House Church Talk - Re: House Church Talk Digest, Vol 3, Issue 183

[Claire Bennett]

That is very helpful.  I have sadly seen organisms transition into
organizations.  Usually it is because a "leader" has shown up to exploit and
manage what God has created.  Or men seek to reproduce or expand what God
has done with the idea that it is possible to reverse engineer God's
creation to learn his methodology.  We do know that the Old Testament
systems were designed by God, and not by man, and each element had a divine
purpose.
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Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 9:00 AM
Subject: House Church Talk  Digest, Vol 3, Issue 183


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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Organization vs. Organism (Claire Bennett)
>    2. RE: Organization vs. Organism (Bruce Woodford)
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> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2004 17:18:21 -0700
> From: "Claire Bennett" <clairebnntt at cox.net>
> Subject: House Church Talk -  Organization vs. Organism
> To: <House Church Talk  at housechurch.org>
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> I really enjoyed that post.  So here's a question.   How do you keep an
organism from becoming an organization?  Can an organization reverse
engineer into an organism?  I was thinking about what the difference is
between an organization and an organism, and all I could come up with was
life.  There are often pockets of organic life within an organization, but
they are often difficult to find, difficult to join and exist in spite of,
rather than because of, the organization.
>
> Ok if I repost the article on my board, I would like to stir some
discussion of house churches.
>
> I had an idea, maybe you'll think this is silly.  I would like to see
house churches encouraged.  I think that if we desire an organic outcome, we
can only assist this with organic means.  Classes or seminars about "how to
housechurch" may be well-meaning, but miss the point.  I thought about how
tupperware parties work ( or similiar stuff.)  The new recruit attends a
Tupperware party to see how its done.  Then, the recruiter assists the
recruitee in setting up their own party.  The recruitee invites the people,
sends out the invitations, provides refreshments and the recruiter brings
the materials and helps things along.  The more experienced person is always
available for help and questions.
>
> But, we have to stay organic.  Someone gets the bright idea of forming a
organization to go around and start house churches.  Of course they have a
set of doctines and practices that are unique to their group.  They now have
an agenda, and they also need to finance their work, if it is to be ongoing.
So it ends up being more about conformity than about coming alongside to
assist.
>
> Maybe every housechurch could dedicate one meeting a month to going out to
assist other start-ups, in addition to bringing others in to see what you
do.
>
> I think it is interesting, as we look at scripture, different letters were
written to the various churches, addressing all their unique needs.  The
authors could have written a generic letter and had it copied and sent
everywhere.  I am aware that they letters were to be forwarded to the other
churches, but that doesn't deny the individual ministry, where the Lord gave
a word specifically to the needs of each believing community.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 01:29:54 +0000
> From: "Bruce Woodford" <bwood4d at hotmail.com>
> Subject: RE: House Church Talk -  Organization vs. Organism
> To: House Church Talk  at housechurch.org
> Message-ID: <BAY19-F150IZ6RoYhK200009afc at hotmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
>
> Hi Claire,
>
> You wrote some interesting questions!  "How do you keep an organism from
> becoming an organization? Can an organization reverse engineer into an
> organism? I was thinking about what the difference is between an
> organization and an organism, and all I could come up with was life. There
> are often pockets of organic life within an organization, but they are
often
> difficult to find, difficult to join and exist in spite of, rather than
> because of, the organization."
>
> As to the difference between an organism and an organization, you are
right,
> the former has life and the latter does not.  But that difference
> demonstrates that the former is a creation of God and the latter is only
an
> invention of men!  That is also the reason why organisms never turn into
> organizations nor can organizations ever become organisms!
>
> Members of the body of Christ may and do get involved in organizations and
> thus get side tracked from the body life for which they were created in
> Christ Jesus!  But organizations can NEVER transition into organisms!
>
> Unregenerate people can be members of organizations, but can never be
> members of the body of Christ!
>
> Ecumenical unity is a goal of many religious organizations, but the unity
of
> the Spirit is an accomplished fact. Keeping (guarding) that unity, NOT
> organizing it, is the responsibility of every child of God!
>
> People who are created by God, and people who are created in Christ Jesus
> are tripartite beings: -spirit, soul and body. (I Thess.5:23)  Such may be
> KNOWN and RECOGNIZED by God-given features of their spirits, souls and
> bodies and may be INTRODUCED to others.
> However, organizations are created by men. But they are also tripartite
> beings! They consist of corporate names, corporate numbers and corporate
> documents!  Organizations (corporations) are not KNOWN, RECOGNIZED nor may
> they be INTRODUCED to others!   Rather, they must be IDENTIFIED by the
> man-made features of their corporate names, corporate numbers or corporate
> documents!
>
> Religious organizations operate on principles by which Israel functioned
> under the old covenant:
> -They have holy buildings distinct from common buildings.
> -They have a holy priesthood distinct from the common people.
> -They have holy fundraisers (tithing and offerings, sales, and a host of
> fundraising projects) to maintain holy buildings and holy priesthoods.
> -They observe holy days distinct from common days.
> -They have holy clothes distinct from common clothes which are worn on
holy
> days or are worn  by holy priests.
> -They have holy meals and holy foods distinct from common meals and common
> foods.
>
> But the principles on which new covenant saints are to function in the
body
> of Christ are radically different from old covenant principles! The genius
> of the new covenant is that to those who are created in Christ Jesus, THE
> COMMON IS MADE HOLY!
> -They have no holy buildings distinct from common buildings! They
themselves
> ARE the building in which God dwells!
> -They have no holy priesthood distinct from common believers, for every
> believer is a priest!
> -Since they have no holy buildings or holy priesthood to be maintained,
they
> need no holy fundraisers!  (Not just a tithe of their income belongs to
the
> Lord but THE TOTAL!)  They are simply stewards of the property of another
> and must give account for 100% of it!
> -They have no holy days distinct from common days. Rather they are called
> "saints" (holy people) and they are called to lives of holiness 24/7!
> -They have no holy meals or holy foods distinct from common meals and
common
> food. Rather, as often as these holy people eat and drink they demonstrate
> and remember the body and blood of their Lord who died to redeem them, who
> rose again from the dead and now lives His life within them!
>
> You see, organizations and living organisms are so radically different
that,
> when one knows the difference between them, one can never again mistake
the
> one for the other!
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> Your brother in Christ,
> Bruce
>
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> End of House Church Talk  Digest, Vol 3, Issue 183
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