At a recent meeting of facilitators in the house church movement, after everyone had shared their story, and it was my turn to say something, I casually remarked: "Oh, I think we've already left the house church scene behind us and moved on." It was meant to be a funny and provocative remark, but when I said it, God immediately confirmed it in my spirit: "Yes, you moved on."
Later I started analyzing this, and I think the core issue is that I don't want to settle for one expression of church, but wish to celebrate and apply the good things of many streams and traditions, and have Jesus in the centre. It's fully organic and fluid, but also appreciates the historic church. It's reformational, but not in an exclusivistic way.
I love to be part of the house church movement, but there's more to (re)appreciate and (re)discover and apply. Some emerging expressions of church tend to be reactionary. As if our identity comes from 'being different from the mainstream'. I'm glad Andrew raised the issue in his weblog this week, and had several people hit him for it. "Well, excuuuuuuse me for getting healed! Excuuuuse me for loving the church!" See his posts 'Can't keep people happy' and 'Willow Creek and postmodern worship', and feel free to add your comments as well.
Seems like the Holy Spirit is moving us all to the same conclusion. What you have written is exactly what the Holy Spirit has been saying to me about beyond HC. It's no longer either it is both and.
Posted by: George | January 29, 2004 at 12:41