In the Eye of the Storm: God is Building His Church - More Church Structure Possibilities

In The Eye of the Storm

Part II printer friendly
The Second Phase of the Church
Corporate Relationship Concept

Chapter 10

More Church Structure Possibilities

The ideas I will discuss in this chapter are possibilities for apostles to consider for church structure. It probably will cause some eye-brows to be raised—some eyes may even roll right up in the head! But keep in mind that they are possibilities. They are capable of coming into being, but they have to first "bear witness" with those who would be led to implement them.

Maybe we will simply be challenged to stop and think where we are going and ask if God is in it or not. That would be a good place to start. The suggestions made here are things to ponder. On this journey, we must find our way together.

Everyone A Priest: Tent-making for Everyone

When a church is designed to involve everyone, starting in spiritual family cell groups and ordaining leaders from those groups to serve the larger corporate church, each person readily recognizes their "royal priesthood." There is no chasm separating leaders and laity because all believers are priests for the kingdom of God. "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (I Peter 2:9).

If everyone is a "priest" and involved in spreading the kingdom of love, how can you give financial remuneration for this? The truth of the matter is, you can't be paid, because where do you start and stop? Hold it, you say! This is too radical. Shouldn't the "equippers of the saints," at least, get paid?

Maybe not. I know several denominations in which no one gets paid for doing spiritual work. They believe laity and leaders alike should work at a secular job in order to support their Christian witness. In Acts 18:3, we read that Paul made tents for a living while he preached the gospel.

An interesting study of foreign missions was made involving 400 missionaries that helps to give credibility to this idea. In this study, it was discovered that the full-time missionary spent 26% of his time doing actual missionary work. The rest of his time and energies went into securing supplies, maintaining a house, entertaining financial supporters and so on in a foreign country.

In comparison, a Christian believer in that country was working a full-time job and also doing 24% of church work in his spare time.

Only a 2% difference was found between a full-time missionary's spiritual work time and a local believer's spiritual work time.

In light of this, maybe it is not too radical to consider that everyone (including leaders) could have a "tent-making ministry." Secular jobs would support everyone's missionary efforts or spiritual work. Think of the possibilities of this strategy!

For Apostle Paul, tent-making was a strategy for reaching the nations. In II Thessalonians 3:7-9 he says, "You yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you."

What was the reason Paul gave for working instead of being supported by the people? He says, " . . . not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to make ourselves a model for you to follow." Should we model after Apostle Paul's example of tent-making? It's something to ponder and take into consideration for the designing of the church.

Franchise Churches Vs. Individual Congregational Churches

I am calling a local autonomous church an "individual congregational church" because it is governed by one individual or church leader leading the congregation. When we look into the business world, we discover that 75-85% of new businesses started by a sole proprietor fail within the first five years. A parallel rate of failure is found within the first few years of churches started by individuals.

An individual must continually keep his focus on Jesus and totally rely on the Holy Spirit to lead him or he can easily fall into an ownership mentality for his church. When this happens, rather than getting help from others to build the church, he will focus selfishly on his own strength and look at the church as "his" church. This "Lone Ranger" ownership mentality is a surefire path to failure.

Another alternative for church government could be a franchise type church. The rate of failure of a well run franchise type operation in the business world is only 3% (in the United States). Franchise type church denominations also claim this low rate of failure. Of course, a lot has to do with how well the franchise is serviced to the customers in the business world or to how well the spiritual needs of the people are attended in the church field.

Some denominations have had great success with this "McDonald's franchise-type" operation where a central office owns all the buildings. When a new church in a local area needs to be built, funds from corporate headquarters flow immediately to this church, and they have a mortgage- free church built for them. This has worked well in a capitalistic society because the local congregation does not have to be involved in handling finances, taking a tremendous load off the spiritual leaders. Indebtedness often bankrupts churches. This type of church would require the entire national franchise church operation to be set up and designed by apostles.

Financial and administrative policy could be set from this central national office.

Again, it is something to think about.

Are Cells or Celebrations the Main Focus?

In the Old Testament, the Feast of the Tabernacles was held once a year. Thousands would come together to stay for a number of days for this celebration. How could we employ this concept in today's church?

If home cell groups would come together only once or twice a year for a celebration (including a few days of intensive teaching and training), they could receive the same amount of teaching as they would receive in a weekly one-hour celebration meeting during a year's span of time! The high financial costs of holding weekly celebrations compared to yearly celebrations is also a factor to consider.

At the very most, I would suggest that celebrations occur no more frequently than once a month, because if they meet every week, there is often a trade off between home groups and the celebrations. In America, when central celebrations are held frequently, I have seen people quickly settle into attending only the highly visible weekly Sunday morning celebrations, and the home cells become an appendage of the church. They are not the center of church ministry as they should be.

Of course, there are many countries in the world today where a lack of religious freedom does not allow Christians to meet in large celebration groups. In these areas, the house churches are indeed the center of the church. In both cases, a particular church's needs have to be studied closely by the overseers, working in conjunction with the apostles, until a workable solution is found.

Each central celebration needs to be closely studied, and factors such as talents, giftings and anointings available should be taken into consideration before the overseer would decide what would work best for the particular situation in his local area.

Senior Citizen Missiology

The Great Commission challenges all Christians to go to the nations to preach the good news. A Christian missionary is commissioned by a local church to evangelize, plant churches and disciple people away from his home area and often among people of a different race, culture or language.

A great many of those called as missionaries go as young people, either before they start a family or in the early years of starting a family. Fewer mature people serve as missionaries. Often mature people (50 and up) are relegated to the rocking chair with no thought of a missionary assignment to outer Mongolia!

I propose that older people have input greatly needed in the nations of the world. Although in western culture, age is not exactly revered, in many cultures it is. Mature people are respected as a source of wisdom and experience.

A person's life cycle could be broken down as follows: Ages 0-30 is the time for education, both formal and informal. Ages 30-50 is the age of achievement when individuals raise families and develop their life's occupation. Ages 50 and up is the "age of service" when mature people with their wealth of wisdom and experience have more time for volunteer service including social and missionary work. Think what could be accomplished by thousands of older people and retirees using their senior years to serve the Lord in missionary service!

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