Christ, the Central Focus

I was reading Jim Belcher’s Deep Church, and came across a section that describes what he calls a “centered-set church.” In light of Vallejo International’s vision to “make Christ the central focus in people’s lives,” Belcher’s discussion resonated with me. Here I would like to pass on some of his insights about what the community of the gospel ought to look like.

The discussion comes as a contrast to what Belcher tags as “bounded-set churches.” In this model, the primary concern is the boundaries that define the insiders of the community. It takes the “us versus them” stance that seeks to protect one’s treasured traditions. Any potential member is evaluated whether he or she fits in the predetermined mold. The goal is conformity. The “centered-set church,” on the other hand, “is defined by its core values, and people are not seen as either in or out but rather by their relationship to the center. In this sense, everyone is potentially part of the community. These churches are Christ-centered…. Centered-set churches see the gospel as so refreshing that lovers of Christ will not stray too far from him.”

Referencing a book by Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, the illustration is given of a contrast between building fences and digging a well. Fences build boundaries that seek to keep insiders in and outsiders out. Wells provide a resource for life and refreshing, toward which living beings are drawn. Belcher quotes Frost and Hirsch: “It is assumed that livestock, though they will stray, will never roam too far from the well, lest they die…. As long as there is a supply of clean water, the livestock will remain close by.” The challenge is to “focus on the Well at the center—Christ.”

Do we spend too much time focusing on non-essentials, expending resources and energies in things that distract us from the Center that really matters? Building and maintenance projects, worship styles, policies and guidelines … they are important and have their proper place in church life. Yet they can become barriers that prevent us from getting to the center. For what the Lord desires the most from us is not what we can give him—our offerings and sacrifices—but ourselves.

The community of the gospel is all about hope. It’s about drawing people to Christ—to know him and to love him—not just to get them to conform to a set of pre-determined boundaries. It’s about establishing and nurturing an intimate relationship with Christ, whereby people are transformed into his likeness. When Christ is the center of the church, he will be the central focus of each member’s life.                 —Keith Y. Jainga