A comment was made at the last Council meeting that may have startled some who were present. It was not intended to startle. Only to express a belief. Who made it? I did. The comment? That I believe that within three decades the church as we know it today no longer will exist. I do believe that. What will replace it I haven't a clue. Would we even recognize it as church? Those living at that time 30 years in the future will. If I live another 30 years, I'll be 96. While I'd like to be alive to see if this is true, probably I won't. So, it's a bold (or silly) prediction that the majority of us will never know the real outcome.
From the earliest times after the resurrection of Jesus, the people who were called followers of the Way, believed that as Christ's return was imminent, there was no need for a gathering in groups. Even the disciples who fished for a living returned to their old vocation. It was not until expectations of the Parousia (the Greek word for the return of Christ) began to diminish did these early Christians begin to think about coming together to contemplate what the Christ-event (as theologians and scholars now call it) meant, and what they were to do about it.
Little by little, small groups of people begin to gather in homes. We see evidence of this in the writings of the apostle Paul, and of a much more formalized structure in what are called the Pastoral Epistles. Timothy records the advent of episkopos (bishops) and presbyteros (elders). Also mentioned throughout these letters are diakonos (deacons). It seems the question at the heart of the early church was, What do we do if Christ does not return any time soon? How do we live in the meantime?
I'm fascinated by the early church, and most especially for that period between the death and resurrection of Jesus, and Paul's earliest letters (probably dating from around 51-53 CE ["Common Era," the term used by most scholars in all disciplines today]). Of course, there is very little material from that period in existence. As such, we can only imagine how the early church actually formed. We do know that the house churches (the Greek word is ekklesia, which means "gathering") were more organized around common interests, much like guilds of the time.
By the time of Paul, we begin to see that the people in these gatherings came from a variety of backgrounds, with the common thread being Jesus. From these humble beginnings the church began to grow into what it is today. Would Paul recognize it? Would Jesus recognize it? And, for we United Methodists, would John Wesley recognize it? A maybe a more important question, What would they think of this church? Interesting questions all.
Well, I'm at the close of this Pastor's Corner. We'll take a two-week hiatus for Palm/Passion Sunday and Easter, and pick up this conversation on April 12. I use the word conversation because that is what I hope we do: start conversations about where Hunt UMC is headed. It's a fascinating journey. See you on the road as we struggle with a changing world.
Grace and peace,
Mike
March 22, 2015