Our desire
is to experience the Heavenly Father’s heart and mind for His children. We
know the Father sent His Son to earth for the purpose of revealing the Father’s heart and mind for His children. We know the Holy Spirit of Jesus is here to make all that happen. We know the Holy Scriptures reveal the Father’s plan and the Son’s pattern for the church.
We know that Christ and His Apostles spoke often of these matters.
The
main question we are asking: “Lord, do You have in mind a plan for how your church is to be built and operated? What is it?” What do Jesus and His apostles have to say about this in their teachings and in their apostolic
letters to the churches and church leaders? What would the Spirit of Jesus have
to say to us in our search for answers?
Our prayer is, “Dear Jesus, are you on record as to what it is you will bless? How can we know the blessing of God upon us?
Please help us discover that pattern.”
We suspect the Lord is not too pleased with much
of what passes as church in our nation and in much of the world today. Some of the way we “do church” is probably
grieving the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
We believe the Scriptures
can provide us with God-given directions and patterns pertaining to:
(1) Sound Doctrine
(2) Personal piety, lifestyle and walking in holiness of life
(3) Church practice and polity
Scripture speaks
to each of these fundamental methods for the church, using
(1) Prescriptive commands and directives
“Do this!”
(2) Models, parables and metaphors are embedded in the narratives and teachings
(“And they did this…” or “This is like…” (shepherd/sheep, vine/branches, body/parts, marriage,
light, harvest, army, etc.), and
(3) Teachings about precepts, values and standards which we are to use in
making wise choices (“Consider these when you do this.”)
Truth is whatever God says. Opinion
is whatever man says. Interpretation is man’s opinion about truth. Tradition is whatever man does. We have
to distinguish among truth, opinion, interpretation and tradition in trying to discover the pattern for the church.
When we approach
Scripture, we must ask three questions:
(1) What does it say?
(2) What does it mean?
(3) What does it mean for me? (Not:
What does it mean TO me?)
Paul
warns the New Testament church to not follow worldly models, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow
and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." (Colossians
2:8). If you use the world’s methods, you will get the world’s results—even
in the church as well as in our own personal lives and families.
Would the Lord find most of our churches and most of our lives detestable or blessed in His
eyes? We must set aside all of man’s traditions, philosophies, opinions and interpretations in order to discover the
Lord’s patterns for doctrinal truth, personal piety and church polity.
What
are some of our church traditions (man-made patterns) of the last 1800 or so years?
Which, if any, of these traditions are compatible with the pattern in the New Testament? Denominations? Independent churches? Mega-church? TV church? Tele-evangelists?
Para-church ministries? Democratic process? Voting to determine ministry?
Corporate boards? Everyone is Equal? Rights (God given of course)? Entitlements? Self appointment and self promotion?
Modernism? Requesting resume's to find a pastor? Bigger is better? Keeping/comparing numbers and statistics about
churches? Competition as a motivator? Church-owned real estate and asset accumulation? Non-profit status? Tax deductions for
giving? Moral relativity (everyone is free to determine what is right for him/herself)? Humanism? Prosperity as a God thing?
Hierarchical forms of church government? Elevated clergy status? Pulpit preacher? Passive worship? Passive ministry?
Lay vs.Clergy? Individualism? Entertainment models of music? Consumerism? Contemporary worship? Traditional worship? Blended worship? Hired ministers? Ordination?
Dedication? Deacons? Elders? Bishops? Pastors? District superintendents? Prophets?
Apostles? Overseers? Charismatic? Lord’s supper? Eucharist? Baptism? Church membership? Dressing up or dressing down for church meetings? Jewish roots? Altar
calls? Camp meetings? Revival meetings? Prophecy? Tongues? Use of religious icons
(crosses, doves, stained glass, organs, choirs, religious art, pulpits, robes, vestments, baptisteries, fish, altars, platforms,
pews, ceremonies, liturgies, festivals, bingo, orders of service, etc.), youth-driven rather than elder-led churches, organization
rather than organism, etc.
