CRSTAL
WATERS - networking the body of Christ
In 1992 we were very aware that God was wanting to give us a better "paradigm" for the church and ministry. A paradigm is the world view or colored glasses through which we view reality. For instance, the naturalist cannot believe in miracles because his world view is based totally on physical cause and effect.
I could see that what we had experienced in ministry was out of step with 'Acts" ministry. In Acts the Holy Spirit was moving within the people so that there was multiplication. From one believer came two, then four, then eight, then sixteen and so on. Somehow our experience as the body of Christ didn't produce multiplication of believers only addition. From one, two, three, four.etc. I also notice that the Acts church started with addition but entered into multiplication. For example:
They started with addition:
Ac 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
But it soon turned to multiplication.
Ac 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
WHAT HAPPENED ? – ONE HEART
Two major things happened between Acts 2 and Acts 6. There was persecution and the disciples were knit together in a relationship so powerful that they were one in heart and soul.
Ac 4:32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.
This "one heart" relationship is fundamentally different than our experience of the church. We define the church in terms of buildings, services, methods, employees etc. But the first church was clearly defined by relationship to each other and to God. We needed a new paradigm of the church.
THE REVELATION - "CRYSTAL" - A networked structure
As we prayed for God’s vision of the church the word "CRYSTAL" kept coming to me. I couldn’t make sense of it. But it continued to come to me for days afterwards. I decided to look it up and found two references in the bible. The first is to the firmament or sea of glass at the throne of God.
Eze 1:22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of a firmament, shining like crystal, spread out above their heads.
Re 4:6 and before the throne there is as it were a sea of glass, like crystal. And round the throne, on each side of the throne, are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind:
The second reference is to the river of life!
Re 22:1 Then he showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb
Over the weeks the Lord kept saying "crystal" and I was asking Him what this had to do with the body of Christ. One day as I was in the shower the Lord suddenly showed me.
A crystal is a lattice network in which every molecule is set, and grows in a relationship to each adjacent molecule. As it is fed the whole crystal grows and will multiply. This was a very good picture of the body of Christ.
Every one of us in the body of Christ is like one point of the crystal, related to a number of others who in turn are related to others and so on in every dimension. A local congregation is a larger group of us taken together, yet not isolated from the rest of the body. We are members one of another. Every member of a local church has relationship outside the church.
INTERPRETATION
2. Crystals grow as they are fed. The body of Christ always grows when the relationships are in order. Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.
3. A crystals strength is in the molecular orientation. The crystal structure creates some of the hardest substances known to man. Eg: Diamonds. The strength of the Body of Christ is totally based on relationships.
4. Impurities affect the entire crystal. Similarly 1Co 12:26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
5. Crystals emit light throughout the entire structure. eg. Fiber optics, LED’s Eph 5:8 for once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light
6. Crystals create electrical power when impacted. Eg. Piezo Ignitors 2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.
7. Crystals store great information. Eg: computer chips.Eph 3:10 that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known
The comparisons could go on. The point is that crystals and the body of Christ are about relationship. The only way the body can grow properly is Christians loving and serving one another and being a blessing to the world with the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through each part.
Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.
The Church is not organization - though it will be organized.
The church is not programs - though it will act in concert.
The church is not events, services and buildings, though those things may all be used.
The church IS people in relationship to God and each other