What is The One Church Experiment?
VisionLiving as vital and vibrant collaboratives of faith communities that engage and empower the priesthood of all believers for the sake of proclaiming Christ in Northeastern Ohio.
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MissionTo form ministry site collaboratives which are more engaged in the proclamation of the gospel by sharing mission, ministry, ministers, and money.
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Principles (values)
ONE: The Holy Spirit is at work
“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes” (John 3:8).
We hold that the Holy Spirit is up to something in Northeastern Ohio and in Christ’s church. Even when outward appearances seem to say “death” and “dying,” we believe that the Holy Spirit is breathing resurrection and life into communities and individuals. The God we serve is a God who plans welfare for us (Jeremiah 29:11). We also hold that the way of the Holy Spirit is not our way and so the pathway forward, likely, will not look like what we imagine. Because God’s ways are not our ways, nor God’s thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
“The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes” (John 3:8).
We hold that the Holy Spirit is up to something in Northeastern Ohio and in Christ’s church. Even when outward appearances seem to say “death” and “dying,” we believe that the Holy Spirit is breathing resurrection and life into communities and individuals. The God we serve is a God who plans welfare for us (Jeremiah 29:11). We also hold that the way of the Holy Spirit is not our way and so the pathway forward, likely, will not look like what we imagine. Because God’s ways are not our ways, nor God’s thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).
TWO: The priesthood of all believers
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1Peter 2:9).
We hold that in baptism, God made a claim on our lives and called us into a covenant where we promise that we will live among God's faithful people; hear the word of God and share in the Lord's Supper; proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and strive for justice and peace in all the earth. Martin Luther pointed to this priesthood of all believers in his writings as he claimed that all the baptized have a vocation to live out their faith in all aspects of their life.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1Peter 2:9).
We hold that in baptism, God made a claim on our lives and called us into a covenant where we promise that we will live among God's faithful people; hear the word of God and share in the Lord's Supper; proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed; serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and strive for justice and peace in all the earth. Martin Luther pointed to this priesthood of all believers in his writings as he claimed that all the baptized have a vocation to live out their faith in all aspects of their life.
THREE: The body of Christ
“Speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).
We hold that God has knit us together into the body of Christ through our baptism. We have, therefore, each been gifted differently with passions and skills for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. It is this diversity of perspective, giftedness, and context that help us, as the Body of Christ, be the best reflection of the image of God that we can be. We also believe that different congregations have differing gifts to offer to the whole of the Church. To be the fullest expression of Christ in the world, we believe that our congregations are more vital when in collaboration with one another.
“Speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).
We hold that God has knit us together into the body of Christ through our baptism. We have, therefore, each been gifted differently with passions and skills for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. It is this diversity of perspective, giftedness, and context that help us, as the Body of Christ, be the best reflection of the image of God that we can be. We also believe that different congregations have differing gifts to offer to the whole of the Church. To be the fullest expression of Christ in the world, we believe that our congregations are more vital when in collaboration with one another.
FOUR: The power of play
“But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it’” (Matthew 19:14).
We hold that play and playfulness are inherent in healthy, growing, safe communities. God created a world in which we might play, has granted us a Sabbath within which to play, and hopes that we have nothing more than an abundant and joyful life. Play opens us to the movement of the Holy Spirit and to creative and imaginative enterprise.
“But Jesus called for them and said, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it’” (Matthew 19:14).
We hold that play and playfulness are inherent in healthy, growing, safe communities. God created a world in which we might play, has granted us a Sabbath within which to play, and hopes that we have nothing more than an abundant and joyful life. Play opens us to the movement of the Holy Spirit and to creative and imaginative enterprise.
FIVE: The call to humility
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
We hold that we could be wrong. We do not have all the answers, and we make mistakes. We believe that motion forward is better than paralysis. And so, we choose to lean on the quotation from Martin Luther, “Sin boldly!” We also cling to the second part of that Luther quotation, “but believe and rejoice in Christ more boldly still.” God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and we can, therefore, experiment for the sake of the gospel.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).
We hold that we could be wrong. We do not have all the answers, and we make mistakes. We believe that motion forward is better than paralysis. And so, we choose to lean on the quotation from Martin Luther, “Sin boldly!” We also cling to the second part of that Luther quotation, “but believe and rejoice in Christ more boldly still.” God is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and we can, therefore, experiment for the sake of the gospel.
Why?
Why “One”?
For over a century every church has been an island – something that the polity of the ELCA codifies in its governing documents. This has led to a sense of isolation from our faith neighbors at best, and a sense of “competition” at its worst. We believe that God has ONE Church in many locations. We also believe that The Enemy loves that we are separated one from another. The One Church Experiment is a call to defy the isolation that The Enemy is advocating and claim again that we are all members of Christ’s body.
