When is simple church not enough? “Limitless”

Short version … for those on the run …

First, it is important to qualify that simple/organic church is essentially a communal way of missional life rather than merely a specific group of people who meet in a certain way. However, an outworking of simple church is doing life with a specific group of people; finding a meaningful rhythm of life together (which will include how they meet).

Thus, I’m not asking whether simple/organic church values are sufficient in this article (I’m convinced they are), I’m fussing with whether a single simple community is enough; that is, is a solitary Kingdom community self-sufficient? Or are there in-built limitations allowed by God to encourage each self-governing community to work with other Kingdom communities in apostolic vision?

In the “long version” (below) we look at this issue, identify some niche ministries in which simple church communities may be limited – such as mission-projects, local outreach and focused ministry to children – and outline some important values/principles to facilitate effectively working together.

What is wrong with hierarchical leadership? “Absolute Power”

Short version … for those on the run …

What’s the problem with hierarchical leadership? Can I shoot from the hip? We’re not built for it. We’re not designed to handle positional power or the celebrity-like adulation that often stems from it. It is simply not how God created us. Have you ever tried to play football with a brick or run your car on prune juice or cut your hair with a chainsaw? (I know I’m being ridiculous – but that’s the point).

Jesus Himself not only underlined this truth by making it clear that spiritual leadership is completely at heads with hierarchical leadership (Matthew 20:25, 26) but directly confronted the corruption associated with it (Matthew 23:1ff). To paraphrase John Dalberg-Acton: power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely.

In the “long version” (below) we look at one of the most powerful lessons the Old Testament teaches us and why we ignore it at our own peril. While it may not sound like the most thrilling topic, it is one worth thinking through deeply. Applying its content may save you from pursuing a dead-end path littered with the lives of those who chased a dangling carrot in contradiction to how God has created us.

Does 1 Corinthians 14:26 encourage open-participatory meetings? “Raise His Voice”

For many, the answer to this question is so obviously a resounding yes that it hardly requires a second thought – let alone an article. But there is an important issue at stake in raising and answering this question.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:26,

“How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification”

Does this really encourage an open-participatory meeting? I’m convinced that it does but if phrased another way, “Does it mean that everyone should contribute something every time?” then the answer is, “No. It does not”.

Just so that I’m not misunderstood – since 1 Corinthians 14:26 has become a kind of manifesto verse championed in simple/organic church circles. In my opinion, the bread-and-butter meeting of a simple church family is an open-participatory time and while this means everyone can contribute, it does not mean everyone should. Let me explain as we re-look at Paul’s instructions in 1 Corinthians 14 and its implications.

As we all know, Paul corrects the excesses of this enthusiastic but delinquent church in the city of Corinth in his first letter to them. Some of the issues of concern arose in their meeting together, specifically the abuse of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34)¹ and their exercise of spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12-14). Chapters 11 to 14 should be read as one lengthily instruction as Paul appeals to them to let love be their guiding principle (12:1, 31; 13:1-13). In chapter 14 he then expressly addresses their disorderliness in coming together, framing his point with phrases like: “God is not the author of confusion but of peace” and “let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40).

It seems the Corinthian’s meetings had deteriorated into a free-for-all where everyone sought to promote their point of view or push their contribution without respect to what God was, in fact, doing and saying in their midst. The self-indulging nature of the Corinthian culture – known for its flagrant decadence and lustful excesses² – seemed to pervade this redeemed community and pollute their meetings. After explaining why insensitively “going off” in tongues without respect for others – an otherwise beautiful gift Paul certainly encourages all to pursue with both devotion and discretion (vv. 2, 5, 39) – was not edifying nor orderly (vv. 5-19 c. 13:1), he then brings up the importance of collectively discerning what God reveals in their meetings (vv. 26-40).

He begins this passage of instruction with our verse in question:

“How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification”

Bearing in mind that Paul’s question – “How is it then, brethren?” – implies that he is questioning their behaviour in order to reprove them³ and that reproof is the context of this passage as already mentioned: “Let all things be done for edification … God is not the author of confusion … Let all things be done decently and in order” (vv. 26-40); I’m going to make a suggestion that is sure to provoke thought (and possibly ruffle a few feathers).

Perhaps what Paul is saying here is something like this: “How is it that when you gather together, you’re all just mouthing off without considering what God is in fact saying? Instead seek to contribute in a way that edifies”. (And recall, Paul had already implied that “edification” involved being a channel so that others could experience God’s manifest Presence (vv. 3, 4, 24, 25) – it does not mean that I feel ‘chuffed’ because I got to have my say).  

I’m sure many have not considered this possible interpretation and may immediately accuse me of discouraging open-participation in our meetings. Again, for clarity, I believe that “each” one can contribute – if led by the Spirit to do so (this is the key issue) – and other verses such as Ephesians 5:18, 19, Colossians 3:16 and Hebrews 10:24, 25 confirm this⁴. So before jumping to conclusions please hear me out.

Paul’s intention was to curb the Corinthian’s excesses which were, in this situation, resulting in confusion and disorder. He goes on to explain the need to facilitate or “judge” what is said so that together the community discerns what God is saying. He encourages that “two or at the most three” speak in tongues and then only as long as it is interpreted (vv. 27, 28). He then encourages the same guidelines for prophecy: “let two or three prophets speak and let the others judge” (vv. 29-31)⁵.

To be honest, we cannot be sure whether he means that only a total of “two or three” tongues and prophecies (and presumably “teachings” and “revelations” c. v. 26) should be shared or whether he is recommending no more than two or three of each. Personally, I think, being nit-picky about this is probably unhelpful and may in fact fudge the point. So what’s the point again?

While all are free to contribute as the Lord leads – that is, our agenda is extemporaneous (unscripted) – the point is, as a community, to learn to follow the prompting of the Spirit, discerning God’s will for us as we meet together. His Presence in our midst thus sets the Agenda and, as we minister to Him, we are to discern what He desires to reveal to us in response.

Again, for clarity (and excessive qualification perhaps for which I apologise); yes, while “each” one can contribute to both sharing what God may be saying and in discerning what He has said, the point is to determine God’s revealed will – not to merely give everyone a chance to say whatever happens to be on their mind.

The goal is not merely to give everyone a platform; the objective as a community is to discern what God reveals. Towards this end, some should not contribute. Why? Either they may not feel specifically led to do so or because what they sensed may have already been shared by another. In this case, an “Amen” is more than a sufficient contribution (see v. 16). Thus, as we often say, the point is not that everyone has to prepare a message but that everyone prepares their heart. We don’t come expecting to have our say, we come expecting God to reveal His will – and we’re open to being a vessel through whom He may or may not speak.

I’m sure you’ve been in meetings where everyone shares whatever seems to come to mind and you have a potluck mush of so many various “opinions” or “hunches” that you leave wondering: “What was that all about? What was God saying?” Yes, if we’re looking for positives, everyone may get something out of this disjointed mix “of good” and “of God” verbal – but I see in Paul’s instruction here a call to learn to discern together what God is specifically revealing to us as we gather in His name. This is something very rarely done. And we’re certainly weaker for it.

Creating an environment where everyone can “have a go” (in a sincere desire to follow the leading of the Spirit) while, at the same time, learning to then discern or “judge” what God is saying from the contributions of those who have felt led to share is, in my opinion, what Paul is advocating here. When we leave our simple church meeting, it should be reasonably clear in all of our minds what God has revealed in our midst and how we ought to faithfully go forward in light of it.

So who judges? Paul made that clear: “How is it then, brethren?” (v. 26). This phrase “brethren” refers to the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of all believers, the family of God. Thus, Paul is addressing the conscience of the spiritual family and laying the onus on all to assist in discerning what God is saying. For sure, spiritual parents play a vital facilitating role here but it is certainly not their exclusive domain nor would true spiritual parents want to exclude others from this joyful learning experience.

And it probably goes without saying that to “judge” what God has said is not a dry, clinical hair-splitting analysis; rather as we clarify and affirm what appears to be revealed, we engage enthusiastically and intentionally with the heart and will of God.

In this way, simple church families learn to hear God together and live as a prophetic people, obedient to His revealed will in their midst. Thus, we all learn to mature in the ways of God, discerning His Heart and Mind in communal life. Being invited to contribute to and discern what God is saying to our community – as we learn to follow His leading – means not only does each person feel a healthy sense of ownership for the family but also feels a vigorous sense of responsibility to being faithful with what God has revealed.

As a community alive, in love and on mission there will be plenty of time for chit-chat and social interaction. There ought to also be times set apart for seasons of prayer, group projects and times for training and input. Partaking in a ‘formal’ Bible study, in which each person is asked for their opinion on a verse or passage, is also a helpful exercise for a simple church community to engage in from time to time.

However, in my opinion, the regular meat-and-potatoes meeting of a Kingdom family involves regularly assembling to intentionally minister to Jesus⁶; where we grow in our awareness of His Presence in our midst through various expressions of worship – such as breaking bread together, expressing praise through thanksgiving or meditating on appropriate Bible passages or singing with or without the aid of music, etc. – and learn to discern His revealed will, whether this be a word of revelation, instruction or admonishment and/or a prompting to minister to one another in the group and/or prayer for a specific need, person, nation, etc.

Imagine the next time you gather together with your spiritual family …

You assemble together hungry for the Presence of Jesus in your midst and begin, actively aware of His Presence, to minister to Him; that is, your attention and affections are directed deliberately and fervently towards Him in various expressions of thanksgiving and adoration.

As you become more deeply immersed in His manifest Presence, enjoying a profound sense of rest in the knowledge of His nearness, your worshipful responses to Him tune into His responses to you as a gathered community. Taking your cues from Him, each of you – if and when prompted by His Spirit – share a word, a prophecy, a revelation etc. seeking to contribute a ‘piece’ of the full ‘picture’ – adding a ‘stanza’ to the ‘poem’, a ‘melody’ to the ‘song’ – He is revealing.

Then, as you continue to respond to His present Presence among you, together you look to enthusiastically affirm and clarify what has spontaneously come forth; seeking to respond and obey what together is discerned. Thus you can testify as a church that you have “heard God” together – enjoying what it means to discern His will together: “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us” (Acts 15:28).

Yes, you may then minister to one another by asking what prayer requests each may have (at times, requests are not necessary as the Spirit simply leads) or study a passage from the Bible (perhaps that arose extemporaneously or that was prepared by someone), or engage in specific prayer (again that may have arisen from the time of discerning what God revealed or ongoing prayer targets shared by the group), or have a few laughs (preferably many), or plan the project you’re engaged in together – but the joy and power of learning to hear God together is both a treat and treasure you prioritize.

Does 1 Corinthians 14:26 really encourage an open-participatory meeting?

Yes, I’m fully persuaded it does. Paul at no point condemned their open-participation; rather, he desired “all things be done decently and in order” (v. 40). Thus, he affirmed their initiative – he clearly wanted things to “be done” (a non-participatory, one-man show was not on his agenda) – but pointedly called for a renewed godly reverence, curbing their excess⁷.

This means, from his instructions, that we are to facilitate and, when necessary, limit the amount of ‘verbal’ enough to discern together what God is revealing to us. In this we acknowledge that God does not have verbal diarrhoea⁸ and requires us, in the New Testament, to “judge” what comes forth even as we cherish manifestations of the Spirit through which He conveys His will (vv. 39 c. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21).

An explanation …

For as long as I can remember I’ve always read 1 Corinthians 14:26 as a reproof; seeing in it, an exhortation to the spiritual communities in Corinth to govern their open-participatory meetings better. Just over two years ago I finally set apart some time to look more intently at the passage in question and compile the contents of this article. I’ve sat on it for this period of time not wanting to undercut the enthusiasm of the many I knew enjoying the discovery of open-participatory meetings, using this verse as their main proof-text.

Now that simple churches have been exploring this for some time – enjoying the blessings of open-participatory meetings (though, in my research, often struggling through similar excesses addressed in this passage) – I think it is timely to re-look at it.

My hope is that we’ll continue to treasure open-participatory meetings while simultaneously learning the lessons related to being a self-governing community contained in this passage.

Notes:

¹ For an understanding of what Paul was correcting around the Lord’s Supper, please see our article: “The Lord’s Supper – Sombre self-introspection or Christ-centred celebration?” on our website. Click here: www.crosswaveglobal.com/resources/html

² The city of Corinth was renowned for its debauchery, self-gratification and sacred prostitution; the city’s principal deity was Aphrodite, the goddess of licentiousness – and 1,000 temple prostitutes were devoted to round the clock ‘worship’. The phrase “to Corinthianize” became a proverb meaning to “practice prostitution”.

³ The phrase “brethren” refers to a self-governing community; a spiritual family dependent on the leadership and ministry of the Spirit, facilitated by spiritual parents. See our article, “What is a self-governing community?” <A Lot Like Love> http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/what-is-a-self-governing-community-a-lot-like-love/

That Paul uses the phrase in his question implies reproof. He is appealing to the self-governing community to ‘govern’ their meetings better. Paul uses questions as an introduction to reproof throughout 1 Corinthians, see for example, 1:13; 3:3; 5:6; 6:2-5, 15; 8:10; 9:1, 5-8; 10:16; 11:13, 14, 22; 14:6-9, 26; 15:12, 29, 30.

Checking my proposal here, it is interesting that both Matthew Henry and John Wesley came to the same conclusion in their commentaries on 1 Corinthians 14:26.

⁴ The stress in these verses is on a Spirit-led (Ephesians 5:18), Word-filled (Colossians 3:16) other-considerate (Hebrews 10:24) open-participatory meeting where the common use of the phrase “one another” in each passage clearly encourages open-participation. Thus, the issue is settled for me: the bread-and-butter meeting of a simple church family is open-participation.

However, in 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 we get a fuller explanation of what this involves. In short: while we can all contribute, each of us should contribute to what God may be saying as we feel led by the Lord. In other words, a simple church meeting is not a chit-chat meeting where everyone has to have a say but a meeting in which we learn to acknowledge the Presence of Jesus manifest in our midst and discern what His agenda is.

⁵ In this passage, I don’t think Paul is referring to those with the grace gift of prophet (Ephesians 4:11 c. Acts 11:27); rather, he is merely referring to those who prophecy as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit – this is the context of this entire passage (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:1, 3-5). Even if he is referring to prophets in the former sense, the principle of communal discerning what God is saying remains the same. New Testament prophecy – whether from an Ephesians 4:11 prophet or from anyone prophesying – is “in part” and must be judged with humility and discernment (1 Corinthians 13:9 c. Acts 21:10-14).

⁶ In my opinion, this is best weekly. However, meeting fortnightly (every second week) for this purpose also works well for many simple church families. Meeting less frequently than this, in my experience, loses the traction, rhythm and discipline of learning to minister to the Lord together.

⁷ So why write this article? Many simplistically quote 1 Corinthians 14:26 and then settle for a potluck of chit-chat and opinions (a recipe for waffle and arguments too) rather than unpack the important lessons we learn from this verse and its context.

⁸ Please forgive me if this phrase seems irreverent. To me, the way some prophetically quote God seems to imply that He talks continuously and haphazardly; without purpose and without intent. In my opinion, this is a cheap and erroneous view. I believe God speaks graciously, specifically and purposefully – and intends us to take seriously what He says. And there are times when He may in fact be silent – and His silence often begets our deepest worship.

What do you mean by training for reigning? “Life as a House”

One of the reasons why I think God is deconstructing an institutional construct of church is to teach His people, one and all, how to govern.

In a hierarchical construct of church, a small group of people carry a back-breaking overdose of governmental expectations while most of the rest of the congregation they oversee, have little or no expectations at all (except to serve the will of the overseeing leadership; who are, let’s be fair, 99.9% of the time sincere in their attempts to lead).

And, in my opinion, a lot of the governance in institutional church is exercised over others (and the organisational systems and programs they’re entrenched in) rather than with others – and when necessary between others (1 Corinthians 6:5 c. Matthew 18:15-17) – over the principalities and powers that we ought to be driving ‘out of dodge’ (Ephesians 6:12).

(That is a rather wordy but significant sentence that is worth reading again).

As a senior pastor myself, well over a decade ago, I realised that I was starting to show minor cracks in my life – cracks from the excessive expectations I saddled (by ego-driven choices of my own and the pastoral expectations of others); cracks that would become cavernous as time ticked by. I recall making a list of the expectations I felt I was labouring under, reducing them down to their bottom-line form rather than the myriad items of my (in part, self-crafted) job description …

… that I must have a clear sense of calling, that I must hear the voice of God, that I must know the Word of God, that I must be a man of faith, that I must walk in the Spirit, that I must be a man of prayer, that I must know how to draw on the wisdom of God, and so on …

Then it hit me: God desires this for us all! 

