A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single question

Posted by Alan Hirsch on 11/29/06 • Categorized as Missional Church, The Forgotten Ways

OK, I want to return to our discussion on the new book. To get to the heart of the material, I have to introduce you to the question that obsessed me for about 3 years non-stop - the question that started my personal quest and culminated in the wrting of The Forgotten Ways. This question will serve as both the starting point AND the constant reference point for all the material in the book as well as this series of blogs. And here’s why it is so central: I am now utterly convinced that in the answer to this question is found some direct clues to the nature of the church as God intended it as well as some answers for the missional malaise of the church in our time and place. So here goes…

About four years ago I attended a seminar on missional church where the speaker asked the question “How many Christians do you think there were in the year 100AD?” He then asked “how many Christians do you think there were just before Constantine came on the scene, say 310AD?” Here is the somewhat surprising answer…

100AD There are as little as 25 000 Christians
310AD There are as many as 20 000 000 Christians

He then asked the question, and it has haunted me to this day, “how did they do this?” “How did they grow from being a small movement to the most significant religious force in the Roman Empire in two centuries?” Now that’s a question to initiate a journey! And delving into this question drove me to the discovery of what I will call Apostolic Genius (the inbuilt life force and guiding mechanism of God’s people) and the living components or elements that make it up. These components I have tagged missional DNA or mDNA for short.

So let me ask you the question—how did the early Christians do it? And before you respond, here are some qualifications you must factor into your answer.

They were an illegal religion throughout this period: At best, they were tolerated; at the very worst they were very severely persecuted.
They didn’t have any church buildings as we know them: While archaeologists have discovered chapels dating from this period, they were definite exceptions to the rule and they tended to be very small converted houses.
They didn’t even have the Scriptures as we know them: They were putting the canon together during this period.
They didn’t have an institutional leadership: At times of relative calm prototypal elements of institution did appear, but from what we consider institutional these were at best pre-institutional by comparison.
They didn’t have seeker sensitive services, youth groups, worship bands, seminaries, or commentaries, etc.
They actually made it hard to join the church. By the late second century aspiring converts had to undergo a significant initiation period to prove they were worthy.

In fact they had none of the things we would ordinarily employ to solve the problems of the church, and yet they grew from twenty five thousand to (around) twenty million in two hundred years! So, how did the early church do it? In answering that question, we can perhaps find the answer to the question for the church and mission in our day and in our context. For herein lies the powerful mystery of church in its most authentic form.

But before the example of the Early Christian Movement can be dismissed as a freak of history, there is another perhaps even more astounding manifestation of that unique and explosive power inherent in all of God’s people in our own time—namely, the underground church in China. Theirs is a truly remarkable story: About the time when Mao Zedong took power and initiated the systemic purge of religion from society; the church in China which was well established and largely modeled on Western forms due to colonization, was estimated to number about two million adherents. As part of the this systematic persecution, Mao banished all foreign missionaries and ministers, nationalized all church property, killed all the senior leaders, either killed or imprisoned all second and third level leaders, banned all public meetings of Christians with the threat of death or torture, and then proceeded to perpetrate one of the cruelest persecutions of Christians on historical record.

The explicit aim of the Cultural Revolution was to obliterate Christianity (and all religion) from China. At the end of the reign of Mao and his system in the late 70’s, and the subsequent lifting of the so called ‘Bamboo Curtain’ in the early 80’s, foreign missionaries and church officials were allowed back into the country, albeit under strict supervision. They expected to find the church totally decimated and the disciples a weak and battered people. On the contrary, they discovered that Christianity had flourished beyond all imagination. The estimates then were about 60 million Christians in China, and counting! And it has grown significantly since then. David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine, suggests in his book Jesus in Beijing that Christians may number as many as 80 million. If anything, in the Chinese phenomenon, we are witnessing the most significant transformational Christian movement in the history of the church. And remember, not unlike the early church these people had very few Bibles (at times they shared only one page to a house church and then swapped that page with another house group.) They had no professional clergy, no official leadership structures, no central organization, no mass meetings, and yet they grew like mad. How is this possible? How did they do it?

What I suggest now is that you might wish to try and give your answers to this question. Lets chew on it together, try and distill the elements that make for phenomenal growth. Don’t try and translate these for Western contexts as yet. Just suggest answers and some reasons as to how they did it.

