FOUNDATIONS
Before outlining succinctly the Vision for B.A.S.I.C.S. (Brothers And Sisters In Christ’s Service) Fellowship let me set some foundations regarding three crucial points that are the basis for planting and establishing what will be a different and, we believe, more effective local expression of the Church. If you are not interested in a deeper explanation feel free to skip to the B.A.S.I.C.S. Vision and Objectives pages.
1). UNDERSTANDING GODS PURPOSE FOR THE CHURCH AND OUR MISSION:
The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ Jesus and His ascension and exaltation, and the subsequent sending of The Helper – The Holy Spirit, resulted in the exaltation of the Church as well. Now, I don’t mean exaltation in the sense that we, the local church, are to be worshiped. I just mean that when Jesus was here He could be in one place at one time. The Church consisted of a few followers and disciples without complete understanding of their commission, authority, and without the power He said would come with the Holy Spirit (as witnessed in Acts 2). When He ascended that changed. He left a compliment of Himself, His Body – the Church, that, with the Helper, could manifest His presence and power in many places and go “into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark16: 15). And this manifestation of Himself was intended to do “even greater works…because I go to the Father” (John 14:12). The nature of the Church changed, and the Holy Spirit was given as a Helper.
Ephesians 1:18-21 Paul says: I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come.
Note Paul wanted us to understand the “riches of His inheritance in the saints“. In order for an inheritance to be received, there must be a death! Jesus’ death did deliver to you and me an inheritance. But, more important was that it brought God the Father an inheritance and …it is us!!!! His rich inheritance is in the saints. It is us…the Church.
This begs the question of why he would consider us such a prize. Note that Paul wants us to also understand “what is the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe” as well. In the death burial, resurrection, ascension of Christ, and the subsequent sending of the Holy Spirit to the Church, The Father was bringing about His eternal purposes in Christ to show and manifest His power in us. As the first fruits of the restoration of all creation, He would exhibit His power and kingdom in and through us. His rule and authority, as well as His power are to be seen in us as those redeemed from the fall.
Ephesians 1:22 & 23 Paul says “And He (God) put all things in subjection under His (Jesus) feet and gave Him (Jesus) as head over all things to the church (His rule and reign, Kingdom is to be seen first in us) which is His body (a physical vessel for his presence..), the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” We, the Church, are to be “the fullness of Him who fills all in all”. We are the physical manifestation of Christ on the face of the planet. Again, this does not make us deity to be worshiped! It does make us, under His Headship and with the Help/Power of the Holy Spirit, His body (the arms – hands – feet – voice), the body of the Living Christ. We are the vehicle and the instrument through which He will impact the world and accomplish His purposes! He is to be revealed anytime we come together and through our relationships to each other.
We must understand that the outcome and fate of the world does not rest in the actions of mad men Ayatollahs, the economy, governments or any other such thing or institution. The outcome and fate of the world rest in the purpose of God! And we, His Church, are at the center or that purpose! These insane Muslims and wars and economic factors are a part of the consequences of the times, but the prime determining factor on the face of the planet is the Church!!!! “The fullness of Him who fills all in all”! There is no second string, and no backup plan. We are whom He intends to manifest His glory and power in and accomplish His purposes through. We must take this identity seriously and commit to impacting a lost world with the gospel and powerful ministry just as Jesus did, and wants to do now through us! Most of the Church is in a state of not recognizing who she is nor the surpassing greatness of His power that is to be manifest in her… just as it was in Him when he walked the planet. As William Booth and Keith Green put so well, the Church, for the most part, is Asleep In The Light. Most believers are happy just to go to church, unconcerned with being the Church, enjoying life saved and redeemed, but without passion to reach those perishing around them.
An authentic expression of His Body growing and functioning in maturity in Christ, and effective ministry to the world because of that maturity, must grasp an understanding of our position in Christ and this mandate. If we are to ever mature into the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
2) RECOGNITION AND RELEASE OF MINISTRY GIFTS TO THE CHURCH
We must always keep in mind that we are a part of His eternal purposes. He has a plan! He is not making things up as He goes. He redeemed the Church for a purpose. However, the adversary also has a will and plan too. If he can keep the Church from maturity, he can keep it ineffective in accomplishing its purpose in Him. In the world, we do not conscript 3 and 10 year old children into battle because they are not mature enough to be wise. They can be easily duped and are weak in body and mind. I fear the adversary’s plan has been to keep believers immature so he can dupe and confuse the Church.
