Spiritual mature dissatisfied with church?

Last year, the results of a survey of 7 churches, including Willow Creek Community Church, was done by the Willow Creek Association. The study surprised Willow Creek, but those more sensitive to the "splinter in the mind" would perhaps not be so surprised.

The full report can be found here and its "sublinks": http://revealnow.com/storyPage.asp?pageID=12

Most "surprising":
Increased church activity does not led to spiritual maturity
The more spiritual mature were more dissatisfied with their church experience

I think the first comes from an unspoken misconception that church activity is necessarily spiritual activity, that church-centrality equates to being centered on Christ. The latter is in part due to this too, as the spiritual mature come to know this intuitively and are unhappy about it.

This is a discovery of the Matrix that we call the [traditional] church, IMO. We've replaced disciple making with church planting, though we dare not admit it we've replaced Christ centerness with church centerness. Jesus said I will build my church, and He instructed us to make disciples. We've found a way to take charge of the former and neglected the latter.

What we need to do, whether the result is "redemptive communities" or some other form, is find a way to let go and let Jesus do what he said he would do when it comes to the church. What does that look like?

(what follows is a paraphrasing a part of a chapter from Neil Cole's Organic Church)

From Matthew 16: "and I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build MY church; and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it".

Jesus builds the church -- Jesus builds it. Not an innovative approach, a personality, a vision statement, etc

Jesus owns the church -- Jesus bought the church with his blood.

The church is meant to be growing -- the church Jesus builds should be experience spiritual growth, and seeing new souls is a part of that. Doesn't mean each local church should be growing- most warm-blooded things grow to a point then reproduce - reproduction is a form of growth.

the church that is growing will face opposition -- Jesus warned that we would face opposition. If a church is truly alive and growing (see above), hell is opposing it. A preacher once said "If you wake up in the morning and don't run into the enemy head on, then maybe you're going the wrong direction". To quote a WWII bomber pilot, "If you are taking flak, you are over the target".

The church Jesus builds is unstoppable -- in the Two Towers, Theoden retreats into Helm's Deep, despite Aragorn's admonishment to ride out and meet the enemy head on. The battle turns when Theoden finally does ride out rather than defend the fortress, and the enemy is taken back. Reinforcement also arrives soon afterwards.

Hade's Gates will not stand -- hmm, gates are defensive. You don't see a dog wearing a sign that says "Beware of Gate". You don't have a seven day waiting period to buy a gate. The Kingdom is meant to advance, not sit on its butts in a "worship service". Where are a church's resources tied up?

(end paraphrasing)

Again, we are meant to be about disciple making. That implies a very simple, almost "natural" form of "church", so we can focus on what Jesus told us to be about - discipling the nations (Matthew 28:18-20).