Vine Age?
Posted by Tom Hackett in Mission and Church Planting at 5:18 am | 
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John 15:1-5 (NIV)
The Vine and the Branches
1″I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5″I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
It is not about organization it is about individual responsibility and freedom to be the church.
- Jesus is the vine. The one from whom all things are given life.
- Father God is the gardener. The one who oversees and controls the growth of the vine. (God does this by His Spirit and does not need an organization to do it for him.)
- Every branch is a life source from the vine…each individual.
Jesus refers to himself being the true vine and source. He calls us to him not an organization. His father is the gardener or the one in control of how the vine grows and functions. The big question is…Can we trust God (Father, Son & Holy Spirit) to oversee the church or do we need an earthly organization to oversee it?
Elements or conditions of Gods Chaotic Plan to develop the church.
- Abide in Jesus - relationship & source of life.
- Allow the Father to be the director and the “Lord” of your lives together. Be sensative to and obey the Holy Spirit.
- Make the Word of God your source of truth that you look to for direction.
Chaos Theory:
A branch of science that deals with systems whose evolution depends very sensitively upon the initial conditions. Chaotic systems are very sensitive to initial conditions; small changes in those conditions can lead to quite different outcomes.
Church in Gods chaos has very clear initial conditions. Stay connected to the right vine, be committed to the word, allow the Father through the Spirit to clean and prune or direct you. Pretty simple…we have made it complicated by adding conditions (organizational systems that are hierarchal and lineal) that have created some very odd outcomes. Let’s get back to basics and free the church to function in Gods chaos instead of mans complicated and combersome (self serving) systems and organizations.
My thought is to move from the “Age” of organizational church (300AD – 2006AD) to an ”Age” that I will call the VineAge where the emphasis is on individual freedom and responsibility and where God’s “chaos” is in control instead of our ordered and controlled systems.
6th of January, 2007 at 7:55 am
welcome to the community
6th of January, 2007 at 8:08 am
Tom,
Welcome to the community at Vox. Stop by and say hi sometime!
6th of January, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Tom,
I love the thought of this. I always love when our individuality is recognized. And that it is up to us to stay connected to the vine and step up and be the person God created us to be. I really think you have real insight here and that web based tools are an excellent way to reach, teach and encourage one another. I really was inspired by all this.
Anne
8th of January, 2007 at 7:55 am
I have a few questions, Tom. Haven’t we based the experience of the church on the idea that God has chosen to work “through people” as a major mode of operation on the earth? Don’t we often experience God’s blessings by being in relationship with one another? Don’t we speak truth into one another’s lives?
This is not to discount the importance of the elements that you have suggested. But people get weird on their own. We start to think that our ideas are all correct, and authorized by the Holy Spirit, when we are not in relationships that provide accountability.
As we encourage people that they do not need to be part of an “organization” are we then licensing diminished accountability? I certainly agree that ideally we should each be maturing to the point that we have the Holy Spirit, and the Word as this rudder, but how many of us are actually spending the time to abide in the way you suggest?
Just some first thoughts.
Joel
8th of January, 2007 at 8:13 am
Great questions Joel. Thanks for posting.
I fully agree that living out our faith together in community is God’s intent for us. The “micro church” is the most organic way to do that. The micro church is a community of people that ranges in size but the most important element is that it is a community. Within the macro church community we would find wisdom in numbers and web based communities and tools can help bring about a clarity of doctrine, practise and accoutability.
It is not like we don’t have these same issues in the traditional church model that has existed. Most people have been a part of a church where accountability, doctrinal error and wierdness in leadership has ruined many a life.
The smaller more organic expressions of Chrisitian community are developing all around us. I believe this is the key to spreading the gospel in a way that is more relevant and that because of the social networking tools and freedom of expression that is coming about because of the internet, etc. that this is the future.
Here is a neat example of a micro church: http://www.mosaicsheffield.org
Now times that by millions and the freedom that brings to the expression of faith that is relevant, organic and community driven and you have a great vehicle for advancing the gospel.
8th of January, 2007 at 8:15 am
When it comes to the issue of doctrine, theology and church leadership and structure it is worth posting this again:
http://www.the-next-wave-ezine.info/issue95/index.cfm?id=18&ref=ARTICLES%5FEMERGING%20CHURCH%5F280
Theology: No longer is theological formulation contained in the world of academia. Blogs, open source theology, and e-zines (such as the Next-Wave) blur the lines between the formally educated and the ‘uneducated’. This results in a postmodern cry for theological formulation that is less systematic and more organic and contextualized. Theology now becomes not merely the task of a privileged few vocational theologians, but it is now the task of the local faith community as it seeks to embody the Story of God in its community. Grass roots movements are challenging the formal institutions.
8th of January, 2007 at 10:21 am
There are a growing number of web based communities, blogs, and resources that can help facilitate micro church life. It is amazing what is happening as the church innovates and is freed to be a creative expression of the Body of Christ. Here is an example - New Wave (Church and Culture): http://www.the-next-wave.org
9th of January, 2007 at 11:12 am
I hear Joel’s cry for accountability. I work and manage people. There is a tension for me as I eguip and empower people. The tension comes when I release them to be the church. Not to just function within the church but to be the church. Jesus makes it clear that he came so we can become…..fishers of men. Not to just go about an action of fishing. I have pastored churches for over 20 years, I have started two new ones. My hunger has been to see people changed and transformed to see them set free. But with freedom comes some fear, fear that those who are set free will go the wrong way. Yes, that will happen but it has always happened. But I believe in my heart it will happen less as the church of one in the coumminty of others is set free. In that freedom I trust God that there is a Holy fear. I am fearful at times with my own thoughts that I am a church of one. I can choose to be the church in action today or chose not to. The organization of the organized church as an institution is not making me choose to be the church, God’s Holy Spirit is working in me chooses to be that church. Freedom to be, freedom to choose actions or ones thoughts might be condemed by the organized church but it has not kept us from wrong doing. Yes, I like so many others keep questioning. Is this the way God wants His gospel Life to be made known? His expression was through the mouth of Peter, “You are the Christ the son of the living God.” These words formed the foundation of a church at that time a church of one Peter. Peter’s revelation comes, not throught an organization, but through a time which looks like spiritual chaos to us. Peter gets it he is the church of one, he gets a firm foundation, of which hell can not destroy.
Fear holds me back at times fear to set others free, they could do wrong but also they could become greater than me and I would lose control. Fear for the loss of control, Jesus made it clear we would accomplish more than he. Greater things than these shall you do. Jesus set us free in what looks to us like chaos, but really He set us free to grow and expand His truth at a rate that just scares us to death. I hope it will soon scare us into His Life.