For over a century every church has been an island – something that the polity of the ELCA codifies in its governing documents. This has led to a sense of isolation from our faith neighbors at best, and a sense of “competition” at its worst. We believe that God has ONE Church in many locations. We also believe that The Enemy loves that we are separated one from another. The One Church Experiment is a call to defy the isolation that The Enemy is advocating and claim again that we are all members of Christ’s body.
Why an “Experiment”?
Nearly 50 years ago, Eric Gritsch and Robert Jensen wrote a book on what it means to be Lutheran in the world today. As they were reflecting on the “church,” they wrote: "medieval thinking said that God created an organization, the church; the Lutheran Reformation said that God gathers people and that this gathering, the church, creates an organization in order to carry out its mission." After some comment on this, the author continues, "This does not mean that the church is always in such horrible shape that a new Luther is needed - though it often enough is - but that in every new day organizational imagination and wisdom are needed to effect the church's mission, and that it is the privilege of believers to provide them" (Lutheranism, p. 16, emphasis added). This is the modern-day experiment of church organization into which we are invited by God.
Nearly 50 years ago, Eric Gritsch and Robert Jensen wrote a book on what it means to be Lutheran in the world today. As they were reflecting on the “church,” they wrote: "medieval thinking said that God created an organization, the church; the Lutheran Reformation said that God gathers people and that this gathering, the church, creates an organization in order to carry out its mission." After some comment on this, the author continues, "This does not mean that the church is always in such horrible shape that a new Luther is needed - though it often enough is - but that in every new day organizational imagination and wisdom are needed to effect the church's mission, and that it is the privilege of believers to provide them" (Lutheranism, p. 16, emphasis added). This is the modern-day experiment of church organization into which we are invited by God.
Why “discipleship”?
Disciples of Christ are critical to the Church. Baptized into the body of Christ, every individual has gifts and skills that the church needs to be the hands, feet, and redeeming voice of God in the world. We believe that by deepening discipleship in every baptized member, we empower them to be the Church in the world.
Disciples of Christ are critical to the Church. Baptized into the body of Christ, every individual has gifts and skills that the church needs to be the hands, feet, and redeeming voice of God in the world. We believe that by deepening discipleship in every baptized member, we empower them to be the Church in the world.
Why “laboratory”?
Experimentation, playfulness, and entrepreneurialism were bred out of the church in the last century. Yet, the body of Christ is a living, breathing entity that adapts to its surroundings so that it might speak into the world a Word from God. We believe that a healthy Church is full of congregations that engage the principles of a laboratory: innovation, adaptation, communication, and evaluation.
Experimentation, playfulness, and entrepreneurialism were bred out of the church in the last century. Yet, the body of Christ is a living, breathing entity that adapts to its surroundings so that it might speak into the world a Word from God. We believe that a healthy Church is full of congregations that engage the principles of a laboratory: innovation, adaptation, communication, and evaluation.
Why “Church”?
Maybe the most important question is why we even think “Church” is the way forward. In a society where most people are not religious, where there is a deep skepticism of “institution,” and where so many have been wounded by a church, why even keep this word? First, we believe there is a distinction between congregations (the way we have organized) and Church, the thing that God has actualized in the world. We keep Church in the name because in Lutheran understanding, “church” is a gathering of people – it is something that God is doing in the world. We believe that God is still calling, gathering, and enlightening the people of God for mission and ministry in the world.
Maybe the most important question is why we even think “Church” is the way forward. In a society where most people are not religious, where there is a deep skepticism of “institution,” and where so many have been wounded by a church, why even keep this word? First, we believe there is a distinction between congregations (the way we have organized) and Church, the thing that God has actualized in the world. We keep Church in the name because in Lutheran understanding, “church” is a gathering of people – it is something that God is doing in the world. We believe that God is still calling, gathering, and enlightening the people of God for mission and ministry in the world.
OUTCOMES
With any good experiment we are looking for outcomes; the things that we hope will happen – but we are not tied to if they do not.
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At the minimum:
1. Clear shared mission and vision 2. Empowered laity 3. Partnerships for rostered ministers 4. Improved relationships among the collaborative partners and members |
At the ideal:
The four outcomes named before plus: 5. Increased adaptability 6. Deep relationships with the surrounding community 7. More energy and resources for missional work in the world 8. A deeper witness to God’s redeeming presence in the community |
Inputs for Your Experiment
If you are still with us in this discipleship laboratory, here are your next steps and how we at your synod office will be partnering and empowering your work.
Before you do anything, tell us you are beginning the experiment! Email your Congregation Name, City and who your primary contact person is (First Name, Last Name, Phone, and Email) to Pastor Mitch Phillips: [email protected]
Step One:
Step Two:
Step Three:
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