Is God using you to build His ekklesia …
Or are you using God to build your church?
Category: Simple Church
God distributes different gifts and abilities among us to advance His Kingdom …
By calling us to serve and prefer one another above ourselves as a waiting world watches.
Today, however, many use those gifts and abilities to advance their own kingdoms …
By creating positions, titles, and hierarchies over one another as a disgusted world watches.
We need fewer “preachers” on podiums above us …
And more elders living shared lives among us.
Unfortunately, few are willing to give up the recognition of the former …
For the humility of the latter.
I am aware of NO instance where Scripture condones cover ups …
When those claiming to be leaders of God’s people use their positions to do wrong and harm others.
In fact, the Biblical approach – both Old and New Testament – is quite the opposite.
Furthermore, truly repentant leaders will not try to hide their leadership sins, but openly confess and publicly repent.
Absent that …
They remain a danger to all.
Which is why 1 Timothy 5:19-21 specifically commands us to investigate and publicly expose church leaders who abuse their position …
As a warning to all.
Too often, “Church” is about expecting others to fit our own molds …
Based on our own cultural biases, traditions and perspectives.
In contrast, I have learned to allow “church” to emerge in all its splendid diversity …
By letting the life of Christ take root in the rich soil of different cultures and communities.
Could that be why the Great Commission says “go” make disciples of all “nations” (i.e., cultures)…
Rather than “come” attend my “church”?
Slowly but surely, God is shifting the paradigm of church and leadership.
It is becoming genuinely organic, simple and participatory, with healthy fellowships beginning to emerge.
All I can say is forget the buzz words and existential agendas of past advocates like Viola and Dale – along with their fellow “itinerant” buddies like Zens, Rodriguez, Giles and Rohde.
They tried to peddle their own cookie-cutter, trans-Biblical perceptions of Christ and the Church on God’s people …
Through books and blogs that they never sustainably made work in their own lives, home towns or anywhere else.
As a result, they have left behind a legacy of ruined lives and failed churches.
Instead, build on the sure foundation already apostolically laid through Scripture as God’s authoritative written Word, in the unique context of diverse communities …
Where He still sends us today to make disciples and redeem nations.
That, my friends, is real “organic” church and leadership.
In Hebrews 13:17, some English Bibles tell us to “obey” those who “rule over” us in the church. These are very unfortunate translations.
In the original Greek, the verb translated “obey” is in the middle voice and means to “be persuaded.” Yet it is often wrongly translated in the active voice as “obey,” which has an entirely different meaning.
The verb phrase “rule over” also is a misleading translation.
In the original Greek, it is not referring to anyone with hierarchical authority “over” others.
Rather, it is simply talking about those who have earned your esteem by having given thought to and walked farther along the same path.
If they can’t persuade or earn your respect by having actually thought through and lived what they’re saying, then we are under no obligation to accord them any influence in our lives.
Bottom line:
There is NO command in the New Testament to blindly obey or follow anyone – and no mandate for authoritarianism, “covering” or control over others – in the church.
Church leadership in the New Testament is straightforward:
Be persuaded by those who thoughtfully walk the walk and are further along in their faith and life experience, yielding to their example as we submit one to another.
Nothing more, nothing less.
The New Testament says we should sing God’s praises together to encourage one another.
That’s it. That’s the only reason given.
Contrary to current presumptions, however, it never says we should do it to somehow persuade God to show up.
Nope, not nada …
Just ain’t there.
That because the New Testament instead says He’s already present in those who know Him …
And automatically among us – even with only two or three gathered – when we meet in Christ’s name.
Anyone claiming some special role to “lead” us into His presence, therefore, is committing spiritual fraud …
And peddling counterfeit “worship.”
For many, “church” has become a circus – a staged show where they go to be entertained, amazed, awed and sent home feeling good.
This perversion is sustained by convincing folks that the more they are entertained, amazed, awed and feel good …
The more “God moved” and the service was “anointed” and “inspired.”
It is collective narcissism at its worst.
Among those who thrive on the show, questioning what “church” has become initially invokes blank stares …
Then an incredulous disconnect as they quickly change the subject.
They will avoid at all cost having to consider the very idea that the Body of Christ is supposed to be something very different …
And so much more significant.
It’s amazing how much huff, puff and indignation arise when you simply ask those pushing their books, blogs and conferences on how to “be the church” or otherwise function as a church …
If they actually are part of one in their own lives and home towns like they keep peddling to others.
Hypocrisy is not a Biblical virtue …
Nor should it be tolerated in those who presume to be leaders among us.
Narcissistic leaders know how to make you feel needed and affirmed.
It’s how they control and use others to feed their own need for attention and validation.
But their charm comes at great peril, because ultimately they will consume you to advance their own self-serving agendas.
Don’t be co-dependent, no matter how gifted they seem.
God created you – and His Church – for better.
It’s liberating to learn that God did not create us to be like someone else …
But instead gives us different personalities and motivations that match our differing spiritual gifts.
We experience His pleasure as we learn to uniquely use and enjoy those gifts as He intended …
In our lives, families, fellowships and communities.
Pharisees in the New Testament were religious leaders who did not live what they taught to others.
