"Full time" ministries

Having been involved in one of micro-churches and their network and ministries, I have begun to think that disciple-making requires "full time" engagement. And this "full time" does not mean 9-to-5 or more than 8 hours per day. It literally mean full time, and you need to contribute all of your time.

Today's church is highly institutionalized and professionalized. It is required to have completed advanced education to become a pastor. A church needs staffs for administrative tasks and to take care of its building. And words like "full time" and "part time" are attached to ministers and staffs alike. Apparently there are "certificate" of baptism for members and when moving membership between churches, there needs to be transaction.

Jesus told his disciples "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19 NIV)

There is not such things like "full time" or "part time" in disciple-making  There shouldn't be. Whether you are on or off, in up time or off time, Christians are witness to the world and tasked to make disciples "full time". Not just Sunday morning. Not just during service or even mission trip. Any day, any time.

Church is a community of believers. It is not about buildings nor about how services is good or sermon is appealing. It is about engagement to one another. Not about how you connect with other members on Sunday, but rather every day. Not about spending a couple of hours in Sunday morning in one building and sanctuary, then saying each other "have a nice week." It's about "hi, what's going on?", "How can I pray for you?", "Anything I can do for you?", "Let's hang out."

In Acts, there is a description of the earliest church.

"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:46-47)

They meet and shared meals every day, not just on Sundays. They engaged each other "full time."

I hear description of modern church as a "country club of Christians" frequently these days. To certain degree, I agree with it. Somewhere you have to dress up nicely. You may be welcome at your first service at the church, then nobody talks to you after 2nd or 3rd visit.

Church sometimes labels first-time attendees of the service as "guests." It sounds nice but I think it's a very offensive word. A guest is usually a visitor who do not come back some time soon or ever. So, when church addresses the person who attended the service for the first time as a guest, it can be taken as saying "thank you for coming, but we really like the way we are now, so don't come back if you are going to change it."

I'm not saying having a building or trained teachers or ministers is a bad thing. Nor institutionalizing a church. It can enforce the ministries and help respond to complex issues presented today. But, it can also be distraction from disciple-making and "full time" engagement.