Read this quote today on someone else's blog:
"If you want genuine and authentic community, I think you have to neglect the pursuit of success. If you want success, you have to neglect authenticity. It’s form or substance. Choose one.'
He was talking in relation to church bodies....can you have a true community and still be hosting other stuff to boost attendance or increase your standing in the public eye (Sport Outreach programs, "Harvest" Outreaches, etc.). Some would say those activities are for outreach purposes....are they? Do you think it's possible to have that be the main objective or is there always an ulterior motive (i.e. increasing attendance, tithes, looking good, being the "better church", etc.)?? Is it "enough" for the church to be a community in itself that takes care of its members and "reaches out" by serving others in the community (without a horse and pony show to draw attention to it)??
Your thoughts?
I know, I know....deeper than I normally delve.....but I thought I'd throw it out there and hope for maybe 2 responses. :)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
After reading his quote and not his post, I can imagine where this guy is coming from. I think that it might be possible to have both community and success, but not to pursue both of them.
"Outreach" should often be titled "Intake." (IE they tend to occur on campus and provide a temporary relief to superficial wants.) Most true outreach (like feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, loving the abandoned) will see only a marginal return here on Earth.
These things make great programs that usually do NOT focus on success. The ministry of Jesus was extremely community focused, but (by earthly standards) ended with no success at all.
I think the author has a point to make but I think the word intimacy is better than authenticity. I think mega churches where the emphasis is on programs are less personal and often do in fact neglect the individual needs of their community. However, I don't think that this is always the case either. I believe that these communities meet the needs of a lot of people who thrive in the atmosphere of the mega church. I also don't necessarily question the motives of the mega church, and I think there is a place for these communities in the body of Christ. I believe they do reach people for Christ and they do contribute to the body of Christ in very real and authentic way. Questioning their authenticity, would make the assumption that those communities who do the many programs, outreaches, large scale events etc. are not acting within the body of Christ and that their purpose is something other than what they espouse. I don't think that's the case.
And what's the measure of success? The small intimate simple church of believers can experience success if they are meeting the needs of their community. I think both communities can experience success and authenticity.
I become concerned when we as believers and followers of Christ start saying my form of worship, my tradition, my function within the body of Christ is real, and yours is fake, hypocritcial, not authentic, or something else.
I see the body of Christ as a vast, diverse, group of cultures and people, with a variety of traditions, backgrounds and needs, and they have many methods of worship and praise, and many different forms of serving others for Christ. Yet,they are all bound by by Christ. And they call him Savior.
I believe that there is value in all of Christ's communities and the people in them that choose to follow Christ as they see and understand Him. I don't like any "Christ following" community that says they have the one and only authentic way to follow Jesus. I think we can all find value and truth in all of these communities, even if we don't belong to these communities. Even if I disagree with how they do it.
We are all wired different and unique by God for a reason. We can't possibly fit into the same box spiritually, and we can't begin to try to put Christ in that box either,so we shouldn't even try. Different is good.
I think the more important task at hand is for each member of the body of Christ is to find other believers of like mindedness to fellowship with and then whatever community that may lead you to , you should worship, pray, praise and serve Christ as He has called you to do so. And at the same time we should embrace our differences within the body of Christ and attempt to find value in, and eventually learn from each other.
I think...
genuine authentic community = success
I also think it is very difficult to have a genuine authentic community of say 1000 people. To me, authenticity means that I know YOU, not just about you. When YOU have a need, I respond to YOU, not some bulletin.
I feel that the current model has made it very easy go through all the right motions without giving any sacrifice. We've crossed up our cultural idea of success, getting the most for the least, with God's idea of success, His kingdom now.
Now you've got three comments, so bye.
People accuse Vintage of having ulterior motives all the time. But pretty much all we want to do is give people a taste of how crazy good God and his community (in as much as we reflect Him) can be. To neglect that pursuit would be so wrong I can't find enough words. But one that comes to mind is selfish. I think any church that wants to just focus on community is bound to get pretty self-centered. Just because it is uncomfortable, doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do.
Ness -
I think when he was saying to focus more on community, he didn't mean the church community, but the community in your city. Instead of the Harvest Fest to draw in the crowds and give out the candy (and show up that "other" church across town who's candy fest is like, Soooo lame) that instead we should focus on meeting the real needs of PEOPLE. Paying bills for a month for the family that needs it, sponsoring a church-wide food drive, opening up our homes for people in need, things of that nature. Not necessarily to focus on just the church community, because yes, that would be rather narcissistic.
Post a Comment