Running through the whole church…

I’ve noticed different gifts in different parts of The Church through the years. I love getting to know the whole Body….
Baptist like word and fellowship! It’s an underrated part of baptist churches that they have a value on eating and fellowship even if you end up talking about whether or not you are saved. Presbyterians always leave me thinking, contemplating, with kindness and a sense of history. Vineyard and some charactismatics leave you you filled with worship and the spirit, but not sure where you are meant to eat—rarely had food around. However, Morningstar was an acceptation as they often had barbecue socials after prophetic sermons, and staff Harley rallies.
Anglicans are pretty balanced i think. Though perhaps they overemphasize social justice to the exclusion of personal formation. It’s cool looking at the gifts of different parts of the church. It’s not as simple as it seems. People often either throw the baby out, or just put the whole church into one “it” blob. Experientially its much more complex than that—and each part has its gift—i mean those pentecostals know gold, but could lose the bouncer deacons in the back of the church who make sure you can’t get out. Then there are the “catchers” in lots of Holy Ghost churches. I like those guys who catch people when they get slain in the Spirit—I’ve been caught a few times, and was thankful they had my back! (Happened in Toronto to me after i met John Arnold and literally got the blessing!)
I’ve gotten to meet many great leaders from different parts of the Body, they all carry special aspects of the whole. Dallas Willard, and other great baptist teachers, as well as many leaders in the more charismatic movements, and gotten to eat in their homes and talk life and God. I’ve been blessed in that way to know so many parts, and get to sort of be a joint between them.
Some are much more socially oriented; others all word and salvation; some power evangelism and healing etc…when you step back and try to see the living parts of the whole in each culturally unique instant, it’s fun to watch the Blood flow.
And I often think we should switch churches monthly, so we get the fuller picture of Him across His Body. All together we are a more accurate picture of Him.
Strengths and weaknesses in each part of the church, but with the baptist was missing that fellowship family gift they carry today. It is rare still to have ten different pies flowing from different houses in the church, as a gift to the whole. Unusual in the world to want to share home that much.
I once had a dream i ran through all the parts of the Body, including the catholics starting at their renewal in the 70’s—great dream which pointed out the best gifts each denomination still carries, and then how to integrate them all in Him. Having so many friends from different branches of the tree always leads me back to The Tree of Life. Yet, it does require some humor to stay friends with the whole Body.