Dedicated to helping the church in America find their purpose, define their mission and reach their community. Vol. 4
July/August 2015
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No. 4
Editorial How has the church changed? By Steve Hewitt
Article A Message for Control Freaks By Thom Schultz
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Reviving the Small Church Overcoming the Obstacle of Fear in a Hostile Culture
Cover Story Will Your Church Perform Same Sex Marriages? By Steve Hewitt
Editor-in-Chief
Steve Hewitt - steve@ccmag.com
By Michael Henderson
Contributing Editors
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Church Hoppers Look for the Best
Copy Editor
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No Longer Church As Usual Can It Be Done?
By Church Hoppers
By Tim Kurtz
Thom Schultz Tim Kurtz Michael Henderson Gina Hewitt
Š Copyright 2015 by The American Church Magazine. All Rights Reserved Written materials submitted to The American Church Magazine become the property of The American Church Magazine upon receipt and may not necessarily be returned. The American Church Magazine reserves the right to make any changes to materials submitted for publication that are deemed necessary for editorial purposes. The content of this publication may not be copied in any way, shape or form without the express permission of The American Church Magazine. Views expressed in the articles and reviews printed within are not necessarily the views of the editor, publisher, or employees of The American Church Magazine.
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Editorial
How has the church changed? In this month’s cover story, I reflected on a few of the changes, due to regulations and laws, which I have observed over the last 40 years. It occurs to me that our readership has many seniors that have also seen changes in the ways churches operate and minister. I would love to hear your stories! How has your church had to adapt over your lifetime? What were they able to do in the past that they can’t do now, or vice versa? I love all that I have learned from this magazine so far, from listening to the hundreds and even thousands of emails I have received from our readership. There is no clear definition of a church these days. Churches come in all sizes, with different administrations, means of doing business, and missions. I know I have seen many changes in the way churches do church. I would love to know what you have seen and observed. What changes do you think are good, and what changes do you think have hurt us? Drop me an email at steve@ccmag.com and put “Church changes” in the subject line. Thanks! Together We Serve Him,
Steve Hewitt steve@ccmag.com
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Cover Story
By Steve Hewitt
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he American Church Magazine question of the month - The Supreme Court is about to rule on legalizing homosexual marriage. If they do, and if your church was approached by a homosexual couple requesting a wedding, what would your church do?
I really appreciate all of our readers that took the time to respond to this question. It really helped give me an understanding of where the church in America is at on this subject! Obviously, there are varying opinions. The purpose of my question and the purpose of this article is not to state an opinion on the pros or cons of doing such a wedding. The purpose of my poll was to find out what most of our readership would do, and to help our readership explore this subject and plan for the possible future. While the response was great, there were three The American Church Magazine®
readers that felt my question was fear mongering. They expressed the opinion that churches, as nonprofits, would be protected from any actions, fines or lawsuits. While I appreciate everyones opinions and feedback, I don’t think the question is fear mongering. While I don’t know that a single church will be sued, I don’t believe anyone can guarantee that it won’t happen. Since different states have passed laws legalizing gay marriages, many Christians, operating business that provided support for weddings (chapels, flowers, cakes, etc.) have
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been purposely sought out by gay couples (most had Christian signage such as the fish) and in all of the cases I have heard about, the gay couples won and many of those business had to shut down. Of course these were not churches, but they lost not on the basis of religious freedom or beliefs, but on the basis of discrimination and civil rights. So is the church exempt? No one will know until the first cases go to court, but many are preparing. For example, in the state of Texas, legislators are working to pass a bill to protect clergy who refuse to do such weddings. Secondly, the lawsuits might not be against the churches themselves, but rather aimed at the pastors who refuse. And, thirdly, there has been a growing trend for churches to NOT be non-profit. The reason? Because regulations, not laws, continue to develop that inhibit a church from ministry. For example, if a church has a family that finds themselves in financial problems, they are not allowed to loan them church tables for a garage sale. Certainly small churches ignore such rules, but I can list off several dozen other examples where churches wanted to help people in their communities, members and non-members, and did not because it would violate IRS or other government regulations. I raised the question and did