'Oikos' @ Church of the Apostles, Seattle:
intentional community, intentional context,
and intentional cause
Oikoi church is beautiful’: The first Christian churches described in the Book of Acts
were ‘oikos based.’ – They met in houses and as households. They lived a common life
They shared possessions and resources. They practiced ‘true religion’ caring for the poor, widows and orphans and living with values distinct from the society around them.
They were ‘dedicated to the apostles teachings, life together, the breaking of bread
(meals and Eucharist) and common prayers.’ – And they discerned their mission and ministry together in community, guided by the Holy Spirit.
‘Attractional / presentational church’: trying to lure people with techniques: clever media, and solo leader focused and entertainment type worship services is waning... and what is emerging are local, ‘Oikoi’ (lifestyle, whole-life) communities of faith who invite, not by saying ‘Join us if you believe these things (doctrines about Jesus and God) or listen to this ‘great speaker,’ but by saying ‘Join us if you want to live in this Way’ (the way of Jesus). This was the only ‘evangelism’ done by the early church. To ‘live your creed,’ rather than
just espouse it. To live faith, in wholistic, real, tangible, ‘day to day’ ways that matter not just within your own group but in ways that matter to the non churched people and society around you.
In intentional Community in the Way of Jesus, God meets us ‘wherever two or three come together in Jesus’ name’ to share in Christian community. Church begins ‘small’ and ‘oikos’ sized. Church can become bigger, but not ‘better’ with larger gatherings.
Our common life and mission at Church of the Apostles is ‘oikos’ (household) oriented with three expressions of church oikoi, in: ‘all group’ community
(at the Abbey) ‘small group’ communities (in homes, the Abbey and other spaces) and in ‘intentional Christian community living’ (in intentional Christian community houses).
‘Small Oikoi are beautiful’: Living room sized ‘oikoi’ are core to living out church life and God’s mission ‘day to day,’ and in ways that are small, relational and purposeful.
Small COTA community groups gather in houses, but also in other kinds of spaces like coffeehouses, pubs, bookstores, or at the beach... The spaces vary, but the purpose is the same: small groups of people (followers and seekers) gathering weekly, bi-weekly or month to share life, tell stories, eat, pray, grow and serve together in the way Jesus Christ. Each community group has it's own vibe, way of gathering and ‘basic’ path or core ‘focus.’-
Some groups are on a cognitive path (studying the bible & deepening knowledge), some are on an expressive path (making music, creating art or writing poetry) some are on a communitarian path around a lifestyle or common interest (moms, hikers, urban professionals...). Some are on a contemplative path (gathering for evening prayers or spiritual exercises or alternate worship services) while others are on an active path (engaging peace and justice, working in soup kitchens, tutoring kids, building houses...).
Community groups do different things because different groups of friends do different things. Although they may take up different ‘base’ activities, each group is an expression of church and will therefore devote time to worship, pray, reflect on scripture and engage in a group ministry in the world, because that's what Christians do... without these things (worship, prayer, scripture reflection and service), you have a club, but not an expression of oikos / church.
‘Big Oikoi are beautiful’: We come together as an ‘all group’ once a week for community Eucharist to be fed and strengthened so that we can ‘as a community’ take part in God’s mission to the neighborhood of Fremont. – Fremont is our ‘parish’ (the main geographic neighborhood area that God has given us spiritual charge to serve ‘as a community’). Individual Apostles can and do live in places outside of Fremont, but as a whole Church community our main mission focus is Fremont (the least churched neighborhood in Seattle).
There are 20,000 people in our parish neighborhood of Fremont. Like Jesus, we minister in the streets, literally, via our growing involvement in Fremont neighborhood life, and also like Jesus we do mission ‘in public.’ Our hub public oikoi is The Fremont Abbey; one the two remaining ‘community sized’ Christian oikoi, with the sole purpose is provide open doors for God’s love in Fremont and among all people (all, races, all income levels, yuppies, homeless, adults, youth, kids, seniors...). Such public, non-profit, outward, community focused Oikoi are rare and precious in our privatized, highly commercialized culture, and expensive, gentrifying zipcode.
In order for the Kingdom of God to flourish, God must have ‘outposts’ – public, communal, non-commercial, and welcoming places for renewed human community to be experienced, regardless of race, class, age, sex, income level and creed. - The first component of COTA rule of life is to Love God and Love neighbor’ and The Fremont Abbey and Fremont Abbey Arts provide an outpost for human gatherings and community building activities for ALL people to be welcomed and loved by God, whether Christian, non Christian and not yet Christian, alike.
Church of the Apostles has been given the privilege and responsibility to curate one of the few large, community Oikoi that God has left in this neighborhood, so we pray to be found as trustworthy stewards of ‘God’s public house’ in upper Fremont.
Alongside and in synergy with our ‘mother Oikos’ (the Abbey) and COTA community group oikoi, are ICC (Intentional Christian Community houses: The Abbey men’s community, Brigit House (apartment above Wit’s End), Praxis House and two new ICC house in formation this year, where four to eight apostles can live, work and serve God ‘24/7’ in ways that are ancient and future, and similar to the first Christian house based communities.
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Oikos History: A time of Jesus, oikoi (households) were not ‘nuclear families’ in single family houses, but ‘micro communities’ and small ‘living cooperatives’ that included extended family, servants, workers, guests and the family business operations. Each oikos was lead by a ‘master’ of the household who was an overseer of family life, co-op interests, shared work and household space.
Jesus Way of Mission: ‘in the street and @ home’ Jesus lived his mission among the people in public places (streets, markets, temples, beaches, plains...) and from ‘house to house.’
Jesus healed, taught, celebrated and mourned in houses: Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14, 15), the paralytic (Mark 2:1–12), Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10), Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42), The wedding in Cana (John 2:1–10). - The Last Supper and first communion was in a house: (Matthew 26:17–19). Jesus preached to crowds assembled in houses (Mark 2:1, 2) and he instructed the apostles to find “people of peace” in each village and build a spiritual base of operations from their homes (Luke 10:1–11; Matthew 10:1–15).
After Pentecost, the Jerusalem church met daily in houses to pray, reflect on the hewbrews and ‘the apostles teaching’ (later to be gathered into the New Testament) break bread, and share life (Acts 2:42–47; 5:42; 12:12). - Peter visited Cornelius – at his home. Family and friends were converted and were baptized in houses. – On missionary travels, Paul often stayed the houses of new converts. Lydia’s house may have been the gathering place for Europe’s first church (Acts 16:14, 15, 40).
In Corinth, Christians met in the homes of Gaius (Romans 16:23), Stephanus (1 Corinthians 16:15), and Chloe (1 Corinthians 1:11). And Paul often concluded his letters by greeting those who hosted house gatherings. And Paul’s regular custom was to teach ‘publicly and from house to house” (Acts 20:20).
