Category: Thoughts from Others

From my friend Reed Merino

The Importance Of The Church: God’s Kingdom Among Men!

There is no need more urgent on our planet than that apostolic Christianity should be restored. Considering the desperate conditions that exist on this planet, that is a bold statement indeed! Poverty and hunger, suicidal loneliness, political and racial hatreds, people slipping over the brink into insanity, families disintegrating: can the establishment of a “religious” organization really be more important than the resolution of those wretched conditions? Properly understood, the answer is a resounding “yes!”

And I do not say this lightly: decades ago, I knew what it was like to fear that suicide might be the only alternative to a total breakdown. And perhaps like you, during the course of my life of eight decades, I have known loneliness to the point of tears; I have felt the fear of failure and have known deep anxiety about whether I might “go under” financially. Yet I still say that there is no need more urgent than that the Christianity of Christ and His apostles should be restored. You see, if the churches were to enter into the Biblical teaching and obedience described in the following chapters, she would provide a form of human society within which none of those wretched conditions mentioned above would ever need exist again!

We humans have many basic needs, and even more subtle ones. God’s design for His redeemed children is that we satisfy those needs not simply as individuals, or even as families, or even as the typical “church,” but as the tightly knit communities of disciples of Jesus that are described within the New Testament. Hear this, Christian: Christ in His church is God’s solution to all human needs and problems, not just its [supposedly] “religious” ones! Governments down through the ages have addressed, with varying degrees of seriousness and various degrees of success, what they considered to be the pressing problems of man. Sadly, history shows us that they have never been able to provide an adequate solution to those problems; and there are no grounds for believing that such an inability will ever change. Within the society of the Church of Christ (and only in His Church) there is indeed such a solution: a solution that actually used to exist, and a solution that God intends to restore!

The church described in the New Testament is not simply a center of worship and “religious” actions. God’s idea of “religion that is pure and undefiled” (James 1:27) includes much more than our usual categories of “religion.” God’s kingdom is not a formless mass of individuals whose belief and practice are carried out in private; nor is it the loose-knit association that gathers together a few times a week for “religious” activity, such as is characterized by Christendom’s Christianity. When the Kingdom of God is manifested on the earth, a visible society is created. As created by God, the church is that society of regenerated humans who have accepted Jesus as the divinely appointed ruler of the entire race of man. Her charter is to demonstrate how the entire race of humans could function if they yielded to the authority and the Spirit of God’s Anointed One. His church is the sphere where God’s plans for the “total man” and for every aspect of human society are accomplished. Indeed, the church is the true form of human society!-such is her call; such is what is necessarily implied in being “Christ’s body” (1 Corinthians 12:27 NASB)), “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), “a chosen race,…a holy nation,…the people of God” (1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB).

Think of the kind of conditions which had to have existed in the apostolic church in order for it to be instinctively described by them as a “body,” a “race,” a “nation” and a “people.” Most of us contemporary Christians are so used to reading those terms and so used to thoughtlessly and invalidly applying them to our forms of Christianity that we fail to see the obvious-that theological “ignored elephant in the living room”: they are terms that can only be applied to a group of people that is very tightly knit together. Can you honestly apply those terms to whatever group of Christians to which you now belong? Are the members of your congregation so tightly knit together that all of you function in this world as one organism, one body? Is your congregation’s community life so complete-so mutually committed to one another’s well-being, and so well organized to enable all of you to survive and flourish in all aspects of life-that you find the term “nation” a natural way to describe yourselves? I suspect not. Yet those were the very terms that came to the apostles’ inspired minds when they sought to describe the church they knew. The difference between their Christianity and what we have gotten used to calling Christianity is profound, Pilgrim!

If a member of an apostolic brotherhood were to suddenly find him or herself in one of Christendom’s congregations today, what differences do you think they would detect? They would notice significant differences in doctrine, worship, and organization, to be sure. But I suspect they would be most distressed because of another difference they would quickly sense. It is a difference like the difference between marriage and casual dating: the difference between an intimate, life- long 
relationship of people who have “all things in common” (Acts 2:44), versus a 
“meaningful relationship” that serves merely to take the edge off of our loneliness 
and to enable us to have some enjoyable and creative times together. It is a 
difference like the difference between the U.S. Marines and the Boy Scouts of 
America: the difference between a brotherhood whose way of life effectively 
prepares its members to march right into the jaws of death together, versus one that 
exists primarily to provide nice bonding times together. It is a difference like the 
difference between theater and reality: between “make believe” and “is.” That is 
how far the Christianity we know has been removed from the reality called 
“apostolic Christianity,” the Christianity described in the New Testament, and 
manifested for some centuries.


Contemporary Christianity is not even living a way of life that is up to the 
standards of ancient Israel, and yet we who think that we are followers of Jesus 
tend to think that we can look down upon them as our legalistic and primitive 
spiritual inferiors! To see current ecclesiastical organizations calling themselves a 
valid manifestation of “Christ’s Church,” but who have lost both the vision and the 
heart to “put their money where their mouth is” is somewhat like the way we would feel if we saw a really crack company of Marine soldiers marching and 
tossing and spinning their bayonetted rifles with awesome precision and elegance-only to learn that they had quit using their weapons for actual combat and had 
given up actually fighting their nation’s enemies!


Are you willing to happily pay the price to become an individual member of His 
Church?


Let me know if you are!



You can learn more about Reed and his books by going to reedmerino.com.

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The Early Ekklesia’s Anatomy vs. The Modern-Day Church

Let’s find out.

This article is from my friend Buff Scott, Jr. You can find out more about Buff, sign up for his newsletter or download his three books by clicking here.

When we reflect upon the early ekklesia and compare it to the contemporary church, we can easily see how widely separated they are.  A great gulf lies between them. The early ekklesia was not composed of sects, denominations, churches, or religious parties. Except for the “petite” factions at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:12-13), religious parties were non-existent within the universal body of believers. God’s colony of redeemed sinners functioned as a humane and evangelistic community. Their meetings were informal but orderly, serious and alive, responsive, and mutually managed. Ours are “services,” as at a funeral, largely non-responsive and non-stimulating. 

