Blessings on your journey! (I’ll email you too, in case you don’t check back here).

Should I go to seminary up the street at Biblical and study with John Franke and others? Should I take part in this well-funded urban baptist church plant with all of its accompanying strings, limitations, and expectations? Should I continue on with my uninspiring career, putting my family’s financial needs first, and hope that the things I love, that energize me, will get the time they need though they’re marginalized to the realm of hobbies and extra-curricular activities?

These thoughts from you and the others writing about this over the last few days have really impacted me and how I might answer those questions. Thanks.

What a concept – building the church apart from the necessity of salaried ministers. Feeling frustrated about my church’s priorities, I have mentioned to several people that our main job is not to provide a salary for our pastor – and am greeted with blank stares. Of course, they will say that this is not what we are doing. The church is following the mission to share and live the Gospel in our community. But in practice, raising money and developing programs to meet a salary seem to take an inordinate amount of time. It is almost as if we must get everything in place and then we can build relationships. Yes, fulfilling responsibilities to those men and women a congregation calls is important – but more important is being ready to heed God’s larger call to live a kingdom life. Unfortunately, this does not always follow human plans, structures, or annual budgets.

Often I get the sense from others that if we can’t pay and retain a minister, then our church will die – a safe rationalization that allows members to remain comfortable. If we pay someone else to do the work, than we won’t have to. Yet, I want to argue that at times paying a minister (or holding on to any other human structure) while short changing other work the church is called to do can produce another, more insidious death. A death that people both inside and outside the church have been experiencing, but are not open to recognizing.

In this climate, exploring new ways of doing ministry, as you and others are, is vital. Thanks for helping this conversation to evolve.

when you think about the incredible changes that have happened in our culture and world in the last 100 years, it’s staggering. a great example is what is happening to “intellectual property” through things like peer to peer sharing, etc. watch http://ilovextra.com/ for an interesting viewpoint on all this. it’s not piracy that is the issue. it’s that information is now available to almost anyone, anywhere. the gatekeepers are being removed. this is also the case for the church. that may sound negative, but i think it spells opportunity. it’s just what we do with it. but the basic truth behind all of this is that we are servants to the King. We follow where He leads, even if that means something or somewhere we didn’t want to go or expect. And I would add to that that people are of the utmost importance and that the greatest power in the universe is love. that sounds corny, but it’s the reason we believe what we do.

I took the time to read all of the conversations that lead to your cogent response. It is no wonder that you have so many who look to you; you are truly focused and guided by The Holy Spirit.
When reading your thoughts two passages came to mind: John 14:1-2 Do not let your heart be troubled” and Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.” Truly the essence of your message and it seems the current conclusion of the Klienfelter house. Though we should do our work and be in The World, but not of The World, The Lord our God will be with us and guide us and give us what we need, but not more than we can bear.

God Bless,
Mike P.

Thank you for writing this. Your thinking tracks pretty well with I and a handful of us here in Charlotte, NC, have been thinking and why we have been moving out into a stream of the emerging church that is perhaps best described as “post-congregational.” Are you familiar with this language? It has really helped me get a grasp around this. Maybe it’s not as helpful for you, but I think it could be. Anyway, I’d love to chat more because I think we’re walking on a similar path.

Shalom,
Steve K.

Aaron, I will happily affirm you as “legitimate” in my eyes and join you on your quest. Good, good stuff here.