2025-05-12T06:21:00-04:00

CHURCH AND DISCIPLESHIP: PRECEPTS AND HINDRANCES

May 12, 2025July 24, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Over the last fifty years – going all the way back to my college days in the mid-1970s – God’s often used me to help relational participatory churches emerge.

Yet I can’t think of a single one of them that didn’t first start with discipleship.

Looking back, I guess that makes sense given that Jesus said He would build His church …

But we are to build disciples.

In contrast, I’ve seen many try to start a “church” first, but in my experience real discipleship seldom follows and things quickly begin falling apart.

This has been a source of great frustration for many.

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SCRIPTURAL MANDATES FOR RELATIONAL PARTICIPATORY CHURCH

February 24, 2025September 20, 2025/Plumbline Faith

There are numerous New Testament mandates which require that our gatherings as the church be participatory, with ministry one to another out of the diverse gifts God distributes among us.

Unfortunately, however, what we tend to have these days are “mono-churches” that are centered around the monopolizing monologue preaching by the “one” …

Or centered around one particular gift, vision or ministry emphasis.

Instead of mono-churches, here are just some of the New Testament’s many commands about how we are to gather and function together as the multi-part, multi-functional, multi-gifted Body of Christ …

For the mutual edification and building up of each other by one another.

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SIMPLE JOY

May 2, 2016August 31, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Don’t confuse God’s grace with His joy.

Although God’s grace is unmerited, His joy comes through simple obedience.

NO MORE MONO-CHURCH

March 25, 2016April 24, 2026/Plumbline Faith

In authentic church, there’s no single ministry or leader around whom everything is organized.

Instead, Scripture says that God bestows diverse gifts and callings among His people …

And that we are to use them to build up each other through ministry one to another – especially when we gather.

That’s why His mission for me should look very different than His mission for you …

And why there’s no mono-church in the New Testament.

IGNATIUS VS THE NEW TESTAMENT

October 24, 2026October 30, 2026/Plumbline Faith

“It is manifest therefore that we should look upon the bishop even as we look upon the Lord himself.” Ignatius, 2nd Century AD.

Ignatius did more than just about anyone to distort the authoritative teachings of Peter, Paul, John and James, as laid down in the New Testament, about being the authentic Body of Christ – one with another.

Yet the Roman Catholic “Church” and its self-serving, trans-Biblical institutional structures are built more on his post-Biblical writings than Scripture itself.

And how about Protestants? They aren’t much better, given that the “reformation” largely ignored church ecclesiology.

In essence, they merely replaced the Pope and his Priests with Denominations and their “Senior Pastors” …

While retaining similar clergy-dominated “services” and hierarchies – although under different titles and formats.

As for me, I think I’ll stick with the authentic Apostles of Scripture and their authoritative Biblical writings …

Than the later writings and man-made traditions of subsequent pundits pushing their own agendas.

ONE ANOTHER OR MERE COMMODITY?

October 23, 2026October 24, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Is your “church” consuming your God-given gifts and abilities to further its own institutional interests (assuming anyone has stepped off the stage to even really know you) …

Rather than patiently, relationally equipping and releasing you in them for service to Him and others?

Then it’s not a church …

It’s just a business – and you’re a mere commodity.

MONETIZING GOD’S PEOPLE

October 10, 2026/Plumbline Faith

The institutional structure we wrongly call “church” today didn’t emerge until the 4th century – hundreds of years after the New Testament was written.

It arose when men discovered they could monetize God’s people by becoming the focus of ministry from a stage above them …

Instead of unpretentiously serving among them to equip them for ministry.

MALARKEY

September 22, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Tragically, some throw off the limitations of pastoral monopoly …

Only to fall prey to the tyranny of “apostolic” hierarchy.

When will we ever learn?

A VICIOUS TRAP

September 17, 2026September 19, 2026/Plumbline Faith

“Churches” these days generally revolve around putting on scripted weekly “services” where marginal (at best) Christians can experience either:

Pseudo-spiritual intensity that feeds their carnality;

A monopolizing monologue that feeds their passivity;

Or both.

Those same “churches” then wonder why their people never grow up to become the multi-gifted, multi-functional, multi-part Body of Christ like the New Testament commands.

It’s a vicious trap.

GOD’S WAYS OR MAN’S WAYS

August 25, 2026August 25, 2026/Plumbline Faith

God wants to use us to build HIS ekklesia.

Unfortunately, too many want to use God to build THEIR church instead.

I guess that helps explain why what THEY call “church” today …

Looks nothing like HIS ekklesia of Scripture.

