Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Second, the Bible never says the church is in no sense an organization. In fact, once you move from the more abstract church to the more practical church you unavoidably add some organization. It's silly to pretend otherwise and there's really nothing wrong with it being organized. I appreciate that the church is in some sense an organism, but a practical church is also in some sense an organization. Once a church becomes practical it becomes organized. There's no way around it. Are we just going to expect the Spirit to lead someone to balance the books or take care of the landscaping every week? Get real.
|
When I was back in university in Columbus, I had a very close friend in the LC's. We lived in the brothers' house, and were "best man" at each others' weddings. He was very idealistic, and wanted the brothers' house to be completely "organic," with no schedules or assignments. He longed to see each brother walking by the Spirit, following the anointing within, and doing all those household chores by following the Lord.
As much as I loved him, I just knew that it was not going to work. But ... how could I argue with him? How does anyone argue against spiritually optimistic idealism? You can't. You have to let it run its course, and see if it works or not. It's not spiritual vs. legalism, it's just practical arrangements, or shall I say that dreaded word,
organization.
In woodworking and carpentry there is a saying that
perfection is the enemy of "good enough." I grew up on job sites where my Dad's foremen would say, "
looks good from Public Square." For those not from Cleveland, Public Square was the center of downtown, and our job sites were anywhere from 20 to 200 miles away. So, if you don't look too close, our work was "good enough." Obviously, my good friend's way was perfection in the brothers' house. But it was an idealistic, almost impossible goal to achieve. So why not settle for "
good enough," doing scheduled household chores by the Spirit unto the Lord, you know, "
whatever you do in word or work do to the Lord." That's the prescribed Biblical way!
Such was Lee's claim that we were "
not an organization." It was a pipe dream. Sure we bought into it,
matter of fact back in the '70's we believed lots of nonsense, but it had no basis in reality, nor the scripture.