Spiritual Parenting - 9

REVIVING SPIRITUAL PARENTING (4)

After going through each of these stages of thinking and processing through these ideas and thoughts regarding reviving spiritual parenting, you are ready for the vital step of bringing this home to where you live: your church family and those under your spiritual care.

It is absolutely vital to do this as a team of leaders - a group of unified spiritual moms and dads - together. If Jesus is the head of the church - not just in doctrine, but in function - then He nurtures, teaches, and equips those in His family along with the help of multiple spiritual adults. He is the only alpha male, and we - together - join Him in His all-important work of raising spiritual children.

Together as a group, a team of spiritual moms and dads:

1. Make a list of each individual under your care.

2. Attempt to label which stage each individual might be in along their path of spiritual growth and development (i.e., pre-believer, baby in Christ, developing saint, maturing saint).

3. List 2-3 ministry tools that might be used to join the Lord in His work with each of these (i.e., care phone call, house call, coaching session, daily CO2, weekly COgroup, foundations Bible study, spiritual formation Bible study, etc etc).

4. Now, take time to let the Lord in on the conversation - take time together to ask Daddy (taking 15 minutes or more to engage in a practice like Virkler's) what He thinks about each individual, their current level of spiritual maturity, and what tools might be right for each. Write down what thoughts, impressions, ideas and so forth come to mind while listening to Jesus.

5. Then come together, discuss what you heard as a group, and ask the Lord together for next steps. Listen to Him again if you feel led to do so, specifically regarding next steps... finally, choose one next step you are ready and willing to take with each individual.

In the last four posts, I have attempted to detail a process of coaching a group of spiritual moms and dads into the spiritual nurturing, teaching and equipping of the saints under their care. There is much more to say and do in this all-important work into which the Lord has called us. This initial process is meant to serve as a jump-start for this understanding and practice - to initiate the conversation and the process of praying, discussing, and listening together on a regular basis as leaders, around the care of church and saints.

Spiritual Parenting - 8

REVIVING SPIRITUAL PARENTING (3)

Now that we have identified and examined some of the spiritual stages of growth and maturation, we can get to where the rubber meets the road. A parent raising healthy and growing children not only 1.) knows what level each of the children are under their care are at, 2.) has a good idea of where they would like each of their children to be next, but they also are preparing actions to help them get from where they are now to where they pray they will be next.

So, the next step in the spiritual parenting coaching process is asking ourselves, what tools do we have in our "ministry tool belt" to engage those under our care at each level in deeper growth? A good first step with is simply listing as many "ministry tools" as we can think of. Here are some examples:
-Daily CO2 (2 people, two practices, as close to daily as possible) -Weekly CO3 or CO4 (same two practices, but in person on a weekly basis together) -Through-the-Bible basics Bible study -Spiritual formation discipleship Bible study -Prayer meeting -Book club -Care call (by phone) -House call -personality test and training -coaching session -outreach group -service project -spiritual gifting test & training -teaching on a specific topic -leadership powow -Dinner meeting

Those are just a few - all of those things listed above could be considered tools in our ministry "tool belt". They are useful in building believers of all kinds up into spiritually mature saints of God. The next question - how & when do we use those tools? Let's try matching some of them up with 3 different main stages of spiritual growth - new believer, developing Christian, maturing saint:
New Believer:
-Weekly CO3 or CO4 -Through-the-Bible basics Bible study -teaching on a specific topic (such as baptism, or salvation in general) -Dinner meeting -House call

Developing Christian:
-Spiritual formation discipleship Bible study -Prayer meeting -Daily CO2 -teaching on a specific topic (such as sanctification, and spiritual warfare) -Care call

Maturing Saint:
-leadership powow -personality test and training -coaching session -outreach group -Book club -spiritual gifting test & training

So these are a few potential tools which we as spiritual parents - charged with the spiritual nurturing, teaching, and equipping of the saints under our care - have at our disposal. We now have some idea of what type of actions, activities, teachings, etc, that we can use to help those under our influence grow and develop into further spiritual health and maturity.

Getting Practical- Make a list (such as above) of all the tools you know of that might be useful for the growing of saints. Then try to match each one with appropriate levels of spiritual growth that they might best be used during.

Spiritual Parenting - 7

 REVIVING SPIRITUAL PARENTING (2)

We covered in part 1 the fact that church is like a family with both spiritual grownups (moms and dads) and spiritual children. Spiritual moms and dads have an important role to play - to work with Jesus, the Head of the family, in nurturing, teaching and equipping the spiritual children in their household. An initial step in this vital work is pinpointing where each of the saints under their care are in their stages of spiritual growth (i.e., pre-believer, baby in Christ, young saint, developing saint, mature believer, spiritual parent). The action point was to make a list of every individual in your church family and then next to each name label which stage you think they each might be in.

Step 2 - Identifying & Examining Spiritual Growth Stages

The next step in this process of reviving spiritual parenting in our midst is taking the time to name each of the main stages of spiritual growth, and then asking ourselves and Him some key questions concerning what makes each of them tick:

Pre-believer
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What spiritual steps do we hope that all the pre-believers (un-believers) in our midst would take? (examples: baptism, repentance)
Ask Him: Jesus, what do you want to see happen with or to all the pre-believers you have placed among us?

Baby in Christ
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What basic skills do we want a baby in Christ in our midst to develop? (examples: how to talk to God for themselves, to have their own Bible or journal)
Ask Him: Lord, what do you want to say to us about where you are taking new believers?

Young saint
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What signs of growth have we seen in young saints that means they are no longer in the 'baby' category? What are the next steps in development for a young saint that we want to see them attain to? (examples: listening to Jesus - Virkler, be taught a Bible study Gen-Rev)
Ask Him: Jesus, what would you say about young saints in our midst?

Developing saint
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What makes this individual a developing saint? What experiences, practices, etc. do we pray these believers will grow into next? (examples: being part of a COgroup, go through a spiritual formation Bible study) Ask Him: Daddy, what is next for the developing saints under our care?

Mature believer
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What practices do we believe the more mature saints in our influence should be engaging in? What fruit do we hope to see in their lives and walks with God? (examples: Having a daily CO2 partner, daily prayer walk) Ask Him: Lord, what makes a mature believer mature - what fruit will we see in their lives?

Spiritual parent
Ask ourselves: What strengths and weaknesses do saints in this category usually have? What makes a spiritual parent a spiritual parent? What responsibilities would we hope a spiritual parent might take on? (examples: they are following Him daily completely for themselves without outside stimulus, teaching Bible studies to others, engaging others in CO2s) Ask Him: Papa, what does it mean to be a spiritual parent, and what as spiritual parents be focusing on?


