Is there such a thing as an alternative church or is it just church? This is an important question to answer because somehow if something is alternative it creates the impression that it is somehow less than the best.
We live in a world (at least in the UK) where alternative is now applied to many things: alternative viewpoint; alternative life style; etc. We crave alternatives, it seems.
Sometimes these alternatives are seen as being a positive move – as soon as the rest of society can catch up – other times as somehow a little odd and to be avoided. However, for many younger people what is classified as alternative is just normal for their world. The idea that somehow living a different kind of life from everyone else (a very Christian idea by the way) is seen today as just a personal choice and nothing strange at all. So calling a different style of church an alternative church can be confusing in a modern context. I guess this is why we are encouraged to use the phrase ‘mixed’ economy (although I have to confess to a personal dislike of this phrase).
Of course, we also then need to try and workout if there is a standard ‘right’ way or not. For instace, if there is a standard ‘right way’ to do something then maybe there is a standard right way of doing church. This would mean that alternatives should simply be a way of feeding the proper right way – we will give people this for now with the intention of making them proper church goers when they get our faith.
I personally think that there is such a thing as absolute truth; either God exsits or God doesn’t exist – you can’t have it both ways. I don’t believe, however, that there is an absolute way of being church – at least not in the way it is expressed. Some fundementals are vital to be called a Christian church – there has to be boundaries defined by belief otherwise the local pub is simply a Christian church is another form (this may appeal to many, of course, there is something very attractive about calling any group a Christian church – it makes life a lot easier, just find a group and call it a Christian church and the job is done).
However, I don’t think that the basics of being a church extend to the way we do things. Jesus worshipped in a synagogue and the temple but he never gave us any idea of what he liked about that worship (save perhaps the sermon). Jesus never gave us an order for our worship; he said nothing about buildings or styles of architecture or church councils; etc. I wish he had said just do what the minister says and forget about meetings but he didn’t even say that.
So, who is to say an alternative church is in some way inferior to any way of doing church? Or even that it is alternative.
In my view we need to get away from thinking about alternative ways of church and start talking just about church. What is your point of view?