Chapter 0

Chapter 0

Why's and what for's

When dealing with the information about church we need to be like an archaeologist. Finding a collection of bones the expert would not attempt to construct the beast according to a how-to manual based on 'successful ancient bone construction.' I think we know there would be a careful mapping of how they were found naturally, carefully brushing, gentle exposure and painstaking detail. From there the scientist can accurately construct the skeleton and be sure that they have a genuine representation of the creation. This approach to a dead animal is expected but it is surprising how with the church we see the opposite. What we have today follow general guidelines:

• A leadership that operates in a hierarchical structure

• A specially prepared, purposed hall

• One or a couple of contributing experts per meeting

• Some degree of observance to breaking of bread / baptism

Because little attention is paid to how the Church was found in the Scriptures, the reference point for church is not how it was, but what it has become at the hands of the men of history. Without the biblical directives of Paul we can bring together a version of church that can be only a percentage as productive as we expect. Looking at the scriptures and what they say about biblical church is best done in 'Ecclesia' by Steve Atkerson. I would also recommend Beresford Job's “Biblical Church” for an exquisite look into the first century influences in the Church. My role here is to attempt to look at the church and bring some objections to how we have structured leadership and practice.

Family values

Hierarchical leadership, we shall see is not what Jesus or Paul envisaged as the way to lead amongst brothers and sisters. I am going to be strongly stating the case that the Church is a family as opposed to an organization or industry. To unpack the full meaning of this will totally nullify some things we do in church! Fully accepted, the notion of 'family' will ask questions about the comings and goings of mission. Come to think of it what sort of family routinely chooses a specially prepared hall to eat together? The meal in the family home provides the richest of occasions and the church is no different. It is worth noting that Jesus declared on many occasions that his family were 'these,' essentially strangers, bonded by the followship of Christ (Matt 12:46-50).

I believe there is a way to meet in the New Testament. If other sources instruct God’s people how to meet then the church becomes like a radio with mangled circuitry. Everything is there but its not in the right configuration to receive. In people terms, if your church has a man or team bringing direction, there is a danger the true head of the Church, Jesus Christ, cannot remain the leader. This is not good news for lost people or Christians who want to live a productive Christ centered life. People become subservient to a 'vision,' a methodology or a business plan. The scriptures do not tell us anything beyond church being 'family,' so anything that begins to water this down or add agendas can only pervert the purpose of Church. To say the church is 'purpose driven' for example, shows the move towards 'industry' instead of 'family.' Industry produces a work force with similar ethics. Family produces brothers and sisters and will behave as such.

Are you like me?

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do in church? Ever questioned why the body of Christ struggles to significantly affect this dark world? Why does the Church churn out as many casualties as converts? The problem lies in one fact: Over history man has brought about an organisational approach to the family of God. In our own minds and good hearted approach we have departed from God's will for us when we meet. There is a way to come together and it is as much about avoiding the pitfalls as constructing a method. Will you follow the word of God or the dubious practices that we have introduced? Your choice will shape your life. It will shape our future. In essence I could be anyone spouting any old junk. The reality is that I am simply a brother in Christ. I avoid anything that will make me be anything else yet observe the gifting God has given me. I have enjoyed the attention adoration and applause of public ministry and to my shame I enjoyed being in a position where others treated me differently. I was never happy at the core with this. My journey has been voluntary and so must yours. Actually your walk with God has never been anything else! For years I certainly felt the weight of a system that made me look to man in Christian leadership. I was born into this! How could I see anything different? I had to decide in my heart and mind four things to set me on a journey into God's truth:

1. I want to follow Jesus... not trends, fads or systems or structures.

2. I want to honour truth even at my own personal expense.

3. I believe The Bible is the truth about God and his ways.

4. I cannot be a disciple unless I am journeying towards death

I believe I set out with the above values at the start of my walk but I came across several dangers that crept into my thinking along the way. Firstly, I became trained to not THINK! Little by little I began to see that my opinion was somehow sinful and to explore the scriptures outside the guidelines of a professional was just not what Jesus wants. Secondly I believed that my life was to fulfil my calling in the mission field. Not really a bad thing unless it is at the expense of experiencing God's family which makes me accepted, fulfilled, belonging, affirmed etc. If not I go out into my world with a concept, not a living experience of 'family.' This world needs family and we have been giving it 'industry' or ‘organisation.’ Thirdly I have a great sense of loyalty and over committed to the church I was in. Its not a bad thing but really destructive if you are badly treated as I was.