Pew-warmers have little or no recourse except to sit silently and be indoctrinated by an elitist. As a result of inactivity and lack of mutual participation, commoners experience little or no spiritual growth. As growth is stifled, most remain spiritual adolescents. Elitists who run the show have been hired for a salary and can be fired by “stepping over the line” and speaking things “contrary to the Word of God,” which, when translated, means to turn a little to the right or to the left of the party’s doctrinal platform. The doctrinal platform is the various conceptions of  the “Word of God” held by those who keep the Corporation running smoothly, such as dictatorial Elders, Pastors, Priests, or Church Boards.    
  
It is strikingly clear that the early meetings were bereft of pulpits, collections to buy and maintain flashy edifices and to keep an elite orator vocationally afloat, ritualistic nonsense, and pew-sitters. Their environment was family-like. Our gatherings resemble formal business meetings, where business or “worship” doesn’t begin until the hands on the clock are at a certain crossroads. Our overall anatomy mirrors a Corporation, an Institution, not a compassionate community of concerned ones.
 
What dissimilarity! We have retrogressed, not progressed. We have traded the holy for the common, the celestial for the terrestrial, the spiritual for the materialistic, the sacred for the plain. Yet there are many receptive and seeking hearts within the corridors of the modern church. God will deliver them, if they are willing to remove their soiled garments and replace them with garments of reconciliation. His children no longer need wallow in the partisan litter of the Religious Establishment, for God will raise up reformers to rescue His elect. He always has. He always will.
 
But it isn’t likely He will penetrate the divisive armor of those whose  hearts  are solidly enslaved by the Institutional church, and whose deep-seated infirmity is “Mad Church Disease.” The divisive spirit is a work of our carnal nature. It is reflected thusly, “We are right and others are wrong. We are the only church Jesus founded.”
  
As long as this separatist spirit lingers within the contemporary church, she will never be able to apply a healing balm to “Mad Church Disease.” Freedom in Jesus will always escape those who parrot this mindset and exhibit a cliquish spirit. It is indeed a rarity to find freedom in the contemporary church. The reason is that the party line must be parroted, her precepts supported, her traditions preserved, and the “church system” idolized. If we veer a little to the right or lean a little to the left, we will soon be verbally disciplined and told to shape up or ship out-or worse.
 
This is not freedom. It is bondage. To find a man who is truly free to speak his mind and heart while employed by a church is like looking for shelter in a hailstorm. Even pew-sitting peasants are not allowed the freedom to speak their heart and mind without ecclesiastical reprisal. There are, however, many receptive and loving hearts who are caught up in the web of partisan religion. They need to be freed.
              
But to be truly free in Jesus we need to cast off our partisan shackles and disavow all sectarian systems-that is, all religious parties that have subjugated us. This I have personally done. This I will not undo. No church or religious party upon the face of planet Earth has one bit of control over my life, my mind, or my beliefs any longer. I will no longer be a bondservant to any of them. My only Master is Jesus-and He alone. I will forever be His slave. I refuse to bow to any other. “Give me freedom or give me death” will  always be my cry. For without freedom to think, to dissent, to investigate, and to question, our walk with the Lord and voyage to Heaven might be difficult to negotiate. In 1973, I composed a poem which contains this verse:

Come, now, my fellow believers,
Consider the divisive infirmities of each other;
And how they can be reversed and set asunder,
By offering our love and helping one another.

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Great insight from Mark Lake as he describes the organic church.

“By “organic church,” I mean a non-traditional church that is born out of spiritual life instead of constructed by human institutions and held together by religious programs. Organic church life is a grass roots experience that is marked by face-to-face community, every-member functioning, open-participatory meetings (opposed to pastor-to-pew services), non-hierarchical leadership, and the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ as the functional Leader and Head of the gathering.” Frank Viola

The following illustration is how I have tried to describe what happens when an organic church meets together to express Christ with every member functioning:

Paul says in Ephesians 3:8 that there are “unsearchable riches” in Christ. Imagine with me that the Louvre Museum in Paris is a picture of all of the riches that are in Christ. The Louvre has approximately 35,000 exhibits in its massive museum grounds, not to mention the architecture alone is stunning. Many of the most famous pieces of artwork in history are housed within these walls.

Now, imagine a group of people setting out to explore and experience the riches of this museum.  To give 5 minutes to each of the 35,000 pieces of art would take 243 twelve hour days!  Picture this group entering the museum in awe of its beautiful architecture. They gather around a famous art display and take in its beauty and uniqueness.  After some time, they share with each other what aspects of this piece of art stood out to them and how it affected them.  As they go around the group taking turns sharing, they find that no one saw quite the same thing, even though they were all certainly looking at the same piece.  Some were astounded by the colors.  Others were captivated by the fine detail in the work. Some were focused on one particular aspect, such as the expression on a face.

Some wondered about the meaning of the painting.  Others pondered the artist’s motivation for the piece.  As the group shared their varied insights, everyone saw much more of the artwork than any one person saw themselves.  As the group moves through the museum, gazing upon the beautiful art and sharing with each other, they grow closer as they share together, and even begin to see the artwork from other people’s perspective.

Additionally, the group may decide to disperse in random directions to search out some artifact that catches their interest.  They may ponder this piece alone or with just a few from the larger group.  Later, the group comes back together and shares with each other what they have found.  Many times, a very discernible theme will appear as they share, even though there was no intention to seek a common theme.  (I’ve been in meetings where this happens and it is truly electrifying!)  As each person shares about the treasure that they found, many different aspects of this massive museum may be revealed.  The group may decide to venture together through some of these areas and behold together the treasure that some have brought to the group.

It is much the same as this when a group of people gather to express the Lord Jesus Christ together.  Rather than getting only one view (such as from a pastor), many people bring many various views that are woven together into a beautiful picture of Christ that is much more rich than only one person’s view.  In other words, Jesus Christ is the art piece that this group beholds.

Imagine if the same group went to the Louvre Museum, but when they made it into the foyer, they elected only one person to go in and view the artwork and then come back and share with the group what he alone saw. Without entering in to the museum together, the group’s ability to fully understand what the one person saw is difficult and limited. Week after week, they gather in the foyer and listen to this one person describe more of what he has seen.  As the weeks and years pass, this person appears to be so much of an expert in the Louvre artwork, the group is intimidated to think about going inside themselves, lest they be expected to come back and expound on what they saw as well as the expert does.