In other words, we are analyzing each of these stages separately, and trying to verbalize (as well as listen to Him about) what makes each one unique - not just in general terms, but in terms of specific skills (i.e., learning to listen to Jesus, read and study scriptures for themselves), experiences (i.e., baptism, a calling experience), and practices (i.e., having a daily CO2 partner, joining in the gathering regularly). These indicators might be a little different from church to church and group to group - but the important thing is what is in our collective minds and hearts (within a given group of leaders) about attaining of these stages of growth - and what does the Lord have to say to us about these?

Getting Practical- Make a list (such as above) with at least 3 spiritual growth stages. With your group of leaders (2 or more), ask yourselves the above questions. Take time with each category to get quiet with a paper and pen in front of you, and ask the Lord each question, noting what He brings to mind and heart with each. Then share together what you are hearing from the Lord. Ask Him together for further understanding and clarity on what spiritual skills and practices are important for each stage of growth.
Next post - step 3...

Spiritual Parenting - 6

REVIVING SPIRITUAL PARENTING (1)

Just a reminder: When I say 'spiritual parenting', I am talking about grassroots discipleship - caring for new converts, teaching and nurturing developing saints, and training and equipping spiritual leaders (making disciples). Re-learning and revitalizing this all-important work is why this blog exists.

Reviving spiritual parenting - Pt 1

Last week I felt that the Lord laid on me a process for a team of spiritual leaders to follow in revitalizing this all-important work in and among their church families! I can't thank the Lord enough - something simple, practical and organic. Over the next several posts, I hope to outline this coaching process step by step - and maybe make some personal real-life observations along the way. May the Lord grant your church family a revival of spiritual parenting.

Step 1: Understand the metaphor

Wise and healthy parents in the physical world have a difficult, yet important job in the development of the children in their household. They must A) Observe and pinpoint where each of their children are in the process of human development, and then B) take proper parenting steps in helping each child successfully reach the next level of growth. In other words, where are each of my children in their separate stages of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth, and how can I teach, nurture, and equip them for that next level of development?

For example, my two-year-old daughter Gracie is at a post-toddler stage - she is physically healthy (but a somewhat lactose intolerant from what we can tell), potty trained (but still needs a pull-up during sleep times), knows how to use a fork to feed herself, knows her numbers up to 15 or so (as well as her basic colors), and is comfortable being left at preschool for a couple of hours twice a week. My job as a parent is to help Gracie learn and develop into the next stage of growth - this might include taking steps to manage her lactose intolerance, help her graduate from pull-ups, teach her to use a spoon and a normal cup while drinking, work with her on her numbers up to 50 and learning the alphabet, and on staying with a sitter or at school for longer periods of time.

As parents, we have pinpointed where she is at in her development and are thinking about what comes next so that we can help her get there. The same with our 9-year-old boy and our twelve-year-old pre-teen (going on 18) - they each have next steps in their human development as they grow to adults. With our 9-year-old that might be improving his reading, brushing and flossing his teeth better, and getting his chores done without being asked. With our twelve year old, it is starting to learn basic money management, learning the value and importance of hard work, and boundaries with girls and how to be a gentleman.

This same process just may apply to good spiritual parenting.

We must look at all of the members of our spiritual household, pinpoint where they are at in their individual spiritual formation, and start thinking and praying about next steps.

Getting Practical- List all of the brothers and sisters in your church family on a sheet of paper - next to each, label where they might be at in their individual spiritual formation. Various terms could be used to describe the process of spiritual growth and maturity of course - but here is my set (in order): Pre-believer, baby in Christ, young saint, developing saint, mature believer, spiritual parent. Start thinking and praying about what the next spiritual steps might be for each of these individuals.

Key Bible passage - John 21:15-17 - Jesus charges Peter to "Feed His lambs", "Take care of His sheep", and "Feed His sheep" - although some english versions of the Bible read the same phrase all three time ("Feed my sheep") each one of these charges actually carries with it a different combination of Greek words. Caring for younger lambs, and feeding for mature sheep, etc - quite possibly a picture of nurturing, teaching, and equipping spiritual children and families in their various stages of growth and receptiveness.

PASS IT ON - If this post was a blessing to you, please take a moment to recommend it to someone else - link to it on facebook or twitter perhaps - especially anyone you know in any kind of position of spiritual leadership. Thanks so much!

Spiritual Parenting - 5

TEAM PLAYING - A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME

I grew up in a church where the same minister was in the pulpit teaching and preaching every service. I have fond memories of the sound of my grandfather's voice coming from the "altar" (the raised area, or stage) in front of the church - proclaiming the Word of God with boldness, faith and conviction. I grew up in and was saved by this faithful ministry and for that I am eternally grateful. I would not be here were it not for that faithful man and his steadfast heart.

Now that I am a pastor, however, I am grateful that I am not the only one expected to carry on the work of the ministry each week - it is a new game that I am in, and I wouldn't have it any other way. In our church family, the spiritually mature saints work together to minister. Just as there are two parents in a healthy human family, so more than one spiritual parent functioning fully in a household of God makes a world of difference in the health of a church. This is a hallmark of organic church life and growth. No one branch bears all of the weight of the smaller branches, leaves, and fruit. Many strong and aged branches bear the weight of the new life of the tree. Each branch (mature saint) does its part as it draws its strength from the trunk and root system (Christ) and bears a reasonable weight of smaller branches, leaves, and fruit (the good works, the new believers and developing saints).

It is all too easy when planting an organic church family to fall into the rut of one or two branches bearing all the weight. Unless strategic effort is made by the initial leader or leaders of a church to share the ministry and raise up others like him or herself from the start, this rut is nigh unavoidable. One leader shouldering all the responsibility stunts the growth of other capable leaders, dwarfs the growth of the church as a whole, and only burns out the leader. But how do we avoid this trap if we don't know any other way? What must a leader do to truly share the ministry with his fellow spiritual moms and dads in the group?

A few suggestions from our experience:

-Don't make any decision in the church family without engaging your fellow spiritual parents in the decision-making process. Whether the decision is small (whose house to meet at, what time to meet, how to handle the food) or large (what to do during the meeting, what direction the church is heading, how to care for the saints) make the decision together. This commitment takes time and effort - calling and chatting about issues, patiently sharing differing opinions in effort to come to consensus, and being willing to give up our own way in favor of one-another's. But in my experience it is a worthy investment of time and effort that will not return void.

