“what we’re talking about is much closer to the biblical conception of church than a model that doesn’t confront the culture, doesn’t present an alternative consciousness, and doesn’t oppose the system. If you’ve got a group that calls itself church, Christian church, and doesn’t oppose and confront the culture, I don’t think you have a New Testament church no matter how much you respect the people. “

Here is what I consider the “kicker” in the COS model;  it is what seems to make all the difference to me in how I “evaluate” that “difference” factor in a Church.   If it ‘s not there,  it’s like the key ingredient is missing;  it’s the key meaning behind the “be not conformed to the world” and the “light in the darkness”.  It’s “darkness” becuase the world seems “blind” to it;  cannot see it. 

I remember the first time I met Gordon Cosby.  I took a group of young people from Keokuk, Iowa to Washington for a few days and took a tour,  hosted by Jubilee Housing and Barbara Moore was our “tour guide”.  After their “ecumenical” Sunday morning service,  Gordon sat and talked with us about the Church.  I remember him saying that he had always heard growing up in the Church how “the world was in darkness”,  but “noone ever said what the darkness was”.  I knew what he meant. It was part of the language that had become detached from the real social and spirtual realities in which people live.  The Church has to get right to the heeart of it,  and actually identify and confront “darkness” and work on ways to bring “Light” to it;   to bring the Kingdom to bear on it.