What is Church?

So what is church?

The now cliché response to that question is “it’s the people, not the building,” but what if we actually eliminated the building? 

BOOM!  It’s gone!  Now what?  Can church exist without it?

Many would still concur, and admit church can be accomplished without a specially designated structure.  After all, many congregations in the United States meet in various locations throughout the community; movie theaters, schools, and golf course facilities are some of the venues being utilized successfully.

Could that model be BLOWN UP to another level?  What if church would not meet in a large corporate fashion at all?  What if church only happened in small groups; small groups, which NEVER come together?  Is it still a church?

BOOM!  It’s done!  Meet Dave Barnett.

Dave Barnett grew up in a conservative traditional church setting.  Growing up as the son of a missionary, Dave wanted no part of being a pastor.  After securing his counseling degree from Messiah College in Grantham, PA, Dave and his wife became involved with a Brethren in Christ Church in the area. Eventually, the pastor of the church came to Dave and invited him to join the pastoral staff.  The church, looking beyond its own walls, sent Dave and another pastor into a neighboring community to plant a new congregation.  Dave and the team immediately got to work, and Dave began really to seek God through this whole process.  Then Dave realized, through God’s prompting, that in the process of executing this well laid plan, they had missed something.  Jesus, speaking to the disciples, commanded them to wait for the Holy Spirit and then go.  This revelation caused Dave to begin the journey of seeking the Holy Spirit for His empowerment.

Before long, after waiting expectantly like the disciples did in Acts 1 and 2, Dave did receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.  Dave also sensed God was directing the church to head in a different direction than the one they had initially mapped out.  Unfortunately, the vision God had placed on Dave’s heart for the church did not correspond with the direction the denomination believed it should go.  Dave and his congregants left the denomination.

Currently, Dave’s congregation consists of seven to ten small groups, which meet throughout the week, and at various locations; mainly in homes.  Dave’s church believes they are called to a specific county in Central Pennsylvania, and that they will reach that county one development at a time.  Initially, they attempted to meet corporately, but believed that God was calling them to a completely small group structure where friends intimately care for people.

The particulars concerning logistics are foggy, to say the least.  Obviously, the small group church eliminates almost all overhead costs, and Dave occasionally receives remuneration for his pastoral services.  Can church work without a building?  Definitely!  Can church work without a corporate atmosphere?  Certainly places where it is necessary (e.g. China) it works fabulously, but whether it works in the States where there is an absence of the fear of persecution is yet to be seen.