House Church and the Anti-Institutional Bias

I have been thinking about the "house church" movement, and the ways in which this style of doing church might be an improvement in a number of areas over our current building-oriented models. As a pastor of a building-oriented church, I wonder at the amount of money that is spent to maintain a building that is so underused on a daily basis. Our sancutary where we meet on Sunday mornings for worship is used on average for about 1 1/2 hours each week. Is that really a good use of space? The arguments are strong on both sides. One answer would be to find ways to put the building to use more frequently - either with church run programming and/or inviting community organizations to use the space for meetings, training events, etc.

The other response is what is largely found in Viola and Barna's new book Pagan Christianity. The answer that they give to this dilemma is essentially to sell the building in favor of the house-church movement, which they argue is the only biblical model. This is a challenge that I hear regularly from anti-institutional Christians who view the organized church to be a waste of money and missing the point. The anti-institutional rhetoric typically is accompanied by a call to do away with leadership structures because they too are deemed unbiblical. In my experience, these arguments usually come from people who desire themselves to be in charge, or at least be able to do/say/teach whatever they want. They have some good points, some of which I've mentioned already - money spent on buildings rather than ministry, building worship, and domineering church leadership.

As I've read and listened to those either aspiring to start a house church or have been a part of one, I hear just as many problems with these models as the 'institutional church.' Every group needs some kind of structure and mutually agreed upon ways of relating and functioning together. Every group will have various gifts and functions emerge within the fellowship of believers. And every group - house church and institutional church - can become ingrown, self-focused, and generally dysfuntional.

Viola and Barna attempt to lay a foundation for the primacy of the house-church / anti-institutional church philosophy in their book Pagan Christianity. But their arguments fall short according to Dr. Ben Witherington. You can read his review of the book here.

So, what is the best model for "church" as followers of Jesus in an increasingly global context? And is it possible to have this conversation with the incessant bickering and finger pointing and is clearly disconnected from historical reality? I hope so!

Including the Exclusivists

For some time now I have been wrestling with the challenge of including exclusivists into the life of our church. I want our church to be a community that is a 'big tent,' a place where people can come and wrestle with God in the context of authentic and loving relationships. I want our gathering to be a safe place to ask questions, doubt, think, and pray; all the while pressing deeper into relationship with God. But saying that, I am aware that I am also demarcating boundaries that will at some point create a place where a person walks out from under the shade of the tent. By saying that the context should be "authentic and loving" I am drawing a boundary around artifical and caustic - callusoused and hurtful - spiritually arrogant and self-aggrandizing. And by describing the kind of community that I desire to shape as "a safe place to ask questions, doubt, think, and pray," I am drawing a boundary around the kinds of relating that are preachy, condescending, and unable to live lovingly together with others who disagree.

Exclusivists, whatever their position might be, find this kind of community repulsive. They want eveyrone to agree with their position/ doctrine/ interpretation; and their way of relating with others is typically focused on convincing and pursuading rather than encouraging, supporting, and walking in love. And when exclusivists find themselves walking out from under the shade of the big tent they tend to charge the tentminders as being divisive and narrowminded. Hence, trying to make the one time 'big tent' promoter into the one excluding the exclusivist.

The rub for me is how to be able to continue to offer inclusion in the 'big tent' to the exclusivist, and yet not allow the exclusivist to downsize the tent to allow only those who agree with them. Any thoughts?

Dobson vs. Obama

The web is a buzz with Dr. James Dobson's, of Focus on the Family, comments about Democratic presidential hopeful Barak Obama's 2006 speech. Here is CNN's report from yesterday, June 24, 2008.

In response to his critique of Obama's speech, a new website has been developed at http://www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com/. Apparently it was spearheaded by the now well known Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell who most recently officiated at the wedding of President Bush's daughter Jennah.

It is possible that Dr. Dobson is correct in his critique of Sen. Obama's interpretation of the Bible. It is possible. It is also possible that Dr. Dobson is incorrect in his critique. (Scot McKnight shared his perspective on Dobson's critique here.) I'm not sure that what is at issue, really, is whether Dobson or Obama is correct; instead what troubles me is the tone and approach to the debate. I support the debate. I think Dobson has every right to challenge Obama or McCain or me on whatever issue he wants - as an American and as a Christian. But the way in which Dobson, Obama or myself approach the debate often becomes the point for the larger society. By now, I would think that Dobson would know this and seek to communicate in a more thoughtful and loving way - as an American and as a Christian.

Here's a thought from the Apostle Paul who was no stranger to debate. Ephesians 4:29-32 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."