More like a Family less like a Company

Ben's picture
Submitted by Ben on Fri, 2008-02-15 08:54. [ ]

I was with a friend a few weeks ago who was asking me about simple churches and wanted to understand how the program worked. I wasn't to sure how to answer the question as there isn't a lot of program. He pressed me to give details and when I did he responded by saying it sounds like you're just hanging out with each other. I was feeling a little frustrated and wanted to explain what it was like and then God said to me, "You are to be more like a family and less like a company. I told him that and felt a real peace right away and was struck by the simple message.

As the weeks have gone by this idea keeps coming back to me and when I think about families a lot of time is just hanging out. When I think of companies its about strategies, targets, goals, mission statements and the goal is to measure success. For me, I've felt more and more ok just being together and letting the conversation flow as it would at a family dinner table. When I picture myself at the head of the dinner table going over the previous dinners meeting minutes it seems laughable, ie "Alison can you have a draft memo ready for Friday of the weekend plans we'll be doing, I'd like to get that finalized before the weekend." Well at least the thought makes me chuckle, hope you guys are encouraged by my ramblings.

Ben

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Jonathan's picture

100% agreed. In my

Submitted by Jonathan on Sun, 2008-02-17 14:56.

100% agreed. In my experience, church has often been talked about, referred to, thought of, dealt with, etc. like an organization (a company is just another type of organization). Just like you mention about companies, organizations also focus on strategies, goals, etc, all trying to reach the elusive measure of success. In trying to re-think church, I've heard the word "organic" being used (a la Neil Cole's Organic Church), although I think that I prefer your word, "family". Like you mention, the family metaphor really hits at what we're trying to do with simple churches. It isn't that far off the mark to say that our purpose is to hang out with each other. The church primarily is who we are, more than what we do. The idea is that who we are should reflect what we do, so it makes sense that we are taking time just to "be".

Besides jiving with our current experience, the family metaphor also has some biblical precedent. Though it may not be the most used metaphor, it still gets honorable mention.

  • Jesus told the people around him that his true mother, brother and sisters were whoever listened to him and obeyed his words (Matt. 12:50)
  • Both Peter and Paul refer to followers of Jesus as being part of the "family of God." (1 Pet 4:17; Gal 6:10)
  • We're considered God's adopted kids (literally, "sons") (Eph 1:5)
  • Even the idea of God as our Father has obvious family overtones

    • So, yes Ben, I'm encouraged by your ramblings and I think that they're really helpful to better understand our current experience of church.

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    pamuri's picture

    human be ings

    Submitted by pamuri on Tue, 2008-02-19 18:06.

    these are great thoughts, ben and jonathan
    yeah who needs another organization, let alone corporation. we're communists, anyway, here (i refer to the brand given early anabaptisist who held all things in common) and not given to capitalist consumerism

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