In my view, this is similar to what happens in a church that depends on a select few clergy to minister Christ.  Certainly, there are many pastors and clergy members who have a great depth of knowledge of Christ and a rich relationship with Him.  But when the duty of exploring Him rests completely or mostly on the clergys’ shoulders, the rest of the body becomes passive and underdeveloped.  In an organic expression of the church (as I’ve defined here), this duty is shared among the priesthood of ALL believers.

You may read this and not believe that Christians can live in this way together with each other.  I can affirm by experience that they can, but only when their focus is learning together how to live by Christ’s indwelling life.  But that, of course, is another story for another day.

From Reformation Rumblings by Buff Scott, Jr.

My brothers, show no partiality…For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? [James 2:1-5].

It is visibly apparent that most religious parties have adopted earthen titles to describe the function of various leaders who represent them. At the outset let me say our Lord, of course, does not sanction them. As badly as many of us would like to see a rapid change, it takes time and efforts to rectify “wanderings” and “ramblings” that have developed over centuries and fastened themselves onto us. Correcting radical apostasies cannot come about overnight. So we ought not become weary in well-doing.    

Specialized human titles should be re-examined and corrected. For in using those terms, a few within the flock are elevated above other sheep. “Associate Minister,” for example, leaves the impression that the brother who is saddled with this earthly title has not graduated to the level of “Chief Minister.”    

All sheep in the pen are ministers or servants-everyone of us! None are either “associate” or “chief.” There should be no distinctions among us, according to James, who says that favoritism should not be shown [James 2:1-7]. God views all of us on the same level, regardless of our gifts. If we can invent an “Associate Minister,” why not an “Associate Saint”? Or an “Associate Servant”? I’m afraid our titles are a major part of our digression.

Even “elder,” “shepherd,” “pastor,” and “overseer,” legitimate terms of the Holy Spirit, appellations that refer to the same function or gift, are not to be viewed as someone “in charge” of others. Instead, the terms describe the ability or gift to lead, as opposed to being a warlord with authority. They are not titles! They are functions, and functions only. Human titles and human offices within the body of believers have their genesis in pride. Pride breeds all manner of departures.

When we take a common noun of the Spirit and amplify it to a proper noun, we have attempted to hoist someone above his fellows. This is contrary to the spirit of humility. “Instead, whoever wants to become great [elevated] among you must be your servant” [Matt. 10:26]. Away with titles that tend to move some of the sheep to a cushioned seat while others are expected to sit in a pew.

“Don’t Be Called Leaders” is a 75-page treatise whose Author is a personal friend and brother of mine, Jon Zens. If you would like a copy, please contact him at jzens@searchingtogether.org. You might wish to look over his library of other books as well at jonzens.com.

Reformation Rumblings is a weekly email sent out by Buff Scott Jr. If you would like to subscribe please contact him at renewal@mindspring.com.

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Below is an article from Reformation Rumblings by Buff Scott, Jr. entitled “Taking Another Look at The First Century Assemblies”. If you’re interested in receiving his weekly emails please contact me. Buff writes on a variety of subjects. To find out more about Buff click here. Thank you.

An interesting concept is that the early Christian assemblies were similar to what is known today in the psychiatric field as “Group Therapy.” I participated, and assisted in, organizing and leading Group Therapy sessions when I was employed in the psychiatric arena for 34 years. Group Therapy in the psychiatric realm consists of numerous patients under psychiatric care, plus one or two leaders. The seating arrangement is among the most crucial expressions of each meeting.

Each group was seated either in a circle or semi-circle. Everyone was able to see each other’s face, as opposed to gawking at the back-of heads. Unless a previously agreed-upon topic was announced, the leaders invited anyone with a problem, or simply someone who had a matter to share, to verbalize.    

No one person dominated the meetings by doing all or most of the talking. As participation makes for “therapy” and growth, most everyone in attendance was encouraged because his/her self-esteem was boosted. Alcoholics Anonymous meetings function on the same principle-mutual engagement.     

I envision the early believers practicing “group therapy” as their chief source of encouragement and support. It is assuring that not one scripture can be found that remotely indicates their meetings were dominated by one man, not even in Acts 20:7, where Paul was the visiting apostle and did a lot of talking in the form of reporting. Their meetings were formulated and led by shepherds called “Elders”-mature and older men.    

Actually, the meeting at Troas was a verbal exchange, with Paul being the principal participant. The English Standard Version captures the Greek best by saying that “Paul talked with them.” Our oldest Greek manuscripts do not carry “preached” in Acts 20:7. This was another of King James’ blunders.

Regular meetings called for the benefit of all believers consisted of general participation, but there were occasions when a gifted orator or visiting apostle or evangelist was invited to address the assembly on some special topic, issue, or problem. Paul’s visit to Troas was one of those occasions.     

Consider seriously the idea of all congregations dismissing the paid functionary and substituting group therapy or house meetings in his stead. Reflect on one important result: A staggering sum of money would be available to alleviate the needs of the destitute and promote authentic evangelism, the two commanding ministries of the early believers.

“Mutual ministry” is an attractive term to describe this type of setting. If group therapy-“mutual ministry”-were practiced in our assemblies, not only would a staggering amount of money be available to meet the needs of the genuinely poverty-stricken and promote evangelism, but the average believer’s faith would be strengthened through mutual or group participation.    

Believers would no longer need to be bottle-fed and pampered by an elite servant, the professional cleric or pulpit minister. Self-confidence would increase and he would be prompted to spur others on toward love and good deeds. Heaven’s testimony confirms this idea. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” [Heb. 10:24]. Motivated and insightful leaders would truly shepherd. They would no longer need paid professionals to do their shepherding for them.    

I challenge you to take a firm look at the model I am describing by turning to 1 Corinthians, chapter 14, verses 26-33. Mutual ministry was the order of each assembly. Yes, I know, as the old argument goes, “As time changes, so do cultures, including the assemblies or meetings of believers.” 

