We are not so arrogant to think that we will be able to form a perfect church, but we do believe that with God's help we will be able to create a community that is something God-honoring and real.
----------------
Preamble:
Church has been done the same way for centuries, and the results we see today leave much to be desired. Most every Christian has been touched by toxic churches, toxic people, bad doctrine, and visionless denominations at some point in their lives.
Many groups and organizations have tried to shake themselves from the “business as usual” mindset that permeates the contemporary church, with mixed success. The problem as we see it is that the structures, leadership arrangements, bad teaching, and the rigid dead formality of many contemporary churches lends itself to hierarchy, lack of involvement, and quenching the Holy Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19).
It would seem that there has to be a better way, where the church loves, heals, ministers, and exhorts as led by the Spirit..
Therefore, we seek to establish a body of believers (both mature and new in Christ), as well as those who seekers, those who need healing... basically, those who are looking for a place where life happens.
Process and evolution:
The Church Alternative is not designed to replace your current church. We want to leave that relationship intact, if that is your desire.
The Church Alternative is merely an idea, with the intent of discerning and expressing what Father is doing now. We do not intend to establish an organization or a denomination. Rather, we desire to create a safe environment where exploration, experimentation, and risking vulnerability are encouraged.
Thus, we have no preconceptions as to what the church would look like, other than it expressing the values listed below. The church might manifest as a home group, a potluck group, a party group, or a gang. It may even come to resemble a conventional church in some aspects.
However, The Church Alternative is not about form or structure. We place the highest value on people having God-encounters that are life changing. We are not trying to be different, we are trying to be what God wants us to be.
Initially The Church Alternative would likely start as a home group. The group might evolve from or to a fellowship group, a prayer group, a worship group, a teaching group, a prophetic group, a healing group, or an outreach group. Or some combination of these. As numbers increase, at some point it will be necessary to find enough space for the meetings, so renting a facility and acquiring sound equipment is an expected need.
Key to our purpose is empowering people in their spiritual gifts. The Church Alternative believes every person needs to rise up in their destiny and calling. There can be no bench players. We shall not be a church with a head pastor presiding over a helpless, spoon-fed flock.
Vision Statement:
The Church Alternative shall be a body of believers who impact heaven and earth with worship, the Word, with ministry to the saints and to the community.
Doctrines:
The Church Alternative holds to the orthodox doctrines of the Bible. The Church Alternative especially wants to embrace the empowering indwelling Holy Spirit, the manifestations of His gifts in every believer, and the Scriptural requirement to be continually filled with Holy Spirit.
Statements of belief:
We believe the church is a family (Greek, oikos), where everyone comes together with something to offer, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation (1Cor. 14:26). This ministry of the Body, one to another in love, shall characterize the gathering of the saints. The entire Body is called to edify, encourage, correct, and love one another.
We believe the church family should worship together, live together, minister together, fellowship together, and serve together.
We believe that it is God’s desire that all His people move in healing, prophecy, tongues, and signs and wonders.
We believe in the necessity of the earnest and persistent prayers of the saints.
We believe the church must grow and thrive. The source of growth must not only be those who are already believers, but also those who are being saved. So, The Church Alternative shall be open and welcoming for the lost, hurting, doubting, and sick, and they shall receive salvation, deliverance, faith, and healing, as Holy Spirit moves in the midst of the body.
Structure:
The Church Alternative shall manifest the five-fold offices, which are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These offices must be nurtured, taught, and made operational, particularly in the body of elders, but also developmentally in all the body.
The spiritual leadership of the church shall be the elders, the highest office of The Church Alternative.
The administrative leadership of The Church Alternative shall be the deacons.
Both the deacons and the elders shall together govern the affairs of The Church Alternative.
The leadership shall facilitate the salvation, spiritual growth, and eventual spiritual ministry of every person of The Church Alternative.
Values:
The Church Alternative shall be characterized by worship, the Word, ministry to the saints, devotion to prayer, and evangelism.
----------------
Preamble:
Church has been done the same way for centuries, and the results we see today leave much to be desired. Most every Christian has been touched by toxic churches, toxic people, bad doctrine, and visionless denominations at some point in their lives.
Many groups and organizations have tried to shake themselves from the “business as usual” mindset that permeates the contemporary church, with mixed success. The problem as we see it is that the structures, leadership arrangements, bad teaching, and the rigid dead formality of many contemporary churches lends itself to hierarchy, lack of involvement, and quenching the Holy Spirit (1 Thes. 5:19).
