May 2007 Archives
Now, some ight be shocked to hear that what the “church” — the disciples gathered — really needs is not more people, more money, better buildings or programs, more education, or more prestige. Christ’s gathered people, the church, has always been at its best when it had little or none of these. All it needs to fulfill Christ’s purposes on earth is the quality of life he makes real in the life of his disciples. Given that quality, the church will prosper from everything that comes its way as it makes clear and available on earth the “life that is life indeed.”
When our way of life and communal gatherings become a mirror of the broader culture and its values, our alternative witness and critique of evil is first compromised and then ultimately silenced.
Tim Keller on when churches grow best:
We believe that, paradoxically, churches grow best not when they aim at church growth as much as when they serve the peace/shalom of the whole city. Saint Augustine believed that citizenship in the City of God made us the very best citizens of the human city. (Redeemer Church Planting Manual)