But the core or central principle of growth for each believer or participant never changes, regardless of culture-not even in the domestic and secular fields! This principle or precept was designed by someone who knew-the God of wisdom. May He give us a portion of His wisdom as we promote heaven’s design.

Again, please contact me if you would like to be placed on Buff’s mailing list. You can contact me at jirovetto@yahoo.com. The below link is to subscribe to my blogs. Blessings

I recently came across a couple of posts by Buff Scott, Jr. and have added them below. The first one is entitled The Early Believers vs. Today’s Believers and the second one is entitled Why Are House Meetings Springing Up All Over The Board? At 96 years old, Buff is still producing weekly Reformation Rumblings electronic newsletters. If you’d like to be added to his email list please contact me.

The early believers won the world without Theological Seminaries, Missionary Societies, clergy, elaborate and expensive edifices, or any of the other “artifacts” and baggage that burden us today. They changed lifestyles without throwing a rock, burning a building, drawing a sword, or parading down Main Street in Jerusalem with pedophiles, losers, and so-called “transgenders.” 

 Their resurrection message to the unregenerate was simple, “Repent, and turn to God!” The new reign welcomed everyone-yes, even homosexuals and prostitutes and drunkards and thieves and swindlers. In the congregation at Corinth, there were recovering homosexuals, prostitutes, thieves, drunkards, and swindlers [I Cor. 6:9-11]. They had been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus.

If we intend to influence the world with the message of salvation, we must struggle for reform within our sectarian establishments and partisan religions.  For if we do not opt for reform we will face defeat before we “fire the first shot.”

The religious Establishment couldn’t be any more warped if the Lord had commanded it. The world will not nor cannot be won to Messiah Jesus as long as she is the cause instead of the solution. Nor can the world be conquered for the Captain of our salvation by exerting most of our efforts parroting the party’s clichés or adding more theological waste to our partisan rostrums. The slate must be cleaned, reformed, renewed, and reshaped before receiving our marching orders. Then and only then will we be able and ready to give the battle cry!

If apostles Peter and Paul had endeavored to spread the message of the risen Christ while agreeing with and furthering the sects of their day, their efforts to transform the world would not have survived.  If we hope to achieve reformation, we must reach beyond the established order and ecclesiastical structures. The activities,  movements,  and  efforts of the first believers were unskilled, ordinary, unsophisticated, and informal-although serious and edifying. Our contemporary arrangement is perplexing, rehearsed, organized to the brim, ritualistic, formulistic, and boring. It is, in truth, self-destructive.

More and more disillusioned believers are suspending “going to church” and switching to house meetings instead. Their reasons vary, but it is safe to say that all of them are tired of being programmed by a solo speaker-professional elitist-who downloads their spiritual food week after week.

I was driven to write a few words about this subject because of a piece that appeared in the January (2010) issue of Newsweek. Lisa Miller says in Finding Spirituality at Home, “[Believers] mistrust authority and institutional hierarchy.” This, according to her, seems to be the principal reason so many are abandoning the big churches in favor of house meetings-commonly called “house churches” (a term I dislike). And some of the big churches are hurting. They are not hurting in spirit, but in the pocketbook!

I agree with Ms. Miller’s diagnosis that it is mainly because of mistrust of authority and institutional hierarchy that so many are walking away from institutional religion and the big churches. There are other reasons as well.

• Believers are sick of meaningless liturgy-stand, sit, bow, sing, contribute. These rituals, rites, and formalities are totally empty of any coherent and edifying message, and they do nothing but breed disheartened believers. Truth-seeking believers long for a family-like atmosphere where everyone is free and encouraged to verbalize, share, mutually participate, and where no one is dressed up like he’s on his way to a Halloween party.
• Believers are finally recognizing that once they formally “place their membership” with a church or denomination, they get caught up in all of their projects and programs. Many have begun to realize that the Christian community has moved from compassion to project. As a result, she has lost her anchor.
• Most believers who are walking away from established churches are aware that Satan is shouting “Hallelujah” when 85-percent of church contributions is squandered on materialistic projects and programs and only 15-percent go to support evangelism and to alleviate the needs of the destitute. These were the only two undertakings the early believers contributed their money to-evangelism and alleviating the poverty of the destitute.
• Believers are also becoming more aware that “church conversion,” as opposed to heart conversion, is not the way of salvation. Religion and church have polluted the stream flowing from the river of life. On a personal note, I ceased long ago trying to convert anyone to any of the modern-day religions or to any of the numerous sects. I now point them in the direction of Jesus only, because 2000 years ago there were no church factions for believers to join. They identified themselves with other believers of a common cause, thus forming Christian congregations or communities. None of the early believers were afflicted with “mad church disease.” And none were church addicts.
• As the apostles and first believers were not Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Mormons, Catholics, or associated with any of the other sects that sprinkle our current partisan landscape, recovering church addicts are also free of these schisms. These religious parties did not exist in the apostles’ time. Therefore recovering church addicts will not be formally aligned with any of these except to work within for reform.
• If Jesus were on earth in the flesh today, I’m confident He would view our present-day religious institutions as He viewed those of His time. He worked among partisan systems for reform while not joining any of them. And so it is with recovering church addicts-work within and among partisan groups, whenever possible, without subscribing to any of them.

So may house meetings increase! And may the systems that enslaved believers for centuries decrease and finally self-abort. And to God be the glory.

Below is an excerpt of a treatise by John M. Bland from 1995. His thoughts below are under the subtitle The Human Tendency Toward Irresponsibility. You can read the entire 85 pages here free. I struggled a bit on whether or not I should post this. The second half of his treatise has strong Cessationist ideology which I don’t agree with. The first half, however, is really inciteful and I would hope you would take time to read the excerpt below and the first half of his treatise.

“Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, Look, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations…. And the Lord said to Samuel, Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them (1 Samuel 8:4-5,7,).”

The above scripture is an excellent illustration of the human tendency to ascribe to someone else one’s own God-given responsibilities. Yahweh had founded a theocratic (God ruled) nation of priests. He had chosen them to be special. He had delivered them from the rule of Pharaoh and given them equality under His reign as defined below.

