I've got several points here:
I think that society "at-large" sees a disconnect in Christians and Christianity today. I've explained it like this: If the church was actually embodying Christ on Earth the way it intends to, and the way it's expected to, there would be people out there saying "I don't agree with the religion of Jesus, but you have to admit that his followers accomplish great things." Instead, what we get (despite there being some truth to the "greatness" of the works of the Kingdom) is that most folks will tell you that they think Jesus has some great ideas, but that his followers are judgemental jerks.
I think that modern evangelicalism is faced with a huge problem in that the Church has lost nearly all of its intrigue, status, and attractiveness. Since Constantine, The Church has been, especially in the eyes of the outsider, an establishment and not a community. The Church is a brick and mortar building: a place you go to be with God.
Unfortunately, in modernity, and moreso (I guess) in post-modernity the Church is seen as place you go to be JUDGED by God's people, and--if that's any indication--by God Himself as well.
There's an obvious need here to transform the church into something that less resembles this unattractive "establishment," and more resembles the kind of community that Christianity was built upon prior to Constantine's legalization of the faith.
I'm very, very interested in the prospect of doing church differently. And not in the cliche way of doing it exactly the same but with rock music (though I say that with tongue firmly in cheek as I continue to attend, and love, a church body doing something approximating that).
What I am proposing, and I'll be very forthcoming in explaining that this isn't a new idea, or even my idea, is organically putting together a community of likeminded folks with the goal of living a Christian life together. We'll simply enjoy life, enjoy each other, enjoy our marriages and food and fun and all that God has provided us. We'll seek to grow together in maturity in Christ and we'll study His word.
This community will be constantly "on mission," helping out in our community and loving our neighbors and our world.
This community should be so attractive, and so powerfully changing lives both within the community and outside of it, that people will constantly take notice of it and desire to become a part of it. So we'll invite those folks along to live life with us, to do mission with us, and to enjoy life in Christ (maybe that should be capital "L" Life?).
This community will therefore turn evangelism on its head. Rather than "believing and then belonging", (or after an alter call, handing out Bibles and pamphlets welcoming folks to community and helping them with what they should do with their "new Christian faith,)" we will instead have a "belong then believe" approach where people will be free to join our community and do life with us and, we think, in so doing will see WHY we do life the way we do and come to believe the way we do. And, frankly, if they DON'T come to believe the way we do, they're probably still welcome to take part because a) there's always hope and b) we're going to need all the hands we can get to accomplish all the good we hope to accomplish for His glory.
So I guess this thing begins in a somewhat real way in the Fall of 2011 when Melissa and I expect to hand off leadership of our 707/CVC LifeGroup and will begin leading a curriculum based Bible study of some kind from our home in Cleveland Heights. More info on this will be forthcoming. But that day is still 10 months away, and intentionally so.
Obviously, though, planting a sign in our front yard that says "Missional/Incarnational Church Starting Here 2011" is the first step in becoming, not a community, but an institution. So the first step is actually in beginning to foster an intentional Christian community organically and naturally. This calls for inviting along all the friends we can, but also making new ones.
The first step for THAT is in an event Melissa and I are currently planning for January. Which is where this post began.
I've been in contact with a couple of local musicians and am intending to throw a house show at our home in Cleveland Heights. It will, hopefully, be a really big deal of a show and will pull in folks we know as well as folks we don't. In keeping with the missional aspect of this entire thing, the show's proceeds will benefit a local Cleveland Heights charity organization.
Watch this space for more information. After testing the waters a bit over how exciting an endeavor this is (people seem to think "VERY") and beginning to generate a bit of buzz, I need to now work on planning the thing in earnest. Once it's a bit more nailed down, I'll be posting more frequent updates on it and, y'know, INVITING FOLKS.
Thanks for taking the time.
God Bless.
P.S.- Want to get excited about all this, and get a (excuse the word considering their other publications) "primer" on this way of thinking? I still cannot recommend ENOUGH Hugh Halter & Matt Smay's The Tangible Kingdom: Creating Incarnational Community (Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series)
