Church-As-We-Have-Known-It, Plus One
by Mark Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader
Part Three
Those who are paying close attention are asking right about now, “Hey, what happened to Part Two of this article series?” Well, the truth is that I can only deconstruct the Modern-Era church paradigm for so long without growing demoralized. Deconstructing is such sobering and difficult work! Surely, that’s one reason why so few churches and their leaders are willing to look reality in the eye, so to speak. If they don’t have a hopeful possibility waiting on the other side of deconstruction, it’s easy to see why they would avoid this altogether.
This brings to mind a quote by Henri Nouwen from his book Seeds of Hope. I’m on the road right now, so I can’t pull it off my bookshelf there beside my writing desk, requiring a paraphrase. “Those who can wait, are those who’ve received a promise.” He’s describing those times when we let go of one anchoring situation or perspective, allowing us to move into the next, while often requiring a waiting or fermenting period in-between (liminal space). Through faith, we believe God promises to be there on the other side of change.
Now, let’s move from deconstruction to what’s next. First, a brief review of Part One if I might. Every expression of church is formed by many factors, including the prevailing culture of its time. Each of these expressions of church resonate with their culture because of how they are formed. Then culture changes, requiring church paradigms to change also. The challenge comes when we are so emotionally and spiritually attached to the current form of church that we resist letting it go. In essence, we baptize our current church paradigms, viewing them as THE way to be church, rather than one culturally-shaped and familiar way of being church. We develop Books of Order, Books of Discipline, Canons, and By-Laws to codify these paradigms. Innovating when this is the current situation is very difficult, even while fewer people respond to our culturally outdated and increasingly irrelevant expressions of church.
So, where to next? Thanks for asking. That’s the “Plus One” part of this article series. Actually, I would like to rename it, “Plus Two.” Given church-as-we-have-known-it has limitations embedded right there within it, I’m suggesting these two hope-filled, forward-moving Pathways.
I – Pursue and advance church-as-we-have-known-it to the best of your ability.
“What? I thought you said this church paradigm was going the way of all things!” Indeed I did. And, there are clear and compelling reasons to continue advancing church-as-we-have-known-it.
Most of the people currently participating with your church really appreciate this expression of church. If you change it too much, those currently participating may leave to find what is lost in your context. They are there because of who the church is currently. Do your very best to be a quality, effective expression of church-as-we-have-known-it with the resources available. Keep calm and disciple on with those who are currently your church.
Look for and find those people in your community for whom this expression of church will help open the doors to God. As noted already, this is not everyone in your community; perhaps fewer than before as culture continues to shift. At the same time, there are very likely some people in your community who would spiritually come alive were they to encounter your expression of church. Collectively conspire with God and each other to seek out and find these very people.
II – Add an alternative expression of church to your current church paradigm.
Since we recognize the limitations in any church paradigm, and since we care about the many people in our communities who do not resonate with our particular church paradigm, we can add a Plus One.
A Plus One is another expression of church which is a part of your current church, not technically a separate church. Here are examples of Plus Ones and current expressions of church:
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Dinner Church (Learn more from an excellent blog post by missioner Mike Frost at https://mikefrost.net/dinner-church-anyone/)
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Laundromat Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Digital (Online) Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Different Ethnic Group-Based Church (Learn more from Pinnacle Associate Dee Vaughan who is pastor of St. Andrews Baptist in Columbia, SC – an anglo church – which hosts two other churches on its campus: First Myanmar Baptist and First Haitian Baptist)
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Hiker Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Jazz Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Biker Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Cowboy Church
Current Expression of Church, Plus a Church With Those Experiencing Homelessness
Current Expression of Church, Plus… (your church fills in the blank)
After working with churches toward adaptive transformation, conducting many holy experiments within those churches, it seems quite clear to me that churches have a range of movement they will engage within their paradigm. To push them too far takes them out of that range, changing the very essence of who they are, leading to demise. So, another productive approach is Plus One. Every church continues to be who it is, while adding another expression of church. In my experience, even the most recalcitrant church-goer who will not budge on changing their paradigm is far more open to adding another expression of church for people who are not currently there.
One more resource: Divergent Church: The Bright Promise of Alternative Faith Communities, by Tim Shapiro and Kara Faris. These authors studied and interviewed Plus One type churches as well as stand alone divergent churches. You will find many good examples and stories here.
So, may we be caught up in the Way of Jesus so much that we care enough to dream new dreams and see new visions for being church in 2023 and beyond.