For the past decade I have been analyzing and re-evaluating my philosphy of ministry. Having planted churches, worked on the mission field and served in dozens of different roles in the local church I have been blessed to see a lot of great work and more than my share of foolishness.
I hope the title didn't distress you. I am not opposed to a kitchen in the meeting house (I think I am giving up the phrase church building) and I fully support the idea of caring for widows and orphans right out of the congregation's treasury. My non-institutional enlightenment has to do with what I have observed happens in many places - we institutionalize our methods, programs and practices without evaluating their effectiveness or more importantly, whether they are in harmony with God's will.
Our Lord often took issue with the legalism of the Pharisees. An outsider might think, "these are devout men, they keep the law, they are concerned about spiritual matters, they emphasize doctrinal purity," why would our Lord condemn them so vehemently?
Simple, they fell in love with their traditions. They embraced the methods, their own ideology and philosophy and lost sight of God. When I was a young evangelist I took a personal work course and will never forget the arrogance of the instructor as he informed the class - if you are not using _______ you are not doing personal work. I can't tell you how many times I have seen preachers, elders, and congregations fall in love with an idea and lose sight of the mission. Yes, that includes this writer!!! I am guilty as charged.
So, you may ask, "are you opposed to buildings?" Yes, if the building becomes our mission. "Are you opposed to work programs in the church?" Yes, if those programs become more important than the people they are designed to serve. "What about kitchens, buses, gymnasiums, song books, methodologies, strategic plans, ad infinitum?" Yes, I am opposed, but only when those items become the idols that displace our allegiance, commitment and humble service before our Father's throne.
When I think of how many times my brethern have allowed these things to become instruments of Satan, to cause division within the family of God, to stand in the way of true benevolence, evangelism and ministry I can understand why Jesus called the Pharisees a "generation of vipers and whited sepulchres with dead men's bones."
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amen and a-men (imagine the hallelujah chorus in the back ground). And me too, to. I had lunch with two preachers yesterday. told them that what we have done to this point has worked but that it will probably not work the next four years - at least the programing aspect of it. They were shocked. I said "we can't love our way of doing things." Thank you Trent.
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