Three Principles For JESUS's People

In the past 6 months, as a means for myself and my family to heal from some painful relational experiences (some self-inflicted, some inflicted by others) have been pursuing JESUS-based community or what is referred to as “church” outside of the traditional Sunday Service, non-profit organizational and/or institutional model. This began as my wife and I committed to gather at a local coffee shop together to study and discuss GOD’s word and now we have other brothers & sisters that join us in this gathering and have become apart of our lives throughout the week. We don’t have a ton of things regularly scheduled outside of the gathering on Sunday in the coffee shop, but we do sporadically meet for communion feasts, motorcycle rides, and meals often. In all honesty learning to be a connected community outside the box of organizational bylaws, Sunday performance programs and org charts is much akin to pulling the training wheels off of a bicycle for the first time, our comfort levels have been stretched, but our confidence in who JESUS has made his people to be in community is growing each day.

Because I was an elder in a more traditional church, some have been surprised and some even critical that I am now pursuing church community without an official name or tied to a specific corporate-ish organization. These folks are concerned that without the guardrails of tightly planned services and events or organizational oversight that the people of the Gospel will be led astray. I, quite obviously, disagree. I actually don’t think you can make any sort of reasonable biblical argument that this is true. In fact, in my experience (read: not a ultimate definer of truth) many times when the consistency of oversight someone has over a community is directly tied to organizational duty and less to personal care for those individuals, that caveat ultimately leads to overseeing leaders making decisions that are for the organization's health and not for the health of the individuals in said organization. Though they would blindly see them as one and the same. This does not mean I believe in some lone ranger existence, but rather that I believe that accountability and submission are best born out of authentic relationship.  

”So what? You don’t write sermons or lessons anymore so you now you write blog posts about hippie coffee shop churches?” Well, no, hippie coffee shop churches aside I am writing this blog post to communicate three principles I believe the Bible teaches about how believers should approach faith communities, and I am becoming more and more convinced that if each believer in a big box church or not became convicted of these principles, they could experience immense impact and meaningfulness in their own spiritual walk as well as contribute to those around them that they are already in community with. 

So, as to not extend this on any further, I would like to share…

Principle #1 - Own your own faith

Philippians 2:12–13 (CSB)

12 Therefore, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, so now, not only in my presence but even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God who is working in you both to will and to work according to his good purpose.

I want you to read this epistle (FYI: epistles were written by the apostle Paul to encourage and admonish churches) and ask yourselves “Is Paul addressing an organization, only its leadership, or a collection of individuals?” You will discover that he holds individuals (translation: e’rybody) accountable for the condition of the whole community. He does not start by changing organizational rules, but instead addresses believers as individuals who will contribute to the health of the whole church by their own devotion to JESUS.

A confession, I affirm Monergism, meaning I believe the Bible clearly teaches that Salvation of sinners is by faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and an act initiated by GOD alone and not the result of cooperation with man’s efforts. While many cringe at this belief, I find it not only biblical, but also comforting that GOD has chosen, and also saved individuals he loves and wants to be in relationship with and not just made an amorphous blob of possibility his people. This also means that my conviction to my faith cannot be outsourced to other believers around me. GOD has called me specifically, therefore my devotion to him is my own, a gift of his grace. This is the blessing of being efficaciously called to be his disciple.

Too often in church we derail the health of a JESUS centered community by looking for scapegoats and pack mules for the many ebbs and flows of our own spiritual journey. But when we by conviction take ownership of our own faith by abiding personally in the Word (John 1:1-3,14), we grow and thrive, and the world around you will absolutely benefit from that growth. 

Principal #2 - No one person owns the community 

1 Corinthians 1:10 (CSB): 10 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 

JESUS is LORD, He alone is King and the only person with a human nature who is qualified to rule his church. Hierarchy amongst equals and unity are antithetical to one another. Paul goes on in the letter to the Corinthians to challenge the Corinthians concerning the divisions they had created via the hierarchy of leadership they had ascribed to in their individual groups and how opposite to the Gospel that was. Humility seeks common ground, while pride leans on a higher position. The church consists of sinners made saints through CHRIST's sacrifice, this should bring us more so towards commonality than superiority.  

Be not mistaken, the Bible does call for elders in faith communities (1Tim 3) and they are meant to lead and shepherd the people but this is not meant to be done by lording authority over them or by a single man ruling through autonomous decision making or endless monologues with no room for interaction or challenge. The idea is that those who meet the simple qualifications for elders will lead by observation (overseeing), instruction, correction, as well as (and most importantly) example and will do so understanding that their authority is no greater than other recognized elders whom they submit to because they are all, in unity submitted to JESUS and members of his church. 

Principle #3 - The purpose of engaging in Christian community is to build up other saints. 

1 Corinthians 14:26 (CSB): 26 What then, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Everything is to be done for building up. 

The message is so clear, but so often we are convinced that “church” is about us being a satisfied customer and not a contributing saint (I don’t mean money). We judge our communal satisfaction not in how we served others, but how the organizational “services” affect and benefit us. As if somehow the spiritual and natural gifts we possess are less needed or carry with them less responsibility than other’s gifts do. This is not only a self centered attitude, it is also an affront to our Creator who endows us with our talents. In the words of one of the elderly member who used to bless me regularly every time we gathered  “GOD don’t make junk”. You have a unique perspective and necessary strengths, the body would benefit from you serving other's best interests with them. 

In terms of “hippie coffee shop church” or how myself and others are expressing their faith in JESUS through community, I admittedly am still working through more questions than answers at the moment in my own setting. I also confess that I fight the urge to get organizational, make a logo/website and give a cool name to a movement that adopts these principles (Okay, I already partially did, but Jesus Tribe is a cool name). In spite of that, my ultimate hope is that if others were to engage their own church communities with these principles in mind they would do so not because of blog posts by charismatic believers with a talent for marketing (or a self perceived talent) but instead out of a deep seated conviction to submit to GOD's direction for the benefit of GOD’s community.