My wife is very health conscious. She likes to buy groceries at places that sell organic food. I found out that organic groceries go bad quicker than those that contain artificial preservatives. Is that true for all things organic, even churches? Will our movement eventually die? Is there an expiration date for organic church?

Mark Galli wrote an article in Christianity Today called "Long Live Organic Church!" In it he is flattering of some of the organic church movement leaders like Alan Hirsch, Frank Viola and myself, but he expresses concern for our wellbeing. Fear that the bitter disappointment of seeing the inevitable failure of our movement may cause us to become bitter and fall out of service is implied in the article. While I appreciate his kind words, I must say the article came across rather depressing, fatalistic and perhaps even a tad bit patronizing. I trust he didn't mean it that way.

The concerns he expresses are not just valid; they are haunting realizations I have lived with for over a decade. Sustainability, longevity, the threat of institutionalization are all subjects I have thought about considerably. On the other hand, holding unreal expectations and the disillusionment that can result has not ever been a concern of mine...