For most of my life, my experience of and participation in “Christian
ministry” was patterned after divinely ordained principles of ministry given to
Israel
under the Old Covenant. That pattern has been passed down through the centuries
by church fathers to present day gatherings of believers. Sadly, the Old Covenant
was designed for and can only produce bondage in the lives and ministries of
those who serve under it. (See Galatians 4:21-31) But it has only been in the
last 15 years that I have come to appreciate the “Better way” of ministry under
the New Covenant which the Lord Jesus dedicated with His own blood at Calvary .
I simply ask you, my brothers and sisters in Christ, to consider the
stark contrasts between the two. If you
conclude that your experience of ministry has so far been patterned after the
Old, I would implore you to step into
the liberty of gatherings and ministry patterned after the New!
THE OLD
COVENANT PATTERN
Is
exemplified by the Pharisees who were a sect and were, by definition, "SEPARATISTS"! The Greek word PHARASAIOS
"Pharisee" (Strongs' #5330) is derived from the Hebrew word PARASH, "to separate". (Strongs'
#6567) This is the word translated "scattered" in Ezek. 34:12 "As a shepherd seeketh out his
flock in the day that he is among his sheep that
are scattered; so will I seek
out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been
scattered in the cloudy and dark day."
Assemblies of God’s
people which are patterned after the Old Covenant, expressing the example of
the Pharisees, are marked by a pervasive DICHOTOMY
by which every area of life is separated
into two distinct spheres: There are
things SACRED or HOLY and
there are things SECULAR or COMMON.
THE NEW COVENANT PATTERN
Is exemplified by the Lord Jesus who prayed
that we might be one. John 17:11,21,22 Caiaphas, a Pharisee, prophesied in John 11:45
...that Jesus should die for that nation and not for that nation only, but that
also He should gather together in
one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
Assemblies of
God’s people which are patterned after the New covenant, express the Lord's
desire for UNITY by living life as a unified
whole…i.e. believers know
that, for them in Christ, the COMMON
ismade HOLY!
This Old Covenant Dichotomy or
distinction between things holy and things common and the
contrasting New Covenant unity(common
things made holy in Christ) is seen in at least the following ten practices:
(1) Since Old Covenant ministry
clearly distinguished a priestly, ministerial class of people from the common
people, assemblies
of God’s people which are patterned after the Old Covenant also recognize a class of people called the "CLERGY" and a
class of people called the "LAITY",
or those who are "THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD" and
those who are simply "secular
employers and employees", those
who are the "MINISTERS" and
those who are "MINISTERED
TO", those who are "FULL-TIME CHRISTIAN WORKERS" and
those who are "PART-TIME CHRISTIAN
WORKERS" , those who do not earn a living by "working with their
hands" who are distinguished from those who are expected to have
employment and earn wages out of which they can "support" the others! Some
of the early apostles, who disdained to follow the lowly example of the Lord
Jesus in menial service, claimed, “It is
not reason that we should leave the word
of God and serve tables…But we will give
our selves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word.” (Acts
6:2-4) But thankfully none of them ever taught
others to follow such a poor example!!!!
But the New
Covenant scriptures teach that KLEROS
(Clergy) & LAOS
All believers are called to full-time service for Christ and
none are called to part-time positions! (IICor.5:14,15) Every Gospel preacher who follows Paul’s
instructions and example...Laboring with his own hands (Acts 20:33-35), preaching
and ministering without charge (Matt.10:8; I Cor.9:18), owing no man anything by staying out of debt
(Romans 13:8), refusing to save/lay up for himself treasures on earth(Matt.6:19,20) and giving
generously to the poor (Gal.2:10; I Cor.16:1- 3 & II Cor.8) can boldly and confidently teach
the saints about giving just as Paul did!
He had no “conflict of interests” and neither will they as they follow
his example! (If it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill! But if it’s not His assignment, don’t expect His supply!)
(2) Since under the Old Covenant the Lord prescribed a class
of buildings (tabernacles and temples) for sacred use and worship which were distinct from the peoples' common dwellings or
places of work, so too assemblies of God’s
people patterned after the Old Covenant require specially dedicated buildings which they call "sanctuaries", "houses
of God" or "assembly
halls" which are distinct from the ordinary homes of the
people.
The New Covenant scriptures teach that God dwells not in
temples made with hands (Acts 7:48 & 17:24) but that the saints themselves are
the habitation of God.
