This Christian Life

Open-Source Church

Samuel posted several links about faith and open source and where those two concepts intersect. I find this concept very interesting. Check out these quotes from an article on TheOoze.

To me, the processor of the Christian church is simply the story of Christ. It’s our reason d’etre and the very thing that drives us. Everything else is part of the operating system. Our worship patterns, our teaching style, our discipleship methods - the works. These are the elements that are subject to frequent updates.

We’re a community where people who use different operating systems - be it Baptist, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Adventist etc.—learn from each other. Just as someone in the computer world might recognize the merits of the Mac interface but work on a PC, I think it’s possible to see value in more than one operating system. That is, to be a Calvinist without necessarily spelling anything. Or to cherish the quiet reverence of the liturgy while appreciating spontaneous, guitar-driven worship. Increasingly, I see church structure, theology and doctrinal positioning as part of the church’s operating system. The only thing that is hard-wired is Christ.

I think the idea that we can learn from each other is fascinating and necessary. Just last night I was imagining a church setting where all forms of worship are not only accepted, but celebrated. Where people from all kinds of persuasions were able to lead others in free, unashamed worship of our God. Where we all experienced a piece of each other’s view of the kingdom of God.

Where there were no insults. Where there was no fear.