Unfortunately, the Church has been rendered ineffective and incapable of reaching maturity in one of the most insidious of ways. She has been made uncomfortable with the very training elements, ministry gifts, that she has been provided with and needs to grow up into maturity. We, like unwise children, have been duped to fear and dislike or, at least, misunderstand the very nutrients, exercise, and instruments we most need to mature and be effective. We are a bit like those who are mature enough to be conscripted to military service, but that have rejected the drill instructor training on the line of command, our equipment and weponary, and purpose of the mission. Not to mention any conditioning and fitness training. As a result we are far less effective in the mission than was intended by our Commander in Chief.
Eph. 4:11-12 “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ;”
Note that He “gave” these ministries to the Church. These ministries and those who have been called to them, are gifts to the Church from God! He has given them for a specific purpose! Now, I don’t say this to exalt those who have been called to such ministries. May it never be! I say this to point out that they are intended to be a blessing and resource to the Church from God, and are not a disposable part of His purpose and plan for the Church. Their function is to equip saints to do the work of ministry. They aren’t to do the ministry (at least not alone)! Their primary function is to equip believers to do ministry! And the natural outworking of that equipping and doing ministry is that the body is built up. It is like exercise. The more saints are equipped to do, and do ministry, the more the body is built up and begins to mature. Eph. 4:13 ” until we all attain the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” This makes it clear the goal is that we “attain…the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ“. It is painfully obvious that we can never be “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” if we reject the very ministry gifts God delivered to us for that purpose. In fact, verse 14 shows us the confusion and immaturity of the child that the Church stays in, if not equipped by these ministries and if not doing the work of ministry. And verse 15 admonishes us, in love, to grow up into the maturity of our Head! “As a result we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspect into Him, who is the head, even Christ….”
Is it any wonder that the American Church has been kept so ineffective in manifesting His kingdom and power? We have had incomparable wealth, technology, education, and tremendous opportunity and yet have been ineffective in our culture. I believe that is, in large part , because we have rejected God’s gifts and plan for maturing us into the fullness of Him who fills all in all. We have gone for marketing, seminary degrees and more education, big buildings, and expenditures of money on programs. Everything and anything but recognize, embrace and release His plan in these ministry gifts to us.
You see, but for the pastor and teacher, the Church has rejected these “ministry gifts”, or relegated them to a time past, or just perverted their defined biblical purpose. This has been done for a number of reasons. Without entering into great detail and debate, suffice it to say that most of this “rejection” stems from two sources. 1) Fear. Fear of the supernatural, and fear of those who may abuse title and office. This fear has led us to throw the baby out with the bath water. 2) Our unwillingness (read that : our desire to ditch our responsibility) to do the work of ministry and be about the Fathers business as Jesus was. We have not been willing to do certain uncomfortable work, nor much that requires sacrifice. We instead opt for hiring it done by “professional clergy”. We reject being equipped by His called ministry gifts, and try to pay someone to do the “work of ministry” in our stead.
The apostle and prophet have, by far and in large, been relegated to being for times past. However, for my part, it is rightly dividing the word a bit too slim when we somehow convince ourselves that 60% (3/5) of Eph. 4:11 applies to today, and the other 40% (2/5) doesn’t and supposedly belongs to another dispensation. It’s not even good logic, much less good theology.
Without going into great detail and debate, consider some of the following ideas about how we have arrived at this point of rejection and/or misunderstanding of these ministry gifts. Again this is not intended to be an exhaustive discourse.
The apostle has been rejected primarily because, somewhere along the way, the term became considered too lofty to apply to any mortal man. The attitude is “Peter and Paul were apostles and they were spiritual giants and perfect!” The scriptures about them do not bear that out! An apostle is simply one sent out. He plows new ground and plants new churches. His work is laying new foundations and correcting/shoring up existing ones. It is a work requiring sacrifice and commitment. He equips churches with sound doctrine, administration and direction. He often takes saints with him to train them in laying foundations or installs them to establish or be a part of a new community of believers. We reject the ministry because we don’t want to be called to that kind of sacrifice. He also gives input to local elders, holds them accountable to Christ, and brings correction and discipline when needed. Some root of rejection may have also come from abuses in times past by some “calling” themselves apostles who were heavy handed or out of order as well. However, apostolic ministry is still alive and greatly needed if he Church is to grow and expand.
