Liquid Church - Concluding remarks
There is a boldness in Ward’s vision that intrigues and fascinates me. I find myself wanting to run with this creative view of the church’s future. Yet, I find he wants to correct the pendulum swing too much. Solid church has had an overemphasis on the Sunday morning gathering. Yet, that does not mean that the idea of the faith community gathering together is wrong, or ineffective or counter to following Jesus.
Our churches need to become less institutionalised and rigid. We need to explore models that don’t just tinker with the same formula but attempt to rethink the whole DNA of what it means to be the ecclesial faith community. Ward’s vision doesn’t offer an entire solution, and it is not perfect in its expression, but it does challenge our processes and ideas of church, in order that we can express our mission in new ways and forms.
Other Liquid Church reflections can be found here:
Liquid Church - Reservation on the role of gatherings
Liquid Church - Unity
Liquid Church - Compartmentalising Church
Liquid Church - Community vs event mentality
Liquid Church - Plasma Church
Liquid Church - Who will pay the bills?
Liquid Church - Selling solid church short
Liquid Church - De-emphasising of a particular emphasis of faith
Liquid Church - Escape from structure and processes