Tim and Naomi

I know people hear me speak often about organic church topics. The truth is, I’m exploring what scripture says with more of a blank slate approach. For past year I’ve wrestled with God over our American popular culture church experience. I would like to share what I’ve found in my journey thus far.

First, I would like to address my fellow believers who attend a traditional church. By that, I mean churches that are incorporated, have positions which must be filled, an order of service, and is led by clergy.

1. God uses traditional churches.

2. Many people who belong to traditional churches are Gods children.

With that in mind, please read this knowing that I have been blessed to be a part of several healthy traditional churches.

I’m my Christian journey I can remember times, places, and people that truly resembled the Church spoken of in the New Testament. They were times of rejoicing, repentance, failure, and success. Each one of these times, there were people involved and often they were affiliated with a church organization. I come from a churched background.

I always thought of churches as a place a Christian would fall under the authority of a seasoned Christian pastor. That pastor was then responsible for providing spiritual direction for everyone in his church. Church was also a place where Christians would fellowship, have pot lucks, and hold special meetings. The sanctuary was considered holy, special rules applied when you were there. I was taught to revere it as if the Holy Spirit could be chased out of the building due to a child running down the isle.

But through all of that I was taught and understood that the church Jesus wanted was really a group of people, not a building or a club. And I was taught this in traditional churches. However, when it came to practicing this teaching, there were practices and doctrines that conflicted with it. This was an acceptable compromise for me, because I had to pick a church or denomination to be under the authority of. I had accepted less than what God had intended to be His Body.

I began searching for answers to questions.

What does God ask of me?
Do I add to His Word, substituting my own view point as His?
Do I follow rituals and traditions like the Pharasies or do I follow in the footsteps of Jesus?
What if I read the New Testament with fresh eyes, not applying my own religious background?
Do we naturally follow the same patterns as the New Testament church?
What would it look like if we did?