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Christian Living

Two Types of Church

Institutional Church or Organic Church

There are two types of church in the Bible, and there are two types of church today.

In the Old Testament, there is the temple. At the temple, the priests lead worship and guide the people, as instructed by God through Moses.

The Levites provide support to keep things functioning smoothly—at least that’s how God wants it to work.

Old Testament temple worship is institutional, with much structure and strict procedure.

Institutions mandate order, reward conformity, and maintain the status quo—whether it’s good or bad.

In the New Testament, the people who follow Jesus start meeting together.

They don’t have a building, so they just hang out in public places and meet in people’s homes. There are very few instructions for what they do, with little oversight in how they do it.

However, they do eat meals together, share their belongings, and encourage one another. They live in community; it is organic. New Testament church is organic.

Organic gatherings nurture spiritual growth, adapt to their environment, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit—regardless of what’s planned or expected. Organic is, at times, also messy.

Today we see a plethora of options for church; most are institutions, few are organic. Most churches follow the pattern of the Old Testament: they have a building, paid staff, and leader-led worship; structure and procedure are their guides.

Few churches are organic, truly following the pattern of the New Testament. Though I do encounter these types of organic spiritual experiences, they aren’t frequent or regular—and they seldom happen on Sunday morning.

My wife feels it’s important to go to a church on Sunday morning; I feel it’s important to hone my faith in organic community.

If only we could do both at the same time.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

The Importance of Being in Community

The Myth of Self-Sufficiency

The ideal in the United States is personal self-sufficiency. But this is a myth, an unattainable pursuit that will eventually leave us broken or alone—or both.

John Donne understood this. He said “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent.” We need others; we need community.

God knows this, too.

God Lives in Community

The Father with the Son, the Son with the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit with the Father. We call this the Trinity, God as three in one. Though we don’t fully understand how one entity can be three, we accept it. It is community at its finest.

God Created Us to Be in Community

In community with him and in community with others.

One of the descriptions of community from the Bible tells us to encourage each other to love and help people and “not give up meeting together.”

While a quick reaction to the phrase “meeting together” implies going to church, this is an oversimplification.

Although meeting together can happen at church (though it’s not guaranteed), these times of meeting together can also happen in homes, at work, in coffee shops and restaurants, and even when we play.

When done with purpose, our meeting together can produce meaningful community, the community God created us for, the community we need to thrive and be complete.

May we pursue community with great intention; may we embrace it as God’s plan for us.

[Hebrews 10:24-25]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

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Christian Living

I Love the Church, Really I Do

In this blog, I write a lot about the church. My comments are mostly critical.

This isn’t because I hate the church. It’s because I love the church. Really I do. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t bother to point out how church could be better.

The church often falls short of what it could be, short of what it should be. Our Father deserves more, Jesus desires better, and the Holy Spirit is poised to help us make it happen. It is, after all, God’s church, not ours.

We comprise the church that Jesus started—not our buildings, denominations, programs, or procedures.

People are the church. For many folks this requires a changed perspective.

Consider three short verbs: go, do, and be.

Most people talk about going to church. It’s something they accomplish each week. They go, spend an hour, and leave. They check off their “go to church” box for the week. Then they’re done.

Some people talk about doing church. They want to do church in a different way. I appreciate their vision; I applaud their zeal. They strive to put meaning and purpose back into the habit of attending church.

They are moving in the right direction, but they stop short.

A few people talk about being the church. They want to be the church to the world around them. To be the church, they form a community to worship God and serve others.

They function as the church. They are the church Jesus started. And they’re the church I love.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

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Christian Living

Is It Wrong That I Haven’t Missed Missing Church?

I haven’t gone to church for the past two weeks. First, I was sick and stayed home to sleep. Last week, my wife and I headed off for a church that met in an office complex, but the doors were locked. I’ll save that story for later.

I wasn’t bothered about not being in church these last two weeks; I didn’t miss it one bit—and that does bother me. Church has apparently become such a trivial experience that I feel no void when I skip it.

I actually feel guilty because I experience no guilt over my truancy.

Of course part of the problem is that, despite knowing better, I still tend to attend church as a consumer: What will church do for me? What will I get out of it? Since I get little from most church services, I don’t value them much.

So why go to church? I can think of two key reasons.

One is to worship God. If our goal is to truly worship God, then nothing else really matters: not the music, the message, the people, or the facility. Yes, those elements can make worshiping easier or harder. I’m still working on that one.

What I do know is that I find worshiping God easier in places other than most church services.

Another reason is to hang out with other followers of Jesus. In fact, the Bible tells us to persist in meeting together. This could happen at what we call church or it could be something else, such as meeting at a coffee shop or sharing a meal.

Having recently moved and presently in a temporary situation, I’ve not made many connections with people to hang out with. Plus, in visiting churches, I’m unlikely to ever again see the folks I meet.