For sure, we all have different gifts and responsibilities. But one of the reasons that God is, in my opinion, bringing us back to the Hebrew context of family in our understanding of church and leadership¹ (as opposed to the Greek concept of a legal body and directors of such) is to remove the bottleneck created by the positional ‘clergy’ (or “pastor role”) inviting all into the privilege and responsibility of governance².

Of course, the subject of government underscores the entire Bible. Most notably, the Bible’s book-ends give us both the origin of this truth and the glorious celebration of it fulfilled. In Genesis 1:26-28, God created man in His image and entrusted us with a dominion, governmental mandate. In John’s Revelation, the triumphant conclusion of this dominion mandate is celebrated. For example, in Revelation 5:10, the host of heaven applaud the Lamb, declaring: “[You] have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth”. Again, as John’s revelation is wrapped up, he declares that the redeemed “shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 22:5).

Because of the victory of Christ, we are called to reign as the sons of God (Romans 5:17; 8:14-17, 18-23). And thus, in every moment of our life – whether we’re presented with a wonderful opportunity or faced with an overwhelming challenge – we are training for reigning; learning to govern (starting with our own motivations, attitudes, thoughts and emotions).

As the wisdom writer explained, “he who rules his own spirit is better than he who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). And again, “whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down without walls” (Proverbs 25:28).

Training for reigning does not merely happen because we clock in the card at “church” once or twice a week or get a good sermon from the pastor (or download a message off the internet from Steve Stunning the Evangelist)³. Nor does training for reigning happen because we serve on a church staff or feel “a call to the ministry” and become one of the “elite”⁴.

Training for reigning happens in a shared, missional life in which I learn to govern over my own life (with help from spiritual parents and siblings) and then help others learn to govern over their lives (as I serve as a spiritual sibling and, in time, parent) – and then, together, we learn to govern in grace and truth; serving the collective sphere of influence God entrusts to us as a Kingdom community.

(That is another weighty sentence that may require a re-read).

When leadership slips out of the family context it ought to function in, opting instead for an organisational mode of governance, the “laity-clergy” rift surfaces again; on the one hand, “some” take on themselves too much responsibility, while, on the other hand, “most” abdicate the responsibility they ought to bear. George Orwell’s infamous line from Animal Farm comes to mind: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than other animals”.

Against this, Isaiah’s prophecy booms down the timeline of history:

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder … of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end” (Isaiah 9:6, 7)

The government rests on His shoulder; not on the shoulder of any person, team, organisation or network.

The glory of a king is seen in his kingdom; specifically in how he governs and in how those who represent him govern. Thus, the glory of our King will fill the earth as we learn to reveal Him through our godly governance – as we lovingly serve others in grace and truth even as we overcome the principalities and powers that seek to oppress them.

So, what is God doing in the world today through simple church⁵?

It is not about how many simple churches we can pop out (although I believe it is God’s heart to have millions of authentic simple church families); it is not about a new paradigm so that we can all finally get our gifts working or our voice heard (although this will certainly happen – hooray!); it is not about an alternative way of doing church so that we have less demands and constraints in our lives (yes, we certainly need to be delivered from the demands of religious obligation but not just so we can have more “me” time).

What is God doing?

God is disturbing our slumber by dismantling our dependencies on a man-made construct, smashing our false allegiances to anything but Him. He is waking us up to embrace our destiny … to engage with our role as custodians of this earth as the ekklesia, the cabinet of the King⁶. God is shaking us out of our small-minded living and self-absorbed pursuits so that we submit afresh to His training for reigning.

And a simple church family is merely the best mode – I believe the God-designed means – for training to reign. God designed the nuclear family to grow children into adulthood and He has designed the spiritual family to grow His children into mature sons who are able to reveal His glory through their Christ-centred lives and their Christ-filled communities⁷.

So, why is this so important?

Good question. Having suggested that unlocking the dormant dominion potential of His people is one reason God is shaking the traditional church and that the simple church family is the primary means through which God has (in the first century) and will (in the twenty-first century) unlock this dynamic power, let’s amplify on this phrase “training for reigning”.

Paul instructed Timothy:

“For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8)

While bodily exercise is profitable no doubt, in comparison to our exercise in “godliness” – our practice of, discipline in, work-out, training (the metaphor here is athletic training, a popular Pauline figure of speech⁸) – it is distinctly secondary.

The word “godliness” is a fascinating word and means far more than merely “being a good Christian”. In fact, I’m convinced it is a synonym for “Kingdom living” and all that the weight that this phrase entails.

You may recall that the pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus) were written while Paul was under house arrest in Rome; at a time when the Roman Empire was murdering Christians as rebels against Caesar’s kingdom. It is my opinion that Paul used the word “Kingdom” selectively, knowing that excessive usage could aggravate the persecution inflicted against others and himself.

Thus, Paul’s revelation of “in Christ” is, to me, a synonym for the Gospel of the Kingdom – and so is this word, “godliness” which is used numerous times in the pastoral epistles in contrast to the word “kingdom” which is used only twice (and both times in his closing, emotional remarks in 2 Timothy 4:1, 18)⁹.

Paul explains that exercise in godliness – or in the phrase I’m using use here, “training for reigning” – is “profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come”. We are training to reign (or govern) more effectively both in this life now and in the age to come.

Regardless of how people slice their end-times bread, we all agree on two things. First, when Jesus returns¹⁰, He will consummate – bring to full completion – God’s manifest Kingdom on earth; that is, there is a dimension of the Kingdom of God that can only be fully realised in the King’s literal return.

Second, until He comes again, we have work to do. Two gripping parables – of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) and minas (Luke 19:11-27) – urge us to be “about our Father’s Kingdom business” (Luke 19:13); five versions of the Great Commission impress upon us an urgency to get to work (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:45-49; John 20:21-23; Acts 1:8); Jesus’ emphatic statement that the gospel of the Kingdom must be preached as a “witness” – that is, a demonstration not just a proclamation – to all the nations before the end comes (Matthew 24:14), makes it clear where our responsibility lies¹¹. And even above and beyond this, the victory of Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension means there is much we are to appropriate and accomplish now – even before He returns.

Towards this end, we are training for reigning – learning to govern more effectively both in this life and in the age to come.

What’s involved “in the age to come”?

I’m not too sure, the Bible is brief on this and we must be weary of over-speculation (it usually doesn’t help to speculate too much; for by doing so, we often muddy the waters and tend to find ourselves overshooting the point). So what is the point? Let’s have a look at a case study from the streets of first century Corinth.

Paul writes to a church going rogue and sharply admonishes them for their lack of communal governance. Apparently, two men in their spiritual community were airing their proverbial laundry out in public court. Paul writes:

“Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?” (1 Corinthians 6:1).

Then he makes some unbelievable statements:

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?

Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life? … 

… Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” (1 Corinthians 6:2-5)¹²

Paul does not amplify on his statements regarding judging the world (v. 2) and judging angels (v. 3) – as I said, over speculation will only fudge the point – but the point is emphatic: how we judge or govern over “things that pertain to this life” (v. 3) is not only a training ground to reign more effectively now – our spiritual communities and relationships will be better governed in grace and truth – but it is also our training for reigning in the age to come.

This has some (actually, many) sobering repercussions.

Everything we go through – tribulation (John 16:33), trials (James 1:2-4), affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17), suffering (Acts 14:22 c. Hebrews 5:8), and so on – are opportunities in disguise (some come dressed in drag) allowed by God to teach us¹³ to govern at a new level of His grace and in a new dimension of His Presence. In other words; in His wisdom, God allows us to face certain challenges as part of our “exercise routine” for training to reign.

“Yes, yes … I know that,” most will say.

But add to this list, “interpersonal conflict” … and the “yuck” often experienced in church life (even in, especially in, simple church life where there is no place to hide and no system or program to dull the pain).

The modern believer is conditioned to find a “church” that suits his needs – great worship and teaching, an excellent children’s program, good facilities, blah blah blah are usually among the first points on the check-list as people go “church shopping”. Yet even with these boxes checked, too many usually hit the road at the first whiff of conflict or relational unease in the leadership or congregation (unless of course they’ve established their own vested interest; in which case, they join the bun-fight and mud-slinging¹⁴).

Yet in true family, relational conflict is not an interruption to life; it is a part of life.

And here is the crux of the issue. God is deconstructing an institutional construct of church so that we return to true spiritual family; for it is in Kingdom family that we engage in training for reigning.

When we become embittered through the offences that arise in church life, despairing through the challenges that are inevitable when imperfect people try to learn to love and serve each other, we lose the opportunity to be transformed into Christ’s image from glory to glory by His Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18). We default in our training and gag on the nourishment God has sent our way to harness our potential and capacity for eternity.

Again to the Corinthians, Paul amazingly sees in their awful abuses around the Lord’s Supper God still at work. He writes: “I hear there are divisions among you … For there must be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognised among you” (1 Corinthians 11:18, 19). Wow! Paul is saying that God allows the ‘yuck’ to surface so that the treasure is revealed. He allows the mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly so that what is “approved may be recognised”. What a wonderful faith he had! The knowledge that God was the “author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2) was a gripping reality to Paul, not just a head-nodding cliché.

The “fruit of the Spirit” – “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22, 23) – is grown in ‘bad’ not ‘good’ soil; meaning, it is easy to be patient with or kind to people who don’t tax your patience and are not unkind to you. That doesn’t require Spirit-filled empowering; just human common sense. As Jesus said, “Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46). But when you’re on the journey with people who do exercise your patience, whose imperfections expose your own, then it is only our commitment to walk in the Spirit that will produce the nature of Christ within us.

What’s more, have you noticed who the beneficiaries of the “fruit of the Spirit” are? Yes, God desires that we bear fruit that brings Him glory (John 15:8), but most of the nine words used in this passage are directed manward not God-ward. The immediate beneficiaries of our joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are people, not God (even though this certainly blesses Him no end). Jesus affirmed that God is glorified when others are the beneficiaries of our faith (Matthew 5:16).

People, “especially” those in community with us (Galatians 6:10), ought to feast on the fruit of our lives. (The word “especially” does not mean exclusively; only that if we bless others but short-change our own spiritual community we have no integrity. We’re playing footie without a ball). May anyone and everyone who bites into our life “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8)!

When I hear of challenges a church community may be facing I remind myself of this truth: conflict is not an interruption to life; it is an essential part of it. My heart weeps to think of how many people leave spiritual families because of conflict rather than working through it; finding a new level of community and character in the process. Rather they go from “church” to “church” – they never pass “shallow”; and are weaker and smaller each time, unprepared for their assignment now and in eternity.

Can you imagine if a child changed families every time things didn’t go his way at home? He would be an absolute mess! Any wonder why so many believers in the West are in the state they are? In comparison, our Chinese brothers thrive, despite martyrdom. They approach adversity and conflict very differently. Listen to Brother Yun: “We don’t pray for God to lighten our load; we pray for bigger backs to endure”. They’re training for reigning; we’re often padding up for another whipping.

Forgive me if I have overstated my point or if I sound patronising in any way¹⁵. This is certainly not my intention; I clearly do feel this is a vital issue to put on the table and that it is an area God is putting His finger on.

We can rest in the knowledge that in His wisdom and love, Father God is shaking all things in order to establish a “Kingdom which cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28) and towards this end He will discipline us “for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). As we yield to Father’s will, “it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).

Take notice of this last statement by the writer to the Hebrews: “to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Our responsibility lies in yielding to His training, responding to His dealings – and this requires facing our challenges (not looking for the eject button) and working through relational conflict (not looking for a back door). Our rest comes in knowing that Father God patiently and graciously uses our imperfections, and the imperfections of others, to perfect that which concerns us (Psalm 138:8).

Here is the issue. In every challenge I face, I am either growing into the likeness of Christ – in my actions, in my attitudes and even deeper still, in the affections (motivations) of my heart – or I’m shrinking back from my prophetic potential and capacity as an eternal son of God. I’ll either greet the dawning of the age to come like a roaring lion, released from the confines of this sin-restricted cage, or stumble into it as a flimsy, whimsical shadow of my true self in God. As Paul said: “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:15).

The hope of His return – and those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) – urge upon me a response: to eat the chicken of life, spitting out the bones. The holy dread of failing to hear those words – in Paul’s words, “suffering loss” instead – rips away from me the temptation towards self-pity and self-preservation.

Right at this moment, you and I are either growing into the likeness of Christ or shrinking back from the prize.

If you’re shrinking instead of shining, grab yourself by the scruff of the neck and shake … and don’t stop shaking … until you shake off every bit of apathy, cowardice and selfishness. Get brutal …. shake the rot! For heaven sake, do it!

If you’re growing, ensure that Christ’s glorious nature permeates deep; adjusting your actions to reflect His, altering your attitudes to mirror His and keep going deep, until even the affections of your heart are enflamed by His holy passions.

Then we’ll start looking more and more like Him! Amen or O-me!

Notes:

¹ See our blog-article, “What are Hebrew values?” <My Big Fat Greek Mentality>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/what-are-hebrew-values/

² Yes, I understand that some are given gifts of government such as leadership and administration (Roman 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28) but here I’m referring to government in a broader sense; that is, in our individual and collective Kingdom responsibility to represent the King and reveal His nature wherever He has placed us and with whatever gifts He has entrusted us with.

³ I do not mean to be dismissive of preaching or teaching; far from it, this article is a teaching itself and I personally feel that God has given me a gift to teach (even though it is simply a “one talent” gift in comparison to the many great teachers in the Body of Christ). I am poking at our tendency to lay too much emphasis on a sermon or message, which if we’re honest, then too often encourages us to think and act increasingly independently of others (certainly not the intention of most good teachers and preachers); that is, “how do I fulfil my potential, how do I get my gift working, how do I be more successful?” Paul seems to be treading on these same toes when he says, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (see 1 Corinthians 8:1).

⁴ I do not mean to be dismissive of feeling a holy call of the Lord; far from it, I feel this wonderful sense of call to relationship with God and a sense of the role He desires me to play. However, it is not reserved for the spiritual ‘black-belts’. We are all called to ministry regardless of what our vocation may or may not be (Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-23). Of course, out of responding to His call, our contributions are unique to us and differ in scope and grace (Romans 12:3-8) – but there are no second rate children in the family of God.

⁵ Or a “Kingdom-shaped church” or an “apostolic wineskin” or a “post-denominational era” – all of these phrases communicate something of the full picture we’re pressing out for.

⁶ See our blog-article, “What does ekklesia mean?” <Lost in Translation>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/01/01/what-does-ekklesia-mean/

⁷ It would be wise for me to point out that while a simple church family is the primary “incubator” for spiritual maturity, being aligned to apostolic, missional vision – among other things – is an important, secondary ingredient to a holistic picture. But to avoid running into content covered in other articles, can I recommend the following to you(as a start):

“Can anyone start a simple church?” <Field of Dreams>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/can-anyone-start-a-simple-church-field-of-dreams/

“What is apostolic alignment?” <A Few Good Fathers>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/what-is-apostolic-alignment/

⁸ See 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 2 Timothy 2:5 for example.

 ⁹ Space prevents a fuller look at this here; save to say, Paul speaks of the “mystery of godliness” in 1 Timothy 3:16. Even a casual reader of Paul’s writings will know that his use of the word “mystery” is linked to his understanding of the eternal Kingdom purpose of Father God accomplished in Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 1:7-10; 3:8-11 for the most detailed expression of this; c. Romans 16:25; 1 Corinthians 2:2-7; Ephesians 6:19; Colossians 4:3). In Colossians, Paul uses this term “mystery” directly with his most outstanding teaching of the Supremacy of Christ and uses the phrase “in Christ” as a synonym for the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:9-28). In like manner, in 1 Timothy 3:16, he uses the synonym “godliness”.

¹⁰ The New Testament does not use the phrases “the return of Christ” or “second coming of Christ”; rather it refers simply and powerfully to His “coming,” a Greek word (parousia) used to describe the official coming of a king whose arrival would be permanent and whose impact would be lasting. Think about that for a moment. The coming of Christ refers to the arrival of the King whose occupation will be permanent and lasting.

¹¹ Of course, much debate (and too many disputes) arises around how much we can actually accomplish before His return. This, in my opinion, is not as important as some make it out to be (although I value the varied opinions around this issue). When in fact Jesus chooses to interrupt us in His parousia is His prerogative; that He finds us obedient to what He told us to do is ours (Matthew 24:36-51). If we allow arguments to arise over when He is going to come in our scripted time-lines, then we’ve lost the plot and may miss the point badly. Let’s rather – in a spirit of faith and the hope His return stirs – abandon ourselves to doing all we can with the resources He freely gives, knowing that when He does choose to interrupt us, so to speak, we will together rejoice with wide-eyed wonder and indescribable joy; we won’t stop for even a millisecond to fuss over who was more right than the next. (And while there are many valid theories that one can hold to with integrity, I still think we’re all in for a surprise).