the poll because many in legal positions are stating that lawsuits against churches because of the failure to perform same sex marriages might be our future. “Eric Johnston, president of the Southeast Law Institute and one of the state’s [Alabama] top legal advisers to churches, said gay marriage is inevitable and churches that oppose it may be in for legal challenges. “I think it’s going to be all over the country,” Johnston said of gay marriage. (http://www.al.com/ living/index.ssf/2015/01/can_churches_be_forced_ to_perf.html) Litigation against churches has increased dramatically in just the last seven years. Churches are being sued for actions of their staff, for negligent selection of their volunteers, for trying to use grace and mercy instead of termination of staff due to moral issues, advice giving in counseling, etc. If the same sex marriage issue goes to court against a church, it will be based and centered on a charge of discrimination, not religious belief. I am 60 years old and pastored my first church 40 years ago. I have seen MANY changes, brought forth by our government, that have changed the way the church can do things. For example, 40 The American Church Magazine®
years ago, pastors were not employees of a church, but laws and regulations have been passed (regardless of our non-profit status) that have drastically changed the pastor’s position and relationship with a church. In light of the changes I have seen over the decades, and the way our society and government sees things, I believe the question, and the problem, might become very real, very soon. Of course there are pastors that have refused to marry someone if they have been divorced. Other pastors will not marry a couple if they have already been living together. A Catholic Priest may refuse to marry a member of his church to a non-Catholic, just as a Jewish Rabbi might refuse to marry a Jew to a non-Jew. However, these issues have never been challenged in court because divorcees, couples living together, etc., have not been seen as a minority with civil rights. Homosexuals have now received civil rights status, and to decide against their wishes will be seen by some as discrimination, and I believe the discrimination issue might trump religious beliefs. Time will tell. For those that provided an answer to my poll, here is what they said. Most stated clearly that they would not perform a marriage between two people of the same sex. I was surprised by the number of pastors and churches that have been pursuing a plan in case the situation comes up. Here are a few of the things churches are doing; • They have a specific statement in their bylaws that prohibits a homosexual marriage. (If your church does not wish to marry same sex couples, this would be your first and maybe your most important thing to do right away). • They have added a specific statement in their by-laws that they will only allow marriages in their church where at least one of the persons to be married is a member of the church. They therefore believe that their guidelines for membership will prohibit a homosexual from joining, thus they would never have to deal with the request for a marriage between two people of the same sex. • Many are adopting a policy that their church and clergy will simply no longer marry anyone! If their members want a church wedding, they are encouraged to go to the Jus-
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tice of the Peace or a judge and get married. They can then come to the church and have a religious ceremony, but the pastor doesn’t sign a marriage license, nor do they state, “By the power vested in me by the state, I now pronounce you husband and wife”. • Some have set the cost for a non-member wedding so high, it would discourage most from trying (fees would be six to eight figures). • Some are hoping that the required 10 session pre-marriage counseling, where the Biblical definition of marriage is outlined, would discourage homosexual marriages. • They plan to refer such couples to other churches in their community that would be open and willing to perform the marriage for them. By far, most of our readers stated that they would not perform a same sex marriage. However, a few responded that they would and/or do already. I also thought it was interesting that one pastor would be in agreement with doing such a wedding but the church and denomination where he served wouldn’t allow it, while another pastor is serving in a church that would allow it but he hasn’t been
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asked. If he is asked, he will decline and is expecting his church/denomination to seek retribution for his beliefs. I should also report that while many churches and pastors responded with their plans to avoid the conflict of conducting a same sex marriage, the majority also concluded their comments that if their plans were to fail and they faced fines or lawsuits, they believed strongly that a same sex marriage was against the teachings of the Bible and that it was better to obey God than man. They would rather lose their buildings and go out of business than marry a same sex couple. The purpose of this article wasn’t intended to state a position, but rather to make our readers aware of a potential concern and to record the responses and actions churches are taking to deal with this change in our society and country. Many of those who responded to the poll asked questions about potential solutions. Hopefully the actions of others will help your church decide how to move forward.