CLASS ORGANIZATION
This is a journey for all of us and we invite
the Holy Spirit of Jesus to drive the bus. We plan to
organize this study around topical questions, using an outline, group presentations, discussions, individual and group Bible study
and prayerful consideration. We desire participatory discussion and contributions
from all who are interested. We will continue until the Lord says, “Stop!”
Each week a study guide will be distributed to guide preparation for the following week’s topics. At the end of each session we will ask ourselves the question: “What part of the pattern have
we discovered today?” We will hopefully be discovering different pieces
of the puzzle each week, which we will organize into a full picture and pattern.
Each person is encouraged to get a notebook to record and journal
your thoughts and prayers during this journey. There will be handouts, so be
sure you have a folder or three-hole punch to keep your materials organized and available. Have some pages entitled:
PIECES OF THE PATTERN, in which you will record your discoveries.
We
will be praying that God will allow this study and journey to pour-over into other congregations around the country as He
would lead. Invite others to attend and freely share what you have seen on our
journey back to apostolic times and places.
THE BIG THREE
There
are three principal questions around which this study journey will be based. These
go to the heart of the PATTERN of the church. There are many sub-questions that
will be organized around these three study questions:
1.
What is the PURPOSE of the church?
2.
What is the FUNCTION of the church?
3.
What is the FORM of the church?
Should
“function follow purpose”? Should “form follow function”? Should the structure of the church be that which best accommodates its purpose and
function. i.e."If I am going to fly (function), I will need some wings (form)". These
questions will answer the why? how? and what? These big three questions
will provide the outline for the journey. There are many study-questions that
will be organized around the big three questions. Answers to these various questions
will comprise the pieces of the pattern for which we are searching.
Paul
calls this relationship between mankind and Christ as a MYSTERY. We are like
detectives trying to unravel a mystery—trying to find motive, clues and to reenact and reconstruct the original scene. We are like archeologists on a historical dig, trying to unearth and discover incredible
treasure that explains our heritage and our purpose. We are looking to unravel
that mystery and to reconstruct the pieces into a pattern for the church.
STUDY
OUTLINE
PURPOSE QUESTIONS
(mandates, goals, charter, outcomes):
1.
Why did Christ and the apostles establish the church?
2.
What was the “gleam” in the Father’s
eye?
3.
What are the purposes of the church?
4.
What is the church?
Assembly? Congregation?
5.
What is in the name of the assembly? How shall it be called?
6.
What is the place of covenant in restoration
and in the assembly?
7.
What is the place of kingdom in restoration
and in the assembly?
8.
What place does Jewish tradition have: relevant or
obsolete
9.
What would understanding our Jewish roots and tradition
do to the form and function of the assembly?
10. What about apostolic tradition and the assembly?
11. Is the primitive church an appropriate model for the contemporary church?
12. What is restoration? Radical
restoration?
13. What is the role of repentance in restoration?
14. Could restoration, itself, become an idol?
Could pride accompany any
discovery of the pattern?
15. What doctrines should be central to the assembly?
16. What role should religious tradition and religious opinion have in establishing
the purpose of the assembly?
17. Are there boundaries on the assembly?
FUNCTION QUESTIONS
(ministries, processes, what we do)
1.
What would the assembly and its members primarily
do?
2.
What ministries would the assembly embrace?
3.
What role does praise have in the assembly?
4.
What role does worship have in the assembly?
5.
How shall we praise and worship?
6.
What is spirit-led worship?
7.
What is the place of musical instruments in the assembly?
8.
How do preaching and teaching function in the assembly?
9.
What place is discipleship ministry in the assembly?
