I have yet to see lives consistently transformed from despair to maturity in the Lord …
Or viable local churches emerge …
Among those promoting a dichotomy between Jesus as the Living Word and the plenary authority of Scripture as His written Word.
Category: Simple Church
Some things just don’t make sense when you cut through the enticing, nice sounding rhetoric.
For example:
So-called “progressive Christians” calling Jesus “Lord”.
Yet at the same time, they implicitly claim the right to define Him on their own terms …
By explicitly rejecting His plenary authority and discipline of Scripture as His written Word.
At the core, they know not Christ.
Rather, they serve a God of their own perceptions, created in the image of their own sensibilities.
They may be charming. They may be inspirational. They may even occasionally say good things.
But in the end, their way leads to destruction as they lead others over an existential cliff.
Where they hold sway, you will not find viable local churches (of any stripe), the power and authority of the Gospel, cohesive functional community, God’s Kingdom conquering darkness, or the Great Commission in action.
But hey, they do write good books and blogs telling others “how to” on all the things they themselves “don’t do” because their self-centered ideologies simply don’t work.
That’s why, when you look closely, you inevitably find that they repeatedy fail to make their own ideals – which they peddle to others – work in their own lives …
When they even bothered to try.
It’s time for clear discernment.
It’s time for clear talk.
It’s time to move forward as we leave their hollow existential angst and postmodern fraud behind.
The times once again demand authentic disciples who embrace all of Christ and His Kingdom …
While boldly going forth into all spheres of life with the confidence and power of His Word.
May we once again affirm a vibrant relationship with the Living Word, in submission to the authority and discipline of His written Word.
Christ’s mission for us, and His love for a watching world, demand nothing less.
Christians who dismiss some as beyond the reach of God’s redeeming grace …
Stand outside His redeeming grace.
Isn’t it interesting that there’s more open sharing, participation and fellowship at a funeral service …
Than a typical “church” service?
We need accomplished people who’ve mastered a vocation that allows them to minister …
Rather than unaccomplished people who seek “ministry” as their first vocation.
Sigh.
Why are those most adamant about promoting the need for “apostles” today, as they define it …
(With the implication that they are one) …
The least likely to have any real sucess at actually being one, as the New Testament actually shows it?
I guess it beats having a real job, huh?
The two main criteria most Christians look for in a “church” today are:
Do they like the “Lead Pastor” and the “service” he puts on for them each week?
Interestingly, these are post-Biblical concepts not found in the New Testament.
In fact, both are contrary to what the New Testament actually teaches.
In the New Testament, there are no “lead pastors” but rather multiple elders (plural) with other diverse leaders …
Who equip US for works of ministry.
That’s why the New Testament also says that when we gather together, ministry is from one another to each other …
Rather than from the “one.”
It’s time to repent and be the Church once again.
Tragically, some throw off the limitations of pastoral monopoly …
Only to fall prey to the tyranny of modern day claims about “apostolic” hierarchy.
Maybe that’s why the New Testament instead prescribes the safety of multiple elders to watch over local churches …
And protect His people against both.
Simple, huh?
But when will we ever learn?
Don’t like what you see in the world around you?
When “church” becomes a homogenized hierarchy of spiritual triviality, what do you expect from the larger culture?
Let repentance begin with the household of God.
Any metaphor, if taken too literally, bumps up against absurdities.
Like some forms of Christian mysticism, which say the Church literally is the Bride of Christ …
While others say literally the Body of Christ.
I guess that’s gonna be some weird honeymoon, huh?
Sound doctrine in the abstract may be helpful …
But sound doctrine in action is transforming.
Jesus told us to build disciples …
And He would build the church.
Seems we got it backwards these days.
Just sayin’.
I’d rather gather together with a few in my living room and be the church, one with another …
Then sit in rowed seats with a thousand in some building called the “church” to watch a staged event.
“Church” as the New Testament shows it is simple:
– The only “hierarchy” is preferring everyone else above ourselves;
– All are “called” with diverse gifts, motivations and perspectives bestowed by God among His people;
– Among those diverse gifts are elders, who emerge within fellowships to watch, protect and serve through example, persuasion and earned respect – rather than hiring a “senior pastor” to become the focus and “head” of the church;
– “Ministry” is not by the one but through one another;
– Local believers assemble in homes – and other places where life, hospitality and community naturally happen – to participate together as Christ’s multi-part Body as they motivate one another towards love and good works;
– While also going forth as His disciples into all spheres of life to extend the blessings of His Kingdom to a waiting world.
However, you’ll never get there through the writings and influence of the existential “organic” church fringe – including the mutual promotion networks of authors like Frank Viola, Milt Rodriquez, Jon Zens, Ross Rohde, Keith Giles and their buddies – who:
– Promote various extraneous, counter-Biblical agendas like insular mysticism, “deeper life” revelation and post-modern ideologies in their books, workshops and offers of “itinerant” visits and oversight;
– Dismiss God’s plenary authority of Scripture as His written Word;
– Love to tell others “how to” on things they themselves “don’t do”;
– Express open contempt and impose a new legalism against anyone who serves the Lord by engaging our broader society in ways that transcend their own narrow political biases, limited experience, and unbiblical ideologies of civic retreat and anarchy;
– Try to impose their own detailed, cookie-cutter image of church life on others – rooted in their own backgrounds, failures and angst – rather than teach general New Testament precepts which allow Christ to express Himself uniquely within each different locale and community as He chooses; and
– Have consistently failed to start, sustain and be part of viable simple churches – like they peddle to others – in their own lives, home towns and elsewhere.
