The Multiplying Church- Highlight#1- Why Start Churches?
p. 27 “Why have people started churches throughout history? We don’t have any record of people starting churches in Jerusalem. . . we do have house churches . . . p.28 The question as to why we are starting churches is crucial to our future. . . p.29 We want to see a movement that will transform societies similar to what has happened in the past and is happening in the East.”
If you look at the chart on page 28, Antioch started churches for transformation—of the person and the world, but particularly the city. Acts 17:6 “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here.” I believe that is where we are moving. I believe by 2010 it will become an emerging verbalized reason people are starting churches. For now, the primary motivation for starting churches is the often quoted statement about church planting being the best method of evangelism ever invented. This is true. However, it’s critical for us to see the big picture of Christ bringing reconciliation to all things. That reconciliation starts with a person accepting Christ, but should never stop there. Most of our evangelism in the West is very self-centered personal conversion. Instead, through that personal transformation, the family, the city, the nation, and the world should be in the process of reconciliation—even healing the broken structures and institutions of society for mercy and justice.
Why 2010? Because, today, people in their 20’s, particularly mid-twenties are more “glocal” in their perspective than any American generation in history. One sociologist has said, Because this generation doesn’t remember when they weren’t on the internet they just think differently. They don’t see “missions” as an add on.” I’m not even sure they see missions. They see the world in which they are a part and everything is connected from the environment to poverty, from AIDS to Justice, and on and on and on.
Why 2010? Because that generation will have some successes by then that are pointed to and hopefully it will replace what’s being promoted in the West on how to redo church. Right now, there are a lot of disgruntled people trying to reinvent the church. It will never work. The church has never been birthed from frustrated people trying to reinvent something that’s lost its punch. Instead, it will be created by those who are passionately in love with Jesus—obeying Him and following Him at all cost—connecting with the big picture of the world and operating in the context of the Kingdom of God.
I’ve seen a lot of blogging about my book but I’ve not seen anyone pick up on this. This is big. Why is this not picked up on? Do people not get it? Or, do they not care? Or, is it in the front of the book and, as I do often, I rush fast into a book like a speed boat and then slow down?
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May 5, 2008 at 10:19 AM
Some good thoughts about why these points may have been missed, Bob. I think you're right that often times we rush through the first part of the book because we assume its background material, trying to state the reason for the book, which we think we already "get". The "church was never like this" motivation for planting churches has been around a while - at least 20 years - and, quite frankly, it's tiring! So is the excuse that "there are so many 'unchurched' people in [City Name]".
It seems to me that transformation begins with the individual and flows outward, affecting the communities in which that individual moves (including their church); as communities are transformed by the collective transformation of the individuals within them, societies will be transformed...and the flow will continue to ripple outward until the world is transformed. I hope it's obvious that none of this happens apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, and that the world will not be truly and ultimately transformed until the Kingdom of God has taken hold in its fullest sense...but it is to this end that we must labor.
May 5, 2008 at 12:20 PM
As you say, Kingdom in ~ Kingdom out. Thanks for all you do!
May 5, 2008 at 01:05 PM
Hi Bob,
One thing that I think those who are broad minded and want to view the world's spiritual needs from 30,000 ft. are missing is that the house church, cell church, organic church or whatever popular name you want to use is the real Biblical template. I think when the young people of our culture see the large sums of financial resources we pour into some of our larger churches it is a turn off. I think living in Christian community is what many of the young people are attracted to and I believe that is the Biblical pattern too. To pour large amounts of money into buildings, salaries and programs that water down the Gospel message is causing the younger adults to seek a true Gospel that deals with loving our neighbors and doing something about poverty, war, fair wages and being non-discrimatory. A good book I'd recommend is The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. Shane is one of those young radical believers who is trying to spread a belief that says that Jesus really meant what He said when He said things like "those who draw the sword will die by the sword" and His message of Matthew 25:35-45 and Isaiah 58. They are advocating a life of love for one another and a life of actually allowing Jesus to live His life through our crucified bodies whereby we can truly do "greater things than He did" as Jesus said we would.
May 5, 2008 at 02:02 PM
I too agree that often the first of the book is rational for the rest and I often rush to get to the "meat". After reading all three of your books I have caught myself re-tracking because of the fact with your writings the "meat" it's cover to cover, thanks for the insight
May 5, 2008 at 03:21 PM
Do you think we'll be starting churches at all then in 2010 and beyond? Won't it just be the raw Jesus Movement that you talk about where it is all about transformation and churches being born from that. Will we even be talking church planting anymore? Do you see it going that far?
If a true Jesus Movement is happening would we even need to put any energy into 'starting churches'?
May 5, 2008 at 03:36 PM
Randy - I'm with you. Joe, Shane Claiborne is a GREAT example. HOWEVER, I don't know of many house churches that way. I have a friend named Aaron Snow who has something started Intentional Gatherings - his are like that, but most are more "fellowship" and "frustrated" much like the established church. Kevin - WOW - if that happens - then churches will be popping up all over the place and no one will get credit except God - I pray that's our reality.
