Is your church life-giving or life-taking?
Life-giving or life-taking
Ever walk out of a church service and feel like your life has just been sucked out of your body? You feel confused, condemned and worthless. The people, the service, and the pastor all played a part in making you feel like “dead meat” because you weren’t as perfect as they thought you should be. Or, it was so boring that you felt like  you had been sitting on a balancing beam trying to stay awake so you wouldn’t fall off and you are exhausted both physically and mentally. Yes, you just experienced a life-taking church service, the kind that you find in the majority of churches across the USA.Â
It doesn’t have to be this way.
John 10:10 tell us “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of”
Churches should be a fresh expression of the life of Christ, loving God, loving others and loving life. This is 21st century-style church – people engaging and attracting modern man in our communities to Christ.  Our aim should be to develop healthy, growing local churches that make church real, sharing Christ naturally and effectively developing and exercising areas of gifting and passion in each person growing personally, professionally, spiritually.
A while back I heard a term describing a certain attitude or philosophy of ministry. The term life-giving was used to describe a positive, non-threatening, no-strings-attached, relational-based approach to ministry. I love that idea! In fact, most of the ARC churches have adopted that same terminology and certainly that same philosophy into the way that they “do church.” Thus, as you read this blog, you’ll see me often refer to the term life-giving. When you hear that, know that I am using this term as a way to describe this unique ministry approach, so prevalent in healthy, growing churches like the ones in the ARC.
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Life-giving Church Values & Characteristics
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Life-giving Church Values
- Relational. Life-giving churches prioritize authentic friendships.
- Generous. Life-giving churches strive to “go the extra mile,” equally sacrificing together.
- Risk-taking. Life-giving churches and pastors are willing to do something new. They are not unwilling to fail.
- Inclusive. Life-giving churches believe that every believer can be in ministry and they encourage God’s gifts in each individual.
- Contemporary. Life-giving churches believe in engaging with our culture, embracing media & technology.
- Fun. Pastors of life-giving churches understand that experiencing joy in the journey and laughing together is a key ingredient to a healthy, life-giving church.
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Comments
David Insell
I love this stuff
Shane
Billy,
Keep it coming brother!
Again, a great guage for all of us!
Love you,
Shane
William Vanderbloemen
Outstanding article. Knowing several of your ARC pastors has given me life for sure. I believe in what you all are doing, and am looking forward to All-Access!
Emmanuel
Yes Billy , I agree absolutely that a church must be life giving. This is what everyone think and speaks about in the 21st century church.I am begining to be uncomfortable though, that in an attempt to connect to the world, be relevant and contemporary, the church in the next few decades might begin to disconnect from God. There must still be a place for rightheousness and Holiness even in our core values, It should not be enough for a sinner to come to a life giving church service feeling good and joyful, yet go back home comfortable in his sins. What do you think?
Billy
The Gospel is clear….there are severe consequences for sin, and when un-repented of, a judgement for those sins. God’s remedy is Christ crucified. God does not want anyone to perish and suffer the consequences of sin…that is the reason He sent Christ. But some will reject that message even in a life-giving church.
Billy
Emmanuel, the Gospel is clear….there are severe consequences for sin, and when un-repented of, a judgement for those sins. God’s remedy is Christ crucified. God does not want anyone to perish and suffer the consequences of sin…that is the reason He sent Christ. But some will reject that message even in a life-giving church.
Randy Goudeau
Incredilbe! I’m using these points tonight in my Core meeting (hope that’s okay).
Ian Fisher
Great Billy – my role these days in the Kingdom is bringing life to Churches in Europe. I have been in hillsong Church for 25 years, and now take the ‘life giving church’ message to Europe. I am just finishing a 3 month trip here in Europe, where I have been coming alongside churches – the pastors, leadership and worship teams, helping them to discover a new sound, a new face and a new direction for the Church.
I actually was surprised by the beginning of your blog ‘The Life Giving Church, when you referred to the USA – I actually thought it was Europe you were describing – Wow mate – it looks like we have a lot of work to do, to get God’s Church glorious.
Blessings to you and your team
Ian Fisher UECC
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