There are three types of perspectives concerning the faith community. First perspective, don't be involved it is a waste of time and churches are to difficult to deal with! Secondly, be involved but with a hierarchical, centralized faith where you are free of spiritual theological danger. Where a few people do the working and thinking and we as constituents do the listening and giving. Then lastly, there is the Open Source System!

You know we are post-moderns to use terms like this. In this worldview, all Christians are to be part of the process of leading the way, developing a more clear theology, and considering better methods of evangelism. Consider the Wikipedia definition of Open Source:

"Open source is a development methodology,^[1] which offers practical accessibility to a product's source (goods and knowledge). Some consider open source as one of various possible design approaches, while others consider it a critical strategic element of their operations. Before open source became widely adopted, developers and producers used a variety of phrases to describe the concept; the term open source gained popularity with the rise of the Internet, which provided access to diverse production models, communication paths, and interactive communities.The open source model of operation and decision making allows concurrent input of different agendas, approaches and priorities, and differs from the more closed, centralized models of development.^[2]source code for software that is made available for public collaboration, and it is usually released as open-source software.The principles and practices are commonly applied to the development of source code for software that is made available for public collaboration, and it is usually released as open-source software."(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source)

Of course there are dangers to this kind of openness of community, such as "Viruses or Bugs" from undercover perpetrators. But when the Open Community is alert and engaged they will be able to discern these malfunctions and together come up with ways to combat. Don't get it twisted? Technology operates on basic principles or rules. Especially in the world of "programing". So, Christianity is based on certain fixed truths and practices. If you disregard the language or script your whole program will breakdown, despite the bells and whistles(power-points, lively worship bands, nice sanctuary, etc). But, an Open Source Community already knows that because they are involved in the building and maintaining of the system. No one can be a passive bystander, or you cannot be part of the community.

Being part of the community means you "take" and "give". Yes I wrote "take". Everyone in community has to benefit to some degree from the community or they will leave. For example "Joomla" is an Open Source Web-Development community. Most everyone gets introduced by having a need. A need to get away from the limited potential of flash, html websites. As they come into the community eating up all the plug-ins and components Joomla has to offer they soon begin to mature into participants. They start to learn that they need to help the newbies in the forums who are asking for help with questions they once asked, but now laugh at. Again arrogance towards the simple baby web-designer cannot be tolerated because the community needs to have new converts if it is going to win against the privatized "Microsoft" type giants in the industry (Microsoft being symbolic of the huge, franchised, centralized church system of America) which one day will die and are in the process of a slow death already. Believe me that our institutions will be like European Christianity-GONE, EMPTY or SOLD TO MUSLIMS! All there will be is a remnant of Open Source Christians trying to redevelop an authentic movement of faith, while staying away from those scripts and programs that led to its downfall in America. I guess what comes up must fall down!

A major problem of "Private Communities" is they don't allow painful critique. It's like not wanting your toe to tell your brain that it is in pain due to some practice or neglect. What happens if you shut down that sensory mechanism of the brain; you probably end up with an amputation.OUCH!

Traditional, hierarchical, centralized churches and institutions (like many Wall-Street Institutions) don't have the ability for self-correction, self empowerment or self-healing, like a healthy organism, because they cut off the rest of the community that is in dissent (not rebellion). This is so contrary to scripture that points out three major things:

1. Leaders give the community the foundational rules or categories of theology to be part of the Open Faith Community.
2. Community is the life and organism of growth as they participate in their unique role relaying the foundational truths and discovering new truths or better ways to communicate "ANCEINT & UNCHANGING" truths to others.
   
3. Open Source Communities thru Christ philosophy of Kingdom engagement (priesthood of believers) practice self-correction, self feeding,and self discipline. As they do this they naturally grow into a living system of Christ Body that reflects His simplicity and complexity to a "Virus-ed, Chaotic, Bug Infested" world.

• It starts with the developer and flows to the community, but comes back more polished and developed in a circular fashion.

Read the passage from Ephesians 4 and sense the organic, communal, participatory language. There is no hierarchical control, but initial contributors (HEAD AS THE SOURCE, NOT CONTROLLOR) who give to and watch the community grow through collective action and theological tension:

Ephesians 4:11-16
11 It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to prepare God's people (1.LEADERS GIVE FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH & MODELING) for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love (2. COMMUNITY PARTICPATES), we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (3. CHRIST INFUSED SELF EMPOWERING & CORRECTING GROWTH).

Please correct my thinking as an Open Source Community. If there is anything wrong about what I have wrote, let us develop our ideas and practices together. God Bless & thank you for reading this blog!

Also, if you get a chance checkout my Open Source Website Development Company and you will understand some of the reasons for these thoughts: www.globalpresence.org

Written by :

Jack Hakimian