Many have had enough:

Because how can you ever expect to be free of THEIR man-centered schemes …

If you don’t leave and connect with others committed to HIS ways?

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“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Gal. 1:10

STOLEN CHURCH

August 13, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Christ intends to “present the church to himself in splendor.” Eph. 5:25-27

Do you seriously think that’s describing an institution that puts on weekly scripted “services” with a hired sage on a stage and rows of passive spectators?

JESUS GOES TO “CHURCH”

July 23, 2026August 6, 2026/Plumbline Faith

BOUNDARIES

June 12, 2026June 18, 2026/Plumbline Faith

I often hear from people who’ve been part of authoritarian churches and church movements.

Some of you need to hear this:

Scripture says that elders are to manage their own lives and households well …

Not yours.

NEW WINE

June 9, 2026November 8, 2026/Plumbline Faith

After 300 years, New Testament mandates about being the multi-gifted, multi-functional, multi-part Body of Christ that builds up each other by gathering for ministry one to another …

Morphed in the 4th Century into pastor-centric, podium-focused institutional “services” with spectator seating that we now mistakenly call “church.”

So tell me again how you’re gonna suddenly fix that entrenched, post-Biblical, man-made system???

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As Jesus said, speaking of the tradition-bound religious folk of His day:

“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes …” Matthew 13:14–15 (citing Isaiah 6:9–10)

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined… And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” Luke 5:37–39

FINDING EKKLESIA

June 3, 2026July 23, 2026/Plumbline Faith

If we’re not willing to truly give to the Lord our hurts, regrets, agendas and non-essential pet doctrines that have come to define us …

We’ll never truly succeed at finding, starting or experiencing relational participatory church.

You know:

A community of believers who gather for ministry one to another as they mutually build up each other through love and the many diverse gifts God distributes among us …

Just like the New Testament commands.

Instead, it will be impossible to truly submit to one another or prefer each other above ourselves …

Because we’ll remain stuck with ourselves.

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“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7

NEW PASTURES

May 31, 2026June 1, 2026/Plumbline Faith

I’ll never forget going to jail years ago to visit a dozen men who had become one of many relational participatory churches that some of us helped start there.

For several months, we had poured our lives out for them through intense discipleship.

Most were brand-new believers, and from those efforts a church had emerged in their housing unit.

This time, as I joined them, I sat quietly and watched as they gathered and engaged in powerful ministry to one another, just like we had taught them.

After nearly two hours, they suddenly stopped, saying that after all I had done for them they had decided earlier that week to do something for me.

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DENYING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY

May 20, 2026May 20, 2026/Plumbline Faith

God has the unfettered right and ability to do whatever He wants.

But it is a non sequitur to then fall into the trap of Calvinistic determinism.

Because God also has the right and ability to grant us the option – as we see throughout Scripture – to reject Him and His will.

To say otherwise is to diminish, rather than affirm, His ultimate sovereignty …

Which is the ultimate irony of Calvinism.

OUT OF EGYPT

April 7, 2026April 8, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Church as human tradition designed it or the New Testament defines it?

As Moses learned, it’s easier to take the slave out of Egypt …

Than Egypt out of the slave.

It’s a hard transition.

Some will make it …

Most will not.

THE MORPHOLOGY OF SERMONS

March 28, 2026April 7, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Did you know that our English word “sermon” originated from the Latin word “sermo,” meaning “conversation or discourse.”

In Classical Latin, sermo applied to common speech, or “the way people talk” with each other.

Hmmm …

Over time, it morphed into weekly staged, monopolizing, monologue lectures by a professional, institutional class of churchmen called “clergy” who arose in the 4th Century.

Unfortunately, they quickly corrupted not only our words, but so much more, by switching the New Testament focus from relational participatory gatherings for ministry to one another …

To scripted, spectator “church services” that focus on them.

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SPECTATOR MONO-CHURCH?

March 26, 2026/Plumbline Faith

What’s left when you give up the “sanctuary” with its spectator seating …

The “senior pastor” with his elevated pulpit and weekly monopolizing monologue “sermons” …

And the “worship” team with their staged performances?

Perhaps, just perhaps, God willing …

The beginning of church as the New Testament actually defines it.

BY FAITH ALONE

March 24, 2026August 24, 2026/Plumbline Faith

When I hear someone say “by faith alone,” I sometimes ask them to define what faith is. Often, they’re stumped and can’t give a cogent answer.

Although it includes the concepts of “believing” and “trusting,” if you study the Greek word for faith in the New Testament, it ultimately means to believe and trust someone or something by giving them our faithful allegiance.