It would seem that there has to be a better way, where the church loves, heals, ministers, and exhorts as led by the Spirit..
Therefore, we seek to establish a body of believers (both mature and new in Christ), as well as those who seekers, those who need healing... basically, those who are looking for a place where life happens.
Process and evolution:
The Church Alternative is not designed to replace your current church. We want to leave that relationship intact, if that is your desire.
The Church Alternative is merely an idea, with the intent of discerning and expressing what Father is doing now. We do not intend to establish an organization or a denomination. Rather, we desire to create a safe environment where exploration, experimentation, and risking vulnerability are encouraged.
Thus, we have no preconceptions as to what the church would look like, other than it expressing the values listed below. The church might manifest as a home group, a potluck group, a party group, or a gang. It may even come to resemble a conventional church in some aspects.
However, The Church Alternative is not about form or structure. We place the highest value on people having God-encounters that are life changing. We are not trying to be different, we are trying to be what God wants us to be.
Initially The Church Alternative would likely start as a home group. The group might evolve from or to a fellowship group, a prayer group, a worship group, a teaching group, a prophetic group, a healing group, or an outreach group. Or some combination of these. As numbers increase, at some point it will be necessary to find enough space for the meetings, so renting a facility and acquiring sound equipment is an expected need.
Key to our purpose is empowering people in their spiritual gifts. The Church Alternative believes every person needs to rise up in their destiny and calling. There can be no bench players. We shall not be a church with a head pastor presiding over a helpless, spoon-fed flock.
Vision Statement:
The Church Alternative shall be a body of believers who impact heaven and earth with worship, the Word, with ministry to the saints and to the community.
Doctrines:
The Church Alternative holds to the orthodox doctrines of the Bible. The Church Alternative especially wants to embrace the empowering indwelling Holy Spirit, the manifestations of His gifts in every believer, and the Scriptural requirement to be continually filled with Holy Spirit.
Statements of belief:
We believe the church is a family (Greek, oikos), where everyone comes together with something to offer, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation (1Cor. 14:26). This ministry of the Body, one to another in love, shall characterize the gathering of the saints. The entire Body is called to edify, encourage, correct, and love one another.
We believe the church family should worship together, live together, minister together, fellowship together, and serve together.
We believe that it is God’s desire that all His people move in healing, prophecy, tongues, and signs and wonders.
We believe in the necessity of the earnest and persistent prayers of the saints.
We believe the church must grow and thrive. The source of growth must not only be those who are already believers, but also those who are being saved. So, The Church Alternative shall be open and welcoming for the lost, hurting, doubting, and sick, and they shall receive salvation, deliverance, faith, and healing, as Holy Spirit moves in the midst of the body.
Structure:
The Church Alternative shall manifest the five-fold offices, which are apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These offices must be nurtured, taught, and made operational, particularly in the body of elders, but also developmentally in all the body.
The spiritual leadership of the church shall be the elders, the highest office of The Church Alternative.
The administrative leadership of The Church Alternative shall be the deacons.
Both the deacons and the elders shall together govern the affairs of The Church Alternative.
The leadership shall facilitate the salvation, spiritual growth, and eventual spiritual ministry of every person of The Church Alternative.
Values:
The Church Alternative shall be characterized by worship, the Word, ministry to the saints, devotion to prayer, and evangelism.
Worship: Worship is the fundamental call of every believer. As such, The Church Alternative shall be a worshiping church. Exploring the depths and heights of worship shall be encouraged, with no time constraints. The body shall be taught how to worship.
The Word: The Church Alternative shall be a place of ministry in the Word. It shall not rely on a single person for delivery of the Word. There shall be a pool of mature people of faith, facilitated by the elders, who shall speak as Holy Spirit leads them. The leadership shall also encourage the participation of the body in dialogue. The body shall be taught the truths of Scripture unto maturity of faith.
Ministry to the saints: The holy fellowship of the saints shall receive high priority. The body shall be encouraged to join one with another in meals, spiritual ministry, and activities. The body shall be taught how to be together.
Devotion to prayer: An atmosphere of prayer shall be encouraged. The body shall be taught how to pray.
Evangelism: The declaration of the Gospel shall be a high priority. The body shall be taught how to share their faith.
Sounds good.
ReplyDeleteThere is truly a great deal to like about what you have written here. Likewise there's a need to get back to the ethos of the early New Testament church, a restoration of sorts. (Some scholars condescendingly call it the "primitive church.")
