Tag: 教会
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防守圣城（尼希米记第七章）
/RSS Feed神复兴以色列，除了要建造城墙(6:16),还兴起忠心又敬畏祂的领袖带领百姓保护圣城，抵挡仇敌，和感动(7:5) 尼希米数算百姓，使有家谱的选民能够以信心住各城内(7:6,73;8:1) , 承受神应许的产业。
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My current View of the Validity of Parachurch Ministries
This paper will address the topic of parachurch and will argue that the parachurch movement is a valid form of Christian ministry. First, I will provide biblical, theological, and historical support for my thesis. Then, I will discuss the positive impacts and negative effects of parachurch ministries on the modern church.
Biblically, the ministry of the apostle Paul with his coworkers is a biblical example of parachurch ministry. Silas came from Jerusalem, Timothy came from Lystra, and Luke probably came from Troas. Although not from the same local church, they worked together, operated under the direction of the Holy Spirit (Acts 16:7), in partnership with the local churches (Phil 4:16), for the mission of God. Thus, the parachurch movement is not a less than ideal situation because the churches did not do their job. Instead, together with the local churches, these two models are God’s ordained ways to accomplish His mission.[1]
Theologically, missiology has a concept of modalities and sodalities. Modalities refer to local churches and denominations, and sodalities refer to parachurch ministries. Parachurches are platforms for Christians across denominations boundaries to work together as members of the body of Christ[2]. Christians from different denominations and local churches serving the same mission is also a great testimony of the doctrine of unity of the body of Christ (Eph 4:3 2:2).
Historically, God has consistently worked in two structures to accomplish His missions[3]. The early church apologists and “schools” of learning were the earliest examples.[4] Next, God used the monasteries in the middle ages outside of the local churches to carry out His missions. Post reformation, the local churches lost focus on evangelism until William Carey’s proposal of “the use of means” started the missionary movements in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Parachurch ministries have brought many positive impacts to the church. They enable believers from different denominations, local churches, and diverse locations to serve together for greater impacts on the mission of God[5]. For example, it is tough for local churches to replicate the role of mission agencies in sending out missionaries to unreached people groups.
However, parachurch ministries also brought some negative effects to the church. They often create tensions for resources in terms of people and finance with the local churches[6]. Some believers only involve in parachurch ministries in place of local church fellowship[7]. Often parachurch ministries became the excuse of churches not to do their part in certain ministries.
In conclusion, parachurch ministries are valid forms of ministries with biblical, theological, and historical support. They have brought tremendous positive impacts and some negative effects to the modern church.
[1] For a details argument of this claim, see Frank Severn, “Mission Societies: Are They Biblical?,” Evangelical Missions Quarterly 36, no. 3 (September 2000).
[2] Edmund P. Clowney and Gerald Lewis Bray, The Church, Contours of Christian Theology (Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1995), 107.
[3] For an overview of how God worked in two structures throughout church history, see Ralph Winter, “The Two Structures of God’s Redemptive Mission,” in Perspectives, 4th ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009).
[4] Michael Svigel, “Powerpoint for ST5105 Lecture 7, The Purpose and Function of the Church” (Dallas, TX, 2021).
[5] For an overview of how voluntary societies were instruments to further the great commission, overcoming the limitations of local churches, see Andrew Walls, “Missionary Societies and the Fortunate Subversion of the Church,” in Perspectives, 4th ed. (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library, 2009).
[6] For a helpful article on how churches and parachurch ministries can work together, see John Hammett, “The Mission of the Church As A Mark of The Church,” Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry 5 (2008): 37–38.
[7] This is especially true for the rich and famous, see Michael Lindsay, “A Gated Community in the Evangelical World,” USA Today, February 11, 2008.
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Seven Church Ministry Models
This paper will address the topic of the seven church ministry models and will argue that I agree with Svigel’s proposal, which is “as one moves from models 1 through 6, the need for wise, well-informed, intentional, and consistent attention to the marks and works increases, perhaps exponentially. Church leaders and members need to be aware of these challenges and plan accordingly.”[1] I will first defend models 5 to 7 and then change my role to defend models 1 to 3. Finally, I will conclude with the reason why I agree with Svigel’s proposal.
First, I will defend church models 5 to 7. Biblically, the earliest church is a megachurch. Through Peter’s preaching, God added 3000 (Acts 2:41) and then 5000 men (Acts 4:4) to the church in Jerusalem. They seem to have no issues with being big and keeping the marks and works of the church. Since God used Peter’s powerful preaching to deliver the gospel and many were saved, God could still do the same through satellite campuses and online messages. Theologically, although a megachurch has many members, it is still one body (1 Cor 12:12). Therefore it is better to stay as one big church. Furthermore, it pleases the Lord when we stay united as one church instead of dividing into multiple churches (John 17:23).
Now, I will defend church models 1 to 3. First, biblically, the Lord’s Supper is not an optional church activity (1 Cor 11:27-34). It is the command of the Lord for His church to observe communion, ideally on each Lord’s day (Acts 20:7). Furthermore, the pastors need to know the congregation. First, the pastors need to know the congregation like a father with the children to effectively exhort, encourage, change, and call them into God’s kingdom and glory(1 Thess 2:11). Second, pastoring is not just about delivering messages; it is also about being an example and care for the congregation (1 Pet 5:2-3). Paul is our example of pastoring: like a nursing mother taking care of her children (1 Thess 2:9). Second, theologically, preaching the word and correct administration of the sacraments are the two marks of the church[2]. A church that is missing these essential marks “will eventually erode, crack, and crumble.”[3] Third, historically, the earliest church fathers observe the Lord’s Supper on every Lord’s Day[4], which is harder to perform in a megachurch and impossible in an online church. Second, the mother-daughter church model is not new because it is similar to the Geneva church model. The Geneva city has a mother church that was led by Calvin and his fellow elders; and daughter churches that were led by other qualified elders. The elders carry out preaching of the word and proper administration of the sacraments at each daughter church[5].
In conclusion, I agree with Svigel’s proposal that as one moves from models 1 through 6, it is harder to keep the marks and works of the church. Therefore Churches need to be aware of these challenges and plan accordingly as the church grows in size. My reasons are, first, biblically, the Lord’s Supper is not optional, and the pastors need to know the flocks to minister to them. Second, theologically, a church that is missing the marks of the church will eventually cause it to crumble. Third, historically, the earliest church observed the Lord’s Supper weekly, and the mother-daughter model is similar to the Geneva church model.
[1] Michael Svigel, “7 Church Ministry Models in Light of the Ideal,” RetroChristianity (blog), 2012, http://www.retrochristianity.org/2012/02/13/7-church-ministry-models-from-ideal-to-awful/.
[2] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (Hezekiah Howe; Philip H. Nicklin, 1816), bk. IV, Chap. I,9.
[3] Michael J. Svigel, RetroChristianity: Reclaiming the Forgotten Faith (Wheaton, Ill: Crossway, 2012), chaps. 8, “The Essential Marks of a Local Church”.
[4] Rick Brannan, The Apostolic Fathers in English (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), chap. The Didache 14.1.
[5] Mark Larson, “John Calvin and Genevan Presbyterianism,” Westminster Theological Journal 60 (1998): chap. II, “Ministers with Other Fit Persons”: The Presbyterial Government of the Churches”.
