SimpleChurch Journal aka House Church Blog

Planting Kingdom Life In People

In the last post on planting kingdom, not churches, I talked about focusing on people, not gatherings.

We have tried to become very intentional about this.

"The Insider" workbook encourages us to list all of the people in our life to whom we are an "insider." This means that we are in their life for a reason and we, undoubtedly, have the ability to influence them with our lives. The workbook encourages us to write down everyone and uses the following categories to help us do it:

Family

Casual

Neighbors

Friends

Work Associates

This complete list is our "sphere of ministry." We are shepherds, potentially, of any or all of them. We pray for them and we look for the part that God would have us play in each of their lives. As I mentioned before, these people are not "targets" for our church gatherings, rather they are people, people we are to love, care about, and live Kingdom lives with and for. They are what we are here for! They are the ones that we have the opportunity to lay our lives down for.

We may, as we pray over these people, feel that God is more distinctly impressing us to reach out with more intentionality with certain of them. We build relationship, we learn what their life is about, we care, we listen when they hurt, we share our lives authentically with them, we are aware when they are seeking for more and, because we love them, we offer them steps that can lead to more life... when they are ready.

One tool that is been helpful is the Engel chart... shown below greatly modified. It helps us to realize that people are at different places spiritually, and that we want to learn to just be there for them and love them where they are at. As we love and build relationship, we can hope and pray that we will be there to move them from one level to the next. It's not our job to "move them along." But by being sensitive to where they are at, we can provide the kind of love that is most caring, most helpful, and most beneficial for them.

If they are not specifically seeking spiritual things (a level -4 on the chart below), it's not our job to "get them" to "become a Christian (a level 0 on the chart). In fact, as already stated, we don't move them along at all. But by recognizing where they are, we can love them appropriately. We plant the Kingdom into a -4 by simply loving them, praying for them, and being available when life (via the Holy Spirit) causes them to want more. We don't have to be the Holy Spirit. We just love people where they are... and love them to the next stage when, and if, given the opportunity.

We are not "trying" to get them to move along so that we can feel good about being a "good witness." That completely misses the point. We are simply shepherding and loving people. When we see people looking for a next step, then we are there to support, help, encourage, and point. In doing this, we are simply loving them.

This process continues and applies to Christians in our lives as well. Christians are people that we are "shepherding." We do this by focusing on them as people and seeking out what might help them in their life to grow in God's grace and image.

With both pre-Christian and post-Christian people we are establishing what Reggie McNeall calls "heart-to-heart, life-to-life relationship that will support mutual accountability, the capacity to challenge each other's biases and assumptions, and the freedom to assess results and spiritual growth."

We love them where they are at AND we love them by planting Kingdom seeds in them that will bless them with more and more and more.

Planting the Kingdom Not Churches

I like to talk about church planting... and we have quite a bit going on, right now, in this area.

But I have become so much more aware, recently, that it's not at all about planting churches... but it is about planting the Kingdom life among people... It's about people... it's about God's life being planted and nurtured within people... it's not about churches. Churches, or gatherings, take place as a secondary result of the Kingdom being planted into the lives of people.

As we have attempted to "coach" others in "planting churches," we realized that we were focusing on the wrong thing. Those who were "church planting" became focused on "the gathering." Who would come to "the gathering." What would people do at "the gathering." How should "the gathering" be structured. And we were missing the whole point.

The point is people.

So, we began to re-focus on what it's about. We began to talk about caring for, nurturing, helping, loving, shepherding, praying for... people. Period. Who are the people in your life that you are called to be involved with. Pray for them. Love them. Deepen your relationship with them. Then, if there are a couple of those people who would benefit from some sort of gathering, then fine... begin to gather with them because that is what is best for them. In other words, keep the focus on loving people and what's best for those people you are called to love. Don't just love people who might come to "your" gathering... just love people... all of them. Become a Kingdom person who simply sows kingdom life into those around you. As you love them, some may eventually gather with you and some won't. That's beside the point. Love them all and be a kingdom person to all of them. Plant Kingdom life into people, nurture that life, water that life... and only gather with some of them if the gathering enhances that process.