ReplyDeleteFor me a guiding principle is this teaching from The Head of the Body:
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:25-28 NIV, cf Mark 10:42-45, Luke 22:25-27)
Given this principle, I really like the following statements you made:
- "There can be no bench players. We shall not be a church with a head pastor presiding over a helpless, spoon-fed flock." -- LOVE that!
- "There shall be a pool of mature people of faith, facilitated by the elders, who shall speak as Holy Spirit leads them. The leadership shall also encourage the participation of the body in dialogue." -- Yes, amen.
In a prior experience I actually did this, it was one of the most wonderful experiences in my long walk within the Body of Christ. Unfortunately it was not in Montana and I'm still looking for it here.
I also think a modern day New Testament ethos also needs to reflect these words of Paul:
Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:32-35 NIV)
In this regard I have a vision of the local church as "A 'Priesthood of All Believers' where every member is a minister and no one gets paid." If this sounds radical I would submit that a lot of the truths of Jesus are indeed radical: he who loses his life shall save it; the first shall be last and the last shall be first; the greatest is the servant, not the boss.
There are other places where Paul talks about have a right to financial support. But Paul is a special case, a traveling Apostle. Having gainful employment in an itinerant circumstance such as this is not a realistic option so I see this as truly worthy of financial support. But for normal local church meetings a team of teachers ought to be able to operate in their gift for shear joy without compensation.
I have the following objection on what you wrote about the so called "the five-fold offices..." I believe this objection is consistent with Jesus' objection to the ways of this world when He says, "the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over..."
My objection is because the term and concept of office is actually foreign to the New Testament. The concept of church offices is a reflection of modern day corporations, and one of the most significant failings of today's church is how it thinks like worldly corporations. (Don't get me started on 501c3's.) This way of the Gentiles actually goes way back to when the church became the official religion of the Roman Empire, when the ways of the Roman Gentile world were imposed on the "primitive" church. So let's get primitive and not adopt the ways of the Gentiles, as that's the only way to truly be "The Church Alternative."
For more insight on this consider the content behind these links:
http://frankviola.org/2014/01/15/rethinkingleadership/
http://frankviola.org/2010/10/27/rethinking-the-five-fold-ministry/
https://stevecrosby.org/spiritual-abuse/spiritual-covering-2
Thanks for your excellent comments.
ReplyDeleteCertainly the typical present church configuration, with a pastor at the top of the pyramid, is an idea that should have passed long ago. It lends itself to inactivity in the Body. The Body never grows up. It relies on the pastor to do everything. Some churches hire a pastor to do things so they don't have to.
Regarding my use of the word "office:" In Ephesians 4 it says God "appointed." That is, these are special categories of people, as distinguished from the spiritual gifts. Gifts are given (and even sought after), but the five are appointed.
That's why I used the word "office," not to convey a position or make a higher level of authority or power, but to distinguish them from the gifts.
Thanks for the very nice reply Rich.
ReplyDeleteI'm do not deny that the word office appears the translation you read, or others. But it matters not what we may subconsciously want it to say, what matters is the meaning of the original text as inspired. Let's take an objective look at the Mounce Interlinear New Testament. Here we see that the word didomi is translated in the pluperfect "to give," "to consecrate," "to devote." (Zodhiates powerfully confirms this proper translation of didomi.) It has nothing to do with office. If the New Testament writers really wanted to say office, there are plenty of other words they would have used to make it clear. They would not have used didomi if an office or position was their intent. (See Zodhiates.) The concept of office or position appearing in some translations is a result of modern day cultural (Gentile) influence and bias being read into the text, not an objective appeal to the original meaning. Many translators acknowledge this unfortunate reality. Other places where we read office should better be translated as service, it's a function, not a position.
In this passage, we should consider these as gifts, or a service, but not an office. We can compare this with the context of how it is presented in other passages that are addressed to the church as a whole, not just to those with an official office of teacher:
"Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you *teach* and admonish *one another* with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." (Col 3:16)
"We have different *gifts*, according to the grace *given* [didomi] to each of us. If your *gift* is *prophesying*, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is *teaching*, then teach." (Romans 12:6-7)
"About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food." (Heb 5:11-13)
Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it seems like you replied *before* having read the articles I linked, especially the first one about "Rethinking Leadership in the New Testament." These articles provide a great deal of insight, IMHO, and I would like your feedback on them, (with specifcs please). :-)
Thanks again for the healthy dialog, Brother to Brother. Maybe we can share more thoughts over lunch or coffee.