¹² There is actually so much to unpack from this passage and verse 5 in particular: “Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you, not even one, who will be able to judge between his brethren?” For the sake of space, I make just two brief comments. Firstly, I see in this statement a rebuke against the parent-elders in their midst – you’ll notice the phrase, “among you”, is used consistently in reference to elders (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2). It is interesting that Paul does not address the leaders directly; rather he pokes at the conscience of the spiritual community – they are all responsible as a Kingdom family, a “brotherhood”. His implied rebuked thus has even greater clout than if he just wrote to the parent-elders.

Secondly, notice again that Paul urges them to govern “between” one another, not “over” one another. We are to govern “with” and when necessary “between” one another, “over” the demonic forces that seek to resist God’s will – but not “over” one another.

¹³ Of course there are times too when we experience the attack of the enemy; he too may be the cause of tribulations and affliction. However, I think he gets too much credit. It would be wiser to first consider whether Father God is in fact seeking to work something in us (Psalm 139:23, 24; Hebrews 12:5-11) or even whether we may be reaping where we have sown ‘bad’ seed (Galatians 6:7, 8); rather than assuming it is always the devil. Even in discerning demonic activity, James calls us to first “submit to God” and then to “resist the devil” (James 4:7). And sometimes the best form of resistance is to not acknowledge him (give him place) at all (Ephesians 4:27 c. the entire account of Job). Granted, on other occasions, we are led by the Spirit to confront him firmly and intentionally (Luke 4:1-12 c. Ephesians 6:17).

¹⁴ Is it too much too hope that those reading this article are not of that persuasion? According to James, drawing from the “wisdom from above” nullifies the ungodly “wars and fights among [us]” (James 3:14-18; 4:1, 2).

¹⁵ And yes, I fully appreciate that there are many times when we have to agree to disagree, or recognise a season has come to an end – and even times when we have to bless each other as we agree to walk separate paths. I’m very grateful for Luke’s honesty in including Paul and Barnabas’ dispute – Luke holds no punches: “Barnabas was determined” to take Mark; “Paul insisted” that they shouldn’t … and with a lot of ego in the mix … “the contention became so sharp” (Acts 15:39) – having walked through similar situations with others before. It seems to me – and I admit that I am guilty of idealism – that Paul made up with Barnabas and Mark (Colossians 4:10) and, in fact, the result of their dispute was the launch of two fruitful apostolic teams. I have similarly seen God work amazingly through our situations when we amicably agreed to walk different paths with others – in both blessing each other in departing and respecting each other afterwards too (this second commitment is usually the more difficult one).

The point I’m making is that too many don’t even try to work it through and if they do try, it often ends in bitterness and finger-pointing.

“Father God, help us to work through these challenging times seeking first to understand and then to be understood”.

 

How do we build teams … that multiply? “A Dream Team”

For well over a decade now, one of my great pleasures has been learning the art and graft of team building; overcoming significant obstacles such as huge geographical distances and massive cultural differences in the process.

It has also been, without question, my biggest challenge. While most people agree with the notion of team, our rugged individualism and notorious impatience means the reality of team alludes many. If I had my way, I too would have pulled the plug on it somewhere along the journey.

Everyone knows the statement: “There is no I in team”. But as one wit pointed out, “there is me if you look close enough”. Unfortunately, many noble quests for “team” have petered out on the altar of “me”.

Gratefully, I haven’t been afforded this luxury. The vision God gave us nearly fourteen years ago – one of a decentralised, multiplying organic ministry – meant whether I liked it or not, we had to learn how to build team across the seas and across cultures, learning to cooperate with the Spirit of God as He poured us out again and again. It was a case of sink or swim; literally, for when God launched us out from the African continent to the nation of Japan on a hope and more than a few prayers, our fledgling efforts could easily have drowned somewhere in the Indian or Pacific seas.

Without any smart organisational system or stout denominational structures (perhaps because we didn’t have them), we gratefully learnt some of the components essential to walking as a functioning team … through the grace of God and our share of hard knocks. In this article I’d like to outline some of these core components but first let me clarify what I mean by team.

By team ministry I am not advocating the pseudo-team model that is alive and kicking today; I am not talking about an autocratic leader who hires or recruits (or cajoles) a team of “yes-men”. For me, this is not true team ministry. A definite shift in thinking is required to depart from this “big-head” problem as we dream of true team. Nor am I suggesting that we throw out the consistent, Biblical precedent of having a leader in the midst of the team. This would be to fly in the face of Scripture and to settle for a rudderless ship or a headless mess. This too, in my opinion, is not true team ministry.

A real-deal team, as we will unpack below, is a group of peers who have been joined by the Spirit; who, through mutual respect and shared life, have discovered the beauty in each other and, while also accepting the limitations in each, work together to accomplish in God what they alone could never achieve. Secure in whom they are, each team member contributes and serves the others; willingly submitting to the leadership of the one best suited to lead in a given situation; humbly willing to lead should their gift-mix and experience require them to lead in the next.

The answer to everything is found in (1) Jesus and (2) team. Yes, the order is crucial but don’t miss the importance of this statement. No matter what problem ambushes you; you will always find an answer, if you are anchored in Christ and armed with the resources of a team you trust. What do the following names have in common: Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Titus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Silas and Trophimus (Acts 20:4; Philippians 2:25-30)? Not only are they a list of unpronounceable names – thank goodness for Timothy, Silas and Titus – but they were all part of a team … the apostolic team Paul walked with. Can you imagine trying to load that lot into your mobile phone contacts?

Paul tells of a time when he arrived at Troas to, as always, “preach Christ’s gospel” (2 Corinthians 2:12). He reveals that “a door was opened to me by the Lord” (v. 12). Wow! Great! “Go for it Paul … jump in!” But no … he did not. He says, “I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother” (v. 13). So what did he do? “Taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia” (v. 13). Whoa!

Even though a door of opportunity arose, Paul realized that all the ingredients for effective ministry were not present. Most notably, Titus had not arrived and thus “team” was not possible. Recognizing his own limitations and the inbuilt weakness with Titus’ absence – and obviously concerned for Titus himself – Paul chose not to exploit the door that opened at that stage. How many of us would have done what he did? How many of us are very happy to fly solo, enjoy making unilateral decisions and are smugly content to exist as an island in ourselves?

Since community is the very essence of God’s nature, leadership and ministry must be fleshed out in the context of team. Even the Lone ranger had Tonto. The only one who flew solo was Superman! And we need to humbly acknowledge that we are not Supermen! The day of one-man ministry is over … and should never have been allowed to see the light of day in the first place.

The Biblical metaphors of the apostolic church – family, army, building and body – urge us to settle for nothing less. A child without a family is an orphan! A soldier without an army is AWOL. A brick without a building is rubble! And an arm without a body is … well, morbid and disgusting!

Okay, after that mouthful, let me now list the components I feel are non-negotiables for true team to function fluidly and fruitfully. And I have, in mind, two settings for team in this article: (1) an apostolic, resource team¹ that serves a network or fellowship of churches and (2) the leadership team or parent-elders who serve a simple church community.

1. Cooperate with the Spirit
2. Selflessly discover one another
3. Clarify expectations upfront
4. Reason from the whole to the part
5. Build from relationship to structure
6. Function as a team with a leader
7. Build in review; reflect to move forward

Sounds simple? Suppose so. Sounds easy? You’ve got to be kidding!

Cooperate with the Spirit

This is more than just a statement of the obvious; it is a way of life. Paul penned these infamous words: “keep the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3)². There is a crucial principle valid for unity embedded in this statement. We are to “keep” not create the “unity of the Spirit”.

We cannot manufacture unity; we cannot in ourselves produce true community (“unity” centred on a “common” element). We can only recognise when it happens. This is the first step; identifying what God is doing, where He is adding people together. We are to cooperate with the Spirit’s initiative, not attempt to collaborate and make it happen.

“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (1 Corinthians 12:18). He sets us into relationships as He pleases. His role is the setting; our role is to identify what He is doing. He creates unity; we are to keep the unity He inspires.

Community, and thus team, flows out of our cooperation with Him as we recognise a “common unity” with others; first, riveted in the centrality of Christ’s Kingship and second, in a common call or cause that stems from this union.

The second step then is to confirm what He is doing by acknowledging what we sense in our heart to one another. Of course, this involves a risk; perhaps the other party may not share our excitement, maybe they don’t witness it? This happens from time to time; either we misread the moment or perhaps the timing is a little off. If this is the case, entrust yourself to the Lord; knowing He is well able to perfect that which concerns us (Psalm 138:8).

But please don’t back off from this important step. Verbally acknowledging what God is doing is essential. The risk must be taken. Unless we affirm what God is doing we will always be left guessing and wondering; and tipping toeing around another is a sure way to trod on their toes.

This mutual witness is vital of course. Too often, in natural relationships, 1 + 1 = 1 as the stronger personality gobbles up the weaker one. However, when God truly adds; His addition leads to multiplication: 1 + 1 = 5. The sum of the parts becomes something more than the individuals parts together as God graces the relationship synergistically. When we recognise that God has joined us together and gratefully verbalise this, we invite the Spirit of God to shape and fashion the relationship into what He purposes for us collectively.

Many people start the pursuit of team looking in the wrong place. They look forward to new relationships that God may send to them. While this will almost certainly happen as God grows the team, the place to start is looking backward; discerning what relationships He has already given to you, relationships that you may have been blind to until now. God is faithful. You are more than likely the beneficiary of relationships that have already stood the test of time, friendships He will profile afresh if you let Him to; allowing you to re-engage with them in a fresh, dynamic way.

I have seen this time and time again. Once we purpose to cooperate with the Spirit in the formation of team, He opens our eyes to see our existing relationships in a new way. As He removes the familiarity and stuffiness from these friendships, we not only resolve to serve them afresh but sometimes it becomes the place of origins for team. Often I’ve heard people say something like: “Gee, I’ve never seen my friend in this light before. Yes, I now see the treasure God has placed in this relationship”.

In a nutshell, then? Identify who God is adding you to and express your hunch, trusting for God to confirm a mutual witness.

Selflessly discover one another

The paradox of salvation applies to community too (and all issues of faith for that matter). Jesus taught us to “deny” ourselves; explaining “whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24, 25). In losing our lives to Him, we find our true, beautiful ‘self’ in Him. Of course, at the time of being confronted with the awfulness of our sin and His demand upon us, the beauty we will become in Him is the furthest thing from our mind.

In gratitude words cannot describe, we fall on His mercy and pledge our allegiance to Him, completely willing to be His slave (whatever He requires). When, in kissing us, He instead calls us sons and invites us into friendship (Luke 15:20; John 4:23, 24; Romans 8:14-17; John 15:15), we start blossoming – humbly unaware of the profound change in us; our hearts and minds enraptured with the sublime wonder of salvation. Unless we feel the sting of repentance there can be no joy of salvation.

The paradox? Die to live; that is, really die to truly live. (There are no pretend deaths allowed; pretence only foments religion and religion of the ugly variety). The same applies to community. Certainly Jesus’ teaching on self-denial, mentioned above, runs off the back of His first use of the word “church” just a few verses earlier: “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). It is consistent with the context of this passage that Jesus implied this same paradox was vital to engaging in true community.

The kingdoms of this world teach us through a wide and effective variety of ways to look after number one … or no one else will! (Whoever came up with that line was clearly short of a few friends or two). Of course, as fallen and selfish creatures, we find this so easy to do and take this same “me first” attitude into our attempts to build friendships and community. In fact, our relationships are usually built on two questions:

• How do I fit in?
• How will I benefit?

Yes, these are innocent expressions of personal need. We are, mostly, sincere in our attempts to build relationships. We’re not deliberately trying to use and exploit others.

When we meet a new potential relationship or when we engage with a new possible team we instinctively ask these two questions. How do I fit here? And how will I benefit from my association with this person or group? The focus is on me and the relationship is weighed up against the benefits offered to me.

By default my attitude is to “use and get”. Unless I realise this, even if I have walked with God for many years, I will begin this friendship, or enter this new team, as a “consumer” and once I’ve had my fill, I will shop around somewhere else (or bemoan the poor service I’m getting).

True community, and team, done by the Spirit are paradoxical. When we re-plug into the Divine Community we no longer operate by default; now with a new design, we ask two alternative questions:

• Where is God adding me?
• What does God desire of us?

I am to start by asking for His guidance, “Where is God fusing my life into the life (or lives) of others?” Paul wrote, with the analogy of a human body in mind, that we are “members of one another” (Romans 12:5) not members of an organisation. Thus, in community, we are parts of one body; we belong to one another. And the point is emphatic: God puts us together as parts of a body “as He pleases” (1 Corinthians 12:18). It has always been the Father’s delight and prerogative to “set the solitary in families” (Psalm 68:5, 6). As mentioned, my task is not to find a “team”; instead, it is to identify the people He is knitting me into team with. The focus is on Him as we follow His lead, planting our roots deep into one another.

Once I identify the relationships that He is weaving me into, I am to continue by asking this open question, “What does God desire of us?” First notice, we ought to ask, “What does God require of us?” not just “of me”. Second, notice I stressed that this is an “open” question because, as we begin the journey together in team, we are graciously shown just the next few steps; seldom (if ever) will God map out the entire ball game. The mystery of the journey fills every step with romance. We’re not after the last word on the matter, we’re following the Lord and nothing else matters.

Together in team our attitude is to “discover and give”. We’re pilgrims on an adventure together, discovering the beauty in each other and giving ourselves to serve one another. I discover the God-given potential in my fellow explorers and pray, serve and give of myself to help them realise their prophetic destiny. I get to know them deeply so that I can serve them fully. And then a wonderful thing happens. In really dying to myself … in community, I truly find life.

In choosing to no longer be a self-sufficient individual (no matter how qualified I may think I am), I allow myself to be known (warts and all) and allow myself to be served (even though it makes me uncomfortable and I’d prefer to look competent by serving). In discovering the beauty of those I’m in team with and in giving myself to serve them; I begin to discover, quite by accident, my own beauty. (Conversely, when we pursue our own beauty, we get uglier and nastier).

And overwhelmed, I realise I have a team given to serving me to be the best I can be; committed to me in love for excellence. Engulfed with gratitude, I cherish these precious people even more, stretching myself even further that they may become all they are called to be. Even when – not if – this means sending them across the seas to serve and stimulate new teams of faith; even when – again, not if – it means releasing them across the street to start a new community of faith.

Paul captured this essential truth in his letter to the church in the city of Colosse. In this epistle, in which he unfolds a breathtaking picture of Christ, he stresses the importance of being “rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7). And just a few verses earlier, he prayed: “that your hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God … in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2, 3). Wow!

Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would be “knit together in love”. The Greek word for “knit” (sumbibazo) means to “unite (in association and affection)”. This metaphor is a tremendous picture of lives interwoven together by the love of God. And Paul drops a gem in verse 3, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge”. Do you see the connection he is making? There is a treasure in Christ we will never know until our hearts are knit together with others. Living an individualistic Christian life is to settle for a one dimensional view of God; living in community opens every conceivable dimension of the glory of God.

Before I am accused of painting a naïve picture of reality, yes, community is truly challenging. Even attempting to do life deeply with “my kind of people” is hard, let alone the kind of people the Spirit seems to think I should find community with! (Apologies to the precious people I do community with! You know what I mean and love me anyway).

If we allow the Lord to weave our life together with others, it is seldom with “perfect people” who act like us and think like us. Usually there is a healthy mix of variety and diversity. (We don’t really get it at first, but God seems to love it!) Through this journey with a “mixed bag” of imperfect and flawed and blemished individuals (among whom, in my case, I’m the biggest stink); invited through humility and patience on our part, God creates life-giving community and moulds us into the people we’re destined to be.

In a nutshell, then? Seek to expectantly discover each person God has knitted you to and selflessly give of yourself; shun the temptation to use and the desire to get. Remember, we’re contributors not consumers.

Clarify expectations upfront

While Jezebel gets a fair degree of airtime, and perhaps correctly so, the biggest threat to our relationships are the two wicked step sisters: Miss Understanding and Miss Communication.

Misunderstanding and miscommunication have undone some of best relationships and strongest teams. They undermine our best of intentions and muddy the waters of our sincere effort; slowly spawning distrust and suspicion.

In the excitement of recognising a God-given connection we often steam ahead forgetting relationships need time to mature and that all relationships will be tested. Yes, all relationships need to be proven and although this is not something we can fabricate; regularly clarifying expectations through respectful, honest communication is the only investment we can make to walk through those times when our relationships will be put through the fire.

Seeking to understand rather than trying to be understood is still one of the most powerful principles to apply and sadly, one often lacking in new relationships where ego often drives our attempts to position ourselves correctly, in our eyes, before the other.

Again, Paul’s words are so apt, so inspired from above: “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). True team is built on the nature of Jesus.

