Today I filed the papers to incorporate our new church. We now are officially recognized as a church by the government. We just don't have a group of people who look like a church yet! But we trust that will come in time.
We also have a name, a post office box, a federal i.d. number, and within a few days we'll have our own bank account. All very official…but I wonder, "What would the apostle Paul have thought about having to go file papers in a government office in order to start a church in Corinth or Ephesus?" He might have been glad to have a government that would recognize his church rather than persecute it. On the other hand, he might have wondered what we have sacrificed in order to gain social and political respectability.
Our name is Reunion Christian Community. A little untraditional, I know, but that's kind of the point of planting a new church, isn't it? We're on a mission to reach people who aren't being reached by traditional churches, and who are turned off by the idea of "church." People associate "church" with buildings and institutions and denominations and dogmatic traditions (wonder where they got that impression?). The Greek word we translate today as "church" referred to an assembly or gathering of people in a community of faith. So we decided to use the more common word "community" rather than the churchy word "church."
The word "Christian" in our name acknowledges that we are followers of Jesus Christ. It connects us to our heritage in the Restoration movement and the nonsectarian conviction that we are "Christians only, but not the only Christians."
The word "Reunion" reflects what we believe is the central mission of the church—reconciliation. Paul says that "God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ" and that he has given us the ministry and message of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-20). God's plan was to bring all things to unity in Christ, to reconcile everyone (Jews and Gentiles) in one body through the cross, making peace between them (Eph. 1:9-10; 2:14-18). Christ's mission was to reunite people to God who had been alienated by sin and unbelief, and to reunite people to each other who were separated by hostility, prejudice, sectarianism, and legalism. Reuniting people to God and to each other is the mission of any community of Jesus' followers.
Reunion Christian Community—Bringing people together and to God.
So, what do you think?
8 comments:
I think it's awesome! So happy for you guys and praying for you daily! Can't wait to see the new neighborhood and house!
Exciting stuff! Our oldest son, Ryan, and his wife just moved back to Nashville. They have taken up residence in East Nashville. Is that anywhere your new neighborhood?
Hello to my girlfriend!
Hi Christy, Judy's looking forward to showing you around.
See you Saturday.
Rob
Hey Lori,
It depends on what part of East Nashville, but generally, they're pretty close. Not more than 5-10 minutes. We nearly moved there. Send us their address sometime.
Judy says hey!
Back to packing. :-(
Rob
Im happy for you think the name is very good,enjoy your blog Greg
WE ARE STILL PRAYING FOR YOU AND JUDY AND YOUR NEW WORK. WE LOVE YOU AND PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOU TO MANY SOULS.
IN CHRISTIAN LOVE,
FRANK AND ANN LEGGETT
Hello Rob,
My friend John Acuff informed me of the new assembly that you are planting. Below is my reply that I sent to John. It expresses my views. I wish you well and pray for God's blessings on this new work.
Stephen Edwards
This is exactly the sort of concept for "church" that I'm convinced has the potential of reaching far more people with the Gospel and for doing the good works that Christians are supposed to do.
My hope for this brother is that he, his wife and their associates will be able to grow their assembly and, equally important, encourage the establishment of more home assemblies/congregations throughout the area, working together to spread the Good News and to help the poor while at the same time enjoying all the benefits of meeting together as a group(s).
I firmly believe that the words assembly/community/congregation are much more accurate translations of the Greek word "ekklesia" than the commonly used word "church". Additionally, these words more accurately describe the community or the body (groups) of people who, in fact, were the early Christians. They were the assembly (assemblies) of Christians! And, we still are!
If we're honest about out stated desire of returning to the New Testament pattern of the earliest assemblies/congregations of Christians; the assemblies planted by the apostles and their helpers, we need more Reunion Christian Communities and less churches.
Thanks for the supportive words, Stephen. Where do you live and worship?
Rob
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