Grassroots - Institutional vs. Inspirational
Foreword
The church that changes the world.. will not look impressive. It will not possess great buildings, nor its leaders hold high social standing.
It will shun wealth and political acceptance, and run shy from the world of brands, image and sound bite.
The world-changing church,
will be powerful in the things that matter, a simple dependence on the power of the gospel, the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the authority of God’s Word; a people who love their God, love each other, and live salty lives as Christ’s disciples thus provoking both conversion and persecution.
What does inspirational church life look like?
What does a forest look like? What does a river look like? The point is that
life is unique, every snowflake different and every human being distinct. So
is every church that is born of God.
...
Sadly, for many
of us in church life, especially leaders, we are often looking for what
“works” elsewhere so we can distil it, bottle it or stuff it, and import this
new technique, system or program into our church. I, along with many of my
fellow leaders, spent years employing the different methods and systems that
come along each year or so, and like some ecclesiastical Mr, Toad have jumped
in glee saying “it's the only thing” until of course, the promised results
don’t quite materialize, and the next “thing” comes along.
...
.. the church is God’s, the power is his and the plan is his. Our place is to live in the flow of that life, rather than trying to turn God's living river into a reservoir for our own convenience or reputation.
...
Institutional vs. Inspirational
Contrasts between human sophisticated church forms and God inspired “grassroot” Christianity:
| Institutional | Inspirational |
| Human organized | God inspired |
|
|
Ephesians 1:22-23. |
| Program dependent | Spirit dependent |
|
|
Ephesians 5:18-20. |
| Complex and structural | Simple and organic |
|
|
Ephesians 4:15-16. |
| Front led meetings | Everyone ministers |
|
|
1 Corinthians 12:7. |
| Predictable | Powerfully unpredictable |
|
|
1 Corinthians 14:26. |
| Cloned style and behavior | Great variety & character |
|
|
1 Corinthians 12:4-6. |
| Professional clergy, passive body | Body works, “lay” leaders equip and release |
|
|
Ephesians 4:11—12. |
| Impersonal lecture teaching (rather:preaching[editor]) |
Life applied & flexible |
|
|
Matthew 28:19-20. |
| Attendance orientated | Salvation orientated |
|
|
Acts 5:13-14. |
| Demanding schedule | Part of our daily life |
|
|
Acts 2:42-44. |
| “School” approach to children | Intergenerational life |
|
|
Matthew 14:21. |
| Formal, superficial relationships | Brothers and sisters |
|
|
Romans 12:9—10. |
| “Sanctuary” based | Home is central |
|
|
Romans 16:5, 23. |
| Seeks public acceptance & visibility | Grassroots impact |
|
|
Acts 2:46—47. |
The grassroots quotient;
...
Understanding Our Spiritual Genes
You don't have to tell grass to
grow, a cat to purr of a hen to lay eggs. It's in their genes. Likewise In the
spiritual “genes” of a Christian is a desire for all the things that church is
about—a joy in worshiping God, a need to be more like Jesus, a wish that
others might know him, a desire to join with fellow believers and a yearning
to “be of use.” Throw a bunch of Christians together anywhere and leave them
to it and these five features will emerge.
So much of church
activity is inspired by the erroneous assumption that unless a program is
created, a powerful leader recognized, a spiritual secret discovered, or a
brilliant method employed, that Christians will remain aimless, helpless,
ignorant and useless!
The truth is very simple that, as with
all of life, put any living thing in a suitable environment and it will become
what it is created to be. In the case of the Christian, or the church
community, that environment is simply to gather with mutual respect, honor
God’s Word and allow his Spirit to lead. The irony is that superfluous
activities and the control inherent in institutionalism inhibit believers
being what they were made to be. Their energy is sapped, gifts are frustrated,
passion becomes dulled and their purpose fudged.
Why the nations need inspirational churches
Nearly every Christian must have
quoted Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit - says the
Lord.” These words have been imbued with profound depth for me in recent years
had paid them lip service whilst still trusting in my supposed might, power,
and “good ideas.” In (I hope finally) admitting bankruptcy of mere human
effort, I am discovering the riches of seeing what God will do when we slip
across to the passenger seat.
This is not simply a matter of
preferred style. Times of shaking have begun, not only in the church, but in
the nation and world community too. For the church to be the effective
instrument of kingdom advance we long for, there needs to be a wholesale
loosening of grip on the external trappings, and a clinging on to God. “The
people who do know their God will stand and do exploits!” Daniel 11:32
...
from Duncan Kellard's book:
"Grassroots Christianity"
Purchase the Book at Amazon.com
Contrasts between human sophisticated church forms and God
inspired “grassroot” Christianity:
