Either / Or

I've been a fan of open source software for the last 7 – 8 years, for every commercial software, there's a free, open source alternative which is just as good, if not better than the ones you shell out money for.

I love the open source community; by nature they are a very giving bunch. They spend hundreds of hours developing & tweaking software, then give it away for free.

This year I finally embraced Ubuntu & Linux as well. Again, thousands of people who believe that some things should just be free & made available for the masses. These folks think outside the box & I love them.

For the Ubuntu & Linux lovers there's so many different flavors of each operating system & no one flavor is superior to the others, it's all personal preference based off the core operating system.

So many people are tired of Windows, tired of Norton Antivirus, tired of anything mainstream but they refuse to go open source because Windows is all they've known & they're simply comfortable. There is a section that loves Apple & I can see why. For the first time in my life, my Linux computers outnumber my Windows computers & things have never been smoother or safer.

The same goes for the Church. The Institutional Church is very much like Windows, it's been around for a long time (by some estimates 1500 – 1700 years) & been accepted as “the norm”.

The rising Home Church movement can be seen as the Ubuntu & Linux versions of the Institutional Church. Microsoft does not have any love for the open source community, they see it as a threat to their livelihood. The Institutional Church views the Home Church much the same way; as a threat.

The Early Church started out in homes, then somehow over time morphed & moved into public buildings & now it's coming full circle once again, much to “Microsoft's” dismay.

The open source folks [for the most part] have nothing against Microsoft, they just see things differently. The Home Church folks [for the most part] also have nothing against Institutional Church, they too just see things differently.

They are both valid expressions of the Body of Christ.

They are both fulfilling Hebrews 10:25 in their own way.

The Institutional Church just does it on a set day/place/time & format w/ monologue taking precedence over dialogue.

The Home Church is more intimate, accountable & flexible in days/places/times & formats w/ dialogue taking precedence over monologue.

They are both are making disciples.

They are both getting the job done.

It doesn't have to be either/or, Windows or Linux, Institutional or Home, both have their respective strengths/weaknesses.

I'm all for Believers getting together & encouraging one another in whatever operating system & software they choose.