big & little - together
For reasons of survival and sustainability the relationship between 'big' churches and small organic ones could be incredibly important. So are there examples that are modelling a good relationship along these lines? Certainly, I have come across Baptist, Methodist and C of E examples where to one degree or another smaller organic churches are being helped by larger 'sending' type churches. Although there's not always complete agreement or mutual understanding of what is being done, there is a willingness to trust and support those involved.

I recently met with a couple of church planters who are part of the Together network (formerly CMI). One had been sent to take on an existing fellowship and has subsequently been transitioning it to a home church model and the other, Nick Howes, went deliberately to Coventry to plant a network of home churches.

Here's some of their story in their own words:

The Neighbours and Nations adventure began in January 2003 with five of us meeting together in a small rented home in Potters Green, NE Coventry. We were all new to the city having been sent (yeah, we’ve had all the ‘sent to Coventry’ jokes!) to begin a new church adventure and also to provide a link into the city with a Bible college we are connected with on the outskirts of town.

We had come from large congregations which were absolutely great – really as good as anything that’s around - and yet felt deeply that these were not producing healthy, mature communities of disciples that were impacting the people around us. Our conviction was that the nuts and bolts of church life should be much more simple, relational and completely committed to revealing Jesus to the community in which it exists.

Coupled with a passion for community and discipleship, and being so aware that the large congregation could never alone produce this, we began to hear God speaking to us specifically about what we were meant to do as we began our new adventures in Coventry. We were instructed to build church ‘neighbourhood by neighbourhood’. This prospect excited us so much. We pictured church family enjoying life together, living on each others’ doorsteps (we have developed an intricate points deduction system for anyone who uses a car to get to anything!) and getting deeply involved in the life of that neighbourhood and becoming the ‘joy of the whole earth’ in that place.

This has been a fantastic experience, loads of fun, loads of ‘tweaking’ in terms of what we do and how we do it, and a steep learning curve – so much so that its only now, fours years on, that we really feel that we are beginning to effectively outwork the vision that we have sold out for.

To date we are active in two different neighbourhoods, with five or six households in each that are just a minute or two’s walk apart. This is great for ‘meeting together daily’ over breakfast, coffee, or walking the kids to playgroup (as well as for borrowing each other’s stuff)! There are also another six to eight households in other areas. A couple of these areas we are actively seeking to establish church communities in as a response to the Holy Spirit’s leading. The others are currently joining in with one of the existing neighbourhood churches until such time as they will either move closer in or else begin to meet where they live.

One of the interesting facets of our journey has been how to express our understanding of the Body of Christ. The church in the neighbourhood is great, but we are very aware that we are only ‘part of’ and not the whole. Hence we have sought to celebrate, fellowship and work with many other church groups and in the Potters Green neighbourhood, have fantastic relationships with all the congregations where we are really effectively working together and being a blessing to them rather than just getting our head down and doing our thing.

Unlike many on the simple/organic church journey, we are still (very happily) involved with the network with whom we have historical relationship, and enjoy fellowship with many other leaders who would not subscribe to how we are doing church. This is both challenging and sharpening but ultimately rewarding. Those that we specifically recognise as carrying an apostolic and prophetic ministry towards us have been wonderful at supporting, encouraging and inspiring us in the God-given vision we are seeking to outwork.

The adventure is still very much in its infancy but already we are ruined for anything else. Also our most fiercely-held doctrine is the need for great coffee and the inherent evil of the instant coffee granule!

We’d love to chat with you if you are interested in what’s going on or if you are doing something similar in the Midlands area.

Labels: church planting stories

posted by alexander @ 3:34 PM    2 comments

2 Comments:

Perhaps I am just negative, but I wonder how long the relationship lasts between 'big and little'. In N.Z I know of several attempts to do similar things, but within 2 years there has been difficulty and a severing of relationship between the two groups. Also I lack confidance on how succesful one would be in transitioning a 'normal church' into a simple church. My experiance tells me that everyone appears keen, but in the end the majority cant make the jump in mindset that is so needed when going into organic church.

By  Philip, at 1:23 AM  

Don't know about your first point. probably agree with the second. it is virtually impossible!

By  alexander, at 5:06 PM  

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