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New Wine Skins?
This past week I spent four days in Chicago with some of the most sold out Christians I know – leaders from Communities First Association (CFA) partner organizations who traveled from across the county to Chicago. We gathered to celebrate what God is doing in their local context and to learn from one another about the movement of God that is sweeping across this country. This is my third CFA conference and every time I go, it takes me months to unpack all that I gleaned from the experience.
There were several threads that ran through our time together that I hope to share, like the importance of lament in community, the role of hope bearers and the need for new forms of Christian education that integrate community engagement. However, the revelation that I am most excited about is one I will call “new wine skins.”
CFA consists of people who believe that the Christian faith is an incarnate faith that must be embodied and lived out in the world. All of us have been shaped in some way by the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) teachings or by John Perkins books. This gives us a common lens, shared language and a mutual vision for community development.
Some like Bethany received a call to be an urban missionary early in life and others like me were a bit slower to hear that call. Some like Monika started out as practitioners called to a particular community and others like Terri began as intermediaries supporting the work of other practitioners. However, we all feel strongly that God loves communities and works through the people in communities to bring hope, healing and peace to the city.
Throughout the weekend, I met Christians who were bringing people together to be a blessing to their communities. Several of these Jesus followers began by organizing their neighbors and were working shoulder to shoulder with their neighbors to change the landscape of their community. They would pray together, hang out together, share their spiritual journeys with one another and be nourished through these relationships as they addressed the needs of the community. One organization termed these social / spiritual entrepreneurs “catalytic leaders.”
One CFA leader shared how she has built a group consisting of eight such “catalytic leaders” who gather monthly to pray for one another and support one another in their respective ministries. She then said,
“I have to confess, this group has become my church. I have not been able to find a church home where I feel like I belong, but here surrounded by other Christians who have stepped out into the world to follow Jesus, I feel Christ presence.”
I don’t know if I got the quote exactly the way she said it but that is what I heard in my spirit. I also had an epiphany at that moment – she had developed a new “wine skin” to hold the new wine God was producing through this movement called Christian Community Development.
I wrote last week about the need for churches to “release” members into the world. Few of our churches know what to do with Christians who actually begin serving the way my CFA/CCDA friends have done. Many “institutional” churches cannot hold this “new wine” that does not come out of a committee but out of individual’s call. The church needs processes for releasing people into the world, but we also need structures that support and encourage Christian fellowship among the faithful who begin to minister outside the walls. That is what my friend was offering through that small group of fellow Jesus followers in her local context.
Throughout the conference, I studied the stories of those ministries that were having the greatest impact. They all had very lightweight structures with just a handful of paid staff and very low overhead. They were all building expansive informal networks made up of like-minded Christians who choose to come along side one another.
There was an intentional effort being made by the most successful leaders to give the ministry away instead of trying to own and control it. They were building multiple layers of mentoring and coaching relationships. Those leaders who focused on fueling the ministry of others were witnessing exponential growth in the number of communities being transformed and in the depth and impact of that transformation. One of the most impressive ministry leaders I met was Brad Fieldhouse of City Net. Brad said “our fruit grows on their trees.” That really spoke to me.
As Christian leaders, we are often unwilling to get involved unless we can somehow put our name on it. The model for leadership that I found most impressive at the conference was the exact opposite. These leaders where asking “How can I invest myself in a way that will yield the greatest impact on the community?” not “How can I grow my organization?” What a radically unique and inspiring way to do ministry. I pray someday I am able to be that kind of leader.
It should be noted that in some communities the “institutional” churches are the ones reaching the community and not the “modern” ones. God isn’t terribly discerning in who He uses. He just asks us to be faithful.
Hi Michael,
I am so glad you shared that. Are you are a part of a more traditional congregation that is doing community transformation work? If so would love to know more.
I feel you have hit on something that has always been nagging at me. Today’s’ church (be it “institutional or Modern or other)seems to struggle with what to do with members that have a calling to ministry not the same or not in the same timing as that church. It is difficult for an institution of any type with a formal structure to allow, and heaven forbid, support something that does not fit processes put in place to serve the most in the most efficient manner. I feel a church needs to be specific and honest with itself when setting its vision and goals so as to not send mixed messages to members. In a perfect world, churches would train and equip members to best fulfill their calling from God and then support that calling with ongoing support. If that calling is not the same as the church, it can be understood how a church could not fully support a member as they respond to that calling. But if a church has a mission or goal that is general in nature such as “grow members in discipleship so that they can then minister to others” members can feel abandoned or cutoff when full support from the church does not come through as they try to live their calling. I think it is important to not say one thing and then by actions or inactions not live up to the churches’ stated mission.
Something else you have pointed out is that growth can come from giving away. Most people see growth as a sign that a church is healthy or “blessed” by God. It is a good thing. Actions by many churches are focused on sustaining growth through attracting new members or providing for members in ways that will keep them coming back. What you have said is counter-intuitive and to most churches too risky sounding to gamble their growth on. It might seem like a huge leap of faith to focus more resources on supporting people ongoing as they leave your church to fulfill their calling. It seems to me that doing exactly that would help churches fulfill a goal of training, equipping, and sending out while still growing by attracting those hungering for the support a church like that could provide.
Lee,
Thank you for your insightful comment. I long to find examples of sending churches that support those called to be apostle’s the way you describe. I do think it is counter intuitive but you made a good point that it is also attractive to those Christians how are looking for that kind of encouragement and support.
CFA uses a “coach / trainer” model and it has been one of the most empowering relationships that I have ever been a part of.