(Ephesians 2:20-22) Believers who
recognize their New Covenant liberties in Christ have no church buildings but rather meet in each others' homes. (Matt.26:6,18;
Mark 1:29; 2:1,15; 3;19; 6:10; 7:17,24; 9:28,33; 10:10; 14:3,14; Luke
4:38; 7:36,37; 8:51; 9:4; 10:5,7,38;
19:5,9; 22:10,11; John 12:3; Acts 2:2,46; 5:42; 8:3; 12:12; 16:32,34,40;
20:20; Romans 16:15; I Cor.16:19; Col.4:15; Philemon 1:2) Thus no financial resources need be wasted on salaries or church buildings but can
be invested in poor saints, getting the Word of God into people and people into
the Word of God!
(3) Since Old Covenant ministry, by God's command, observed
specific weekly and annual "holy days" for "spiritual" exercises which were
distinct from common days used for common enterprises, so too assemblies of
God’s people today which are patterned after the Old Covenant distinguish a
specific day of the week and
specific annual days for observance of "holy services".
But the New Covenant scriptures do not teach in any way that
Christians are to regard certain days as holy or separate from others or that they are to take
part in any holy rituals or assemblies on such particular days. Rather, New Covenant believers are instructed to live holy
lives every day of the week and all the time. In
Romans 14:5,6 , Paul instructs the saints that one believer may regard one day
above another and other
believers may regard every day alike, but that they are not to judge one
another in such matters! If God had
truly intended all believers to "observe a certain day of the week",
or to "assemble on a certain day of the
week" Paul could not have written what He did in Romans 14 under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit!
(4) Ministry under the Old Covenant included distinctions
between holy food and common food,
food which could only be eaten
by the priests and their families and food which could be eaten by the common people. Thus assemblies
of God’s people which are patterned after the Old Covenant consider that the Lord's Supper is a
"holy ordinance" that can only be “administered” by “credentialled clergyman”, in a recognized holy "house of God" on a holy day!
However, New Covenant believers remember their Lord as often
as they eat and drink, as they
partake of their ordinary meals on a daily basis in their
own homes apart from the "administration" of a clergyman! (Acts 2:42,46) Distinctions
between "holy" and "common" breaking of bread are absolutely foreign to
the New Covenant scriptures! Just as no
one would recognize quarterly, monthly or weekly praying as
“steadfast continuance in prayer”, neither can quarterly, monthly or weekly “communion”
ever be construed as “steadfast continuance in breaking of bread” ! (Acts 2:42)
(5) During the time of Old Covenant ministry which lasted
approximately 1500 years (from the
giving of the Ten Commandments at Sinai to the death of
Christ at Calvary ) there is ONE AND
ONLY ONE REFERENCE to the reading and teaching of scripture
FROM A PULPIT. (Nehemiah 8:4) And yet, regardless of denomination,
monologue preaching called "pulpit ministry" has become the one central and
indispensible feature of assemblies of God’s people today which are patterned
after Old Covenant ministry! For this reason, many prospective
"ministers" are trained in seminaries and Bible colleges in the
"art" of "homiletics".
During my Bible school days, I took a number of "homiletics"
classes and we were told that
"homiletics" was the preparation and delivery of monologue
"sermons" or "homilies".
But one thing we were not trained to do in those courses was to do word
studies in scripture using such a tool as a "Strong's
Concordance". If we had simply
done a word study on the Greek word "HOMILEO", we would have
discovered that our "homiletics professors" had lied to us!!!! The word HOMILEO is found 4 times in the New
Covenant scriptures and in every case a "homily" is a CONVERSATION
AMONG A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. It was NEVER a monologue sermon!!!(Luke 24:14,15;
Acts 20:11; 24:26)
But among New Covenant believers of the first century and
among those of this century who have come to recognize their liberty in Christ, homilies,
conversations, discussions and dialogues are the ways in which divine truth was and still is most effectively
communicated! (Which
do you remember best…sermons to which you have
passively listened, OR conversations in which you have actively participated?)When New Covenant saints gathered together in the
first century, there is not a single example of a monologue
sermon being delivered to edify the people of God, but many examples of dialogues, discussions,
homilies, conversations! This is in total
harmony with New Covenant instructions that when the saints
assemble together there is to be a
ministry of "one anothering" (Hebrews 10:24,25) because every
believer has been given a spiritual gift that is to be used for the edification
of others. (I Peter 4:10,11) There is no such gifting as
"spectator"!!! Rather than communication of divine truth being centred in and
restricted to "pulpit
ministry" from a "sacred desk", God's intention is that
His truth be communicated in the normal activities and
conversations of life across ordinary coffee tables, desks, work tables, kitchen tables, restaurant tables etc.
