Provocative, Organic Church

I’m reading this phenomenal book called The Provocative Church by Graham Tomlin.

It’s redefining evangelism, lending shape and form and words to things I have been feeling but didn’t know how to express. The idea that being a Christ follower is about living life under the rule of God. It’s about experiencing the restoration and fullness of life that he designed us for—experiencing love where there once was bitterness, forgiveness where there once was revenge, beauty where there once was ugliness, community where there once was lonliness, creativity where there once was conformity. It’s about engaging in our contexts and bringing these things to our worlds. It’s about offering explanation when this provocative way of life stimulates questions, and inviting others to experience life under the rule of God for themselves.

I was just reading some more of it, and this one particular sentence grabbed me: “Paul viewed the Christian community in Corinth not in mechanical but organic terms” (The Provocative Church, 147)

What would it look like for church leaders to create structure & conditions for church community that is more organic than mechanical?

But what is organic? What does this look, feel, taste like?
It makes me think alive.
Natural.
Growing.
Following predictable rhythms.
But with variation and moments of unpredictability.
Hopeful.
Beautiful.
Strong.
Delicate.

Mechanical seems to evoke the exact opposite sort of words:
Cold.
Hard.
Dead.
Rigid.
Unchanging.
Unfeeling.

So what would it look like for our churches to be places of organic life?

What kinds of conditions are vital for organic life in the faith community? What kinds of structures?

I would love to hear your thoughts.