Church. Reimagined. Reconfigured.
by Phil Miglioratti
#ItSeemsToMe...
The COVID pandemic has forced the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ to recognize changes already taking place in our culture.
- Expectation of regular attendance continues to decrease from weekly to sporadically
- Technology provides virtual access to “church” via video, audio, or live streaming
- Education is transitioning from content-laden lectures to conversational settings that promote interaction...
- From primarily verbal (audio; stationary) to primarily visual (video; action)
- The expression of worship has become more experiential; active participation that has meaning beyond creating an atmosphere for preaching
- Giving has become a subset of generosity, which includes getting out of the seats and into the streets to pray for/in/with the community, care for practical needs in real time, and share good news of faith and hope and love in Christ
- Being righteous must walk alongside declaring righteousness by advocating for the voiceless and the powerless
- Christians have access to great preaching, excellent teaching, joyous worship, prayer opportunities and strategies from a wide range and diversity of sources; they do not "need" a congregational gathering to be inspired or instructed.
- Making disciples strategies are moving away from programmatic approaches to holistic mentoring and coaching
The Church must emerge from this crisis unchanged in purpose and passion but reimagined in the practices and programs that call believers to gather; reconfigured in the structures and systems designed for making disciples who are equipped to pray, search scripture, serve, and witness.
The Church, birthed in the first century, needs 21st century wineskins to contain and carry those unchanging truths. Those wineskins are the briefcases and backpacks we use to transport biblical truth to the people, places, and ideas of our community and culture. Fresh applications and adaptations of New Testament descriptions revealing how the earliest Christ followers gathered and connected. The traditions we must never stray from are not those from medieval or industrial times but from the pages of the acts of the Holy Spirit filled Church and the letters to the Church as it advanced into distant and ethnically diverse cities. Every generation, every new age, must step back into and stand firm onto our biblical past in order to compellingly show and tell the biblical message in the radically different present.
As you read these biblical descriptions, pray for a Spirit-led understanding of Scripture that provides discernment on how to make a foundational but fresh application.
A template to help you reimagine the biblical descriptions that follow:
- What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about being and doing “church”?
- So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review and revise.
- Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church began on the 2nd floor of a house
“They went into a large second-floor room to pray. Those present were Peter, John, Jacob, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, Jacob (the son of Alpheus), Simon (the zealot), Judas (the son of Jacob), and a number of women, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. His brothers were there as well. All of them [120] were united in prayer, gripped with one passion, interceding night and day.” Acts 1:12-14 TPT
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church met at a worship center
“Daily they met together in the temple courts...”. Acts 2:46 TPT
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church gathered as small groups from house-to-house
“Daily they met together ... in one another’s homes to celebrate communion. They shared meals together with joyful hearts and tender humility.” Acts 2:46 TPT
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church was connected across their city
“Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. Greet also the church that meets in their home.... Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus.... (and) who belong to the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord... All the churches of Christ send you greetings.” Romans 16:3-16 HCSB
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church was connected city to city
“Give my greetings ... to Nympha and the church in her home . When this letter has been read among you [in Colosse] , have it read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea.”
Colossians 4:15-16 HCSB
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
The New Testament Church was connected across countries and continents
“He traveled through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.” Acts 15:41 HCSB
“To the churches of Galatia.” Galatians 1:2 HCSB
“The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, along with the church that meets in their home.” 1 Corinthians 16:19 HCSB
Reimagine:
*What? ...does the Scripture reveal to us about doing “church”?
*So What? ...are the implications to our current forms? Review + Revise
*Now What? ...can we reimagine and reconfigure?
Dare to dream. Surrender to the Holy Spirit who is eager to guard you and guide you into new ways to gather for worship and discipleship that produces prayer-care-share lifestyle believers who gladly bring Gospel ministry and generosity into their community.
You have permission to experiment. My wallet has morphed from a folding leather case I carried in my pocket to an "app" on my mobile phone that has the same essential information in digital form. Our personal "wineskins" are radically different than 50, 150, 450 years ago. But they provide the same, even better, service.
"Jesus, Lord and Leader of the Church, empower us to reimagine with your Holy Spirit new ways to serve you as you build your Church ... so that ... our congregations bless neighborhoods and nations with the eternal life found only in your Gospel of God's grace. Courage to construct new models and methods that will enable the Church to make disciples of all peoples. May the person reading this become a scout who will lead many into unexplored territory as we pray to advance the Gospel. In the authority of your name..."
>>>KEEP SCROLLING for RELATED CONTENT & COMMENTARY, RESOURCES & REPLIES
Thoughts on why we need to @reimagine...
“In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.”
— Bertrand Russell, (1872-1970), British sage, philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist, and Nobel laureate
“People almost invariably arrive at their beliefs not on the basis of proof but on the basis of what they find attractive.”
— Blaise Pascal, (623-662), French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, writer and Catholic theologian <> ‘De l'art de persuader’
“Takes little thought to know that those who start a statement with ‘I think’ haven’t.”
— Coe D. Behr, Southern humorist, critic and canophilist
“Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson, (1803-1882), American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, poet, champion of individualism and leader of transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century
Friday’s Quotations — ‘Food For Weekend Thought’ // 2020-12-11
Weekly Wisdom to Provoke Thought, Encourage Reflection and Inspire Faith
(selected and distributed weekly by Bob Varga, Johns Creek, GA / © Robert C. Varga 1997-2020)
Hey !
The church, for a long time, has majored in holding worship gatherings and minored in discipleship and mission...
(But this global pandemic has really changed things...and I've been discussing this with our author, Caesar Kalinowski)
"I believe the "future church" will restore balance to this and once again embrace what brought vitality and explosive growth to the church: Disciples making disciples..."