(6) Since Old Covenant ministry was primarily centered in
holy buildings (the tabernacle and temple) and the ministry was committed to a
distinct group of men (priests and
Levites) God ordained that tithes (one
tenth of people's increase) and offerings be given by the people. The tithes
were for the support of the priests and Levites and the offerings were for the
building and maintenance of the holy buildings. Thus in assemblies of
God’s people which are patterned after the Old Covenant system, great emphasis
is placed upon "tithes and offerings" given in corporate collections. The vast majority of the
financial resources amassed in these corporate collections (nearly 90% for many
churches) is spent on staff salaries, mortgages, building
maintenance, utilities, insurance etc on a building which is usually used only
for a few hours each week! When thousands of people groups in our
world today are still waiting to hear the Gospel in their own language such
squandering of the financial resources of the Lord's people is horrible
stewardship for which we will soon have to give account! But even so, only a very small percentage of
"church going people" even give 10%!
Those who do often think, "I've given my 10% to the Lord so now I
can do what I like with the 90% that's left.” So again there is a dichotomy between what is
the Lord's (the tithe) and what is mine (to be used to pay bills, buy
groceries, spend on luxuries or save "for a rainy day"). “Corporate
collections” always flow upward
from the “secular workers” in the pew to the “Full-time Christian workers” in
the pulpit.
But the New Covenant scriptures never once teach believers
that just "the tithe is the Lord's"!
Rather the whole emphasis of the New Covenant scriptures is
that the believer has been bought by another, we are not our own!
When we belong to the Lord, all of our possessions do too and thus THE TOTAL IS THE LORD'S! We do not have the
right to spend money or use possessions as if we "owned " them.
Rather we are simply stewards into whose trust Another has committed His
property. Therefore, we will give
account to Him for how we have invested His goods! From this perspective, New Covenant believers are never
commanded to contribute to a corporate "church collection"! The scriptural instruction
regarding collections is found in I Corinthians 16:1,2. There we do not find a corporate collection but rather a personal and proportionate
collection, "Let every one of you lay by him in store as
God has prospered him." This
giving is also to be purposeful...it is for "saints". It is also an action that is to take priority...it is
to be done "on the first day of the week". Thus in gatherings of saints
which follow the New Covenant pattern of ministry and giving, there is no need
of corporate collections,
"passing the offering plate" or pleading for contributions to keep the
corporate ship "afloat"!
Instead, believers who
have been constrained by the love of Christ (II Corinthians 5:14,15) make it a
regular priority to personally, privately
and proportionately
lay by (in a special place in their purse or wallet, in a special
drawer or bank account) resources with which God has prospered them. And then,
as God brings needs to
their mind, and speaks to their hearts they experience the joy of giving to
other people in need and to faithful
workers who are taking the Gospel to others or investing their lives in
teaching the Word of God freely to
others. As there are no dedicated buildings to be built, bought or maintained and no staff salaries to be paid, 100% of their resources can be invested for
eternity, i.e. getting the Word of God into people and
people into the Word of God! Personal
collections …(each one lays by himself in store I Cor.16:1,2) always
flow downward…. from saints who currently have plenty
to those who are currently in need.(II Cor.8:12-15)
(7)Since distinct "holy garments" were divinely prescribed
to be worn by the priests while they
served in the tabernacle or temple, assemblies of God’s
people which are patterned after the Old Covenant place great emphasis on "dressing up for
church"! Ministers are expected to dress in a distinctive manner while
they are "doing public ministry". And believers are taught to
"dress up" when they "go to
church". Such “dressing up” is supposed
to show reverence for God in a “holy place” for a few hours each week! But in
their homes and on their jobs throughout the week they dress in ordinary or
casual clothes. So this holy
versus common dichotomy affects every area of one's life when they seek to live
by the Old Covenant!
The New Covenant scriptures clearly teach saints to dress
modestly and unpretentiously as good stewards and that their adornment is to be an inner
adornment for the eye of God and not men.
But when New Covenant believers recognize that they ARE the
church and cannot GO TO CHURCH, that they are called to live lives of holiness to the Lord
24/7, they begin to shed the idea of a dichotomy between holy and common dress! They seek to dress modestly at all times, in
ways which are appropriate to meet the needs of
those whom they serve.
You don't wear a three piece suit in a cow barn nor do you wear rubber
boots and coveralls in a corporate business office! Clothing was never designed or intended to show
reverence for God! He sees us all the time where ever we are and in whatever we
are clothed! Rather
reverence for Him is demonstrated by
our obedience to His instructions and commands revealed in His Word..
(8) Under the Old Covenant, genealogical records were of
utmost importance to "the ministry".