-Share the facilitation of the gathering as soon as possible. Any group where the same individual is being looked to for direction and guidance over and over again during each meeting is a group that will not be able to sustain its growth. The longer one individual is the leader, the harder it will be to break that habit. Much better for a leader to equip others in the group to take turns facilitating from the start. A pattern of shared ministry, equality under Christ, and reproducing leadership within the body is set and brings forth much fruit. Plus, when no one person is looked to week after week for guidance, Christ can better be the functional head of the house.

-Share the care of the saints. Usually the visionary leader of a group is the one who holds it together week after week and acts as the magnet which draws the group together. He or she makes the phone calls, sends the invites, and encourages the others during the week. How much better if each spiritual parent in the group shares these responsibilities and this magnetism. Each magnet is drawing the younger ones in Christ to the group, and Christ is glorified as the ultimate magnet, drawing all to himself.

Time for me to share my first practical tool for shared ministry: A weekly powow for the care of the church and saints. What if the main leader of a church family invited a fellow spiritual parent in their household to join them in a weekly prayer and share time which focuses on the group as a whole (where is the Lord leading our church? what is He doing? what is working and what is not? what should we be doing when we come together?) as well as focusing on each individual (where is each individual within our household of God in their spiritual formation? what tools do we have in our ministry toolbelt to help these saints at differing levels of growth to develop further? what practical actions should we prayerfully take with each to join the Lord where He is working in them?)

Get together once each week - for coffee, dinner, a long walk in the park, or on a focused phone-call with the other spiritual parents in the group for this vital powow. If you are a church leader already deep into the rut of your church family depending on you alone for leadership and ministry, ask the Lord for help. Then invite any willing leaders - even one other - to get together to discuss and help you pray and listen on behalf of the church. Even a leader and one other person working together to lead the church family is better than one. This group will grow!

Team playing - it makes spiritual parenting a whole new (more joyful and effective) ballgame.

Spiritual Parenting - 4

CARE FOR THE SAINTS - Cont...

(Pt 2 - Continued from last post)
To draw a parallel, the care for the saints might be compared to raising healthy children within the home, and making disciples compared to deciding who will help run the family business beyond the child-rearing days. With the former, you have a God-given responsibility to nurture and care for them regardless of their level of faithfulness and commitment. With the latter, a God-given responsibility to be highly selective about who to consider for the job training.

Children, you see, are by nature usually often NOT faithful, available, or teachable. Especially in certain natural phases of growth (like when they are infants or toddlers... or teenagers - go figure). If I am looking for FATness in my 3 children before committing to parent them, I am going to be waiting a long time. No - my job as a parent is to effectively parent them INTO FATness - through the easy times and hard times - to nurture, teach and equip them regardless, so that they might become FAT.

When however, my children are older and I am looking over them to see which I should select to eventually take over the family business or help lead and nurture the family itself, a different approach is taken. I am looking to mentor and apprentice those who are proven FAT (faithful, available, and teachable). Those who have not proven these qualities are probably not going to change any time soon, and I don't want to waste my time.

I wonder if it is similar with spiritual parenting - with spiritual leadership. I wonder if at times we have approached new converts as if they were spiritual adults and left them alone only to die on the vine, and other times we have spent time pulling teeth with spiritual adults who are still living at home and not willing to change.

All this to say: I have seen in the house churches I have been a part of a lack of knowing what our job is as spiritual moms and dads. We organize meetings, facilitate gatherings, and keep our church families intact while we watch and wait for spiritual growth to take place. And often it is not. How could it, if we are not feeding them? How could it, if we are not training, nurturing, and equipping them for more growth?

Children MUST be fed - diapers must be changed, bedtimes kept, and booboos bandaged up. Lots of hugs must be given and lots of "I love yous" and "Im proud of yous" said. Teaching moments must be taken advantage of, sleepless nights had, and a lot of resources spent. A LOT of sacrificing must happen by caring parents for their children to have any hope of growing up tall and strong and self-sustaining. So it is in the spiritual - Bible studies must be taught, scriptures must be expounded on one-on-one. Inconvenient phone calls must be taken, late-night prayer sessions must be had, and many prayerful tears must be shed. Many prayer-and-share meetings must take place over coffee, desert, or dinner - where spiritual questions are answered, doctrine is solidified, and spiritual counseling and coaching is happening regularly. A lot of spiritual trial and error must be overseen by wise spiritual parents who constantly sacrifice - their time, resources, and emotions - for the sake of the spiritual growth and maturity of the spiritual children under their care.

So I think that a different approach must be taken in parenting spiritual children within a local church (anyone and everyone the Lord has brought into our church family) - we parent them in spite of their lack of FATness, so that they might grow up into FATness. When making disciples who make disciples (mentoring and coaching the next generation of the leaders of the church), we are looking for the ones who are already FAT to invest in further.

Have we provided this type of care for those in our church families? Have we stopped to ask ourselves and the Lord where the various ones in our church families are in their process of spiritual growth? And are we truly willing to engage in the sacrificial spiritual parenting that is necessary to grow spiritual children into spiritual adults?

Spiritual Parenting - 3

THE CARE FOR THE SAINTS

This topic and burden has been on my heart for a long time, and is a theme lately in my learning process with the Lord. After all, another term for spiritual parenting - the nurturing, teaching, and equipping of spiritual children - is indeed, "The care for the saints". What do good parents do, but "care" for their children? We as spiritual parents also must "care for" the saints the Lord has entrusted to our care.

As a father of three children in everyday life, my job is to love on them, nurture them, teach them, affirm them, lead and guide them - all regardless of their stage in growth, regardless of their receptivity, regardless of their faithfulness and willingness. I could have the worst kids in the world and I would still be expected to love and care for them through it all - because I am their dad. It is my job, my calling, and my God-given responsibility - they were born into my family, they share my last name, and they depend on me for everything - so I MUST care for them.

So with spiritual children - those in my spiritual household MUST be cared for. This is the spirit in which I think Jesus told Peter so intensely to "Feed my sheep". We also remember that when Jesus looked at the multitudes, he had compassion on them because they were "like sheep without a shepherd." Those within the household of God - especially the younger ones, desperately need spiritual care. They will - more often than not - die without it. They need teaching, they need affirmation and love, and they need equipping and preparation.

All that to get to what is more specifically on my heart... I think that many of us have adopted an approach - an approach that I don't think was meant for basic spiritual parenting - and used it unwittingly in parenting our spiritual children. That approach is one of making disciples - setting a bar of discipleship, watching for faithfulness, and working with the ones who show themselves faithful (FAT - faithful, available, and teachable). After all, Jesus did this - he called many to follow Him, but only a few were willing to pay the price. Those who weren't willing went on their way - and those who were willing (who were FAT) got His time and attention. Although I don't think this same approach was meant for the care of saints by spiritual "moms and dads" within the context of a local "vibrant family of Jesus."