Tagged as: Missional Church, movements, The Forgotten Ways

124 Comments

David
13 December, 2006 • 4:40 am

In my humble opinion, I think people want to believe, and more importantly, be provided to live out something bigger than themselves along side others. Although it’s easier to stay isolated, I think in the process of building relationships, people begin to hunger for intimacy with God and with others.
Yet we, for the most part, don’t just want social small groups, or Bible studies over coffee (although those are good), we want something to live for and even die for. So the early church had this. China has this.
Inside we hunger for more than just our Jesus bobblehead doll. When we don’t live this out, then to the average westerner, watching sports on TV Sunday morning is more in tune with the human psyche than the church.
J Curry
13 December, 2006 • 9:28 am

A couple of thoughts:

As a reply to Matt who wrote:

Diaconate/Apostolic leadership - excerpt from the didache (circa AD70-90)”…You must, then, elect for yourselves bishops and deacons who are a credit to the Lord, men who are gentle, generous, faithful, and well tried. For their ministry to you is identical with that of the prophets and teachers. You must not, therefore, despise them, for along with the prophets and teachers they enjoy a place of honor among you.”

St. Ignatious says, “Correspondingly show the deacon respect. They represent Jesus Christ, just as the bishop has the role of the Father, and the presbyters are like God’s council and an apostolic band. You cannot have a church without these.”

I think you are right to look back this far. The leadership of the church in those days was made up ONLY of true disciples of Jesus. And what I mean by that was that they knew and followed the original teachings of Jesus. It was their lifestyle that made them worthy of respect and obedience, not their office. It’s why you’ll continually see wording like ‘they represent Jesus’. Their lives looked like His. Today, we have leaders that do not ‘represent’ Jesus. Churches, to their shame, select leaders based on a degree and a gregarious, likeable personality. It’s a big part of the reason we are in the mess we’re in. But in the days of the Apostles and Earliest Church Fathers, only those who were in possession (meaning memorized) of the Apostolic Tradition (the words, teachings, and deeds of Jesus) and were living them out were selected as leaders. Our whole system is really messed up.

Another thought that’s been running around in my head for the last few days:

Used to, we wondered how to DO church. This meant good pastor/teacher, accomodating environs, etc. If you build it right they will come. Attractional as H & F would say. Many of the enlightened are coming to fully realize this attractional model is a bunch of BS.

Then some are saying it’s better now; we’ve changed and are now actually BEING the church, as we go into the community and work together as a band for the good of the people. In some instances, I can see this being right. But I’m also thinking that this idea of BEING the church is not so good either. This sort of idea leads us to think that the church is supposed to be the entity ministering to the community. But this in many ways hinders us. How many times have we all done nothing because we were waiting on someone in the church, small group leader, pastor or other to organize us and then we move forward? It usually never happens. I know I’m guilty of this waiting. When we wait for this, we’ve foolishly abdicated our responsibility/privilege of serving without even thinking about it to someone who might or might not be interested in ministering.

I think we need to stop thinking about the church doing anything. We need to start thinking and doing ourselves.

What if each and everyone of us stopped waiting to minister? What’s keeping me or you from going to the Nursing Home tonight?

What if we took our own responsibility back from the ‘church’? What if each of us took seriously our present ability to minister?

1000 believers working in the community: they ARE the church and as a whole, each having taken her/his own responsibility, they are affectual and representative of Jesus. That’s how we represent Jesus and that’s how we become trust-worthy leaders.
Matt
13 December, 2006 • 10:40 am

J Curry - You had me at “they knew and followed the original teachings of Jesus.” Unfortunately, you lost me at “I think we need to stop thinking about the church doing anything. We need to start thinking and doing ourselves.”

It is so critical that we differentiate between the ekklesia and the institutions/structures. Without this we are so prone to sectarianism and isolationism. The ekklesia of the NT was a communal faith. It was never marked by the excessive individualism of our day. They experienced “shared life together”. I think one of the challenges facing us is that we have exchanged institutional loyaly for real relationship. Hundreds and thousands of people gather at buildings where they know a couple of people, or noone at all, stare at the back of some heads, listen to a monologue and then believe they have gone to “church”. No, they have have been a part of an institutional gathering, but they have not been the “ekklesia of God”!

Wow, I have some fire in my belly on this deal.:)
J Curry
13 December, 2006 • 1:47 pm

Matt: I might should clarify why I said that we should stop thinking about the church doing anything and about each individual working.