Disciples scattered into all of society living as God’s family together on the mission of making disciples of Jesus.
>> What if this pandemic is not happening TO you…
...but happening FOR you?
What if all of this is not happening TO us as the Church, but it’s happening FOR us?
Perhaps you have been placed in your position for such a time as this! (Es. 4:14)
Right now, the leaders I know are all trying to figure out...
"How do we do discipleship, and BE the Church, out there... now?!"
Everyday discipleship in the rhythms of normal life is the key to growing in maturity and making discipleship and outreach “sticky” and super-reproducible... into the future.
But being and making disciples of Jesus this way can seem mysterious and hard to get started–especially now.
So, check this out… Caesar is going to give you access to 20+ years of his experience and framework for disciple-making in community. (You’ll love how practical he makes all of this.)
Live on video, (about 30-40 minutes each day) for 4 days straight. You’ll get started right away with new discipleship rhythms, as he walks you through practical steps each day, and give you simple “homework” to get you going...and prove YOU can do this!
Daily Live Training + Worksheets + Tools + Homework
Caesar will break down exactly how to start making disciples in everyday life, into simple steps and principles. I want you to join me in this Challenge and Workshop… ALL of this works especially while the Church is scattered and "social distancing".
***
Here’s what my family and community have gained from living this way:
– Deeper relationships with our kids and friends.
– A neighborhood that feels a lot more like a family.
– Discipleship that happens in everyday life.
– A model for Mission that is simple and reproducible
***
Here’s what you may be missing out on:
– A natural and consistent way to connect with God.
– Regular opportunities for deeper connection with your family and friends.
– A gateway to speaking and showing grace to one another.
– Regular times of discipleship in natural settings.
– Simple ways to include others into your family rhythms.
Please join us for this FREE 4-day Everyday Discipleship Challenge (Future Church Edition), where he’ll walk you through exactly how to do discipleship in normal, everyday life. (Like Jesus did.)
It all gets started next Monday, January 18th, 2021 >> GET REGISTERED NOW
(Replays will be available for a short time if you can’t make it LIVE.)
You're going to love this!
–Louise
P.S. I know a lot of leaders are inviting their folks and others in community to join them, and together, get this powerful free training. Hint, hint...
A New Resource from Lifeway -
Church On
A toolkit to help you chart what’s next.
We won’t sugarcoat it: 2020 was a very hard year for churches. But the Church was born in adversity, and God uses times like these to remind us what matters most. That’s why we’ve created Church On, a 4-step initiative to help your church cast a new vision for 2021 and beyond.
Take a moment for yourself
It’s okay to be tired, and it’s okay to take a break. Download resources to help yourself rest and recharge after a difficult year.
HOPE SPRINGS FORWARD.
Confront your church’s reality
Before we can move forward, we have to get clear on what stands in our way. These resources will help you evaluate where things really stand.
SO WILL THE CHURCH.
Reveal your opportunities
God has uniquely gifted your congregation to serve your community. These resources will help you refocus your ministry efforts around what you do best to achieve maximum impact.
LET'S CHURCH ON.
Apply your vision to your community
Church, we must do more than just get people back through our doors. These resources will help your church serve your community with the gospel in fresh and effective ways.
THE ROAD BACK TO NORMAL IS FRAUGHT WITH UNCERTAINTY. BUT GOD ISN'T CALLING US TO NORMAL; HE IS CALLING US TO WHAT COMES NEXT. LET'S CHURCH ON TOGETHER.
Don’t miss what’s next!
Church On is just getting started. Stay updated on new resources, events and more by entering your information below.
https://www.churchfuel.com/how-to-get-people-to-come-back-to-church...
DO CHURCH DIFFERENTLY
Dr. Joe Pettigrew
God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety.”
Ephesians 3:10
Here are many challenges the church faces today. Let’s pray today about a three of them.
We can’t experience a new move of God if we insist on clinging to an old one. “God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display His wisdom in its rich variety.” The word revival doesn’t simply mean awakening something that’s asleep. It also means resurrecting that which is dead or dying, and causing it to come to life again.
We fear excess, so we embrace mediocrity and call it balance. People aren’t drawn to us because of our similarities, but because of the things that make us unique. When it comes to our faith and our testimony, we must not downplay, soft-pedal, or sidestep the very things God has given us that make us distinctive and special. If we do, people will be disappointed and go elsewhere. The disciples didn’t blend in with the crowd; their message and the demonstration of its power made them stand out.
We need to make room in the church for risk-takers and faith-walkers. In the first miracle Jesus worked, changing water into wine, Mary told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” (John 2:5) Our need to be liked and to be popular can lead to a religious spirit that cripples risk-taking and faith-walking. Jesus promised: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses.” (Acts 1:8)
Thought of the Day
So when God tells us to ‘do church’ differently, let’s not be afraid to step out and obey Him.
Does Evangelicalism Have a History?
by: Michael Reeves
"To be evangelical means to be faithful to the gospel. That, of course, will look different according to the issues and the challenges of the day.
What marks out true evangelicalism is that it constantly reforms, not to conform to each new era (as others might), but to be faithful to the gospel amid the particular challenges each one presents."
A history lesson . . .
"The political activism is usually confined to mostly out of sight national or regional denominational structures. Mainline pulpits rarely include overt heresy, as some conservatives imagine. Instead, they typically focus on generic moral and spiritual themes. But evangelism is rarely a focus. Congregations are typically old and almost entirely white. Perhaps it’s fair to say Mainline churches are often more focused on affirmation instead of transformation much less salvation."
Are you passionate about the Kingdom of God?
Do you want to know what makes the kingdom unique from the world around you? Do you want to understand your kingdom identity and the purpose of the Church? Go here
https://www.restorecitizenship.org/