Network Church 3

Steve Collins published his third article on Network Church (first contributions here). He explains the difference between localised models of church and the network church paradigm.

This picture illustrates that people who have left churches are not 'trackless waste', but are enjoying a wide variety of connections, including back into the localised churches. The localised churches appear as concentrations or nodes that are not as self-sufficient as they imagine. They are not the only places where 'church' happens.

Comments

[Gary Sweeten]

You write about "the church" as though it was not connected to people. But church, and revival, renewal, worship, equipping, etc are always about real people with real needs, desires, demands, and desires for care, counsel, nurture, learning, growth, friendship, sex, food, fun, etc. So, wormholes and theories that do not connect with flesh and blood ppeople will not actually wotk.

[Marc]

Hi Gary, you are right - the church is about real people and a real God, and theories that are disconnected from reality don't work.

Steve Collins' contribution is a visualisation of the social dynamics of 'church'. These social dynamics are real, and it's about real people and a real God. The point is that often we see and experience church as an institution or program that you become a 'member' of, while the Body of Christ is an organism, it's about people being 'in Christ', connected with other people who are 'in Christ' and people who are not yet 'in Christ'. It's helps to see the church in a more fluid way, as (I would say) church was intended. Jesus never formed an institution and never proposed denominations to lock people into. He formed a group of friends and learned them how to operate in the dimension of the Kingdom of God.

[Terry Edward]

Dear family in the Beloved,
Thank you so much for the encouragement and spiriutal challenge that the Holy Spirit imparts
through this website! I have just begun to search it out and have been greatly blessed already!
I am looking forward to purchasing Henri Nouwen's book on the Return of the Prodigal Son. Someone else had mentioned him and this is a confirmation to me.
In His love and for His praise,
Terry Edward

PS: There is a website that has blessed me with a precious devotional on the Song of Solomon. It is wholly and totally about surrender but in such a tender and intimate way. See what you think. It is a free E-book.
www.songofsolomondevotional.com
I found it through Yahoo search engine when I put
in "Song of Solomon commentary" - It was in the top 5.