This brief series by Brett Jacobsen is not intended to be an in-depth study of the subjects throughout. It is a light introduction into the heart of what God is reforming in His church in this prophetic season. The articles, audios, videos, books, dialogues and blogs on this site www.livingthekingdom.com and www.christisall.org examine in greater depth the many pressing reformational issues in the current church.
Community/Fellowship
Don’t go to church, be it
Rather than church attendance as we know it, the New Testament gives us a picture of heaven-led, love community for His church. We’ve spent so much time going to church but He clearly has called us to ‘be the church’ all day, every day, every where.
Although there are a number of man-made hindrances to the church being the powerful, light bearing community that it should be, a few of these really stand out as heavily counterproductive. Possibly the worst offender in this is the “church” experience that we have put in the place of Christ-centred community. We have special ‘church’ buildings, special ‘church’ services, special ‘church’ times and special ‘church’ practitioners. All these are as biblically errant as they are damaging to true Christ community.
In these New Testament times the temple/house of God is not a physical building of any sort but rather you and I who are in Christ [1]. We are built together in the Spirit to form a holy dwelling place for God’s knowledge to fill the earth “as the waters cover the sea” (Eph 2:19-22, Is 11:9).
So if there are no God ordered New Testament ‘holy venues’, ‘holy times’, ‘holy institutions’ and the like, how then should the church connect and meet together?
There are two major themes which sum up New Testament church life quite well; neither of them includes church attendance, holy venues, denominated congregations, church membership or the like. These two are “breaking bread” and koinonia relationship:
Bread breaking
Breaking bread is what Jesus told us to regularly “do” in remembrance of Him [2]. The first century church followed Jesus’ example (and command) and broke bread “from house to house” primarily (Acts 2:46). They did not erect “church” buildings or run professional meetings any more than they established institutional companies called “churches”.
Breaking bread was a meal for real. It was both an actual feast and a spiritually focused gathering. It kept the church out there in the real world where people are; it trained the saints ‘on the field’ and it was something that every believer could do every day, anywhere.
Koinonia relationship
The other main aspect of New Covenant community is what Acts 2:42 says the early church continued consistently in – fellowship [koinonia- partnership, communion].
This koinonia relationship was commitment and consistency towards one another. It is a far cry from church attendance and membership.
This type of fellowship reminds me of my favourite church scripture:
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (Heb 10:24)
For over 1800 years we have had a system of church that is institutional rather than relational. It’s about meetings rather than life, it is not biblically prescribed and it’s overemphasis on leaders has excluded the masses from true church life.
Let’s continue the journey back to Jesus’ example and His way of doing life rather than religion.
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*For part three of this short series ‘Be the Church Pt 3 – Church Leadership’ click here.
*For more info on this topic see the authors book Heaven’s Underground Blueprint or these articles:
Heavens Underground Community Blueprint- Pt 1 of 5 by Brett Jacobsen click here
Heavens Underground Community Blueprint- Pt 2 of 5 by Brett Jacobsen click here
Heavens Underground Community Blueprint- Pt 3 of 5 by Brett Jacobsen click here
Heavens Underground Community Blueprint- Pt 4 of 5 by Brett Jacobsen click here
Heavens Underground Community Blueprint- Pt 5 of 5 by Brett Jacobsen click here
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Endnotes
[1] These verses show clearly that there are no longer holy buildings because we are the temple/house of God – Heb 8:1-2, Acts 7:48-51, Is 66:1-2, Eph 2:19-22, 1 Pet 2:4-5, 1 Cor 3:9, 1 Cor 3:16 & 17, 1 Cor 6:19, 2 Cor 6:16, Rev 7:15, 2 Cor 5:1-2, 1 Tim 3:15, Heb 3:6, Heb 10:20-21, 1 Pet 4:17, Heb 9:11 & 24, Gal 6:10…
[2] See 1 Cor 11:23-26. For more on this topic click here.
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