Here’s a quote from Pete Ward’s book, Liquid Church:
“…I suggest that we need to shift from seeing church as a gathering of people meeting in one place at one time–that is, a congregation–to a notion of church as a series of relationships and communications … So a step in imagining a liquid church is to take the informal fellowship, in which we experience Christ as we share with other Christians, and say this is church…(this) implies first that church might be something that we make with each other by communicating Christ, so it is not an institution as such. Second it indicates that church happens when people are motivated to communicate with each other. In other words, its basis lies in people’s spiritual activity rather than in organizational patterns or buildings…”
experience GOD project is envisioned as a series of relationships and communications (like this blog, for instance.) In this “liquid” sense, we want to be church for those with no faith community, and be an experience of church, one among many, in a person’s network of Christ-focused relationships.
There’s much more to unpack from Ward. I’m still reading and re-reading the book. (if you are interested in a copy, there’s a link to amazon on the right side of this page.)
As I have only recently been thinking through some of these ideas, I continue to struggle with how to go about personally making that shift from institutional church to a more organic incarnational approach, without leaving behind those caught up in the institutional model that are not yet ready for, or don’t realize the need for, the shift. I’m quite torn sitting in upper Berks county where many are rather closed minded about what “church” should be, and are trapped in an apathetic state of thinking what they are currently experiencing is all that God has for them. In my mind these people need to see an authentic incarnational model of Christ almost as much as the non-believers. Hersh notes how persecution often sparks great Jesus movements, a type of persecution we just don’t face in upper Berks county. Without persecution to spark the shift, how does one go about breaking down many of the walls the institutional church has built?
Yeah, I’m reading Hirsh right now, too. It’s very a very difficult place here in Upper Berks, southeastern Pa in general. I don’t have answers other than to experiment. There are lots of wonderful people in the institutional church (hopefully myself included!) who are doing their best to be faithful. You’re right, without some kind of stress on the system, it’s hard to see another way. More to say, but I’ve got a traditional, institutional service to lead!
Why is there a need to “improve” on Christ’s church? Why is there a need to “evolve” from Christ’s church as it was started on the Day of Pentecost? Why the need for a “shift?”
Kirk,
Because the church as it exists is a very poor reflection of the Pentecost church. The need to change is inherent in the slow demise of the church as it exists, at least here in north america.