I started and finished Together Again by Rick Atchley and Bob Russell on the plane ride back from the Pepperdine Lectureships. It was an entertaining read! It calls christians from the Churches of Christ and the Independent Christian Churches, both rooted in the Restoration Movement, to rethink our historical lines of division and make a renewed stand for unity. This brief book does an excellent job of stating the traditional issues that have kept our tribes distinctive and how we have arrived at those interpretations (mainly the instrumental/a cappella issue), but also argues that what we have in common is so much richer and stronger than the peripheral issues. It also urges that the two churches should begin building bridges to unify with each other, and that it can be done without compromising ones individual preferences in regard to worship style. It encourages us to think creatively about ways we can support each other.
I’ll be honest- I am all over this!!! We have been in this “family feud” with the Christian churches for far too long. And though I still lead worship in an a cappella tradition, maybe I need to begin thinking of ways to build some bridges to our instrumental brothers and sisters. Now, unlike some of my COC brothers, I enjoy worshipping with instruments and have even led from time to time with a guitar (there are some great songs out there that just don’t work without one). Still, I suggest we need to think about unity beyond the borders of Sunday morning. Too often the issues will fall right back into the “worship service” paradigm. We really have to get over this!!! Think “out of the box” here, people! Very little about the kingdom of God falls within the borders of Sunday morning hour at the church building! The church and the move of unity has got about 5% to do with the worship times and 95% to do with serving the poor together, loving and praying for each other, do outreach projects together, etc. In other words: It’s about BEING church, not DOING church!
On top of this, the more I mull all it all over in my head, I feel like, in our context in Rochester, MI, that we could expand the borders of our thinking even more! How can we reach out even beyond our first cousins we’ve been talking about and reach to our second and third cousins?
I’m not making a case that we should assimilate and morph into a new entity. I am saying we should think creatively as to ways we can encourage and empower each other.
Maybe we should put on a musical or dramatic production featuring and directed by multiple people in different churches.
Maybe do joint mission trips overseas AND/OR to the gulf coast.
Host a Wednesday night series on the different branches of Christianity out there and have them come in to speak about their tribe, what makes them distinctive, what they can learn from us, and finally, what they feel we could learn from them.
This is just off the top of my head, but I’m sure there are more. Let us all find us ways to reach out of our little box and show the world how big our God really is.
3 comments:
Good Stuff Chris. I totally agree. It makes me want to say "Can't we all just get along?"
I love the thought of the dramatic series, missions, or any other outreach. But sometimes, I think we have to teach our own people how to reach out and branch out fist before we can excpect them to come together for soemthing like this. I dream of it so much and would love to see this happen.
Missions doesn't have to be in another world, it can be right here in our own back yard and we don't even know it. When people think about reaching out, they look at trying to see and save the lost, when there are so many that are lost within our own eyesight. I think it is a step by step process but definately a great one. Now if we can figure out how to make it happen in our hometown communities, we've got it made huh? Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Was waitin for that update! ;o)
Hey Chris! My name is Tiffani i just got back from uplift and i just wanted to tell you that you seem like a very Godly man and i hope God keeps blessing you and the rest of Watershed! You guys are great! Cant wait to see you all again. In Him, Tiffani
Hey Chris! I couldn't agree more!!
In my class on Sunday mornings, we have been talking about this very subject. I don't know if this is a problem where you are but it seems to me like we are so worried about making sure that we have checked all the boxes on our "chrisian to-do list" that we forget about the people that don't even know who Jesus is. I feel like we are always trying to make sure that our christian friends don't attend the Baptist church down the street because they use a piano during worship! This issue, to me really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. We shouldn't be worried about those people because they believe in Jesus. I think that we should work together as a team. It's amazing to think about how much we could do, if we did it together. The church that I currently attend is very "traditional" and is in the same place in was 20 years ago. This just breaks my heart, but I feel like I can't make much of a difference because I don't think very "traditionally". Ok I'm going to get off my soap box, but again, I totally agree and would love to hear your opinion. My e-mail is bethanyfloyd20062yahoo.com
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