I think a different mindset must be adapted when dealing with the care of the saints the Lord has set under our care in our churches. For the sake of differentiating terms, I will call one "The care for the saints", and I will call the other, "The making of disciples". Now I know that those concepts are interconnected and perhaps not meant to be separated - but regardless I believe two different approaches just might apply with these two different phases of spiritual growth and maturity.

(continued in a day or two...)

Spiritual Parenting - 2

GRADUATING FROM HOUSE CHURCH

So it has been about eight years now since we left the institutional church world and stumbled into the house church world - and I think now we are graduating from house church.

First, I have recently started preferring the term "Organic church" over house church - anyone can have a house church, and it can look like dozens of different things. There are as many flavors of house church as there are denominations out there. I want organic church - a local expression of the family of God existing and functioning in a completely natural way. Organic - as in, the seed of Jesus Christ is planted in the soil of an oikos, it sprouts naturally, the resulting plant grows to maturity freely, takes the unique shape of - and also functions unique to - the local environment in which the Lord planted it. A vibrant family of Jesus untouched by the religious traditions of men, completely consumed with Jesus Christ, and constantly led and shaped by the Holy Spirit. And this doesn't have to happen in a particular house. I think that often it will - but it might also take root in a school, a workplace, a restaurant or bar, a park, a mall, or just about anywhere else.

Ive had conversations about this with at least three different parties from the larger house church community in the last few weeks. One said something like, "Yes, we've never been 100% committed to house church - what we are fully committed to though, is listening to Jesus in all things and obeying." They are fully committed to His active and present leading and direction. Another said, "Yes I am almost as frustrated with house church at this point as I was with traditional church." The third said, "I feel like the Lord is not done speaking to us and leading us regarding our form of 'church'".

One root of this topic in my heart is that I have looked back over the last several years (almost 8) spent co-leading and helping oversee house churches, and examined how much spiritual growth has actually taken place in those under my care - and the answer is, not much... A sad and startling realization. As I discussed this with Bruce, one of my 'partners in crime' in Aurora, I said, "I don't care so much if it's house church or not, I just want to be a part of something that works!" By 'something that works' I meant primarily something where true discipleship is taking place. I want to see spiritual babies turning into spiritual grownups and being able to then parent spiritual children of their own. That's how the church (and churches) will grow and multiply.

Now granted, another 'form' of church is not going to fix this problem. Where the church regularly gathers to share a meal and worship together is not the problem (at least not the main problem - granted there are obvious problems with the financial burden, centralized nature, and programmatic nature of churches who are trapped in church buildings) . The true limitation lies in the 'body life' of the church (for lack of a better term) - what goes on among the members of the body during the gatherings and throughout the week (regardless of where they meet). And the 'body life' is modeled by spiritual moms and dads - spiritual grownups in the body who join CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE BODY (pardon the all caps :), in leading the way for the entire family into healthy, holistic, vibrant and growing church life.

We're graduating from mere house church - and I think even following His present leading - into something that really 'works'.

Spiritual Parenting - 1

Welcome to some of my journey of spiritual parenting - the art and discipline of nurturing, teaching, and equipping spiritual children. God has birthed this blog in my heart because we have been on a learning curve - and recently that curve has started in an upward motion at a much faster pace than ever before. The Lord seems to be leading us into a more holistic understanding of what it means to lead, to pastor, to mentor, to parent, spiritual children - all in the context of a vibrant family of Jesus (an organic church).

A few important stops along the way over the years thus far:
-About 8 years ago the Lord led us out of the institutional church of my youth and into worshiping in our homes and outside of the context of institutional Christianity. One of the first questions in our minds was, "What about teaching in the house church?" We did not know what that should look like - and in a way, still don't.
-2 and a half years ago, we learned about CO2's - churches of two - through John White and Luke 10. That became a powerfully formative tool that we have used ever since in our marriages, ministry partnerships, households, and during our house church gatherings each week. As of this day when we gather together we usually follow the CO2 pattern for our church family gatherings.
-About 9 months ago, an elder brother in our house church sat down with me and my ministry partner Bruce in our church family (my co-pastor for lack of a better term), looked us in the face and said, "What you are doing right now will not grow the saints!" He said that we had some wonderful things going for us (the discipline of checking in, the meal and communion and intimacy we share during gatherings, the sharing what the Spirit is saying on a consistent basis together), but that a few absolutely essential things were missing - among them was vital teaching, or feeding, of the saints. We took that and pondered, discussed, and prayed about it.

Well over the last several months I feel like the Lord has been giving us revelation on that topic (feeding and nurturing of the saints) and answering that question (What place does teaching have in the house church) more and more - forming a more holistic picture of what place, what purpose, and what form the teaching, feeding, and care of the saints can have in the life of an organic church family.

I look forward to unpacking that journey going forward piece by piece on this blog, Lord willing. I want to share our process of learning and discovering new territory, through our high points and low points. We don't have it figured out yet - far from it - but I do believe that as we share our journey and share what we are learning, anyone else out there who has a heart for healthy churches and growing saints will benefit. Welcome to the journey!

Organic Church - 2

Organic church -what the heck does that mean?

When you think of the term organic, what do you think of? Something earthy, natural, and healthy - something that is left to grow and develop on its own. Perhaps something that came straight from the earth, or is made up of ingredients that all did. Something that has no added preservatives, additives, unnatural coloring or flavors. Have you ever bought your produce straight from local farmers - say at a farmers market or organic foods store? Its not as pretty as the stuff at the chain stores, and doesn't keep as long - but it is much healthier - and that's the way God created it from the beginning.

Organic church is a similar concept - the body life of the church - without added preservatives, additives, coloring or flavors. The communal life and practice of the Christian faith - without nearly two thousand years of religious tradition, practice, and bias. What would the church look like if it was given Jesus in all His glory, fulness and life - and nothing more? How would local churches operate if none of their members were tarnished by the modern American version of religious Christianity? What if its people knew nothing more than the vibrant inner life of Christ, and simply started living as a community together by the Spirit's leading? How would that look and function? What would the gatherings, the leadership, and the finances be like?

The early church knew this - they were not bogged down by centuries of religious Christian tradition, debates, and systems. Their struggle was actually Jewish - what they had to un-learn as they grew together in Christ was the religion, practice, and old mindsets of Judaism. For us though, I believe that we must un-learn the religion, practice, and old mindsets of traditional Christianity. They are sometimes hard to see but they are there - constantly shaping the ways that we think about our faith, how we interact with one another, and how we practice church. Dear Jesus, reveal them to us that we might sift through what is natural and God-made, versus what is manufactured and man-made!

