From the back cover...

Many of the old beliefs held by church leaders and congregations read as if they are self evident, irrefutable truths-if you build the perfect church they will come... growing your church automatically makes a difference in the community... developing better church members will mean better evangelism... time has failed to produce the evidence of these claims.

Although I haven't finished the book all the way yet it provides a very provocative thoughts.  So far it's been a very good read.
Chapter 2 on the shift from church growth to Kingdom growth says that we as churches need to shift our target of ministry efforts from church activity to community transformation.

It's always been my hope that we at discovery church are passionate enough in our Christian faith and deep enough in our spirituality to transform our community not just our church.

My wife homeschools our two youngest children.  One of the ways that I help is to conduct a class on the Bible.  We have been spending some time in the last two months on the subject of covenant.  The lesson today spoke to me through the use of a drama.  A family with two children was preparing for their mother to go into the hospital.  She put together a list of rules for them to follow while she was gone.  The children obeyed while she was gone only because someone was keeping track.  When she returned the children continued to follow the rules but more because they wanted to.

Jeremiah 31:33, 34 "this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord.  "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.  I will be their God, and they will be my people.... I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more."

My journey with Jesus encourages me to obey.  Not because I have to, but because I want to.  I want Jesus to be happy with me, to be proud of me, to forgive me.  Although sometimes it seems like rules to me... most of the time it isn't.

I've had a lot of conversations recently around the topic of becoming a member of a local church.  It's interesting to me that at first most people are very luck to to commit to being part of a local church.  I think mainly it comes from a place of busyness but also the unknown.  In our church tradition there has been too many things attached to being a member of a church that has nothing to do with being a Christian.  When in reality being a member of a local church has everything to do with what God asks us to do already.  You would probably agree with me if I said that we should get along with each other at church, that we should respect each others opinions,that if we asked people to lead...we would follow their leadership, that we should grow in our faith so that we can use it well and live out what we believe.

This is exactly what being a member of the local church is all about.  It may sound more formal but in reality it's nothing more than what I just explained.  At discovery church we ask people to commit to being a member.  What we ask of them is nothing more than what the Bible already asks of us.  Some people have hang ups around becoming a member or they've had bad experiences at a previous church so this will never be an option.  You may never feel ready to sign a piece of paper saying that you will be a member.  That's okay.  But recognized that what the Bible asks of us is regardless of whether or not we are a member of a local church.  Here's what I mean...

1.  I Will Protect the Unity of My Church