I wonder about what holds church communities together. Our community, King’s Bridge, is so different we’ve wondered if we even are technically a “church”. Every time we have this discussion we decide that we are. But we have community members that are involved in other churches. We have people that drift through our community and stay for brief periods and then move on. We have some that stay. Some have been with us since the beginning. It’s very fluid and very relational.
We criticize those who “church hop” admonishing them to find a community where there can lock in and invest and be invested in. I’ve always agreed with that, finding church hopers to be flaky, fickle and self-interested.
But, on the other hand, maybe it’s okay for churches to be a little more open handed with their members. Maybe if Christians moved around and settled into certain communities for periods of time then moved on, that’d be okay. Maybe they have a few communities on the go at once. It seems to me the crosspollination is a good thing. We would link with each other within the body of Christ based on other premises than official church membership. Let’s not be so freaked out about losing members to other congregations. Let's see how we can help meet the needs within the body of Christ together.
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9 comments:
Weird .... I was writing a little essay about this phenomenon this morning before you woke up! It's entitled "The End of Ownership" and is about how the dominant church model today has people "owned" by their individual churches, and models more of western consumer dynamics than "cathlicity."
We weren't talking about this today, and I just forgot were we? Perhaps we're developing some form of telepathy to make up for the lack of conversational opportunities around twinzilla.
That is weird.
First of all, it's weird that you were up that early.
Didn't churches always "own" their members? Maybe they didn't see it that way when there was no choice what church you went to. Even being able to choose a church is such a new phenomenon. The concept of "church shopping" is totally consumer-ish.
Churches may have to learn they don't own their members anymore. Maybe "church membership" is an obsolete concept.
On the other hand some form of stability must be important.
I dunno.
I like the idea of being fluid...fluid is such a good word...water is fluid and water is good.
Fluidity makes me think of a dance or just being at ease; it makes me think of Africans...it's a common flow from a common source...yah...fluid...free
I agree Miss Nicole. Fluid is good. Fluidity seems to allow for possibilities that too much structure inhibits.
I guess we need structure too.
Just not very much of it.
Only, we like structure because it gives us a sense of control. To be open to free-flowing anything, (ideas, people, resources etc.) you have to be (as we would tell Emily and Kaylee) a little bit brave.
Interesting to know.
I here am casual, but was specially registered to participate in discussion.
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