church and dandelions

Maybe some of you are fighting the same battle that I am. I try and try but they keep growing and multiplying. They have become my spring-time enemy. I am speaking of course of dandelions. Though I spray and spray, my Ortho-Weed-B-Gone just doesn't seem strong enough. Dandelions find a way to grow, reproduce and multiply.

An organic thing multiplies. In order to grow, each cell must reproduce itself. Different cells have different purposes and may look a little different, but if it is a living organic thing, its cells will multiply. This is also true for the church.

In my opinion, multiplication must be a the heart of the Emergent Church. But there is a price to pay for multiplication. It takes energy. It takes time. And it is not easy. It is much easier to fall into the traps of specialization and excellence. By truly valuing multiplication, the church must sacrifice on the alter of modernity the value of excellence.

What does multiplication look like? Multiplication should happen on many levels in the church. It happens at the level of task. Tasks must be taken care of, especially on sunday mornings. But things like set up, music, audio/visual, food must all be transferable. It is the job of the person running the sound board to not only run the sound, but also to raise up someone who will learn to do the same. And, in time, teach them to multiply themselves as well.

Multiplication also happens at the small group level. Leaders of small groups must raise up the next generation of small group leaders. Two leaders should become four. Then the experienced leaders take the new leaders under their wing as one small group becomes two.

Multiplication happens at the large group level. Each local expression of the church should always be moving in the direction of planting new churches. As small groups multiply, the church grows. As the church grows, it looks to help launch a new community. This moves into the idea of clusters or networks of churches.

Most importantly, multiplication of the vision and values happens as people are welcomed into the community. Disciples are made as they meet one on one with people who have walked with Christ for a little longer than they have. The Great Commission and Great Commandment begin to become a part of the new people in the community.

But why get rid of excellence in the process? I would say that we are to do everything we can the best way that we can. But its a matter of priority. Do we prioritize loving people well or having a smooth sunday morning? If we want to be good at loving people well, then we will give them a chance to be a part of us. We will give them a chance to miss a note or a powerpoint slide. We will be ok with kids who cry and with mics that go dead. If these things mean loving people and welcoming them into our community, then we will choose love over a nice packaged look sunday morning.

I guess its less about choosing multiplication over excellence than it is about choosing what we want to be excellent. Do we want an excellent look or an excellent love?

I am left with the conclusion that multiplication is a must for the church. As the Emergent Church peels away hierarchy, theology and community, the value of multiplication needs to be on the forefront of our minds. Healthy, living, organic things multiply. I am reminded of this truth everytime I look at my lawn.