Mark Galli, senior editor for Christianity Today, recently wrote an excellent piece called “Long Live Organic Church: But What Happens If We Don’t Transform the World?” This is a must-read article for all who dream of a more effective church for the next generation.
Are you dissatisfied with church as usual? Are you tired of program-based church? Do you think organic church models are going to radically renew God’s people and lead towards greater impact in the world? Are you eager to be part of a revolutionary Christian movement destined to transform the world? Then this article is a sober reminder and reality check to you especially. UPDATE: Being an advocate of much of what the “organic church movement” stands for, I hope Galli’s pessimistic predictions are wrong. Still, I think there is a good lesson in here as well — namely this:
“Our God appears not to be particularly taken with efficiency, effectiveness, or our changing his world. He is mostly interested in our obedience. What he longs for is not people who make a difference in the world, but people who listen for his call and lovingly respond—no matter how absurd or impossible the command.”
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Jeremy L. Berg 
wowzah. that was refreshing. I think the problem is that we, as in the original sin, want to sit in God’s seat and play his role. In this case that being the transformer. He never called us to do that. He called us, I believe, to set the table for people engage with the Holy Spirit and therein be transformed by God not our programs and strategies. It requires an immense amount of release and trust and a faithfulness (as Galli says) that fruit will one day bear, but perhaps never before our eyes (therein the disappointment). He nailed it.
You say that pbaudhuin, but Galli’s view of church is ultimately negative – because it is satisfied in the maintenance of the status quo, ie we will be disappointed if we try to get closer to God’s heart so lets stay where we are…..
I agree that Galli’s article is significant, Jeremy, but probably for different reasons – at last it vocalises and brings out in the open the opinion of the ‘traditional’ church-going majority. However, I find his conclusions quite depressing, and am glad that the early church didn’t take a similar view!
I don’t agree with his comment that the organic church approach will ultimately fail – and I think the evidence quoted is a bit one eyed. A comment was added to the ‘Out of Ur’ posting of Galli’s article which made a valid point – organic church is ultimately an ecclesiastical shift in church expression rather than a theological shift in church approach, and the last real example of such a shift was the Reformation, which didn’t ‘crash’ after two or three generations :S
It occurs to me that most criticism of the Organic Church Movement is ultimately founded in fear of change – and certainly the majority of discussions about the validity of Organic Church, which in of itself can mean different things to different people, are very black and white in their conclusions, either very much for or very much against. It seems, if you go by the extant posts within the blogosphere, that we only have two options – to resign ourselves to sticking with a traditional model of church or to go all out for an organic/ simple/ liquid/ house model of church – both of which are not ideal! There doesn’t seem to be a middle ground, a third way, where discernment prevails, and the best of both is merged into a Scriptural whole, with the traditional ‘old’ wine being re-inspired, re-flavoured and enlivened by the organic ‘new’.
Traditional church is in poor health – it might not be at the moment in the USA, but it is here in the UK, and we all need to wake up to the changes in worldview and culture that are taking place outside our church buildings, whether we like it or not.
If we resign our missional responsibility in Christ, either because of doctinal dogma or existential apathy, and decide to stick with the status quo, then it will ultimately end in failure, because the church as we know it in the West will die out as its members grow old. The church in the developing world is growing at a tremendous rate because it has slain the ‘sacred cow’ of traditional church, often due to persecution, and adopted organic or hybrid expressions – we need to do the same, and be a little more creative that just moaning that “this is not for us because it’s not what we are used to”.
Somebody once said to me that the expression “we have always done it this way” is the last saying of a dying church – this is very true and we need to take notice of it. Organic Church might not be the ultimate answer – but it’s a step forwards, maybe not even in the right direction, but let’s not dismiss it out of hand without learning something from it.
I am a leader in a ‘traditional’ Baptist church in England, but we have started to experiment with ‘organic’ small groups and church planting (after Neil Cole’s approach) and it is revolutionising the discipleship and evangelistic outlook of new and older Christians alike. There is something real about confessing sin to one another, listening to God through reading Scripture and deliberately looking to pray for individuals and communicate the gospel through building relationships in our community.
