Five Unmovable Principles

Here are Frank Viola's Five Unmovable Principles for planting organic churches....

1. Become like little children. No one is an expert in this. Nobody is more gifted, more mature or more spiritual than anyone else. It's the body of Christ and everyone's on the same page. Humility and mutual encouragement is required.
2. Your feelings will get hurt. "Institutional religion has a way of hiding our flaws. It also has a way of safeguarding and insulating us from each other. In an organic church, we get to know one another very well. That means that what we are in the natural gets exposed. Authentic church life is a house of mirrors.... Consequently, it's inevitable that you will hurt one another...." And I love this: "Body life is a holy wedding of glory and gore - agony and ecstasy. This journey will be the most difficult adventure in your life. But it may very well be the most glorious."
3. Be patient with the progress of the group. It takes time for a church to be born, just like it takes time for a person. You have to be patient. It's a living organism, so you have to wait for God to do it. "Starting something is human; but birth is divine." There's a lot of preparation for God to do first, including helping us unlearn a whole lot of things we've picked up along the way.
4. People will leave your group. It's difficult being a part of a church like this. It requires more from you. You can't just come to receive and not to give. And giving requires spiritual preparation, time, energy. Some people who come won't be ready for the commitment, the dedication to one another. Viola's advice? "When people leave, I beg you not to pressure or persuade them to stay. And more important, do not speak ill of them when they go.... Accept what they say at face value instead of second-guessing their intentions. In fact, if you really wish to hit a high watermark, bless and speak well of them when they leave. Especially after they leave. To do so incarnates a monumental breakthrough in the kingdom of God. It also speaks volumes about your group."
5. People will experience exciting spiritual growth and healing. Because church like this is what we were made for. It's our natural habitat. It's what God called us to, so when we're a part of a community like this, it grows us significantly. It produces transformation.

Thanks Frank!