I know saying this isn’t going to win me any friends, but someone has to tell the king he’s naked. Is it not a quiet madness for churches to largely outsource their discipleship (to parachurch agencies) and training (to theological colleges)? The best context for both discipleship and training is the people of God on mission (a.k.a. church).
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February 25, 2009 at 5:32 pm
dave bish
This and Neil Cole’s material are interesting on the church/parachurch thing. Have you seen this by Mike Reeves on it? http://www.uccf.org.uk/about-us/uccf-and-the-local-church/what-is-a-church-what-is-a-cu.htm
Its a really important one – personally, involved in a ‘parachurch’ ministry i think we can see ‘parachurch that loves the local church’ or let’s just call them church-loving partnerships or something like that.
There are pitfalls to avoid but they can be avoided, and there are serious advantages to having parachurch ministries.
February 25, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Rick Meigs
The problem with this church/parachurch thing is that it is a false dichotomy.
The biblical ekklesia always describes a people and never a building, place, denomination or specific group of Christians to the exclusion of other Christians. It doesn’t matter where people are gathered together for minister or what corporate structure they take on, they are still “the church,” God’s called out people ministering in the name of Jesus.
As long as we continue to make this false dichotomy, we will continue to hear divisive statements like:
* Parachurch organizations should strengthen churches, not detract/distract from them. (Sorry, but God’s called out people can’t detract/distract from themselves in the way implied by such a statement. It is a contradiction.)
Parachurch organizations address needs not being met by the church. (Sorry, when a group of Christians come together to address a need or minister to a group, that IS the church meeting the need.)
February 25, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Jonathan Dodson
Thanks Rick. I think it’s more complicated than that on the ground and theologically. Scripture and church history identify certain “marks” that appear normative of the ekklesia. The church is more than the people of God, but certinaly not constricted by a place or time.
Though I am a huge fan of many parachurch groups. The fact remains, however, that these groups are often not intergenerational communities possessing a range of the Eph 4 gifts that help constitute a healthy church. Moreover, many of them do not exercise church discipline or observe the sacraments. I suppose that they could start doing that, but it would probably bog down their niche ministry focus. Perhaps Winter’s modality/sodality distinction provides a helpful way forward in being the church.