Be the church everywhere... gather the church when it's best for the church... and we will become "church planters."

Church in a Restaurant

Last Tuesday night was our second time gathering in a restaurant for a new "church." It is turning out to be a wonderful "marketplace" experience.

Jim and Marilyn, owners of the restaurant, wanted to begin meeting on Tuesday nights. The restaurant is closed that evening, they have a day off on Wednesday, so it was the perfect night for focusing on "spiritual food." They opened the small restaurant just over a year ago, and it is already well known in our Central Coast California town of Nipomo. From the beginning they viewed the restaurant as both a business and a calling. "When I'm serving and taking care of people, I'm showing them the love of Christ," Marilyn commented to me. They are very excited about now using the restaurant for a gathering station for friends, for the needy, for anyone in the community to come and receive.

So... last Tuesday night... about eight or nine of us were just getting seated in a circle when a woman walked in the door. She thought the restaurant was open. And why not? It's a restaurant, there are several cars parked in front, and the lights are on. So, she walked in looking for something to eat.

"Sorry," Marilyn went over to her, "the restaurant's closed, but you are welcome to join us for church." My first thought was, she would look over at this little group of people and wonder what in the world this is and what kind of people have church in a restaurant! But she surprised us. She looked over at us and suddenly burst into tears.

"I just lost my brother," she blurted out as she stood there sobbing.

We all went right into action... inviting her to come and sit with us for a moment. "What's your name?" "Shaney," she replied. "Tell us all about your brother." And for ten minutes, as she grieved, she told us about her 48-year-old brother who had just passed away unexpectedly.

We spent another ten minutes or so praying with her and for her. Several people prayed for her with wonderful empathy and insight. You could see God's comfort and presence envelop Shaney with a measure of peace in the midst of her trauma. She was obviously encountering God.

Marilyn, meanwhile, prepared her an incredible array of food (Shaney hadn't eaten all day). When we were finished praying, Shaney had to go but she was handed a large bag of ready-to-eat delicacies.

A few minutes later, as she stepped out the door, we didn't know whether we would see Shaney again or not, but we knew that she (and we) had had a divine encounter with the Kingdom of God. It was a wonderful and awesome feeling.

It's making me wonder if all of our simple church gatherings can't take place somewhere out in the marketplace. Coincidentally, I've been reading Reggie McNeal's book, The Present Future, in which he says:

Jesus' evangelism strategy directly challenged the Pharisees' approach. Instead of "Come and get it!" it was "Go get 'em!" Instead of withdrawing from people for fear of contamination, he ate with them...

Taking the gospel to the streets means we need a church where people are already hanging out. We need a church in every mall, every Wal-Mart supercenter, every Barnes and Noble.

Reacting to "Leadership"

I suppose every movement is a reaction, to some extent, to that which exists. We would like to think that when we react to an extreme that we are finding the place of balance. Hopefully we do. But when the pendulum swings too far one way, it is very difficult to find the balance without first swinging too far the other way.

I wonder if we, in seeking to get the church out from under the type of ceo-leadership that has been so destructive in the church, don't end up throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Specifically, I'm talking about the area of leadership.

I know that word itself, "leadership," conjures up all of the images and meanings that many of us have reacted against for good reason. Nevertheless, I see such a need, in the Body of Christ, for fathers and mothers, nurturers and shepherds, mature servants, "elders" in the biblical sense who "care for," and even "church-planters."

I'm not talking about creating many titles and roles that speak of "hierarchy," but I am talking about affirming these roles and not losing the importance of our "fathers and mothers in the faith." I long to see the Body of Christ, in a family structure, really caring for one another and that includes the kind of care that only more mature believers can provide for newer believers. I don't want to hamper or create hoops for younger believers to "jump through" as we so often do in traditional church. "You can't do this type of ministry until you have completed this course or that program." That's not what I'm talking about. I want to see ALL believers, young and old, fully released to go and do the "stuff" of ministry. Don't hold anyone back. But in the process of releasing people into ministry, let's keep them "in family," cared about, ministered to, supported... and this is facilitated well by people who are more mature and who are affirmed in the importance of spiritually caring for the younger folk in the flock.

