Who's In Charge?
As many who have followed my "long ride"
journey over the past year-and-a-half know, I began blogging shortly
after my wife and I left the church we had been a part of after
twenty-two years. That decision and what has followed would fill many
books if I had the where with all to take our adventure into that
arena. Suffice it to say, there have been ups and downs and periods of
great clarity along with that foggy feeling that sometimes surrounds us
in our day to day life.
Lately, the journey has taken on new dimensions—almost like the Dylan Thomas verse that says: The force that through the green fuse drives the flower—we have been driven into many deep places that have brought peace and subsequent reconciliation.
Walking with God is definitely a process that seemingly flows like a river to the sea which then gets swallowed up by the ocean. Yet even as we become a part of the great big ocean, we still maintain a very distinct fingerprint of uniqueness that sets us apart from the rest of the molecules that make up that great body of water.
Many of my most revelatory moments come at odd times. Like yesterday, in the shower, I had the thought about who is in charge of the church. Are the pastors in charge, or the elders or deacons? Is it the committees that are appointed for this task or that one?
In our classical understanding, most of us would say that Christ is in charge of the church—and in practical theory we would be right in that assumption. However, in reality we know that what the church looks like today is a far cry from what we see in the book of Acts. Yet what we see as the early church in much of Acts is only a spiritual blueprint and not the actual physical blueprint or manifestation of the Glory of God that was intended to fill the earth.
I will have to admit, at this point, that throughout my entire Christian life (since about 1979) I have felt that what I read about in Acts and what I experienced in my own life were very much different—and I have never really been able to put my finger on what it is I felt.
It sometimes takes years for us to assimilate the information we need in order to put together a picture of what it is we are missing. This is what has been going on in my life the past several months—seemingly at an accelerated pace.
In 1 John 2:27 we read: As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
Scripture also tells us that it is the traditions of men that have voided the power of God in our lives and in our respective churches.
After having thought about this for a while, I got up in the middle of the night and read the book of Acts looking specifically for information about the early church and how it was formed. One striking fact is that when Paul, etc. wrote letters to the church, it was to "one" church in "each" city that the letters were addressed. If there were copies made and sent to the Baptists, Methodists, Charismatics, etc. I saw no mention of it. So I guess I can surmise that even though the early Christians met from house to house to study and break bread in small groups, that each group identified itself with the whole "body" of believers in that particular area or town/city, etc.
I am not going to say at this point that I am a bible scholar or even pretend to understand all of this "church" stuff. What I will be bold enough to say is this: when Christians are unified in substance and purpose, the power of God can manifest. I have seen it time and time again in many of the small groups I have been a part of the past few months. Whether we call these groups "church" or not, when two or three are gathered in His name, He is present.
When a group of people trust God and one another enough to be transparent and real, healing will take place, love will happen and change will not be something we avoid but rather embrace.
Jesus is in charge of the "church" and we need Him to help us find our way into wholeness and into the lives of those who are ready for the message that we carry.
As John Piper said: "God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him."
There are no more days of lack of purpose or perspective—rather days to enjoy our Father, our Friend and the family that we find ourselves a part of.
That's a ride worth taking anyday!
Lately, the journey has taken on new dimensions—almost like the Dylan Thomas verse that says: The force that through the green fuse drives the flower—we have been driven into many deep places that have brought peace and subsequent reconciliation.
Walking with God is definitely a process that seemingly flows like a river to the sea which then gets swallowed up by the ocean. Yet even as we become a part of the great big ocean, we still maintain a very distinct fingerprint of uniqueness that sets us apart from the rest of the molecules that make up that great body of water.
Many of my most revelatory moments come at odd times. Like yesterday, in the shower, I had the thought about who is in charge of the church. Are the pastors in charge, or the elders or deacons? Is it the committees that are appointed for this task or that one?
In our classical understanding, most of us would say that Christ is in charge of the church—and in practical theory we would be right in that assumption. However, in reality we know that what the church looks like today is a far cry from what we see in the book of Acts. Yet what we see as the early church in much of Acts is only a spiritual blueprint and not the actual physical blueprint or manifestation of the Glory of God that was intended to fill the earth.
I will have to admit, at this point, that throughout my entire Christian life (since about 1979) I have felt that what I read about in Acts and what I experienced in my own life were very much different—and I have never really been able to put my finger on what it is I felt.
It sometimes takes years for us to assimilate the information we need in order to put together a picture of what it is we are missing. This is what has been going on in my life the past several months—seemingly at an accelerated pace.
In 1 John 2:27 we read: As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.
Scripture also tells us that it is the traditions of men that have voided the power of God in our lives and in our respective churches.
After having thought about this for a while, I got up in the middle of the night and read the book of Acts looking specifically for information about the early church and how it was formed. One striking fact is that when Paul, etc. wrote letters to the church, it was to "one" church in "each" city that the letters were addressed. If there were copies made and sent to the Baptists, Methodists, Charismatics, etc. I saw no mention of it. So I guess I can surmise that even though the early Christians met from house to house to study and break bread in small groups, that each group identified itself with the whole "body" of believers in that particular area or town/city, etc.
I am not going to say at this point that I am a bible scholar or even pretend to understand all of this "church" stuff. What I will be bold enough to say is this: when Christians are unified in substance and purpose, the power of God can manifest. I have seen it time and time again in many of the small groups I have been a part of the past few months. Whether we call these groups "church" or not, when two or three are gathered in His name, He is present.
When a group of people trust God and one another enough to be transparent and real, healing will take place, love will happen and change will not be something we avoid but rather embrace.
Jesus is in charge of the "church" and we need Him to help us find our way into wholeness and into the lives of those who are ready for the message that we carry.
As John Piper said: "God is most glorified in me when I am most satisfied in Him."
There are no more days of lack of purpose or perspective—rather days to enjoy our Father, our Friend and the family that we find ourselves a part of.
That's a ride worth taking anyday!
I'm glad we're on the ride together!
Reply to this
I see the essence of what we have sought all these years in this sentence which you have written: "When a group of people trust God and one another enough to be transparent and real, healing will take place, love will happen and change will not be something we avoid but rather embrace."
Yes, we have sought that. In some ways, we approach its fulfillment. In other ways, we have fallen short. But I can tell you this: the Kingdom that Christ hath founded is much greater than that. You and I could go today to Tanzania, or China, or Ecuador, or Romania, or Myrtle Beach, or most any place on earth, and we would find there believers in the Lord Jesus whose faith originated with those first seeds sown by Peter, Paul, etc. This thing is far, far bigger than what happens between "two or more of you." He also manifests wherever "two or more (hundreds, thousands, millions)agree. The Kingdom of God is destined to occupy all the earth.
What you have observed about the cell(group) is also true of the entire organism (Body of Christ) and is much more awesome that we can comprehend.
C
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this line pretty much says it all, this is where true unity will come...my prayer for the universal church is just that...transparency...we can talk it, but more is required than that..we must 'do'it...good stuff..."When a group of people trust God and one another enough to be transparent and real, healing will take place, love will happen and change will not be something we avoid but rather embrace."
melody
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