My Dream

I'm at a church planting event in Chicago.  The model is rubbing me a bit, not because it's a bad model, but because I'm realizing I see "church" differently than the presenter.  I've realized this is a great opportunity for me articulate my own ecclesiology (i.e. "What is the church?").  I wrote this awhile ago and decided it was time to put it up.

------------


I want to pastor a church which is created and recreated, over and over again,
     as a flexible and changing expression of the community’s faith.
     out of the community’s cultural context.
     with the purpose of bringing the Kingdom of God to the here and now.

I want to pastor a church where people explore their spirituality,
     on the journey of creating the church together, not at the destination of finishing the church.
     by asking questions of themselves and of others.
     by looking to diverse perspectives, instead of seeking hard answers.
     recognizing particular individual beliefs lead to a larger, universal experience with God.

I want to pastor a church which honors heritage by reinterpreting and re-appropriating our traditions,
     making church relevant to people who have felt distant from existing versions of “church.”
     releasing parts of our heritage which were formed out of a different historical context for different purposes,
     embracing the parts of our heritage which continue to provide meaning.

I want to pastor a church where the community orients itself toward the Gospel message,
     experiencing healing,
     experiencing reconciliation,
     experiencing belonging,
     experiencing liberation,
     and working toward social justice.

I want to pastor a church which is defined by
     the people, not a building.
     relationships, not activities.
     expression, not suppression or obligation.

-----------

Thanks for my family for watching my kids while I'm gone.