Think Extended Spiritual Family, Don’t think “Church”

Multiplication

Apr 15

Episode Summary

In this episode Brian and Cory explore the last of the paradigm shifts needed in a disciple-making movement. This one is about thinking primarily through the lens of extended spiritual family, not thinking first about church as we have always known it. We start by examining the historical impact of Constantine on church identity, the grassroots nature of early church movements, and the need for a shift in language and understanding to foster healthy families that reproduce disciples. We hope this continues to help us reimagine the church as movement over institution.

Key Themes & Takeaways

1. The Problem with Starting with Form

If you only change the form of church (e.g., meet in a house), but don’t change the paradigm, you risk replicating the same issues in a smaller setting.
Instead, we must begin with function—disciple-making—and then discern what form serves that mission best.

2. Constantine & Captive Imagination

Drawing from Alan Hirsch’s quote in Metanoia, the episode unpacks how the legacy of Constantine institutionalized the church and stifled its family-based, grassroots origins.
Church became a place of hierarchy and control rather than a multiplying movement of Jesus followers.

3. Rediscovering the Biblical Narrative of Family

From Genesis to Revelation, God’s vision is about forming a family.
The early church spread from household to household—tight-knit vocational families on mission together (e.g., Lydia, the Philippian jailer).
Paul never planted “churches” as we know them. He discipled families and wrote letters to people, not places.

4. Church as Identity, Not Activity

A microchurch is not a building or weekly event. It is an extended spiritual family on mission.
Identity over activity. People over place. Who you are, not what you do.
Language matters: we say “go to church,” but you can’t go to what you are.

5. The Power of Spiritual Family

Real transformation and maturity happen in relational environments, not isolated rows.
Movements thrive where family exists. The West struggles with movement because we've lost the concept of family.
The goal isn’t to multiply services—it’s to multiply families of disciple-makers.

6. Practical Wisdom

“Run everything through the lens of family.”
What happens when things go wrong? Look to how a healthy family would respond—with grace, correction, support, and rest.
Don't fear form—but don’t start with it either. Focus on being the church, not doing church.

Final Thoughts

This final paradigm shift brings it all together. Movement requires reimagining church as extended spiritual family—not a service, not a building, but a multiplying community of people on mission together. It’s not a downgrade. It’s a return to Jesus' original design.