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Article
A Message for Control Freaks By Thom Schultz
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hy are some of the organized church’s most dedicated and active members choosing to leave? Sociologist Josh Packard, author of Church Ref- after she approached her church’s leadership with ugees, sometimes refers to these people as the the simple idea of starting a lawn-mowing minischurch’s A students. They’re most likely to contrib- try for the congregation’s elderly. The leadership ute, work hard, and lead others. But, increasingly, crushed her enthusiasm with a list of bureaucratic they’re done. Done with the institutional church requirements to meet before she could even bring altogether. her idea before the church board. “It was all about But why? Why have they joined the Dones? control,” Cora said. So, she left the church–and Packard’s research uncovered several prominent started her mowing ministry on her own. reasons. One of these reasons ties directly to the Many Dones report that churches are happy Dones’ ambitious nature. and eager to accept their “If we don’t control it and put They want to make a difvolunteer service–if it fits ference, but feel encumthe confines of the leadour church’s name on it, we bered–by the church’s ers’ need for filling limstructures and leaders. don’t want our people involved.” ited, pre-conceived slots. Packard interviewed Ethan, a 47-year-old Done. Packard writes that many high-capacity Dones feel “I’m done with the top-down, institutional church,” like they were treated as entry-level employees for Ethan said. “I thought I could fix it from within, but a large organization. we got beat up pretty bad.” Packard writes: “They wanted to affect the life Behind the bureaucracy of their congregations, but encountered only buSo, why would churches erect roadblocks in reaucracy.” front some of their most capable, energetic, and He describes Cora, a 66-year-old formerly ac- innovative people? tive church member. Her list of volunteer positions As Cora concluded, for some it’s all about conin her church filled an entire page. But now she’s a trol. In fact, some church leaders believe it’s their Done. She became continually frustrated with her job to closely control everything that happens in church’s resistance and sluggishness to support or the congregation. Some pursue this misguided bepermit her ministry passions. She reached her limit havior out of a sense of quality assurance. (“If it’s The American Church Magazine®
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not done according to my standards of excellence, it reflects poorly on me and our entire ministry.”) Others fear the potential of failure. (“What if it doesn’t work? We can’t afford to lose one more member, or one more dollar.”) And some are just control freaks. They cannot let go and let others fly. A “chief of staff” at a large church told me his church formally put a stop to any members who wished to start new ministry efforts outside the already established and tightly controlled ministry apparatus. “Those spin-offs don’t help our church’s brand,” he said. “If we don’t control it and put our church’s name on it, we don’t want our people involved.” The result? Some of the church’s best and brightest are pursuing their ministry passions outside the organized church. And they say they’re finding greater fulfillment, and living out their faith more fully–as Dones. There are some useful leadership lessons to be learned here: • Great leaders do not seek to accumulate control. They seek to distribute it and empower others to accomplish great things. Examine Jesus’ approach. He empowered and encouraged his followers to go out and do big things. • Remember the mission of the church. It’s about building loving relationships–with God, and with others. It’s not about building a hierarchical machine. • Involving and engaging the congregation in significant ministry is more important than a flawless professional ministry show. • Embrace failure as a useful tutor in the process of innovation and progress. We usually learn more from our failures than our successes. • When it comes to building a church, forget about building a brand. Build a community. Allow the Body of Christ to function like a body, with each part doing its part. Allow people to use their God-given gifts. When it comes to real ministry, we’re all in this together.
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Reviving the Small Church
Overcoming the Obstacle of Fear in a Hostile Culture By Michael Henderson
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ast month I spoke to you all about discipleship. Discipleship is a key to this month’s topic surrounding fear and the choke-holding power it has to freeze a believer in their tracks, especially in a spiritually hostile culture. Case in point: Last year when Chick-fil-A president and CEO, Dan Kathy, made a point to let others know he stood for traditional and biblical marriage it caused a raging firestorm. The internet lit up in disagreement and even vehement anger on message boards and forums across this land. I personally received messages and testimonies from many who were in tears because they publicly stood on the Scripture and in agreement with Mr. Kathy. Because of their stand, many had been lambasted in phone conversations, unfriended on Facebook, and unfollowed on Twitter. They called me, as a friend and pastor, for prayer to continue believing, and comfort in how to withstand the pain and rejection they felt. Having been there many times myself, I could empathize
is no wonder that Jesus emphasized discipleship so much? In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for “disciple” was Talmid; the plural form being Talmidum as in many disciples. It carries with it a meaning of closeness and intimacy—in ancient Israel, one you would find between a student and his Rabbi. The Talmidum were specially picked by the Rabbi based upon a careful study of their desire for God, His service, and their character. If you were to become a Talmid it was expected for you to be with the teacher twenty-four hours a day. Discipleship, Talmidum, and Us This was for the purpose of learning to “live like” To help with gaining strength in the face of and “emulate” him. In the New Testament the fear and for dousing its strangling chokehold it Greek word for disciple is mathetes, which simply The American Church Magazine®
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meant a learner, pupil, or disciple. In Jesus’ day, this definition was carried over, especially applying to the disciples Jesus chose, and the many others who followed Him. In those days it was one of the highest honors to be chosen as a disciple. There is no less honor today. If we are to carry the title of being a chosen vessel of God, let us carry it faithfully and with fear (respect for) of the One who has chosen us and shed His blood for our salvation. Peter reminds us of this appellation in his first epistle. “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). We are chosen then to serve the Lord and ring out His praises to those who are in darkness! I understand that knowing this alone will not help in those fearful situations; but it is necessary to know that you are special to God, that He will not be forsaking you, and He is counting on you to trust Him.