Just like the totally natural produce at your local farmer's market, organic church life doesn't look as pretty as the institutional version. It doesn't have the same finished shine, the same pretty shape, or the same smooth textures. No, if often doesn't keep as long and yes, it usually costs more - but take one bite - and you'll taste the difference.

I - along with a growing number of American Christians - am becoming increasingly disinterested in our modern American version of the church... and I don't want to come up with another updated version or flavor. I want whatever and however Jesus meant it to be from the beginning - and whatever He is saying and doing and How He is leading today. Lord, grant that we may enter and remain in the totally organic experience of your living presence and Lordship - and in the totally organic, natural, and vibrant organic life of the local church.

Organic Church - 1

You can take the person out of the institution, but you can't take the institution out of the person.

At least - not very easily.

From my eight or so years on the journey outside of institutional church, I have learned that the only way for someone to graduate from an institutional church mindset, when they've grown up in it, is for it to be a divine work of God. Anything less, and the person either reverts back to the old mindset, or just gives up on church completely. It's like taking a lion who grew up in the zoo and trying to teach them to survive out in the wild. Out in the wild is the way God meant it to be for the lion - but if they've only ever known captivity, their chances of survival out in the open are slim. They don't know what to expect, and they are very ill-equipped.

Saints who have only ever know institutional church systems and methods are usually marked by the following:

-They are used to being spoon-fed the word of God on a constant basis, rather than laboring to feed themselves and on the feeding of one another

-They are used to a pastor or other leader seeking God on behalf of the whole church, rather than each member of the whole body seeking Christ together on its own behalf

-Used to leaning on a traditional church service order of events when the body comes together to worship, rather than leaning on the spontaneous and often subtle moving and directing of the Holy Spirit and on one-another

-Their kids receive the vast majority of their spiritual training from Sunday school and youth groups, rather than the parents being the main source of their kid's discipleship and spiritual training

-They are accustomed to sending any new converts to new convert classes or to a paid minister to care for, nurture, and teach them the ways of the Lord- rather than each saint shouldering this responsibility together with the living Christ for those the Lord has sent their way

-To paying a pastor to do the teaching, preaching, counseling, planning, church budget, raising up of leaders for the church, baptizing, preaching funerals, marrying folks, etc - rather than shouldering these responsibilities together as a body as the various members use their varying giftings and callings in these areas

-They are used to knowing exactly what to expect every Sunday, and there not being any surprises - when in fact the divine shared life of the body is anything but predictable, and full of surprises (as well as hard conversations, long nights, crises, frustrations - as well as a lot of joy)

To take a tame lion - and nurture and teach them into being a wild one - is virtually impossible.

Unless the Lord is doing it.

I believe that this is what the Lord is doing in us, and I challenge you to stick it out as we boldly hack through this new wild and unexplored jungle called organic church.

In coming blogposts (as the Lord leads and blesses me to do so), I will start talking about what this thing that I am referring to as "Organic church" really is, as well as what it is not, and why it is worth fighting for. As we do, we will be looking at the natural and organic life of the first-century Christians - through their history and letters in the New Testament. Stay tuned!

Jesus Speaks at "Sauce"

So my wife Jessica and I and our baby girl were sitting at "Sauce" the restaurant in the DTC - a great little thin crust, wood-fired pizza joint. It was really busy - we had arrived there at noon when the business lunch rush was on, and every single table was filled. We sat and waited for a table to open - I enjoyed a beer and we entertained our little Gracie. Eventually we were seated, and served, and we were really enjoying our lunch together (a little date-lunch, since our 7 and 10 year old boys were in school). I felt the Lord speak to me as we sat and ate among the busy crowd. "I want you to start a church in the DTC." I sat and listened, thinking, Lord, was that you? He spoke again - "I love these people". This is the first time the Lord just outright told me to start a church, and it was very unexpected.

Since then I have been praying and waiting about that, not quite sure of the next move...should I just go and start talking to folks? Or is there a specific spot or place or group that the Lord would have me to go toward? Am I supposed to do it alone or with others? Questions, questions. This past Sunday morning, I found myself at Southlands, walking and spending time with Jesus, who out of nowhere told me to pray for the shopping area (he doesnt often tell me stuff like this either). So I did, and ended up praying fervently for and toward the neighborhoods all around this area... soon I felt myself desiring to "prayer-walk" not only there, but also at the Aurora mall and at Park Meadows mall... This morning as I was driving past the DTC on my way to work, my mind and heart began to be open about reaching that whole area, and the whole South-East side of Denver... especially the area within the three points of those three malls, which also includes DTC area.
Anyway, I feel that God is moving here - and I would like to ask you guys to join with me in discussing, praying, and listening about this vision I feel. I dont believe that God wants any of us to be "lone rangers" in what He is drawing each of us to do - and I tend to think that He also doesn't just give one individual member of his body in a certain area a vision, but probably many of those in a certain area (who are attuned to his voice).

God is moving in SE Denver, and we are following where He leads, whatever He wants - let it be, Lord. Your kingdom come and Your will be done.

Escaping dead religion. The tyranny of works.

A common trait of dead religion - of man's religion - is the unnatural focus on works. Usually when an individual is heavily involved in a works (performance) based religious system, they don't realize it. Only when freedom from that tyranny comes can one look back and see how works-based their religion truly was. This dangerous way of thinking has always been a common difference between man's way and God's way. Man tries to earn God's favor, but he cannot. Jesus Christ offers freedom from that hopeless state. He says that favor with God is free, and it doesn't require more religious exercises, but faith in His finished work as the God-sent savior of our souls.

However, many (if not most) Christian religious groups have fallen into the age-old trap of performance based religion. It may be subtle, but is present nonetheless. For those of us who were in a system like that for a good length of time, the process of re-learning and changing ones way of thinking is lengthy and difficult.

For example, just yesterday I noticed remnants of that old way of thinking while I was working. I was feeling far from God, and my relationship with Him had seemed distant for a few days. Frustrated, my mind started going down one of those old paths. Maybe I need to read my Bible more. Maybe I haven't been living out the great commission enough. Thankfully, I caught myself almost immediately, all glory to Him.

No. No -- Rightness with God doesn't come from those things. Closeness with God is not a result of working harder. Those things are a result of healthy intimacy with God, they are not what gives me intimacy with Him. So instead I went for a walk and and spent some time talking with Him.