I have found it very important to first settle two foundational questions before I can even begin to consider what expectations are appropriate in team. First I need to know, deep in my heart, whose I am. Second, I need to know, in humility and confidence, who I am. It cannot be stated strongly enough: if I am not secure in whose I am and who I am, I’ll always miss the mark when it comes to expectations … of myself and others. Until I’m secure in the knowledge that God is my functional Father, not mere theory, and that my identity is found in being a son of the Father; I will continue to look to others to scratch an itch only God can. Out of this wounded heart, I will wound others.

Only when I know whose I am and who I am, can I trust God to help me discover whom I am called to walk with, pure in motive and transparent in heart.

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself … to wash the disciples’ feet” (John 13:3-5). Secure in God’s Fatherhood, Jesus could extravagantly serve His disciples, including the man He knew would betray Him (vv. 1, 2).

For the record then, team cannot fill the vacuum only God can; yet from a God-filled life we can serve and be served, love and be loved, give and receive in team; experiencing an abundance of life, as good as it gets.

With the “whose” and “who” questions answered, we are ready to clarify the expectations we have of “whom” we walk with as a team; resolving to permanently give misunderstanding and miscommunication their marching orders.

One of the false expectations we need to put to the sword early on deals with our tendency to want to own or possess our relationships. A true team is a primary set of relationships but not an exclusive set. Each member of the team may have a number of secondary relationships as God layers our sphere of influence with others in His Body. Remember, we’re not building our own little empire here. Each team member is free to serve and work with other expressions of God’s people as we cooperate with Jesus as He builds His church.

However, to walk together with integrity and intentionality, the team God puts me in is my primary set of relationships and I need to honour this design.

By “primary relationships” I’m referring to discerning the core relationships God is knitting your heart with. We simply cannot invest ourselves deeply in this way into everyone, but we can and must give ourselves in this way to some. And having done so, we are to be faithful to these primary relationships.

Depending on what kind of social animal we are, we may have second and third (and fourth and fifth…) levels of relationships alongside these primary relationships. And we ought to give ourselves to everyone who comes across our path, without prejudice, as God enables us to do so. But here is the issue. To whom are we accountable? Where are we known inside out? Where do we confess our faults (James 5:16)? With whom do we seek counsel and confirmation as we make big decisions in line with our prophetic destiny? This is where our primary relationships matter.

And if – and this happens in our busy world all the time – we have to make a choice as to where we will spend our time, we give our choice time to our primary relationships; unless the Spirit of God directs us on that particular occasion otherwise (in which case, the people in our primary core cheer us on, celebrating our courage to follow His lead).

Thus, team is not an exclusive arrangement of elite, controlling relationships. It is inclusive and outwardly focused; extravagantly generous and selflessly missional. It deliberately avoids becoming ingrown by keeping the door wide open, not just for serving others God sends our way, but for sending one another out in love-fuelled mission.

In a nutshell, then? Clarify expectations upfront by first answering the “whose you are” and “who you are” questions; then work through your collective expectations with those “whom you are” called to walk with.

Reason from the whole to the part

To understand team, I needed to learn to reason from the whole to the part, nurturing a collective rather than an individualistic attitude. Me, myself and I are a hellish, obsessive little trinity that is determined to make itself the centre of the universe.

Paul taught us to reason from the whole to the part in using his analogy of the body (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). The arm, for example, is important and valuable in itself but it only finds its full meaning and purpose in light of the whole body. An arm without a body makes very little sense.

Yes, each “part” is precious and vital; but the “part” only finds its fullest expression in the context of the “whole”. Therefore while “team” certainly includes “me” (we’re not talking about being an expendable cog in some cosmic machinery), focusing on “me” produces a consuming black hole of self-obsession that leaves no place for anyone else.

Again, think of the first week of creation (Genesis 1:1-31). After each day, God declared every day was “good”. Each part of the week was good. But when He viewed the entire week, He declared it was “very good”. The whole week was very good. Thus the part is good, but the whole is very good.

Most believers in the Western world are conditioned, for example, to read the Scriptures with an individualistic mindset: “How does this affect my life? What is in it for me?” In contrast, the original recipients had a corporate mindset and would ask: “How does this affect the community that I am a part of? What is my responsibility now within my community?”

Therefore, herein lies a critical principle for a healthy team. We must learn to reason from the whole to the part and then work it out back from the part to the whole.

In team, this has at least two implications; on a micro and macro level.

First, the micro.

I am a part of a team, the whole. Although my part is valuable and vital, it only finds its full meaning and purpose in relation to the whole. For me to act independently or unilaterally sabotages the whole; we all suffer. “Every house divided against itself will not stand” (Matthew 12:25).

The team does not exist to serve me, to give platform for my contribution. The team does not revolve around me; the team exists to serve the Lord and my contribution, though integral to the team, is simply a part of the symphony we create together.  I am to reason from the whole – the team – to my part and work out my part in harmony with the whole. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3).

Second, the macro.

The team I serve with is part of a greater whole, the Body of Christ. Although our part is important and precious, it finds its significance in relation to the whole. Being sectarian and polemic injures the Body and makes us all sick. “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation” (Matthew 12:25).

God entrusted Adam and Eve with a global, dominion mandate (Genesis 1:26-28). But then He put them in a garden (Genesis 2:15). Within the boundaries of their God-appointed “garden,” they were to be faithful, fruitful and fulfilled. And … they were to keep the devil out! Adam and Eve were to be focused on their “sphere of influence” – their garden – while retaining an essential connection to His global mandate. This foundational reference point, the “whole,” delivered them from self-centred, empire-building; from thinking that their garden, their “part,” was all that there was.

As important as I think the team I walk with is, God has simply entrusted us with a “garden”; one of many “gardens” that make up His Kingdom whole.

Paul referred to it as his “God appointed sphere” and he was careful not to compare himself with the “spheres” given to others; explaining those who do so are “not wise” (2 Corinthians 10:12, 13). And he entrusted himself to God to enlarge his sphere as He willed rather than giving into the urge to compete with others (2 Corinthians 10:14-17). We must die to the childish temptations to compare and compete, incorrectly viewing our “garden” as the whole ball game. Instead, true to our God-given “garden,” we ought to seek to compliment others; cooperating with the King as He establishes His Kingdom.

In a nutshell, then? Think globally; act locally. Essentially connected to the Kingdom whole; be true to the “garden” God has given your team as you cooperate with Him and work to compliment other teams to see His Kingdom come.

Build from relationship to structure

A team is only as healthy as the quality of the relationships within it. In fact, relationships are what Kingdom life is all about; first our vertical relationship with Father God and second, how we walk this out horizontally in authentic relationships with others. This is, quite simply, Kingdom Basics 101.

However, relationships without intentionality become sloppy, familiar and ingrown. And this happens very quickly too. Without a supportive skeletal structure, relationships eventually deteriorate into a blob state.

The adjectives I’ve chosen are important. My skeletal system is supportive to my body; if you saw my skeleton jutting out, you’d be right to be concerned and I’d be in trouble! But to save me from being a motionless, dysfunctional blob of flesh, muscle and sinew God has created a structure that evolves and grows to give my body shape, coordination and strength. My skeleton is secondary and supportive to my body.

In like manner, in terms of team and relationships, structure is not a dirty word … as long as it remains supportive, flexible and fluid; evolving to facilitate the team and our growing relationships. In this sense, structure ought to describe our collective life together not prescribe it.

In reaction to the poor examples of many institutionally based teams, where structure is a straight-jacket of control and micro-management, too many organic, fledgling teams become blob-like, failing to fulfil their prophetic destiny because of a fear of structure. However, the answer to abuse is not non-use but proper use. Unless we embrace the value of structure and cooperate with God’s initiative in this regard we will always remain loose flabby fingers rather than becoming a cohesive, steel punch for God.

Yes, it is our warped Greek thinking that causes us to view structure as primary and relationships as secondary; squeezing people into holes in an institutional matrix. And in reaction to this error, many then outlaw structure altogether. However, Hebrew thinking – the way God thinks – prizes relationships first, without question, but views structure as helpful and supportive. In Hebrew culture, the communal structure is not visible but is beautifully “felt” through the honour and respect of each person’s maturity and contribution to the family.

Where do we start with the structure issue then?

In the context of genuine relationships; first, by honestly discerning each one’s spiritual maturity and, second, by appreciating each one’s proven gift-mix³.

As we recognise each other’s spiritual maturity, on the one hand, our relating together is deepened through mutual respect and honour. In so doing, we affirm spiritual fatherhood and older brothers in our midst; this, then gives spiritual fathers the liberty to be who they are and to serve in this relational authority⁴.

As we recognise each one’s giftedness, on the other hand, our functioning together is broadened by this shared awareness. We appreciate the gifts in each other and learn to defer to one another’s giftedness appropriately; this then draws out the effective operation of all the gifts present. The recognition of spiritual fathers in our midst serves to facilitate this appreciation and deployment of each one’s contribution.

How does a skeletal, relational structure emerge? Through acknowledging maturity, affirming spiritual fatherhood, and through acknowledging spiritual giftedness, appreciating the God-given contribution of each.

As we boldly define these issues – silence breeds assumption and assumption scuppers the ship – we start to relate and function with a collective awareness, a communal structure, which can be delightfully “felt” as our relational definition and intentionality yields greater rest and more fruitfulness.

Careful to avoid the tendency to box one another, we regularly re-engage with this definition process to ensure we keep growing; we keep building from relationships to structure.

In a nutshell, then? Invest into relationships first; then define the fluid, emerging structure that emerges from an appreciation of each other’s spiritual maturity and God-given giftedness.

Function as a team with a leader

There is a world of difference between a leader-with-a-team and a team-with-a-leader.

Leader-With-A-Team                      Team-With-A-Leader                     

The leader is a dictator                          The leader is a facilitator

with subordinates that                          with contributors that

fulfil his objectives.                                 fulfil their agreed objectives.

In my own personal experience, a “pastor and staff” model inevitably becomes a leader-with-a-team in which the leader dictates to subordinates who exist to fulfil the leader’s objectives. However, biblical team ministry requires that the leader facilitates a team in which all the contributors aim to fulfil their God-given objectives.

While I believe it is the gift and function of an apostle to facilitate the initial architecture or blueprint of the team’s mandate in God (obviously drawing in the contribution of all as they discern the Mind and Heart of God together), the point-leader of the team itself may change depending on the specific task, challenge or season that the team faces together. This true in both settings: for the parent-elders of a simple church community and for an apostolic resource team.

I’m fully persuaded, revealed throughout Scripture, that a point-leader is required in a team. Even a casual read through both Testaments Old and New reveals this principle. However, the point-leader is the person in the team who is best suited to lead at a given time and in a given situation; and this means, the point-leader is not set in concrete forever and a day.

That is why the word “facilitate” is important in the statement: “the leader facilitates a team in which all the contributors aim to fulfil their God-given objectives”. The person, who is most suited to lead at the time, serves the clear purpose of the Lord by facilitating the team’s efforts to achieve the current objective. In this moment, he humbly and courageously leads the team; willing in the next moment to submit to the leadership of another member of the team should they be more suited to lead then.

What makes one most suited to lead at a given time or in a given situation? One’s gift-mix and experience are common reasons; so to is a mutual witness of the Spirit’s prompting or when the project involves relationships or cultural dynamics that one team member is better equipped to handle than others.

A word here on spiritual fathering may be helpful. I serve in a functional apostolic team in which we’re continually learning to fully appreciate one another’s gifts and to allow these gifts to operate cohesively. And as such, we sit at the table, so to speak, as a team of peers. However, outside of this healthy functioning team, we’re also a family of spiritual fathers and sons. In this team are men who father me in the Lord and men who I father in the Lord. Yet, these precious father-son relationships strengthen our functioning as a team; they do not hinder it.

This is not easy to do and was not easy to learn. It takes a secure father to take off his “parent hat” to sit at the table as a peer. Insecure spiritual parents will yield to the temptation to pull rank over others. And it takes a secure son to contribute and lead in his gifting, knowing his spiritual father sits with him at the table as a peer. Insecure sons will yield to the temptation to overly defer to the parental figure in the mix.

While honouring our father-son relationships as a way of life together, we’ve learnt (and are still learning) to sit at the table as peers, functioning as a team-with-a-leader; that is, a point-leader determined not by fatherhood but by what the situation necessitates.

In a nutshell, then? As a team learns to yield to the person most suited to lead at a given time or in a given situation, functioning as a team-with-a-leader results in a multidimensional dynamic rather than a one-dimensional drone.

Build in review; reflect to move forward

As a growing team, we value and welcome change. Yes, change is not always easily; it challenges our core dependencies and exposes our insecurities … and that is why, as mature followers of Christ, we learn to welcome it. Right?

Jeremiah prophesied against Moab saying, “Moab has been at ease from his youth; he has settled on his dregs, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel … Therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent has not changed” (Jeremiah 48:11). In street talk, Jeremiah was saying that because Moab was unwilling to change, he stunk! Since he did not want to be “emptied from vessel to vessel” God declared that He would “tip him over and empty his vessels” (v. 12).

Because we want to grow and value change as essential to growth, we build in regular review where we lovingly yet honestly evaluate the health of our relationships and the fruitfulness of our functionality as a team. It is in these critical moments of reflection that we re-engage with one another and re-launch into our future together.

Regular review ensures we keep short accounts with one another and removes the residual wear and tear that is sure to happen in any team that advances God’s Kingdom and wages war against the forces of darkness. And it is in this reflection that we ensure our structures remain fluid and flexible: do they continue to serve us in following the Lord’s purposes in our midst? If not, we are able to quickly turn into a juicy “hamburger” what could otherwise have become a “sacred cow” if left unchecked.

Herein lies a vital implication for true team; an insight easily lost after factoring in the cost we pay to invest into community in the first place. Having given our bacon for this, we may find it hard to hold team lightly. For sure, we ought not to hold community loosely; it is a treasure we must guard and cherish. But it is not ours; we do not own it and should not hold onto it tightly.

Community, and team, is a gift from God to be held lightly, with an open-hand. We invest deeply into community so that we – as a team – can be spent by God for His purposes in this world.

Paul taught: “Owe no one anything except to love one another” (Romans 13:8). I don’t own my team and I don’t owe them anything: “except to love” – and this is a mighty exception. I am to cherish them as a gift from God and to give myself completely to them as God enables me. But because my identity remains in Christ alone, I don’t attempt to own them or feel indebted to them because of my own insecurity or need for affirmation.

In true team, I am making an investment into them out of the overflow of my essential union with God and secure in Him, I don’t expect anything in return. Oh yes, I ought to express my gratitude for the many, many blessings poured out upon me from those who, likewise, give of themselves in love. But it is love freely given and received, not a string of IOU’s. Only then do we avoid giving into a spirit of entitlement or nurturing an attitude of obligation. Both drain the life out of team.

In these holy moments, when we regularly evaluate in the light of His Lordship and glory, we once again release each other to either re-engage as a team or perhaps, to no longer do so. This freedom to call it a day not only avoids the team becoming a sect but creates the space for each person to freely throw themselves back into team if this is what they sense the Lord saying. This re-engagement with a sense of Kingdom call together as a team breathes fresh life and energy into the relationships again and again.

In a nutshell, then? Regularly build in review; this reflection not only ensures the relationships remain alive in the Spirit but also enables the team to spark into full flame the collective call they share.

Teams that multiply teams …

As we cooperate with the Spirit and selflessly discover one another we unearth the treasure in community. Boldly clarifying expectations upfront and learning to reason from the whole to the part we discern our collective calling in Christ. As we build from relationship to structure and learn to function as a team-with-a-leader we realise and express our full potential in Him. Building in review keeps our relationships alive and through reflection, we grow and move forward.

In the genesis of teams that emerge in this context lies the genius for multiplying, reproducible teams. As God enlarges the team, future reviews give the team the chance to consider the development of daughter teams released from the mother team as organic life necessitates decentralisation of initiative and responsibility. I’m convinced that the DNA embodied in these principles contains reproducible power.

The multiplication of simple church communities will release rapid Kingdom expansion; the multiplication of apostolic, resource teams will increase this growth exponentially.

“Lord, raise up reproducing teams that fill the earth with Your glory”.

Notes:

¹ By “apostolic, resource team” I refer to a team of Ephesians 4:11 gifts working together to establish the Kingdom of God through the planting of self-governing, reproducing simple church communities. Once these Kingdom communities are established, they do not belong to the apostolic team but may continue to align with this servant team through mutual relationships and common vision. Please see the blog-article, “How do apostolic teams work?” <The A-Team> http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/how-do-apostolic-teams-work-the-a-team/

² While the context of Ephesians Chapter 4 is unity in the Body of Christ, I’m simply referring here to a principle valid for unity in any configuration of relationships. Certainly, in any team that we find ourselves in, learning to “keep the unity of the Spirit” within our team is a training ground to “keep the unity of the Spirit” in a much more profound and significant sense too, the (capital B) Body of Christ.

