Last time: We considered our previous ch experiences and how they affect us.

We began trying to describe and define the Church and the church. We considered membership in various contexts

Are we Cpers or CSErs- planters of local churches or establishers of church services?

How do we read the Bible to learn what is prescriptive or normative about leadership and oversight in the local church? A few examples: 1Timothy 3:1-13 and Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Peter 5:1-4 and Acts 20:17-38, Mark 10:40-45.

It seems that we have to choose from 3 approaches to Scripture and Church: How much of what the Bible says about church is prescriptive or normative for a local church's life, practice and order.

Concerning the local church's life order and practice, the Bible says 1. Only very little that is normative or prescriptive- pragmatism hopefully principle pragmatism...whatever seems wise and best, we are free when it comes to local church life, practice and order, so long as what we do is consistent with the Word, which doesn't tell us very much about how to order local church life and practice.

2. Some very important normative or prescriptive thingsScripture prescribes some essentials for local church life, practice and order, but not everything is prescribed. What is not prescribed we are free to adapt according to wisdom and what works best in a culture and context.

3. Everything that is important for local church life, practice and order is normatively prescribed in Scripture, is clearly prescribed in Scripture and we have very little freedom to adapt or introduce anything into the local church life, order and practice which is not prescribed in Scripture.

Three degrees of relevance for practices from narrative portions like Acts1. Prescriptive I Cor. 1:10 , 2 John 10-11. 2 a. Descriptive and not normative Acts 4:32-35 or 2b. descriptive and possibly/likely normativeActs 20:28 with Acts 5 (negatively normative?) Acts 17:10-12 Bereans (Luke's intent) 3. Representative patterns repeated consistently in Acts 14:23, Titus 1, Acts 20:28 and assumed in Epistles Phil 1:1-2.

Normative-Scriptural texts that are binding upon local churches are normative. Norma=rule that must be followed. Prescriptive- passages or text that tell us how things are to be in the local church. Proscribed-that which according to the Scriptures is forbidden in the local church. Descriptive- Passages describing the NT church but which do not contain commands or imperatives, but rather report the life and practice of a NT church or churches. (They may or may not be normative.)

One pattern in Acts is that believers are gathered into communities...Acts 2:38 gospel is communicated ,41 taught and baptized, gathered into churches/kingdom communities 42-46 Was this a starter church????

Starter churcha group of believers gathering regularly with the aim of becoming a true, regular church. A starter church will not necessarily be ordered according to all the biblical guidelines. Over time with patient teaching, training, prayer and guidance, a starter church may become a true and regular church. In a pioneer CP setting, almost all true, regular churches will pass through a 'starter church' phase as it matures, learns and grows. Presumably it was starter churches in Crete to which Titus was sent by Paul to put things in order.

Recruiting workers from the harvest is a pattern in Acts and the NT and so training and multiplication were integrated into the church-planting approach! 2 Tim 2:2 confirms the pattern.

We also see interdependence of churches as a pattern in Acts and rest of NT. Acts 15, 11, I Cor 16:2, 2 Cor 8, Philippians and Romans, Col 4:16 letters from apostles were shared and read to one another.

Also read for what is implied or assumed or can necessarily be inferred about church life. I Corinthians 5 assumes/implies some kind of identifiable church membership...we cannot know our covenant duties to one another if we don't know who is in and who's out in the local church. Gal, esp to those of household of faith. Galatians 1:6-9 who has final authority or final responsibility in the local church...? local church itself.

Lets look at some definitions and place them on the How much does the Bible say about church?

Lets look at some definitions and place them on the How much does the Bible say?
Maximalist Definitions Minimalist Definitions

Aim for the guidelines...not settle for less than Sound Biblical Contextual Churches.

Disagreement is not necessarily opposition! But let's be willing to learn and adjust according to Scripture, letting it be our guide.

The church is the gospel made visible. John 13:34-35.

I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic church. 4 marks = unity, holiness, universal, Scriptural/Gospel.