“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagle’s wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you will be a special treasure to me above all people; for all the earth is mine. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:4-6).”

History shows they were faithful to God for only a short period of time. They failed to obey God in driving out the inhabitants of the land. They quit inquiring into the will of God from the Levitical priests. The comment in Judges 17:6, is this. “At that time there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. Because they had rejected God’s rule, He sold them into the hands of oppressors. From time to time, God found it merciful to raise up a deliverer. They would rally around this judge and with God’s help conquer the enemy. Generally, they were called to personally participate in the war.

This was the background of things when Samuel, the last judge, was enfeebled with age. Israel was still surrounded with enemies. The people were weary of their responsibilities to confront these adversaries. They gave two reasons for their request for a king. The first is stated in the above introductory verse – that they could be like the surrounding nations. It takes courage and fortitude to be different. It takes commitment to an ideal to take a stand. It requires sacrifice to battle. From this perspective, you can understand their insistence on having a king even after the negatives were iterated. We want a king anyway, they said,

“…that we may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles (1 Samuel 8:19-20).”

Now we’re getting to the most important reason for their insistence. They were tired of fighting. They were glad – with some hesitation – to let others carry their responsibilities. God had warned them about the nature of kings. “They will tax you.” “They will make servants out of your children.” “They will take your sons for soldiers.” “They will make your daughters perfumers and cooks.” Etceteras! “Yeah,” they replied, “we can understand that but what is that to us?” “Give us a king!” (paraphrase mine)

Who were these responsibility shirkers? These were the elders, the older people. These were the ones whom God wished to be shepherds of His citizens: those that had the weight of age and
experience. It was going to be their sons who would end up paying the cost of their folly. It was their daughters that would be tyrannized by the kings that would follow. It was the issue of their loins that would have to give up their hard earned money to the king and his court. It was their offspring who would weep and toil in a land of captivity while they “rested with their fathers.” The consequences of their demand was far reaching and enduring and they had no Scriptural right to relinquish their responsibilities to those “who would be kings”. In doing so, God accused them of rejecting Him.

This Old Testament passage illustrates the constant human disposition to make excuses and avoid personal responsibility. Adam was the first to blame someone else for his rebellion. He ended up blaming both God and his wife. In the instance of Israel, after God gave in to their wish and granted them a “substitute”, their first king Saul “shirked” his responsibility to carry out God’s desire and then blamed the people (1 Samuel 15).

In modern day vernacular we would say “let George do it”. Well, you say, that was then and this is now. Are we, the heirs of New Testament Christianity, guilty of the same?

Below is an excerpt of an interview by The Wittenberg Door. Juan Carlos Ortiz was asked about church structure and church renewal. The interview was conducted in 1980 but his responses are still relevant today.

Door: In your books you also talk a lot about church renewal. Can you describe the renewal that went on in your own church?

Ortiz: We had experienced tremendous numerical growth in our church. But we discovered that we were running the church like a business. We were promoting Christ like we would promote a product, like we would promote Coca-Cola…We realized that simply increasing the number of people that attend church is not growth-cemeteries grow that way too.

One of the things we did right away was to change the focus of our message. Instead of urging people to come to Christ for all the blessings they would receive, we began to talk about Christ as Lord. We began to preach that people should come to Christ for Christ alone, not for a miracle, a blessing, or even heaven. We simply went back to preaching the person of Christ.

Door: What is your concept of church structure?

Ortiz: Jesus did not come to start an institution. He never intended to buy a piece of land and build a headquarters. We have to ask the Spirit today how to meet the needs of today. I must say that all structures are a hindrance to people in their search for God. If people have to accept Christ plus a pipe organ, the piano, the program, the television ministry, millions will reject Christ.

So often when a person comes into the church structure, it alienates them from their family and friends. Anything that takes the place of the Lord is wrong. For lots of people the structure takes the place of Jesus. They become meeting-centered instead of Christ-centered.

Rather than having deacons and elders, who function like the members of a board, and a minister, who functions like the president of the board, you strive for a group of people who become friends. Just like the disciples-they work together, love one another, and take care of one another.

Door: When we hear the word discipleship we think of a strong authority figure who becomes the discipler while exercising control over the disciplee, if there is such a word.

Ortiz: I would not use the word authority. That could be dangerous. I would use the word love. In my house, for instance, there is authority, but we never use the word. Authority is like soap, the more you use it, the less you have. The more you say you are the boss, the less authority you have. There is a kind of authority that lives in love, but we’re talking about a love relationship, not a military relationship.

Door: What are the signs of immaturity in the church today?

Ortiz: [One] evidence of immaturity in the church is the need for rules and laws. Children live by rules. They take a bath or brush their teeth because they are told to do it…Suppose the Lord tells me to eat an orange. So I eat the orange and sincerely believe that God has led me. Tomorrow, the Lord tells me to eat an orange again. So what happens? The next day I write down a rule to eat an orange every day. And do you see what that does? Now I don’t need the Spirit anymore. I have a law instead. Laws kill life. Laws stop growth. You end up staying with a concept, a principle, or a doctrine rather than life. What we did yesterday in the Spirit, we do today in the flesh.

Door: Can you summarize your suggestions for helping the church become a healthy and viable expression of Christ today?

Ortiz: We need to clean the church of all that is not essential or necessary. So we don’t need to waste our time on shakeable things like buildings. Buildings are just monuments to the people that build them. They are a symbol of division in the church. They are a symbol of the church’s self-centeredness.

We should strive toward a very simple structure of the church that could go underground any minute. Nobody on the payroll. No secretaries. No letters to write. We should create a church that can live through relationships so that we are connected person to person. And we can attain that by dividing our churches into small cell groups where people can build each other up.

If the church is always singing the same hymns, saying the same prayers, performing the same liturgy, and giving the same messages, it is because there is no growth. The wineskins of the church have to be elastic so we can always put in new wine.

I’ve been doing some study on fishing nets and found this very insightful article by Carol S. Wimmer. I have included some excerpts from her article below but I would suggest you read the entire article, she makes some great points. You can find the article here and you can check out other articles and her website here.