The prophet suffers the same sort of rejection based upon misunderstanding the biblical term and/or considering it too lofty to be applied to any man. The attitude is “Jeremiah and Ezekiel were prophets. But today we have no need of them because we have the cannon of scriptures completed.” This thinking puts severe limitation on these ministry gifts and denies the Church the power of hearing the (rhema) word, the now revelation of God for a particular moment and situation. This (rhema) word must , of course, line up with and never compromise the (logos) word, His written revelation. Rejecting the ministry of the prophet relegates the church to only be able to hear God speak from teaching of the logos (written word) but limits His ability to speak through the prophetic ministry. God spoke through His prophets for all the ages in the scriptures, but has stopped now in the Church age? Why would Paul say he gave some as prophets to equip the Church, if their ministry was just going to last until he and a few others stopped writing letters? Again, it is not even good logic, much less good theology. This rejection denies the Church the opportunity to use it’s eyes too. Because part of the ministry of the prophet is the Seer, the ability to perceive through God’s revelation what may lie ahead and then give understanding to a hidden mystery and give insightful clear direction.
The evangelist has been perverted to mean someone, like Billy Graham, who preaches crusades or revivals. No slight is intended to Billy Graham and his ministry! But the ministry of the evangelist is not primarily to reach the lost. According to Ephesians 4:11 he is given to equip the saints to handle the gospel (evangel) and reach the lost. Because we are uncomfortable with our responsibility to share the gospel we would much rather leave that to professional clergy like Billy Graham. However the evangelist is here today and his gift is greatly needed as well. He is not necessarily the one who does evangelism. He is one who equips the saints to handle the message, and do evangelism. He trains in apologetics, so we understand how to make a ready defense of the reasonableness of our faith. He trains the church to be ready to share and impact the world around them with words and service, and reach far more one by one than Graham could reach in lifetime.
The pastor has also been perverted into being seen as one who “does it all”. He is often relegated to doing the work of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher and local elder administrator. Because his is the only ministry recognized in most church expressions, he is expected to be jack of all trades, Superman, and ends up being master of none. Oh, he may be given the extra-biblical offices of a “music minister” and “youth pastor” at his right hand, but that’s only because the church has decided these too are areas of ministry best left to so called “professional clergy”. Today’s pastor is overworked, stressed and often burnt out because of expectations to function outside his real calling. Rather than being the caring shepherd of individuals, counselor or coach, and one committed to maturing saints through personal discipleship that goes with his true calling, he is often required to be everything from church administrator to dynamic speaker. The church is left in a state of immaturity, even in churches that are sensitive to the work and operation of the Holy Spirit, because we press the pastor to function in ministry totally outside his gifting and calling. It should also be noted that, in some cases, the so-called pastor has not been pressed into this position, but has taken it on out their own strong personalities and pride. Some men, who don’t understand the truth of ministry gifts given to the Church, are so foolish and bold as to believe their “Pastoral” gift or calling covers it all. These men plug people into their vision, but often fail to train or release others to function under the true head of the Church, Jesus. They, in fact hinder the church by usurping the true Headship of Jesus. The end is little effectiveness because of little to no release being given to other ministry gifts, worse yet, they quench of the priesthood of the believer so that little release is given to Body ministry.
Our understanding of the teacher has also been distorted. We have thought because a local elder must be able to teach (1st Tim. 3:2), that anyone and everyone with some call to ministry is a teacher. They are not. Most of the ”Pastor’s” who fill a pulpit every Sunday with a sermon, unfortunately, are not teachers. A teacher is called of God. It is not an office appointed by the local church like an elder. He is not just a “good preacher”. He too a ministry gift to the Church. He acts as balance to the prophetic and apostolic ministries. He is the guardian of the truth, and his didactic nature holds strong accountability to the Word of truth. He is a trainer, motivator and inspires the church regarding who she is and her mission, while inspiring individual believers to maturity as well. He handles the scriptures with passion and accuracy. Oh, that there might be more authentic teaching in our corporate gatherings, and less aimless preaching by those who have good hearts (or even calling to other ministry gifts) but who are not gifted to handle the scriptures to help mature the church.