Honestly, viable gatherings as the church need not be impossible or a disappointing failure …
If you simply avoid phony and start instead with the only true apostolic foundation which was laid once and for all in the New Testament.
Christians who think proper church methodologies and structures will solve all their problems …
Are just as naïve as Christians who think that wrong church methodologies and structures don’t contribute to their problems.
Over the years, I have found that without the humility of repentance, there is no freedom …
And without the transparency of confession and forgiveness, there is no wholeness.
Unfortunately, many ignore these essential elements of discipleship …
And wonder why their simple participatory churches never advance beyond everyone’s accumulated quirks, hurts and insecurities.
In traditional spectator church, such unresolved issues are easy to ignore.
But with real church as commanded in the New Testament, we have no such luxury.
Ignore them and your attempts to be the church one with another will stay stuck in a rut …
No matter how well you started.
Media preachers and big stage pulpit showmen are like crack.
They offer a feel-good escape from reality to those who feel otherwise detached …
Often causing a downward spiral of more isolation with ever more dependence on their feel-good “fix.”
It rarely ends well, except for the “spiritual” huckster.
In contrast, real life, real faith and real church are played out between real people in real community – where we have real opportunity to work through real issues and find real spiritual health and maturity …
Together, one with another.
It’s not always easy …
But it’s always our choice.
Don’t settle for counterfeits.
Unless you are part of a functional local assembly of believers, I’m really not interested in your books and blogs telling everyone how to be or not be the church …
Unless you are out there doing actual evangelism and seeing people surrender their lives to Jesus and His Kingdom, I’m really not interested in hearing you tell everyone how they must or must not do evangelism …
Unless you are ministering redemption to actual people trapped in sin, I’m really not interested in your views on how Christians should or shouldn’t speak up about homosexuality or any other lifestyle of bondage …
Unless you are secure enough in your own gifts and motivations to honor God’s different callings in others, I’m really not interested in why you think He can’t send some to serve His Kingdom in academia, politics, the armed forces, government or the like …
Unless you are submitted to God’s plenary authority and truth of Scripture as His written Word, I’m really not interested in your “deeper life” revelations …
Unless you are an authentic disciple who has the integrity to sacrificially walk the walk and move beyond merely talking the talk, I’m really not interested in your attempts to distort Christ to reflect your own existential angst and narcissistic sensibilities.
Sorry if that offends …
But then again, maybe it’s time someone cared enough to offend and call you to repentance.
If it’s cool, hip or seeker friendly …
It ain’t worship.
Because true worship …
Is not about us.
“The Pastor” of a church, ministry or whatever …
Is a phrase and a concept utterly absent from the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Instead, it comes from reading post-Biblical assumptions, presumptions and meanings not found in Scripture back into Scripture.
In the New Testament, some minister pastorally …
As simply one of many different functions expressed within a healthy church by a diversity of people.
More specifically, the New Testament references multiple elders in each church, each of whom is to function pastorally …
As well as teach, watch over and protect God’s flock together, among other things.
But no one is ever called a “Senior Pastor,” “Lead Pastor,” or any other form of “Pastor” in the New Testament …
And the word is never, ever used as justification for one person to be over a church.
Be a Berean …
Search Scripture to see if these things be so.
Then have the courage to follow what God’s Word actually says …
Rather than subsequent human traditions.
I love a well staged performance as much as the next guy, but please …
Just don’t call it “church”.
In the New Testament, “worship” occurs when we respond to God’s ongoing sovereign presence by living ongoing lives of reverence and obedience …
Which might, at times, properly invoke emotions.
Pagan worship, however, starts by manipulating emotions to “usher in” a false sense of God’s presence through special effects and special “leaders” at special gatherings.
It is a concept foreign to how the New Testament says God’s people are to function together as His church.
Unfortunately, there’s way too much pagan worship, and too little New Testament worship, in our “churches” these days.
It is narcissistic foolishness to twist the truth that all Scripture points to Jesus …
Into the lie that our own perceptions of Jesus therefore supersede Scripture.
Such non-sequiturs, and those who promote them, inevitably destroy all they touch …
Including authentic faith, discipleship and churches.
The viability of a church today typically depends on “the Pastor”.
How is that even Biblical?
You can’t find that anywhere in the New Testament.
Instead, the New Testament says we are to be the church – the multi-part Body of Christ – as each of us uses our diverse functions and gifts to minister to one another, encourage one another, and strengthen one another …
Including local elders who emerge among us to serve beside us by pastoring, teaching and watching over the flock.
The simple fact of the matter is that there are no favorable examples in the New Testament, as is common today, of one person primarily leading a church …
Unless you read your own post-New Testament presumptions, meanings, and traditions back into Scripture.
Nope, not, nadda …
Just ain’t there.
Which raises the question:
What else about “church” as we’ve come to know it …
Has nothing to do with church as the Bible actually shows it?
You’ll never find viable “organic” or “simple” church among its post-modern hucksters, spinning their existential failures to gullible groupies.
But you sure gotta give them credit for something, because they do know how to tickle those itchy ears …
Plumbline Faith 