Since only sons of Levi could be priests or ministers, if a
man could not show his genealogy proving that he was a Levite, he was disqualified from the
priesthood. In similar fashion today, assemblies of God’s people which are
patterned after the Old Covenant way of ministry put great stock in
"credentials". Whether they are called
"licenses to preach", "ordination papers", "workers'
letters of commendation" etc some sort of "official document" is required as a
"passport" into what is called
"full-time Christian ministry"! But another kind of document is used and
required of "ordinary Christians" or "laity" as they are known. If someone is travelling or moving to become
associated with an assembly in another place, a "layperson" may
take "membership papers", a "transfer of membership", or a
"letter of commendation" depending on the
denomination with which he is associated.
But there are always two distinct kinds of credentialing documents
provided to "clergy" and "laity"!
But when we search the New Covenant scriptures, we find a
total absence of any such dichotomy regarding "credentials"! New Covenant believers often wrote for others
and carried "letters of commendation" when they travelled. These simply
introduced them to saints in the places to which they were travelling. These told something of their faithfulness and of the kind
of ministries to which they were given. Such letters
were not some sort of document that one carried around for years or framed and hung on their office
wall! Each was rather a simple and practical letter of introduction that was
used once and left in the hand of
those to whom it was written! While
there are about a dozen different examples of such letters in the new
covenant scriptures, there are not TWO DIFFERENT KINDS FOR TWO DIFFERENT CLASSES OF PEOPLE! Some examples of scriptural letters of
commendation are found in Acts 15:22-29; 18:27;
Romans 16:1,2; II Cor.3:1,2; II Cor.8:16-24; Philippians 2:19-22; Philippians 2:25-30; and Philemon 1:1-21.
(9) Under the Old Covenant there were
“holy times” when and “holy places” where certain activities were
to be done. Among those who teach the principles of
headship, most teach that women are to cover their heads either IN ASSEMBLY MEETINGS or ALL THE TIME! (Both ideas are
foreign to scripture.) Men who are part of such assemblies usually uncover
their heads in ANY situation when they
are praying or prophesying, but most of the women do not cover theirs whenever they are praying or prophesying.
But New covenant saints
who acknowledge the truths of headship (I Cor.11:1-16) know there is no
dichotomy between being "in meetings" or “out” of them! Men uncover their heads and women cover theirs whenever and wherever they, themselves, pray or prophesy. (I
Cor.11:4,5,13)
(10) Under the Old Covenant, people who were not Israelites
by birth but wanted to follow Israel’s God, had to come to the place (the
Tabernacle or temple) where Israel met
with God; to participate in Israel’s Passover – their males all had to be
circumcised like Israelites etc. In like
manner, assemblies of God’s people which are patterned after the Old Covenant
expect “outsiders” to “come to their buildings/meetings”, “listen to their
preaching”, “conform to their doctrines” etc in order to “become members” or to
be “received into their fellowship”. All such practices are foreign to the New
Covenant scriptures!
But believers who enjoy New Covenant liberties realize that
they are never called to “gather outsiders in” but rather to “go into all the
world and preach the Gospel to every creature”. First century Christians did
not invite unsaved people to “Gospel meetings” in their own buildings but
rather went out to meet them on their own turf and told them the “Good News”
where they were!
New converts were not taught to “go to church” but rather
their own homes were used as bases of new operations where new believers were
taught how to live their new lives in Christ and bear testimony to others in
their own communities and circles of influence. So too Christians today who
enjoy new Covenant liberties are NOT seeking to gather unsaved friends and neighbors
into their own gatherings but rather look for opportunities to serve and speak
the “Good News” to them right where they are, where they live, where they work.
When such
respond in faith to Christ, they are taught how to live unto the One who died
for them and
rose again (II Cor.5:14,15) right in
their own homes, their own work places among their own friends. See Mark 5:18-20
And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the
devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but
saith unto him, Go home to thy friends,
and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had
compassion on thee. And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis
how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
They
are not enlisted as “members” of an already existing gathering to which they
must now “commute” but are taught that God has already made them members
in the Body of Christ and that they are “new creatures in Christ” who can now
tell others right in their own community. Being part of one of God’s assemblies is not
about commuting, i.e. travelling to the nearest building of a particular
denomination, but is all about community, i.e. meeting with other
brothers and sisters in Christ who live down the block or around the corner)
Your own home could become the next “outpost of the Kingdom” in your community
if you were to host an assembly of Christians there!
Your comments, questions, objections or responses of any
kind are welcomed below
Or you may email me at bwood4d@gmail.com