So “putting our faith in Christ” is far more than what we feel, think, or believe.

It’s also our loyalties …

And how we act in fidelity to them.

When I took the time to study this decades ago, it changed my whole theological framework.

It also finally resolved so many theological debates that revolve around oft-repeated slogans …

Without understanding the underlying words as Scripture actually meant them.

DISCIPLESHIP

March 13, 2026/Plumbline Faith

These days, “discipleship” seems more about prepared messages …

Than prepared people.

And the problem is …

Most folks seem to want it that way.

CHURCH AND RELIGION

March 2, 2026March 2, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Few Christians will even consider what the New Testament actually says about being the church, with ministry one to another for the mutual building up of each other …

Because it goes against their religion.

Not New Testament!

PULPIT DISCONNECTS

February 27, 2026March 2, 2026/Plumbline Faith

IRONY:

Monopolizing monologue “sermons” – on topics like “Community” and being a “Church Family” and “Using Your Spiritual Gifts” – from behind a pulpit on an elevated stage looking down on passive attendees organized into row after row of spectator seating.

SENIOR PASTORS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

February 16, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Some claim there are no “Senior Pastors” in the New Testament.

They’re wrong.

It’s right there, in black and white, plain to see:

As John noted, Diotrephes was first in his church and preeminent over everyone else, with all ministry and authority revolving around him. (3 John 1:9-10)

Clearly, then, he was a Senior Pastor – just like we have today.

So it must be Biblical!

I bet if I keep looking, I’ll find lots of other examples of Senior Pastors in the New Testament.

I mean, they must be there, right?

After all, how can any church operate without one?

Looking, looking, looking …

TRUE ELDERS

February 13, 2026May 26, 2026/Plumbline Faith

Until your mentality about leadership shifts from “ruling over” others through command and control rooted in hierarchy and titles …

To being a resource “serving” others through experience and relationships rooted in community and earned respect …

You will never “get” relational participatory church like the New Testament teaches.

You know:

With ministry one to another for the mutual building up of each other through the many diverse gifts God distributes among us …

Rather than some mono-church centered around you and your own vision and gifts.

Plus you’ll become a bottleneck …

Rather than humbly equipping others to exceed you in the multi-gifted, multi-functional, multi-part Body of Christ.

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HOUSE CHURCH FAKERY

February 3, 2026February 4, 2026/Plumbline Faith

House churches?

My observation fifteen years ago was that 90% of those writing books about them …

Never bothered to first make one work in their own lives and hometowns.

They seemed more interested in the notoriety of promoting their own concepts of relational participatory gatherings …

Than actually learning to sustainably do it.

Continue reading →

NOT THE CHURCH

January 27, 2026/Plumbline Faith

The building is not the church.

The stage and the spectator seats are not the church.

The “worship service” is not the church.

The preacher and his pulpit are not the church.

But we – yes we – might actually become the church …

When we start gathering to mutually build up each other through ministry one to another.

You know, like the New Testament explicitly says.

Do this …

And all that other stuff becomes just a distraction.

“PASTORAL” ANACHRONISMS

January 11, 2026November 13, 2026/Plumbline Faith

In the New Testament, no gathering of believers ever hired a “Senior Pastor” or anyone else …

To dominate and rule their assemblies.

Instead, they proceeded on the Apostolic foundation laid down for them (which has now been handed down to us through the New Testament) …

And trusted God in His timing to raise up elders (plural) among them with the proven life experiences and maturity needed to function pastorally beside them because they knew them.

Those elders also had the earned respect needed to watch over the community to help protect and develop the many diverse gifts and abilities that God distributes among His people for ministry one to another – rather than positioning themselves as the primary source or center of ministry.

Big difference.

Maybe that’s why true elders are so rare these days within the institutional structures we now wrongly call “church.”

So what has God been stirring and challenging in you about this dilemma?

For some of you, maybe it’s time to come out of the institution …

And start humbly learning how to gather by serving and preferring one another above ourselves and our own gifts and abilities.

Only then can we hope to become the multi-gifted, multi-functional and multi-part Body of Christ once again – as actually commanded in the New Testament.

And who knows, maybe if you choose to obey God’s Word rather than the traditions of men, God in His own timing – when you are ready – will be faithful to raise up true elders among your emerging relational participatory assemblies too.

I know, because I’ve see it happen among us in my hometown …

And I’m seeing it happen with many others around the world.

Simple Faith, Simple Truth, Simple Virtue