By throwing out the concept of "leadership-as-we-know-it," which I believe needs to be thrown out, I don't want to lose the importance of Christians taking a quality role in the lives of others as mentor/coach/counsellor/helper/father/mother. In fact, I long to see more people more fully equipped for this role... intentionally.

This is not at all a return to traditional-style leadership. In fact, in 20 plus years in traditional church settings, I saw little of the type of "spiritual care" that I am talking about. In fact, when I was a new believer, at age 20, how I wish I had someone who took personal interest in my life, my past baggage, and my future ministry. People pointed to programs, but they did not invite me into relationship where I could be transformed as I experienced deepening closeness with both God and other people.

True "leader-servant-shepherds" must be willing to invest deeply in a few people rather than attempt to minister to "masses." This is one of the ways that we get off track.

But I want to find those who are called to mentor/love/parent others. I want to affirm them. I want to equip them with relational/discipleship/caring tools (and better equip myself) so that we become good at inviesting deeply in a few.

I feel called, this year, to cultivate a deeper understanding of this type of role. I will confess that I have not yet read Larry Kreider's book on spiritual parenting (can't remember the title right off), but if anyone knows of other good resources, I would appreciate hearing from you. I want to cultivate these gifts within myself, I want to affirm these gifts in others, and I want to encourage the healthy use of these gifts and roles whenever possible.

Is The Church System Killing People?

Here's a radical article... Worth the read... Printed at WaterCarriers.

The Insider, Chapters 5&6

More from Jim Petersen's book, "The Insider":

Chapter 5 & 6– The Insider, the mission, and the church

To be effective as “insiders” we will learn to connect with people “where they are, on their turf, and at times when they are available. Some unbelievers will respond to the idea of participating in the activities of the church, but increasingly large segments of our society will not. This can be difficult for many of us to understand and accept. What we have works for us in our church, we reason, and we can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work for others as well.”

Part of our difficulty is in our popular definition of church. It has become a place where people meet for certain activities. Our sense of identity has shifted from being a people who are sent into the world to being a place where people congregate to worship.

Petersen contends that if we are going to reach people on their turf, and involve them in meaningful worship, then we are going to have to look at our current form of “church” and recognize its need for reform. We are still depending on a “come to” and “listen to” approach that is not effectively engaging the unbeliever where he or she is at.

The church has become so marginalized to the mainstream of the culture that when such people do come to believe in Christ they often don’t find the existing churches to be viable places for them. It is better, in those situations, to help new believers become the community for one another.

I (Roger) say, “here, here.” How exciting to lift up the calling and ministry of the “Insider” who is able to live a kingdom life everyday and then discover new ways to gather those who come to Christ. A whole new Christian movement, outside the walls of churchdom, in the marketplace, taking Christ wherever His Body goes!

The Insider, Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – the Role of the Insider

Continuing on a synopsis of Petersen's book, "The Insider":

[Jesus] is saying, “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness how will people taste godliness? … You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.”

We are in the world to reveal Christ to the world. He is saying, Let it show!

While some people are called to drop whatever they are doing to follow Christ, most people are given instructions like the man cured from demon possession:

Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you.

As a rule, we are called to follow him back into our own communities.

Paul, as an outsider, would go into a community and reach a few. But the success of his mission depended on the “insiders” who would then turn around and carry the message “back into their networks of relationships… The success or failure of the Apostles efforts… rode on the believers responding to this challenge.

KEY QUOTE:

Are you looking for your calling, wondering what God wants you to do? Paul is saying, open your eyes and look! You’re surrounded! You’ve spent thirty years relating to your family, your community, and your work situation. Some of your relationships are good, some ar bad, but they all have potential for new meaning now that you’re a citizen of the kingdom of God. Live out that citizenship—“hold out the world of life” within this unique world of yours! That’s what it means to be an insider.”

Note: Petersen is still dealing with background reasoning… the practicalities are still to come!

The Insider, Chapter 3

More on "The Insider":

Chapter 3-- "purposefully invest deeply in a few individuals"

If we are not accurately seeing the kingdom of God at work (chapter 2) then we are probably not putting our efforts in the right areas.