In this broadest and most important sense, we can “keep the unity of the Spirit” if we’re centred on Christ and Him alone. Yes, we certainly may have our theological disagreements – and we need to learn to embrace these distinctives; not as divisive elements but as reflective of the rich diversity in our collective midst. But the unity of the Spirit is not crafted in man’s agreement on things theological; it is created, first, in the revelation of the enormity of how much we in fact have in common in Christ and, second, it is kept in obedience to the instruction to prioritise the “fruit of the Spirit”, the character of Christ: “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2 c. Galatians 5:22, 23).

³ The stress here on “proven” giftedness is important. In discerning one another’s giftedness there is great wisdom in calling “what is” rather than presuming “what could be”. While we may “see” great potential in one another, we need to soberly define our gifts based on the fruit we presently yield. Yes, we may grow in other areas of gifting at which point we can redefine how we function together. However, acting on a hunch or leaning on potential prematurely creates unnecessary pressure and often gives rise to striving outside the grace of God.

⁴ Due to misuse and abuse, authority is seen as a dirty word by many today. But all true authority flows from the Father-heart of God (Romans 13:1ff). In fact, and this may meddle with your mind at first, authority operates in the Godhead.

Jesus said, “As the Father sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Father God did not say to Jesus, “Son, if you have some time on your hands …”. He sent Jesus. Jesus also said, speaking of the Holy Spirit, “the Father will send [Him] in My name” (John 14:26). Again, Father God did not say, “Holy Spirit, what’s your take on My proposal?” Father God sent the Spirit.

We will continue to have a problem with authority as long as we view it from an institutional construct. But when we view true authority in the relational context it belongs, the problems dissipate. I’m convinced that when we grasp a Hebrew mindset – understanding that “community” is essentially family and “leadership” is spiritual parenting – the concept of authority is no longer a threatening word. When we view authority in the context of love-filled parents and a life-giving family, we unwrap the blessings that God intends through it. Incidentally, it helped me to initially add the prefix “relational” to the word “authority” to renew my meddled mind. Please refer to the blog-articles:

How does authority work? http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/how-does-authority-work-like-father-like-son/

What are Hebrew values? http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/what-are-hebrew-values/

What about financial giving? “For Love or Money”

Few issues foment more vehement knee-jerk reactions from otherwise calm people than financial matters. While we all know the importance of giving, having felt frequently manipulated over the issue of finances and uncomfortably perturbed that so much ‘church money’ is spent on staff salaries, building and maintenance, many exploring simple/organic church¹ throw the baby out with the bath water.

Without question, too much teaching on financial giving has been used to prop up and sustain an institutional construct of church. However, without an economic base, a sense of generosity and stewardship, a kingdom suffers poverty. If a kingdom has no economic resource, even a strong relational and authority base will deliver little in terms of promise and potential; the kingdom can only merely exist, clutching at what could be.

Again, the answer to abuse is not non-use but proper use. God’s Kingdom has an economic base and to undergird the Kingdom’s advance, a fresh understanding of generosity and stewardship needs to be grasped. I ask you to please consider this article prayerfully – resisting the urge to hastily press the ‘delete button’.

Firstly, three assumptions.

One. Money tests and exposes impure motives. For this reason, an elder must “not be greedy for money” (1 Timothy 3:3); that is, they must be proven faithful in this area. All Biblical leaders are subject to this criterion and thus there is no place for a spirit of greed or entitlement in our hearts; I discuss this topic with this truth assumed.

Two. I’ve decided not to rehash the importance of giving; I assume the reader agrees that generosity and stewardship are hallmarks of a follower of Christ.

And three. As already intimated, due to abuses and the nature of man, finances are a sensitive subject for many. I write this article without reacting to these concerns, assuming the reader is aware of how a cynical attitude can askew an honest re-look at the topic. So let’s take the plunge.

Is there a Biblical right to compensation?

Yes, Paul spoke of his “right” to financial support:

“If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more” (1 Corinthians 9:11, 12)

Paul made this statement sandwiched between three reasons why he could claim this right, including a reference to how the Old Testament priests were remunerated: “do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple” (vv. 6-13). Paul was certainly not advocating a return to the Old Testament priesthood; yet he freely pointed out an important principle: “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?”

Those who sow “spiritual things” are to be “materially” remunerated; as he also stressed to the Galatian believers: “Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches” (Galatians 6:6).

But didn’t Paul say that he gave up this right?

Yes, he did so initially. In his letter to the Corinthians, he reminded the church that he refused to exercise this right when he first brought the Gospel to them (1 Corinthians 9:15). However, while he chose to initially forsake this right in the Corinthian situation it was an exception not the rule. In fact, he was forced to do so due to their immaturity and then, through both letters to the Corinthians, he brought up the issue in order to urge them to mature in their understanding of financial giving. While he initially passed over it, he was now reminding them of his right. In short, it was time to grow up.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul spent two chapters concerning giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-24; 9:1-15) and then explained again how he had “robbed” mature churches to serve them when he first worked in their midst:

“I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you … for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied” (2 Corinthians 11:8, 9)

So even though Paul occasionally laid down this right someone still paid; either he did or those who gave financially from another source did. Paul had to make tents at times (Acts 18:3; 20:34); on other occasions, he “robbed” mature churches.

By stressing that he leant on “other churches” Paul provoked the Corinthian believers to mature in their understanding of Biblical compensation. Their immaturity had placed too much responsibility on him and on “other churches,” alleviating them from their Biblical responsibility. They had enjoyed an extended free ‘lunch’ while others were overextended. Paul appealed here to the Corinthian believers to, like the Philippians in Macedonia, partner with him; that is, to “share with him concerning giving and receiving” (to use his words in Philippians 4:15).

While every apostolic worker would be wise to consider “tent-making” options – so that they too can forgo this right when necessary – this is not an obligation to strive under. Paul explained emphatically: “the Lord commanded that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). This “right” – which should certainly not spur an attitude of entitlement – is centred on, one, an apostolic worker’s faith in God’s ability to provide and, two, the hope that God’s people grow in an understanding of generosity and stewardship.

While an apostolic worker’s desire to serve “no strings attached” may seem to be a noble intention, it is not a Biblical one. There ought to be “strings” attached; that is, God has established this checks-and-balances equation where the giver and receiver are humbled and accountable in the grace of God. Mutual relationships are God’s self-selecting, testing ground in this regard. This keeps us all humble and interdependent.

Isn’t there potential for abuse?

For sure! But Scripture gives no “air-tight” system that we can strap over this issue and nail down. In fact, that would only play to a Pharisee-spirit and tempt our controlling, micro-managing desires. That it gives space begets the need for righteous government; first, as both giver and receiver rule over their own ungodly motives, and second, as each is accountable one to the other (including agreed upon administrative processes).

Okay, so who ‘qualifies’ for this right?

Good question. It seems to include…

Equipping gift ministries (1 Corinthians 9:7-14)

Although very different from financing a pastoral, institutional system; it seems that all directives regarding finance in the New Testament are apostolic directives. This means that equipping gift ministries, or apostolic workers, who operate in a pioneering, itinerant capacity ‘qualify’ for this “right”.

Elders – in certain circumstances (1 Timothy 5:17, 18)

In contrast to the pioneering role of an apostolic worker, elders are resident “among” local church communities (1 Peter 5:2). While again, this is very different from the “old school” eldership paradigm, parent-elders who labour in “word and doctrine” are also to be remunerated.

It seems this refers to elders who have a sphere of influence beyond just a simple/organic church but who, along with their responsibility there, serve into the context of a number of simple church communities in a local area. Certainly the network of simple churches in the city of Ephesus would have been extensive by the time Paul sent Timothy there and it seems that some elders were asked to serve beyond their simple church families. It, no doubt, also includes Ephesians 4:11 equipping gifts who are more resident in their service of a local fellowship of simple church communities.

Those who fall into these categories have to die to their own pride; die to the reality that living by faith does require that we live as beneficiaries of the generosity of others (Luke 8:1-3; Philippians 4:16). Personally, I certainly don’t want to be a burden to anyone and would prefer to serve “no strings attached”. But until I die to this, I will impoverish myself and others who God intends to connect apostolically through, among other ways, financial support. Again, “the Lord commanded that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel”.

What’s the difference between this and an institutional construct of church?

At least two things: expectations and compulsion.

First, there are no expectations: no one is on a salary roll; nobody is “creating” work to fill a day to justify a guaranteed cheque at month end.

Second, there is no compulsion: there is no whipping station to manipulate and compel people to give towards the “vision”. While there is no harm in reminding people of the value of giving and, from time to time, clarifying the administrative procedures involved, this is usually done by those not on the receiving end and is not a scripted “offering time” drive.

Ideally an apostolic worker, for example, should not speak on his own behalf. While there may be times that he has to, this is where team can and should support him.

So what should a simple/organic church give to?

Simple church communities should consider giving in a two-fold way. (I’ve chosen to be practical here, drawing from personal experience, in the hope that this is helpful to the reader and jogs some thought).

Firstly, through spontaneous Spirit-led giving to the needy in their missional sphere of influence and to needs that arise in their spiritual family (1 Timothy 5:3-16; James 1:26, 27; 2:14-17).

Besides sensitively bringing up a request on behalf of another and asking people to consider giving, simple churches would do well to have a “common purse”. Someone, usually the regular host of the meeting, could oversee this cash box and people can contribute to it as led.

When needs arise, the church family can pray and decide whether drawing from it to assist is in the Lord’s will. This seems to be the idea behind Paul’s instructions to Timothy (1 Timothy 5:3-16). Also agreeing that the host draw an amount from the “common purse” to defray the costs of hosting is another good idea to think through.

Having said this, it is also important to mention that this does not mean that the church is a charity that dishes out money to all and sundry. Paul urged Timothy to discern those who were genuinely marginalised in Ephesus (1 Timothy 5:3, 4, 9, 11). In fact, a good rule of thumb is that handing out money is never the answer. Providing necessities, paying for repairs or helping to settle debts, for example, as part of a discipleship process is far better.

Secondly, through consistent Spirit-led giving to the apostolic team and vision to whom they are aligned² (2 Corinthians 11:8, 9; Philippians 4:10-20).

There are various ways this can be done. Let me offer some suggestions.

First, individuals can ask the Father if He desires them to sow financially into a specific apostolic worker or into the apostolic team as a whole. Or simple church communities can talk and pray into whether they feel led to do this.

Second, this could be a once off “love gift” every now and again or it could be a monthly contribution over a period of time. The individual or simple church could give anonymously or speak to the apostolic worker in question and discuss their intentions.

This is not so difficult as some may imagine. In fact, it can be done with much grace and warmth. Paul was well in the know as churches walked with him in this. Usually, the two things that should be talked through is, one, whether or not the apostolic worker should confirm receipt of the money to the giver (if it is deposited straight into his account) and, two, the period of time that the arrangement will last for (if it is a monthly contribution).

Committing to a 3, 6 or 12 month period is not only helpful to the apostolic worker but gives the giver(s) a non-emotive way to graciously stop the arrangement. Should the giver(s) choose to continue the arrangement for another period of time, it is there prerogative in God; that the apostolic worker expects them to conclude at said date means that there is no awkwardness when they do.

We have found it helpful for a bank account to be set up on behalf of an apostolic team so that such monies can be administrated well. Should individuals or simple churches desire to give directly to a specific apostolic worker, they of course have the freedom to do so; but where possible, the bank account can be used integrally. Paul urged that we “provide [all things] honourable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men” (2 Corinthians 8:20).

In whatever way simple churches choose to sow into apostolic vision and ministry, Paul spoke of the tremendous blessing when churches, and believers, do so.

“Now you Philippians know [that] no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only … Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account … the things sent from you [are] a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:15, 17, 18)

Giving to apostolic ministry plugs simple/organic churches into apostolic, Kingdom advance but even more importantly, it is a New Testament act of worship to God: “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God”.

And it is noteworthy that Paul’s confidence expressed in the well-known statement, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19), is in the context of their faithful and generous giving into apostolic vision.

But what about “tent-making”?

Where does tent-making fit in? Two thoughts here:

First, tent-making is important.

Tent-making never became Paul’s only source of revenue nor was it an interim step towards a permanent salary. Rather, Paul made tents – a vital and distinguished occupation in his day – simply when he needed to. This happened…

• Circumstantially, whenever Paul’s motives could be questioned, especially with new works or problematic situations, Paul preferred to deny his “right” to be remunerated to avoid losing objectivity in the minds of those concerned.
• Tactfully, whenever Paul had to lean on his tent-making trade, he used it to demonstrate that God was His Source and to teach others to live to give.

Second, tent-making ought to be supplementary not primary³.

When Paul laid down his “right” someone still paid. And while this may be necessary in new works; as believers and churches mature in the faith, it is vital that they grow in an understanding of the economics of the Kingdom.

When Paul got to Corinth he had to, at first, lean on his tent-making trade (Acts 18:1-3). However, when Timothy and Silas returned from Macedonia bringing further financial support (including finances, this time, from the church in Thessalonica; see 1 Thessalonians 3:6-9), he was released from tent-making so that he could “devote himself exclusively to preaching” (Acts 18:5, NIV).

Thus, tent-making is a supplementary source of income and a part of the living by faith mix.

Paul’s confidence lay not in his tent-making trade but lay in two seed-spheres:

• His faithfulness in scattering the “word of the Kingdom” seed (Matthew 13:19); that is, being a blessing to all not just where he had a vested interest. His selflessness in this regard kept his vision higher and his motives purer; as a consequence, He continually reaffirmed where His Source was.
• His investment in the “sons of the Kingdom” seed (Matthew 13:38); that is, building into mutual relationships with spiritual sons (individuals and churches). These relationships led to an honouring and sharing of life in spiritual and material ways and herein lies the blessing of shared apostolic vision and life.

My hope…

I hope this article stirs some thought around a much needed area of discussion today. As many explore simple/organic church and become increasingly aware of the gift and value of inviting in apostolic workers, grasping what it means to sow materially where we reap spiritually is vital.

Without intending to overstate this point; if we are going to see a radical advance of the Kingdom of God through fulfilling the Great Commission, this is one core issue we desperately need to recover in freedom and faith.

Notes:

¹ If you would like to explore what we mean by simple/organic church, apostolic alignment, the function of an apostle, etc. please see the numerous articles at www.crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com

² Why haven’t I made any mention of the tithe? Do I believe in the tithe or not? I do not believe in the law of the tithe; that is, I do not believe the tithe is to be equated with one the Ten Commandments, bringing believers into a sense of condemnation through mistranslations of Malachi Chapter 3 for example. For the record, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13) which very definitely includes Malachi’s curse for disobedience to the law (Malachi 3:9). However, I do believe in the principle of the tithe – revealed consistently before the giving of the Law, included in the Law and upheld in the New Testament – which, like all principles of Scripture, guides us into faithful stewardship.

I personally have no problem with a specific percentage – tithe means “ten percent” – in fact, I’d wonder if God wasn’t specific around money. The Bible uses numbers specifically for a whole host of things; from simple things such as the number of tribes or disciples chosen, to more theological concepts such as the Trinity.  For me, it is consistent with the Designer of heaven and earth for the Bible to be specific in respect to money; not to be legalistic but to be accurate.

So why haven’t I mentioned it in this article? Because I’m well aware that some are uncomfortable with a specific percentage and I do not wish to impose my convictions on others. On secondary matters Paul taught us to be “fully convinced in our own mind” while not “judging one another” on these secondary issues (Romans 14:5, 13). I’ve left any thoughts on the tithe out so that this article can help not hinder all desiring to explore the issues of missional giving.

So how would I view the principle of the tithe? First, it speaks to me of consistent giving to apostolic, missional vision. In the Old Testament, the principle of the tithe was directed inwards towards the upkeep of the sacrificial system, including the Levitical priesthood, and to – through the second and third tithe – finance ancient Israel’s tax system. In the New Testament, the principle of the tithe is directed outwards towards apostolic (missional), Kingdom advance; including supporting apostolic workers given towards this end.

Second, the principle of the tithe is a guide to mature stewardship; that is, one can work out their giving from a base of ten percent plus.

If you want to explore this in more detail, please download the article, “To Tithe, or Not to Tithe?” off the website www.crosswaveglobal.com/Resources.html

³ For more thought on “tent-making” please see pages 18-20 in the above mentioned article, “To Tithe, Or Not to Tithe?”

What does it mean to be missional? “Failure to Launch”

Short version … for those on the run …

We are God’s missional people. Jesus said emphatically, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Whether this means we cross the seas or cross the street, God’s mission in the world ought to be our defining reference point for life and community. Certainly, the facts are in: if a simple church family does not actively nurture a missional life, its end is nigh. However, this does not necessarily mean a Kingdom community has to suddenly embark on a works project to crank up the missional fires. As with all things, a fresh mindset is first required … which may, of course, lead to various Spirit-led projects.