Perhaps most unfortunate in this rejection and perversion of understanding ministry gifts is that it has quite often resulted in ministries and church expressions that are built around only one man or one man’s gift. Or, worse yet, one man’s driving personality. The mantle of local leadership and equipping was never intended to be on the shoulders of one man, and certainly not built around one “personality”. The church is to be built up by these several true ministry gifts into the only true Head, Jesus. There is one Head of the church, and it is not the pastor. It is Jesus. His Headship/Lordship should be revealed in our corporate gatherings as the Holy Spirity administrates the release of gifts and Body ministry through every member functioning at His direction.
These ministry gifts I have outlined function as local and extra-local resources to His body. They function under His Headship and at the invitation, recognition, and release of (what should be) local plural elders who govern the local expression. They may or may not even be local elders. They don’t “lord it over” the church or local elders, they don’t draw attention to themselves, and should not be resting or put upon pedestals. They are resources to equip the saints for the work of ministry, and they point the church to the true Head always motivating the Body to grow up into the full stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ.
I will not go into local church government here but to say I am convinced, from the scriptures, that proper local church leadership comes from a plurality, actually a collegiality, of local elders. These elders qualify for this office by meeting the qualifications outlined in the scriptures (1st Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9).
(NOTE: I use the term “ministry gifts” to define these Ephesians 4:11-12 ministries and delineate them from the gifts of the Holy Spirit which anyone may manifest at the unction of the Spirit and outlined in other of Paul’s letters. These ministry gifts and those entrusted with them are gifts to the Church. They hold the "ministry giff” not by training or, even by long trusted character and relationship in the local expression, but by God’s calling. Without going into detail, let me say that a man holding a ministry gift will hold that gift wherever he goes in the Body of Christ. He may, or may not, function in the office of a local elder in a local expression where he is committed. However he will function in His ministry gift calling in whatever expression of the Body he is, if given release and as God makes room for the gift. Conversely a local elder may be a godly man in all the ways outlined in Timothy and Titus and qualified for that office, but will hold it only in the local expression he is part of and where he has been recognized as an elder. He may or may not be gifted or called with a “ministry gift.”)
This rejection and perversion of understanding of these ministry gifts has resulted in the Church, overall, not being trained/equipped and left her much less effective in the work of service and ministry to each other and to the world. It also has resulted in the Church having a lack of clear direction and understanding of who she is and her purposes in Him.
An authentic expression of His Body growing and functioning in maturity in Christ, and effective ministry to the world because of that maturity, must recognize, embrace, and release these vital ministry gifts to the church. If we are to ever mature into the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
3) CORPORATE WORSHIP LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT AND DRIVEN BY STEWARDSHIP OF INDIVIDUAL GIFTS AND THE PURPOSES OF GOD FOR THAT TIME AS WE MEET WITH HIM AND MINISTER TO ONE ANOTHER.
We do not go to church! We are the Church! So when we come together in a setting of corporate worship we should experience the Body of Christ as an alive and functioning reality. Christ should be revealed in us corporately through each member functioning in their gift and purpose under the Head, Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.
In the American Church His Headship in the Church and release of the Spirit have too often been quenched. Either by leaders who fear it, and/or a body of saints who have not been trained to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and ready to minister to the Lord and to other believers. The American Church is filled with spectators. It needs to be filled with stewards. At best, most believers today come to corporate fellowship not ready to be used in ministry, but rather like a kid who brings a glove to a ball game. He is not really prepared to play, and doesn’t see himself as a part of the team and what is happening, but hoping against hope that, just maybe, a foul ball will come his way. We are not to be spectators. We are to be stewards of the manifold grace of God and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Peter says: “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold (multi faceted) grace of God. Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength, which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen “ (1st Peter 4:10)
Paul tells the Corinthian church: “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification.” (1st Cor. 14:26)
When was the last time most believers went to fellowship expecting to be any more than a spectator waiting for direction from the platform? We have trained the saints to be hearers of the word only and not doers, at least in worship/corporate gatherings. Instead of teaching saints to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and come to gatherings having prayed about the meeting and God’s purposes in it, and open to what He might have them do or how He might minister through them. We have taught them to limit their “participation” to sing along and responsive reading. This is not a New Testament model. Our fear of something getting out of order or needing correction has again caused us to throw out the baby with the bath water
Paul would not have given the instructions in 1st Corinthians had he not expected the ministry of worship to include vibrant participation coming primarily from the Body. And even with the abuses and chaos that were evidently occurring in the Corinthian church, he did not instruct them to sit down, shut up and only join in sing along coming from leadership and the platform. No! He gave instruction for how order could, and should, be brought into dynamic Body worship in the release of the Holy Spirit and His wonderful manifestation (gifts). Paul’s apostolic gift shoring up the foundations to teach how to be good stewards of the wonderful and powerful gifts of grace bestowed upon believers for the purpose of the edification (building up) of the Church.