In this day there are all sorts of Christian people making all sorts of noises in all sorts of ways. One of the ugliest noises to make is accusation, bitter rebuke or criticism. These types of responses to circumstance, while containing a seed of truth, only go to show how ‘dead to self’ the Christian actually is. Or isn’t. On my own personal journey I can confirm that being dead to self is an everyday challenge. Because I still have a pulse, the inner joust continues! So I haven’t written this book because I’m some kind of wonderful example of Christian living! Nor is it because I have running sores! I’ve written it because I’m deeply concerned for the future. I have three children who love the Lord. As they negotiate their Christian lives they will encounter enough challenges just by growing up in this world. Because the Church seems unwilling to recognise the way God wanted churches to be, all sorts of anomolies occur. The greatest anomoly in my reckoning is that the people of God are robbed of true fellowship as family. As a result of that the lost are not seeing an authentic expression of Christ’s body. Today the church is also a breeding ground for tyrants, self obsessed dictators and wannabe celebrities. This dark, cold, empty world needs to see people who are affirmed, filled, met, brothered, sister-ed, warmed, cared for and belonging. The world does not need insecure underachievers heading churches!

Sadly many of today's mega-church leaders do see success in some areas of their endeavours but fail to see their gifting is in business, not church. Businesses are not families. Families are not places for transaction. It’s a place for love, yet many Christians' witness IS transaction and lacks the genuine. It portrays liturgy, even packed with the latest gear and haircut. People NEED met people to meet them. Industry is a 'doing' dynamic where family is a 'being' matter of fact.

Want to want to

What sort of spiritual future do my children look forward to on earth? I don't want them to stay at the first stage of Christian maturity where people 'want' from God. Neither do I want them to remain where many are in church, the stage of 'want-to.' This is where Christians see the needs and want-to meet them based upon biblical directives and a knowledge of God's general will. I want them to 'want-to want -to.' This is where the Word and God's will has met in the innermost parts of your being and it is your own burning desire to act. Ezekiel shows us this in the opening Chapters when he eats the scroll from God. It goes down to the innermost parts and takes effect.

A life lived in biblical church with Christ as centre only promises one thing for sure: Transformation. If people want to want to be transformed genuinely they would hear Jesus words:

26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple. 27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

If this is the case, then why do we see many of today's leaders MAKING their life through the ministry? Having seen this first hand in Australia, UK, USA and Europe I recognise how leaders can profit from the ministry yet see this as discipleship but it doesn't make sense. Even the ministers who live on meagre wages and little material wealth still take the benefits of being 'special' or even superior amongst the 'laity.' Again it is the way the structure places the leader at the top that is the problem. Not realising God designed a way where this wouldn't happen ministers just think it 'goes with the territory.' However the problem lies in the fact that whilst increasing in knowledge, technique and ability, transformation is stunted. This decreases the capacity to take on deeper truths. It increases the capacity to replace maturity with fads, gimmicks and charismania.

If believers could restore the basic elements of church practice, God would be able to work through man. I fear most will opt for human wisdom and perceived methodology. Paul the apostle nailed this in 1 Cor ch 1-4.

It is difficult to take on a concept that major change needs to take place in the way we do church. As you read, my prayer is that a desire to see God's will done over man's will fall deeper and deeper into the chasms of our hearts. In our quest to drive home my observations we need to examine how these issues came about and why they are not God's will.