Recently I had (and am still having a discussion with a friend) regarding a church’s governmental structure (By Laws) and the issues that are inconsistent with what I perceive the Lord is doing in His Church today. There were two major themes that caused me great concern, and I would like to discuss them here. These two issues are closely related because one error leads to the other.
These two issues are:
- The error of replacing the headship of the church with a man rather than keeping Christ as the head.
- Setting up a system that creates a class system within the body of Christ (laity and clergy) rather than allowing for each believer to develop/mature under the leading and lordship of Christ in community.
In regards to the first, (the error of replacing the headship of the church with a man rather than keeping Christ as the head) this has been one of the major errors throughout the history of the Church. This has been a ploy of Satan throughout the ages from Cain and Able, to Babel, to choosing a king in Israel, to the desecration of the Temple.
Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God and the good news was that the King has arrived and his name is Jesus. We have no need for another king, another mediator, another leader that reigns supreme. When we ignore this reality in our church life and reduce the presence of Jesus to a faith statement at best we are robbing ourselves of what Jesus came to do. When we gather in His name He is really in our midst. He is not there figuratively, He is not there as a memory from the past or hope in the future – but He is there. Why is He there? He is there to administrate His authority as King. (Matt 18:18-20).
Why don’t we expect Jesus to administrate his supreme authority when we gather, or when we lead the affairs of a local church? Why do we look to men to replace our King? Why can’t we step aside and let Jesus be king and head of His Church? There are a few possible reasons, it could be unbelief, or lack of knowledge, or just plain lust for power to be in charge. This practice is a great sin. Our churches should resist everything the raises its head to replace the headship of our Lord and King Jesus. The only other head allowed in scripture is the husband being the head of his home, (Eph 5:22-24 – and that is in the context of explain Jesus as the head). Nowhere is there a mention of a man, regardless of his gifting, replacing Christ as the head of His Church.
Are we willing to structure our churches governments, meetings, ministries and activities with Jesus as Lord and King? Are we willing to have a relationship with him that is so real that we not only acknowledge his presence – but we expect him to preside? There is a desire in the body of Christ to have more intimacy with the Lord, to get a touch from the Lord, to have a visitation from the Lord both when we gather as well as in our hearts and lives. Is it possible that the reason these experienced are sometimes fleeting or at best for short seasons is because we refuse to submit to His lordship and plan our lives, our budgets, our ministries around the ideas of the “body” rather than the head?
What will it take to change? It first starts with me – how about you?
My next entry will discuss point #2: Setting up a system that creates a class system within the body of Christ (laity and clergy) rather than allowing for each believer to develop/mature under the leading and lordship of Christ in community.
July 24, 2008 at 1:19 pm
ooops- out with the pope and pastors- how convenient- lol – :>)
July 25, 2008 at 12:46 pm
David – pastors are biblical – Popes are another thing! The trouble is our contemporary definition and function of pastor doesn’t resemble the New Testament model, and his been turned into the senior officer of a corporation and sometimes dictator – most of the time – though there are some refreshing exceptions! The goal is to be one of those exceptions. Hopefully we can influence God’s servants to be that exception.
God Bless!
August 22, 2008 at 10:06 am
[...] issues and ways of doing ministry that is not conducive to simple church (those I mentioned in my 8 part “Church Structure” article on my blog), therefore a missions organization will need to make changes in their structure [...]
December 3, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Don, How do I get to the other seven blog posts? Would like to read what is in your heart about Church Structure and the Authority of Church Leaders as a representative of the Head…
Wisdomsvoice
December 4, 2008 at 11:06 am
yeah – it’s a little difficult – I’ll have to do some editing of the page to make things easier. The quickest way is to go the the “Don’s Categories” list on the right side of the page, click on the category “simple church” and page down till you get to that series. At the the end of the page, there is a link to “next page” which will get you to the rest.
December 4, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I have just made a page for the compilation of the posts on Simple Church Structure. You can see the link at the top of this page.
January 19, 2009 at 4:05 pm
I agree with much of your writings, however, there is a fine line between what you advocate, and an excuse by some to demonize the local church and simply stay home and “self church” I have a few good friends who have chosen to stay home and have their own Sunday service. What is lacking is the fellowship, accountability and the chance to build each other up in our faith as Scripture commands.
February 4, 2009 at 11:39 am
It is intersting that the comments on this subject start with the premise that the way we “do church” in 21st century America is somehow inherently “right”. The structure both polically and of our services seems to be unquestionable. This seems to be a bit like living as if history begins the day one is born and ends the day one dies. You maybe suprised by how much of what passes for “acceptable” within our institutions actually is based in traditions of men.
Maybe as Don asserts, there is a new hunger in the church that is not satisfied within the paradigm we have of how we are to “do church”.
Does “new wine” go into “old wine skins”?
February 4, 2009 at 11:48 am
You are so right Chris – if we do put new wine in those old skins – what will happen – we loose the new wine as it bursts the old wine skin and what we have left is a mess to clean up. If we would only get that new wine skin!