Mega, Micro, Missional, Home and Away....etc...

What is with our fascination with labels. Why do we have to be some sort of special (insert name here) church. Why can't we just be "the church"...all of us. We keep talking about what kind of community we want. Shouldn't we be more concerned with what kind of community God wants.

I think that we really need to be honest and examine our motives for forming our communities. Are we forming our community to serve our own needs....or are we looking to serve God. I am not going to say that one type is better than another. I believe that there is room for all of us at the Kings table. There are certain things that the larger church can do that the smaller church does not have the resources to accomplish. Conversely the smaller chruch is much better at ministering to the needs of the individual believer. I see the idea situation being some sort of hybrid between the two. There are several well functioning examples of this ideal. Vineyard Central appears to have done this well with a very loose network of home churchs. Vineyard Columbus had done an equally good job with a stronger central power structure. In each instance there are smaller groups that minister to the individual, and a larger structure that reaches out to the community.

While I think a certain amount of discussion is good and healthy...it is very easy to get carried away with worrying about what kind of church "we" want to be associated with.

Some thoughts about church growth.....why would anyone not want to see thier church grow. I want to see a church that God has blessed us with so many new Christains that we don't know where to put them all....talk about a good problem to have.

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
mathew 28: 18 -20

This command is pretty plain to me. I believe that we need to stop yammering about what we want to see. Examine our motives....spend some time on our knees and find out where God thinks we can do the most good.