For example, if someone from our church family feels led by the Lord to move to a foreign country and, earning his living as a teacher, seeks to advance God’s Kingdom we call them a “missionary”. If someone else in our church family, whose vocation is as a teacher, has the same heart to see God’s Kingdom advance in our own city, we call them a “teacher” (and may still put pressure on them to find their “ministry”).

Of course, I’m certainly not suggesting we fail to appreciate the cost involved in going to another nation, I know personally what it involves, but the point is that until we grasp a missional mindset – and appreciate the missional call and responsibility we all have in Christ – we will never become a missional people.

In the “long version” (below) we suggest ways in which simple churches can be birthed into a missional heart and how they can regularly engage with a missional vision.

How can I kill a simple church? “Internal Affairs”

If you ever wanted to sabotage a simple church community, it’s very easy. First, infiltrate the group you’ve targeted by putting on your warmest smile. Be liberal with your use of flattery; phrases like, “This is the most loving bunch of people I’ve ever met” or “This is the closest thing to New Testament church life I’ve ever seen” will seal the deal. Second, implement one of the simple strategies below. (Just in case you don’t get my silly sense of humour, I am not really advocating that you aim to kill community. But hang with me for a moment, and see just how easy it is to work against God’s purposes for community).

Strategy 1: Suggest that the needs of the community ought to be the primary focus.

This is a subtle but effective strategy. Pitched correctly, it sounds so right: “For sure, community ought to be for the benefit of its members”. And there are tons of Biblical passages that, taken out of context, can back this up. Of course, the subtle error lies in the phrase “for the benefit of its members,” but don’t worry, most won’t see it. You’ll notice the first signs of the effectiveness of this strategy in the members’ unease with new believer’s zeal or in their discomfort if unsaved people engage with the church community. These kinds of people upset the status quo, you see.

But don’t expect instant results. This strategy is a slow-death tactic; in fact, the group will probably die with a smile. Happy and comfortable, they won’t even realise that they’ve become ingrown. In fact, they can exist for sometime in pre-death mode but don’t let that disappoint you; the chances of recovery are close to zero.

[In contrast, while there are many, many benefits to all who experience the joys of community, true spiritual community exists for the benefit of the world; that is, our love for one another, overflowing into good works to all, testifies of God’s glory. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16)].

Strategy 2: Make one aspect of ministry the “main thing”.

Here’s another subtle yet useful strategy similar to the first; actually, you may find it helpful to use in conjunction with the first. Find out what aspect of ministry the group really enjoys; whether it is worship, or Bible study, or fellowship, or prayer. Then choose this aspect of ministry and make it the “main thing”. In fact, write out a really “holy sounding” purpose statement and spell it out: “We exist to study the Bible” or “We exist to pray for one another” or “We exist to hold one another accountable”. How will this help destroy community I hear you ask?

While these are all important ingredients of community, if you make one of the ingredients the whole recipe you’ll never actually bake the cake! The “cake,” let me remind you, is to be a missional community; the purpose of a spiritual family is to be partnering with the Divine Community in His mission in this world. Make your mission one or two aspects of ministry (or all of them if this is what it takes to muddy the waters) and you’ll sabotage the group’s future.

[For sure, to be faithful to this mission, the community will have to do ministry (worship, study the Bible, fellowship, prayer and more) because ministry is the means to fulfilling the mission.  But “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16), He didn’t merely start a prayer meeting, a Bible Study or even an Accountability Group; He gave Himself. And Jesus Himself then commissioned us: “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21)].

Strategy 3: Adopt a “me-first” attitude.

Okay, let’s get ugly. If you want to suck the life out of your community, expect the group to exist for you; to meet your needs. This may not destroy the community quickly, especially if there are a number of patient people with gifts of mercy and service, but in time you’ll become a weight that the group buckles under. Milk the group for all you can and then look for another host you can parasite on; nothing discredit’s the Name of Christ more. This strategy is particularly lethal if there are several participants in the group with their mouths open demanding: “Me! Me! Me!”

[On the contrary, nothing strengthens community like an attitude that puts other people first. “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself” (Philippians 2:3). It is with this heroic selflessness that Jesus builds His church].

Strategy 4: Gossip!

Now here is a rapid-fire killer especially if you can get others to participate in this gruesome and gory exercise. It doesn’t matter what you talk about, any old rumour will do. Simply accentuate personality quirks in members in the group and slap in a little bit of exaggeration. For best results; start the gossip with those people who are particularly negative and struggle to believe the best in others. What works tremendously well is to phrase a juicy morsel of gossip with these words: “I’m really concerned about Bob, but please keep this in confidence. We really need to pray for him”. People just cannot resist passing on a secret; in fact, doesn’t “in confidence” mean “telling only one person at a time”?

And if you want to make the poison in your gossip more potent simply allow yourself to get offended with a person in your community; let bitterness twist you into a cruel and malicious and hateful creature. Gollum, from Lord of the Rings, should give you inspiration. Harbour unforgiveness in your soul as “Precious” and your gossip will be exponentially vindictive and brutal and wicked.

[In stark contrast, refraining from gossip – and abstaining from listening to gossip – is one of the most powerful immune-boosters in the prevention of community decay. “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers … forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29, 32). Notice, the point is not just to avoid gossip but to get on the front foot and engage in proactive, life-enlarging encouragement. The goal is not just to do “no wrong” but to do all the good you possibly can!]

Strategy 5: Don’t pray just socialize.

Here’s a strategy that is extremely successful with a group suffering from a little complacency. If you sense the group is spiritually tired, pop this sleeping pill into the mix. Suggest that you spend more time “resting” and less time “working” in your spiritual journey. Be careful to use those words. Actually labelling prayer, ministry, service, etc. as “work” and contrasting it with any of these kinds of words – rest, fellowship, Sabbath, etc. – will push the right buttons every time. If anyone tries to remind the group that “work” is not the problem and that all prayer and service ought to be done from a place of rest not at the expense of rest, simply up-the-anti by throwing in the word “law” as a synonym for “work”. This should crack even the most devoted nut since most Christians are very confused about the concept of the “law”. Then sit back and watch the community morph into a tired, wheezing social club. At least you’ll have a social life!

[While great friendships grow in community, bringing a genuine sense of fun and enjoyment into our lives, the old saying is a true saying: “Friends that pray together stay together”. In the rest God gives, true community never drifts from its Divine Centre: “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Intimately aware of Jesus in our midst, we’re always tuning into His voice and will for us; a “yoke” – yes, His yoke yet a yoke all the same – that is “easy” and a “burden” that is “light” (Matthew 11:29, 30)].

Strategy 6: See the group as a platform to get your gift working.

Looking for something more subversive? Well, here’s a strategy that can even split the group; an insidious adaptation of strategy 3, “adopting a me-first attitude”. Get it in your head early on that this group is simply a stepping stone for you and greater ministry influence. It is your laboratory where you can experiment with self-promoting ideas and where you can sharpen your spiritual marketing skills; oh, and see the participants as guinea pigs upon whom it is your right to practice. And if you play your cards right; when your wheeling and dealing corrupts the group, you may even have won over a few gullible members with whom you can launch your own Ministry Inc. Slam dunk! Perfect group split!

[Of course, Paul warned against this self-gratifying, rabid-attitude: “savage wolves will come … not sparing the flock … drawing disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:29, 30). James explained that “where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:16). Arresting statement! (It should drive us into the fear of the Lord!) He went on, calling us to a higher path: “wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (v. 17). Now this is the attitude upon which community thrives].

Strategy 7: Criticise initiative and leadership as “controlling”.

This strategy is the inverse of strategy 6 above, “viewing the group as a platform to get your gift working”. Here you simply accuse everyone who shows initiative or leadership potential of being controlling and of exploiting the group for personal advance. Of course, if you piously claim you only want the Holy Spirit to preside in the community, you’ll force everyone into a witch-hunting panic. Suspicious and fearful, the group will either drown in itself or splinter into pieces. Job done!

[Without question we ought to prize the Presidency of the Spirit and it is vital to affirm our dependence upon Him continuously. One way to do so is to fully appreciate the way He uses people as channels of love, gracing us with gifts “as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11 c. Romans 12:3-8; 1 Peter 4:10, 11). Another is to value the Biblical role of servant-leaders and honour the principles of authority He has clearly revealed through the Scriptures He authored (Hebrews 13:7, 17, for example). Being anti-leadership and anti-authority is “lawlessness”; an anti-Christ spirit and not of the Holy Spirit (see Matthew 7:21-23; 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7; 1 John 4:3)].

This blog article is taken from our article called, “Community Re-plugged” which can be downloaded off the website: http://www.crosswaveglobal.com/Resources.html

Can anyone start a simple church? “Field of Dreams”

The answer to this, in my opinion, is both yes and no. In principle, anyone can start a church; in reality, however, not everyone should.

While this may be common sense to most, it is at this junction that some important issues surface. Although we certainly need to see a fresh boldness in God’s people to see many, many simple/organic churches ignite in the context of the Kingdom of God; this initiative is a holy task that involves the well being of others and requires a healthy dose of the fear of the Lord. It goes without saying that starting a church is not an experiment, merely a “nice idea” or the chance to finally do church “my way”.

Without taking these important considerations into account – how did Jesus say it? “First sit down and count the cost” (Luke 14:28); yes, that’s right – the landscape can often be littered with collateral damage which neither pleases the Father nor glorifies His name. There are many simple churches that start and flounder within a year leaving people more disillusioned than ever. Why do so many fail simple/organic churches fail to get off the ground? Simply … because they’ve failed to build on apostolic foundations.

What then are the relevant issues to laying an apostolic foundation? So glad you asked.

First, the issue of motivation.

Without doubt there are many fallen motivations we have to slay before starting any ministry, let alone a church. An inflated sense of self-importance – usually expressed in personal ego and ambition – on the one hand, can foment a view of others as “guinea pigs” upon which we launch “our ministry”. James warned that “where self-seeking exists, confusion and every evil thing are there” (James 3:16). A warped need to be needed, on the other hand, is a slippery slope into a black-hole of co-dependence and multiple layers of hurt and disappointment.

The desire to reveal the Father’s heart to others from the overflow of a secure identity as a beloved son or daughter is the only motivation that leads to fruitful and life-giving ministry. And this brings up the second issue.

Second then, the importance of spiritual wellness.

Many simple churches start out of a reaction to the problems experienced in “big church”. However, when hurting people gather together for even a small length of time, the only guarantee is: more hurt. Attempting to birth a new church with bitterness in one’s heart, or with one’s confidence in tatters, or in order to prove oneself, or … add any number of reactionary reasons here … will not birth a life-giving, God-glorifying church. Hurting people hurt people; burnt people burn people. In contrast, a true response to the Spirit’s leading to start a simple church is only possible from a whole heart.

The reason Paul outlines a list of character requirements for leadership in 1 Timothy Chapter 3 is, at least, two-fold. One, while everyone is invited to aspire to leadership (v. 1) – which in context is synonymous with a spiritual parent not an organizational positional (see “What are Hebrew values?”¹) – these character markers represent the fruit of a whole and healthy soul (vv. 2-13).

I personally don’t see these character requirements as first and foremost some “exacting standard” that people must strive after; rather they are “fruit” that indicate a sense of God’s restoring and perfecting work within us.

To be clear then: while ministry simply requires availability, leadership requires maturity. And maturity has less to do with a “canned” notion of outward perfection and more to do with inward peace and soul-health. However, here we run into a problem. Who defines maturity?

The answer lies in the second reason Paul outlined these character requirements: to add objectivity to the subjective nature of maturity. We all measure this aspect differently – and thus, Paul’s list in 1 Timothy 3 is a foundational reference point. And we’re even more subjective in attempting to judge our own maturity level. In fact, judging approved character is an area in which one needs the affirmation of others. Otherwise, I’ll either be guilty of self-promotion or of self-doubt … either flying my own flag or never getting into the game.

Why such a big deal on this issue of maturity?

The Lord’s name is discredited due to rampant immaturity and a dearth of integrity. No wonder Paul urged parent-leaders to “have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest they fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (see 1 Timothy 3:7). Mature character is one thing we tend to undervalue until it is too late! No wonder Paul exhorted Titus to be “a pattern of good works … that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you” (Titus 2:7, 8).

Again to be clear: approved maturity – and the wholeness of heart and mind vital for life-giving leadership – requires that “others” witness the call one may sense to start a simple church. And herein lies the third key aspect.

Third, the treasure of apostolic alignment.

What are the Biblical checks-and-balances in this Kingdom equation? Has God provided the necessary objective witness into seeing simple churches birthed? Who has God ordained as the necessary “others” for affirming and appointing parent-leaders?

I am absolutely persuaded that this is one of the responsibilities of the apostle. Biblically, apostles and their teams identified, appointed and served parent-leaders the Bible calls “elders” (see Acts 14:21-23; Titus 1:5ff; 1 Timothy 1:3ff; 3:1ff). While it seems that not every church in the New Testament record was started by apostles; apostles and their teams were involved at some point – every time. For example, Philip was led by the Lord to go into Samaria; he did not need papal permission to do so. However, he would have sorely missed the fullness God intended without the involvement of apostolic support (Acts 8:4-8 c. vv. 14ff).

(While this brings up other issues around the apostolic, it is beyond the scope of this article. Can we please urge the reader to check out these relating blog articles: “What is apostolic alignment?”² and “What is an apostle?”³)

If you feel that God is placing a burden on your heart to start a simple church, first take stock of the motivations in the basement of your soul. This is certainly not a quick-squiz exercise but one of allowing God to shine His light into the core of your being. From a humble and contrite heart, we pray: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23, 24).

Second, honestly ask yourself this daunting question: “If the people I will lead in simple church model their lives after me – my marriage, how I parent my children, how I manage my time and money, how I respond to challenges and temptation, etc. etc. – will they be imitating Christ?” (see 1 Corinthians 11:1 c. 2 Timothy 2:2). Or to put it more simply, “Would you honestly follow you?”

This is a tough question for sure. But this is the exact picture Peter had in mind when he urged parent-leaders to “shepherd the flock of God … being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2, 3). The word “example” (Greek: tupos) refers to a mould from which all else is shaped; a template from which all else is cut. No wonder James discouraged us from striving after leadership, “knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). Leading others does not merely require head knowledge and skilling but affirmed integrity and proven self-rule.

Third, seek to align with apostolic vision and counsel. My personal conviction is that anyone wanting to start a simple church should invest into this vital relationship at the very get-go. Inviting apostolic input into the very genesis of a new church will allow the new work to start on the correct foundation. On this issue, we either take the Bible’s word on the matter – that the grace gift of apostle is given by God for just this task (1 Corinthians 3:9-11 c. 12:28; Ephesians 2:20 c. 4:11-16; Acts 13:1-4 c. 14:21-23) – or we have to cut out these verses and invent our own play on it.

Can anyone start a simple church? In principle, yes.

Should everyone start a simple church? In reality, no.

Notes:

¹ What are Hebrew Values? http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/what-are-hebrew-values/

² What is apostolic alignment? http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/what-is-apostolic-alignment/

³ What is an apostle? http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/what-is-an-apostle-definitely-maybe/

How do apostolic teams work? “The A-Team”

This is a rather chunky article and I’d like to ask the reader upfront to read the other blog-articles related to apostolic teams¹ so I can avoid too much repetition here. I’m sure that only those who are exploring what an apostolic team means for themselves will wade through this article but I do think it will be very helpful to you. I’d also like to recommend the blog-article, “How do we build teams … that multiply?” as a follow up to this one².

Okay, by “apostolic team” we refer to a team of Ephesians 4:11 equipping gifts working together for Kingdom advance³. While there may be other assignments that such an apostolic team embarks upon I’m going to stick narrowly to the lessons we learn from Paul and his apostolic team. It is clear from the New Testament, Paul understood Kingdom advance – the unpacking of the Great Commission – to mean the planting and serving of churches that became the beach-head for Kingdom exploits into their cities and provincial regions.

Why team?

Since community is the very essence of God’s nature; by extension, leadership and ministry must be fleshed out in the context of team. Even the Lone ranger had Tonto. The only one who flew solo was Superman! And we need to humbly acknowledge that we’re not Supermen! The day of one-man ministry is over … and should never have seen the light of day in the first place.

The answer to everything is found in (1) Jesus and (2) team. Yes, the order is crucial but don’t miss the importance of this statement. No matter what problem ambushes you; you will always find an answer, if you are anchored in Him and armed with the resources of a team you trust.

