Table in Sky
Helpful Tidbits for Organic Church Life                                           March 24, 2008
In This Issue
Story, Not Numbers
My Reflections
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Greetings!

I recently attended a house church gathering in another city. During my visit someone asked, "What do you guys [meaning, my organic church] do for Easter?" I knew exactly where she was coming from because, sometimes, it's hard not to compare the simplicity of organic church life with the often elaborate presentations of conventional churches. 
 
In this week's excerpt I'm reminded that it's the story that matters, not the numbers or whatever else many seem to rely on to judge success.

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION/TOPIC: Judging success
Story, Not Numbers 
Excerpted from Organic Community by Joseph Myers
 
OrgComStory is the universal measurement of life.
 
We know that numbers can be manipulated to say almost anything. We have learned not to trust numbers without context - the story in which a number is situated.
 
Organic order measures with story. Stories are the measure of the journey. The journey is as important as the end. When thinking through evaluation tools to measure community, story emerges as an effective standard (2007:79).
My Reflections

Because the organic expression of the church I'm part of gathers on Wednesday nights, we didn't meet on Easter Sunday. Instead, we spent the day with our biological families.

 

Keith_CrossIn some cases, like mine, it gave me the chance to unpack the Easter story for my boys. After all, it's incumbent upon me, as father, to lead my boys in the way of Christ. And since Keith and Keagan are at the age where reading is sometimes a bore, we acted out the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. I just happened to have an old rugged cross laying around and our bottom hall closet doubled as a tomb. The boys had fun taking turns playing the role of Jesus.

 

In other cases it gave those in my community of faith a chance to be missional. By spending time with extended family on Easter, they were able to share the Gospel with those who don't want to go to church - even on Easter. Just today I spoke with one of my sisters in Christ who related, Our family didn't know what to do with us. If we are Christians, they reasoned, Why weren't we in church? Frankly, as a missionally-minded Christian, I love it! My sister in Christ was out there, were the people are (while, at the same time, living in the reality of the resurrection 365 days a year).

 
In the end, it's the story that matters.
Hope this was of some benefit to you.
 
Blessings,

Traver Dougherty
The Banqueting Table