As most of you know, we are nearing the end of “right now” and are on the cusp of “what’s next”. We have been in this place of transition between what came before and what is coming next as Brian has taken a few years off from pastoral ministry to focus on his seminary training in his graduate work and we’ve also birthed some babies, resulting in him rediscovering his gifts for carpentry and home restoration as a vocation. 
Now he’s nearing the end of school (probably will be done this summer!) and so our heads and hearts are full of wonder and prayer and plans and dreams.
When we left Texas and fulltime ministry, we planned that, at the conclusion of Brian’s seminary work at Regent, we would start a church.
Ah, idealism….if only it were that easy…
The issue that we’ve run into – over and over again – is that we long to start a church in community and with oversight. We don’t want to be “lone-rangers” any longer. We have been independents for most of our lives and that has had its benefits. But as a result of that, we have also seen a lot of abuses that warn us off of that route for ourselves. This is an entire (depressing) post on its own so I won’t delve there right now…
We started conversations with a few denominations months ago. One in particular – the Christian and Missionary Alliance – has become what we think could be a home for us. Theologically, we’re pretty lined up. There are a few concerns that I have as it is a very conservative denomination (when I say “conservative” I don’t mean politically, just for the record, more theologically) so I have issues with their stances on women and their evangelical overemphasis on issues like gay marriage as well as other points.
Plus, I just kind of like not having a denominational fence around me. I really like my “lone-ranger” spirituality even though I think churches need oversight. Is that hypocritical??
Over the years, I’ve self-identified myself as more of an emergent and Brian has self-identified as missional. We like to think we can blend those things pretty well.
We have identified a few things that are important to us as we either start a new church or begin to pastor an existing church:
1. The Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Above all else, it is all about this. Following in The Way. Not about a way of theology or humanity or politics or power or anything else – just this simple thing.
2. Community. Connection in an age of disconnect. A church that feels more like family than a conference centre or a seminar. True, messy relationships, together on a journey, relevant in the context to which you are called.
3. Discipleship or “following Jesus”. One of the truest-truths (*nod to Stephen Colbert*) is that we can be transformed – we don’t have to die the same people we are today. We can live the life that was imagined for us and by us. We see this as connected to the Church as a whole, involving spiritual and ancient practices such as worship, prayer, service, silence etc. Basically, working out what the work of God has already worked “in”. It’s a wholeness of values – from how you are with your home and your family and your kids to how you are in the world around you. Are you Jesus with skin on? If you are following him, do you resemble him?
4. Mission. Not “evangelism” *shudder*. But hospitality, a ministry of presence, openness to the people around you and so on.
But I wondered – was there space for us anywhere? Was there room for people like us in a denomination? After all, we have widened our borders and deepened our foundations rather significantly over the years. Sometimes I have felt like there isn’t room for us anymore in our tradition so why would there be room for us in a more conservative group?
So, imagine my surprise when a blog that I have read occasionally called Reclaiming the Mission had this post. Turns out the guy that writes it is C&MA as well – and has planted a church that looks remarkably like what we envision. And he wrote this article for Fuller Theological on the value of planting emerging/missional churches within denominations like C&MA!
The entire article is this guy’s take on what it was like to plant this same type of church within the C&MA.
Isn’t it funny when God calls our bluff?
So this is making me feel a bit better about this whole thing. After all, we aren’t the first. We won’t be the last.
Maybe there is room for us in an established house after all? Maybe we can be us and yet still belong to a family?
What has your experience been in a denomination or otherwise? Any insights for us?