That old way of thinking is like saying, "I feel distant from my wife, so I need to make more money, or I need to work harder around the house." Yes those things are important in keeping a household running, but they have very little to do with intimacy with my wife. If I want that, we need to spend more time together. True intimacy only comes from consistent and healthy communication.

Intimacy is not the result of right works, rather it is the root and seed of them. True kingdom work must be built upon a strong foundation of intimacy and walk with God.

Man's religion says: Work hard to reach God. Deny the body, deny enjoyment. Change your ways and do penance. Pray, fast, and read your Bible more. Go to church more. Yet God's grace says: Come to me. Sit at my feet. Seek to know me. Stay with, and in, me - and I in you.

So man's religion is backward. It says work harder and do more, and rightness with God will result. But Jesus has taught us the opposite: Get right with God, know Him. Then He will clean up your act, and right works will follow.

Escaping Dead Religion. The mystery of God's life.

I continue to be baffled by the life that God gives to us His children.

Today started great but since has gone a bit downhill. I have been caught in this funk for the past few hours. Frustrated with work, feeling incredibly impatient and annoyed by little things. Feeling trapped. Feeling tired. Feeling far from Him. In fact, the last few days have left me feeling distant from my Lord...

Life just gets busy, especially when working full time and going to school part time, and marriage and kids and chores and finances and church family - oh boy - perhaps you can relate. Sometimes it feels like a grand juggling session.

At least without Him it does.

But then during my afternoon break at work I take a long walk in the sun, and pour out my heart too him bit by bit. Even praying and connecting with Him seems hard right now. But I press through. I've been through this before, and I trust Him enough to know that He has a purpose, even in this. I know that walking with Him is all about faith, and faith requires less-than-par circumstances. Faith wouldn't be faith if circumstances didn't require faith in the first place. As I struggle through my broken conversation with Him I remember this.

About 1 min before I make it to my desk, heading back inside, my countenance begins to change. Frustrated goes to freed and tired goes to peaceful. I feel a freedom in my spirit from Him. I suddenly feel like singing his praises and quoting Psalms about His wonder and goodness and life. His uncreated life which he gives to those who seek to know Him.

I don't understand it and probably never will, how God imparts peace and life into my innermost being. Without realizing it, after spending time with Him, even frustrating, hard time - trying to connect with Him and feeling like I'm not - He pours life into me. He rubs off on me and I can't put my finger on it.

Wonderful mystery. Glorious King.

Escaping dead religion. To find Him. (Day 1)

I received a forward today. It was labeled "I agree, it is so!" and had the picture of a big-name evangelist-pastor personality and then a handful of affirmative prosperity statements listed to believe and accept by faith. At the end, it read:

"Very, Very, soon and I say Very, Very, Very soon, GOD is going to do a miracle and lift u up 4 GOOD. Here is a test: if you love God and you're not ashamed of Him, send this to ten people and watch what He does for you tonight. "

This last statement grieved me in my spirit. Since when was serving God about what He does for me, especially about my prosperity? Not to mention the very slight mysticism (forward to 10 people and God will do something amazing tonight for you) -- which may be harmless, yet effectively distracts folks from what God would have them do, which is seeking to know Him. Regardless of what He does or does not give to us, he would have us Know Him above all else.

When Jesus the Christ walked this earth, His teachings were about as far away from prosperity teaching as you can get. Instead of "You will find favor with men", he told his followers, "Men will hate and persecute you... If they hated me, they will hate you too". Instead of "God will give you more and more", Jesus said "In this life you will have trouble, but be happy, because I have overcome the world". Instead of "Trust God for more material blessings in this life", our Saviour taught the masses, "Don't be concerned for what you will eat or drink, or where you will live, or how you will be clothed, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus was the antithesis of getting ahead in this world. He was homeless, jobless, and sometimes even friendless. Instead of furthering his own causes, he focused solely on doing the will of the Father. He did not seek long life, but voluntarily died a premature death for those he loved. He was often acquainted with loneliness and abandonment. It's no wonder we don't hear much about these realities of Jesus' life and teachings. Truth simply doesn't sell as well.

I wonder what would happen if Christians today took all of their stock out of this world and re-invested it in the kingdom of God... Jesus said, "Don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." What would happen if we became completely content with having our basic needs met, and then focused all the leftover time, energy, and resources on Him and His kingdom?

Lord, give us the grace to be content with what we have, and focus all our efforts on knowing you and on helping others (as you lead) to know you.

A song I wrote

Wrote a song that I feel like the Lord placed on my heart yesterday morn. Can't wait to put it to music. It is a song to help teach my children and our spiritual children how to pray.

When We Pray

When we pray
We thank Him for another day
We tell Him how great He is
For He gives us all good things

(chorus: Then we quiet ourselves
We focus on Him alone
We listen for Him to speak
In whatever way He wants to speak)

Then we confess
Our faults to Him who loves us so
Loves us more than life itself
His mercy will renew us

(repeat chorus)

And then we ask
For strength to make it through the day
Keep us walking in Him today
And give us help to do His will

(repeat chorus)

Of course we ask
For Him to help our families
Our close brothers and sisters
The ones we live & work with in Him

(repeat chorus)

Not afraid to ask
He said ask and you will receive
He said you don’t have because you don’t ask
The constant cries of His church will yield results

(repeat chorus)

And as He leads
We cry out for our lost friends
The ones stuck in sadness and sin
The ones who do not yet know Him
We ask believing
We plead for them as for ourselves
Cry and wail as the Spirit leads
We don’t take no for an answer

(repeat chorus)

And He will lead
His Spirit will lead our prayers
He’ll show us where to go from there
He’ll take us into the deep

(repeat chorus)

And when we’re done
We worship and we love on Him
He wraps us in His arms again
And tells us we’re His own again

Tells us we’re His own again (repeat)
We’ll always be His own

Re-thinking the "End Times"

Oh man... I am sort of floored right now in my mind and spirit, and a little angry at all the twisted Bible teaching that I (and so many others) grew up with on the subject of eschatology.

How do you help someone to completely rethink their paradigm (their pre-existing set of beliefs and opinions) on a certain topic that they have been taugh fallacy on since they were very young? How do you help a person completely re-examine their entire belief system on a certain subject -- especially on a subject as full of confusion and fear (paralyzing fear) as this one? How do you help a person to take a huge mountain in their head, break it down piece by piece, rock by rock, and realize that the many pieces which constituted the mountain do not form a mountain - but actually something completely different? Where do you start? How can you help them see the need for a complete re-examination and then be willing to go through the process of re-discovery and re-learning?

