TheChurch.Ltd

Something we humans like to do is complicate stuff, and its one of my bugbears. I like simple music, simple explanations and getting to the point. When I’ve taught guitar I’ve made a point of showing the student what they need to know and with the simplest terminology and application. In the church of the 20th & 21st centuries, we’ve taken a tradition and with each successive generation, complicated it. As, in the west we live in a world dominated by corporations (I type this on a an Apple wearing clothes from Gap), so the church has become corporate. To a degree this is necessary, we need to be organised so that people know where we are, who are and what we are. But now our churches and movements are brands with trademarks, our wording is carefully chosen, as if advertising the latest laptop and our pastors are expected to be as much a CEO as a spiritual leader. Now being someone with a love for language and good design I understand why we need to communicate effectively, but when, for example we write our worship music to fit a “sound” that sells, or spend more on advertising than blessing people (ie. the poor), writing book after book on methodology or the latest social theory, rather than just “doing the stuff”, something is wrong. We expect our leaders to have the business skills of Richard Branson whilst trying to live and minister like Jesus. We have become consumers rather than co-combatants. With pressure like that no wonder many leaders burn out. To be honest it’s my opinion that the world needs more CEO pastors like it needs a hole in the head. What touches people is authentic, real spirituality, humility and a love of justice. As David Carr said recently at the UK Vineyard leader’s conference, it’s God’s job to build the church, not ours, we just have to preach the Gospel and demonstrate the Kingdom.

“It aint how hard you hit”

Just wanted to post this as its got some great truth in it from an unlikely source. Also if you think about what is being said, and look at the character of the great ordinary men and women of the bible, David, Moses, Paul, Abraham, Elijah et, you’ll see this principle in their lives. Yes folks…God speaks through popular culture too.

Building an A.R.K. and changing the world.

From the excellent feel good movie, Evan Almighty:

God, lets the principal character, Evan, into the secret of how we can change the world, it’ll happen “One act of random kindess at a time.”

That’s why its important, just to get out of our houses and out to bless whoever we meet, wherever we are. No matter how small, or seemingly insignificant, it all adds up. If the local church is meant to be the hope of the world, those of us in it have a part to play, using whatever God has put in  our hands.  All the little, gestures contribute to the bigger picture. That’s how we change the world!

It’s as simple as that.

Taking the Church into the World

Here’s a great video for you to enjoy, you can see what some friends of ours in New York are up to with their evening service. It’s also a great example of thinking differently about church. 

The First Step

Welcome to the first post of my new blog. I haven’t blogged for well over a year now, so I thought I’d better start up again. The focus of this blog will be the journey that we are having in the context of Colchester Vineyard, an emerging shoot of a church, that we have been leading since May 2007.The idea is that you can see what we are up to, what conversations we are having and where God is leading us. It will be a conversation like any other, some parts you will agree with, others not. You can comment, praise, critique or otherwise on my posts, just play nice.So, what’s occurring just now? Well, we have our 4th Sunday gathering this coming Sunday (10th Feb),  at St Ann’s Centre in Colchester. Everyone is invited to join us for breakfast from 10.30, worship from 11am. This is really a chance to throw open the doors of our small community. In this day and age we sometimes have to think and operate differently to how we did things 20 years ago. There has to be an emphasis on community, relationship and being real in order to provide something that is authentic and useful. Although not completely “seeker sensitive”, to use a christianese phrase, we like to think that we are doing our best to remove the hurdles and obstacles that stop people meeting with God and joining in with His community. In fact it could be best summed up by saying that we are trying to create the kind of church that we would actually like to go to. Seems to be working so far