Jesus used many agricultural stories and metaphors because they accurately portray how the kingdom of God grows and multiplies. Healthy crops are grown organically: seeds planted, bearing fruit that produce more seeds. It takes time to grow healthy fruit that matures and then reproduces more healthy fruit. But this is the way of the Kingdom... not large programs promising instant results.

So what about the first few chapters of Acts? Why were so many people harvested at one time? Remember when Jesus told his disciples, “I sent you to reap what you have not worked for?” The church’s birth, and large initial harvest, was the result of hundreds of years of sowing into the Jewish people that came to one large time of harvest. But was this the norm?

Paul never saw a duplication of that first response in Jerusalem! When we examine the results of Paul’s ministry carefully, we observe that he usuall left a small foundation of people consisting of a few households. Sometimes, very few…

The primary means of [Christianity’s] growth was through the united and motivated efforts of the growing numbers of Christian believers, who invited their friends, relatives and neighbors to share the “good news.”

The bottom line from chapter three is the challenge to “purposefully invest deeply in a few individuals, with the expectation that God will, in time, multiply that investment.

This "upside down" approach to ministry challenges my need for instant gratification and personal "success." But the biblical sense of it is there!

The Insider, Chapter 2

I continue to be challenged by the concepts in Petersen's book, The Insider:

Chapter 2

The Kingdom of God is here. God is at work all around us. God is inviting us to be used for His Kingdom constantly. The problem is that we FAILING TO SEE IT.

According to Jesus, the kingdom of God is within certain people. It is not in our structures, nor in our organizations, nor in our sweeping strategies for world evangelization that we will see the kingdom.

So why do have such difficulty seeing the kingdom? It’s because we are not used to looking in the simple, lowly places.

In our culture, an unheralded individual is about the last place we’d ever think of looking to find anything of importance. We live in a world where “good” is defined by size, where “big” is good, and bigger is better. We measure the success of anything, whether it’s a business or a church, by its volume, by the amount we amass of whatever it is we’re working at, whether it’s money or people. In our value system, we don’t begin to pay attention people until there are lost of them in one place together. We counte them to decide whether or not what is happening is important. We neglect to stop and look at the life next to us. So, we miss the kingdom—even though it’s right there in front of us!

In Jesus’ parable in Matthew 25, he makes it clear that the people who are tuned into the Kingdom are well aware of the needy people that surround them: the hungry, the thirsty, the sick, and the imprisoned. In our culture there are those going through divorces, being fired, losing loved ones, and facing difficult sicknesses.

People with needs surround us.

So how is the Kingdom demonstrated? By people who see the people around them with these needs. By people who show mercy, speak the truth, give grace, and serve people in their time of need.

The witness of a single life lived under Christ’s rule is powerful.

When an entire community of people demonstrate Christ’s rule and love, the message of the kingdom is amplified and the onlooking world takes notice.

By our standards, the ways of the kingdom seem so weak, so insignificant, so unworthy of the bother. The kingdom is in the small voice, in the unobtrusive act… We cannot market it, yet it advances forcibly.

At this point, one may wonder if this type of kingdom living can truly impact an entire world. Stay tuned for more chapters…

The Insider, Chapter 1

I want to highlight key points from Jim Petersen's The Insider as I read it. From chapter 1:

God has purposes and He is working them out.

We all need to live for something. It’s contrary to our nature to be content if we feel our lives are not counting for something that is bigger than life! God made us this way. Whatever the earthly value of our achievements, if we do not feel that what we’re working on somehow transcends the here and now, we find ourselves struggling with feelings of futility. This is a universal phenomenon that runs through all of human history.

We often don’t feel like we have a part because it seems like “the main feature in most Christians’ lives today is congregating. This makes most of us passive participants.”

The purpose of this book is:

We want to help people… understand their calling to participate in what God is doing today. We want people to see that this calling is to be worked out within their existing relational networks where they are already positioned as insiders. God intends that every part of our daily life should line up with his purposes, to his glory. We believe this is something that is within reach for all of us, not just the gifted few.