For my adult Sunday School class, I addressed the evolving, the devolving and the revolving of church structure and government and presence, since the days of the New Testament. (this is not a review of that lesson, but a quick comment).
The New Testament gives us the Foundation and the building blocks of God's Church, but it allows for changes to take place, provided there is no veering from the Divine guidelines.
There have been changes without number through the years and cultures and needs and problems of the Church. Some of the changes in the visible Church were not Biblical and were devised to accomplish human agendas rather than fulfill God's plan. Other changes were legitimate accommodations and adjustments within the framework of Biblical revelation.
Changes took place as the Church moved from the Biblical model to the Catholic model.
Changes took place in the Eastern Church and the Western Church.
Changes took place in the "back to the Bible movements," such as the Mennonite and Friends and Brethren movements, as well as in the Reformation or Protestant movement.
Changes took place as the Church moved from congregational to episcopal forms.
Changes took place as the Church moved from persecuted to State approved.
Changes again took place as persecution and State authority has targeted Biblical Christianity.
Some of the changes were for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission. I refer to those changes as, "evolving." Those changes did not change the Church, but simply adapted the Church to a changing world.
Some of the changes were for the purpose of circumventing Biblical directives and the Headship of Christ over His Church. I refer to those changes as, "devolving." Those changes did change the nature and Authority and mission of the Church, and often aligned with pagan principles and practices.
Some of the changes were a recovering of old practices and structure, because they old ways were actually needed for a constantly changing world. I refer to those changes as "revolving." Those changes were not new, but they were different from the norm of a given culture and time.
Unfortunately, most folks settle for the comfortable and the convenient when faced with choosing either a Biblical form, or a Statist form of church structure, government and ministry.
I personally have been part of various forms of Church change through the past 60+ years of my life. Changes do not always facilitate success, at least success in the eyes of the world or the eyes of worldly minded believers.
God wants His Church to grow, but not at the expense of losing truth or compromising Biblical standards. Christians are not excused for their failures, as they turn out the lights of evangelism and shut themselves into a cloistered community, in the name of "holding the fort."
I anticipate some changes taking place in our local church in the near future. Sadly, some of the changes we have gone through, have caused people to discount us as an actual church, because we did not look like, or function like the "brick piles" and the "steeple houses" around us. They judged us by worldly standards and not by Biblical standards. In fact, some of the things that caused people to think we were not a real church are the Biblical principles practiced by untold millions of Christians around the world today and practiced by Christians of all cultures throughout Church history.
I will make some changes, not because our present structure is wrong, but because the changes will be more suited to problems of a changing society. We will not change the structure or government or mission or churchmanship from the Biblical model, but we will seek to fulfill the Great Commission by adapting to a society which is moving faster and further from God.
Just as a reminder, here is the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:18-20 (ASV)
(18) And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth.
(19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit:
(20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
I have not always succeeded, and certainly not to the level I desired. But going to the lost, making disciples of those who believe, initiating them into the body of Christ, leading them into the fullness of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to be obedient followers of Christ, and declaring to them the whole counsel of God, has been and still is my calling and mission.
LAUNCH OUT AND HOLD FAST
AS AN ADDENDUM...
Needless to say, the changes we will make will probably do more to make us less palatable to the worldly minded. I don't make the adjustments or adaptations to be more acceptable, but to be more productive in His work.
FOUR ESSENTIALS
Though we may make changes or adjustments or adaptations in our ministry, here are four fundamentals that are essential to a Biblical church and ministry.
The message of the word, through preaching, teaching and witnessing.
The spirituality, fellowship, and unity, of the body.
The Lordship of Christ over His church.
The vision and work of the Great Commission.
Though there are other essentials, I wanted to emphasize these four, which do not change. These should be central for every church.
