You don’t know what you have until you no longer have it.
Ever since I began living in organic church life, an observation I’ve made is that when people no longer have the experience of body life, they virtually always say:
“I really didn’t know what I had! This is so rare. I long for that experience again.”
Note that I’m not talking about the vanilla house church experience. I’m speaking of the organic expression of the church of Jesus Christ in all of its depths, multifarious splendor, sublime realities, light, shade, and varying seasons.
We just uploaded to the podcast a message I delivered in Ireland years ago. It’s called Who Is This Woman? God’s Ultimate Passion. The message underscores just how important the ekklesia (as God called her to be) is to Him . . . and to those who have known her in experience. The talk is on Apple Podcasts also.
If you are experiencing the real thing, I hope you don’t disregard or take it for granted. Because you don’t know what you have until . . .
Blogging Through Bonhoeffer: Part VIII
Frank – is there a particular order you recommend reading your books in?
No. Whatever interests you the most, begin with those: http://www.ptmin.org/books
Frank, one thing I am trying to understand about the organic church is the aspect of leadership.
Where are the elders in this view?
It seems very democratic, at least in decision making. What basis do you use for this in scripture?
Paul: A VERY involved question with lots of assumptions. Leadership exists, but it’s very different from the traditional world. I go into great deal on the question from a biblical, theological, and practical vantagepoint in “Reimagining Church.” The whole book deals with that very question. http://www.ReimaginingChurch.org
That is true. Sadly, we also don’t know what we are are missing until we have it. How can one long for something that you have never experienced, unless it is a vague and undefined longing that you don’t quite know what to do with? Many of us felt like that for years, and even experienced guilt as a result. It is only when you enter into a living relationship with the body of Christ that you understand what you have been missing all along.
Thanks for posting this. It is so true.