Well, I do not doubt, as in anything truly important in this journey of life with God, it must be a God thing. It must be the Lord who initiates the questioning process which eventually leads to a complete re-examination of certain truths. Unless God is in it, trying to help a person see truth on a subject that has been as twisted as this one over the years, is like running into a brick wall.

Well I would like to encourage anyone being led to question their traditional thinking and belief system on the topic of eschatology that the process is worth it. It is so worth it. Imagine not experiencing fear and timidity surrounding the future because you understand the hope that God has given to all those who are in Him, and what He has truly revealed to our forefathers about our future. Picture reading the Bible - especially books like Daniel and Revelation and passages like Jesus' Olivet discourse - and fully understanding what you are reading, and being sincerely and deeply edified by it. Consider having so much more confidence in God, in His inspired writings, and in the apostolic fathers, because for the first time what were fuzzy and twisted sayings and teachings are now clear - and further prove that Him and everything about Him is true and living. This is the glorious result of coming in contact with Truth - and remaining in it.

On a topic as expansive as Bible eschatology, which includes verses and passages from nearly every book of the Bible, the task of rediscovery can seem daunting. Where do you start? Where do you go from there? How do you tell fact from fiction, truth from tradition? Well, on every journey, we start with Jesus. And we end with him too. He IS the truth, and He sent His Spirit to lead and guide us into ALL truth. The best posture before the word of God is one of complete humility and discipleship. Lord, teach me -- re-teach me on this subject. Show me what is true and what is not. Show me where to start and be my guide and my teacher. Protect me from every lie and deception of the enemy. Grant me understanding on this topic.

Let me next say that the right key opens the most frustrating lock with ease. The wrong key will not open the door no matter how hard you try. For many, searching for truth on this subject has been like systematically trying every key on the keychain to try and open that door (and for most, the right key has never been on the keychain at all - they've had to go searching for a new set of keys!). The fact is, when you find the right key to understanding this subject - the right paradigm through which to view this topic - all will become clear. The lock will unlatch, the heavy door will swing open with ease, and a new world of revelation and understanding and edification will be in front of you. For those who love the Bible, this is where it is at! God did not give us the inspired writings to confuse and perplex us endlessly - far be it from Him. He gave us His word to shed light, to give understanding, and to give us peace.

Simplicity

Well,
As life moves forward, repeating themes and thoughts and burdens seem to emerge. One of the key disciplines that always seems to come back to the forefront of my mind and heart is that of simplicity. Living simply - cutting out the extras, the unnecessaries, the weights, or the distractions - and filling my life with the simple and straightforward, the rich and the pure.

I don't want to waste my time. I don't want to be throwing punches into the air. I don't want to finish my life wondering where all the time went. I want to finish it knowing I lived it right and full - and that I put my thoughts and energy on what was truly important.

My kids are what is important. My wife is what is important. Learning to spend time with Jesus constantly is important. Loving sinners is important. Living in community. Working hard. Being honest. Being totally available.

The words from a John Mayer song come to mind. "How come everything I think I need, always comes with batteries - what do you think that means?"

Preach it, brother John :)

If something in my life needs batteries to work, then its probably just a filler or a substitute for something organic and real - and the organic and real comes straight from the LORD.

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt 3

Part 3 - Liturgy? Who needs it!

Okay - so the next misconception is not a misconception as much as a malpractice. Most understand that modern liturgical exercises do not find their roots among the primitive Christian church, but cling to modern liturgy nonetheless. Liturgy is a specific order of worship. Usually when we think of this term we think of something like the very traditional rituals of the Catholic church. However, presbyterian churches have them too - yes, even contemporary Christian churches have their liturgy - and I am afraid that it has taken over the modern church like a lingering cold that won't go away.

Any one of us could pick a church to visit on any given Sunday - small or large, black white or grey, and whatever the denomination - and generally know what to expect. Most services we could set our clocks by. We park, enter the building, are greeted by someone. Pick a seat in the sanctuary, and wait for the service to start. Someone steps on the platform in front, greets people or opens with a prayer, and the singing starts. 3-5 songs are sung. Then an offering is taken and/or announcements are given. Then the preacher or teacher steps up and prepares to give a sermon. Usually between 45 and 75 minutes long. Then either a corporate prayer or some type of altar call. There are variations to this of course, but pick whatever church or group - I don't care - any fairly mainstream denomination or church type, and it's nearly identical. Call it what you like, but that is liturgy. It's a specific order of worship. Whether we've consciously decided to follow this order, or sub-consciously, we follow it nonetheless... Or most do.

On this topic, like most every other, I believe that going back to the ancient writings to see how the early church functioned before the traditions and liturgies and organizing and institutionalism could very well revolutionize the way we practice our faith. Here is a key verse to kick things off:
1 Cor. 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."

This one simple statement written by Paul to the church in Corinth in the first century is paradigm-shattering if we thoroughly consider what it suggests. First of all, when's the last time you were in a gathering where "each person" had a song, a teaching, a tongue, a revelation, or an interpretation? Or when each person was simply even given the chance to share their individual gift? Although the church I grew up in was open to the spirit moving and taking over during a gathering, it was still a very rare occurence indeed. When it did happen, it was like pulling teeth. If God wanted to interrupt our comfortable liturgy, He had to play his cards just right or we weren't budging.

And we were better than most at this. Most churches don't ever see a service where each member can use their gift to build up the whole body. They are, without realizing it, helplessly bound by tradition. Our tradition has muzzled God's voice, quenched the moving of His Spirit, and held back His hand from truly working in our midst. We don't even see it.

This verse tells us a few key things. First, their gatherings were a forum for every Christian to share the gift God had given them before the whole group. Second, the believers in Corinth were so excited about what God was telling and showing each of them, that they had too much happening at once. Third - and I believe this is key - Paul's instruction to them was not to stop letting everyone share their gifts from the Lord when they came together, but rather to show them how to do it so that the whole group was built up. He did not stifle their giftings! Did not tell them that in order to avoid chaos let one person select all the songs they would sing each week and everyone else just stand by as spectators. Did not tell them to be quiet and let the smartest among them do all the ministering. Did not advise them to save their gifts for outside the corporate meeting. He was excited about each member functioning!

This is a peek into a bit of the glory of the early church. When they came together, anyone was free to share a song, a testimony, a revelation, a doctrine, a tongue or interpretation, or whatever other way the Spirit was communicating. Herein is the point. If the One who gives all these gifts is the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit were the focus of their gatherings, then it was not any man that was in charge of their meetings! It was the Holy Spirit who was in charge. He was the M.C., and He alone led the gatherings!