This meeting together is what I call Christian community; it’s what I miss and what I need: not superficial community but true, deep, intentional spiritual comradery.

I hope to one day find that at a church, and I expect to find it outside of church.

But right now, I don’t have it, and that’s what I miss most.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Can You Have a Meaningful Online Spiritual Community?

Many years ago, when public access to the internet was in its infancy and dialup was the only means to connect, I pondered the idea of church online.

The World Wide Web did not exist then, so I considered if Usenet (online discussion boards), file sharing, and email could cobble together a church experience. I concluded it was possible, but I’d let others pursue it.

Three decades later, courtesy of many technological advances, church does occur online: Internet church, e-church, church 2.0, church in the cloud, or whatever label you might want to call it. Church can indeed occur online—and it does.

Church is one thing. The more important question is community. Can Christian community occur online?

The quick answer is, “Yes, of course!” All manner of communities exist online, including Christian community.

Facebook groups, Google+ circles, blogs, and a myriad of other tools can all provide a means to make personal connections and foster community online.

This community can be good and may be the only community some people have.

Just as an online church can approximate a physical church experience, so to, an online Christian community can approximate the benefits of physical community. But is this enough?

To the point, can a meaningful spiritual community occur online? With effort we can get close, very close.

However, one element it would lack is physical touch. After all, what if the one thing a person needs more than anything else is an appropriate touch from another human being? How can you hug someone online?

But then, when is the last time you hugged someone who was in need at church?

Church, whether online or in person, often falls short of what it could be. So, too, community, both online and in person, often falls short, too. We can do better; we need to do better. We deserve it, and Jesus expects it.

The real question isn’t, “Can you have a meaningful online spiritual community?” The better question is, “Do you have meaningful Christian community anywhere?”

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Why is Christian Community Important?

Consider the Importance of Church Attendance

I often write about the importance of being in meaningful community with other followers of Jesus. I also lament that churches frequently fail to provide significant community.

While many churches offer superficial community, few are able to provide a deep, nurturing, caring place. I long for this level of spiritual kinship—and right now I don’t have it.

However, I must remind myself that community isn’t the goal; it’s the means. While it’s comfortable to bask in the embrace of people who care for each other, groups with an inward focus don’t last.

They need a greater purpose. Here are three:

1. Spiritual Growth

Our spiritual community should spur us on to a deeper understanding of God, intensifying our connection with him and our interdependence. I’m not talking about another class or more Bible study.

We don’t need more knowledge; we need more experience. The result of growing spiritually is to put our faith in action, not inaction.

2. Minister to Others

Within community, we become ministers to one another. Then we move beyond our community to minister to those outside it. We teach through doing, and we model by our actions.

We learn to listen to God’s Holy Spirit, doing what he says, when he says.

He might not always make sense; it may be scary and will sometimes require risk. But God isn’t asking us to play it safe; he wants us to make a difference.

3. Serve Others

A third reason for community is as a platform for service. Through service, we demonstrate the love of Jesus to the world around us. When we serve without agenda or expectation, we surprise people by loving them as God loves us.

Though we hope to point people to Jesus through our actions, the motivation isn’t to proselytize, it’s obedience.

But, you ask, isn’t this what the church is supposed to do?

Yes, it is, and we are the church. So let’s go do this; it starts with community.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Christian Living

Where Do We Find True Christian Community?

As I consider biblical Christianity, I feel a strong pull to community, a place where significant spiritual connections occur. This should be our experience at church, the reality of church, but it seldom is. We need true Christian community.

A friend read my updated home page on this website and asked, “Where do we find Christian community?” Her plea bordered on the imperative, “Tell us where.”

The truth is, I don’t know. I’m still searching.

That doesn’t mean I never see it, because I do. I sometimes see it after the official church service ends. It can occur in small groups; and it may pop up in service organizations amid the push to achieve a common goal.

But none of these are regular enough or reliable enough to provide the spiritual community my soul longs for.

True Christian Community

I’m more apt to encounter meaningful community when meeting a friend at a coffee shop or hanging out with other like-minded Jesus followers.

These experiences give me a sense of the type of Christian community that we can all realize but seldom do.

Although church should be the ideal place, she usually falls short, at least as church exists today. The present-day church is an institution. As such it’s good at providing structure but bad at offering true community.

This isn’t to imply I’ve given up on the traditional church. I haven’t (yet), but I am discouraged.

I write a lot about church, often with a critical tone, not because I’m down on church as much as I hope church will one day rise up and become all she can be, all she should be.

In a few hours, I’ll head off for church and later eat lunch with friends. I expect to experience better community afterwards in the restaurant than in the church sanctuary were it should occur.

Look for places where you can plug into true Christian community.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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Christian Living

What’s the Best Part of Church?