concerning a command of Jesus, the disciples, a boat, and a storm at sea. Here is the passage: On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” –(Mark 4:35-41) There is one thing I want you to take special note of. Jesus said, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Just so that we do not miss that one point, realize it was His will that He and the disciples cross the sea and arrive at the other side. Lessons from a Seed and a Storm True faith would have never fallen into the grip of I want to be frank here because what I am fear. Another point, Jesus was sleeping because about to say may leave some of you wondering if He knew they would make it to the other side. Did you have a true relationship with Christ. Just do they need this test of faith? Yes. They needed to not forget, the believer is God’s work and He will see that He had power over all things—even the complete the work He started in us, (see Phil. 1:6). wind and seas. Now concerning fear, a good principle to remember is that “fear” gains its power from a lack of When you Face Fear connectedness to God. Let me illustrate. Most of Remember this “For God has not given us a us will remember the Parable of the Sower and spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a His Seed in Mark 4:1-20. In that Parable Jesus sound mind” mentioned that some of the sower’s seed fell on (2 Timothy 1:7). Fear is not from God. But God stony ground and was not able to get rooted for is ever bringing us through situations where our growth. A little later He interpreted that to mean faith will be tested. Putting our trust in Jesus will that when “trouble” or “persecution” arises some give us an anchor to hold onto because Jesus—the people do not have the root in Christ needed to anchor of the soul—transcends all fear. withstand the persecution so they stumble, (see I know some are thinking that’s easy for you mark 4:16-17). Most believe Jesus was referring to say. Have you ever faced fear? Yes, many times. to those who looked like they were Christian but I expound on some of them on my blog at www. were really not. Nevertheless, the lesson taught is truthinspires.com, and others in my new book, clear enough, we need to be rooted in Christ in “The Sifted Generation, Tested, Tried, and Found order to stand with Christ in the face of a storm. True.” Available at your favorite online bookstore. Jesus put it this way in John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Abiding in Christ is where we receive our strength and that is what a disciple will do. A second illustration is just a simple teaching The American Church Magazine®
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Church Hoppers
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Look for the Best By Church Hoppers
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ith so many attacks on the church sometimes it is very difficult to look for the best in the ministry. Wisdom is putting greater leaders of a specific field around you so that together the team is the best. In the book “Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success,” John Wooden, former coach of the UCLA Bruins says, “Don’t try to be better than someone else and always try to be the best you can be,” which refers to self-awareness of simplicity. (6) Coach Wooden’s always focused on the individual to see where he fit into the success of Bruin basketball. In the Coach’s case certain players had certain skills but their skills were not the same. Bill Walton in his day was a center not a guard. Bill’s skills in shooting the ball from within 10 feet of the basket were far better than bouncing the ball. Coach Wooden simplified Bill Walton’s life by putting him where he was at his best so Bill could concentrate on a few things. Coach Wooden saw the best in Bill and used his ability to create a successful basketball program. Finding the best in ministry can be challenging and takes patience to wait on the right people The American Church Magazine®
for the right ministry. Take Jesus who looked for the best in his disciples even when they were living their worst. One of the expectations that Jesus produced was giving and serving of his disciples. He taught them about investing by investing into them personally. The investment was about what they would become more than what they were at the beginning. Church leaders many times look for what leaders “they do not have” instead of what leaders “they do have.” There are ways to look for the best in people and find their full potential. It is more about leadership perspective and implementation than it is about people being qualified. First, a ministry must be setup with a delegating system to find the best. Delegation says “I am smart enough to find someone better than me in this area of work.” The antonym of delegation is “retain” or “hold”, which can disease a church sys-
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tem. Typically this happens when someone wants to control the vision however delegating the vision says the cause is greater than the control. An effective delegation process is to share the cause with others, which has the greatest value to all who participate. When an individual is given a responsibility that person will rise above the original responsibility if and only if the cause is worthy of merit. Secondly, a ministry must be setup with a giving and serving philosophy to find the best. People learn best by doing far more than sitting in a classroom to receive instruction. Giving and serving is the learning curve where people use their gifts and talents to make the ministry more impactful. People doing the work of the ministry will help people to get their hands into the ministry. Many churches try to spend far more time planning instead of acting, which throws the ministry out of balance.
