The world around us is changing continually, and the rate of change has undoubtedly accelerated in recent years. And it will accelerate even more in years to come.
In fact whilst deep seated societal beliefs may still take decades to evolve, surface level trends, behaviours, and organisational cultures are changing in one to three years or less!
In addition cultural diversity is also accelerating whether it be due to ethnic backgrounds, geographical location, political ideology, social media thought bubble or whatever.
This raises some very important questions for church leaders.
What should the church look like today? Is the way we did church in the past the way church should be tomorrow? What really is a biblical form of church and how does this correspond with the traditional form of church?
So many questions! And they are amongst the questions that church leaders should be grappling with today perhaps more than ever if we truly want to reach the harvest that is in our Nation.
In this article, we won’t deal with the biblical principles that guide what church should be. That can wait for another time. But in this article, we will explore seven different models of church that Exponential Next have identified in their recent publication The Atlas, Your Call, His Kingdom.
The Atlas describes these different forms of church providing descriptions, a comparison chart and case studies of real life examples. The seven different forms they have identified are:
TRADITIONAL CHURCH – Gathering in One Location Together
The majority of churches in Australia today would fall into this category. These churches are characterised by vibrant atmospheres where modern music, multimedia presentations, and a relaxed environment create an accessible and inviting space for people of all ages.
MULTISITE CHURCH – One Church in More than One Location
Multisite congregations are essentially reproductions of an existing church, managed centrally and typically established within a 30-minute drive from the sending church. They are usually led by campus pastors who excel as team players in implementing the vision of the sending church.
ENTREPRENEURIAL CHURCH – When Faith and Business Come Together with Purpose
Entrepreneurial churches are started by spiritual entrepreneurs who launch a community of faith that connects with people in their area throughout the week in the hope of developing relationships with the unchurched and becoming a valuable part of the community beyond weekend worship. Their approach is hands on, relational, and deeply invested in the wellbeing of their community.
DIGITAL CHURCH – A Digital Expression of Faith
Digital Churches are founded on the belief that the full ecclesiology of the Church can be embodied within fully digital spaces. As more individuals adopt digital and hybrid lifestyles, turning to online platforms to address their needs, find community, and seek truth, it becomes imperative for the Church to exist and thrive in these digital arenas.
MICROCHURCH – A Decentralised Approach Focused on Disciple-Making
Microchurches are not miniaturised versions of traditional churches—they are a fundamentally different expression of the church. A microchurch is an extended spiritual family, led by ordinary people, living in an everyday Gospel community and owning the mission of Jesus in a specific network or neighbourhood.
NETWORK CHURCH – A Church of Churches
A Network Church is a decentralised expression of church life that blends the relational depth of house churches with the collective strength of a unified church body. At its core, this expression is built on numerous house churches; a community of believers who gather in homes for worship, Bible study, prayer, and disciple making.
AFFINITY CHURCH – Reaching People Where They Are
Affinity churches are intentionally designed to reach and disciple a specific group of people who share a common interest, background, or life experience. The primary goal is to make disciples by focusing outreach, worship, and community life around the unique needs and culture of that particular group.
Is this list exhaustive? Not at all, but the groupings described provide a good starting point not only in describing different forms of church, but perhaps also in broadening our thinking so that when we think of “church” we don’t necessarily always think of the traditional model of church.
Another great resource is Once You See: Seven Temptations of the Western Church a great book that Jeff Christopherson has written as a novel that cleverly describes various models of church. I found the book very insightful and have recommended it to many church leaders and church planters to stimulate their thinking about different models of church, which models may be appropriate in different circumstances and how we can fulfil the Great Commission mandate of making disciples.
One other dynamic that is important to consider along with the model of church is whether the leaders of the church should be vocational (i.e. full time in paid ministry), bi-vocational or co-vocational. Some church models lean towards one of these expressions.
As we consider which models are most appropriate, I think we need to be like the sons of Issachar who know how to discern the times. What I do know is that the future will be different to the past and as we lead and plant churches, the traditional model won’t always be the right model. Courage will be required to do church differently, as will wisdom, knowledge and of course sensitivity to God’s leading.