My bad. Thanks for pointing it out. I should have been clearer when I used the word church. I was certainly talking about the institutional church, not the ekklesia.

To clarify further, I know people who think that ministry is governed/done by the institutional church and that when that happens (which is rarely) they can join in and help. This is their service as a Christian. Forget the neighbor and widow and orphan. As a matter of fact, I think most Christians believe that ministry is done almost exclusively by the institutional church. It’s why so few rarely get their hands dirty. “We’ve hired professional ministers! Let them do it!” As individual Christians, we’ve abdicated our privilege/responsibility of ministering to these ‘professionals’. I’m sorry, but this is hooey.

I’ll try to say it better this time.

Before we can return to a viable and vital Christianity, we have to recapture on an individual basis, the original teachings of Jesus. They have to be memorized and written on our hearts and minds. Then we, as individuals, have to commit to following them and ministering according to those principles. If we were to do that, then the ekklesia (its individual members out there ministering as Jesus did) can be seen as a force in the world for good. If the individuals are not doing anything, then neither is the ekklesia. I think that’s really my point.

I didn’t mean to sound individualistic in my earlier post. I meant to say that the individual needs more than ever to be intentionally committed to following the teachings of Jesus, whether anyone else does or not.

I don’t want anyone to think that I don’t value the ekklesia. Nothing could be further from the truth. I value highly the teachings of Jesus and those who are committed to following them. These are my mothers, brothers, and sisters, the ekklesia.
Troy Waller
20 January, 2007 • 9:05 pm

I live in China…right now. I am posting from China. This doesn’t make me an expert but I hope it lends some credibility to my comments. I am also an ex-Xian. I am one of those from SMRC (now ‘RED’ I hear) who took the plunge and ‘walked away’ from the faith. Let me also stress I am not hostile to SMRC, Al and such. As a matter of fact, I count them as friends and my SMRC time was is still one of my Xian ‘experiences’ I cherish.

Anyway, here are a few MORE reasons why Xianity is flourishing in China AS WE SPEAK.

1. There is a large peasant class and thus the masses are largely uneducated.
2. Those who are educated have not usually developed critical reasoning skills.
3. They are largely a very superstitious (cue Stevie Wonder) people and thus open to the superstitious and archaic worldview of the Bible.
4. They are very open to and curious about things Western and Xinaity is seen (rightly or wrongly) as a Western religion.

This is not the final word on the matter, but some things worth heeding. I guess the same things could be said about Africa too.

Reverse my points above and you have some good reasons why Xinaity is declining in the West.
Alan Hirsch
21 January, 2007 • 2:34 pm

Actually Troy me ole mate, hope you are well.

Christianity is not just flourishing among the peasants, but especially among the emerging middle class and on student campuses. One of the best books on the topic was written by the former Time correspondant where he described the phenomenon. Its called ‘Jesus in Beijing’.

But what really worries me about what you said, your remarks are very condescending (bordering on racist) as regards Africans and ‘uneducated’ Chinese–I am surprised.
Troy Waller
22 January, 2007 • 1:37 pm

Whoh Bessie!!! Condescending? Racist? Perhaps I need to elaborate…

OK, so as I said, I live here. I see the lives of many ‘everyday’ Chinese.

As an educator living in China, I can say without doubt (as I did in my first post) that, “2. Those who are educated have not usually developed critical reasoning skills.” Their education system and pedagogies employed are very unlike ours. They still rely heavily on a Confuscian philosophy of education. This may not be the place to go into this in depth but I would recommend some reading on the matter. The mainland Chinese are, by and large, not encourgaed to think for themsleves in a critical manner. This is true to a degree for most Chinese communities in South East Asia as well, for example, Singapore and Taiwan. I also believe that the authoritarianism of Communism which has only recently lessened its hold on the minds of the people, has also had a lot to do with this discouraging of critical reasoning. So we see a combination of both Eastern (Confucius)and Western (Stalinism) philosophies stunting critical reasoning in the masses here. No, not racist…realist.

I wrestle with this every day, even though I am only a primary school teacher and ciritical reasoning skills are something I intend to develop in my children should they study here. As I said, as far as China’s emerging middle class, this is not a question of race, but of reality.

But even the middle class are intensely superstitious, often in spite of their education.