Who said/wrote this? In many ways a church is simply a group of people who are living lives of love. MED in GMV p. xvii

We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel ; observing the ordinances of Christ ; governed by his laws , and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his Word ; that its only scriptural officers are Bishops, or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims, and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus. New Hampshire Confession of Faith Of a Gospel Church

A Church is a group of believers in Christ who meet for biblical worship, learning and mission. DCPI

A Christian church is an assembly of believers in Christ, organized into a body, according to the holy scriptures, for the worship and service of God. John L Dagg

 A local church is a fellowship of believers in Jesus Christ committed to gathering regularly for biblical purposes under a recognized spiritual leadership. Ott /Wilson/Warren Global CP

A local church is a manifestation in time and space of the ultimate, heavenly-eschatological assembly of Gods redeemed humanity. Each local church represents what it means to be Gods people by assembling together in one place for worship, encouragement, and accountability; by being a community shaped by the Scriptures; by observing the symbol-laden acts of baptism and the Lords supper; by maintaining its purity through church discipline; and by seeking to make disciples of all nations. All of this is to be done under the leadership of elders, the service of deacons, and the rule of the congregation. Grant Gaines

The Belgic Confession chapter 29 on the marks of the church: The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks: The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults. In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head. By these marks one can be assured of recognizing the true churchand no one ought to be separated from it.

The church is the fellowship/partnership/koinonia of people who have accepted Gods rule and reign over them and entered into that Kingdom Reign of God.

Churches that proclaim the true gospel are true churches; those that do not are not, but churches that preach the true gospel but order themselves differently are irregular churches, but true churches nonetheless. (this matters because not our job to say you are or are not a church if the gospel is being taught and proclaimed. )

The Lord Jesus is the Head of the Church, which is composed of all his true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to his commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular societies or churches; and to each of these churches he hath given needful authority for administering that order, discipline and worship which he hath appointed. The regular officers of a Church are Bishops or Elders, and Deacons. JPB Abstract of Principles

New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomous local congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances of Christ, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend the gospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under the Lordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregation each member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Its scriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture. The definition of a local church given in the 2000 edition of the Baptist Faith and Message.

Guidelines on local Church

1. A church is intentional about being a church. Members think of themselves as a church. They are committed to one another and to God (associated by covenant) in pursuing all that Scripture requires of a church. 2. A church has an identifiable membership of baptized believers in Jesus Christ. 3. A church practices the baptism of believers only by immersing them in water. 4. A church observes the Lords Supper on a regular basis. 5. Under the authority of the local church and its leadership, members may be assigned to carry out the ordinances.

Guidelines on local Church

1. A church submits to the inerrant word of God as the ultimate authority for all that it believes and does. 2. A church meets regularly for worship, prayer, the study of Gods word, and fellowship. Members of the church minister to one anothers needs, hold each other accountable, and exercise church discipline as needed. Members encourage one another and build each other up in holiness, maturity in Christ, and love. 3. A church embraces its responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission, both locally and globally, from the beginning of its existence as a church. 4. A church is autonomous and self-governing under the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the authority of His Word. 5. A church has identifiable leaders, who are scrutinized and set apart according to the qualifications set forth in Scripture. A church recognizes two Biblical offices of church leadership: pastors/elders/overseers and deacons. While both men and women are gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor/elder/overseer is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.

Regular local church- a church whose life, practice and order seems consistent with our guidelines. Irregular local church- a church whose life, practice and order is not consistent with our guidelines either because it is immature, ignorant, or intentionally inconsistent because of intentional ecclesiological differences. (paedobaptism, non-congregational, single elder, not covenanted together, no membership, doesn't practice church discipline, hasn't celebrated Lord's Supper in years, doesn't teach or practice one-anothers, no global mission, etc.)

Discussion: looking at definitions and guidelines 1. True and regular,local church (All the essentials PLUS many/all important), 2. True and irregular local church (All the essentials!), true but unhealthy church. 3. Not a true church (Missing one or more essentials!) Often a starter church will be 2. true but irregular but aiming to be true and regular. It is maturing.

Are we Cpers or CSErs- planters of local churches or establishers of church services?

Starter churcha group of believers gathering regularly with the aim of becoming a true, regular church. A starter church will not necessarily be ordered according to all the biblical guidelines. Over time with patient teaching, training, prayer and guidance, a starter church may become a true and regular church. In a pioneer CP setting, almost all true, regular churches will pass through a 'starter church' phase as it matures, learns and grows. Presumably it was starter churches in Crete to which Titus was sent by Paul to put things in order.

What is the next step for you, your team?

+ Evaluate or change your own approach to churching, + help your family or your team understand this better, + more to learn about churching with goal of teaching/training others, + implement this in your local churching, add or subtract appropriately, + translate basic concepts and practice using them in your language, + explore the Scriptures with local friends looking at what they say about church, teach them basic interpretive principles.... +

Being and Making Disciples in the Context of Healthy Reproducing Churches