Is Networking Entering a New Season?

Is Networking Entering a New Season?

(Editor's note) - the following is the beginnings of a discussion about the potentially new season for networking in the Body of Christ...

Sam's initial email introducing the topic

Grace's response to Sam's initial email

Len's response to both of the above

Hi there Sam!

Thanks for sending this!! I really appreciate the thoughts you share in the article you wrote here! Is this newsletter available online on your web site? If so, I would like to link to it in the next edition of the CHCN newsletter...

If it is on there, what is the URL of the actual page it's on? Looking forward to receiving this...

I particularly appreciate the following and have been thinking about this as well the past year or more with relation to several of the networks I'm involved in as well... (more comments below that)...

(The following excerpt is from Sam's newsletter below) "...We have no problem understanding service, and doing the "work of the Lord", but we sure seem to be stuck in space somewhere when we are discussing being friends in community with one another. I think it is time to take a break from networking with people for the sake of working together, and time to start connecting in a genuine friendship basis, where authentic community can take place. It is when we express our love for one another and it is displayed in how we relate and express Christ in all circumstances, that the world sees what the "stuff" of Christianity is.

I yearn for relationships that are based on friendship, not on what someone can do for me, or on my position or influence in a given environment. I am not looking for pragmatic relationship. Too much of the business world has influenced how we view connecting and community. Most business people, and most ministries within traditional Christianity, view the idea of connecting, and community as a means to an end rather than process and journey. If you are to become my friend, it would be based on common interest. Of that there is no doubt, and the greatest of these is our relatlionship to Christ and to one another.

Friendships deepen due to personality and interests. If there are enough common denominators, the friendship will deepen and become stronger. At times we get together because of activities and through the activities we discover that we genuine like each other. I have found this both in sports leagues I have been a part of, business, and Christian events and ministries. That is perfectly normal. Somewhere in all this, genuine friendship should prevail. I should not base my friendship on activities we do together, for when the activity is over, where is the friendship? It should be much deeper, where there is genuine love and affection for another person, and there is a desire to just hang out and be friends and enjoy life together in community.

I love picnics, and I love all kinds of outings, but the reason I love them so much is because of the people I am with, are people I really care about. I have a genuine affection for them and I care about them. It isn't what they give me, or anything like that. I just like being with them...."
---

I can certainly identify with what you are saying.

Just to throw in a few thoughts to add to that..from what I'm sensing...

I think that, like so many things, there is a time and a season for things - and of course Scripture has a lot to say about 'appointed times' and God's timing and His seasons, etc. I believe there is and has been an important season of networking over the past years, and that God has been and is a vital part of what God is and has been doing for some years. Of course various people and ministries are at various stages of that...as in anything that God is doing. I think that prophetically inclined people may be further along the continuum of this journey and timeline than others might be and so may be sensing the need to go into the next stage of the journey earlier than others?...And perhaps it is indeed time for some or perhaps many that are networking with others to move on to these deeper levels? and increasingly focus on the few rather than on the larger network...

Anyway, it seems to me that there has been/is a vital and God-ordained time for networking - and I believe there are biblical precedents for that - in order to initially begin to connect those with similar heart and vision, to provide initial support, encouragement, strengthened vision, etc. as networking begins to connect people in the Body on a relational level, etc. etc. I believe this IS a vital part of the journey...and especially of the major shift/transition the Church internationally is in in these days.

HAVING SAID THAT, I totally agree, also, that if this is where the networking ends, it has failed...and if it is only a means to an end, it has failed. I agree, as well, that networking tends to be focused more on what we can do for each other or have done for us than on actually developing deepening relationships; however, I think that God often uses this as a starting point for some potentially deep relationships, if we're recognizing not only the value of deepening relationships in the Body but realizing that RELATIONSHIPS are what it's all about - ie. Loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, strength, and our neighbours as ourselves, etc. and that ministry flows OUT OF relationships - with God and others...