An organizational structure defines and determines how all participants will view themselves within the organization. If this belief holds any measure of truth, then the church’s structural image is as important as her purpose for existing. If the church is to succeed in her mission, then she must know what her mission is, as well as the way in which she will structure herself.

The original organization of justice-centered leadership had no physical temple or church building where people gathered, lit oil lamps, or sang songs for an hour of worship each week. Instead, worshiping God and honoring the guidelines established for good living became a way of life. This was the baby bride’s purpose-to provide a WAY of life that honored God-a way of life rooted exclusively in a just society that addresses the care of neighbor by addressing the needs of each neighbor.

The pyramidal model strokes the egos of many pharaoh-type people in this world. Powerful people love to build empires of social control more than networks of social justice. Power is an addictive type of yeast that grows inside the human ego. Through dominance and a rigid legalistic system of religious laws, the power that comes with casting out anyone who doesn’t obey the rules established by their leaders seduced Israel’s leaders. Seduction is particularly easy when the elected leaders believe they speak for God or have the authority to speak for God.

It is humanity’s desire to select our default image of the pyramid whenever we organize ourselves in camps, groups, temples, or congregations. That choice causes humankind to miss God’s way of life for our entire species. We simply cannot give up our sinful desire to be mini-gods who prefer control over neighbor, rather than care of neighbor as we care for ourselves.

When thinking about the new image of the church of tomorrow, I suggest the Bride of Christ won’t be dressing herself in a pyramidal shaped structure. Once she fully heals from her present hemorrhaging, she will begin to make, spread, and cast nets.

Thousands upon thousands of human nets cast out upon the spiritual waters of neighborhoods, villages, towns, cities and geographic regions around the world. When Christians learn the art of net making and teach the art to others who want to learn, people will live in equitable, justice-centered societies. But first, the hemorrhaging woman must finally reach out her hand and touch the fringe of Jesus cloak. Then humankind will finally realize the kingdom of heaven on the earth.

In theory, the original net-like model created peaceful, non-violent, justice-oriented, grassroots governance. Imagine people governing themselves in the absence of any authoritarian pharaohs! When implemented effectively, the result would be an equitably-balanced society-a kingdom of heaven on earth. Hence, Jesus placed an image in the minds of his followers saying, “the kingdom of heaven is like a net,” Matthew 13:47. He also called fishermen into his inner circle because they knew how to construct fishing nets. When he called his disciples, he told them they would fish for people-those who are committed to an equitable way of life.

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Pastor to Pioneer is an exceptional ministry providing guidance for pastors wanting to transition to more relational fellowships. This article was written by Britton Smith for pastors but it’s relevant for anyone that has or would like to transition. I encourage you to read and share. You can check out the ministry here.

We know the demand to manage the current church system often feels unfruitful and burdensome. Many pastors wrestle with the idea that what they’re doing doesn’t look like what they’re reading in the Bible. We were pastors in that system, too-frustrated by the feeling of being trapped in an institution and desiring to follow Jesus and be the church in a more simple way. 

All of us on the Pastor to Pioneer team have moved from managing institutions to pioneering movements of wholehearted disciples and simple churches in our cities. We are people who seek to know Jesus, listen to what he says, and respond accordingly. We do this with others in very simple ways, often in living rooms. 

The transition from being pastors to becoming pioneers was not easy for us, but it has been worth it. We are living into God’s call for us outside of manmade religion, and we’re doing so without compromising our faith. We also see God transforming our lives, our families’ lives, and the lives of those around us. 

If you are considering making the journey from pastor to pioneer, we want to help you avoid some common mistakes. These are the top nine repeated mistakes we’ve seen pastors make when moving from a traditional pastoral role to that of a pioneer. While these mistakes are typical, you can avoid them. 

Pitfall #1: Changing Venues But Not Values 

One of the biggest mistakes pastors make when entering pioneering work is changing a model without changing the values and principles that the church should embody. If you don’t examine the Bible and adjust the principles of what the church is supposed to be and do, you will build a new model on an unstable foundation. Your actions might look different, but your spiritual DNA will remain the same. 

New Values 

When you pursue new values, you will embody a healthier way of interacting with Jesus and each other. Living according to biblical values will lead to more Christlike fruit. Here are three main values that we see needing emphasis: 

1. Everyone listening and responding to Jesus. 

2. Everyone pursuing relationships, not programs. 

3. Everyone empowered to use their gifts. 


If you don’t shift your values as a family and community, you will bring consumerism, competition, and celebrity culture from the prevailing model into your living room. 

Different Values Will Lead to a Different Venue 

Different values will inevitably lead to a different venue, but simply changing a venue doesn’t automatically shift values. Meeting from house to house is not the point. However, we have found it to be the most helpful way to walk together in relationship with Jesus and to know how he calls us to interact with each other. Meanwhile, it is challenging to live out many of the values we are pursuing in the prevailing model of the church. 

Next Steps 

Before jumping into the newest model, return to the New Testament. As you read, what values does the earliest church emphasize? How do the people of God interact with him and with one another? 

As you do this, be humble to acknowledge where you have been misguided. God will give you the grace to see and then live differently. You must allow yourself to detox from the old ways of operating and thinking. You will bring the institution’s baggage into the living room if you don’t. You might not realize how entrenched you are in old ways of thinking until you step out of your current church context. This takes time you can’t make this shift overnight. You will find that some old ways of thinking will crop up and you will have to work through them. 

Pitfall #2: Inviting People to an Event But Not a Friendship 

Many pastors think the weekly service is the pinnacle of the church. They believe people will grow and connect with others if they attend a church service. When the people aren’t growing enough from a weekly service, pastors fill the church calendar with other events for them to attend. 

Events Rarely Lead to Transformation 

Rarely do these events translate to deep relationships or personal transformation. Even if they have some fruit, these events model a need for church staff to organize and execute programming for others to attend. Instead, when people are confident to foster friendships with each other, events will naturally flow out of those relationships based on the needs they discover. 

Transformation Happens in Relationship 

Transformation comes as people are in relationships, spurring each other toward Jesus, not just attending events together. Maturity comes when people feel safe sharing their weaknesses and struggles, and the group gently comes alongside them to help them grow. 

