Here’s my first snapshot:
Outside the Square - Story one: The Neighbourhood Community
Some years ago, I was invited to speak at a church camp. I can remember standing in the campsite kitchen with John and Jane, the organisers, looking through the hatch at the hundred or so people mingling, laughing, and preparing for their weekend together. “Now, you understand,” said John, “that there are three churches represented here. We started the first church in our home and now there are two more congregations.”
“Where have all the other people come from?” I asked. “Are they from other churches in the area?”
“No,” Jane replied, “We and two other couples are the only traditional Christians, and after the trauma of seeing our former church implode and close, we started the first group together. It was a difficult time, and we even wondered if doing church was worth it at all. But all the rest here are neighbours or work friends who have come – or are coming to faith. Most have never been in a traditional church before. As a matter of fact we discourage conventional church goers from leaving their home congregation to join us.”
“That’s right,” added John, “We have found that people who have grown up in a denominational corporate church setting can’t help but bring that DNA with them. They need buildings, committees, attractive needs-based programs, age segregated meetings, and so on. And if that’s what they want, that’s fine, but it douses the flame we believe God is fanning here.”
They went on to explain how they and their friends had come to the conclusion that local church was about the people of God living in authentic relationship in their local neighbourhood community. They were sent to be “on mission”, and the way in which they lived and talked their faith was the proclamation of the gospel. They had eventually arrived at a set of spiritual disciplines (or habits) which they practised in accountability to each other. Some were spiritual disciplines, some had to do with maintaining a healthy structure. Though quite different to the more corporate models of church, there was a well thought out and strong set of processes and structures supporting the relationships. They also related to a larger, national house-church network for support and training. Their weekly gathering centred on the Lord’s Table and application of the Scriptures – which flowed from rigorous discussion and reflection of their weekly experiences.
“No we don’t have any pre-set evangelistic programmes,” John replied to my question, “We’re all involved with an assortment of local projects, sports clubs, schools, community groups – depending on our interests – and our friendships and actions flow from a response to what we sense God wants us to say and do. But no, we don’t have the time to be running extra official church events. We’re having too much fun out there with people!”
As I got to know the larger group, it was inspiring to hear the stories: new neighbours welcomed in and embraced, fellow parents from the local school, co-employees, volunteers and clients of a local citizens advice centre, extended family members, children and friends of children. To summarise what many of these newer members expressed: “It started because my neighbour genuinely cared for me. I didn’t know anything about religion, and was actually suspicious about what her motive was. But she valued me regardless. Eventually when I got to know some of the others they included me – foul language and all – even though they knew I didn’t believe like they did .... I appreciate now that religion is not about going to a service but living differently – being set free!”
Next time: An underground house church.