I think, too, that for too long we as the Church (especially in the west) have had a fixation on productivity and performance, to the detriment of relationships in our lives. We had this handed down to us for generations...we haven't known any better and have major strongholds in our lives and in the Church to overcome in these areas... but I believe, too, that God is also shifting our paradigm in this regard as He is shifting our paradigms on so many fronts in these years. It seems to me that He is having us re-evaluate everything, again, in light of Scripture, and is bringing us back to building on our True Foundation. I feel that this is just another one of those paradigms that are shifting...and I believe that networking itself has been a major transitional step into the next phase He's leading us into.

God is of course God of the impossible and would have been able to take the Church, overnight, from it's traditional modus operandi of systems and performance expectations, etc. (I'm not sure of a better way to say that right now but it doesn't quite communicate what I'm trying to say, but I think you probably know what I'm getting at)... but He hasn't done it that way (that I know of) and I think that networking has been and IS a VITAL tool in God's hand in this season to help to bridge the gap between the traditional ways of living out His life to the relational way He is leading us into more and more. How else would we ever have been able to make the leap all at once? We didn't know how! But God is graciously teaching us STEP BY STEP...

And as the prophets were so often called to tear down the ruined foundations in order to rebuild on the foundation of Christ, taking off the old self and putting on the new, tearing down the strongholds and seeing them replaced by renewed minds, so it seems that God is increasingly bringing His Bride into maturity and out of the old paradigms as He has us increasingly lining up with His Word...but it is taking time and it is a messy process. We make mistakes along the way. I think it is a time where God is wanting us to have much grace towards each other as we learn and grow together.

In the process, I'm constantly reminded that He wants us to know His long, high, deep and wide love in increasing measure SO THAT WE MAY BE FILLED TO THE MEASURE OF THE FULLNESS OF GOD...

And so as we are in process and continuing on this journey, I believe He IS increasingly bringing us into deeper understanding, as a Church, of how to move into that...but we will make mistakes along the way and we won't all be at the same place at once. And again, I believe that 'forbearance' is something that is needed in great measure in these days as we seek to walk in relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ - even if they don't have the same understanding of certain aspects, which we may have at the time...but they likely have understanding in other areas which we do not yet have, and in which we also need their forbearance extended to us.

So I think that even this process of the Body being in different phases of the transition is something God wants to use in our lives to help us to learn to humbly love each other and grow in grace towards each other and in a deeper understanding of our Bridegroom's grace towards us as well.

I feel that the book of Nehemiah, and the 'networking' that I see happening there, and the book of Haggai - "...the glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house'...is very relevant in our day! And how, throughout the book, it continues to emphasize and re-emphasize -- GIVE CAREFUL THOUGHT TO YOUR WAYS.... In one place it says "consider how things were before one stone was laid on another in the Lord's temple..." ...building on a Firm Foundation through renewing the mind, etc. and having the Holy Spirit changing our paradigms...God is increasingly moving us into HIS ways of thinking and that takes time.

I also feel that Hosea 6:1-3 is very relevant...one of the many relevant ways being that it shows that there are times and seasons, and how there is a progression of change, and how God also does the SUDDENLIES...

1 "Come, let us return to the LORD .

He has torn us to pieces

but he will heal us;

he has injured us

but he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will restore us,

that we may live in his presence.

3 Let us acknowledge the LORD ;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth." (NIV)

Also a similar type of process is described in Isaiah 37:

30 "This will be the sign for you, O Hezekiah:

"This year you will eat what grows by itself,

and the second year what springs from that.

But in the third year sow and reap,

plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

31 Once more a remnant of the house of Judah

will take root below and bear fruit above.

32 For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,

and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this. (NIV)

So I believe that we can rest in the Lord in that He is leading us into His new paradigms in His timing and as we continue to seek Him, we can trust Him to lead us and others into His purposes, lifestyle and relationships, etc. as we keep focused on Him and those He is connecting us to.

Part of this process, too, of transitioning and seeing God bringing us into the place of maturity and love where He wants us, is, I believe, presented in Isaiah 6 where Isaiah realizes through the revelation God gives him of him being a man of unclean lips, that in order for God to be able to effectively work through him to impact those around him, He needs to work on those very same issues in Isaiah's life before that can happen - otherwise Isaiah would just reproduce those same things and would not be effective in bringing the changes God was after.

