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Frank Viola | Beyond Evangelical
Official Blog of Author & Speaker Frank Viola. Digging below the surface and moving beyond the shallows in today's Christianity.
What Does Authentic Organic Church Life Look Like? Part I
Another “One Word Monologue”
Soy Juanjo, Madrid (España)
Gracias Frank, es la mejor explicación de “Vida Orgánica”
Thank you Frank, is the best explanation of “Vida Orgánica”
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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
Our group is growing oragnically here in Kentucky too. Praise God!
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.
EXCELLENT! We are doing the same thing here in India about two hours by train outside of Mumbai (Bombay). PRAISE THE LORD! Don Wood