It has been close to a year since my wife and I left the traditional church.  For us, it was passion for Jesus and authentic community that led us to consider what life could look like outside the four walls of a building.  In the few first fews  months of the journey, we read many books.  I consumed books on theory and principle, but found myself longing to talk with those who had experienced what we were searching after.  Where were the testimonies, the organic expressions of these concepts being walked out?

Christ in Y’all by Neil Carter, fills that needed divide between theory and practice.  Merging these two concepts, Carter explains in simple, conversational language what it means to encounter God in community outside an institutional/traditional setting.  His focus on community addresses an area of Christian subculture that is, indeed, lacking.

The Nature of Community

Jesus’ words in John 13 are an indibtment against the American concept of Christianity:

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, NASB).

To our shame, the Church in the West is known by less-appealing characteristics.  We are viewed as hypocritcal, jaded to the suffering of our neighbors, and “out of touch” with the people we work and live among.  In countrast, Jesus desires that the primary means through which our witness goes out to the world is to be love expressed through authentic community.  Carter addresses this need for community head-on in his book.

The focus on community comes from Carter’s understanding of the Trinity.  In one section of his book, he explains how God is better described by the word “community” than “trinity,” which is, itself, a word foreign to our vocabulary.  The oneness of the Godhead is based on mutual submission, preferring one another.  It follows course, then, that the expression of Christ on earth through His body would model the same form of community that exists in the Godhead.

Every Believer A Functioning Member

Perhaps one of the best topics that Carter covers in his book is the idea of mutual participation in church gatherings.  Flowing from the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Cortinthians, Carter builds a case that expression of Jesus in our gatherings is dependant upon each believer actively functioning.  Just as my ear is not a complete expression of myself, neither is one member of Christ’s body the full expression of Christ.

In order for Christ to be expressed through our gatherings, each member must be unchained and released to actively participate.  The implications of this concept on the format of today’s typical church gathering are far-reaching.  In short, it involves a moving away from a clergy/laity hierarchy and replacing 45-minute monologues with round-robin, popcorn-style participation by each member of the Body.

Scorecard: A

Neil Carter presents a compelling case for a simple-church, faith-based community.  His viewpoints are balanced and backed up by scripture and personal experience.  I felt that he was not arguing for the restoration of the New Testament Church, but an examination of basic principles that should be at work in any gathering that bears the DNA of Christ Himself.

The book came with a CD by DeDe, a young woman who participates in the same gatherings as Carter.  In this first EP, DeDe expresses heartfelt songs of worship that birthed out these organic, simple gatherings of the saints.  Her lyrics are strong and thought-provoking.  Be sure to keep an eye out for this female artist in the future.