1 |\|aTh^n, a servant of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to God's holy people in Melbourne, the faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Independent living

When I came to you, you were all living separately from each other, only seeing each other for ninety minutes on Sunday morning, leaving hurriedly, and perhaps meeting again for another highly scripted meeting mid-week.

Interdependent living

Over the three years I was with you, we established small communities physically close to each other; as it is written, "they met daily"Acts 2:46. We practiced nothing other than "love God and love others"–now far easier to act on due to this physical proximity. We shared many dinners together; the kids from our families and the neighbours played so happily - and without screens; we all grew in our gifts as we applied them to our neighbourhood, rather than just the time at the church building. We were beginning to see great fruit having turned one church building into a caravan park to minister to the down and outs, with co-working spaces, workshop areas, and biblical principles woven into all our young workers' education.

You watched as some reacted out of total fear due to COVID-19 and left the state entirely–only to stumble back into old habits of living without a mission, without a community, and unable to love. Unable, because you hardly see other people, at which point it seems nobody cares–and these depressive thoughts unknowingly entertain demons. At which point you can't serve, because you don't even know what your friends are really thinking–and what you see on Facebook is of course the mask.

O foolish Melburnians! Who has bewitched you? Has God given up on establishing a "light on a hill"? Has Jesus forgotten about his bride - his only bride - who is one body but many parts1 Corinthians 12? If the parts are separated, are they a body any longer? Are they not fit for nothing?

Did Christ set the example in vain, that he send people out "two by two"Luke 10:1, not as individuals, according to the principle 'two or three are not quickly overcome'Ecclesiastes 4:12? Or that he established twelve apostles, who worked together to sort out early practical and doctrinal mattersActs 6:1-7; 15:1-35? Did Christ show forth the light of hope to the 'half-breed' Samaritans in vainJohn 4:1-42, while you watch your Sunday performance, and put your drawbridge up to block social outcasts?

Instead, we are in fact a strong castle, a light to the nations that many will flock to. So let us live by that by setting our face towards that reality and putting off the lies of the devil that we can create our own reality or our own destinies, and put on instead the garments of the truth that says we are a family of God, a Body of Christ! A body that each does their own work in unity. An interdependent body - not an independent individual.

Dependent living

But what of the dependent child? That servile position that appears humble, and yet is weak–and preyed upon by a selfish leader. While I was with you I encouraged you to create community around mission: mission being the heart of the Trinity, as the Father, Son and Spirit serve each other, yet remain in equality; and the Great CommissionMatthew 28:18-20 our banner.

Yet what many churches practice is an infantilising practice whereby the pastor takes precedence over the congregation, who are expected to passively consume the message, yet not practice it. Where are the efforts to show people what to do, how to do it, and then the opportunities to try it for themselves in a safe place? Finally, after this apprenticeship, where are the opportunities to launch a new work, under a mentor or coach? Instead, we simply produce infants, suckling milk–or frustrated leaders who are not given the opportunity to leave the nest because the pastor is too fearful they'll crash land.

Instead, by being dependent on Christ, we can forget the heavy-handed tactics of control and relinquish our pastors to do just that which they have been called to do (pastor), while each of us takes up our roles and gifts, such as but not limited to "prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, mercy"Romans 12:6-8, as "apostles, prophets, teachers" in "miracle working, healing, speaking in tongues, interpretation"1 Corinthians 12:29-30, and craftsmanshipExodus 35:30-35. So we are to be childlike to Christ, but not to each other; yet, we also should not be aloof to each other (independent) but concerned for their welfare as we would be for our own.