I believe that it is also so with us....as God is leading us to work through these deeper issues in our own lives, He is doing that partially so that He can also increasingly work through us to impact others in these same types of ways. So it seems that perhaps He is in the process of doing more work in our lives in these areas, as well, as He is leading us into a new season?

So back to the networking...I believe that God has used and is using networks in this season and I have been experiencing increasing intimacy with a few of the people that I've initially met through networking....especially with folks that I spend a lot of time with....Often the original reasons that brought us together have faded into the woodwork but the relationship has deepened and grown and is now continuing to grow out of the much deeper foundations of on-going and on-growing family relationship in Christ and with each other, where we have become vitally involved in each other's lives.

For example, about 2 1/2 years ago, God birthed a group of 5 believers who began to meet regularly in my home (since my health prevents me from getting out most of the time). Though we wanted to see this group reproduce early on, God had better plans, and knew that WE needed to first learn much more about deeper relationship and living in family/community before He could potentially reproduce NATURALLY through us.

As we sought Him about this since we began (as various people have wanted to become a part of the group), and waited for His timing, it was 1 1/2 years before it began to reproduce into a second group. There has been a similar process with the second group (also 5 people), and it has been amazing to watch.

The first group has recently reproduced into another group and is just in the beginning stage of another small group beginning to form as the Holy Spirit leads. Many other have wanted to join these groups since they began, but God has been teaching us a lot about the whole process about reproducing, and WAITING for His timing and leading...basically that He does it in His way and in His timing and we certainly can't have preconceived ideas of what that will look like... and of course a major thing has been that we ourselves have had a lot to learn about increasing intimacy with Him and each other....and realize there's so much more to learn! But we have all experienced incredible growth in our relationships and with the Lord since these began and we are confident that our Teacher is well able to continue to teach us!

The first group had already been close friends for many years before we began to meet as a simple church in my home...but at that time we had never even dreamed of the kind of intimacy that we now share! And we have probably just scratched the surface!! We can't imagine life without each other and are in constant communication and doing things together...like a family...It is one of God's very greatest gifts in our lives! Of course the more this develops, the less time I have for networking, too...so even this has been a part of my growing sense of the kinds of things you shared, as well.

I firmly believe that there has indeed been/is a vital role for networks in the Body, especially in order to help initially connect people in the Body and for the other (and other) reasons I mentioned earlier, BUT, I completely agree that relationships need to grow from there, otherwise I believe, also, that we're missing the mark and not moving into the fullness of what God is wanting to bring us into in our relationships with Him and with each other.

It seems God has us, in Canada and around the world, in increasing transition in these days...and I feel, as many others also seem to, that this is a year of major transition for Canada...I believe He's bringing us into a new season...

Perhaps??? a part of that is that it might be time for various individuals that are networking together with others meeting together in homes across the country, to prayerfully consider the fact that perhaps God is bringing them into a new season in their journey, and into new directions, such as you are sensing God confirming to your heart?

I've also been experiencing this growing shift in my heart as well in terms of my involvements with the Canadian House Church Network, and don't know, yet, what it all means for me personally with regard to my current role in the network or in what God wants me to do in this regard in the future... I think that I may likely remain involved in much the same role I'm currently in, for some time, yet?? (which is minimal), but I don't feel that the Holy Spirit is leading me, at this point, to back off further...at least not yet. So we'll see...

When we all met out here a couple years ago, my role significantly changed after that, and it may significantly change again. At that time my role shrank incredibly and I really sensed God confirming that at the time and was very grateful for it, because since then is when things have been greatly developing in my own relationships with the Lord and with local believers that I've been fellowshipping with in homes, as mentioned above, in ways in which I would not have expected!! And again, I affirm so much what you are saying.... the process is so important...the process of developing increasing intimacy with each other and with the Lord.

I think, like you said, 'the system' and the world's way of seeing relationships, etc. is so deeply entrenched into us....and God knows that...and so I see Him, in His love and grace, gradually revealing to us as His Body, more and more, that there is so much more that He is leading us into, and HE IS TAKING US ON THAT JOURNEY and taking us from precept to precept and leading us from one season into another in His timing as we continue to seek Him...

