The Word tells us in John 16:24; ” Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.”

And in James 4:2, although he is speaking to issues of worldliness in this passage, I think I can apply the scripture; “You do not have because you do not ask” to this discussion.

I often have people ask me how I get the connections with folks to help them start simple/missional/organic life. My response; I ask God to send them to me, and I ask Him constantly for that privilege.

A few years ago, I tried to meet with, activate, gather people I knew had leadership gifts, or had been seeking simple church life into action. Very little fruit resulted from that. They were very frustrating years and I struggled with the desire within me to get people moving and functioning in the Kingdom.

However, I was seeing God use me in this motivation in other countries, where I was constantly in contact with people who were “ready” to go and it was just a matter of having enough time on my part to get to all of them.

I realized that in this “mission midset”, I continually asked God to lead me to the right people, or to bring them to me when I was on one of these “mission trips” that I did to extend the Kingdom and release the Body into their places within. Since I knew very few people in these countries, I was dependent upon God to bring these divine appointments to me.

When I was home in the States, I prayed similar prayers but in reality, relied more upon my knowledge and preconceived beliefs that God would of course use this or that person that looked to me like someone who was ready to serve.

I began to ask, and seriously ask…..beg, if you really want to know, for God to send to me “workers of the harvest” and especially those who didn’t require a long “detoxification”, a lot of personal healing, or paradigm shifting.

I can only say; God is faithful and has answered those prayers with “more than I could ask or imagine” Him doing.

Last night, for example, we met with a couple who contacted me a few weeks ago with interest in simple church. They are just an average, ordinary couple who when after listening to them discuss what they were desiring in living “church”, I said; “you can do that here, in your home with those elements you desire,”. They lit up with excitement and replied; “We can?”

“Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened.” Mt 7:7

On my way to work last Thursday, I noticed a new billboard on Highway 494.  In the 5:00 o’clock pre-dawn darkness the orange and blues shouted a message to passersby: “Windows – Life Without Walls.”

I am a Mac enthusiast.  Therefore, I’m naturally pre-disposed to a critical attitude when it comes to Microsoft Windows.  However, the advertising slogan that Microsoft used is worthy of some honest criticism.

“Windows – Life Without Walls.”  Think about the windows in your home or office.  They provide light from the outside world, protection from cold Minnesota winters, and mild entertainment when the occasional bird flies into it.  Windows themselves are actually very useful.

However, a window by itself won’t do.  A garage-full of windows does not benefit anyone.  In order to take an otherwise useless piece of glass and metal and put it to use it must be installed in a wall.  Only once it is hung on a structure does it fulfill its role. Structure is a necessity.

When I talk to people about my experience leaving the institutional church, most people falsely assume that it involves a religious-flavored version of anarchy.  Images of wandering individuals and purposeless gatherings flicker through my mind.  They assume that I am living “life without walls.”

Why is it that leaving the four walls of tradition conjure up visions of reckless free-for-all’s?

Truth be told, leaving the institutional church does not require a departure from order. I’m still on my journey into the realm of organic Christianity, but here are some key points that I understand thus far.

Structure is Vital to a Healthy Life

I like the word “organic” because it implies something that is living.  The trees outside my window have life within themselves.  The Canadian geese waddling around the frozen lake have life within themselves.  Anything that is living is organic in nature.

The human body is comprised of 50-75 trillion cells.  These cells are organized in varying patterns and functions that result in arms, lungs, eyes, etc.  That means I am an extremely complex, organic creature!

The human body also has 206 bones.  These bones provide a framework that supports my organic body.  If these bones were missing, I would be nothing more than a blob of tissue.  Not having a framework to hold my brain, heart, or lungs in place would result in death.

Structure sustains and protects life.  Participating in an organic church setting requires structure in order to promote healthy function.

For instance, we had a handful of people over to our home last Friday night.  We shared a meal, drank coffee, and talked about our experiences with God.  It was unscripted and life flowed naturally from our conversations.  However, it required someone to organize the gathering by inviting people, cooking food, and making the guests feel welcomed.  (Shameless plug here: My wife is excellent at this!) My wife provided a context for people to gather together and share life.

We’ll look at the concept of organic leadership in a future post.  However, it is important to know that it does exist.  Structure can actually be very beneficial when it operates in a healthy way.

Organic Structure Is Not Predictable

During my brother’s generation, they had this novelty called a pet rock.  The first Pet Rocks were ordinary gray stones bought at a builder’s supply store and marketed as if they were live pets. The fad lasted about six months, ending with the Christmas season in December 1975.

If I took a pet rock and set it on my office table, I can  reasonably guarantee it would be there the next day.  It would be predictable.

However, if I had a pet dog and I put him on my office table, I could make no guarantee that he would be in that same spot the next day.  He may have wandered into the bathroom only to be caught drinking water from the toilet bowl.  His demeanor may have changed.  His energy level may be different.  His living, organic nature, makes him an unpredictable companion to the pet rock still sitting on my office table.

In an institutional church format, one could reasonably predict a gathering of believers.  Any given church building would probably be occupied on Sunday morning, between the hours of 9AM and 12PM.  There would most likely be a service led by professional clergy, introduced with a musical number.  Towards the end of the event, there would probably be a single person delivering a speech that was religious in nature.  Chances are, that speech would have three points, and be followed by a congregational prayer.  One week later, the entire process would most likely reoccur like clockwork.

Organic church, on the other hand, is spontaneous and unpredictable.  Last night, when we met with other believers, we ate dinner and spent most of the time sharing about how we encountered Jesus in the past few weeks.  The next time we gather, however, it may be on a different day, at a different time, and at another home.  Instead of talking the entire time, we may pray or worship.  We might decide to take a trip to the grocery store and buy a cartload of groceries for the family in need next door.  Each meeting has a mystery to it.

If something has life within it, that life will constantly take on different forms.

Organic Structures Grow Naturally

Staying with the illustration of the human body, notice how the skeleton structure changes over time.  A newly conceived baby, still in its embryonic stage, has no pronounced skeletal system.  At five weeks, the neural tube begins to develop, which will one day become the baby’s brain, spinal cord, nerves, and backbone.  The structure is simple and accommodates the present needs of that child.

Twenty years later, that child has been born and matured.  He is now a fully developed human being.  Instead of one neural tube, he has 206 carefully fashioned bones, each contributing to the overall support his body requires.  Structure naturally formed within this human being.  As he grew in maturity, the structure also grew and conformed.

If you are interested in launching out into organic Christianity don’t get bogged down with trying to figure everything out immediately before you begin.  Start small with what organic elements you have.  Let the organic structure naturally grow over time.  You do not need to designate “elders” and “deacons” right away, if at all.  You do not need to set agendas to the meetings.  Seek Father together, in your group, for what His agenda is.  Since you’re seeking a vibrant, organic experience things may look different every time.  The important thing is to gather, love one another, and focus on Jesus.

Avoid the tendency to name the group, establish roles, and set rules.  Seek to make your gatherings as simple as possible.  Follow the method Jesus used.  The method is incredibly simple, highly relational, easy to duplicate, and centered on God.  The method is found in John 5:19 - “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.”

Here’s a good example to get started.  Invite your friends over to your house for a meal.  Either provide the food or have each person bring a dish.  Sit down around a big table and, as you eat, ask one another, “How have you encountered Jesus this week?”  You can also ask them, “Where are you on your journey with Jesus?”  Follow the ageless slogan that I’m beginning to appreciate, the KISS method (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).