I am starting a discussion, a debate, about what would be the best church structure. Is the church, divided into all the different denomination and non-denominations, meeting on Sunday mornings, and for the more dedicated Sunday and Wednesday evenings the best way? Are the type of meetings we are having the most productive?
God has had me praying for the best church structure for the BV for several years. I am feeling led to start a discussion about this. I have been going to church regularly for 39 years in many countries and have had many experiences. I do not wish for this to be critical of any particular church or group. I believe God will use what He can of the things we give Him. God using us to some degree doesn't mean we are doing everything He would have us do. I simple wish for us to know what is the best church structure for this society.
The New Testament does not tell us very much about how to have church. Churches today are based mostly on tradition. Having a discussion about it could be very beneficial for pastor and spiritual leaders.
Is there a Church, a group that most of the members are on fire for God, that in practicality are putting Jesus first, that are consistantly working on loving God with all their hearts, souls, minds, and strenght? I believe such a Church would have the lost coming in regularly and getting saved.
ReplyDeleteHow often does a new convert need help, once a week, 3 times a week? What kind of meetings are neseccary to keep them alive spiritually?
I believe God would "add daily such as should be saved" to a group that could keep new converts alive.
Everyone is different. Different ones need different things to stay alive spiritualy. Some if not most are going to need a lot of help. The church needs to provide. The more mature believers need to develope in their giftings, to be put to work serving the need of the less mature.
ReplyDeleteI'm still trying to figure out how to do this blogging thing and twitter. Maybe I should have learned more before I stared. I was hoping to get more comments, but maybe I didn't get this started the best way. Maybe I need to give some examples of what I think would make a good church structure.
ReplyDeleteA home group based church where ministry flows and needs are being met on a consistant basis would be essential. Ralph Neighbour,s organisation has a good program and materials and has helped many churches get started with home groups. Discipleship should be interwoven. In Fellowship church each home group has a man and a wife or woman leading plus a man and woman (wife) in training. Their home groups also have special smaller groups for different needs. Fellowship church also has a better than average focus on prayer. I didn't find the people at Fellowship church more spiritual or closer to the the Lord than some of the other churches I have attended, yet they have helped hundreds of students grow in the Lord. In my oppion their good church structure is the means of grace for God to work through.
Some of the essential for the best church structure would be: prayer, home groups, discipleship, plurality of leadership, and correctness of doctrine.
The five fold ministry functioning, not nescessary giving people titles, but a structure that promotes people into their giftings, their ministeries at the proper time.
A structure that is home group centered. That is the home group being church more so than the organisation or Sunday morning meetings being the church. Of course those that depend on a salary from Sunday morning meetings might feel threatened. But those that are called of the Lord shouldn't. The increase in numbers and the less need for buildings should provide plenty for those called into full time ministry. Some will ask who is going to decide if they are call and the timing is right? Maybe home group leaders that see their function, that know what they actually add to the church. Maybe some of the decision making should come from all the functioning leadership. The physical power structure starts with the individual. He votes with his feet. I believe the authority stucture should be as simple as possible, probablly starting at the bottom, no closed meetings, and nothing done in secret. There would need to be an awareness of Satan always trying to influence, especially pshycologically. Nobody is immuned.
What I am hoping is that we would share what we have seen that works from the churches we have been in.