Every week, I receive an email from a church planter or small groups director wanting to know more about how we do small groups at NCC. Pastor Mark is bombarded with emails and phone calls from people who want to learn more about how we do church at NCC. Last weekend, a church planting team spent the weekend with us to learn from what we are doing. We spend a lot of time helping other churches do church.
As Pastor Mark mentioned at our last Leadership Summit, we are going to formalize our help to other churches through the creation of a consulting arm. This will help us to be more strategic in the services and resources that we provide to other churches while we remain laser-focused on the people and mission of NCC. We will host our first conference for church leaders next year.
It has become very clear very fast that as our influence expands, our target also expands. I just spent the last hour responding to some less-than-nice things said about our church. Ironically, the comments were made by someone who has never set foot in our church. But it has become very clear that there are people who either don’t understand or just simply don’t like what we are doing. Some people believe that we must be watering down the Gospel if we meet in a movie theater. Some people claim we are simply trying to rebel against traditional church forms. Others argue that we cannot make disciples or minister to those in need without a church building.
None of these arguments are true. We do not water down the Gospel. If anything, we are making it more offensive to the world by stepping right into the marketplace of ideas to declare it instead of keeping it inside a religious structure.
We are not trying to rebel against traditional church forms. I am personally very, very grateful for my traditional church upbringing. I am so thankful that I went to Vacation Bible School, participated in Bible Drill, earned missions badges, learned the hymns, and learned the significance of church architecture. But none of those things are as important as spreading the Gospel of Christ. They are all vehicles for sharing the Gospel. They are not the Gospel in of themselves. I want to share the message of the cross. And if a movie theater is a 21st century vehicle for doing that, then I want to be a part of it. It’s not about rebelling against traditional church forms. It’s about appreciating our traditions, holding fast to what is eternal, and contextualizing the Gospel of Christ in the language, stories, and pictures that our generation understands.
Finally, we do not need a building to disciple people and minister to those around us. I think the fact that we don’t have a building actually makes our discipleship and service more effective. It becomes much more organic and real and does not simply become a church program. Sarah Owen is teaching people how to dig into the word through inductive Bible study. The Scanlons are praying for their neighborhood. Juliet Main and Kim Hill are running Alpha for seekers to explore questions of faith. John Hasler is spreading hope to our homeless community. Dee Dee Mattingly is bringing healing to those who struggle with sexual addictions. Nathan Gonzales is discipling men who are grooming the local little league field. Sarah Paff is bringing the Gospel into the halls of Congress. I am not against a church building at all. Sometimes, I think it would be really nice to have one. But I don’t think it’s necessary for ministry and discipleship to occur.
The reason I am writing this is two-fold. One, to thank you for what you do as leaders at NCC. We don’t tell you enough how much we appreciate the sacrifices you make and the time you invest. The church is the body of believers who are connected to it. You are the church; you are NCC. You are why NCC is what it is and why it is so attractive to others.
Secondly, I write this to warn you that our target is expanding and there are many people (who are Christians) who will become very vocal about what they don’t like. This has happened to Rick Warren and Bill Hybels and Andy Stanley and many others who are changing our world for Christ. It happened to Jesus himself. Good company to be in. And while we should always be open to hearing criticism, we should only allow criticism to pierce us if it passes through the truth of Scripture.
Thank you for being a part of NCC and for making it a secure place for people to connect with God an connect with others. As we go through these growing pains, we are going to stay true to Christ, his word, and his commandments to love God and love others.
Heidi Scanlon fought with her computer to get this comment on, but the computer won. So I am posting it for her! I appreciate the Heidi Scanlons of NCC!!
“One reason that I love NCC is that it seems irrelevant to us whether we have a building or not. In fact the thought rarely occurs to me. What does occur to me is that Jesus is committed to changing us from the inside out. He absolutely assures us that this is available to everyone therefore we are not seeking to build institutions or buildings but relationships. I love NCC because we are highly relational.
Where there is great boldness there is great persecution. Witness Acts 5 and 6. What happens in the moment of conflict determines who we are and how effective we become. Look at Peter. He preached boldly, got persecuted and what did he do? He cried out “oh God give us more boldness!” Amazing. Bill Johnson says that people are confused and feel conflicted about what other churches do and become critical because they have lost sight of their purpose. Which is true but we have to be careful not to criticize them for their criticism.
Just this morning I was meditating on James 1. That’s what we have to do. We must pray ourselves into rejoicing when trials come. Because the outcome is that we will be thoroughly equipped - lacking in nothing. How cool will that be?
Johnson says, where true unity is - trouble cannot bring defeat. So we must pray for unity first in our own body at NCC and then for the broader church. Keep up the good work. The devil is noticing and that can only mean we are on target.”
Heather Z
August 2nd, 2005