Free-Range Christians

Free-Range Christians

You are probably curious about the title of this article. You are probably thinking, “Where is this guy going with this.” Will I rebuke Christians who float around unattached to any faith community? Or perhaps he will recommend that everyone break free from such attachments? Neither is true. Before we get into what the real issues are, we need to get a working definition of free-range so we can apply it to Christianity.

It is popular today for agricultural companies to promote their products as free-range. This opposed to caged or penned production. Dictionary.com defines free-range (in part) this way:

1.      (of livestock and domestic poultry) permitted to graze or forage for grain, etc., rather than being confined to a feedlot or a small enclosure:

2.      Informal. noting or relating to a style of child-rearing in which parents allow their children to move about without constant adult supervision:

Free-range has become popular for two reasons. The first is in response to an outcry from consumers concerning animal cruelty. The second is driven by consumer expectations for healthier food. People are willing to pay a higher price for free-range or organic products. Notice it is the consumers who are driving the free-range concept. Free-range costs more, so companies aren’t all that interested unless there is a profit involved.

Basically, the free-range concept is much better for the animals involved and healthier for consumers. It is a good idea for several reasons. I think we need to apply the same principles to Christianity to overcome several problems in the church today.

Spoiler alert! I’m going to tell you where we are going so you don’t have to read to the end for a surprise ending. I think the church would be much healthier and produce more—and better— fruit for the Kingdom of God if Christians encouraged to be more free-range. It’s time more of our churches and our leaders committed to free-range Christianity where every believer is empowered to move in the gifts and callings of God without undue control by leaders with agendas.

Let’s explore this concept.

I am not suggesting free-for-all Christianity. A Christianity where there is no significant attachment to a faith community or accountability. Even free-range animals have boundaries. There’s a fence somewhere that keeps them from wandering too far. In a Christian sense, there will always be scriptural boundaries that all Christians need to stay within.

One of those boundaries is genuine fellowship (real community, not fellowship dinners). Another is a basic doctrinal framework. Then there is the process of helping people find their gifts and calling and fulfill their God-ordained role in the Kingdom of God.

There are three things that need to happen. The first two are deconstructive. There needs to be less emphasis on the organization of the Church (services, doctrinal statements, programs, etc.). Perhaps I am somewhat cynical—I admit it is quite possible. However, I wonder if Christianity was outlawed, and people could not go to a traditional church on Sunday morning (a real possibility in our generation), how many would know how to be a Christian?

Much of our western version of Christianity is centered around what happens in Sunday morning. Could they maintain their spiritual lives without the Sunday morning props? Would evangelism grind to a halt (because most evangelism happens in public gatherings rather than one-on-one)? Could all of the people who “minister” in a church setting find true minister outside of Sunday morning? Could the average churchgoer make the transition from a formal, public service to an informal small group gathering? It isn’t just downsizing the space or the numbers. There are significantly different dynamics that need to take place in small groups that can’t or don’t happen in large public events (and vice versa). These are questions that need to be asked—and answered.

The second thing that needs to happen is a release of control from “leadership.” The trend in business and organizational development (church included) the past 20 years has been “leadership development.” However, you really can’t find that emphasis in the Bible. What you find in the bible is servantship development. Several times the disciples were arguing over who was going to be the “greatest.” James and John even tried to get the right-hand and left-hand positions next to Jesus. Even their mother got in on the act, trying to trick Jesus into guaranteeing her request before she told Him what she wanted —that her two sons would be first and second under Him.

If Jesus’ disciples were not immune to this powerful pull of fleshly ego and worldly principles, what makes us think we don’t have to deal with it also? Jesus wanted servants who lead, not leaders who serve. While it may not seem like much of a difference, there is. What is the primary identity in the two designations? The first is a person who sees their primary roles as a servant and leads from that position. The other is a person who primarily sees themself as a leader who should serve because of it.

Frankly, we need to develop more servants in the Church. These will end up leading with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Leaders who are focused on controlling everything and everyone involved in their ministries have done much damage in the Body of Christ. Churches have been split and individuals and families ruined spiritually because of these false leaders. They were bent on having things their own way or leading for their own gain. “Submission” is the keyword you hear from these people.

