McKinley @ Catalyst

One of the many conferences I wanted to attend this year was Catalyst.  Rick McKinley, pastor of Imago Dei in Portland, is one of the speakers I wanted to see.  Out of Ur has some thoughts on the "lab" McKinley led at Catalyst...

"As pastors, we are tempted to build the church," [McKinley] said. "So we send out postcards to targeted Zip codes and we promote church programs." But that misses the point, he argued. "Our job isn’t to build the church. We’re supposed to BE the church, and build the kingdom." He emphasized that the kingdom is to be experienced NOW, on earth, as Christians exemplify godly living, but he also pointed out, as the recent school shootings demonstrate, that the kingdom is also "not yet." God’s kingdom won’t be realized in its fullness as long as such sin characterizes our world.

[...]

"The best expression of the church is NOT what happens on Sunday morning. It’s what happens in the world during the week. And that’s not something you can market."

His most provocative statements focused on the Christian’s calling to love their neighbors, even if those neighbors don’t respond to Christ or clean up their act. He told of his church’s messy efforts to love those with addictions, mental illnesses, and other conditions that aren’t easily cleaned up.

"We’re not called to change people’s behavior; we’re called to love them whether they change or not. It’s up to God to change them."

Comments

[Joe Thorn]

I like his point, though I think he;s technically wrong. We do not build the church or the Kingdom. But his challenge to be the church, and to be known for what we do in the community is well received. On the other hand, I do not think we should say that the "best" expression of the church is what happens during the week over what happens in gathered worship. I get this kind of reaction: most of our churches do a lot on Sunday for believers and little in the world M-F. But I do not want to pit one against the other. Rather, let's be about Jesus when gathered for worship or work. Maybe it would be better to say the gathered church on Sunday is the best expression of our worship, while the church at work in the world is the best expression/demonstration of love and mercy for the world.

[Hunter Beaumont]

I appreciate the need to remind people over-and-over about the importance of the church "scattered." But I also agree with Joe; I can't understand why we need to de-emphasize the corporate gathering in order to emphasize the scattered component.

It's almost conventional wisdom to hear something like this in an evangelical church on Sunday morning: "What we're doing here this morning is not really church. Our church really happens in small groups throughout the week." The ironic thing is, the church probably invested tons of resources to make the Sunday service polished and impressive so people would come to hear the message that it wasn't really church afterall.

[Ryan]

I think Driscoll did a great job of drawing out a "both and" of the church being a gathering and blessing to the city in his message this last weekend. Not to mention he had a really good take on the use of the term "social justice" being used so often today. Granted Mckinly is doing some great stuff in being a blessing to the city of Portland and we can all do better in this area, but we must also realize that our motive for these actions is the Gospel and it being recieved by as many as possible.

[Travis Johnson]

What is the fascination with downing marketing Christ and the Church? I don't quite get it.

[Josh Montague]

C'mon, Steve, admit it. You wanted to go to Catalyst for the shot at the free Xbox.

[Steve McCoy]

Okay, first time online since my best friend decided to punk me. I'll try to respond. These are my thoughts based upon what I quoted. I could be wrong, but I highly doubt it since I hardly ever wrong. ;)

1. I don't think McKinley's point is church vs kingdom. I don't think his point is that WE technically BUILD one or the other. I think he is trying to say that BEING the church is what builds the kingdom. We don't build something by building it, but by BEING it we build it.

2. I think his point about the "best expression of the church" being during the week is a good point. In terms of expressing the full message of Christ crucified, it will be expressed best through faithful lives, sacrifice, love, service, speaking the truth, etc. Some of that can happen on Sunday, but a missional church embodies that all week long in a clearer picture than we can paint on Sunday.

3. I think his point on marketing is that we simply can't market real life and messy love stuff. BEING the church is the marketing. We can't market love, we ARE love.

[Joe Thorn]

Yeah, I think that's fair. My issue is with his "best" expression of the church. I wouldn't put distance between the two. This wasn't his point, and I may be reading into it, but I would say it differently. And as I said, I do like his point.

[Matt Snowden]

Steve,

I couldn't tell by your post if you got to come to Catalyst. I'm here and it is great.

Did you go to the NAMB lunch for Catalyst goers at the Georgia Baptist Convention? I thought Stetzer and Avant were really good.

[Steve McCoy]

Joe, I think I agree. Why not see the "best" expession as the full expression (both gathered worship and a life of faithfulness)?

[Bryan Riley]

what he said resonates with me. And I like how you clarified things, Steve. When we borrow from the world to try to sell Jesus, we will fail. When we trust Him by living by faith and obeying His word and allow Him to work, we will be the church and see Him work in our lives as well as the lives of others. All too often I see where how I've been taught and how I've lived has been more of a human focus than I ever realized. But, prayerfully, more and more each day I will continue to wake up to the reality that God is more amazing than I can ever imagine.