Pray! My best advice is to ask the Lord to send the right people across your road. And to have personal time with Him first and foremost. At the right time He will send you fellow believers to fellowship with and use you to minister to them as well.
You have to start somewhere and the above account certainly sounds like the right place to start, but as disciples of Jesus we can’t help but read it alongside the Book of Acts and wonder why it sounds a little aenemic. Just one example:
If the gifts of Christ to his church are apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherd-elders, and teachers then it can’t be wrong to expect to find them among such Christ-centered people, can it? I know these gifts are ‘people’ and that the ‘labels’ aren’t significant, but we believe Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, don’t we?
Jesus says our love for him will be demonstrated in our obedience to him.
I’m praying for my love to increase so that I’ll feel a litle more at home in the Sermon on the Mount and related words of Jesus.
Thanks, Frank. We have been blessed by your writings for a few years. We have been gathering for a little over a year. There are a few who are really hungry for more and ready to leave the “church as usual syndrome”.
Lee and Bonnie Davis
Hi fella sojourners out there who are still in the ‘wilderness’.
I have a little testimony about my journey in post-organized-church-life. I was in limbo for 2 years before the Lord led me to a house church fellowship in Seattle early in the year. I would not say it was easy…but I trusted the Lord that He will lead me to a church of His choosing. Well..just to say this..I couldnt have found a better group of like minded organic church believers like the one I am part of now.
Please dont quit…stay strong…while God prepares you to join up with the body of believers meant just for you. In the meanwhile, He can sustained you with His word. There are myriads of great blogs that you can find online..that you will find very interesting! & that will encourage you in your sojourning.
Soy Juanjo, Madrid (España)
Gracias Frank, es la mejor explicación de “Vida Orgánica”
Thank you Frank, is the best explanation of “Vida Orgánica”