As in Joshua 1, some of the Israelites were to go ahead of the others into the promised land, but they were not to just take off and leave the others behind...and I think that this is somewhat of a picture of how God often moves the Church....often I think the prophetically-gifted are moving ahead of the others in terms of seasons that are taking place in their lives, and wanting others to 'catch it' at the same time as well.... but I think this passage also encourages a grace-orientation and patience towards those that may not be at that place, yet, and encourages those that God is using to lead people forward into the new season (such as people like yourself in this situation, for example), to also walk with the others through the process to also bring them into that place in God's timing...(at least that is how this passage has often encouraged me through the years).

13 "Remember the command that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: 'The LORD your God is giving you rest and has granted you this land.' 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, fully armed, must cross over ahead of your brothers. You are to help your brothers 15 until the LORD gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise."

16 Then they answered Joshua, "Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses. (NIV)

Anyway, my two cents worth...

I'll look forward to hearing your thoughts on this and also input from the others...

God's best to you, Sam, and the Holy Spirit continues to lead you deeper into His heart.

Warmly, Grace -

Len's response: Agendas and networking vs friendship

The subject of your last mail caught my eye.

I have often connected to groups or people because I have an agenda to
influence them. I've learned that is dishonoring.

Jesus called us to be friends. Friends love "at all times" and without
agendas. While as a friend I can invite change, it is better to live an
example.

Gordon Cosby gave a talk to a group of megachurch pastors once entitled,
"Vision, the Destroyer of Essence". Ouch. These guys were so caught up
in their great visions and plans that they were losing the essence of
church. Vision is what we do - we have great plans for God. Essence is
far more related to being instead of doing.

We need to BE the church in this day and stop DOING church. Man.. Have
we messed it up.

Blessings, Len Hjalmarson
http://www.nextreformation.com

At 11:06 PM 2/12/04 +0000, you wrote:

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2004 SIMPLY PUT NEWSLETTER

N e w s

Blessings to all of you!

Lori and I and our girls are in process right now, and in a new season, which we believe will take us into a deeper understanding and expression of the life of Jesus within us and in community. We have come to understand how important three facets are to this community life. We have been reconciled through Christ Jesus to the Father. This reconciliation is the intentional plan of God to create relationship and community between the Godhead and His redeemed creation. This is the expression of the divine romance, when we gather around Jesus and express Him in relationship, and in redemptive community. As such we want to share some of the insights we have gleaned thus far. I like to call these the "3 Rs" which no doubt will conjure up memories of school for many!

THE THREE R's OF COMMUNITY: RELATIONAL

There is much going on in the Body of Christ today that is exciting but also ought to cause us to move in Christ with discernment and wisdom. I am excited by the brothers and sisters who are discovering new freedom in Christ and in more relational communities of faith, where relationship with Jesus and each other are pre-eminent and not the particular ministries or gifts that people operate in.We are seeking redemptive, relational communities, and are seeking to be a resource to those seeking similar kinds of Christian community.

We were designed for intimate communion with our Creator, and Jesus made the way possible so that we could be restored to that relationship. Likewise we seek intimate community with other brothers and sisters in Christ. It is one thing to function as we once did in the traditional church with not really knowing too many people and certainly not knowing them apart from the weekly Christian activities we were a part of.

We need to be in community, where we relate as extended family and friends, where each person is treated with respect and as a fellow brother or sister in Christ, no matter the age, or gender, or "gifting" or "ministry". Too often these things have distracted people from genuine community.

Recently, one experience I had really revealed just how much the system of traditional church is imbedded into our psyche. One man whom I counted as a brother, upon deciding to pursue HC on his own remarked, "Sam for the first time today I see you as my friend." I was a bit taken aback by those words. I had always cultivated a culture of friendship, and now after almost four years, it was the FIRST time he considered me his friend! Up until then I was viewed as an "elder" or "pastor" in his eyes, not what I had wanted either! I had fought that one for almost five years too! But this is how imbedded this is upon our personalities and our understanding of church community.