“Many cases churches try to cut corners with members who have little or no experience in certain areas.” The power of motion excites people to the point it brings out the best in people. Take a church fall festival where an individual is placed into a booth to serve the kids and all of a sudden you find a person who you never knew was that talented due to the person finding their place in ministry. Lastly, choose to “let the professionals do their job” find the best. A train wreck is assured when people begin trying to do things that they were not created or equipped to do. It may save money but it will cost more in the end plus result in wasted energy. Many cases churches try to cut corners with members who have little or no experience in certain areas. Churches who hire the professionals in the church to do what they are equipped and prepared to do will always produce a higher quality of work. Members of the church will commit and support intelligence more than ignorance and even stupidity when trying to save a dime. People appreciate leaders who will not try to ask and develop a plan with unequipped personnel. Church leaders who are settled on their purpose and strategy will always know the best of the The American Church Magazine®
best in their ministries. These church leaders know what they are looking for to make the team the best of the best. A great similarity with Bill Walton can be lived out in ministries. Not everyone is a guard, forward or center but we are something that is significantly important. The problems in church are having the right people in the wrong place. The people are right in many cases they just need to be in the right place to be the best of the best. Remember looking for the best of the best is found in “people involvement.” It is the lifeline and impact of any event that promotes a quality service with an impactful significance. The Church Hoppers is a coaching company than can help you revitalize your church by building balance through systems, business and marketing. Follow: Tweeter: @churchhoppers Facebook: Church Hoppers Contact: Web: churchhoppers.org Email: info@churchhoppers.org
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No Longer Church As Usual
Can It Be Done? By Tim Kurtz
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he house I grew up in was next door to the parsonage of the church we attended. The back door of our home was, literally, less than fifty yards from the back of the church. As kids, we had an ongoing joke that when Rev. Wheeler (our pastor at that time), got his keys, we knew we were headed to church, too.
My parents were diligent to take us to church. I once told a group that I was a “drug baby.” Why? Because my parents drug me to Sunday school; they drug me to church services; they drug me to midweek services; and they drug me to prayer meetings. They drug me to any and everything that took place in our church. I literally grew up in church. I began taking piano lessons at eight years old, and by the time I was ten, I was the pianist for the children’s choir. I spent most of my early life as a church musician directing and accompanying youth groups and ensembles; while at the same time, I was a jazz musician playing in clubs and bars around our area. Church was often just another gig. It is sad to say, but my belief at that time was becoming more atheistic. The American Church Magazine®
In February of 1974, at the age of 20, I accepted Christ. This is no reflection on the church I grew up in, but rather an admission that activity did not equate to a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ. What I did learn as a child, teen, and young adult was the system of church. I learned the inner workings – good and bad – of “churchism.” In 1987, I was licensed as a minister. I continued to serve as a musician in the church my wife and I attended. We were blessed to start a youth music ensemble that ministered throughout the state of Michigan, and in parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. Soon after I was licensed, the Lord began speaking to me about starting a church. My naiveté and imagination led me to believe that I would be the first mega-church pastor in our community. Re-
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gardless, the Lord allowed us to become the founders of a church in February of 1993. We got off to a good start. Within a few years we were having multiple Sunday morning services. Then something happened. The Lord began speaking to me about house churches. I did not fully understand how it would apply to my congregation. Inside I knew that the Lord was beginning to form a different picture of the church in my mind from what I had ever known. I did not share what I was seeing with anyone. It felt too radical from all I had ever known. The more I learned, the more I struggled with what I was doing and what was evolving in my spirit. In 2006, I began sharing this with a few people. It began with the leaders of my church during a staff retreat. Frankly, their less than enthusiastic response caused me to rethink what I was seeing. Maybe cell groups were the answer? We tried that; and it was a dismal failure. The Lord continued to speak to me. In 2010, I reluctantly – I repeat – reluctantly wrote and released the first edition of my book, No Longer Church As Usual. This release opened many doors and connected me with believers