I will not go into a long discourse on the so-called “gifts” of the Spirit and biblical worship here but to say that we need to experience greater release in our corporate gatherings. Let us understand that the purpose of worship is, as Psalm 100 says to: Enter His gates with thanksgiving, press on into His courts with praise where we give thanks to Him and bless His name. And then hear back from him as He manifests His lovingkindness that is everlasting and faithfulness to all generations. When we are before Him in corporate worship, I am convinced He is to be given preeminence. And when He is given the central focus, He longs to speak back to and minister to us, through us.
I will say that worship in the body of Christ is to be much more directed by the Head, Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, and less directed by leadership agendas and the clock. Oh that we would lose our Sunday morning agenda, and go with His agenda for the day. Yes! Certainly have an elder in charge to oversee the meeting and, perhaps, a teaching message prepared by a teacher or other five fold ministry gift. Yes! have a beginning to worship planned . However, realize the Holy Spirit is the true leader and be willing to go with what He is doing in worship. Don’t be afraid of silence! Give time for free worship in the Spirit and see what He might do. Church leadership is often too concerned with entertainment value and consumed with their agenda and format. They mistakenly trade the move and desire of the Holy Spirit for the comfort of control and executing their plan. Even when the Holy Ghost moves, they fear silence and cannot wait to move on to the next thing in the format or their agenda that morning. It should not be this way.
Yes, a well executed worship format and teaching can be effective and draw numbers of spectator believers, but it will never allow saints to mature and grow up into the Head like learning sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and being exercised in ministry to others under His direction! A church that has lively worship and dynamic music can still be ingrown and immature, because saints have not learned how to do the work of ministry to one another through the Holy Spirit. And if they can’t even be released to serve and minister to one another in the Body, they will never be released to minister with confidence to the world. I have been a part of several fellowships with dynamic worship, but that have had very little evangelism or discipleship happening, because saints remained immature and lifeless and the priesthood of the beleiver non existant, preferring to leave any ministry to brothers and sisters in the Body as well as impacting the world, to “professional clergy”.
These fellowships appeared to be alive and vibrant. But in one of the most important respects they were dead. Because of being ill equipped and dull to the will and work of the Holy Spirit, they could not minister in power to each other, so certainly not to the world. There is a principle in creation that is to be mirrored in the Kingdom and the Church. Anything that is alive reproduces itself. That which is inanimate or dead does not.
The kind of open and participatory Holy Spirit led worship I am speaking of will not happen without teaching and training, which is best accomplished in small groups. It is imperative, however that it be done. Teaching on various gifts and ministries and life in the Spirit must be a priority. Opportunities to exercise gifts must be also developed in small groups and larger corporate gatherings. There must be developed an understanding among members of the Body that we are each entrusted with gifts to steward, and that the Holy Spirit may move on “each one (even them!) just as he wills”(1st Cor. 12:11) to steward a gift. This is imperative if individual believers are to have confidence to do the work of ministry in the church and then in the world. Make no mistake, things will not be perfect in gatherings as this training and growth is ongoing. Correction and discipline from leadership, just like Paul brought to Corinth, will be needed from time to time.
John 4:24 Jesus said “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” If we are to touch His heart and purpose in worship we must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, not just our own agendas, formats, and certainly not some order of worship regulated to serve our flesh. We must also focus on truth. “Thy Word is truth“ Jesus prayed in John 17:17. This seems to indicate that we should be hearing from Him. I think over the ages this has been homogenized down to an order of worship that became singing some songs and hearing the word preached. This not necessarily a bad thing, but it is not all there is and was not the first century example. We would do well to let the Holy Spirit lead us into His presence and then listen for Him to speak to us, through us, however He chooses.
An authentic expression of His Body growing and functioning in maturity in Christ, and effective ministry to the world because of that maturity must develop corporate worship directed by the Holy Spirit. Worship driven by the believer’s stewardship of individual gifts and the purposes of God for that time, as we meet with Him and minister to one another, if we are to ever mature into the fullness of Him who fills all in all.