Tag Archives: church leadership

Church Chat [Ecclesiology], Old Facebook Posts

On pragmatism and biblicism

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(Old Facebook Post – Revised)

I would rather be part of a biblical church that lasts only 10 years than be part of a human institution that lasts for 10 generations.

When it comes to church governance, leadership, and applications, the question “What will work?” (that is, “What will keep my church from falling into sin?”) must always be subordinated to the question, “What does the Bible teach us?” The former question, when given precedence, leads to rationalization and humanistic pragmatism, no matter how baptized with good intentions and genuine spiritual sincerity. The second question forces us to submit our thinking and planning to what truly works in God’s eyes, from his eternal perspective. And his Church will not die, no matter how many human religious institutions stand or fall. Nor will our churches die if we exalt His Word, no matter how radically they may experience outward change in the process.

The heavenly pragmatist remember’s Paul’s stinging admonition: “Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:2-3 ESV)

Church Chat [Ecclesiology], Old Facebook Posts

The goal of gospel contextualization

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(Old Facebook Post – Revised)

Good questions and reflections here by Thabiti Anyabwile for missiologists and church leaders about the gospel and culture. I especially found this thought-provoking:

“It seems to me that a lot of the popular discussion of contextualization suffers from an incomplete statement of the goal. Contextualizing isn’t the goal. I think everyone who pauses to think about this even for a moment would agree with this. But what’s missing is, imo, a robust statement of the goal. What’s the end we ought to have in mind as we employ this strategy? What does Paul have in mind when he says “so that I might win some”? It’s not simply Christian profession. Nor is it simply personal discipleship. Neither is it simply church membership. If Paul means to win people to the position he himself occupies, it also includes such a radical redefinition of personal identity that he and the convert can become all things to all men (a kind of loose grip on natural identity itself, or a radically enlarged notion of freedom in Christ).”

How should this shape our churches? What if the goal of our discipleship programs and church structures was to equip each member to “become all things to all people… for the sake of the gospel,” as Paul did, “that by all means [they] might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22-23)? What would such a church look like? How much visible diversity would be present? How much gospel unity?

Church Chat [Ecclesiology], Old Facebook Posts

On the danger of turning norms into absolutes

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(Old Facebook Post)

One danger in biblical interpretation is the temptation to turn pragmatic norms into absolute rules. I’ve been thinking about this in relation to the question of who may baptize or serve the Lord’s Supper.

It is only natural and right, given biblical teaching about the responsibility pastors/elders bear to lead churches, and given socially-driven expectations placed upon leaders, that they will regularly perform baptisms and serve the Lord’s Supper. However, besides the command in the Great Commission about baptizing (Matt. 28:19), no biblical text gives any explicit instructions whatsoever about who should perform either of these tasks. Yet most Protestant and Anabaptist congregations have created a near-absolute rule that only ordained ministers may “administer the ordinances.” I think this does violence to Scripture, turning norms into absolutes.

Indeed, it could be argued that the more mature a local church is, the freer its individual members will be to all baptize and serve the Lord’s Supper without direct ministerial participation. As I understand it, Ephesians 4:11-12 does not say that leaders are given “for the work of ministry” (as KJV wrongly indicates), but that they are to given “equip the saints for the work of ministry” (ESV). Should not a well-equipped saint be prepared for “every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16), including baptizing new believers and celebrating the Lord’s Supper with fellow saints?