May 5, 2008 at 05:25 PM
haha! Hope you accidentally made a typo in that response Bob. Did you mean to say that IG's are more "fellowship" THAN "frustrated"? I hope so. =) You don't think we're frustrated do ya Bob!? Haha. I love what you blogged about from the book. It's kinda what we talked about during the interview about how we don't find ANY command in the Bible to plant churches, but to make disciples...now we must ask what it means to go and make disciples...Hopefully, somewhere along the way as we're raising up radical followers of Christ we find ourselves gathering for worship, prayer, breaking bread, scripture, etc...but as a response...NOT as the end...but simply as a means to the end. I was consulting with a a guy the other day, and he was asking me about how i would measure "effectiveness". What would a "metric" be? I responded by saying this, "look at your current 'church'/community, and hypothetically take away the weekly gathering from the picture. What do you have left? If there's not a HUGE 'chunk of meat' left when the weekly gathering is removed then something is wrong. This is one way we keep our IG communities in check." Would you agree with that? I think a lot of us TALK about church not being about the "weekly service", but if we took that out of the picture i'm fearful that many of our churches in the west are left with VERY LITTLE to show...bummer. Love ya.
May 5, 2008 at 08:19 PM
Aaron I was saying yours are the right kind! Sorry if it didn't come out that way. I love the way you talked about the metric - your'e right -
May 5, 2008 at 10:52 PM
[...] glocalnet » Blog Archive » The Multiplying Church- Highlight#1- Why Start Churches? - [...]----- [...] 4. Plant churches or make disciples? Challenging thoughts from Bob Roberts. Check Aaron Snow’s dialog in the comments section. Deep stuff. [...]-----
May 6, 2008 at 05:42 AM
"Right now, there are a lot of disgruntled people trying to reinvent the church. It will never work. The church has never been birthed from frustrated people trying to reinvent something that’s lost its punch. "
I'm not sure I agree fully with this. While a lot of disgruntled people are just upset because they don't like the way things are being done in traditional churches. A lot of "disgruntled" folks are that way because they understand that what we call the church isn't what Jesus intended. I think change does come out of this frustration. But this frustration is based on their love for Jesus and seeking him about what should be done. So they start out in frustration, then they seek. Hopefully they will hear him and obey.
I lead a small church on the streets of downtown Dallas. It'svery intensive. These are some very hurt people. But we're working for transformation and working to instill in them a desire to help others on the street change. We've gotten to the point where I am having them take over leadership of the church. Is it perfect? Nope. But I'm amazed at how they are beginning to grow.
Our network of simple/house churches is called COAH. Besides our little street church we are seriously working in the Cuban refugee community in Fort Worth. We have some impacting their neighborhoods and a few of our people are beginning to work with AIDS victims and others in a community of African refugees.
All together we have probably sixty people. I have never seen a group this small, doing so much. And I do believe it started with at "Holy" frustration.
As to whether frustration can lead to change.... I would suggest that Martin Luther was probably a bit frustrated when he challenged Roman Catholicism and he certainly helped reinvent church... or should I say Jesus reinvented church through him.
May 6, 2008 at 08:23 AM
Don't forget John, Luther was booted out. He did all he could to try to change it. I don't think you can re-invent the church. Each church is present for a specific time and reason. What you do is be the church like what you are doing with the AIDS people, African refugees, and Cuban refugees. By connecting globally with the church, you come closer to connecting with what God is already doing in big ways around the world in a church that is "pumped" and "thriving" which we are going to have to learn from - but more on that later. Not saying, you can't be ticked off, frustrated, mad, etc. I've been there and will be there. Just saying life comes from passionate living of the Gospel.
May 7, 2008 at 08:38 AM
Bob,
Part of the problem is that starting churches most often begins with organizational church in mind, not organic church in mind. It is more often about the institution than it is about the redeemed community, animated by the Breath of God.
Second, your frustration over folks not picking up on the twenty-somethings is somewhat understandable, because an awful lot of church leaders are just waiting till they (the twenty-somethings) "get it out of their systems" and begin thinking and behaving like us "mature" folks.
GOD HELP US IF THEY EVER DO GET IT OUT OF THEIR SYSTEMS. Friend, you are on the right track...God has, for the first time in a long time, a generation available that could really change the world. The best thing the "organized church" can do is get out of their way, fund their radical passion for transformation, and pray with all our heart for them.
Third, which relates to the first, the "form" of the church, its modality, is the least of concerns. The church must be the church...it is, first of all, a faith gathering that is like Jesus. How it behaves and how it becomes united in being the mission of God on this earth ought to be unique.
Well, just an old guy rambling...
May 7, 2008 at 09:23 AM
Wow that's some good stuff -
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