Going to Grow

Over the past couple of years it dawned on me that some of my expectations were false. A primary bogus notion was that I could build an online church congregation. For me, a virtual church is not possible. So even though it didn’t come to me in specific words like that, I knew by conviction that I needed to stop using the name for my church (Kiln of the Soul) online, and stick with the covenant name Radix Fidem.

So my church isn’t gone, but you can’t join Kiln of the Soul as a church family unless you live close enough to maintain a physical presence. You have to come into my house to be a part of my house church.

Instead, you can participate in the covenant of Radix Fidem online. Radix Fidem is a separate category from a church. It’s not a religion, nor a religious practice, but a meta-religion. Your church is wherever religion happens for you in meat space. The church is a group of people who can touch each other, however many are gathered in the name of Christ. It’s a part of our covenant teaching that a church is necessarily limited by the experience and gifts of those involved. It’s a concrete expression of faith, whereas Radix Fidem is a study of faith itself.

And it is yet another category that sometimes I provide something like pastoral leadership to folks, both online and in person. In that sense, Radix Fidem is sort of a warning about what you can expect from me. I don’t control Radix Fidem; I’m simply the first guy to start talking about it. That makes me the default elder, but by no means the master of all things worthy of your consideration. Indeed, the whole point of blabbering about what I make of my faith is so that you can start walking in your own.

But I can still be one of your pastors, in the sense of pastoral guidance. You can call refer to me as your pastor, though it helps if I know about it. Still, you won’t actually be a part of my church until you show up in person and establish that strong personal bond. You are still my covenant brother or sister online, but not a part of my church without face-to-face fellowship from time to time. You’ll receive all the same affection and moral covering, but there’s something missing without that face time.

That’s why I ditched the domain name on the other blog (soulkiln.blog) and closed the static server account (soulkiln.org). They simply weren’t appropriate.

Having said all that, I still maintain the prophetic declaration that there will be churches in the future that embrace Radix Fidem. They will all be “house churches” in one sense or another. A formal incorporation with all the trappings of government registration is flatly contrary to the covenant. There could easily be Radix Fidem fellowships within established churches, but I suspect that would be transitory. Something like that tends to be disruptive of the host organization. I find that distasteful, but I won’t pretend I could prevent it happening. Again, the whole point is that you exercise your own faith as you feel led.

Once you engage such a covenant fellowship where you live, you can call it a church and name it anything you find appropriate. I wouldn’t dream of denying your use of the name I use here, Kiln of the Soul. You can treat me like a distant elder or ignore me completely. I can explain what Radix Fidem means as a limited form of identity, but only God can enforce anything. I’m trusting Him that no one will ever decide to try hijacking our name, but our flat refusal to protect it legally is part of what it means.

Maybe that clarifies things for future reference. This covenant fellowship is most certainly going to grow.