Pursue Christian Community

As a child, my parents told me we went to church to learn about God. The sermon was when I learned about God, so I assumed the rest of the service was unnecessary.

I deemed everything outside the message as obligatory filler and tuned it out, waiting for the main event. According to my reasoning, a church service without a sermon was wasted time, as was a trivial message where I didn’t learn anything.

Other people focus on the singing part of church. They see it as their time to worship God. They may tune out the preaching, viewing it as unnecessary. For them, a church service with an hour of music is the best kind.

Singing to God is important and learning about God is important, but we can do both of those from the comfort of our home. So why, then, do we bother to go to church? Because there’s more.

The Best Part of Church

Church has a third element most people overlook. It’s community. It’s hanging out with friends on a like-minded spiritual journey. The music and message are secondary in comparison to experiencing rich spiritual connections.

Community is why I go to church. Sadly, too many churches don’t place value on real community and too many attendees don’t experience significant connection at church.

True spiritual connections with others rarely happen during church services—or at least how we practice church today.

Occasionally, brief community can occur before the service, but the primary opportunity for meaningful interaction is after church, once the final “amen” marks the end of the official service.

To realize meaningful spiritual community, we must be intentional, and we must be patient. Seek out people who aren’t in a rush to leave.

Engage them in conversation, but minimize small talk about the weather, the afternoon game, or last night’s movie.

Seek spiritual substance. Share life, talk about our spiritual journeys, pray for others and let them pray for us. Meet needs, help others, celebrate Jesus.

This is how we worship and serve God; this is why we go to church—and if your church doesn’t allow for this kind of deep community, then either fix your church or find a new one.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Discussion Question: What is Church?

A few weeks ago, the church service kicked off with a discussion question: “What is church?” We broke into small groups with those sitting around us. After exchanging introductions (why hadn’t we already done this?), we stared in silence.

As a visitor, I didn’t want to go first, but the silence invited me. “I’ve thought about this a lot,” I said as I marshaled my words. “I think church is about community.”

I paused, waiting for more of my deliberations to form into cogent words, but they didn’t. Others nodded and voiced their thoughts. Before I had a chance to add more, the discussion time ended prematurely.

The groups’ dialogue formed the introduction to the message. I anticipated what the speaker would add to the topic. Alas, his words were of little substance.

I left the service, warmed by the bits of community we shared, but with no additional clarity on the question.

A few years ago, I answered the question, What is Church? in a blog post. My answer then is what it is now:

“Church isn’t about message or music; those are often distractions or settling for less than the best.

True church is about community, where we are all priests, with each one giving and receiving, mutually edifying and encouraging one another on our faith journey.”

Please think about this as you attend church today. And it you don’t go to church, I encourage you to seek ways to do this anyway—and that will be your church, not as a substitute, but perhaps as a superior alternative.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

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Do We Share Our Spiritual Struggles as Much as Our Triumphs?

Don’t Celebrate Your Successes and Hide Your Shortcomings

A friend once told how he gave his TV away; he didn’t want one anymore. It was a spiritual act, a voluntary fast from television and the distractions it provided, in order to give him more time for God and family.

He reveled in his decision and had no plans to ever own a TV again. I admired his fortitude and wished I could do the same. But I could not. Surely he was more spiritual than I.

Imagine my surprise a few years later when I learned he again owned a TV. I asked why. He dismissed my confusion with a wave of his hand and a mumbled explanation that reframed his original intent.

He had been quick to share his spiritual prowess but silent over his retreat.

Yet before I criticize him, let me admit to doing the same thing.

I once heard the reason there’s satanic activity at night is because Christians aren’t praying. I decided to do something about it.

When I’d wake up in the middle of the night (a regular occurrence), I decided to spend an hour praying and then go back to sleep.

The first night was a powerful experience, lasting well beyond an hour; the first week was good, too, but not as great. Excited, I told my friends about my nighttime prayers, encouraging them to do the same. They shook their heads in dismay.

However, after two weeks, my hour of nighttime prayer had become a struggle.

Twenty-five days later I could no longer withstand the fatigue it produced: falling asleep while praying and stumbling through my days in a sleep-deprived stupor. I stopped but didn’t tell anyone.

It’s far easier to celebrate our spiritual triumphs than to acknowledge our failings.

Yet, we must do both. Others benefit when we encourage them with the highlights of our spiritual journey, yet they may benefit even more when we acknowledge our spiritual shortcomings.

It’s an act of healing for us and reassurance for them, establishing a strong spiritual bond. Honest sharing is being real before others—and with God.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Bogged Down Reading the Bible?

10 Essential Bible Reading Tips, from Peter DeHaan

Get the Bible Reading Tip Sheet: “10 Tips to Turn Bible Reading from Drudgery to Delight.”

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