The positive thing that needs to happen is an emphasis on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for every individual. Leaders must commit to teaching and ministering the Baptism with the Holy Spirit to our congregations. With that, we must have a fresh commitment to teach, encourage and facilitate the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the context of the Body of Christ (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12-14, and Ephesians 4).

I am using the idea of free-range as a metaphor for the spirit-filled life of the believers in service to the King. Christians who have been released for the religious cages of total dependence on some leaders and have been released to flow in the power of the Holy Spirit as we are encouraged to do in the Word of God.

I am a part of a Pentecostal denomination. However, in the past couple of years, they have acknowledged that “Pentecost” has become more of a doctrinal ideal than practical experience. This is a common scenario in many Pentecostal denominations. In some cases, our pastors are not even Spirit baptized. While I am not condemning them in any way, I must wonder how our churches will maintain the power of the Holy Spirit in the future if their leaders are not modeling it now. Slowly the reality of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the power of speaking in other tongues and the operating in the Spirit has given way to seeker-sensitive services and slick presentations including light shows, fog, and big screens. Could it be that we are trying to compensate for the lack of God’s manifest presence via the gifts of the Spirit?

As a result of this recognition, my denomination has made significant steps to make sure the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is once again being taught, ministered and practiced in our churches worldwide. It has been my privilege to minister to thousands of Christians in Bible colleges, churches and pastors/leaders conference across the country of Papua New Guinea about the Baptism with the Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ. We have seen hundreds of people filled with the Spirit, speak in tongues and find a fresh empowering for their lives and ministries.

I have discovered one thing that hinders this fresh revival of Pentecost. Pastors and leaders are often afraid of letting go of control. They are afraid things will get out of hand. They are afraid some will start experiencing the power of God and they will lose their position, influence, and income. Jealousy and insecurity combined with a lack of understanding cause many to simply ignore this vital aspect of Christianity. Regardless of the motive, it boils down to one thing: control. This control results in a reluctance to help people find, develop and use their gifts and callings in the Kingdom.

It is this control that must stop. Christians have to be left out of their cages of religious control. They must be discipled into the Spirit-filled lifestyle. They must be encouraged and given the opportunity to share the gifts of the Spirit as outlined in 1 Corinthians chapters twelve through fourteen. This will not happen without a solid commitment from the leadership of any given church. It is my experience that if God does start to move by the spirit in the congregation, the leadership will quench it unless they release control to the Spirit. We are warned not to “quench the Spirit.” Unfortunately, this happens too frequently. When it does happen, our churches are left powerless. Personalities and programs take the place of the Holy Spirit and nothing truly spiritual happens in these churches. There may be lots of activity. Money is spent. Events go on. However, little life comes from it.

There must be a commitment from the leadership of the Church to open the cages, to let the sheep roam freely in the Holy Spirit. As I mentioned above, even free-range stock encounter fences. Opening the congregation to the Holy Spirit doesn’t mean a free-for-all.  That only happens when there has not been a proper spiritual foundation laid. Leaders who have not made the effort to teach on the Baptism with the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Spirit and the Body of Christ only have themselves to blame if things get out of order.

In fact, trusting the Holy Spirit to impart and empower the use of the charismatic gifts in the church will result in better order than fleshly control. Another advantage is that it will take the workload off the pastor(s) and spread it out across the congregation—in the long run. Opening the door to a true expression of the Body of Christ will result in more souls saved. More people healed and delivered, stronger discipleship and ultimately healthier churches.

One of the definitions or free-range was parents allowing their children to go without CONSTANT adult supervision.  Leaders must release their grip a bit and trust the Holy Spirit to lead and guide the congregations into a free-flowing expression of the Body of Christ. Children who are overly protected end up having emotional and even social issues. Maturing is a process of trial and error. At various and appropriate times parents have to release some controls so a child can develop into a mature adult.

As evangelicals, we affirm the priesthood of every believer. Unfortunately, we don’t practice it. We maintain a clergy/laity mentality, even though there is no biblical justification for it.

I advocate for a mindset of free-range Christianity. I challenge our leaders to take the high road to trust the Spirit and release a controlling grip. I encourage every church member to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and find discover your spiritual gifts given to every person by the Holy Spirit.