Paul always worked in the context of a team of Ephesians 4:11 equipping gifts. Note the frequency of Luke’s word “they” and “them” (or “we” and “us” when he joined up with them) in reference to Paul’s team in Acts 13:1-6,13,14,43,51; 14:1,3,6,7,12,14,18, 21,23,24-28; 15:2,3,4,12,22,30,35,36-41; 16:1-4,6-10,11-13,15-17,20,25,32,34,40; 17:1,10,14,15,16; 18:1,2,5,18; 19:22,29; 20:4,6,13,15,17,18; 21:1-7,10,15ff).

Paul tells of a time when he arrived at Troasto, as always, “preach Christ’s gospel” (2 Corinthians 2:12). He reveals that “a door was opened to me by the Lord” (v. 12). Wow! Great! Go for it Paul … jump in! But no … he did not. He says, “I had no rest in my spirit because I did not find Titus my brother” (v. 13). So what did he do? “Taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia” (v. 13). Wow!

Even though a door of opportunity arose, Paul realized that all the ingredients for effective ministry were not present. Most notably, Titus had not arrived and thus “team” was not possible. Recognizing his own limitations and the inbuilt weakness with Titus’ absence – and obviously concerned for Titus himself – Paul chose not to exploit the door that opened at that stage. How many of us would have done what he did? How many of us are very happy to fly solo, enjoy making unilateral decisions and are smugly content to exist as an island in ourselves?

An apostolic team is a group of peers who have been joined by the Spirit; who, through mutual respect and shared life, have discovered the beauty in each other and, while also accepting the limitations in each, work together to accomplish in God what they alone could never achieve. Secure in whom they are, each team member contributes and serves the others; willingly submitting to the leadership of the one best suited to lead in a given situation; humbly willing to lead should their gift-mix and experience require them to lead in the next.

When they work together in this way they tap into a synergy of grace. As a steel punch, rather than flabby fingers, they can then spearhead the Great Commission releasing a multiplication of life. We see this multiplication so clearly portrayed in Acts: believers were added to the church (2:47; 5:14), then the numbers of disciples were multiplying (6:7) and finally the churches themselves were multiplying (9:31)!

So what are the characteristics of an apostolic team and how do they work?

The apostolic goal

Paul wrote, “He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12). The Greek word (katartismos) for “equipping” means “to render fit, complete.” In classical Greek it was used to describe the setting of a bone during surgery, and as this passage describes the “body” (vv. 12-16), we can begin to appreciate the importance of the equipping gifts to the church. The equipping gifts enable believers to be established in Christ, correctly aligned in His Body, to fulfil their collective and individual destiny in advancing the Kingdom of God in the world.

A further study of the use of this word, and its corresponding nouns and verbs, reveals that it is used of mending nets (Matthew 4:21), of training and mentoring (Luke 6:40), of being properly joined to other believers (1 Corinthians 1:10), of restoring someone who has fallen (Galatians 6:1), to describe supplying what is necessary (1 Thessalonians 3:10), to describe correct ordering and arranging (Hebrews 11:3) and of the active progress in spiritual maturity (Hebrews 13:21). This one word sums up the goal that the apostolic writers of the New Testament had for the early believers. It is used more frequently in exhortations and prayers than any other word (see 2 Corinthians 13:9, 11 and 1 Peter 5:10 alongside the verses given above).

The key thought that must not be missed here is this: the goal of the equipping gifts is to equip the believers “for the work of ministry”. It is a terrible cliché to stress, but the equipping gifts are to release the believers “for the work of ministry,” not do all the ministry themselves! They exist only to the degree that they equip believers to further God’s cause. The evaluation of the fruitfulness of equipping gifts should not be: “How good was our message?” or “How anointed was our ministry?” or “How well did people receive us?” Rather we should be asking, “How fruitful have those we are equipping become?” “What impact are they having on the world around them?”

The apostolic attitude

The apostolic attitude is characterized in Jesus’ own example: “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). Apostolic teams are teams of servant-leaders – and while we all give general consent to this concept, it’s not always modelled.

Jesus made it perfectly clear that our understanding of authority was to be very different from the world’s viewpoint. He said: “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 11:42, 43).

Sadly, truckloads of books on Christian leadership today play more into the hands of secular leadership than Biblical, servant-leadership. While we can learn wise principles to better lead and manage our businesses, the way we lead God’s people in the fulfilment of His Great Commission must be different. Jesus said: “it shall not be so among you”. We would never transfer our entrepreneurial and motivational business skills into how we parent our own nuclear families; and family, not business, is after all the backdrop of the church.

For example, one man defined leadership as the ability to motivate people to do what they would otherwise not themselves do. But if we construct a philosophy of leadership on this premise we deviate from Biblical leadership and turn leadership into an art of manipulation and control. Yes, envisioning others is a part of servant-leadership, but it must find its part in the foundation of parental-love.

Too much of what is passed as Biblical leadership are simply skills to get people to serve us and fulfil our vision. We may nod our head in agreement until we get whiplash but apostolic teams must model the servant-heart of Jesus and nurture this attitude in the churches they serve. The equipping gifts are servant ministries that serve believers in finding and fulfilling their destiny to serve the Master’s vision in serving the nations.

Think of James, the apostle and brother of Jesus. If anyone was tempted to name drop or bend to self-promotion, James was on top of the list. Yet he introduces himself in his letter in these terms: “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1). In some circles today, if you don’t call a leader by his title, it is seen as a mark of disrespect. From what dizzy heights we have crashed! Paul also referred to himself as a “bondservant” (Philippians 1:1) –  a Greek word (doulos) meaning “slave” – and never appealed to the churches out of manipulation and control but from a father’s heart and servant’s attitude … even with the delinquent Corinthians!

In letters, like 2 Corinthians, Paul followed the example set by Jesus: emptying himself of his privileges, he made himself of “no reputation” (Philippians 2:7). For example, he honestly speaks of the hardships he was experiencing (2 Corinthians 1:5; 4:8-10; 11:23-30), he admits his feelings of inadequacy and his temptations (2 Corinthians 3:5; 12:7-10) and he refused to commend himself or compare himself with others (2 Corinthians 3:1-3; 10:12-17). And when you think that the purpose of this second letter to the Corinthians was a letter to appeal to them to submit to his apostolic authority and counsel, it speaks volumes of Paul’s commitment to servant-leadership. If ever he were tempted to abuse his authority and “pull-rank,” it would have been with this immature church inCorinth.

Biblical leadership derives its strength from a relational basis of service (servanthood) rather than a structural basis of position (control). It appeals to the internal conscience of others through relational integrity rather than imposing external conformity through hierarchical pressure.

The apostolic perspective

Jesus entrusted the Great Commission to apostles (Matthew 28:18-20). This mandate was to “make disciples of the nations” where the Greek word for “nations” (ethnos) means “people groups” not “countries”. While this certainly implied that individual people would become disciples of the Lord, their perspective was to be of a corporate nature. They were to aim at discipling “nations” – in a corporate sense.

In our world of proud individualism, we tend to forget that God thinks corporately. The Bible teaches us to reason “from the whole to the part;” in other words, even though the individual parts are unique, significant and precious, they only find their full meaning within the corporate whole. Most believers in the Western world are conditioned to read the epistles, for example, with an individualistic mindset: “How does this affect my life? What is in it for me?” In contrast, the original recipients of these letters had a corporate mindset and would ask: “How does this affect the community that I am a part of? What is my responsibility within my community now?” The equipping gifts must have this corporate perspective and are responsible for nurturing this corporate mindset.

For example, most people read Paul’s statement “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27) as a reference to the indwelling Christ within the individual believer. But he uses “you” in the plural sense, referring to the church family (vv. 2-10, 21-26). He was teaching the Colossian church that Christ revealed through their oneness was the hope of glory! This foretaste unveiling God’s glorious nature is the fulfilment of Jesus’ High Priestly prayer: “that they may be one … that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). This, of course, has very different implications.

Paul explained that while each believer is a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20), we are also corporately “the temple of God” (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17). And in Ephesians 4:13, he makes it clear what perspective the equipping gifts are to forge: “till we come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”. The corporate Christ is their aim! Therefore, while this obviously implies the need to “present every man perfect in Christ” (Colossians 1:28), the perspective of the equipping gifts is on the corporate temple, the corporate vision, the corporate community, the corporate personality and the corporate “nation”.

The apostolic perspective includes “pulling down strongholds” of a corporate nature (2 Corinthians 10:4). While individuals may be bound by personal “strongholds” (unrenewed thinking), equipping teams also aim to dismantle the “strongholds” over entire people groupings or within a geographical locality. Jesus did just this in confronting a corporate stronghold of unbelief in Nazareth (see Mark 6:5, 6).

The apostolic heart

The effectiveness of the equipping gifts is not in homiletics, charismatic personality or entrepreneurial skill; rather it lies in two words: heart travail and impartation.

Paul bears his soul in Galatians 4:19, “My little children, for whom I labour in birth again until Christ is formed in you”. In Paul’s aim to see the corporate Christ “formed” in the Galatian churches, we catch a glimpse of his heart travail. The Greek word “labour” (odino) – “travail” [KJV] – means, “a birth pang, a labour pain,” and it is used metaphorically of “spiritual birthing”. Travail is about carrying God’s heart for others. It is a heart consumed with the burden of the Lord for His purposes to be fulfilled. “For as soon as Zion was in labour [“travailed” - KJV], she gave birth to her children” (Isaiah 66:8).

Travail is first and foremost a lifestyle, a continual response to the Spirit of God. A pregnant woman carries the burden of the child she is about to have with her continually. It is not something that she can turn on and off⁴. Rather it is something she eats, sleeps, dreams and lives! In Paul’s account of the trials he endured and the persecutions he suffered, he concludes with this bottom-line item: “besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2 Corinthians 11:28). This is apostolic travail: carrying God’s heart for the churches.

Travail is expressed in intercessory prayer. There is no other appropriate release for the response of travail than in the deep groaning of Spirit-led intercession: “the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). It is only as we bow before the Throne of God, allowing the Holy Spirit to overshadow us, that He consummates His purposes. The maturity of the churches is, to a degree, dependent on the intercessory travail of the apostolic team to whom they are aligned! (See Ephesians 1:15-21; 3:14-21; Philippians 1:3-11 and Colossians 1:9-12).

Intercessory travail, accompanied with the preaching of the Gospel, is also crucial for the salvation of unbelievers. Catch the travailing heart of Paul released in intercessory prayer in his letter to the Romans: “I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren … my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved” (Romans 9:2, 3; 10:1).

The second key to effectiveness is found in Romans 1:11, when Paul writes, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established”. The Greek word “impart” (metadidomi) means “to give a share of”. It is therefore distinct from the word “giving,” although it is sometimes used in the context of giving to indicate generosity (see Romans 12:8).

To “impart” refers to more than just giving something, it means to give of oneself! Thus, impartation is depositing into others the investment of God-given grace. For example: “Now Joshua … was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him” (Deuteronomy 34:9). And this is not just done through “hands on heads” in a prayer line; rather the act of Moses laying hands on Joshua was a public expression affirming their intentional father-son relationship process in God.

Paul said, “affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart [Greek: metadidomi] to you not only the Gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8). Impartation involves more than just the transfer of information, but the infusion of spiritual life: “we … impart … our own lives”. Apostolic travail for others leads to an apostolic impartation of the life of God to them. Paul explained: “So then death is working in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:12).

Paul expresses his desire, in Romans 1:11, to “impart” spiritual gifts that the church may become “established” – meaning, “to fix, to make fast, to set”. In other words, while his letter would communicate truth to the church, he longed to be with them in person to impart truth. This is why reading through books or articles have value but do not carry the same weight as receiving the ministry in person of the author or writer. Grace and truth are more caught than taught.

We also need to learn how to “receive” the impartation of life through others (Matthew 10:41); to make a withdrawal on the grace investment God has given them. Casual attitudes, familiarity and passiveness all give rise to unbelief, which can limit the life God wants to impart. “Now [Jesus] could do no mighty work there … And He marvelled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:5, 6). Notice that it does not say, “Jesus would not…” – it says, “[Jesus] could do no mighty work there”.

The apostolic burden

Everything about apostolic ministry involves heart-wrenching, soul-draining and body-sapping hard work. Paul speaks of “striving according to His working which works in me mightily” (Colossians 1:29). The Holy Spirit described Barnabas and Paul’s ministry as “the work” into which they were called (Acts 13:2).

This intensive nature of apostolic ministry is obvious in light of the fact that it involves consistent confrontational warfare against the kingdom of darkness – Paul wrote, “we wrestle” (Ephesians 6:12), not “we box” – and the continual response to the brooding of the Holy Spirit – this is not a vocation in which we can clock “in” and “out”. And finally, it involves the demanding privilege of serving people; and who hasn’t thought at some point or other that “church” would be wonderful if it were not for people!

The great news is that despite this sacrificial lifestyle required, there is the corresponding “grace” to match: “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly … yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul was saying, “I am … therefore I do” rather than “I do … therefore I am”. There is life and death between those two statements. Finding this crucial balance between sacrificial apostolic work and doing it in the grace of God, must be the most important aspect to lifelong fruitfulness.

In his heart-wrenching second letter to the Corinthians, Paul often alludes to the grace of God. For example, “And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:4-6). Paul’s total dependence on God’s grace gave him complete confidence in God’s ability!

Later in the same letter, he records the words of Jesus; “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (12:9). In response to this amazing grace, Paul writes, “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10). Notice, he does not say, “when I am weak, God is strong”. There is no doubt about the fact that God is strong all the time, but notice that he says: “then I am strong”. Paul knew how to walk in “weakness”, a Greek word (astheneia) not referring to unrighteousness or flawed character but to the humble realization of one’s inability to produce results. Paul found his true strength in the grace of God to be fruitful and effective.

The apostolic strategy

Paul wrote: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thin that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4, 5).

In this passage, Paul reveals his personal reliance on God to enable him to fulfil “The Bottom Line” in his apostolic calling. While his phrase “weapons of our warfare” immediately reminds us of the need to be properly armed (Ephesians 6:11-18); it refers to more than just wearing the spiritual “armour” (Greek: panoplia).

The word for “weapons” (Greek: hoplon) here means “instruments,” referring to more than just the weapons themselves but specifically, how they are used. And the word “warfare” (Greek: strateia) is the word from which we derive the word “strategy”. Written from Paul, who as an apostle is referring to his “weapons of warfare,” the phrase is best understood as “apostolic strategies”. Through these apostolic strategies, Paul had the fire-power to fulfil the Lord’s command “to open [people’s] eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of satan to God” (Acts 26:18). We need spiritual weapons to win a spiritual war!

Let us investigate the strategy of Paul’s apostolic team and some of the implications.

Step 1 >

An apostolic team, led by the Spirit, penetrated a new people group.

Firstly, Paul’s emphasis was on a region rather than city; he targeted provinces not just towns⁵. For example, note the stress of Paul’s thrust on the provincial region of Macedonia rather than directly to the cities of Philippi, Thessalonica or Berea (Acts 16: 9-12; 17:1, 10;  c. 18:5; 19:22). Of course, his team penetrated these cities but it was in order to impact the entire region. Once they planted churches into a few strategic cities they moved on expecting the established churches to advance God’s Kingdom in the region with apostolic life. Paul explained to the believers in Rome: “no longer having a place in these parts … when I journey to Spain, I shall come to you” (Romans 15:23, 24). Considering his apostolic work complete in Achaia, Paul planned to move onto Spain via Rome. Thus the first point here is that apostolic teams are to discern the region they sense God is ear-marking.

Secondly, apostolic teams then target a city within the region under scope. This then included intercession (Acts 16:13, 16), spiritual warfare (Acts 16:18), preaching the Gospel (Acts 17:3) and a demonstration of God’s power (Acts 19:11, 12) for spiritual breakthrough into a new city and into the heavenly realm of the area.

Paul’s general strategy was to start in the Jewish synagogue of a city, “as his custom was” (Acts 17:2). Every city, in which they worked, except two, had a synagogue (Acts 13:14; 14:1; 16:13; 17:1, 10, 17; 18:4; 19:8). Unless Paul received specific leading to penetrate a city that did not have a synagogue, he aimed at cities with a Jewish community and started his ministry there. Why? Because  … the synagogue was the place where the most receptive group of Gentiles could be found.

Remember Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-9), and as a wise fisher of men, he discerned the area of greatest receptivity among the Gentile people. Yes, there were occasions that under the Holy Spirit’s leadership he would start in the market place, so to speak, with a demonstration of God’s healing power (see Acts 14:8-18, where there is no historical evidence of a synagogue in Lystra). But Paul’s general God-given strategy was to target synagogues because a receptive group of Gentiles, known as God-fearers, were present at every synagogue.