Building genuine relationships can be challenging, but it is essential for creating a thriving church community that focuses on loving and serving one another. 

Next Steps 

Prayerfully consider the people in your life. Who are some people you can invite to a meal instead of asking them to be part of your church or network? Bring them into your life and family rather than into some manmade organization. Many often naturally become part of our church networks as the relationship grows. 

Pitfall #3: Planting Churches Rather than Making Disciples 

In recent years, the Western church has focused heavily on church planting. The usual pattern involves a church planter gathering a core group and starting in a living room or a small rented space. The goal is to grow as fast as possible. Those involved will consider the church plant successful when it becomes financially self-sufficient. 

The Goal is Christlikeness 

The goal in the New Testament never seems to be church planting. The church in the New Testament aims for the people of God to grow in maturity in Christlikeness. Some call this 

discipleship. We aren’t talking about trading small groups, Bible studies, or Sunday school for new events or tools. We are talking about living our lives in deep connection to Jesus, worshiping, beholding, and responding to him together as a Jesus-centered community. He will then bear the fruit of Christlikeness in our lives (John 15). 

House Churches Aren’t the Point 

Many pioneers are tempted to start as many house churches as fast as possible. But when we operate in such a fury, many groups fizzle out over time. The pioneer should instead begin by pouring deeply into the few and modeling for them a life of transformation that comes from listening and responding to Jesus. You can then teach them how to gather with others in a Jesus-centered community. These small communities tend to be healthier and have greater endurance because they are built on the foundation of a relationship with Jesus and maturity in him, not just gathering in a house. 

Next Steps 

Start by focusing on your maturity and the transformation of your household. What does your time with Jesus look like? Are you spending time beholding him and responding to him? What changes do you need to make? 

Pitfall #4: Wanting the Treasure Without the Cost 

The status quo of church ministry often focuses on attendance and other metrics, as well as expectations around the quality of production for events and programs. But God is inviting you to follow him without the burden of manmade religion. 

He desires you to have a life-giving relationship with him though Jesus full of joy and peace. As you grow in your relationship with him, you get to respond to his leadership and direction. You no longer have to maintain a checklist of religious duties and obligations to keep God happy. He is glad to be with you because you are clothed with the righteousness of Jesus and cleansed by his blood. Jesus has done what is required for you to have a restored relationship with the Father. He doesn’t expect us to try harder to change on our own. He has given us the Holy Spirit, who produces the fruit of Jesus in our lives. 

No More Manmade Religion 

This kind of life will likely demand a different church structure than you are currently experiencing. We don’t need a manmade intermediary. We have direct access to the Father through Jesus. The people of God don’t need manmade structures and programs to facilitate our relationship with God, and you don’t need to be the hired help to run them. You don’t have to be the lynchpin that keeps the whole church machine running and bear the burden of keeping it going each week. You can be part of a community where everyone hears and responds to the voice of Jesus. You don’t have to be under the pressure every Sunday of people coming to you to be fed because they don’t know how to go to Jesus and have him feed them. 

This New Life Comes at a Cost 

Stepping into something new requires leaving behind the old. Before there is new life, there is the death of the old. Before the Israelites could enter the Promised Land, they needed to leave Egypt. 

The cost will be high for you to begin pioneering. It may mean giving up your title, financial security, and even friendships. It may mean leaving behind the familiar, the comfortable, and the stable. However, the high cost is, of course, worth it because God is the treasure. 

Next Steps 

Take time to reflect and allow the Lord to reveal the areas in your life that need to change or die. Title, reputation, security, and control (among other things) likely need to die before you step into pioneering. What are those things for you? 

Pitfall #5: Sharing Before Doing 

Pastors are notorious for passing things on to others without first living them out themselves. You have probably felt the pressure to teach something new every Sunday without having enough time to apply what you are learning first. 

Live It Before You Share It 

When you grow in conviction about living into different principles and values as a church, giving a sermon series on these things is tempting. But people grow by seeing and experiencing something different. Remember, you are modeling entirely different principles from those we typically practice in manmade models. 

Don’t Announce a New Vision 

Don’t make the same mistake many of us have by announcing a new vision of disciple-making and gathering in simple churches before you have lived it and allowed the new DNA to infuse the church relationally. Embody the culture and values you want to see replicated. Don’t start by teaching them just yet. 

Next Steps 

Start small. Start by listening, obeying, and sharing Jesus yourself. Start by being the church in your own home. The family is the hub of discipleship, community, and mission. You will reproduce in others what you are living and modeling. As you pour your life into the few, you will see deeper, healthier things grow and multiply. Don’t advertise it. Don’t try to start a network. Just live it out in your own life. Until you do this, you won’t have anything to pass on other than theory. 

Pitfall #6: Calling Yourself Pastor 

Though many consider the pastor an indispensable role in a church, the New Testament does not have a position like our modern-day pastor. Even if you intend to operate differently, the title of “pastor” comes with a lot of baggage and expectations. 

If people call you pastor (or any similar title), their expectations of your behavior will reflect their understanding of what a person in that role should be. They will be tempted to have you run an organization, lead church services, or be the hired hand that keeps everything running. These things do not help the church function in an empowering, decentralized way. 

Jesus Is the Only Person Given the Title “Pastor” 

The term “pastor” is better translated as “shepherd” in the New Testament. A shepherd is a gift given to care for those in need within the church, listed among many other gifts (Ephesians 4:11-13). It is not elevated above other gifts. Nor are shepherds appointed as church leaders. No one in the New Testament has the title of pastor other than Jesus (John 10; 1 Peter 2:25, 5:4). Therefore, we should reconsider using this title for ourselves. 

Being Called Pastor Comes with Added Burden 

If you take on the title of pastor, you will be tempted to think of yourself as more central to the work than you should be. You likely will feel the burden of trying to produce and control what happens in these churches. 

To avoid this problem, start by being a disciple of Jesus who makes other disciples as you operate in a spiritual family from your home. Don’t call yourself a pastor or church planter. By the grace of God, as you make a disciple, teach them to make other disciples and how to meet together in simple ways. 