We have no problem understanding service, and doing the "work of the Lord", but we sure seem to be stuck in space somewhere when we are discussing being friends in community with one another. I think it is time to take a break from networking with people for the sake of working together, and time to start connecting in a genuine friendship basis, where authentic community can take place. It is when we express our love for one another and it is displayed in how we relate and express Christ in all circumstances, that the world sees what the "stuff" of Christianity is.

This to me is essential in a relational church community, but it is quite rare.It is my prayer that in the month ahead many of you will go deeper into relationship with those whom the Lord has knit your hearts and lives together. I challenge not only you, but myself to more authentic community.

If we were to ever "get real" in our gatherings, and in our times of play and recreation with each other... just imagine how attractive Christ would be, without you ever trying to use your "gift of evangelism"! He would simply show up in our genuine authentic relationships and in the activities that flow in those relationships. Jesus said, "I do not call you servants, but friends." It is time we are the body of Christ, as brothers and sisters truly embraced what it means to be "friends with Jesus and one another."

Next month, will focus on Redemptive Community

Blessings,
Sam & Lori

the_dwelling_place@hotmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
February & March Special

Two books on special for the months of February and March 2004

The Church In The House: A Return To Simplicity -
was $14.00 Canadian, NOW $10.00 plus postage and handling.
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This is classic on the subject of relational community, also known as home church. Evangelize the world quickly by planting millions of house churches every-where - this book tells you how. Robert reveals a passion for Jesus and the Kingdom and how easily it is to bring forth the Kingdom if we simply do what Jesus taught His disciples to do.The early church met in relational community in homes. In one generation the Roman Empire and the world was impacted forever. Can we not learn from the Early Church how to embrace and release the Kingdom of God, through the multiplication of relational redemptive communities that gather from house to house?

by Robert Fitts, Sr.

NOTE: US residents please contact the author at the web site www.robertfitts.com. Pricing with other distributors will not reflect the pricing of this sale.

Houses That Change The World -
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by Wolfgang Simson

NOTE: US residents please contact the author at the web site Wolfgang Simson . Pricing with other distributors will not reflect the pricing of this sale.

E m a i l D i s c u s s i o n G r o u p s

The Simple Relational Community Church Email List

This list is dedicated to the discussion of house church and all its various aspects and expressions. We desire to explore the life we have in community with the Lord and one another and how it is best expressed in the church that gathers from house to house. We also will explore the various aspects of reproducing community as the Vine of Christ in our culture as a whole. This list is moderated, anyone can join the discussion.

Subscribe: mailto:simple-relational-community-church-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org

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Bone of His Bone Email List

This list is dedicated to the discussion of our union with Jesus Christ. We dialogue and discuss the intimacy that Jesus have provided for us through redemption and restoration to the Father. We seek to better understand our intimate relationship and what it means to dwell together in community and unity in the Son as the Son is one with the Father. It is a frank and honest discussion about life and expressing the life of the indwelling Christ in all we say and do as the Body of Christ. This list is moderated and anyone can join the discussion.

Subscribe: mailto:bone-of-his-bone-subscribe@strategicnetwork.org

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C o n t a c t U s

You may contact us at:

Mail:
Return To Simplicity
C/O Samuel & Lori Buick
634 B Pinerow Crs.
Waterloo, Ontario N2T 2K8

Ph. 519-747-0822
Email: mailto:return_to_simplicity@hotmail.com
http://www.returntosimplicity.com

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N e w R e s o u r c e s D e v e l o p m e n t

2001, 2002, 2003 Return To Simplicity audio being edited and selected titles will be available in June 2004.

Speakers include Robert Fitts, Sam & Lori Buick.

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S e m i n a r & E - B o o k R e l e a s e s

Releases Summer 2004:
1. R3 Community: The Basics of Life in Christ Community

2. Fire In The Heart, Fire in the Hearth

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SIMPLY PUT NEWSLETTER for February/March 2004
http://www.returntosimplicity.com
Sam & Lori Buick
mailto:return_to_simplicity@hotmail.com

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