10. What place is evangelism ministry in the assembly?
11. What place is “equipping” ministry in the assembly?
12. What place is spiritual warfare ministry in the assembly?
13. What place does benevolence ministry have in the assembly?
14. What is the place preaching in the assembly?
15. What is the place of teaching in the assembly?
16. What is the place of fellowship in the assembly?
17. What is the place of prophecy in the assembly?
18. What is the place of tongues in the assembly?
19. What place do children and youth have in the assembly?
20. How would the Lord’s Supper be celebrated?
21. What is the role of women in the assembly?
22. Would the assembly eat a fellowship meal together on a regular basis?
23. How would baptisms be handled?
24. How would weddings be handled?
25. How would funerals be handled?
26. How would personal and family counseling be handled?
27. How would church discipline be handled?
28. How would people know of our assembly?
Would we have a name? Where would that name be made known? A sign? Web pages?
FORM QUESTIONS
(structure, organization, policies)
1.
What would the assembly look like?
2.
What would the assembly meetings look like?
3.
How would they physically arrange themselves? Circles?
Rows? Seating? Standing? Around tables?
4.
How would people dress for the assembly?
5.
Where would the assembly gather and meet?
6.
When would the assembly meet?
7.
How long would a meeting of the assembly likely be?
8.
How often would it meet?
9.
How large would it be?
When would it be too large?
10. Would it divide and multiply?
11. Is organization or organism the better model for the assembly?
12. Will there be real estate and buildings that belong to the assembly?
13. Will the assembly hold other assets?
14. How shall the assembly be organized?
15. How should the assembly be governed?
16. What kinds of leadership, if any, would the assembly have?
17. Are there scriptural organizational structures suggested?
18. Should the assembly be autonomous or under some kind of authority?
19. How would the assembly do its business of ministry?
20. What is the role of elders in the assembly?
21. What is the role of deacons in the assembly?
22. What is the role of preachers in the assembly?
23. What is the role of evangelists in the assembly?
24. What is the role of prophets in the assembly?
25. What is the role of apostles in the assembly?
26. Who would establish policy, plans and programs in the assembly?
27. What policy, plans and programs should the assembly have?
28. Will there be voting in the assembly?
29. Who would vote on church policy, plans, leadership selection and programs?
24. What are the qualifications for being a spiritual leader in the assembly?
30. What are the qualifications for membership in the local assembly?
31. What is the place of tithing, monies, assets and gifts in the assembly?
32. How will monies be handled in the assembly?
33. How will gifts and tithes be collected and managed? Where will these monies be directed?
34. Would there be paid ministers, preachers, evangelists, teachers, elders,
deacons, prophets or apostles?
STUDY RESOURCES:
1.
The Holy Bible (especially Acts, I Corinthians, Titus, I Timothy, I Peter)
2. Radical Restoration F. LaGard Smith, Cotswald
Publishing, Nashville, 2001 ISBN:0-9660060-3-8
This is an excellent book by an attorney who is committed to restoring the church to the New Testament model.
3. The Master's Plan for the Church, John MacArthur, Moody, 1991, ISBN:0-8024-7841-7. An
excellent and thorough discussion of the Biblical plan for purpose, organization, structure, and function of the New Testament
church.
4. The Church of Christ, (A biblical ecclesiology for today), Everett Ferguson, Eardmans
Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1996 ISBN:0-8028-4189-9 This is an excellent theology of the church, one of the best noted.
5. The Pattern, Douglas Carty, self published, High
Point, NC. Doug is an elder in the church of High Point, a restoration house
church of two congregations.
6. Ekklesia, (To the roots of Biblical church
life), Steve Atkerson, New Testament Restoration Foundation, Atlanta, 2003 ISBN:0-9729082-0-X This also a recent call for restoration of the “primitive” church of the
New Testament.
7. Tradition, Opinion, and Truth, Fred Peatross,
Writers Club Press, Lincoln, NE 2000 ISBN:0-595-13911-6 A doctor of nuclear medicine
and elder, shares his concern for restoration and makes good distinction among tradition, opinion and truth in understanding
the “pattern”.
8.
A Believers' Church Theology, Stanley A. Nelson, Reprinted by House Church Central, 1996. ISBN:0972932003. Available
from Amazon.Com. An excellent review of theological perspectives including anabaptist and pietistic.