Elders, Not Pastors, Are Appointed 

Once a church in an area grows from house to house, a group of elders will emerge from that new work. Their role is to shepherd, oversee, and serve as an example to the rest of the community. They don’t control everything but empower the church to use their gifts and listen to, obey, and share Jesus. The goal of shepherding is to teach and equip the church to be able to feed themselves rather than relying on others to do it for them. Elders functioning in these ways helps the church mature and prevents the elders from being the bottleneck as the church grows. 

Next Steps 

Is giving up the title of pastor (or any similar title you hold) difficult for you? Consider why this might be. 

Pitfall #7: Skipping the Grieving and Focusing on Leaving

The journey towards pioneering goes beyond just acquiring new tools and methods. It’s about your own personal transformation, healing, and maturity. As you pioneer, it will come with losses. The process of grieving and letting go of your old life as a pastor is challenging and takes time. Acknowledging your feelings and allowing yourself space to process your emotions is essential. 

Many pastors ignore the transformation the Lord wants to bring to their inner lives. It feels easier to focus on “doing things” for the Lord rather than allowing the Lord to address the things in their hearts. 

Jesus Will Comfort Us in Our Loss 

Let him minister to your heart, affirm your strengths, and encourage you through the challenges. He can provide comfort during grief and heal any wounds you may carry. This process requires vulnerability and openness that may sometimes feel uncomfortable, but it’s necessary to embrace the journey ahead fully. Remember that the Lord is with you every step of the way and wants to see you thrive in this new chapter of your life. 

Don’t Grieve Alone 

If you step into pioneering, you must have a support system on which you can rely. When grieving potential or actual losses, sharing your feelings with someone you trust can be helpful. The coaches on the Pastor to Pioneer team serve in this role to help pastors navigate their journey. You can also turn to your spouse for support and talk to them about the sadness and grief you’re experiencing. Pay attention to your emotions throughout the journey and try to understand why you feel these ways. 

Next Step 

Make a list of losses you have experienced or will experience if you transition to pioneering. How do you feel about losing these things? Who can you share these losses with? 

Pitfall #8: Not Sharing with Your Spouse 

As a pastor, when you start questioning the values, structures, and outcomes of the existing church model, you are essentially challenging the source of your community and financial support. If you are married, you might mistakenly try to keep these questions and thoughts to yourself so that you do not burden your spouse with concerns about losing financial stability and friendships. 

The Danger of Moving Too Far Ahead of Your Spouse 

Starting without your spouse may seem more straightforward at first. However, if you don’t involve your spouse in wrestling through these big questions, you may develop beliefs they do not share. Such a difference in beliefs can become a significant barrier if you desire to move away from the traditional model of the church and pioneer something new, but your spouse is not on board. 

Start the Conversations Early 

If you are married, we recommend you have conversations with your spouse early on in the journey to wrestle with these issues together. You don’t have to lay everything out immediately. Start small and have regular conversations about your feelings and thoughts. Open up and share the deep parts of your heart, including your fears, excitements, and questions, and then invite your spouse to do the same. 

Starting Together Helps You Journey Together 

The key to successful pioneering as a couple is to embark on the journey together. Although it may take longer to reach the destination, starting the journey together helps you pioneer together. 

Next Steps 

Allow your convictions to grow together with your spouse as the Holy Spirit reveals truth from the Word. Read through Acts together and talk about how you see the church functioning. How does it compare to your experience? 

Pitfall #9: Thinking Organizationally Rather than Relationally 

When you start dreaming of a simpler, more relational way of following Jesus and being the church, it’s tempting to begin branding the work. As a pastor in the prevailing model, you have been trained to establish a name, non-profit, website, etc. We encourage you to hold off before placing an order for t-shirts and mugs with the logo of your new house church network. 

No Church Names 

There aren’t fancy church names in the New Testament. Gatherings of believers in homes don’t seem to brand the ministry or have a church sign out front. There are very generic ways of describing different gatherings. When it is a gathering in a home, the believers refer to it as “the church in so-and-so’s house.” When someone writes a letter to a group of believers in a city, they are called “the church in __________(city).” You see examples of this throughout the New Testament, such as the church in Rome, the church in Ephesus, and the church in Corinth. They considered the believers in a city as part of the same church, and they didn’t come up with different names, brands, or structures. They understood themselves to be connected relationally rather than organizationally. 

The Church Is Like a Family 

In the New Testament, we see the church growing organically and relationally. The church operates like a family unit. While there is undoubtedly structure and routine that goes into keeping a household running smoothly, what truly makes a family thrive is the emphasis placed on building and nurturing strong relationships. 

A Necessary Shift 

Moving from an organizational to a relational mindset is a huge but necessary step when shifting toward pioneering. Keeping things relational can make growing and adapting to specific situations easier. It also empowers the people to respond to the Spirit rather than expecting the organization to do it for them. The church might add organizational structures later to help the body function well. Creating rigid structures too soon often adds complications and can hinder the work. 

Next Steps 

Are you tempted to brand a new work in any way? If so, why? Are you willing to let go of the need for a brand and simply adopt generic references like those in the New Testament? 

Conclusion 

These mistakes are common because chasing a new model is tempting. But this is a journey of transformation. It starts with personal transformation and transformation in your home, and ministry flows from there. 

We invite you to embody new values and principles, not simply try a new model. We are inviting you into a life-giving relationship with Jesus and others. You can experience a life and ministry marked by joy, peace, and freedom rather than duty, exhaustion, and burden. You can be on a mission together with your family in an integrated way where they don’t get your leftovers. 

It is challenging to learn a new mindset and way of operating on your own. We have found it helpful to have someone who has navigated these common pitfalls to help guide you on your journey from pastor to pioneer. If you need someone to be that guide for you, reach out to us at www.pastortopioneer.com.

Pastor to Pioneer 

Many pastors are feeling burdened and trapped managing institutions that aren’t producing the fruit they desire. At Pastor to Pioneer, we help pastors live into God’s call for them without compromise by empowering them to pioneer movements of wholehearted disciples and healthy simple churches in their communities. 

For more resources and to get connected, visit: 

www.pastortopioneer.com 

@pastortopioneer
© 2024 Pastor to Pioneer