connecting the dots....

I often hear the comment that mega churches can do things that house churches can't. (ie: large scale relief projects, building hospitals, building water systems in developing countries, etc) This may well be true in present tense but I believe it to be far from true in the design and intent of our Creator.

The problem, as I see it, is that many simple church expressions continue to be "lone rangers". These expressions often sparsely dot the landscape making geography a hurtle to overcome. In our situation, here in rural Tennessee, we have to make a committed effort to have working relationships with organic communities 3-6 hours distant. I am convinced that those efforts are not in vain. I can see (partly in the natural, partly in the Spirit) God beginning to fill in the spaces (ie: all the small towns, communities that lie between those functional networks). Just today I was blessed by a email from Jeff that indicates they have discovered a new house church 10 minutes from where they live! God is continuing to "ekballo" those of His choosing into this stream of simple function.

Back to the problem. Simple churches must learn to value connection. We are infinitely stronger if we work together and support one another. Large tasks can be accomplished by multiple expressions of simple churches working together, pooling resources, sharing information, etc. on a "as needed" basis. It is to this end that I express this passion for regional gatherings where leaders can build relationships and learn to trust one another. Many of us have exited a corporate system that operated from the top down (and mostly remained contained within the confines of singular organization/institution). The challenge becomes how to think "bottom up". Multiple autonomous expressions of Jesus coming together to accomplish larger tasks.

It is my prayer (literally) that God will raise up men/women in regions who will fight the battle to bring leaders together. As real functional relationships begin to form we will discover the ability to accomplish those tasks relegated to "mega churches". Imagine the power of organic multi-expression co-operation and how that would be viewed by the world around us.