The Flat Church Society

There is a great article on the December 27, 2007 issue of the Adventist Review by Richard Osborn, President of Pacific Union College. "Is the Church Flat?" In this piece Dr. Osborn cites a best-selling book The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman, in which Friedman shows how recent developments in the world of technology have "flattened" the world as we know it, making instant communication possible with just about anyone at any time, and Internet access to information available to anyone anywhere with a computer connection.

What struck me about Osborn's article is the inevitable and obvious "flattening" of effective church organizational relationships. As society moves ever more towards empowering every common man and woman with vast resources of information available at their fingertips, the church also must move away from the heirarchical, top-down command and control structure to structures that foster effective communication and ministry in every dusty corner. Teamnet Ministries is an attempt to move in that direction. It is not without problems, but the fundamental principles are sound. Teamnet Ministries (or something like it) is the future of effective church life.