It would seem then, that if He wanted to speak through a certain individual one week, and someone completely different the next, He could. If He wanted to speak a little something through a number of different members during a particular gathering, He was free to. Maybe He wanted to speak through a child, or an elderly widow, or even a stranger walking in off the street. Perhaps one week He wanted to build up His body through songs, and the next week He wanted to build up His body through gifts of healing. Well he certainly could, because there was plenty of room for Him to move! As a result, the job of the believers each week was very different than it is today. Today a small handful of folks do a lot of preparing for the main gathering during the week (usually a song leader, some Sunday school teachers, and the pastor or preacher). Back then though, it would seem that it was every members job to prepare for the main gathering - each was to seek the Lord during the week (seperately and together I'm sure) so that when they all came together, God could speak through any one of them the exact message for the exact needs present in that meeting. Because after all, only He knows what each member comes in true need of each week!

For the sake of brevity I will wrap this up -- In my studies, here is what their average gathering looked like in the days of the primitive Christian churches: 1. They usually met in homes (more on this in a future installment - Acts 2:46, 20:20, 1 Cor 16:19, Col 4:15, Phm 1:2). 2. They shared a full meal (also called love feasts). 3. A sharing of the bread and the wine to remember and honor the Lord's sacrifice, according to the Lord's command. (1 Cor 11:20, Jud 1:12, Acts 2:46, 20:7) 4. Waiting on the Lord together and each sharing the gifts of the Spirit, in whatever way and through whatever forum the Spirit prompted each one.

I will also mention that this forum fits well with the oversight of elders (bishops or presbyters - spiritual moms and dads) who simply looked over the flock, fed the young ones, and were there to guide the church family at key times -- but did not do all the work or all the ministering. Every member functioned in their God-given gift, and the whole body grew up into the Lord together as they submitted to His headship alone.

It makes me wonder how many unspoken needs go unmet in our modern corporate gatherings today because the Lord is not allowed to break in and spontaneously minister to them. I wonder how many spiritually gifted individuals have never been encouraged to exercise the gifts God has given them, let alone have a forum in the presence of the whole body through which they could practice them. Over the years I wonder how many leaders with profound callings on their lives have sat on our pews and grown stale and weak because they were never given a consistent and meaningful place to minister among their extended spiritual family.

I also wonder how badly our Lord desires to be head of His church again, to be the One in charge of the gatherings of His people, and to minister in the way that only He can each and every week...

But I have already said too much.

Twisted Sisters - Common Bible Misconceptions - Pt.2

Part 2 - The Modern Pastor Isn't in the New Testament

I hate to say it - but it's true. The practice of having a head pastor of each church body does not find its roots in the New Testament scriptures. I hear the sacred cows mooing uneasily as I say this. Its not that I enjoy tipping sacred cows (I did once, but have grown up a little since then), but let's stand up for truth here and let the Bible speak for itself.

The English word "pastor" is used only 1 time in the New Testament. That right there should cause warning bells to go off in our heads - especially since that's a basic hermeneutical rule in most Christian circles - one obscure passage is not enough to create a Bible doctrine. Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established.

The English word "pastor" (used in Ephesians 4:11) is simply the Greek word for shepherd. This Greek word (poimen) is used many times in the NT, but in every other place it is translated "shepherd". Why the translators of the KJV and other modern versions of the Bible render this Greek word as "pastor" instead of what it is every other time - shepherd - is beyond me. Okay scratch that, it's not beyond me - Im pretty sure that the translators read their own traditions into the English translation - God rest their souls.

Eph. 4:11 - "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors (shepherds) and teachers..." First of all, the word here is coupled with teachers, and so the text suggests that shephereds and teachers are one and the same role. As in - a teacher is a shepherd, because they are feeding the sheep (1 Pet. 5:1). Paul simply threw the word "shepherds" in to further describe what a teacher really is in the body. Knowing that, I now realize that we had numerous able "shepherds" in the congregation of the church I grew up in...

But again, thats the only time the word "pastor" is used in the New Testament scriptures. In parallel passages like 1 Cor 12:28, where Paul is giving the same list of giftings to a different church, he doesnt even use the word "shepherd" but just says "teacher." So then if there were no pastors (as we have them today) in the early churches, who ran things? Aha - I'm so glad you asked!

There are many giftings listed by the apostles in their letters that were commonly at work in primitive Christian church, but I find only two offices. Elders (also called Bishops or presbyters) and Deacons (servants).

The word "elder" is "Presbuteros" in the Greek (literally - one advanced in life or age). The word Bishop is "Episkope" in the Greek (literally means 'overseer'). Both of these words refer to the same "office", but from two different angles. One focuses on the job of an elder (to oversee), and one focuses on the character of an elder (mature and responsible). In the NT, there was never just one elder in a church, it was always more than one (see Acts 14:23, 1 Tim 5:17, Tit 1:5, James 5:14, 1 Pet 5:1). See the NT guidelines of what qualifications an elder should have in 1 Tim 3 or Titus 1 (husband of one wife, can rule his own house well, not greedy for money, able to teach, etc). Wow, come to think of it, we had a LOT of people who met those simple guidelines in the congregation I grew up in...

We also have no record of the elders in each church being paid for that role. Wait, I shouldn't say that, I think I lost a few readers. Oh well, might as well be straight-forward. That's right, churches supported the itinerant apostolic workers among them (the travelling church planters), and supported the poor among them, but we have no record of each church's individual elders being paid for their oversight.

So back to our topic -- each church had "elders." In my church family today we just call these people spiritual moms and dads - they are more mature and responsible people who can help guide the group at key times and can feed the young ones. But they don't do all the work, and are not the heads of the church. Christ is the only head of the church, and everyone shares the responsibilities of ministry, because we are all priests to God under the New Covenant, and we have all been given different gifts to profit the whole group. No wonder Paul told the church in Corinth, "When you gather together, every one of you has a song, a teaching, a tongue, an interpretation, a revelation."

Anyway, the only other office we find mentioned in the New Testament was called a deacon, or servant. Servants were selected in some churches to oversee certain church events, like overseeing the distribution of food to the people in Acts 6. They also had the same simple character requirements as elders (1 Tim 3).

Those are the only two offices we find practiced in the primitive Christian churches of the New Testament. According to all the records we have, they had no solo pastors over each church.

So there you have it - take it for what its worth, chew on it, talk to Jesus about it, and consider the ramifications of it. I have little doubt that if churches today began to align themselves more closely with the patterns we find among the New Testament churches, they would be happier, healthier, and better equipped to fulfill the purpose of the body of Christ on this earth. I know that if the congregation I grew up among would have set its leadership up in this way, numerous troubles and crises could have been avoided. But hey -- its never too late to correct a mistake!