Today, we have authors, bloggers and so-called “workers” (their euphemism for “apostles”) peddling books, seminars and “ministries” that tell others how to form “organic” or “simple” churches …
With no consistent history – in their own lives, home towns or anywhere else – of sucessfully starting, sustaining or even being part of any church like they’re selling to others.
One need look no further than authors like Frank Viola, Jon Zens, Milt Rodriguez, Felicity Dale, Ross Rohde, Keith Giles and their buddies to see such failures …
Along with their various here today, gone tomorrow mutual promotion networks.
The irony is that when you point this out, they call YOU the Pharisee!
Simple, participatory church works as the New Testament authoritatively shows it …
Not as they keep selling it to promote themselves, their “ministries” and their failed existential agendas.
Be discerning.
May God deliver His people from Church, Inc. …
As we learn to simply be the church, one to another, like He originally intended.
There are no hierarchical titles in the original language of the New Testament regarding God’s people and the church.
Instead, there are only straightforward descriptive words for different functions using the everyday language of ordinary folk …
And bad English translations which imply otherwise today.
Those needing a title to be a leader and influential …
Are neither.
Unless the mandate to be Christ’s ekklesia (His participatory assembly that represents and advances His Kingship within the local community where we live) is fully working …
None of His other mandates (like the Great Commission and discipleship) will also fully work.
Faux leaders in the Body of Christ are not so hard to spot:
They seek notoriety for themselves;
Status for themselves;
Power for themselves; and
Enrichment for themselves …
Like Jesus never did.
Nowhere in the New Testament is “pastor” ever applied to an actual person as a title, position or office.
Instead, it’s simply one of several functions performed by local elders (plural) in their churches.
Be wary of those who peddle the latest theological fads.
Often they prey on spiritually wounded or naive people with the temptation of “deeper” life, new “revelation,” or some other trans-Biblical agenda …
Rather than the health and assurance of simple faith as taught in Scripture.
Here are two tests that typically weed out these merchants of deception:
1. Are they part of an actual, functional local fellowship in their own home town, where they are transparent and accountable to a community of fellow believers – among whom their ideas have been demonstrably working and showing good fruit over time?
2. Do they openly affirm and submit to God’s plenary authority of Scripture as His authentic written Word in all matters of faith, life and doctrine?
If they fail either criteria, you likely are dealing with a wolf …
Rather than one who legitimately comes in the name of the Lord.
“Christian” narcissists reject the justice of God’s wrath …
While claiming the mercy of His grace.
Which also makes them delusional …
As they’re left with an imaginary pick-and-choose Jesus of their own creation.
The authentic God of Scripture, however, condemns the idolatry of those who seek to remake Him in their own image.
Is it any wonder, then, that they are persistently plagued – often despite a public persona to the contrary – with private insecurities, angst and doubt …
While concurrently unable to form, sustain or be part of a viable, functional local church?
But that never seems to stop them from spreading their false gospel, rooted in existential idolatry, with an outer confidence …
Which belies their true inner turmoil and history of church failures.
When it comes to their fraud, be discerning …
Not deceived.
New doctrine formed in reaction to bad doctrine …
Is almost always bad doctrine.
This includes the currently faddish, but reactionary, new doctrine …
That the best way to avoid bad doctrine is to have no doctrine.
A great hindrance to relational participatory church as commanded in the New Testament, with ministry by one another for the mutual building up of each other …
Is the lie that it’s all up to you.
Another is the lie is that it’s all up to someone else.
These feed the resulting impulse for one person to make it happen by then directing, motivating and coordinating everyone else …
Under their primary perspectives, abilities or “vision.”
This frequently results in a cookie cutter approach to how we gather – conforming to their own scripts, ministry, directions and methodologies.
In relational participatory church as the New Testament shows it, however, God’s people learn to lead forth – each and every one – as He directs …
According to the many diverse gifts, motivations and callings He distributes among us.
This happens as everyone learns to submit to one another as we all prefer each other over ourselves.
Biblical elders (plural), in turn, emerge among us to unassumingly serve beside us …
As they watch over, encourage and protect the ability of all to mutually build up each other.
This is authentic church.
This is authentic discipleship.
And this is how Christ authentically works through us – each and everyone – to build His assembly where we live.
In my experience with helping to start, sustain and be part of many relational participatory assemblies over the last fifty years, each one looked and functioned differently than each other.
That’s how it should be, because Christ expresses Himself differently in different groups of people based on their different needs, levels of maturity, abilities, relationships, personalities, circumstances, cultural backgrounds …
And so much more.
Yes, there are basic, general Biblical precepts for how we relate and gather together …
But God never intended for us to have cookie cutter meetings organized around anyone’s own primary vision, preconceived blue print or directed script.
Ultimately, those who presume to assume the unbiblical, controlling role of God’s man with the plan for everyone else eventually restrict God’s people – and themselves – to an edifice of their own limitations, motivations and agendas …
No matter how well intended.
Big difference!
If I want a performance, I’ll go to a concert …
Or maybe watch a show on some big screen TV.
If I want church, however, I’ll gather with those who unpretentiously minister one to another …
As co-heirs of God’s grace and as joint participants in His Kingdom.
Unless teaching comes from doing …
It seldom leads to doing.
Which explains why so many “church” leaders and teachings today …
Are so ineffective at making disciples.
Plumbline Faith 