To be honest, it is the best thing that has happened in my Christian life for twenty years – and has revived and renewed my walk with Jesus Christ in a way that I never thought was possible.
My advice for what it is worth – open your eyes and see the Holy Spirit working – you don’t have to adopt everything ‘organic’ but don’t ignore it just because you are afraid of changing and moving on from where you are now.
Bless ya
Martin –
Thanks for your thoughtful challenge. Please know that I am rooting for and on board with most of what the “organic church” movement stands for. I, and pbaudhuin, are as fed up with traditional church as they get. Trust me!
I love what you’re up to and thrilled you are experiencing the raw, simple, deep discipleship experience God intends for the church. I, too, have experienced the thrill of experiencing the coming together of a small Jesus-community, meeting in homes weekly, breaking bread together, confessing sins, praying and reading scripture and sending each other out into the world to invite others into the Jesus revolution. That’s my heart’s cry and my life’s longing — to experience more of that; and I don’t see it happening for me within a traditional church setting.
However, what I appreciated about Galli’s article is simply this: I am an idealistic, dreamy-eyed Christian who tends toward cynicism with the church as it is, and am always dreaming of the church as it should be (e.g., “if we could only be like the early church”…). Guys like me need to be humbled and given a reality check once in a while. My satisfaction and fulfillment in ministry/Christian walk needs to be rooted in something deeper, more basic, more rock solid than actualizing my dreams of the ideal church-as-it-should be. I do not fear change at all (as you warn against); I fear taking my own role in ministry too seriously, and the deep crash that eventually results when I discover I can’t transform the world and God’s Kingdom advancement still follows the “mustard seed” principle.
Galli’s pessimistic views of the organic church (which I think are too negative) reminded me that even IF our attempts to form more desirable, Jesus-shaped communities (which I plan to continue doing!) ultimately fail to bring our desired results, I have something more basic to stand on. That is, a simple, faithful obedience to following Christ and sharing in the fellowship of believers — whether in traditional community or more organic forms.
I hope Galli is wrong. But I was still challenged by his reminder that “Our God appears not to be particularly taken with efficiency, effectiveness, or our changing his world. He is mostly interested in our obedience. What he longs for is not people who make a difference in the world, but people who listen for his call and lovingly respond—no matter how absurd or impossible the command.”
Blessings brother! I need to check out Neil Cole’s work. Sounds like we’d be kindred spirits.
Oh, and I tend to think you were too harsh and unfair in your assessment and accusations of Galli. I don’t know him or his writings very well, but from this article I don’t think it’s fair to label him a staunch defendant of the traditional church status quo. I think he’s much more balanced than that. But a fair challenge.
Bless you, Jeremy, for a graceful and balance answer.
Sorry if I came across as being critical of Mark Galli – and if I was harsh on him or misrepresented him in any way then I apologise because that was not my intention. On reflection, I now see what you mean about his article being a reality check – and will re-read it with that in mind.
Can I recommend Neil Cole’s books ‘Organic Church’ and ‘Search and Rescue’ – well worth the read.
Thanks, Martin – Which of the two books would you recommend more?
Read Organic Church – it is a really inspiring book that makes you think deeply about your life as a disciple.
Can I also point out that both Neil Cole and Frank Viola have responded to Mark Galli’s article – you can read both at the Christianity Today website. Alternatively, find them at their respective blogs – Neil Cole’s blog, ‘Cole-slaw’ (http://cole-slaw.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-live-oc-response.html) and Frank Viola’s blog, ‘Reimagining Church’ (http://cole-slaw.blogspot.com/2010/01/long-live-oc-response.html).
Also, since you are involved in youth ministry – you might be interested in the Blueprint training talks that you can find at the Church Campus Networks website (http://campuschurch.net/empower/socalblueprint.php#training_content). The talks on Life Transformation Groups and Simple Church Leadership are given by Neil Cole – all of which are well worth listening to.
Bless ya