In Jewish communities outside Palestine, the Jews met in a synagogue, as the Templewas too far for regular worship. In a synagogue community there were three groupings of people: (1) the Jews: “the chosen ones;” (2) the Proselytes: Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism by undergoing the ceremonial baptism, circumcision and separation from all their Gentile roots; and (3) the God-fearers: Gentiles who were attracted by the Jewish faith, but who were not prepared to submit to the demanding requirements of being a proselyte.

Although the God-fearers were classed as inferior and not allowed to participate in the full synagogue worship experience, the Jews encouraged them to be partially involved in the hope that they would convert to Judaism. Paul in his quest to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles, and hopefully win his Jewish brothers to Christ, always began in a synagogue so as to reach the God-fearers, who would willingly respond to the message of justification by faith rather than the law. The God-fearers were the most receptive grouping of Gentiles and Paul had found his “son of peace” (Luke 10:6).

The result of Paul’s preaching in a synagogue was always: (1) the majority of the Jews persecuted him, (2) a few Jews and proselytes believed, but (3) the God-fearers responded whole-heartedly! In fact, Paul would often end up spending a good period of time grounding them in the faith; establishing the nucleus of a church. It was at this point that Paul would take these new converts into a house to continue the work (see for example, Acts 18:7).

The principle for us is simple yet powerful. The apostolic team must seek God’s direction in discerning the “access point” into the people group that God calls them to penetrate. Part of this involves discovering the “son of peace,” the person or person(s) open to the messenger and his message and who thus becomes the “door-opener” into the people group. Once the “access point” and “son of peace” are found, the apostolic team can establish a beach-head of new converts, the nucleus of a new church.

It is important to clarify that Jesus used the phrase “son of peace” not “man of peace” (Luke 10:6) – the Greek word (uihos) means, “calf, foal or child” stressing the openness and teachableness of the recipient to the messenger and his message.

Thirdly, the apostolic team needs to then discern the finger-prints of God in the people group they target. “When [Barnabas] came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord” (Acts 11:23).

Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to discern whether the activity among the Gentiles at Antioch was a genuine work of God. He could so easily have brought his Jewish package with him and missed what the Lord was doing. He could so easily have brought Jerusalem’s bias with him and cut across the unique work God was doing in Antioch. Instead, Barnabas was led by the Lord to discern the “grace of God” upon them … to witness the fresh work of God in their setting and encourage them to “continue with the Lord”.

We are not called to be exporters of religion, promoting “our salvation package,” polluted with our cultural bent or coloured with what may be “working” in our situation. Rather, as “God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9), we are to co-operate with Him in firstly discerning His finger-print in a people group; His redemptive trigger in the “nations” we serve.

When Paul wrote his epistles, he addressed them: “the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2). Thus, we do not take the church to Japan; we go to discover the church of Japan. When we first honour what God has already done, then we can open people’s eyes to the redeeming hand of God; who has always been at work among them. We can be confident that His eyes are scanning “the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

There are two crucial benefits in discerning the grace of God in the people we are called to reach. First, it removes the natural prejudices that would otherwise develop; biases that would cause us to patronize and belittle the very people we have come to serve. But when we show genuine respect for them, which love and integrity demand, we also establish credibility in the minds of those we are called to reach. Second, it enables us to identify the redemptive trigger(s) in people. Discerning the finger-print of God on each people group and pulling the trigger is so much more rewarding than attempting to squeeze them into our packaged version.

Then – and only then – can we discern the strongholds, and the prevailing demonic principalities that exploit them, within the people we are called to reach. Discerning the spiritual forces that hold people captive is crucial if we are going to release the Kingdom rule of God. We can trust for the Spirit’s aid and resources as we seek His counsel (1 Corinthians 12:10) … and maintain a purity of perspective, by first discerning the grace of God on the people.

Finally, the apostolic team then seeks to infiltrate the people group, multiplying the missional vision. Traditionally planting a church means renting a public meeting place and inviting people to attend a service of some sort. This “come to us” or attractional approach fosters a pastoral congregational model. In contrast an apostolic team’s approach is infiltrational, seeking to incarnate the Gospel within the relational community the “son of peace” already has.

Purity to this Kingdom-seed is vital if we’re going to see Kingdom fruit. It is at this point that so many empire-building initiatives are spawned. While corporate meetings for training/empowering or worship/intercession are without question valuable they ought to be distinctly secondary and subservient to the staple-diet of communal life and discipleship.

Step 2 >

The apostolic team entrenched the new converts in the foundations of Christ: nurturing a new self-governing community⁶.

It is vital that new converts become (1) “rooted and built up in Him” thus “established in the faith” (Colossians 2:7) and (2) “knit together in love” as a spiritual family thereby experiencing “full assurance” (Colossians 2:2). Through Paul’s apostolic team the foundation of Christ was so deeply laid within the new converts that no external spiritual life support systems were necessary; in fact, appointing parent-elders often only took place months later.

The new family thrived on the priesthood and brotherhood of all believers without becoming dependent on leadership or any program or event. They were “complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10) able to experience and enjoy His Divine Life. The early churches were called the “Way” because they had indeed discovered a brand new way to live (Acts 9:2).

Paul was never merely satisfied with “decisions made” or even just individual disciples borne as the fruit of his labours. He always set out to birth a community of disciples … always. For obvious reasons, a new community provides the necessary ingredients for new believers to grow but since Paul’s vision was for the Kingdom come, he knew that only a community alive (in the Spirit), in love (with one another) and active (in mission) could represent Christ to their world.

As we seek “simplicity” in achieving the goal of self-governing communities (2 Corinthians 11:2, 3), we have asked: What is the least, yet adequate apostolic investment required from apostolic teams to “commend [the church and its elder(s)] to the Lord” (Acts 14:23)? What did Paul invest into a new work that would allow him to move off within a short period of time confident that they would stand strong? As we plant, we are determined to avoid the cumbersome and expensive “clutter” that usually comes with what is so often considered “church”.

We have discerned four key ingredients to develop a self-governing community that we refer to as apostolic essentials.

The (Essential) Creed

This refers to the way in which we use the Word of God and how we prioritise the Great Commandment. The issue here is this: Do we make people dependent on gifted teachers and Bible study resources aiming at knowledge accumulation? Or do we help them to depend on the Holy Spirit aiming at transformation of life, attitude and character?

The (Participatory) Lord’s Supper

This refers to the way in which we minister to God and how we view the priesthood of all believers. The issue here is this: Do we make people dependent on gifted musicians and packaged song-lists aiming at a “praise and worship” time? Or do we help them to depend on the Holy Spirit aiming at responsive, participation God-wards with an expectation that He will minister to and through them?

The (Inclusive) Family

This refers to the way in which we build community and how we grasp the brotherhood of all believers. The issue here is this: Do we make people dependent on the initiative and directive of leadership, expecting leaders to meet their needs? Or do we help them to depend on the Holy Spirit as they take a sense of ownership of the community, asking God to lead and empower their service in meeting other’s needs?

The (Shared) Baptism

This refers to the way in which we engage with mission and implement the Great Commission. The issue here is this: Do we make people dependent on leaders, formulae and programmes to “do outreach”? Or do we help them to depend on the Holy Spirit to live as missionaries in their sphere of influence and to contribute as part of a missional community?

It should be clear that the way we approach these four aspects can either be used, often unintentionally, to make people dependent on leaders, gifts and tools or dependent on Christ and His mission.

Step 3 >

The apostolic team affirms and appoints parent-elders to parent (shepherd) the new community.

Paul’s team identified elders in the churches and appointed them as “overseers” of the new fledgling flock (Acts 14:21-23). It is the heartbeat of apostolic teams to seek out, identify and release parents-elders at which point their hands-on role becomes redundant. This is the second and final transfer of Christ’s authority from the apostolic team to parent-leaders⁷. Only when this occurs, does the apostolic team “commend [the church and its elder(s)] to the Lord” (Acts 14:23).

In order to achieve the goal of establishing a self-governing community that can stand complete in Christ together without artificial props and man-made programs; an understanding of, what we call, the apostolic process is vital. Every group goes through three stages in achieving the goal of becoming self-governing. This is true for planting a new work from scratch or starting a new home church from within a network of home churches. The group’s initial leader – who may be an apostolic leader or a person supported by an apostolic team – needs to have a working knowledge of these milestones to facilitate the group’s growth from a loosely connected group of individuals into a covenantal family.

A Kingdom community evolves through three phases similar to how an individual grows spiritually in Hebrew thinking (see 1 John 2:12-14):

Stage 1    Self-Existing   <Child>

Stage 2    Self-Functioning   <Son>

Stage 3    Self-Governing   <Father>

Let’s explore these stages of community growth. In stage one, the group is “self-existing”; that is, the group has come together naturally, by the Spirit. People want to be together – they are not obliged to do so. The apostolic worker’s (or original church planter) role is initially both missional leadership and ministry while the group members’ main focus is on relationship-building. This certainly doesn’t mean they cannot minister but a depth of ministry will flow out of trust built through relationships.

In stage two, the group becomes “self-functioning”; that is, off the back of deepening relationships, the people in the group start to feel they want to contribute meaningfully to the group’s mission and life. At this point the apostolic worker and/or original church planter’s role is simply missional leadership, championing a Kingdom missional base. The group’s members become meaningful participants serving and ministering as they feel led to.

In stage three, the group becomes “self-governing”; that is, the group understands covenantal family relationships, recognizing and affirming those who are emerging as spiritual parents in the midst. Mutual respect and appreciation begets a genuine community able to stand alone. The apostolic worker and/or original church planter’s hands-on role becomes redundant – redefining this relationship is important.

The apostolic worker may continue to serve the self-governing church as a ‘grand-parent’ to the group (a parent to the parents) in mutual apostolic alignment. The original church planter may or may not emerge into one of the spiritual parents in the group. The simple church is self-sustaining and capable of reproducing itself as a self-governing church under the Headship of Jesus.

Step 4 >

The apostolic team continues to serve the elders and their church communities as partners of Christ’s apostolic vision.

On many occasions Paul returned to minister to the churches (Acts 14:22; 20:7-11) or to the elders themselves (Acts 20:17-38). He also sent members of his apostolic team to do so (Philippians 2:19-30). An apostolic team’s role is to both plant and serve churches; parenting the parent-elders – it also includes ensuring integrity of doctrine, character and values, and inspiring the churches to advance the Kingdom of God in their localities. Importantly, the apostolic team’s authority is relationally-invited not hierarchically-imposed.

The relational health between apostolic teams and the elders they appoint is vital as spiritual families align to apostolic vision for Kingdom advance. Not only does it place the vital checks-and-balance in the Kingdom equation – both parent-elders and apostolic teams mutually serve and support each other in integral relationships – but self-governing simple church communities stay vitally connected to an apostolic (missional), Kingdom thrust.

Most of the New Testament churches that are revealed in the Book of Acts existed as a network of simple churches fathered by parent-elders who enjoyed a corporate life overseen by these elders. While apostolic teams regularly served into these churches they did not seem to have resident apostolic ministry in their cities.

However in a few significant cities – such as Antioch (Acts 13) and Ephesus (Acts 19) – it seems apostolic teams set up a base from which to spearhead an apostolic thrust into the region. For example, in Ephesus Paul himself was resident for over two years (Acts 19:10). After this he ensured that Timothy based himself there (1 Timothy 1:3). Church history tells us that after Timothy’s time, John resided in Ephesus. The impact throughout the provincial region of Asia Minor was remarkable.

Luke records that “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10), a statement indicating that the region was apostolically penetrated leaving the churches established to accomplish the “mop-up-operation”. Furthermore, history reveals that in just fifty years, the false worship of the goddess Diana – the prevailing principality – dried up completely throughout Asia Minor in the wake of the Kingdom of God!

When an apostolic team sets up an apostolic base in a key city, the focus is to first penetrate the region and secondly to resource the elders and their simple churches. In this sense, the apostolic team ought to operate wisely in their regional work as a sodality respecting the modality of the church⁸; ensuring they don’t undermine the leadership established in the city or infringe on the ministry of the church itself.

The apostolic spirit

The Holy Spirit is a missional (apostolic) Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit that led Jesus to seek and save the lost (Luke 4:18; 19:10). One of the foremost prophetic pictures preluding the New Covenant is the river of God’s Presence flowing from His Temple to the nations (Ezekiel 47:1-12). God’s Spirit is a missional Spirit.

Think about Jesus’ famous words in Acts 1:8. In short, He told the disciples they weren’t ready yet and needed to wait for the baptism with the Spirit. We often equate this outpouring with an endowment of power evidenced by miracles and gifts of the Spirit. While it without question includes these manifestations of the Spirit, the disciples had already cast out demons, healed the sick and seen manifestations of God’s power. Why didn’t they say, “Wait for power? Been there, done that!”

The baptism with the Spirit is not just a wonderful step into the resources of the Spirit-filled life; it is a baptism into the missional Spirit of God, an impartation of God’s heart for the nations. We miss the point if we only see this baptism as an enabling to be more charismatic in the four walls of the church. Jesus made it clear that this baptism would thrust them forcefully throughout their locality and to “the ends of the earth”. They certainly needed the power of God for this mission impossible!

For most who come to saving faith in Christ, the first thing they are grafted into is, in a word, “meetings;” where they are taught the ‘policies and procedures’ of how our group works. Of course, this may not be our intention and yes, these meetings may include passionate worship, great teaching and heart-felt fellowship but essentially they’re “born again” into the practices (or disciplines) of the church. And while these practices are certainly valid in themselves, engaging in these as the first order of business in a new believer’s life quickly diffuses the missional Spirit. Instead, new believers in finding Christ should be grafted into – first and foremost – the mission of Christ. They ought to be baptised into the missional Spirit, enlarged by His heart for the nations and empowered with His resources to cooperate with His mission in the world!

Meetings – and there will be plenty of them in any believer’s life – should only be a part of facilitating a believer’s union with Christ and His mission. Whether this mission is outworked in a commissioning into one’s own neighbourhood, or a specific niche in society or a foreign nation on the other side of the world, this is without question, God’s prerogative. Embracing the nature of God’s missional Holy Spirit is where our responsibility lies.

To be clear: God’s people are to be an (apostolic) missional people whether we cross the seas or cross our streets, go around the globe or go around the block.

An apostolic mindset

Jesus entrusted the Great Commission to apostles (Matthew 28:16-20; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12:28). The Book of Acts records the apostles spearheading this Great Commission to the nations, and the epistles are instructions written to the church by apostles. We cannot fully appreciate a Kingdom-shaped church until we grasp an apostolic mindset of the New Testament.

Again, this is not to over-emphasize the gift or function of apostle to the neglect of the other equipping gifts or the contribution of all believers. However, my hope is that this article may help to profile the role of the apostle and apostolic teams; something that the modern church at large has tended to under-value or even deny.

Yet as Paul said: “Receive [them] in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem” (Philippians 2:29).

Notes:

¹ Suggested links:

What is apostolic alignment? <A Few Good Fathers>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/09/01/what-is-apostolic-alignment/

What is an apostle? <Definitely Maybe>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/what-is-an-apostle-definitely-maybe/

How does authority work? <Like Father, Like Son>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/how-does-authority-work-like-father-like-son/

² How do we build teams … that multiply? <A Dream Team>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/how-do-we-build-teams-that-multiply-a-dream-team/

³ In a true sense, the team will be apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral and Biblical as all the Ephesian 4:11 equipping gifts work together but it is a real mouthful to mention all five dimensions each time – hence, the use of the shortened phrase “apostolic team” instead. It seems to me that the Nicene Creed uses this phrase in the same way.

And for the record, an apostolic team may of course include women too. Although I use the pronoun “he” throughout this article, I certainly believe God gives women Ephesians 4:11 equipping gifts. Paul refers to “Junia” a woman apostle in Romans 16:7. Please see our article, “Women in Ministry” which can be downloaded at www.crosswaveglobal/resources.html.com

⁴ My research on this subject comes from a reliable source: my wife!

⁵ How we apply this today may vary as the size of first century cities were tiny compared to mega-cities today. For example, Melbourne – the city I live in – has over 3.5 million people to date and is really a mega-city of thirty-one metropolitan cities. In my opinion, Melbourne is a region in itself and we work as an apostolic team in various cities within Melbourne as led by the Lord.

⁶ Let me explain the prefix “self-” in this phrase. In the same way that a believer should exercise “self-control” as a fruit of the Spirit’s work in his life (Galatians 5:22, 23); that is, he ought to submit himself to the leading of the Spirit, by “self-governing” we mean a spiritual family ought to submit themselves to the Presidency of the Spirit in their collective midst.

⁷ How does authority work? <Like Father, Like Son>

http://crosswaveglobal.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/how-does-authority-work-like-father-like-son/

⁸ A “modality” refers to the life and ministry of a self-governing community fathered by elders, the parent-leaders. A “sodality” refers to extra-local apostolic work of spearheading theKingdom ofGod distinct from the essential life and ministry of the church.