Does Design Matter?

Does design matter?

What I mean is, does the way you design something have any impact on its effectiveness? When I put the question that way, I think most of us answer "yes." But, think about it a bit more. What if there is a more efficient way to design something - is that always the best thing? What if the more efficient way gets you 90% of your desired outcome - is that worth the sacrifice? SOme will say yes to 90%, but what about 80%? 75%? 60%?

Where would you draw the line?

When we are talking about say, an investment we might be happy with any of the above. But, what about when we are talking about the church?

The common thought these days it seems to me is that the Church, at least in its local expression(s), can take almost any form. Call it a house church, a mega church, a coffee house church, a Gen X church, Gen Y, church, a Boomer church, a community church, (you get the picture) - the most prevailing trend seems to be to say that all of them are fine in and of themselves - let freedom reign when it comes to this sort of thing!

Is that really the case?

I know I am not thinking any new thoughts here. There are all sorts of people out there that have thought these sorts of things before this post. So, call me late to the game - whatever. But, it seems to me a worthwhile question with which to wrestle nonetheless.

Here it is in a nutshell: What, if any, is the relationship between the biblical commands, expression and design of the local church as seen in the early church, and the church as it is being lived out in our North American context?

When the book of Acts describes the church and its activity (read Acts 2: 42-47) is it being prescriptive or descriptive?

Are there certain objective things that MUST happen for something to be considered a church?

Are there certain things that are completely negotiable?

And what of this whole question of design: When we set out to plant or start a new church - does it matter how we design it? Does the creation and the Holy Spirit "grove" to certain designs because they have the fingerprints of God on them, and, conversely have less to do with designs that in some way are ill fitting with the gospel message?

Or, is it simply the case, as a good friend told me the other day, that, "the Spirit of God blows wherever it wants" so don't even worry about it.

hmmmmmmmm.