around the country who were seeing the same thing. It is not a cell group; it is the church gathering from house to house and led by a plurality of elders. It is a church where every believer is equipped to fulfill their God-given calling, purpose, and ministry. All along, I was seeing a contemporary version of the church seen in the Book of Acts. We began learning all we could about the activities of the first century church. We started to see what it meant to function as a church that was simple and organic. During this time, one sister among us stated that the Lord instructed her to start a gathering. Without much ado, she opened her home as a house church. Everything in me wanted to go and instruct them, but the Lord clearly forbade me from doing so (Acts 16:6-7). After several weeks of them meeting, I felt a release to visit her gathering. I was pleasantly surprised. This group of believers were edifying and exhorting each other. They were having fun building and strengthening each other. Her gathering became the trigger that encouraged others to start gatherings in their homes. In 2013, the second edition of my book, No Longer Church As Usual, was released. This edition reflects the experiences we have gained during the first three years, and has become a template for The American Church Magazine®
“Inside I knew that the Lord was beginning to form a different picture of the church in my mind from what I had ever known.”
future gatherings. I have given you this abridged historical background to help you understand the remainder of this article. Hopefully you see that I understand “church as usual.” During my life I have learned how to do church. Church, as we all have known it, has been engrained in me from a child. But as the Lord began to show me something differently, I found it necessary to pursue it. But it has not been without detractors and dissenters. Internally, as I shared what the Lord has shown me, it drew out many “believing” people among us. I had no idea how many “believing” people there were. What am I saying? As soon as some understood what I was teaching, many began to say, “Pastor, we will ‘be-leaving’ this church.” Yes, our seats emptied out, but among those who have remained, we continue to be steadfast in the Lord’s call on us. Ironically, the external detractors came from some of the organic, house, and simple church proponents. I have been told that it is impossible to transition a traditional church into a network of house churches. This is the crux of this article: Can It Be Done? Is it possible to transition people who are used to doing church a certain way into a form that is totally foreign to them? Is it possible to establish, develop, and release believers to pursue their calling, purpose, and ministry in an atmosphere of mutual accountability? Is it possible to train and release elders, deacons, and other ministry gifts who can govern such a church from the bottom up, rather than the top down? Some say it can’t be done. They say that people in traditional churches are too caught up in the church system we know to change. Admittedly, at times I have almost succumbed to this rhetoric. Yet,
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over the past nine years I have seen those among us catching a glimpse of the glorious church demonstrated throughout the Book of Acts, and in the pages of the New Testament. I believe many are sensing a change brewing in the church, but don’t know what to do. I don’t believe the Lord would release fresh revelation and insight regarding His Church and by-pass the millions of people who faithfully attend traditional churches. No, I am not saying that everyone will accept or embrace this change. Rather, I am asserting that the Lord would not reveal this without giving the entire Body of Christ an opportunity to embrace it. I changed. I have met many others who have changed. None of us dislike the church we are accustomed to. By the grace of God, I have served a congregation of believers for nearly 23 years. After nearly nine years of teaching the values and structure of the New Testament Church, we are taking the first major step in practicing what we believe. At the end of June, we will launch a gathering weekend. Rather than meeting on Sunday for our traditional church service, we will spend the weekend gathering from house to house. This is the first step
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towards becoming a fully functioning New Testament church that lives the values, and embraces the structure of the first century church. We are simply moving towards something we believe the Lord is doing in the earth. Jesus, is still building His Church – His Way in the 21st Century. We ask you to pray with us as we pursue this exciting journey of being used by Him in His building plans. Yes, I believe it can be done! TIM KURTZ is the founder of The Center for New Testament Church Development (www.ntcdonline.org), and is the author of NO LONGER CHURCH AS USUAL Second Edition. He and his wife of 42 years are also the founders of New Life Ministries International (www.newlifeministriesintl.org), that is currently transitioning into a church that reflects the values and structure of the first century church. Like us on Facebook: The Center for New Testament Church Development Twitter: @timkurtz712
July / August 2015
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