Now as far as the peasant class… Man, you gotta come and see it. it is like nothing we as Aussie’s can even begin to fathom. Most live on a combined income of less than AUD$200 a month in urban areas and sometimes as little as a 1/4 of that in rural areas. I live amongst them, teach their children and learn from them. But I am also aware that the peasants are uneducated, superstitious and hungry for something that offers them something different to their meagre existence. Al, you have to see it to understand it. All the same, I was simply trying to add some ‘reasons for Church growth in China’ that you may not have considered.

I am not as informed on Africa, but I am aware that they are far more superstitious and don’t have the availabilty of an education that we might have in the West.

I hope that makes things clearer.
Troy Waller
22 January, 2007 • 1:46 pm

…And my post was not supposed to be a final word on the ‘problems’ of Chinese culture. Rather, some reasons why the church is growing here. Shit, I am the 2nd biggest Sinophile in this town. Racist? Bah Humbug! I wonder how my wife would feel about that…being CHINESE???

Anyway, if you will excuse me, I have to put a pillowcase on my head and burn a cross in the frontyard of some blacks who just moved in to the neighbourhood. ;P
Alan Hirsch
22 January, 2007 • 4:21 pm

hehehe Troy. I have always loved your sense of humor. I do miss you mate. Thanks for ther comments. I am duly furthr educated.
Troy Waller
23 January, 2007 • 12:20 am

I miss you too Al. A lot. I would love to sit down and ’shoot the shit’ with you some time. Maybe next time I swing thru Melbourne we can have a coffee. I’d love you to meet my wife. She’s much better than the first one. ;P

Congrats on your book’s success.
Alan Hirsch
23 January, 2007 • 9:52 am

Better be quick! We are leaving for a sjourn in the USA for up to 4 years (if they let us in-haven’t heard about visa yet)
Kenneth Thurdeen
23 January, 2007 • 10:35 am

Alan, you might be better taking a four year sojourn in China to see if all your theories stack up.
Troy Waller
24 January, 2007 • 1:02 am

I guess what I am trying to say is that there are some definite and some not-so-defintie sociological dynamics at work in the China model of church growth, just as there were in the radical growth under Roman rule. As a former believer, I appreciate your desire to see ’spiritual keys’ to unlock growth or things that can be done on the part of believers to foster that growth, but one needs to also to recognise the social climate the exists which work(ed)in favour of the church.

And one needn’t take an unbeliever’s tack on this either. You can well say that God brought these social dynamics about etc and still be all God focussed if you want. I wouldn’t see it that way…not anymore anyway…but you guys can if you like.

OK, tangent time. America? You’re going to live in the Evangelical Mecca? Shit Al, now I am surprised!
Matt
27 January, 2007 • 12:45 am

Interesting turn in the discussion. Forgive my ignorance, but what is SMRC? Damn Americans, we really don’t know much!

Troy, I would love to hear the story of your trek from wherever you were to wherever you are, but this is probably not the forum for that.

I am still wrestling with the intitial question that was posed at the beginning of this discussion. I am mostly wondering if there is any possibility that the church (and by that I mean those of us who are a part of all forms of it, including “missional communities”) is going to be able to break out of the consumeristic approach to being Christ-followers that is so deeply embedded in our dna.

If there is hope and experience of this being altered, I would love to hear what took place, how it began to change in a community, not just individuals, what did the “church” look like after the change, etc… I think these are critical to seeing the forgotten ways remembered.

By the way, I have begun reading but have not gone very far in your new book Alan. I am challenged. Is it true you may be coming to the Seattle area? It is close to heaven here!
Alan Hirsch
27 January, 2007 • 5:23 am

Matt, the story of SMRC is actually in the book (ch.1) At leats part of it. Troy was part of the church years ago. But for his own reasons has decided to disown Christian faith.

As for me coming to Seattle. It is very possible. We are coming to US, but will wait for God’s leading as to where we will be settling for that time. We are wide open.
Troy Waller
2 February, 2007 • 1:43 am

Matt, OK, I won’t clog the discussion with my own saga. You can visit my blog which I hope doesn’t come across as an altar to bitterness. ;P

http://whyidontbelieve.blogspot.com/

SMRC was definitely THE most positive of my varied church experiences. I am not just saying that. Alan was a champ and his wife Deb was a legend! I am sensing a disturbance in the force now, so maybe it is best that I return to the ranks of the Internet damned. Good luck with the book Al.
Alan Hirsch
2 February, 2007 • 3:55 am

Troy! funny boy. Take care. And thanks for the good times together.